Once a plot has momentum on 24, there's no turning back. The writers must commit to something at a certain point in the season after the beginning exposition and for most of the seasons, it worked out fine. This season featured the dreadful nuclear rods story which had no room to grow, and the writers reverted back to every trick we've seen. In a very uneven two hours, the writers managed to resolve the IRK plotline and propel the season in the the third part with the shocking visage of Hassan's throat slit.
The first episode was possibly the worst episode of the season and was spent moseying around the boring retrieval of Hassan and the nuclear rods by the terrorists and CTU. Predictably, Hassan is swapped to another car before the end of the episode while Tarin flips his car. Taylor also confronts the Secretary of Defense and Rob Weiss, arresting them and getting Ethan Kanin to the hospital.
The second episode was one of the better episodes of the season, and would have received at least a 9.0 had it not been weighed down by the first episode. Cole catches Dana who requests for Jack Bauer, knowing he is quick to make deals. She's proven right, and he offers her immunity. She reveals the location of Hassan who Samir is torturing. Even after being shocked many times, Hassan refuses to read his own crimes, so Samir reads them himself and broadcasts it live on the internet. Using the lighting, Chloe is able to pinpoint his location. Jack and Renee arrive and take out the enemies, but find Hassan's throat already cut.
It was unexpected, because it was logistically impossible to prerecord everything minutes before Jack arrived. After Samir decides to read the crimes and puts on the ski mask, the internet feed starts 2 minutes later. From the time Jack and his team arrived to the moment he saw Hassan dead, about 6 minutes has elapsed, so Jack could have gotten there in time.
Now that the IRK story is out of the way, it looks like the Russians will fill the role of the enemy or at least an adversary. Dana was still being paid by someone else which is another direction. I actually think the season will get better.
Score: 8.5/10
