With all the controversy surrounding John Terry this week, I’d like to stick my hat into the ring and suggest his act of betrayal wasn’t all that bad. Okay, he had an affair with his friend’s wife but in 24 land that’s the equivalent of forgetting to cover your mouth when you sneeze. Judas type events happen so frequently, those who tell the truth are the ones who should be strung up. Think back to Nina Myers, Tony Almeida, and now Farhad Hassan and the revelations about Terry are about as heart-breaking as dropping a cream egg.

The planned assassination of Omar Hassan comes to a pulsating climax, with his brother Farhad in close attendance. The files planted on the reporter, Meredith Reed’s computer, show blueprints of the UN building the US and Islamic Republic’s presidents are holding talks. A bomb is suspected and CTU Director Hastings, orders the evacuation of the building. The threat however, as suggested by Jack and Chloe, comes from the streets outside. As the expensive motorcade attempts to escape, hired Russian killer, Davros, lies in wait to set off a bomb hidden under a man hole. Last minute communication between Jack and Chase, sorry I mean Cole, allows the young agent to speed alongside the President’s car and ram him out of the way of the eventual explosion.

Learning of the failed attempt, Farhad showcases his skills as a future President, by dealing with a setback about as calmly as a girl from My Super Sweet 16 discovering her daddy bought her a diamond encrusted back scratcher in pink instead of fuchsia. He hastily makes his exit, conspicuously stabbing a police officer in the neck in front of his sister in-law and niece before running off. Still, he faired rather better than Davros who ends up shot and killed by, yes you guessed it, Jack Bauer. Farhad’s bigger plans are soon revealed as he goes to buy nuclear weapons material from the Russians.

Meanwhile an interesting little subplot is developing between Dana Walsh (Katee Sackhoff ) and her, abusive ex boyfriend. Having changed her name from Jenny to get away from him and a presumably turbulent past, Walsh has been tracked down. Now settled into a new life with current boyfriend Cole and weary of his attempts to blackmail her, she gives him the keys to her apartment and says he can stay but just for one night. Normally I’d say that was a gloriously optimistic proposition but then, she’s clearly been watching the show and realises that he’ll probably be dead by midnight anyway. Smart move Walshy.

7PM onwards also sees the return of  Renee. Last season saw her slowly emerge as Jack Mark 2, with lady bits. The former FBI agent had suffered through the traumatic loss of her boss and former lover, along with finding her principles compromised while working alongside Bauer. Having gone through a breakdown so serious her hair changed colour, Renee accepts a mission to reactivate a former cover of hers as a partner to the nuclear wielding Russians.

Jack, who by now must feel like Dante in Clerks, is so concerned about her well-being, he joins Renee under cover (no, not in that way) to ensure her safety. It isn’t her safety he should be worried about though as Renee’s patience, with a known associate of the Russians, runs out spectacularly. Coercing his arm into a vice with the promise of removing the criminal’s electronic tag, the dark haired temptress carves through his wrist with an electric saw.

The extent of shock on Bauer’s face suggests that this isn’t a lady we should be messing with. Bring on the next hour!

Jack Bauer fact for week 2: Jack Bauer once forgot where he put his keys. He then spent the next half-hour torturing himself until he gave up the location of the keys