Hour 7 gave us almost everything that is the best about 24, except for the fact that Jack didn’t say “Dammit” a single time.

You  hear that? Not a single D-bomb.

But Chloe computered, Jack killed at least five bad guys, Renee Walker shot a guy in the back – yeah, baby! – and Bill, Tony, Jack and Chloe all working together for the common good.

And now, they’re going straight to Madame President because they can’t trust anyone else. This is what I wanna know: How does any president at this point not know that s/he simply must trust Jack Bauer? Tell me President Cankles (sorry, my friends at B4B started calling her that and I can’t stop now) doesn’t have some sort of secret memo from the multiple President Palmers that says,

Always listen to Jack Bauer. Always. Really – always. No, really. You need to listen to Jack. Did I mention that you should do whatever Jack Bauer says?

I think there should be a special panel on the desk in the Oval Office with that etched into it that pops out anytime someone tells the president not to listen to Jack or that Jack’s a bad man.

OK, I know the jokes – If everyone listened to Jack, the show would be called “2.”

I love how Matobo totally believes everything Jack says now, only an hour or so after meeting him. And blowing up Phlox (the guy who played the man who invented the stupid program that controls every sensitive computer-run system in the frakkin’ United States once played an alien doctor on the Star Trek spinoff Enterprise, for the five of you who didn’t know that) was inspired.

C’mon. We watch 24 because people are killed and blowed up and that sort of thing. You know you loved it.

I also love how FBI Special Agent Renee Walker is totally shadow CTU now and how Queens Boulevard is completely mocking out Larry for his pining for the fijords (sorry, how the guy who played Billy Walsh on Entourage keeps pointing out to the Special Agent in Charge that his judgement just might be suspect because he luvvvvved Agent Walker, who’s lost to him now because once you go Jack you don’t go back).

Now, the debate is whether Queens Boulevard is indeed a mole. He is certainly being set up to be a mole by all the camera angles and shots of him making weird faces and his interactions with Larry and Janis Gold. While that’s a little obvious, 24 usually isn’t too good with the subtletly, so that doesn’t mean anything. He might be, he might not be.

Meanwhile, Colm Feore – what a first husband, huh? He killed Agent Gidget and talked his way out of being murdered by a second bad guy. He can deal with Chewbacca (sorry, Dubaku) – who, by the way, seemed to be controlling the entire firewall breach operation from The Matrix.

Bottom line: Awesome episode. Great action, lots of kills, minimal downtime. Lots of Jack, Renee got a kill, Tony spoke in his not-quite-whisper voice. Jack + Tony + Chloe + Bill = Awesome. Add in a little Renee (I haven’t liked a Bauer girl this much since Kate Warner) and you’ve got yourself a great little team here.

Can’t wait until next week.

Oh, and I’m hosting the Carnival of Bauer!!! again this week (yay me!), so come back here sometime Thursday for the lowdown on what everyone in the blogosphere is saying about our man and our show. Go here to submit your post.

Sorry, have to go – RUNNING OUT OF TIME!!!!