Well, well, well ... no wonder Jack is back!

SPOILERS

We just finished watching the first four hours of 24. As always, what a great ride! I especially like watching the Deep Space Nine doctor as Al-Assad. He hasn't had much to do but I always was fond of Julian so it is nice to see him again.

We all agreed that the family being held hostage were not looking at the big picture. And made a pact then and there that should we wind up in a similar situation the hostages would be ready to give it up for the country. (Luckily I doubt we will ever be in such a situation ... but if we are, that decision has been made! One more thing to cross off my "to do" list.)

I have to say that for someone who was tortured in a Chinese prison Jack found the time to build up a nice assortment of muscle. And he cleans up well (and quick) with quite the professional haircut considering he was in an airplane hangar with a bowl, a pitcher, a mirror and some scissors. But that's Jack ... capable of rising to any occasion no matter how limited the resources.

However, he does seem appropriately mentally tortured which is playing havoc with his ability to hang in there and save the country. I especially liked the scene after he was forced to shoot Curtis where Jack was going to lie by the tree and just sob a little. Heck, the poor guy is released from prison, instantly told he is being given up as a sacrifice to a terrorist, and then sent running into the usual tortuous "24" day. Anyone would need a little crying time to get back to normal.

Until the nuke went off. No one sets off nukes in the U.S. without Jack getting his head back in the game and taking them down.