Ladies and gentlemen, we have hit a new high point on 24: An almost-torture scene involving a baby.

Yes, our Jack-ette, Special Agent Renee Walker, handcuffed a mom to a table while her baby was crying and pretended like she was going to hurt the baby to get the dad to talk.

It cost her a little piece of her soul to do it, but she did what she needed to do. Jack’s been there. He can be her sponsor.

This season has some kick-ass women – President Alison Taylor is pretty hardcore, too, saying she can’t expect the citizens of the country she serves to make sacrifices if she’s not ready to make them herself.

She’s way tougher than Larry over at the FBI. Who, first off, is completely unable to be incognito (what the hell was he doing in the hallway while he was talking to Renee on the phone?), and second, is totally a wimp and gives away the keys to his SUV to Jack, who – naturally – totals it.

By the way – were those looters trying to rifle through Larry’s car while Jack’s off offing the bad guy? Is D.C. really that bad now? Just wondering.

All those little details are part of what makes 24 great.

To be sure, the scene was a little boring when Larry waxed poetic about how what makes us different and better was that we don’t resort to torture, blah blah blah, but Jack had the right response: “Not today.”

But the best line of the night was when President Taylor wondered aloud if she could trust Jack.

His response: “Ask around.”

Indeed.

Now, I know she’s a brand-new president and all, but you’d have thought there’d be some secret communique between presidents, some book or something, where it would have a photo of Jack Bauer, with the explanation: Believe everything this man says, he’s saved this nation six times already, dammit!

How could she be president and not know Jack Bauer? Yeesh. How the heck long was he traipsing around Africa and elsewhere?

Last of all, I totally love the insane storyline of Dubaku’s girlfriend and her disabled sister.

That’s exactly the kind of insanity that makes 24 so much fun. A friend over at Blogs4Bauer the other night when we liveblogged commented that this woman’s going to be the cougar of Season 7, and I think he’s absolutely right.

Look, the guy’s trying to keep control of his fictional African nation while launching terrorist attacks agains the United States and torturing the First Gentleman. He CAN’T come over for a lasagna dinner. Sorry. He’s just going to have to reschedule.