I realize that in the midst of the American Idol hoopla, I've overlooked posting about my other Fox favorite, 24. Here are my thoughts on last night's hour:

-Poor Lynne Kresge. She spends the entire season being loyal to indecisive President Palmer only to be thrown down two flights of stairs and unable to identify the culprit. Here's hoping for a speedy recovery.

-Where the Hell is Kim? After her apocalyptic run-in at the convenience store, the police hauled her off and...? Nothing. She hasn't been in an episode for two weeks. I assume this is so her jail storyline can jibe with the show's real-time format. After all, no one really wants to watch her take mug shots and have lesbians hit on her (as they did last season when she spent time in the slammer).

-And is it just me, or is the show gorier than a Wes Craven movie? If I never see Jack digging around inside someone's stomach for a microchip, I'll die a happy man. Speaking of dying...I had hoped the show would be above bringing characters back from the dead, even if they are central characters and we knew they weren't really dead to begin with.

-The guy in the baseball cap who kidnapped Kate Warner can't die soon enough.

-Bring back Nina Myers ASAP.