Stem Cells to Save Bauer(?)

Umm...what? I really liked this episode. Jon Voight is off his rocker and rocking the best lines this show has had in a while. Tony is doing his thing and it's good to see that again. The President's daughter is definitely the new Sherry Palmer--someone (and something) definitely missing from this show. Freckles is the new Michelle Dessler. I actually really liked this episode. But the stem cell bit got me a bit.

It's not that I'm against stem cell research or using stem cells to help people. And I'm big on "24" bringing things out of no place (Nina Myers in Season1, Mike Novick in Season 2, Jack working with the Salazars in Season 3, etc.). But this is really from way out in left field. I know they wanted to bring Kim Bauer back to the show, but is this really the way to do it? It seems desparate and a silly way to correct Jack's illness--which has seemed to be played down pretty much anyways, so you almost figured something else was going to happen. But I figured the "something else" would have been less out there: Starkwood was developing the antidote, next season would be the last of Jack's life...but stem cells? And we all know Freckles will be the one to call Kim and have her come save her father's life...

I have faith "24" will make this right, but right now it seems a bit of a ridiculous twist on what has been a really, really good stretch in something that was developing into a good season.