WHOA

So last night at 10 I was asleep, because I had to get up really early today, and my phone rang. It was my son, who rarely calls, so instantly I knew that something was very, very wrong. And something was.

"They killed Edgar!" he said.

And my immediate thought was: "Ohmigod! Now the terrorists have harpoons!"

No, really, after I got over the shock, my thought was that it must have been a heckuvan episode. That thought was confirmed  this morning at the airport when I read all 786,000 of your comments, and learned that not only did Jack shoot somebody in the thigh, but there was a gas attack at CTU HQ (which apparently has the same level of security as a Dairy Queen) AND a trailer for X-Men 3 AND a return by Jack's whiny annoying daughter AND -- most exciting of all -- a new model of the Ipex brand brassiere.

You people did a FABULOUS job of covering these develoments. Thank you. Now I'm going to get on an airplane, and think about Edgar, and be sad, but also relieved that Edgar is not on the airplane.

Comments

[JT]

Um, Dave, you DID establish that your son was talking about 24, right? If he was talking about someone with the same name, that's going to be embarrassing...

[Dave]

He would not have called for something trivial, such as the death of somebody I actually know.

[Billy Bob Peg Leg Pete, CPA]

Geez, there go all the blimp jokes. I think it's a conspiracy.

[Antonio]

HOLD ON HOLD ON!!!!
New brassiere? Dammit! The one commercial I miss...

[daisymae]

I new it was going to be a great episode.

[Christobol]

Don't be too sad about Edgar. 24 appears to be very close to its "Jump the Shark" episode, so there's a good chance Edgar's death will have been faked so that his midichlorians can be reconstituted as a miniature Elvis that sits on Jack's right shoulder and encourages him to shoot people.

Of course, even a miniature Edgar is going to be hell on Jack's back, so expect some massage parlor action in those episodes.

[ahhm Clem]

I liked the scene where the vice president found the first lady holding hands with the secret service agent. I thought the VP was gonna shoot him in the face.

[Coast the Raven]

Dave - Be glad that Edgar is not on the plane, and that the cannisters have already been removed from the airport!

[Renee]

Aww. I don't even watch "24" and I'm sad for Edgar. See what you people have done to me??

[Jeff Meyerson]

Clem, not the VP, it was Mike who found FL Cleavage & Macho Aaron holding hands.

Bulletin: Krispy Kreme stock dropped 5 points when Edgar died.

[Allen at Division]

Clem, Mike is not VP, he's National Security Advisor; the VP is the newly arrived zombie with the insane eyes.

Hey Dave (Mr. Answer Man), who do you think has a shorter average life span: CTU Security Redshirt Oneofourmen or Ensign Redshirt OhGodIHaven'tGotALastName from the classic Star Trek series?... I mean really, shouldn't they just give up and change CTU's security uniform shirt to concentric circles?...

CTU Employment Job Fair Motto: You'll have a job here for life!

[Coast the Raven]

Allen - if you notice, one of the guys that bought the farm last night was in a uniform eerily similar to the Star Trek RedShirt standard. Coincidence? I think NOT!

[ahhm Clem]

Ok I got it. I'm new at this show. I began watching this show so that I'd get the jokes here and maybe become a supporter of torture on the side. There's still plenty of time for the VP to shoot someone in the face.

[Peg Leg Pete, CPA]

Anybody recognize the VP from Twin Peaks?

[Olo Baggins of Bywater]

I don't think Edgar is dead....completely.

[MOTW]

major *SNORK* at Jeff!

Yes, it was an exciting episode, what with the "hostile" going down with a fatal shot, not in the thigh, ("I'm sorry," gasped Jack, "It was the only shot I had.") and the canister spewing out its contents, the lockdown, the lockup, and Edgarcide. His last word ("Chloe ...") rather reminded me of Citizen Kane, "Rosebud..."

[Renee]

Olo, is he only mostly dead?

[rita]

What, I manage to stay up till 9:15, THEN they kill Edgar?

What'd he do, try to cram in one more Twinky?

[Black Knight]

It's just a flesh wound.

[rita]

Were the first four seasons as good as last night's shows? If they weren't, I'll stop my quest to borrow them.

I think that 24's writers have been reading this blog. I'm convinced that they threw us a nod by having Jack shoot that woman ABOVE her knee, so she could still walk. I'll never forget that scene.

[fivver]

Uh Dave? Your plane is taking off from sea level and the pilot will then lower the cabin pressure to approximately that of the surface of the moon. The vapours in everyone will expand. Edgar may not be on the plane, but it will be... well, you know.

[Mad the Soapboxer]

Although I have never actually watched the show and am just surmising from the comments here that Edgar is a size-extra-large entity of some sort (probably not vegetable or mineral), having knowledge of the history of TV shows and the lack of character permanence in general, my guess is Edgar was written out of the show because he's been offered more money to test Australian toilet seats and the 24 folks wouldn't match the $$.

[Edgar Greenberg]

It worked! I have been reborn! Okay, my name's not really Edgar and I didn't die. But still! You can stop mourning for me.

[Jeff Meyerson]

rita: it started a little slowly in season 1 with WAY too much about whiny daughter Kim, but you can fast-forward through those parts. In general, it is worth watching.

[TCK]

OK, I don't even watch 24, and yet I am strangely saddened by this tragic turn of events. Edgar's absence will clearly impact all of our lives.

OK, maybe not, but if there's one thing I always say, it's that every dead guy deserves a good wake.

Bartender, drinks all around!

Parfait and cheeze-its will be served in the courtyard (back under the big oak tree, right next to the stone wall, where the feds can't see us)

[Lila]

I agree with Jeff - once season one hit it's stride, it was awesome. The other seasons have been good, too. I really liked season three, despite the cougar. I think that was the season when Jack died, came back to life, and then snapped some guy's neck in a matrix-style running up the wall move. Nice.

[Addicted to 24]

Dave,
I think it is time for you to finally invest in one of these.

[rita]

I've been watching bits and pieces on A&E and maybe Bravo. They've been all mixed up and I can't figure out what's going on when.

One of those channels is having a moronathon this weekend of season 1, but my daughter's family is coming up from Orlando and I'll miss it.

And we still can't figure out how to get the vcr to record since that power blip several months ago. Where's an 11-year-old when you need one?

[rita]

You mean you have to shell out for a Tivo, then you still have to pay for the service monthly? Sheesh.

[Olo Baggins of Bywater]

Yes, IMO Edgar's not done yet. Chloe will locate an antidote schematic on the computer. Using a combination of the stuff in the liquor cabinet and bodily secretions/excretions, Jack will make a batch of it, and they'll inject Edgar when they get out. Of course, a complete chemical scrub of CTU takes just three commercial breaks, so they have time before Edgar's nervous system melts.

[TrillianAstra]

I'm really convinced that the final episode of the season will be an homage to 'Return of the Jedi", and that Edgar, Michelle, Pres. Palmer and all the rest of the dead cast will appear as glowing green specters outside of CTU whilst Ewoks jump around and celebrate the death of the Russian terrorists. Or maybe it will be Hobbits instead of Ewoks.

By the way, if Leif Garrett or Ralph Macchio join the cast next as a "SPECIAL GUEST STAR", I'm done with this show.

[CoastRaven]

Trillian - I have it on good authority that Scott Baio will be the next "Guest Star" in preparation for the new Fox Spinoff series - "Chloe Loves Chachi for 24 Hours"

[TrillianAstra]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[Black Knight]

rita, I can loan you my evil, er, genius but ADHD son for help with programming your VCR.

[max power]

Maybe they can bring House in from wherever it is House is from and bring Edgar back to life? We need some kind of supershow where the worlds of 24, House, Prison Break, and hey, why not American Idol come together...

Tonight, House cures Jack Bauer from something horrible in just 42 minutes, Jack Bauer saves LA and shoots Simon in the thigh, while America's hottest undiscovered singers sing for the freedom of (uh, that character in Prison Break).

[Wes S.]

"Don't be too sad about Edgar. 24 appears to be very close to its "Jump the Shark" episode..."

No, Christobal, actually "24's" jump-the-shark moment came in Season Three, when the scriptwriters, for some unaccountable reason, got the bright idea to write Kim out of the show and reveal that it was actually Jack who's been on drugs the whole time. Ever since then, the show's been clutching desperately to the shark's dorsal fin, hanging on for dear life...and it seems to be losing its grip.

No matter: I'll still be watching it to the bitter end...

[MOTW]

max - some interesting combination show possibilities
- Dancing with the Hostiles
- CSITU
- Eight Simple Thighs
- Everybody Hates Audrey
- Survivor - CTU lockdown
- Fear Jacktor

[Al, the Arctic one]

Great show titles MOTW. BRAVO!

[Dr. Doug]

Dave,
After your many writings(those so many years ago) about your son's years in puberty-hell, I'm surprised he is talking to you!!

[O. the U(manity)]

Wowser!

That's some classic arm-chair quarterbacking there, Dr. D ...

[rita]

Dr. Doug, you'll notice that Dave's son called him after Dave went to sleep. And I'll bet that Rob knew that Dave was going to bed early.

Besides, some things just have to be shared with loved ones.

[Overerthinker]

Maybe Edgar let sexy-geek Kerry go "check out" the "utility room" because he figured he could get her alone that way. When he later found her non-responsive to his advances (i.e. dead), he ran back to the control room to tell Chloe that he now only had eyes for her.

Hopefully, Edgar did not die from the Cen-tox gas, but was saved by the mild coronary brought on by running 32 yards. This reduced the blood flow to his nervous system so he could be saved later.

[Charlotte]

Funny thing, my husband started watching 24 last night for the first time. I have never watched it myself, but was able to tell him who was who and what was going on all thanks to this blog.
I actually could kind of follow the plot.

[O. the U(manity)]

There's a plot?

[wolfie]

Your version had a plot?

[wolfie]

*promises to kibby before posting from now on*

[kelly]

Two unanswered questions from last nights show:
1) Where was C Thomas Howell? His name was at the beginning as guest star, but he never showed up.
2) How did the terrorists know that Hobbit's sister had the key card, or how did Hobbit's sister know the terrorists wanted the key card? I have watched every episode and never saw how that transaction was brokered. Who are these crack heads that have the terrorists phone number?

[Toccata]

Not to gloss over wee Edgar's demise, but did anyone else notice that Tony's facial bandage was on the right side of his face before the first commercial but afterwards, his bloody wounds and mangled ear were on the left side of his face???? Oh yeah, is cougar-shy Kim's boyfriend/shrink named Berry or Mike?What's going on here? Obviously the entire writing team is upset over Edgar's flailing death behind the desk which gratiously spared more tender- hearted viewers this grim spectacle.

[Betsi]

Does anyone else think that bringing Dylan McDermott on for a guest spot would vastly improve an episode (or three)?

[Laura]

Kim's psychiatrist/lover is Barry. Mike is an advisor to the Pres.

And yes, Tony's wound moved around a bit:
Bill: wasn't your burn on the other side of your face?
Tony: I have a BURN??!?!

[Anonymous Nupe]

See, you really check to see if Hurley (from "Lost") is on your plane.

Yeah, they HURT me last night on 24 on a lot of levels:

How in the world did the crackhead sister's boyfriend have a direct line to the terrorist to be able to sell them the access card JUST LIKE THAT???!!!!

And you mean to tell me that in CTU, which has been bombed to hell and always has somebody infiltrating that joint, that THEY DIDN'T HAVE GAS MASKS AT THE READY FOR EVERYBODY IN THE BUILDING?????!!!! HEL-LO!!!! Even the rent-a-cops down here at DOE carry them clipped onto their rent-a-cop unis!!!

Dang, they took out Edgar. I only hope they donate his corpse to a small village.

JB don't play one bit!!!!!! He shot that chick right in her leg! Did you see her face?! It was like she was givin' birth. That's like the time Jack brought that dude in obstensibly to interrogate him at CTU, then suddently shot him in the chest and cut off his head! He did all this right in front of his unsuspecting boss who almost lost it: "JACK!!! WHAT THE HELL!!!???" He did it so he could take dude's head to some baddies who had been looking for that dude, so Jack could get in good with them.

God, the prez is such a wimp!

"Hello, is anybody doing any maintenace work in here"...man, that was like a line out of a bad horror flick...

I'll miss Edgar. Who will Cloe get annoyed with now?

Ok, now for the discrepancies: Westwood is no where near the "downtown corridor." The hospital there is UCLA.

[KDF]

*gasp*

Betsi! Yes. I've never watched it, but yes. Dylan McDermott is dreamy.

[skm]

Kelly - C Thomas Howell was "Barry" the annoying boyfriend of Kim's who had the NERVE to back-sass Jack. He'll be bandaging a thigh real soon!

Toccata - Tony was looking in a mirror so the bandage would have appeared to be on opposite sides.

[judi]

i've gathered that "jump the shark" is the same concept as what i've always called "happy days goes to the dude ranch" but... what does it refer to, exactly?

[O. the U(manity)]

Blessed St. Judi -

You're close ... it's "Happy Days goes to watch Fonzie water-ski and jump over a shark" ...

[Darrin]

I believe Chloe will get some of the Red Shirts to help her take Edgar to the Genesis Planet, where they will feed him Krispie Cremes until he is resurrected.

[Laura]

Just like Kirk, Chloe gets ALL the action.

Whatever happened to her Little-Boyfriend anyways? Still arrested?

[kelly]

THAT was C Thomas Howell??!!?? Not the hunky teen idol I remember from my youth.

[Allen at Division]

Dave wasn't the only one who got a phone call after the show. My daughter called just after, knowing I had been watching, and just said, "Damn! I'm sorry, but I just had to call and say that to somebody! They killed Edgar and Audrey is still alive?!? Do the writers have NO humanity?!"

We both shared the hope that somebody forgot to move Hobbit-Suit and he didn't have his precious Ring to help him THIS time, did he??...

[Kookie]

Forgive me for this, but I can't help myself.

Do you suppose Edgar's theme song is "It's Hard Out Here For A Blimp"?

[Mr. Completely]

Laura - *SNORK* at the "Men in Tights" reference...

For dear Judi (from Wordorigins.org): Jump The Shark: When a television show jumps the shark it has reached a tipping point and will steadily decline ever after. Jumping the shark is the defining moment when you know your favorite TV show will never be the same again.

The phrase is a reference to the 1970s television show Happy Days. On 20 September 1977, the show aired an episode where the character Fonzie jumps a shark tank on water skis. A cliffhanger episode, many fans of the show consider this episode to be the moment when they realized the show had become shameless in its self-promotion.

The phrase jump the shark, however, appears some years later. On 24 December 1997 the website www.jumptheshark.com went up on the net. It listed TV shows and the episodes where they jumped the shark. The site gives credit for the phrase to a Sean J. Connelly, who allegedly coined it in 1985. Connelly was the college roommate of site's creator, Jon Hein.

[Addicted to 24]

Judi,
Jumping the shark is when a show has lost it. There is a website that chronicles this. It even has space for Dave's World.

[Addicted to 24]

One more thing...

Dave I hope the flight is not 815.

[Betsy]

Clem...I know you posted way up^there, but just in case you come back, I wanted you to know that you are not alone in assuming that Mike is the VP. I have to keep reminding myself that he isn't; and if he fully masters the one-sided Cheney Smirk, it'll be hopeless.

[CoastRaven]

Jump the Shark has been covered now, but some are beginning to add "Jump the Couch" as a defining moment in a career (instead of series) when the actor/actress is certainly on the downswing (ala Tom Cruise)

[Lairbo]

After Edgar's demise, I got an email that said only:

They killed Edgar! You BASTARDS!

My sentiments, exactly.

[Tallulah]

Regarding a comment someone made last week, I definitely noticed the three earring holes in President Manilow's left ear last night! Perhaps he has a wild side he's waiting to unleash when his wife hooks up with Aaron.

[Laura]

My first *snork*

Thanks Mr.Completely!

[Tallulah]

So, Edgah's not only merely dead; He's really most sincerely dead.

Check out a short interview with the actors who play Chloe and Edgar on how they found out:

http://www.fox.com/video/index.htm?cat_id=24&clip_id=24_Louis

[Mr. Completely]

Laura - You're welcome. Most any Monty Python, Mel Brooks, or Blues Brothers quotes will earn a snork.

Now report to the front desk for your official First Snork noogie.

[whoamI?where'smycar?]

Don't apologize, wolfie; it was MUCH funnier this way:

There's a plot?

Posted by: O. the U(manity) | 01:16 PM on March 7, 2006

Your version had a plot?

Posted by: wolfie | 01:17 PM on March 7, 2006

[whoamI?where'smycar?]

Glad I'm not the only one who noticed the "anonymous-guy-in-the-red-shirt's-gonna-die" nod to Star Trek last night.

And seriously...if you found out that your beloved father, whom you thought was dead, was really not dead and was standing in front of you, wouldn't you blubber and fall on him and crush him in a hug? THEN maybe get a little cranky about not being in on the secret?

[Edgar Stiles]

I am okay!

[Sam G.]

Today in school, the kid across from me was reading a newspaper, and I saw an article that said, "Alas, Poor Edgar, We Sort of Knew You"
I read it, and it was good.

[Lisa Ann]

How in the world did the crackhead sister's boyfriend have a direct line to the terrorist to be able to sell them the access card JUST LIKE THAT???!!!!

CRAIGS LIST.

[Laura]

this article? http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2006-03-07-24_x.htm

*gets noogie*

[Angie]

Wow.

Guess I picked the wrong day to quit 24.

[skm]

My office had a moment of silence for Edgar. Yes, we are 24 junkies and no matter how confusing and WTFish the plot gets, we are LOYAL. (Hear that Jack? Please don't shoot us in the thigh)

[O. the U(manity)]

Yeah, wolfie ... I thot it wuz funnier that way, also ... only thing could've made it better would've been a simulpost ... sardonic minds ridicule alike, and all that, ya know ... merely sayin' ...

[Anonymous Nupe]

Oh, yeah, Lisa Ann! Or e-Bay, right? DOH!

[cloe lover]

i am so glad that Edgar died and not Cloe. if you dont like Cloe you are sick

[Adonis]

Interesting...

This is the only thread not getting traffic lately. I think.

[souljoy]

I was screaming, jumping up and down saying "OMG OMG They killed Edgar!" Meanwhile hubby snores away on the sofa...

RIP Edgar!

[RayB]

Is anyone else curious as to how the terrorist gopt that canister into CTU? I saw him walk in with just a swipe of the card (unlikely) and a glance from the guard (no inspection of the rather large, but not nearly large enough for that canister) breifcase.

And who else sees Tony whacking the Peter Weller character (before he can give any infoprmation of course) now that they are both trapped in the medical holding area?

[Alan]

I'm getting tired of this show.

Every episode is propelled by women doing stupid things, Jack is the only one on the ball, yet all the bosses hinder his every move.

Now the daughter is back; sullen, resentful and stupid, who will surely do exactly what she shouldn't, her boy friend will get killed and well, you've seen it already.

As for Edgar, if he is really dead, I'm not sorry to see him go. He was uncomfortably overstuffed and arrogant.

CTI should be turned over to Jack and Chloe - everyone else can be sent home.

[meowfur]

"CTI should be turned over to Jack and Chloe - everyone else can be sent home."

Agreed...but I'd keep Bill Buchanan around too. He's kinda cute, in a Christopher-Plummer-before-he-aged-so-poorly way.

[AKWriter]

Edgar's death scene -- on the wrong side of the glass -- reminded me of Spock's death in the Star Trek movies. It was so eerily similar, I was giving him the Klingon salute. Live long and prosper, Edgar.

And remember, Spock returned.

[Jose Cole]

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