Reader and commenter lbeth asked what I thought of Lost, and because I am lazy, busy or both I haven't posted anything yet. Now, just about in time for the next episode, my thoughts on The Beginning of The End.
It's been many, many months since we last saw any of our beloved castaways, and the last time we checked we were watching a dual timeline where Jack the savior contacted the freighter to get everyone rescued and Jack the bearded weepy drug addict was (a couple years in the future) screaming that they had to go back. Dramatic irony, it'll get you everytime.
We started off seeing a car chase on the news and watching Jack (not yet bearded, weepy or drug addicted, but drinking a bit early in the morning...something tells me the hospital would frown on a pre-work screwdriver) realize that it's his old buddy Hurley in the car running from the cops. Looks like Hurley gets off the island, too. Unfortunately, while he may be off the island, he also appears to be off his rocker, seeing images of a drowning Charlie telling him that "They Need You." After a chat with Big Mike, partner of the mistake formerly known as Ana Lucia, it's off to the looney bin with Hugo. Again.
On the island, it's more of the same. Locke is crazy, Jack can't listen, and the boat people still aren't who they say they are. This time, however, the split in the Losties is not simply figurative, as half flee to "safety" with Locke and half go with Jack to the beach to await "rescue."
If this was all there was to the episode, it would have been a pretty short premiere, but there was so much more. Hurely saw Jacob's cabin, where Christian was sitting in the rocking chair. Jack came to visit Hurley at the mental institution to make sure that he wasn't "gonna tell." Hurley was visited by a creepy dude who claimed to be from Oceanic Airlines, but couldn't provide any proof. Hurley told Jack that it wanted them to go back, and Jack insisted that they were never going back. (Yep, it got you again, Dr. Shepherd.)
The best lines of the night pretty much went to Ben (as is often the case) with his 1-2 punch of "Better call the boat. Tell 'em she's getting a big bundle of firewood." and "Ok, I probably should have told you that I saw her take the phone, but you beat me up Jack." With an honorable mention to Rose for declaring that she's "not going anywhere with that man," summing up the feelings many of us have for Locke, who, whether he's right or wrong, is a complete nutjob.
Was this my favorite episode? No, but it was still a very good episode. I loved seeing the different side of the post-rescue Jack. I loved the hints of things to come. The realization that "Oceanic Six" may mean that only six people leave the island. The fact that the split of the islanders is real, but that going with Locke doesn't mean someone stays and going with Jack doesn't mean that they leave. The fact that Charlie was seen by another patient and isn't just a figment of Hurley's imagination, but that he is definitely dead. The introduction of the creepy Matthew Abaddon, who helped to inspire my latest not yet hashed out all-encompassing theory which is certain to be wrong.
My questions from this episode:
Why are only some people off the island?
Why does Hurley want to go back already?
What makes Jack change his mind and go from confident quasi-celeb to suicidal?
How does Hurley go from hiding with Locke's group to leaving the island?
Who does Charlie want Hurley to help?
How is he supposed to help them?
Who was the creepy dude visiting Hurley?
What exactly is he offering?
What does he mean "are they alive?"
Why does he have a last name pulled from Revelation 9?
And most importantly, what was Jack's dad doing in Jacob's cabin? Seriously, Christian gets around a lot for a guy who's been dead since before the show started. (For more mind-bending strangeness involving the elder Dr. Shepherd, check out the Missing Pieces "mobisode" #13, entitled "So It Begins.")
I'm sure there are a lot of things I'm forgetting, but I think that's more than enough for now.
February 04, 2008
Lost Season Four Premiere, A Belated Review and Discussion
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4 comments:
You totally just asked all of my questions. The only one I still want to know is who Kate needs to get back to (in the future). Is it Sawyer?
Sub-questions! When I watched it again, you can (clearly) see that Abbadon (creepy guy visiting Hurley) is Smokey - when he exits the door you don't see him, just the trail of black smoke. Is Smokey everywhere in the world, or only around Losties? Is there more than one smoke monster?
I think the smoke monster (and Jacob, too) must be able to appear anywhere,anytime, and in any form, or more succinctly: are not confined to one place by space or time. But why? Why?!!!!
Also, what's the significance of Ho, the element Holmium? There were 3 references. Just a clue about the electro-magnetivity on the island? I expected it to have some relation to the numbers but it doesn't really.
Excellent and funny recap!
Esther, I still have that question too. I started to include that and "who is in the coffin?" but decided to limit myself to only new questions so the post didn't break the internets with its size. However, I have heard a rumor (and have no clue how true it is) that episode 4 will answer or at least hint at the answer to the question about who Kate had to get back to.
Trixie, I've watched that too and am not sure if it's simply artifact/shadow or intentional. Either way, it's weird. Smokey being able to be off the island would explain a lot of the weird things, but would also raise more questions. I took the H-O to be less of a clue and more of a one-off inside reference as they are the 8th and 15th letters of the alphabet, so everytime we see/hear H-O it's referring to the flight number. Alternatively,it could also mean that the answer to life the universe and everything, Lost-style, involves prostitution.
Hmmm.... Mass confusion for me *doesn't watch much tv* entertaining post though
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