Top 10 Reasons Why I’d Happily Share the Teachers’ Lounge with Dr. Linus
1. He understands why the East India Company is so important (and likely would share that info with Charles Widmore or Richard Alpert in this or another timeline).
2. He cleans up after himself, and sometimes others.
3. He’s good to his dad.
4. He has his priorities straight, which makes him far less of a loser than he believes.
5. He knows how to get people to do his dirty work for him, yet…
6. …he’s a team player willing to give up his parking space to a helpful colleague.
7. He understands how to make a successful power play but doesn’t live for power.
8. He cares about his students and is willing to put their welfare before his own.
9. He’s allowed a cosmic do-over and gets it right.
10. He truly is one of the good guys.
(not to mention he and I are both “Dr.”s who studied history—and who knew I’d be proud to claim common ground with Dr. Linus?!)
Wow—I never thought I’d write those words about Ben Linus, much less nominate him for Teacher of the Year. Lost has a tendency to do that to people, including me—leading us down one path into the jungle only to light a torch guiding us back to the beach with a whole new outlook on life.
As a bonus, even in the flashsideways, Locke and Ben are interconnected in ever-shifting mind games of power one-upsmanship. In the teachers’ lounge, Locke rolls in long enough to encourage Ben to take over the Principal’s job. On the island, fLocke offers Ben his one-time dream job—king of the island. (ABC really needs to consider Terry O’Quinn’s idea for a new series starring the dramedy duo of Linus/Locke a bit more seriously. I’d tune in just to see their interplay in any timeline.)
I won’t get into all the ironic moments between Ben and Roger, no longer a workman, or Ben and Alex, or Ben and Locke/FLocke, but I loved them all and took notes for future books. I’m still digging, quite literally this week, references to Nikki and Paulo, their diamonds, Sawyer’s porn stash, and Ben’s promised payoff. But the best was saved for the last few moments of the episode:
Redemption!!!
If Ben can be redeemed (by Ilana, disciple of Jacob), then anyone can. Ben’s expression as he follows Ilana back to the beach is exquisite: the shock of forgiveness given so freely and simply, the opportunity to make a choice (yay free will!), the realization that, despite all he’s done (or hasn’t done), he’s still wanted by something other than Evil Incarnate. I am one happy theme lover after last night’s episode.
This emotionally powerful scene was followed by Reunion!! Once again, Sun is reunited with long-lost castaways at the beach camp. Did you notice that the music that accompanied the return home of the Oceanic 6 also reverberated throughout this scene, causing yet another resonance between a Season 6 episode and one from an earlier season? The 3 Rs of this episode: redemption, reunion, resonance.
Plus, in sidestories on the other side of the island…
• Score one for everyone who figured out Richard came to the island chained in the Black Rock.
• In a “Touched by a Jacob” moment, Jack becomes a Man of Faith—OK, backed up by some pretty good evidence that Richard can’t easily die—during a game of chicken with a lighted fuse. The people Jacob touches can’t die by their own hand. So…Richard can’t blow himself up (which means Locke wouldn’t have been able to commit suicide without deus ex machina Ben), so Jack also can’t kill himself by lighting the fuse to the dynamite and waiting for the big explosion. Hmmm. Could Jack light a fuse to blow up Richard while Richard lights a fuse to blow up Jack? Just asking. My head is starting to hurt…again. I hope Jack has a better grasp of the rules for Jacob’s game of Life.
• Best line of the night: Hurley to Jack after pleading for him to leave the Black Rock: “If you change your mind, I’ll be like a mile away.” Next best lines of the night: Everything Miles says to Ben—cue the snark!
• Widmore in the sub! With the beachgoers in his sights!
Even the previews layered hints about themes yet to be explored: “Bird on a Wire,” with lyrics like “I have tried in my way to be free,” provides a musical backdrop for Sawyer’s promise to get off the island. Sawyer and “Freedom Song”s—another combination just waiting to be revisited.
How many hours is it to next Tuesday?
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
LOST--Sundown (as always, spoilers ahead)
Elton John’s plaintive “Don’t let the su-u-un go down on me” came to mind during the final moments of last night’s LOST, “Sundown.” Although the Season Six episodes mirror the order of those from the beginning of Season One, “Sundown” is Sayid-centric, unlike “House of the Rising Sun.” Nevertheless, the concept of oppositions—sunrise/sunset, light/dark, Good/Evil, Kate/Claire, Jacob/fLocke—rules this episode.
I love a good battle between Good and Evil. My favorite literature, film, and TV series deal with such epic conflicts, whether between characters or within a single character. “Sundown” might have been a bit heavy-handed in illustrating these dichotomies within individuals, but it emphasizes the core theme of LOST and provides a Biblical or, if you prefer, operatic conclusion to the first third of the final season.
Of course, Sayid is the perfect character to illustrate the very human desire to be good (“I am a good man,” he tells Dogen) despite his actions (“I know what you did in the war, Sayid,” Omar reminds him). Sayid seems equally comfortable as Nadia’s tender confidante and doting uncle to her children or a calm, controlled killer. Which Sayid is the real man? Is he damned for being an interrogator, killing his brother’s tormentors, letting fLocke loose in the temple? Is love the force that drives him to such evil acts, or is it merely a convenient excuse for doing what comes naturally?
The oppositions between characters even offer a new perspective on what it means to be an ideal parent and how far most people fall from that ideal (including, we learn, pre-island Dogen). Blonde Claire once seemed the epitome of protective motherhood, but brunette Kate of the equally dark past now seems the better choice to mother Aaron. Both mothers are murderers, but both love Aaron. How will good or evil play out in their upcoming battle for this child?
Claire’s haunting rendition of “Catch a Falling Star” recalls several flashbacks when she sang this lullaby to prospective parents and Kate sang to Aaron. Falling light—like a meteor streaking across the darkness or the last rays of light before sundown—foreshadows darkness to come. Claire reminds us to catch that falling star, put it in our pocket, and “save it for a rainy day.” Did you notice how much rain falls in this episode? fLocke even assumes greater power and more followers to the accompaniment of thunder, but then, Smokey has always been his own little dark cloud of terror.
By far, the greatest battle to come must involve Jacob, who, although “dead,” certainly seems to exercise a lot of influence over the island’s future, as well as that of its current inhabitants. Is he really the force of Good everyone seems to assume? Just like fLocke, he is persuasive and not always benevolent. Did he see Evil in Sayid, leading him to allow Nadia to die in Island Sayid’s timeline? Was Dogen’s son’s accident something similar? fLocke, so beautifully played by Terry O’Quinn, is certainly a dark force with a silver tongue. Should we take Dogen’s and Jacob’s word that he is Evil Incarnate? Like Jack, if we’re men or women of science, we might have trouble interpreting all the evidence. Like Locke, if we’re men or women of faith, we might question how Jacob could die and leave his followers defenseless while fLocke/Smokey runs amok.
As fLocke smugly leads his followers off camera, ending the first part of the final season, we are invited to follow. The battle is coming, and we’ll all soon be forced to choose a side. Will you follow fLocke’s torch into the darkness?
I love a good battle between Good and Evil. My favorite literature, film, and TV series deal with such epic conflicts, whether between characters or within a single character. “Sundown” might have been a bit heavy-handed in illustrating these dichotomies within individuals, but it emphasizes the core theme of LOST and provides a Biblical or, if you prefer, operatic conclusion to the first third of the final season.
Of course, Sayid is the perfect character to illustrate the very human desire to be good (“I am a good man,” he tells Dogen) despite his actions (“I know what you did in the war, Sayid,” Omar reminds him). Sayid seems equally comfortable as Nadia’s tender confidante and doting uncle to her children or a calm, controlled killer. Which Sayid is the real man? Is he damned for being an interrogator, killing his brother’s tormentors, letting fLocke loose in the temple? Is love the force that drives him to such evil acts, or is it merely a convenient excuse for doing what comes naturally?
The oppositions between characters even offer a new perspective on what it means to be an ideal parent and how far most people fall from that ideal (including, we learn, pre-island Dogen). Blonde Claire once seemed the epitome of protective motherhood, but brunette Kate of the equally dark past now seems the better choice to mother Aaron. Both mothers are murderers, but both love Aaron. How will good or evil play out in their upcoming battle for this child?
Claire’s haunting rendition of “Catch a Falling Star” recalls several flashbacks when she sang this lullaby to prospective parents and Kate sang to Aaron. Falling light—like a meteor streaking across the darkness or the last rays of light before sundown—foreshadows darkness to come. Claire reminds us to catch that falling star, put it in our pocket, and “save it for a rainy day.” Did you notice how much rain falls in this episode? fLocke even assumes greater power and more followers to the accompaniment of thunder, but then, Smokey has always been his own little dark cloud of terror.
By far, the greatest battle to come must involve Jacob, who, although “dead,” certainly seems to exercise a lot of influence over the island’s future, as well as that of its current inhabitants. Is he really the force of Good everyone seems to assume? Just like fLocke, he is persuasive and not always benevolent. Did he see Evil in Sayid, leading him to allow Nadia to die in Island Sayid’s timeline? Was Dogen’s son’s accident something similar? fLocke, so beautifully played by Terry O’Quinn, is certainly a dark force with a silver tongue. Should we take Dogen’s and Jacob’s word that he is Evil Incarnate? Like Jack, if we’re men or women of science, we might have trouble interpreting all the evidence. Like Locke, if we’re men or women of faith, we might question how Jacob could die and leave his followers defenseless while fLocke/Smokey runs amok.
As fLocke smugly leads his followers off camera, ending the first part of the final season, we are invited to follow. The battle is coming, and we’ll all soon be forced to choose a side. Will you follow fLocke’s torch into the darkness?
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
LOST: Lighthouse--SPOILERS
OK, you know the drill. It's now about 10:25 p.m. Eastern, which means that if you don't live on my side of the U.S., you probably haven't watched LOST yet. Major spoilers for imagery and an incredibly beautiful scene that shouldn't be spoiled. SO--if you don't want to be spoiled and haven't seen this episode--don't read the blog yet. But I hope you'll come back later if you're leaving now. I'd like to know your reaction to the Lighthouse.
Women's figure skating is promised soon, so this blog will be brief, but I simply have to comment on one of the most lovely images in all of LOSTdom:
the place where Jacob meets each candidate briefly becomes reflected in the mirrors of the lighthouse.
Byodo-In Temple, one of my favorite places on Oahu, flashes by when Hurley adjusts the mechanism past 42 degrees. At 15, the steeple of the church where "Sawyer" says goodbye to his parents is reflected. And at 23, Jack's name prominently scratched into the metal (the only name not crossed out in the entries listed in the late teens and early twenties), Jack sees his childhood home reflected in the glass.
At the top of the lighthouse, Jack realizes that he, along with 107 other candidates (the magic 108 total again), has been chosen by Jacob. Jack chooses to believe in "destiny"--that he's been manipulated his whole life by Jacob. He doesn't think he's ever had free will. Hurley, on the other hand, very openly does what Jacob asks, but he makes the choice to do so. He believes in his free will but simply chooses to do what Jacob asks. Jacob know what works with each of his candidates.
Other images resonate from the past: Alice in Wonderland, a rabbit on the doorstep, a hidden house key, the number 23 highlighted on the door to Jack's son's house--all reflections of Jack's flashback episodes. Each symbol reflects the Jack who first lands on the island, the Jack of the alternate timeline, Jack the boy reflected in his son David, Jack the father reflected in his son's eyes.
Not surprisingly, Jack questions his appendectomy scar when he looks at his mirror image--he doesn't remember how he got the scar. (We remember Juliet's impromptu beach surgery, but Jack hears a different explanation.) Jack may not remember how he got all his scars, but we do.
What is real, what is imagined, what is a reflection of who we think we are--this episode beautifully illustrates so many questions that reflect our experience watching LOST as much as questions about the human experience.
Perhaps that's why I love Hurley so much in this episode. He asks Jacob all the questions I would be too afraid to ask. He expects the truth from Jacob and doesn't flinch from it. He is the most honest character of the series, which is why he makes such a good lighthouse--a beacon of truth, a light against the darkness.
In this episode, Hurley is Jack's lighthouse. He shows him the way and forces Jack to look at himself--to face some difficult truths. Hurley sees life differently from anyone else in the series. He's both an Everyperson and a uniquely spiritual guide, and both sides to his nature are reflected in the imagery and dialogue of the Lighthouse.
Women's figure skating is promised soon, so this blog will be brief, but I simply have to comment on one of the most lovely images in all of LOSTdom:
the place where Jacob meets each candidate briefly becomes reflected in the mirrors of the lighthouse.
Byodo-In Temple, one of my favorite places on Oahu, flashes by when Hurley adjusts the mechanism past 42 degrees. At 15, the steeple of the church where "Sawyer" says goodbye to his parents is reflected. And at 23, Jack's name prominently scratched into the metal (the only name not crossed out in the entries listed in the late teens and early twenties), Jack sees his childhood home reflected in the glass.
At the top of the lighthouse, Jack realizes that he, along with 107 other candidates (the magic 108 total again), has been chosen by Jacob. Jack chooses to believe in "destiny"--that he's been manipulated his whole life by Jacob. He doesn't think he's ever had free will. Hurley, on the other hand, very openly does what Jacob asks, but he makes the choice to do so. He believes in his free will but simply chooses to do what Jacob asks. Jacob know what works with each of his candidates.
Other images resonate from the past: Alice in Wonderland, a rabbit on the doorstep, a hidden house key, the number 23 highlighted on the door to Jack's son's house--all reflections of Jack's flashback episodes. Each symbol reflects the Jack who first lands on the island, the Jack of the alternate timeline, Jack the boy reflected in his son David, Jack the father reflected in his son's eyes.
Not surprisingly, Jack questions his appendectomy scar when he looks at his mirror image--he doesn't remember how he got the scar. (We remember Juliet's impromptu beach surgery, but Jack hears a different explanation.) Jack may not remember how he got all his scars, but we do.
What is real, what is imagined, what is a reflection of who we think we are--this episode beautifully illustrates so many questions that reflect our experience watching LOST as much as questions about the human experience.
Perhaps that's why I love Hurley so much in this episode. He asks Jacob all the questions I would be too afraid to ask. He expects the truth from Jacob and doesn't flinch from it. He is the most honest character of the series, which is why he makes such a good lighthouse--a beacon of truth, a light against the darkness.
In this episode, Hurley is Jack's lighthouse. He shows him the way and forces Jack to look at himself--to face some difficult truths. Hurley sees life differently from anyone else in the series. He's both an Everyperson and a uniquely spiritual guide, and both sides to his nature are reflected in the imagery and dialogue of the Lighthouse.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
LOST 6.4 The Substitute--SPOILERS
Flying/stomping/hovering through the jungle and New Otherton with Smokey! I love the contrast between very earthbound Locke trying to get into his own house by himself and Smokey’s freedom and speedy movement, its hovering image reflected in the windows of Sawyer’s house before a fluid transition into fLocke. Great camera work! And what an uplifting way to start a “Locke” episode.
This free-floating scene also foreshadows fLocke’s visit to Sawyer. Apparently Sawyer is a recruit (later revealed as yet another candidate). He finds Locke’s promise of an answer to Lost’s greatest mystery more promising than sitting around blasting music and drinking. The key question, not just for Season 6 but for the whole series: Why are you on the island? Let’s hope that Darlton answers this one, if no other, before the end of May. We get a big tease about that answer by the end of this episode.
Locke episodes are often my favorites out of an entire season, going back to the now-classic “Walkabout.” I guess I really can’t call it a “Locke” episode when John is dead, but I love the fact that fLocke is still running around the island and giving Terry O’Quinn new opportunities for an Emmy.
Is the devil you know always better than the one you only shared conspiracy theories about? When we didn’t know Smokey/fLocke, we could fear the “monster” because of its mysterious ways. Now we see how he tries to seduce new recruits with his words, well, if hanging them in a body bag in a tree doesn’t convince them. fLocke also tries the “I know what you’re going through” bit to keep Sawyer following along. Now that the monster is out in the open, he’s as frightening for what he says as what he does.
As with previous Season 6 episodes, there are plenty of resonances with previous seasons. Sawyer and fLocke re-enact the plot of Mice and Men, just as Ben and Sawyer did in Season 3. Locke’s catchphrase—“Don’t tell me what I can’t do!”—is still yelled out of frustration in his rebellion against authority. (Interesting question—Who is the child, one that Sawyer and fLocke can see but Richard can’t? He also apparently has some authority over fLocke. More about him later.) Locke saves Jack from falling down a cliff face in Season 1; fLocke saves Sawyer from falling down a cliff face with a much more scenic view.
Best line of the night: The camera closes in on a balanced scale, each side carefully balanced with a rock—one white, one black. fLocke tosses the white rock out to sea. “Inside joke,” he replies to a curious Sawyer.
Knowing characters’ pre-island backstories (see—there was a quiz!) helps in understanding the character cameos in California. Rose helps Locke get a job after Randy fires him. Hugo/Hurley owns the box company where Locke used to work and guides him to job counselor Rose. After all, Hugo knows what kind of boss Randy is—he used to work for him, too, at a different company. And Ben as the European history teacher!
But the best is saved for last: “Jacob has a thing for numbers.” And lists. fLocke shows Sawyer the numbers, each assigned to a “candidate” to be the next Jacob. Locke’s number is up, so his name is scratched off the ceiling. (He was 4, by the way.) And here I figured Jack would be 42, the meaning of life. That honor is reserved for Kwon, but whether Sun or Jin isn’t known. Jack's number matches his original seat assignment on Oceanic 815. Interestingly enough, Kate doesn’t have a number.
fLocke posed his question of the week. Here’s mine: Is Aaron the blond boy apparently with some type of control over fLocke? I always suspected he would play a more important role in the story. What do you think?
This free-floating scene also foreshadows fLocke’s visit to Sawyer. Apparently Sawyer is a recruit (later revealed as yet another candidate). He finds Locke’s promise of an answer to Lost’s greatest mystery more promising than sitting around blasting music and drinking. The key question, not just for Season 6 but for the whole series: Why are you on the island? Let’s hope that Darlton answers this one, if no other, before the end of May. We get a big tease about that answer by the end of this episode.
Locke episodes are often my favorites out of an entire season, going back to the now-classic “Walkabout.” I guess I really can’t call it a “Locke” episode when John is dead, but I love the fact that fLocke is still running around the island and giving Terry O’Quinn new opportunities for an Emmy.
Is the devil you know always better than the one you only shared conspiracy theories about? When we didn’t know Smokey/fLocke, we could fear the “monster” because of its mysterious ways. Now we see how he tries to seduce new recruits with his words, well, if hanging them in a body bag in a tree doesn’t convince them. fLocke also tries the “I know what you’re going through” bit to keep Sawyer following along. Now that the monster is out in the open, he’s as frightening for what he says as what he does.
As with previous Season 6 episodes, there are plenty of resonances with previous seasons. Sawyer and fLocke re-enact the plot of Mice and Men, just as Ben and Sawyer did in Season 3. Locke’s catchphrase—“Don’t tell me what I can’t do!”—is still yelled out of frustration in his rebellion against authority. (Interesting question—Who is the child, one that Sawyer and fLocke can see but Richard can’t? He also apparently has some authority over fLocke. More about him later.) Locke saves Jack from falling down a cliff face in Season 1; fLocke saves Sawyer from falling down a cliff face with a much more scenic view.
Best line of the night: The camera closes in on a balanced scale, each side carefully balanced with a rock—one white, one black. fLocke tosses the white rock out to sea. “Inside joke,” he replies to a curious Sawyer.
Knowing characters’ pre-island backstories (see—there was a quiz!) helps in understanding the character cameos in California. Rose helps Locke get a job after Randy fires him. Hugo/Hurley owns the box company where Locke used to work and guides him to job counselor Rose. After all, Hugo knows what kind of boss Randy is—he used to work for him, too, at a different company. And Ben as the European history teacher!
But the best is saved for last: “Jacob has a thing for numbers.” And lists. fLocke shows Sawyer the numbers, each assigned to a “candidate” to be the next Jacob. Locke’s number is up, so his name is scratched off the ceiling. (He was 4, by the way.) And here I figured Jack would be 42, the meaning of life. That honor is reserved for Kwon, but whether Sun or Jin isn’t known. Jack's number matches his original seat assignment on Oceanic 815. Interestingly enough, Kate doesn’t have a number.
fLocke posed his question of the week. Here’s mine: Is Aaron the blond boy apparently with some type of control over fLocke? I always suspected he would play a more important role in the story. What do you think?
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Daniel Dae Kim as Chin Ho
If you grew up in the '60s, you probably remember the "Hawaii Five-O" theme. My elementary school band even learned to play it. It conjures visions of hula dancers, war memorials, high rises, and Jack Lord.
Years later, the imagery in the series' opening remains vivid. Long before my parents ever brought me back a sarong from their vacation, Jack Lord and crew showed me what Hawaii was all about. Even a couple of years ago, on one of my first Lost jaunts to Oahu, my tour guide pointed out that famous balcony where Jack Lord whipped around to stare at the camera during opening credits.
I remember "Kam Fong as Chin Ho."
Maybe next year I'll be revising that line: "Daniel Dae Kim as Chin Ho."
Ed Kos, whose Lost tours are a whole lot of knowledgeable fun, sent me a link to news from the local ABC affiliate. Daniel Dae Kim has been cast in a pilot of Hawaii Five-O scheduled for filming next month.
I'm glad that the island will be home (at least potentially) to another series. In the intervening years since the original H50, Lost has become the iconic island series. It'll be interesting to see how a 2010 version of the '60s' classic will portray Honolulu.
The link is KITV news: Daniel Dae Kim in H50.
Years later, the imagery in the series' opening remains vivid. Long before my parents ever brought me back a sarong from their vacation, Jack Lord and crew showed me what Hawaii was all about. Even a couple of years ago, on one of my first Lost jaunts to Oahu, my tour guide pointed out that famous balcony where Jack Lord whipped around to stare at the camera during opening credits.
I remember "Kam Fong as Chin Ho."
Maybe next year I'll be revising that line: "Daniel Dae Kim as Chin Ho."
Ed Kos, whose Lost tours are a whole lot of knowledgeable fun, sent me a link to news from the local ABC affiliate. Daniel Dae Kim has been cast in a pilot of Hawaii Five-O scheduled for filming next month.
I'm glad that the island will be home (at least potentially) to another series. In the intervening years since the original H50, Lost has become the iconic island series. It'll be interesting to see how a 2010 version of the '60s' classic will portray Honolulu.
The link is KITV news: Daniel Dae Kim in H50.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
LOST: What Kate Does--Spoiler Alert for 6.3
Lost certainly has heart, although not all of its characters may have for long. In a side story, heartache visits New Otherton, and Kate has a Hart to heart with Claire. Awwww, kind of a Valentine’s Day theme.
Joan Hart is the alias Kate chooses at the hospital where Claire is finding Aaron becoming labor intensive. When Claire clutches Kate’s hand as they watch the ultrasound, the fugitive realizes that she’s inadvertently chosen the right name.
By the way, “What Kate Does” reflects “What Kate Did” in Season One. Perhaps Kate truly is destined to do some things more than once. She might not deliver Claire’s baby, but she ensures that she will have the child safely. LA Kate also may be fulfilling Island Kate’s wish to keep mother and baby together. In “What Kate Did,” we learn she’s a murderer; she takes a life. In “What Kate Does,” she helps save a life, or at least makes sure Claire and the baby are safe.
Unfortunately, on the island, Dogan claims that Claire has lost herself. Darkness claims her heart. Hmmm. Heart of Darkness. Catchy title.
It also seems like Claire has been taking fashion tips from Rousseau, who (no surprise to those who heard Mira Furlan wouldn’t be returning) died a long time ago, according to “loose lips” Justin. Never mind. He won’t be talking to anyone but Miles, or maybe Hurley, from now on. Thus ensues another parallel scene from an earlier season. Instead of Sayid becoming entrapped by rifle-toting Rousseau, Jin runs afoul of Claire’s trap and first sees her when she shoots the Others from whom he is trying to escape.
Back at the temple, Dogan warns Jack that Sayid could also have a change of heart, and not for the better, if he doesn’t take the poison pill. That seems like a drastic diagnosis and treatment to me. I’m not sure I’d let either of them treat me, based on their bedside manners so far this season.
Who would’ve thought at Dr. Goodspeed (aka Ethan Rom) would turn out to be the good doctor? In a lovely twist, he tries to convince Claire not to take drugs to stop the labor, a reversal of his actions on the island, when he liked to stick Claire with needles to “protect” her unborn child. Dr. Goodspeed seems content to let Claire keep her (unborn) baby a little longer, unlike his island counterpart who wanted to take the child any way he could.
The other theme, if a little heavy handed, running as rampantly through the episode as Kate on Sawyer’s trail, is Redemption. “This is your chance to redeem yourself,” Dogan announces to Jack, who may not be looking for redemption but seems in need of it. Of course, Dogan’s methods may be a bit dodgy, and I don’t know about his “pass/fail” testing methods to determine who lives or dies. Let’s see. So far I wouldn’t trust this guy to be my doctor, pharmacist, or judge.
Nevertheless, who should be given a second chance is questionable, especially to Sawyer. He finds it unjust that Juliet stays dead whereas “an Iraqi torturer who shoots kids” is resurrected. Perhaps Dogan overheard him or was having second thoughts about Sayid’s second coming. How ironic that the torturer is tortured yet again on the island. How ironic that seemingly heartless Dogan worries about the darkening of Sayid’s soul/heart.
Broken hearts are yet another aspect of “What Kate Does.” Sawyer tosses Juliet’s would-have-been wedding band into the lagoon, and Kate either feels sad that Sawyer loved and lost, or she’s unhappy that now she’ll have to traipse all the way back to the temple to see if Jack is still interested.
More touching to me than either Sawyer’s or Kate’s tears was a brief scene in which Hurley is curious about the afterlife. He wonders if there are angels or white light, but Sayid doesn’t remember anything but being shot. In last week’s episode, Hurley reminded dead Sayid that he’d be around for a chat anytime the spirit was willing. Hurley now accepts that he can talk with the dead (without questioning whether he is crazy) and believes in an afterlife. It seems he just wants to get a few more details. I keep remembering Hurley dressed as a Biblical prophet in Charlie’s vision from “Fire + Water” a few seasons back. I wonder if any further connection between his talent for talking with the dead and spirituality will be made. Oh, well, I’m probably just trying to find more ways for Charlie to return during Season Six.
The pace of this episode slowed from last week’s rapid-fire introduction to two timelines and a big family reunion. I like the parallels between scenes new and old. I like the cameos by the ghosts of seasons past. I think I was just spoiled last week with so many revelations and reunions that this week’s character development lagged a bit. However, this hour still goes more quickly than any other. I should ask Dan Faraday about that.
Joan Hart is the alias Kate chooses at the hospital where Claire is finding Aaron becoming labor intensive. When Claire clutches Kate’s hand as they watch the ultrasound, the fugitive realizes that she’s inadvertently chosen the right name.
By the way, “What Kate Does” reflects “What Kate Did” in Season One. Perhaps Kate truly is destined to do some things more than once. She might not deliver Claire’s baby, but she ensures that she will have the child safely. LA Kate also may be fulfilling Island Kate’s wish to keep mother and baby together. In “What Kate Did,” we learn she’s a murderer; she takes a life. In “What Kate Does,” she helps save a life, or at least makes sure Claire and the baby are safe.
Unfortunately, on the island, Dogan claims that Claire has lost herself. Darkness claims her heart. Hmmm. Heart of Darkness. Catchy title.
It also seems like Claire has been taking fashion tips from Rousseau, who (no surprise to those who heard Mira Furlan wouldn’t be returning) died a long time ago, according to “loose lips” Justin. Never mind. He won’t be talking to anyone but Miles, or maybe Hurley, from now on. Thus ensues another parallel scene from an earlier season. Instead of Sayid becoming entrapped by rifle-toting Rousseau, Jin runs afoul of Claire’s trap and first sees her when she shoots the Others from whom he is trying to escape.
Back at the temple, Dogan warns Jack that Sayid could also have a change of heart, and not for the better, if he doesn’t take the poison pill. That seems like a drastic diagnosis and treatment to me. I’m not sure I’d let either of them treat me, based on their bedside manners so far this season.
Who would’ve thought at Dr. Goodspeed (aka Ethan Rom) would turn out to be the good doctor? In a lovely twist, he tries to convince Claire not to take drugs to stop the labor, a reversal of his actions on the island, when he liked to stick Claire with needles to “protect” her unborn child. Dr. Goodspeed seems content to let Claire keep her (unborn) baby a little longer, unlike his island counterpart who wanted to take the child any way he could.
The other theme, if a little heavy handed, running as rampantly through the episode as Kate on Sawyer’s trail, is Redemption. “This is your chance to redeem yourself,” Dogan announces to Jack, who may not be looking for redemption but seems in need of it. Of course, Dogan’s methods may be a bit dodgy, and I don’t know about his “pass/fail” testing methods to determine who lives or dies. Let’s see. So far I wouldn’t trust this guy to be my doctor, pharmacist, or judge.
Nevertheless, who should be given a second chance is questionable, especially to Sawyer. He finds it unjust that Juliet stays dead whereas “an Iraqi torturer who shoots kids” is resurrected. Perhaps Dogan overheard him or was having second thoughts about Sayid’s second coming. How ironic that the torturer is tortured yet again on the island. How ironic that seemingly heartless Dogan worries about the darkening of Sayid’s soul/heart.
Broken hearts are yet another aspect of “What Kate Does.” Sawyer tosses Juliet’s would-have-been wedding band into the lagoon, and Kate either feels sad that Sawyer loved and lost, or she’s unhappy that now she’ll have to traipse all the way back to the temple to see if Jack is still interested.
More touching to me than either Sawyer’s or Kate’s tears was a brief scene in which Hurley is curious about the afterlife. He wonders if there are angels or white light, but Sayid doesn’t remember anything but being shot. In last week’s episode, Hurley reminded dead Sayid that he’d be around for a chat anytime the spirit was willing. Hurley now accepts that he can talk with the dead (without questioning whether he is crazy) and believes in an afterlife. It seems he just wants to get a few more details. I keep remembering Hurley dressed as a Biblical prophet in Charlie’s vision from “Fire + Water” a few seasons back. I wonder if any further connection between his talent for talking with the dead and spirituality will be made. Oh, well, I’m probably just trying to find more ways for Charlie to return during Season Six.
The pace of this episode slowed from last week’s rapid-fire introduction to two timelines and a big family reunion. I like the parallels between scenes new and old. I like the cameos by the ghosts of seasons past. I think I was just spoiled last week with so many revelations and reunions that this week’s character development lagged a bit. However, this hour still goes more quickly than any other. I should ask Dan Faraday about that.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Loving LOST: LA X
SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't seen both hours of the Season Six premiere, 1) you won't understand my cryptic references, and 2) you'll be spoiled.
Five reasons why I’m already loving the sixth season of Lost:
1. Everything old is new again.
Think that dialogue sounds so 2004? Probably it is. Jack and Rose once again discuss turbulence, word for word as they did in our 2004 world, which is their present. This time, however, Bernard really does return from the bathroom. Cue Bernard’s and Rose’s love theme one more time.
Even when the dialogue isn’t the same, the scene looks eerily familiar. Jack vainly attempts CPR on a castaway too long oxygen deprived to be brought back. Kate begs him to stop, knowing it’s too late. The corpse this time is Sayid, not Charlie, but the results, like the dialogue, turn out the same.
The Marshal is destined to suffer a headache during Kate’s escape; Sun has to button her sweater, as well as her English-speaking lips; Charlie can’t escape that fugly striped shirt. It’s déjà vu all over again.
2. Jack is not a physicist, or even a very good time traveler.
As I suspected, Jack’s Plan A for setting the future to rights by meddling with the past didn’t exactly account for all the variables. So what’s his Plan B?
Should I worry that island-bound Jack seems far too OK with letting other people lead? Or is he quietly agreeing with Fate that he really should let go of his avocation as a “fixer”?
3. Parting is such sweet sorrow.
With one line, Shannon’s story is forever changed in Lostlore. Boone at least gets a handshake and a smile before we send him on his way. I only wish Charlie fared as well. I realize that in the original timeline, or an alternate version of the timeline that might’ve been, he hasn’t overcome his problems with heroin. Still, I ached to make it better when he growled at Jack, “I should’ve died.” Maybe the writers should’ve left well enough alone, at least for some of the gone but more fondly remembered castaways than the sorry lot departing Oceanic 815. At least Rose and Bernard seem happy, but I worry for her health.
4. I’m making a list and checking it (off) twice.
What’s/Who’s Smoky? Check. Whatever happened to Zach and Emma? Check. Might Richard have arrived on the island as a slave? Check.
5. The island is under new management.
And I wouldn’t tick off the boss. He seems to hold a grudge.
That’s just my Top Five from the first two hours. I haven’t even mentioned how much I love the resonances in music between Seasons One and Six, the symbolism of light and shadow (especially in fLocke’s scenes), the liberal use of irony, or the many symbols old and new. I expected an intriguing, somewhat nostalgic premiere, and I wasn’t disappointed. Suddenly May 23 seems too near, in any timeline, but I’m re-making some great memories to take with me.
Now excuse me. I have to reinforce the magic black circle around my house. Just in case. I’m not sure what may arrive with next week’s episode.
Five reasons why I’m already loving the sixth season of Lost:
1. Everything old is new again.
Think that dialogue sounds so 2004? Probably it is. Jack and Rose once again discuss turbulence, word for word as they did in our 2004 world, which is their present. This time, however, Bernard really does return from the bathroom. Cue Bernard’s and Rose’s love theme one more time.
Even when the dialogue isn’t the same, the scene looks eerily familiar. Jack vainly attempts CPR on a castaway too long oxygen deprived to be brought back. Kate begs him to stop, knowing it’s too late. The corpse this time is Sayid, not Charlie, but the results, like the dialogue, turn out the same.
The Marshal is destined to suffer a headache during Kate’s escape; Sun has to button her sweater, as well as her English-speaking lips; Charlie can’t escape that fugly striped shirt. It’s déjà vu all over again.
2. Jack is not a physicist, or even a very good time traveler.
As I suspected, Jack’s Plan A for setting the future to rights by meddling with the past didn’t exactly account for all the variables. So what’s his Plan B?
Should I worry that island-bound Jack seems far too OK with letting other people lead? Or is he quietly agreeing with Fate that he really should let go of his avocation as a “fixer”?
3. Parting is such sweet sorrow.
With one line, Shannon’s story is forever changed in Lostlore. Boone at least gets a handshake and a smile before we send him on his way. I only wish Charlie fared as well. I realize that in the original timeline, or an alternate version of the timeline that might’ve been, he hasn’t overcome his problems with heroin. Still, I ached to make it better when he growled at Jack, “I should’ve died.” Maybe the writers should’ve left well enough alone, at least for some of the gone but more fondly remembered castaways than the sorry lot departing Oceanic 815. At least Rose and Bernard seem happy, but I worry for her health.
4. I’m making a list and checking it (off) twice.
What’s/Who’s Smoky? Check. Whatever happened to Zach and Emma? Check. Might Richard have arrived on the island as a slave? Check.
5. The island is under new management.
And I wouldn’t tick off the boss. He seems to hold a grudge.
That’s just my Top Five from the first two hours. I haven’t even mentioned how much I love the resonances in music between Seasons One and Six, the symbolism of light and shadow (especially in fLocke’s scenes), the liberal use of irony, or the many symbols old and new. I expected an intriguing, somewhat nostalgic premiere, and I wasn’t disappointed. Suddenly May 23 seems too near, in any timeline, but I’m re-making some great memories to take with me.
Now excuse me. I have to reinforce the magic black circle around my house. Just in case. I’m not sure what may arrive with next week’s episode.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
