The episode picks up 20 months after the events of Day 5. The United States has been under a continuous wave of suicide bombings for 11 weeks.

: President Wayne Palmer negotiates the release of Jack Bauer from a Chinese prison to facilitate a deal with terrorist Abu Fayed.

: Jack is released in exchange for the location of suspected mastermind Hamri Al-Assad. Jack, appearing broken from nearly two years of torture, agrees to be turned over to Fayed.

Critics and audiences generally consider the first four hours of Season 6, including this episode, to be a strong and compelling start to the season.

: The scene where Jack kills a guard by biting his neck became an iconic and much-discussed moment among fans.