I guess reviews of this episode were kinda mixed, mostly because it isn't always as funny as it could be. And the plot rambles in some rather odd and unexpected directions. Which is a fair complaint, really. But when I re-watched this episode last Sunday, I was really struck by the way that the show seemed to understand something about Keifer Sutherland's character that the rest of us have never quite come to terms with: he is a bad man who has done (rather, been asked to do) bad things, and who suffers because of it.

 

In this episode, Sutherland essentially plays his character from 24. Although the Simpsons episode calls him Wayne instead of Jack, it's clear from the character's attitude and flashbacks that he has followed the same path. He has "black ops" training, and has traveled around the world torturing and killing people at the behest of the American government.

 

The episode stops short of calling the government to task for Wayne's deeds. Perhaps because 24 is also a FOX television property. I wonder if the original script was more critical of both Wayne and his official military bosses who sanctioned - nay, demanded - that he perform these shocking acts. I wonder if someone at the network was like, "Hey, our viewers love our show, and they think torture is awesome, so tone it down a little."

 

Regardless, what we have here is a portrait of Jack Bauer as a semi-retired, semi-broken man. In 24 Bauer retires by going to Mexico on an undercover operation and also getting hooked on heroin. But on the Simpsons, he ends up as a security guard at a nuclear power plant. Not even an interesting security guard; he's the guy at the front door greeting people as they come into work. 

 

(How much did I love Homer singing his version of "Walking on the Moon"? A lot, that's how much!)

 

Although by day Wayne may be a dreary man with a dreary job, when he is off duty he responds to violence with even more violence. This is handy enough when he uses excessive force to defend Moe's Tavern from being held up by Snake. But it's not so great at night, when his PTSD-fueled nightmares unleash screams that keep the entire town awake, reliving Wayne's horror right there along with him.

 

Oh, and also Marge has a dream about being on Top Chef with her snacks, but the kids hate them. The end.