Grade: A- | Genre: Drama Summary: 24 is a compelling drama, and these latest episodes prove no exception. This split frame storytelling interlaces punch after punch of action as the tension swiftly snowballs, keeping you completely enthralled. My television viewing has been getting rather dim of late. With quirky cool Arrested Development busy searching for a new home and my new favorite Love Monkey let out of its cage, I've got some nice gaping holes in my weekly viewing schedule, aching to be patched up. I thought it was high time to turn my attention to one of television's most talked about dramas, 24, to see if its really all that and a bag of chips. After three odd weeks and five hours of non-stop tension, I can safely say I'm hooked on Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) and his stealth counter terrorism unit. Its like Alias if Alias were good. Its like Sleeper Cell with clear coat of slick veneer; digestible for the masses. I never realized so much could happen in the span of one day. It makes me feel so unproductive.

So this week's double episode wallop takes place between the hours of 5 and 7pm. Last week, we left the Russian president plus wife and the U.S. president's main squeeze in shell shock after having the crap bombed out of them by wily terrorists. The U.S. president laid the motorcade out for the terrorists on a silver platter in an effort to shield massive casualties resulting from their threat to release syntox nerve gas on American soil. Our old pal Jack almost got obliterated into itty-bitty morsels by his ex-CTU nemesis, Christopher Henderson. Enough reminiscing, queue up this week's action.

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Back at the hospital, they locate the odorous canister with mere seconds to go before detonation. Curtis drops the bomb into a containment unit before the ICU patients were awarded their wings. Jack gets into Henderson's pad only to hit a wall of resistance as Miriam fiercely denies Jack's allegations against her husband. Jack finds an encrypted list of phone numbers sitting next to Henderson's downloaded porn. Henderson comes home, Jack whacks him only to shoot Miriam in the leg, proving he's the resident bad ass, but still he gets no password lovin' from Henderson. Jack does out him to Miriam, dumping Henderson's briefcase that's popping at the seams with the Benjamins.

Osrtoff tweaks the keycard to impose his face over McGill's electronic image then he puts on his "CTU or bust" t-shirt he copped off one of the Spring Break vendors. Enter the heavenly Kim Bauer (Elisha Cuthbert). After the janitorial staff finished cleaning up all the collective drool from the male employees and a couple female, Audrey socks Kim with the revelation that daddy Jack is actually alive, and he pulled the wool over her eyes in an attempt to protect her. The Vice President shows up, pounding the table to unleash martial law in L.A. in order to combat the terrorist presence. Forget the pesky little fact that he plans to usurp Congress on the approval process to make it happen. Novick vehemently disagrees with V.P. Gardener's proposal, but Logan is seemingly all ears. Jack carts Henderson back to CTU to grill him under the hot lights, menacing him by placing him in a Chinese finger lock. Jack comes face to face with Kim, and she's having none of it. Jilted and despondent, she wants nothing to do with him and his lying ways.

Osrtoff is arming the device in CTU's air ducts when he's forced to knife snooping cutie Carrie. Somebody should tell the show's producers that tech girls never look like her. They quickly discover this rouge element in the complex, and he's taken down Bauer-style. Unfortunately, they can't stop the gas before it's released. Chloe manages to seal off a few select rooms in CTU before the gas completely pervades the office. Not everyone is salvaged. Poor weight challenged Edgar gets stuck on the outside looking in after his attempts to save Carrie prove a shade less than fruitful.

24 is a compelling drama, and these latest episodes prove no exception. This split frame storytelling interlaces punch after punch of action as the tension swiftly snowballs, keeping you completely enthralled. For a while now, I've operated under the mistaken impression that I needed to go back and toil through seasons 1-4 before I could truly experience 24, but this train is ripe for bordering right now. All you need is a thirst for danger and a spark for intrigue. Granted you may have troubles sleeping nights as potential terrorist plots spin out of control in your head, but at least you won't fall asleep watching the show.

Catch 24 on Fox Monday nights at 9pm.