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LOST
Episode Twenty-Three, Season Two
ABC Production
"It's only a paper moon, Sailing
over a cardboard sea"
Not quite sure if this episode is going to
please fans who entered this final episode expecting concrete answers to the mysteries
surrounding the island, but the show certainly earns points for making some pretty
significant developments, with the biggest being the fact that Locke decides it’s
time to stop being a slave to the button pushing-countdown clock, and he lets the clock
run past zero. This in turn produces a rather strange moment where the entire sky turns
violet, and a mysterious hatch falls out of the sky. Now this hatch falling out of seeming
nowhere does invoke memories of the film the "Truman Show" where Jim
Carrey’s entire world took place inside a giant snow globe type environment, but the
big question becomes if the island and the surrounding ocean are inside a massive dome
like structure than how in the world did a plane manage to find it’s way inside?
Still this episode does provide a number of compelling reveals, as a big chunk of the
episode centres around Desmond (the slightly crazy guy who was living inside the hatch)
who returns to the island on his sailboat, and during a fairly extensive flashback scene
we not only learn how he found his way from the outside world into that hatch, but we also
discover Libby is the one who gave Desmond the boat which he was using to take part in a
round the world sail boat race. Now it was extremely curious that Desmond just happened to
run into a woman who had a boat to spare when he was looking for one, but simple answer to
this unlikely coincidence is that their meeting was far from random, and that the wealthy
love of Desmond’s life simply hired Libby to play the role of a grieving widow in
order to give Desmond the boat he was looking for. This would also explain the big
cliff-hanger moment as we see the tracking device that she placed on the boat to keep
track of Desmond was freed from the electromagnetic interference that the hatch was
generating. We also learn why Oceanic Flight 815 fell out of the sky, who made that secret
map that Locke discovered on the blast door, and in a fun moment that confirms the
Simpsons theory about pneumatic tubes never going anywhere important. In the end the
questions answered only sparked more questions, and truth be told I wouldn’t want it
any other way.
4 out of 5 Stars
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Episode Twenty-Two, Season Two
ABC Production
"Puppet man, puppet man-an"
I have to confess I was hoping for a little
more of a twist when it came to explaining why Michael returned to camp seemingly working
to advance the interests of the Others. However, this episode offers up a rather straight
forward explanation, as we see the Others are using Walt to blackmail Michael. Now of
course the obvious question becomes why didn’t Michael simply return to camp and tell
Jack and the others what was being asked of him, as they could easily have staged
something so Henry would run back to the Others fully convinced that Michael was carrying
out their bidding, and Michael wouldn’t have the blood of Ana-Lucia and Libby on his
hands. I’m also fairly certain that Jack, Kate, Hurley and Sawyer would agree to join
Michael in a Trojan Horse type plan to get Walt back. Now I understand why having Michael
go on a murder spree and basically working to lead his friends into a trap is a more
tantalizing path for the writers to take us down, as it allows them to bring a level of
intrigue to the show, not to mention the impact of the cliff-hanger a couple episodes back
where Michael killed two cast members. However, the plan that Michael is currently trying
to employ seemed doomed to fail as a rescue mission that includes dead weight like Hurley,
but not formidable castaways like Sayid or Eko seems to send up all manner of red flags.
Still the writing doesn’t gloss over the fact that Michael’s plan should leave
the others castaways a bit curious, as Sawyer comes right out and points out the elephant
in the room, and Sayid has a meeting with Jack where he points out the very real
possibility that Michael has been compromised. In any event I doubt many viewers will be
surprised to learn that Michael was captured by the Others, and while we do get our first
look at the Others camp, the simple truth of the matter is that I wanted the explanation
for Michael’s traitorous behaviour to be a little more involved. Still the episode
does manage to end on a delightfully unexpected cliff-hanger moment that can’t help
but leave one curious about where the writing is going to leave us at the end of next
week’s season ender.
3.5 out of 5 Stars
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LOST
Episode Twenty-One, Season Two
ABC Production
"Oh, life could be a dream"
I’m not quite sure what to make of the
big reveal that this episode offers up as while Jack is back making a rather
uncharacteristic half-hearted attempt at saving Libby’s life (he seems more
interested in leading the lynch mob than playing doctor), we see the main plot of this
episode involves Locke and Mr. Eko embarking on a dream inspired quest as they discover
yet another on of those hidden underground hatches. We also discover that the blink and
you missed it moment where Locke got a good look at a hidden map was actually a pretty
important detail as it’s an actual map of the network of various hatches that are
scattered across the island. Now I’m sure if I looked around the web I’d
discover a Lost viewer who was able to screen-capture an image of the map, but truth be
told I’ll simply stick to my rough estimate that there’s at least a half dozen
of these hidden facilities, and I’ll enjoy watching future episodes reveal future
hatches and the big status quo altering secret that inevitably lays inside. Now this
issue’s big surprise is a little more intriguing than Kate’s discovery of a
disguise kit in the hatch where Claire was being held, as this episode hatch is revealed
to be a observation post and it’s long departed inhabitants were supposed to be
watching the people in the main hatch who we learn were simply participants in a perverse,
seemingly pointless experiment. Yes this episode basically comes right out and states that
entering that sequence of numbers is a simple experiment, and that only reason the numbers
need to be continually punched into the computer is to service the demands of an
experiment that has long been abandoned. Now this could yet another lie that was told to
the inhabitants of the observation hatch, but this revelation certainly takes the edge off
the final scene where it doesn’t look like anyone back at the hatch could be bothered
to type in the numbers when the countdown clock enters it’s final stage. We also get
another flashback involving Mr. Eko who we follow as he’s dispatched to confirm or
debunk a supposed miracle where a young girl drowned and than returned to life moments
before her autopsy began. It is here that we see yet another connection is formed between
two cast members as Mr. Eko crosses paths with Claire’s psychic friend, who reveals
that he’s a charlatan. Still this episode did leave me with the sense that we had
just been treated to a shell game, where it’s been revealed there was never a pea to
be found.
3.5 out 5 Stars
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LOST
Episode Twenty, Season Two
ABC Production
"To keep the wolf from the
fold"
While I would normally try and protect the
big surprises that this episode offers up in it’s final moments, the simple fact of
the matter is that I don’t feel like dancing around the subject to preserve the
surprise for people who were foolish enough to read a review of the episode before
actually watching it. Instead I want to come right out and praise the writers of Lost for
stepping up to the plate and delivering not one, not two, but three jaw dropping surprises
in it’s closing moments. Now yes the death of Ana-Lucia has been one of the worst
protected secrets in the history of television, but Lost managed to make it a genuine
punch to the gut moment as the big shock isn’t her actual death but rather the manner
of her death. Than just when you’re trying to deal with what has just happened in
walks victim number two, and this death was completely unexpected as Libby looked to be
safely entrenched in the cast as Hurley’s girl. So two seeming deaths in under two
minutes is a pretty effective way to close out the episode, but the most important element
of this ending is that the shooter is Michael, and of course the big question becomes why
did he do it? Now the obvious answers are either he’s been brainwashed, or
they’re using Walt’s life to blackmail him, but the real exciting idea is that
his actions are likely to send the cast tearing after the Others looking for revenge, and
needless to say Michael’s claim that the Others are poorly armed group now look
extremely dubious. The episode’s flashback material also managed to hold my attention
as it’s clear that the writers have decided to abandon the slow suggestion that all
the survivors were linked before they crashed on the island, as Ana-Lucia spends the
episode running around with Jack’s father and is with him right up until the old man
has his run in with Sawyer in a seedy bar. Now with the reveal that Libby was a fellow
guest at the hospital where Hurley was being held these connections are becoming
increasingly obvious, though truth be told I’m still not sure how these connections
all work to reveal the big picture. Still, there’s no end of the guest-stars that pop
up in Ana-Lucia’s flashback, and we even get an intriguing possible connection
established between Jack and another cast member.
4.5 out of 5 Stars
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LOST
Episode Nineteen, Season Two
ABC Production
"As soon as you’re born, you
start dying"
Rose and Bernard take the centre stage in
this episode, and while there are moments when it’s a little too obvious that the
writing is trying to tug at the viewers heartstrings, I have to say they managed to sink
their emotional hooks into me a couple times over the course of the episode, thanks in
large part to a pair of strong performances from our leads. I mean when Bernard discovers
Rose is dying his reaction was a masterful bit of acting. The same hold true for the
moment where Rose learns that the healer can do nothing for her, as there was a brief
flash of hope on her face before the healer told her he couldn’t help her. I mean
part of me wants to admonish this episode for offering up such a cliché heavy back story,
but I have to say while I could see where the story was heading the performances did such
an effective job of selling the story that I couldn’t help but be impressed.
It’s also interesting to note that these two are basically newlyweds, as we see
Bernard was fifty-six when he met her, and they were coming back from their honeymoon when
they crashed on the island. The episode should also catch the attention of the viewers who
have been making a big fuss that the cast have stopped making any attempts at getting off
the island, as Bernard starts to ask the obvious questions, and he begin to make an effort
to get rescued. The scenes where he tries to rally the troops also managed to effectively
sell the general malaise that has settled over the survivors when it comes to actually
getting off the island. The episode also offers up a nice secondary plot involving Jack
and Kate heading off into the jungle to attempt to set-up a prisoner exchange, and while
the scene where the two get caught up in a net together was a little too cute it was saved
by a the breezy back-and-worth the two actors shared as they attempt to shoot the rope.
This plot also managed to offer up another powerful cliff-hanger to tide viewers over for
the next few weeks as the show goes back into rerun mode, as a character who dropped off
the map a while back returns with a shocking announcement.
3.5 out of 5 Stars
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LOST
Episode Eighteen, Season Two
ABC Production
"Elvis ain't dead, You ain't going
crazy, It's all in your head"
Easily the best episode of the season as the
flashback sequences are perfectly meshed with the present day material on the island to
create a very engaging viewing experience. In fact Hurley’s imaginary friend does
such an effective job of selling the premise that this entire series was playing out
inside the mind of a comatose Hurley, that I have to confess I’m still not quite sure
if the creators haven’t given viewers a good look at their final hand, and
they’re hoping that viewers will simply dismiss it as an interesting theory that this
episode disproved. Than to make matters even more curious we discover yet another
connection between Hurley and Libby as the big cliff-hanger moment reveals that she was
also a guest of the mental institution where most of the flashback material plays out. Now
with this reveal the big theory that is offered up in this episode once again looks
surprisingly creditable, and if one takes a step back and looks at the argument that Libby
used to talk Hurley down off the ledge, it doesn’t exactly blow the premise apart. In
fact Libby’s presence at the institution only adds a new layer to the idea. However,
I have to pull back before I eat up the rest of the review with my latest wild theory
about the big picture, and refocus on why I enjoyed this episode so much. Pretty much
every scene reminds me why I’m such a big fan of this show, from the delightfully
twisted game that the prisoner plays with Locke to the laugh aloud moment where Sawyer
finds he’s pushed Hurley too far. We also learn the answer to why was Hurley in a
mental institution, and I have to say the reason is surprisingly effective as
Hurley’s sense of guilt is very well presented. However, the highlight of the episode
would have to be the amazing exchange in the jungle where Hurley’s imaginary friend
manages to do a magnificent job of selling the idea that everything is playing out inside
Hurley’s head, and it all climaxes with a highly charged moment where I was utterly
convinced I was watching Hurley’s last episode. People may whine that this series
never providing any real answers but when the questions being asked are this riveting I
have to wonder why these people are so eager to be getting the answers.
4.5 out of 5 Stars
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LOST
Episode Seventeen, Season Two
ABC Production
"But can't you just pretend to be
nice"
After receiving what has to be the strongest
opening flash back sequence of all the main players, as Locke’s initial flashback
early in the first season was what convinced me this series was something special, I have
to confess the subsequent visits to Locke’s pre-island life have left me steadily
less engaged, as their entire purpose seems to be to establish what a sad sack the
character was before he arrived on the island, and truth be told it starting to impact my
opinion of the character on the island in a negative way. I mean in the opening season
John Locke was the big, bad wolf who embraced the rather harsh environment that the island
presented, but now he’s steadily been knock down the ladder so that it’s arrived
at the point where he’s a pale shadow of the fearsome figure he once was. Now the
arrival of several hard-edged characters from the tail section, as well as Sawyer, Sayid
and Charlie’s journeys to the darker sides of their character has also knocked Locke
down from his previous perch, but I hold out hope that all the character needs to climb
back to the top of the hill is for the writing stop treating the character like a
he’s a big kid whose had his favourite toy taken away. I mean I realize that all the
characters are undergoing arcs, but Locke’s journey has taken him into territory that
I feel is damaging to the character. Still, I will concede that the episode does have some
wonderfully intense moments as the hatch begins to act up, and Locke finds himself unable
to move when the countdown alarm begins to ring out. The final moment reveal also offers
up a development that I really didn’t see coming, and I have to say it’s a
rather ingenious bit of writing that can’t help but leave one eager to see the
fallout that is sure to follow in the next episode. The episode also offers up an
interesting bit of interaction between Locke and the prisoner, as we the latter manages to
secure a promise that Locke will protect him from the others. The episode also offers up a
couple interesting moments, as Locke gets a brief glimpse at a hidden message, and we also
get a partial answer to the question of where does the food in the hatch come from.
3.5 out of 5 Stars
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Episode Sixteen, Season Two
ABC Production
"99 red balloons, floating in the
summer sky"
The relationship between Sun and Jin gets
another visit in this episode, and I have to say I was surprised how much new material
this episode managed to bring to the table, as it reveals a major source of tension
between the two that carries over to present day on the island, and the episode also
answers key questions such as where did Sun learn to speak English. The material set on
the island is also pretty impressive in that it builds toward a fairly dramatic moment
where Sun finds herself revealing some very happy news to Jin, followed by some very
uncomfortable information that leaves one a little concerned about his reaction. Now the
episode would seem to suggest that Sun was unfaithful, as she reveals she is with child,
and we discover Jin is incapable of having children, so the question becomes who is the
father? The episode also provides viewers with a very likely suspect, though given Locke
was seemingly cured when he arrived on the island, it’s not outside the realm of
possibility that so was Jin, and the child could very well be his. In any event Sun’s
pregnancy is an unexpected development, and one that I suspect will come into play at a
future date as the Others seem to have a worrisome fixation on infants/children. This
episode also gives viewers a secondary plot involving Ana Lucia as she is called upon to
question the prisoner, and this sets her off on a mission to locate the hot-air balloon
that he claims to have brought him to the island. This plot offers up two fairly effective
moments as we see Ana Lucia has a conversation with Sayid where she apologizes for killing
Shannon, and the exchange that follows provides a fantastic glimpse into where
Sayid’s head is at. The other key moment takes pace back at the camp, where we see
the prisoner offers up a hypothetical situation that can’t help but leave one deeply
concerned about the fates of Sayid, Charlie and Ana Lucia. The episode also offers up
another funny bit involving Hurley, and there’s something rather perverse about how
much Sawyer enjoys being the bearer of good news as he congratulates Jin on becoming a
father knowing the man can’t understand a word he’s saying.
4 out of 5 Stars
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LOST
Episode Fifteen, Season Two
ABC Production
"Having my baby"
This episode is a bit of a departure from the
show’s normal story format as while it does feature a main plot, and a secondary plot
involving flashback material, we see the flashback scenes are set on the island. Now the
material centres around a previously unexplored section as we join Claire as she slowly
remembers what happened to her between the space of time where she was kidnapped by Ethan,
and when she emerged from the jungle several weeks later with no memory of where she had
been. Having the flashback material set on the island also managed to connect the main
plot more closely to the flashback as we see Claire travels to the underground facility
where she was being held in a desperate search for the vaccine that she remembers her baby
was being injected with. Now the success of this episode hinges largely around Emilie de
Ravin’s performance as her character’s emotional ups and downs are called upon
to carry this episode, and while there are moments where she goes a bit over the top when
Claire is caught up in an emotional frenzy, for the most part she turned in one of the
strongest individual performances we’ve seen on this series. If nothing else she does
a lovely job of selling the idea that the Others were keeping her drugged, as her
don’t worry, be happy attitude in the flashbacks made me smile. She also gets a
couple solid quiet moment where her emotional state is dependant entirely on her facial
expressions, and she knocks these moments out of the park, with scene where she discovers
the cure she came looking for is no longer there being the highlight of her performance.
The episode also managed to offer up another mysterious hatch moment and Kate makes a
discovery in a storage locker that is sure to get fans talking. We also get an interesting
secondary plot involving the man being held captive by Locke and Jack, and this provides
the episode with it’s powerful cliff-hanger moment as we see the prisoner managed to
sink his hooks into Locke with a well placed observation.
3.5 out of 5 Stars
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LOST
Episode Fourteen, Season Two
ABC Production
"Stuck in the Middle With
You"
Sayid steps out of the background where
he’s resides for a better part of this season and it would appear that with the cast
being evenly divided into two groups Sayid seems to be more comfortable on the darker side
that has come to be represented by characters like Sawyer, Locke and Charlie. Now of
course it is worth noting that before this episode Sayid has been presented as a man who
was deeply disturbed by the evil deeds that he had been called on to perform in the past,
and this episode marks the first time we’ve seen the character embrace his past
transgressions, and actually concede that torture is a surprisingly effective means of
getting the answers one is looking for. Of course the fundamental flaw with this logic is
that if the subject one is torturing doesn’t have the answers, than you’ve cast
yourself into the role of the inhuman monster. Now this episode makes it pretty clear what
is driving Sayid’s return to his earlier behaviour patterns, as it’s all too
clear that he’s been deeply scarred by Shannon’s death, and this episode
provides him with an ideal target to vent his frustrations upon. I also rather enjoyed the
simple fact that the writing doesn’t really answer the question of whether
Sayid’s captive is one of the Others, or is he really the innocent victim he claims
to be. Now it’s pretty clear by the end that Sayid has the answer that he’s
looking for, but his insight into the matter is seriously skewed by his need to justify
his actions, so one can’t really trust his final conclusion. However, given the
Others have a history of being duplicitous snakes with a mysterious agenda known only to
them, can they really afford to not to trust Sayid’s final conclusion? In any event
this episode offers up a pretty intense climax as we see Jack uses the countdown clock as
the means to strong-arm Lock into giving up the combination, and this stand-off also
produces another wonderful teaser moment as we see Locke isn’t quite able to beat the
clock, and we get a quick little glimpse at something that I’m sure will be ever so
important.
3.5 out of 5 Stars
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LOST
Episode Thirteen, Season Two
ABC Production
"If I didn't know you better, I'd
swear you had some class!"
This episode earns itself my utmost praise
because it restores the character of Sawyer to his much more engaging status of the amoral
jerk, rather than the nice guy putting on a tough guy act that the previous episodes had
offered up. I mean I recognize that the character is a favourite among the female viewers,
and that they would probably prefer the bad boy exterior was simply a front for a more
friendly interior, but I have to say I personally enjoyed the character as the thoroughly
unlikeble bastard that he was in the early episodes and this week’s adventure
restores this edge to the character. Now I have to confess I figured out how the con was
playing out in the flashback scenes long before the episode got around to turning
it’s various cards over, but this material did manage to deftly sell the
character’s internal conflict, and it’s also interesting to note that the
character is such an accomplished liar that he can cast himself as such a pitiful liar. I
mean the opening scene of this con game was a very amusing parody of an earlier look at
Sawyer’s efforts and the final exchange with his mark was convincing enough that I
almost bought into the illusion that Sawyer had let the fish off the hook. As for the
material on the island I have to say I didn’t even recognize that Sawyer was playing
a con until he stepped out of the woods with the gun, and while I had the identity of his
accomplice figured out before it was revealed I have to confess the scene still had
considerable impact as I loved the moment where we learn why this character had agreed to
take part in Sawyer’s plan. I also loved the moment where we learn that he was
responsible for the fairly serious injury that started off Sawyer’s plan, and one has
to know that this detail is going to resurface at some point in the future, and spark off
some heated tensions among the cast.
3.5 out of 5 Stars
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LOST
Episode Twelve, Season Two
ABC Production
"The monkey's gone."
This issue focused on Charlie who in the
present day story on the island is being subjected to some fairly harrowing dream
sequences that eventually convince him that he needs to rescue Claire’s baby from
some unknown danger. Now of course the his previous drug addiction and the discovery that
he’s gained access to a new supply leads everyone to assume that Charlie’s
behaviour is a clear sign that he’s return to using, and he certainly doesn’t
help his case by kidnapping Aaron not one but twice over the course of this episode, with
the second attempt to rescue Arron being one of the more intense moments that this series
has ever offered up. I also have to give Dominic Monaghan full marks for his performance
in this episode as he does an amazing job of selling Charlie’s desperation when he
tries to justify his behaviour, with the scene on the beach where he’s lashes out at
Locke and pleads with Claire to accept that he’s not a drug crazed loon looking to
hurt her baby being one of the best acting moments this series has ever produced. Now the
flashback material doesn’t really offer up much in the way of new insight into the
character, as it simply fleshes out the relationship that Charlie had with his brother,
but again Dominic Monaghan’s performance as he struggles to reassemble their lives in
the wake of his brother’s addiction made for some powerful character moments. The
episode also offers up a lovely dialogue exchanges where we see Charlie argues that
he’s the only person on the island that people jump on when he encounters one of the
delusions that the island makes a habit of subjecting it’s inhabitants to. Also while
it is a little plot-by-numbers in it’s approach I have to confess I rather enjoyed
the scenes involving Hurley’s bid hook up with Libby, with Sawyer’s less than
helpful efforts being a fun running gag.
3.5 out of 5 Stars
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LOST
Episode Eleven, Season Two
ABC Production
"We did everything just the way
grownups would have."
I have to confess that of the main players
that make up this show’s cast, Jack is probably my least favourite as the simple
truth of the matter is that he’s a little too perfect, and just once I’d like to
learn something about him that didn’t make him look like the poor puppy dog who was
being kicked by the cruel, cold world. I mean this episode’s flashback material
pretty much dashed any hope that I might’ve had about him coming out looking like the
bad guy when it came to the mystery of why his wife left him, as we see he has one moment
of weakness where he kisses another woman, which he immediately confesses to his wife only
to discover that she has done him one better by being involved in another relationship,
and she promptly reveals that she’s leaving him. Now I realize that the show needs a
square-jawed, virtuous hero and there’s a lovely moment where Jack’s wife
explains why she can’t be in a relationship with him that reveals a character flaw,
but when the character’s biggest flaw is that he suffers from a Charlie Brown style
ability to never be happy, the character ends up looking a great deal less engaging when
he’s placed in the midst of a wealth of more morally conflicted characters. However
this episode does manage to make itself into a must see episode for fans of this series as
it offers up the first face to face meeting between Jack’s group of survivors and the
Others who we discover also live on the island. In fact this episode does a lovely job of
essentially drawing a line in the sand, as Jack’s group discovers that the Others are
quite numerous, and the heated stand-off between these two groups made for the most
intense viewing of this season. The cliff-hanger moment also serves to set up a pretty
unexpected change in direction as Jack asks a very ominous sounding question.
3.5 out of 5 Stars
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LOST
Episode Ten, Season Two
ABC Production
"Names is for tombstones, baby!
Y'all take this honkey out and waste him!"
For all the fuss and bother that people make
about "Lost" never providing any real answers, and stringing the audience along
with mysterious questions that are never resolved, I have to wonder if these people are
truly watching the episodes or are they simply echoing the early complaints that were made
by people who became frustrated with the series when they realized that answers to most
questions only sparked more questions. I mean this series does provide answers all the
time and this episode is no different, as this episode provides us with a great deal of
insight into the ever mysterious Mr. Eko, and along with his backstory we also get the
story of the drug-filled plane that Locke and Boone stumbled across. Now of course this
explanation sparks the question of how the heck did this plane end up on the island, but
this is a new path, and I fully expect that when we get the answer to this question
it’ll spark a new question, and if one has a problem with this than you really need
to ask yourself if you understand the concept of a continuing series. Now as I mentioned
above this episode also provides viewers with insight into Mr. Eko, and if one needed to
figure out who the most dangerous person on the island is, than this episode’s
flashback material should go a long way to answering this question. It’s also worth
noting that a pattern is beginning to emerge in the backstories of the lives of the
survivors as we see many of them have had rather fractious relationships with family, from
Jack and Locke’s strained relationships with their fathers, to Kate’s failed
attempt to seek forgiveness from her mother. In this case Mr. Eko joins Charlie in that
both characters have trouble with their brothers, though we see Mr. Eko is the brother who
went down the dark path, instead of being lead down it like Charlie. This episode also
offers up a great cliffhanger moment.
4 out of 5 Stars
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LOST
Episode Nine, Season Two
ABC Production
"Daddy Dearest"
I have to give this episode credit for living
up to the promise of it’s title, as one does learn what Kate did to make her a wanted
fugitive, and I have to say I love the idea that she isn’t innocent of the crime, as
frankly I was a little concerned that the writing would play the Richard Kimble card, so I
couldn’t be more pleased to see they’ve effectively removed this idea from the
table. In fact when one steps back and looks at this story, it’s hard not to notice
that this episode is a bit of a change of pace for this series, as the mystery of
Kate’s original crime is resolved and a new mystery isn’t brought in to replace
it. In fact Kate’s backstory has been pretty much been fully explained, and while
there’s still a lot of room for return visits, this episode does deftly address with
the main questions surrounding the crime, as we learn what the crime was, why she did it,
and it nicely plays off an earlier episode where Kate paid a visit to the hospital room of
her dying mother, and discovers the woman still doesn’t forgive her for what she did.
There’s also something to be said for the simple fact that the reason why Kate did
what she did is actually rather selfish, as while it initially appears that she did it to
rescue her mother from a harmful relationship, we later learn that her true motivation was
less altruistic. As for the material set in the present day I have to say it’s good
to receive a fairly key development in the mystery of the hatch, as we see the new
arrivals have brought a missing piece of footage that was removed from the video that
explained why they should continue to push the button, and when the edited footage is put
back in, how can one not love how it’s dire warning plays into the big cliff-hanger
moment. In fact I have to give this season full marks for the cliff-hanger moments that
it’s been offering up, as they really leave one counting the days until the next
episode.
3.5 out of 5 Stars
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LOST
Episode Eight, Season Two
ABC Production
"Passionate hatred can give
meaning and purpose to an empty life."
This episode acts to flesh out Michelle
Rodriguez’s character, as not only does the character dominate the main plot on the
island, but the flashback material is also centred around explaining why this character is
such an embittered personality. I have to say I was somewhat surprised by this episode as
the writing actually looked to be making an effort to address all the mysteries
surrounding the character, which makes this episode a change of pace for this series which
has made a habit out of stretching out it’s mysteries over an entire season. However,
we learn a great deal about the character in this episode, as we discover the character
was a police officer struggling with a fairly major trauma, and as the episode progressed
toward it’s climax her unusual behaviour regarding the suspect who had pumped four
bullets into her becomes crystal clear, and one can’t deny the raw emotional impact
of the final confrontation scene that this character has with her shooter. Now I imagine
there’s more story to tell, as during a scene on the island she makes it quite clear
she used to be a cop, and one has to imagine there would be some fall out from this
confrontation that would make for engaging material in a future episode. Also while this
may be me looking to make a connection where none exists, I have to say I do believe
Michelle Rodriguez’s character never gave Jack her full name during their earlier
meeting so his reaction when he hears her name might have a deeper meaning (e.g. he was
the doctor who treated her after she had been shot). As for the material set in the
present day one does get the hint that the situation between her and Sayid is far from
resolved, but the characters do look to have formed a pact of mutual self-loathing. I also
have to confess the reunion scenes between the pair of married couples did manage to tug
at the heartstrings.
4 out of 5 Stars
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Episode Seven, Season Two
ABC Production
"Trouble rides a fast horse."
This episode provides a look at the first 48
days of island life for the survivors who were in the tail section of the plane, and if
one has been paying attention in the previous episodes than there aren’t really any
surprises to be found in this episode, as it pretty much plays out exactly as one imagined
it did, based on the various comments that were made by these characters in the episodes
leading up to this one. Now I do have say it does look like this group had a more
harrowing 48 days than the group that we have been following, as right from the opening
scene which deftly mirrors the opening moments of last season’s debut episode,
it’s clear that this group is in for a more terrifying journey. Still for the fans
looking for new moments of insight than chances are you’ll find this episode a bit
wanting, as while there are little scenes that make previous scenes more important (e.g.
the teddy bear in the group that passed by Eko and Jin in a previous episode), for the
most part this group’s story follows a pretty easy to predict path. Now the episode
does spend quite a bit of it’s time dealing with the idea that this group also had
itself a secret infiltrator, but the surprise reveal moment where we learn it’s not
who they suspected was pretty easy to see coming. However the scene where Michelle
Rodriguez’s character exposes Goodwin was a wonderful bit of drama, and while the
fight the followed was over a little too quickly, it was quite exciting while it lasted.
Now there are some curious inconsistencies when elements from the other side of the island
begin to emerge, as the time between Boone’s distress call looked to fall almost
directly before Jin washed up on the beach, but perhaps this is simply the gap between the
two seasons leaving me with the wrong impression of how much time had passed between these
two events. I’m also a little curious why Bernard wasn’t sitting beside his wife
on the plane, but I imagine this question might be addressed when the two are reunited.
3.5 out of 5 Stars
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Episode Six, Season Two
ABC Production
"Oops!"
It’s times like this that I wish I was
better able to resist the temptation of the online spoilers, as while the people who
report this information provide a buffer zone that keeps people from blundering their way
across their spoiler information, I have to say that nine times out of ten when I find
myself confronted by that blank space that promises to reveal a big secret if I highlight
the text, I can’t stop myself. Of course it didn’t help that the local papers
made a big fuss about the idea that there was going to be a shocking death in this
episode, which in turn reminded me I had already learned the identity of the victim a
couple weeks earlier. Still, while I went into this episode armed with the knowledge of
which cast member was going to die, and given this character was pretty far down my list
of favourites, I was fully prepared to say goodbye to this cast member, I have to say the
actual death scene still managed to pull off a truly effective surprise, as the means of
this character’s end provides one of the best cliff-hanger moments that this series
has ever offered up. I mean in the aftermath of this surprise development one can see that
the writing had done a pretty good job of telegraphing this outcome, and I’m sure
there will be a wealth of online fans who claim that they saw it coming. Speaking for
myself though, up until the gunshot I hadn’t even considered this possibility, and
when the truth was revealed I had nothing but admiration for the how well this surprise
was played. As for the flashback material it provides a great deal of insight into the
character, and the scene where the mother explains why there is no money coming made for a
wonderful exchange. However, the simple truth of the matter is that I’m more invested
in the fallout that this death will generate than the actual death, as the character who
is killed at the end of this episode never quite captured my imagination.
4 out of 5 Stars
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Episode Five, Season Two
ABC Production
"'Tis better to have loved and
lost than never to have lost at all."
I don't want to say that Jin and Sun are my
least favourite characters in the cast, but from an interest standpoint I have to confess
neither character has really grabbed my attention, and the language barrier has served to
set up a bit of a wall when it comes to getting to know these characters. However, this
episode proved to the strongest episodes of the handful that have been offered up this
season when it comes to actual character development, as the flashback scene actually
managed to offer up a considerable amount of material, as it deals with the lives that
both Jin and Sun were leading before they met, and we see how their two separate paths
came to cross, though the episode stops short when it comes to addressing the question of
how they ended up married. This episode also managed to offer up two solid character
defining moments, as how can one not love the moment where we see Sun struggling to regain
her composure when she discovers the man she has started to fall in love with has plans to
married another woman, and Jin gets an equally powerful moment when he is faced with a
young child who reminds him of the division between the rich and the poor that he's worked
so hard to cross. As for the material on the island, Sun's search for her lost wedding
ring made for a nice little tour of the various personalties that make up the cast, as
they offer up their advice to the distraught Sun, though I had figured out where the lost
ring was going to show up rather early in the episode. As for Jin's adventure of the other
side of the island, we actually get a fair bit of information about the people that took
Walt, and why life for the people at the back of the plane has been considerably more
hellish than the other survivors.
4 out of 5 Stars
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Episode Four, Season Two
ABC Production
"Everything in the world may be
endured except continued prosperity."
Hurley is one of my favourite characters on
this series and as such I couldn't be more pleased with how this episode focused it's
attention in his direction. Now I'm not sure why Jack would put Hurley in charge of the
newly discovered food supply, and no it's not for the obvious gag that Hurley might eat it
all, though the episode has some fun with this idea during the opening dream sequence.
However, Jack has been presented as a smart guy, and as such he should be well aware that
the only thing Hurley cares about is being liked, and as such it's like asking a child to
let you sleep in on Christmas morning and expecting them to do it. Of course Hurley is
going to have difficulty keeping this information under wraps, and he's going to want to
share the wealth and absorb the goodwill that will be directed back at him. Still this
episode manages to deftly tie it's back-story to Hurley's current problem, as we look in
on Hurley immediately after he wins the lottery, and we get a look at his life before the
lottery windfall changes it forever. This flashback also feature DJ Qualls (Road Trip, the
Core), who has emerged as one of my favourite supporting players in films ever since Jack
Black made the jump the lead actor status with "School of Rock", and he turns in
a pretty engaging performance as Hurley's equally shiftless friend. In fact the scene
where his character reacts to the revelation that Hurley is stinkin' rich made for the
episode's most powerful moment, and it made it far easier to understand why Hurley had
such difficulty with the job Jack assigned him. As for the secondary plot involving the
second group of survivors I have to say it's pretty clear this group has had a much
rougher time of it, and Michelle Rodriguez is in perfect form as the no nonsense leader of
this desperate looking group.
3.5 out of 5 Stars
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Episode Three, Season Two
ABC Production
"Trust everybody, but cut the
cards."
This is one of those episodes where it's
clear that the writing has become convinced that it has it's hooks in me, and that I'll be
on pins and needles as the episode builds toward it's big climax. However, the problem
with episodes like this is that if I don't get caught up in the spectacle than I spend
most of my time trying to guess where the episode is taking us, and than I find myself
disappointed when the writing follows the exact path that I had predicted. Now this
episode makes it quite easy when it comes to the ticking time clock of doom plot that
plays out inside the hatch, as having Jack stop the clock right on the one second mark is
such a well worn plot device, that it's already been poked fun at in the film 'Galaxy
Quest". As for the plot involving the other people on the island, I have to say that
it was also pretty easy to see where this was heading when Michelle Rodriguez is sent
tumbling into the hatch, and as such when the writing offers up it's surprise twist I
couldn't help but be disappointed by this lack of imagination. I mean this episode does
manage to provide some of the answers that this series is often accused of holding back,
as we learn the back-story of the man at the bottom of the hatch, and we also get a
wonderfully dated instructional video that I'm sure is quite important, as the episode
made a point of having Locke mention he was going to watch it again. As for this episode's
flashback plot, it doesn't really offer up much new insight, but it does serve to humanize
Locke as he struggles with the cold rejection of his father. Still, this episode marks one
of the rare moments where this series left me a little unimpressed, as the writing simply
didn't offer up any moments that completely mess with my expectations, and a large part of
my enjoyment of this series is my inability to see what happens next.
3 out of 5 Stars
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Episode Two, Season Two
ABC Production
"It doesn’t matter who my
father was, it matters who I remember he was."
This episode loses some marks for being so
obvious about it’s attempts to ramp up the tension levels by borrowing so liberally
from sources that have proven successful in the past. I mean one should simply be forced
to write a royalty check to Steven Spielberg anytime a character jumps into shark infested
waters, as than at least writers would be reminded of how much better this has already
been done. Now I’ll be the first person to sign the praises of a writer who has the
guts to actually have the shark actually get a hold of the frantically swimming lead
character, but asking me to believe that Sawyer was in any real danger of becoming that
shark’s dinner simply wasn’t going to wash, though Michael’s expression
when the first bullet failed to go off was priceless. This plot also gets to be the one
that offers up the big surprise finish that’ll carry us into next week, but I have to
say the idea that there are other survivors on the island has been pretty common knowledge
since Michelle Rodriguez was announced as a second season regular, so this ending
wasn’t as powerful as it might’ve been. As for the plot material that plays out
down in the mysterious hatch the episode jumps back a bit to show us what happened with
Locke after Kate vanished, and everything pretty much played out how I expected it did.
However, I have to give credit to the inspired character moment where we see Kate puts her
escape plan on hold when she spots the chocolate bars. I do have to say this was a
glorious opportunity for product placement, and I can’t believe no candy company
jumped on it. In the end though this episode has a little too many moments of false
tension, and there’s only so many times the writing can have the cat jumping out of
the shadows before the viewers start to become impatient for the axe murderer’s
arrival.
3.5 out of 5 Stars
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Episode One, Season Two
ABC Production
"All journeys have secret
destinations of which the traveller is unaware."
I guess one can say that this episode does
answer the question of what is inside the mystery hatch, but true to form for this series
the answer serves as a springboard for several new questions. Now I could list off these
new questions, but I suspect I’d find myself getting caught up in speculation, and
I’ve decided that this season I’m simply going to sit back any enjoy the ride,
rather than get caught up in the guessing game, as the first season has shown me that the
writers are really quite good at offering up the surprise plot twist that completely blows
apart all my guesswork. Now I will say that the answer to the mystery of what’s
inside the hatch certainly grabbed my interest, and I loved the final revelation as we
discover a something inside the hatch has an unexpected connection to the flashback
material that was also offered up in this episode. Now I’m sure there will be people
who raise a fuss about this series’ inability to provide concrete answers, but I have
to question why these fans are so eager to get answers when the mysteries continue to be
so compelling? Now one could point to X-Files as a show that became so entangled in
it’s mystery that when the answers did arrive the viewers had long since lost
interest in the questions, but Lost isn’t even close to this point, and this demand
for immediate answers is about as productive as the "are we there yet" back-seat
whining on summer vacation. Now I will confess I was a little disappointed that the
situation with the cast members of the raft didn’t make an appearance in this episode
beyond the fleeting appearance of Walt, but the material dealing with the mystery of the
hatch was more than enough to keep me on pins and needles, so overall the episode was
quite satisfying. Plus, it’s nice to see Hurley remains as funny as I remembered him
being.
4 out of 5 Stars
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