Tony Almeida: Evil or not evil? Discuss

Just when I about had myself talked into any one of assorted theories that Tony wasn't really evil -- he only made it look like he suffocated Moss; Moss was really the villain and only Tony knew it; etc. -- last night's episode of "24'' pretty much blew all that to pieces ... along with all those FBI agents he scammed into going in that abandon apartment building just before the bomb went off.

So Tony appears to be bona fide bad. As in b-b-b-bad, bad to the bone. And a show of hands, please, by everyone who is not happy about that. Exactly.

Carlos Bernard's performance last night was so convincing I'm pretty sure I uttered out loud, "That $%*&#@ really is bad.'' And then something terrible happened: I found myself ALMOST rooting against him!

But come on, favorite character or not since way back in Season 1, if you pit Tony vs. Jack, "24'' fans are going to pick Jack every time -- even if Jack is down on the pavement mid-seizure sweating profusely and barely able to speak, as Tony stands over him holding the medical pouch with the injections he needs to keep the effects of the bio weapon contamination in check. Jerk.

So here's what we know "for sure'' after last night:

1. Some evil babe disguised as JoHo's lawyer paid him a jail cell visit. Apparently higher up on the villain food chain and not happy with his performance (did she not see the ultra violent liquor decanter bashing?), she slipped him a heart attack-inducing pill and told him to take it, die and his family wouldn't be hurt. During his transport to the FBI for interrogation -- which had great, creepy shades of Hannibal Lecter -- he popped the pill. Previews for next week, however, show him in the hospital clinging to life, and is so often the case on "24,'' being "our only real lead.''

2. The evil babe is working with Tony, and next week, he apparently finds time for a little nookie with her. OK, I'll take a shirtless Tony as a silver lining to this whole double-crossing mess.

3. Uncovered-nostril conspiracy theories or not, Moss really is dead. Freckles is sad, shedding another of her solitary crocodile tears.(If there was an Emmy category for this, she'd win.) But the trooper that she is, she pulls herself together and takes charge out on the field. Jack tags along, even though he's forgetting things and repeating himself. Repeating himself. But hey, Jack Bauer at 50 percent is still better than 99.9 percent of the population at 100 percent, so we're glad to see him on the chopper.

4. Tony shoots himself to make it look like the Moss murder was an ambush. He also scowls a lot, hangs around looking shifty in the shadows and gives vague answers when Jack starts asking questions about how everything went down. (Note to writers: That felt like a bit of cheat. Tony doesn't say things like he can't remember because "it all happened pretty fast.'' At least our "old Tony'' didn't.)

5. Through details too many to explain here, Jack discovers Tony is evil. He has a gun pointed at him -- ooooh, classic showdown -- but then goes down with a seizure. Tony takes his gun and taunts him with his shot kit. Medics arrive, Tony leaves, and the rest of us are left with that disturbing image to get us through until next Monday.

6. The bio weapon canister is still on the move.

7. Chloe is still MIA.

8. Jack's a grandpa. Everybody's favorite platinum blonde daughter, Kimbo, called her non-Chase hubby (Whatever happened to him anyway? Dead? I remember the unfortunate arm thing, but then what?) to tell him she was on her way home. Cut to cute baby in the crib named Teri (after mom). But Kimbo being Kimbo, she said she didn't tell "Daddy'' he had a granddaughter. I mean, why do that? It's not like the guy needs a reason to live and get the experimental procedure or anything?!?!

The exclusive Sprint-customers-only preview for next week shows Jack being treated by his doctor and telling Freckles that Tony is not only evil but that -- gasp! -- he killed Moss.

One more thing: Nice try, Tony, on the public service announcement about global warming slipped in during last night's commercials. Like we're going to believe ANYTHING you say!

Theories on where the next five hours are going? Rants or raves on the whole Tony the Turncoat thing? Please share.

-- Kendra Meinert, kmeinert@greenbaypressgazette.com