The first hour was much, much stronger than the second, in my opinion.
As soon as the they showed the guys traveling back in time on the Island, I immediately thought that the Adam and Eve skeletons they found in season 1 are going to end up being Sawyer and Juliet.
I love Hurley's summation of the series for his mom. And "I don't understand you, but I believe you" is basically everybody's relationship with this show, anyway.
Strong episode, and it went quickly. I did wonder why the whole group jumped, but when Locke was with Richard and the others, THEY didn't jump with HIM. And the soldiers...their island...weird.
My guess is that Alpert and the Others didn't time-shift along with Locke because they're somehow immune to it since they're Island natives or something. Whereas Charlotte (who was allegedly born on the Island, remember) has spent too much time away and now is suffering the initial symptoms of needs-a-constant-itus that Desmond and Minkowski suffered from last year.
A great premiere. It seemed like a totally different version of the show we all know and love, though it has built up such a trove of mythology that when it dips into this history (i.e. Ana Lucia, Hawking, Desmond in the hatch, the drug smugglers' plane, Ethan) it only helps to enforce the current story more.
I think the whispers in the forest are other time-displaced people, as perhaps they can see events but (as Daniel said) can't actually change them.
Skinner: Well, I was wrong. The lizards are a godsend.
Lisa: But isn't that a bit short-sighted? What happens when we're overrun by lizards?
Skinner: No problem. We simply release wave after wave of Chinese needle snakes. They'll wipe out the lizards.
Lisa: But aren't the snakes even worse?
Skinner: Yes, but we're prepared for that. We've lined up a fabulous type of gorilla that thrives on snake meat.
Lisa: But then we're stuck with gorillas!
Skinner: No, that's the beautiful part. When wintertime rolls around, the gorillas simply freeze to death!
It was a nice bit of deus ex machina that Ethan shot Locke in the leg in basically the same area that Locke lost his power to walk back in Deus Ex Machina.
Speaking of Ethan, did his reaction to Locke's explanation strike anyone else as weird? Wasn't Ethan part of the inner circle that could travel to and from the Island as he pleased? Doesn't that imply that he should be somewhat aware of the time weirdness? He looked genuinely dumbfounded when Locke mentioned Ben's name.
Originally posted by Mr ShhSpeaking of Ethan, did his reaction to Locke's explanation strike anyone else as weird? Wasn't Ethan part of the inner circle that could travel to and from the Island as he pleased? Doesn't that imply that he should be somewhat aware of the time weirdness? He looked genuinely dumbfounded when Locke mentioned Ben's name.
I don't think Ethan had met Ben yet in that time period.
Originally posted by jfkfcIs it me, or was the the older woman at the end the same woman that wouldn't sell Desmond the ring (imdb.com)?
Yes. Or, at least, the same actress -- Fionnula Flanagan (imdb.com) -- I recognized the actress (she was also in Transamerica, The Others, and Waking Ned Devine) but couldn't place her previous Lost role -- that's it, thanks.
Have we seen Jill -- the butcher -- before? I don't remember her.
--K
Last 5 movies seen: Appaloosa *** - Pineapple Express ***1/2 - Ghost Town ***1/2 - The Leech Woman ** - Hamlet 2 ***
I would love it if all season long it was just Hurley dragging around an unconscious Sayid and taking instructions from all the dead people he knows on the island.
I hope Daniel Dae Kim wasn't in the credits just for the replay of the freighter blowing up scene...
Its going to be interesting to see how Ben and crew get Hurley out of prison. Its also good to see that Ben's enigmatic and vicious manner is making his task of getting everyone back to the island so difficult.
Originally posted by TeapotAs soon as the they showed the guys traveling back in time on the Island, I immediately thought that the Adam and Eve skeletons they found in season 1 are going to end up being Sawyer and Juliet.
I hope not. There are so many other couples on the show I'd rather it be them as opposed to Sawyer and Juliet. I still want Juliet to get off the island and see her sister, and with time being as wonky as it is, I want Juliet to arrive on the mainland six months after leaving for 'Portland', just as Ben promised.
This season could be fun if its "watch Locke and co. show up at all the key moments we've heard referenced in the past on the show." I can't wait for the group to run into Rousseau at some point and finally give us the much awaited Rousseau flashback we never thought we'd get.
Locke knowing that he has to die is interesting.
The Desmond-Faraday meeting was weak, especially since Desmond didn't remember the encounter until three years after getting off the island. But he remembered meeting Jack that one time in the stadium.
It'll be interesting to see how Ben mixes his plot to kill Penny in with the plot to reunite all the people who have to get back to the island. I have a bad feeling Penny won't survive the season.
You believe me, don't you? Please believe what I just said...
As soon as the they showed the guys traveling back in time on the Island, I immediately thought that the Adam and Eve skeletons they found in season 1 are going to end up being Sawyer and Juliet.
That wouldn't work. That would mean there are 2 Sawyers (and Juliets) present on the island (skeleton and Sawyer), and that he's alive well after he died. Not to mention Daniel saying the past can't be changed. Sawyer can't die in the past and then show up w/ everyone else after the crash on the island.
The Desmond-Faraday meeting was weak, especially since Desmond didn't remember the encounter until three years after getting off the island. But he remembered meeting Jack that one time in the stadium.
That's because the meeting hadn't happened yet until the events of last night's episode. Jack/Desmond happened in Desmond's past before getting to the island, whereas Desmond/Daniel didn't happen in Desmond's past until after he got off the island, which is why it didn't trigger in Desmond until his "dream" of the encounter (the dream & the encounter were happening at the same time). "You can't change the past. What happened happened."
As for more mundane stuff, I was wondering what was up with that Neil goof. "Why's this dude getting all this dialogue..." and then he catches a flaming arrow in the chest. And then another in the back! Awesome!
Also: Richard: "It's a compass." Locke: "What's it do?" Richard: "It points north, John."
Originally posted by Spaceman SpiffAlso: Richard: "It's a compass." Locke: "What's it do?" Richard: "It points north, John."
Heh, this reminded me of something else that I like -- that compass is given to Locke by Richard, with instructions to give it back to Richard the "first" time they meet, right?
That means, as far as I can figure, that that compass only exists for that loop of time. No one ever manufactured the compass, no one ever bought it in a shop -- it just is.
Where did Locke get it from? He got it from Richard. Where did Richard get it from? He got it from Locke. Woah.
--K
Last 5 movies seen: Appaloosa *** - Pineapple Express ***1/2 - Ghost Town ***1/2 - The Leech Woman ** - Hamlet 2 ***
I loved both the mythology callbacks and the self-parody.
Frogurt (who cares if his name is Neil?) was instantly the most annoying character in the history of Lost. Neil seemed to be an in-joke re: Nikki and Paulo. A stupid character who "was always in the background" and suddenly shoves himself into the foreground. But there was also some of Arzt's complaining in Neil. Either way, the flaming arrows lighting Frogurt up ruled.
I also loved Sawyer's freaking out about the camp being gone.
"I ain't startin' over. I ain't buildin' no fires, I ain't huntin' no boars. There's food -- BEER! -- and clean clothes in that hatch!"
No shit, James. I'd probably have reacted the same way. With the Dharma food and the camp they built on the beach, the castaways had built a nice little life for themselves. Only thing they were missing were monkey butlers. Otherwise, it was an island paradise topped only by living in the Barracks. Having to start over without even the remnants of the plane to make camp would be a nightmare.
Locke witnessing the Nigerian plane crashing with the heroin statues and Mr. Eko's brother on board was "Holy shit!" awesome. For a moment when Locke climbed up to the plane, I thought he was going to seriously fuck up the timeline (Boone has to die via that plane falling off the cliff) but later Faraday explained "the rules" of the past being inviolate. If only Heroes had any inkling of there being rules to time travel storytelling.
I'm a big Faraday fan so I'm glad he's moved into focus on the island-side of the story. I like Charlotte and Miles too. I haven't gotten near enough for the Freighter people to be happy with foreshadowing Charlotte's death.
In general, I found the island time-shifting happenings way more compelling than the "present" with the Oceanic Six and Ben "three years later." This has mostly to do with my general dislike for Hurley-centered events. I like Hurley just fine as a supporting character but when he starts driving the main action and we start spending time with his parents, my interest tends to wane.
Free will vs. Destiny (as defined by what the island wants) has always been a key issue of Lost. It's when the characters exercise their free will and self-determination that the works get gummed up. Such as Hurley not listening to Ben or Ana Lucia's ghost and turning himself into the cops. Ben's line "In their defense, I'm not the easiest person to trust" was one of several zingers along with Richard, Locke and the compass.
Originally posted by Spaceman SpiffThat would mean there are 2 Sawyers (and Juliets) present on the island (skeleton and Sawyer), and that he's alive well after he died. Not to mention Daniel saying the past can't be changed. Sawyer can't die in the past and then show up w/ everyone else after the crash on the island.
Well, time is a street, but it's not exactly a straight line. Just because they exist in the future doesn't mean they couldn't have died in the past. You couldn't stop their path in life, but with all the time shift who knows what time they'll die? Think of the polar bear Charlotte excavated.
Also, Cheech's performance in this episode blew away any acting he did on this show before. I HATED that character until last night.
I don't mean to seem like I care about material things (like a social status,) I just want four walls and adobe slabs for my girls
The compass exchange was awesome. Also, wasn't that the same compass that Richard put in front of 5 year old John Locke during the "which of these are yours?" test back in Cabin Fever?
Spiff, I completely disagree with you about the nature of time travel. If you look at events from Desmond's perspective, he met Faraday in 1996 (but he was sorta crazy so maybe it makes sense he'd forget it...) Then he meets Faraday again when Faraday bangs on the door (at least they had the sense for Desmond to vaguely recognize Faraday), and then he meets Faraday again just before he gets on the helicopter and leaves the island. (And again when Faraday brings the Zodiac full of people to the boat). I need to go back and watch their encounter before he gets on the chopper to see if they actually exchange any dialogue.
And yes, assuming that Adam and Eve are people that we already know, there are two of them on the island -- one alive, and one dead. For example, we saw Faraday alive with the Dharma Initiative at the beginning of the episode. Were he to die in the purge and have his body thrown in the mass grave, then once he is on the island with the Freighter, there are two of him on the island. One is alive, and younger, and the other is a corpse.
I have a feeling we're going to find out Locke and co. play a big role in the mythology of the island because of their time travel antics, and they will ALWAYS have played a big role, because they can't change anything -- they are simply living out events as they happened.
Am I the only one who popped for Ana Lucia?
No. "And Libby says hi." Awesome!
You believe me, don't you? Please believe what I just said...
Originally posted by Teapot I love Hurley's summation of the series for his mom. And "I don't understand you, but I believe you" is basically everybody's relationship with this show, anyway.
I also thought the Faraday-Sawyer part was a summation of everybody's relationship with the show. Faraday says he doesn't have time to explain but Sawyer smacks him and makes him tell Sawyer what is going on.
Originally posted by Spaceman Spiff
The Desmond-Faraday meeting was weak, especially since Desmond didn't remember the encounter until three years after getting off the island. But he remembered meeting Jack that one time in the stadium.
That's because the meeting hadn't happened yet until the events of last night's episode. Jack/Desmond happened in Desmond's past before getting to the island, whereas Desmond/Daniel didn't happen in Desmond's past until after he got off the island, which is why it didn't trigger in Desmond until his "dream" of the encounter (the dream & the encounter were happening at the same time). "You can't change the past. What happened happened."
(edited by Spaceman Spiff on 22.1.09 0851)
I understand what you're saying. Meeting Jack was a memory he already had but meeting Faraday was a new memory because Farady changed the past. The problem with that is when Faraday meets Desmond in the hatch it's right after Desmond and the others have left the island. When Desmond remembers the meeting in his dreams it is in three years later scene. Or at least we assume it is three years later unless the Desmond/Penny scenes are coinciding with the island scenes and not the other three years later scenes. But if Desmond does have the dream/memory about Faraday right after they left the island then why does it take him three years to get back when the others go back? (We don't know that for sure but I'm guessing that is when he goes back.
I'm more into the stuff on the island as well. Not only do i agree that Hurley shouldn't be the main story but I find Locke/Sawyer/Faraday/Charlotte/Miles far more interesting than everybody three years later except for Ben.
I hope they didn't put Daniel Dae Kim in the credits just for the freighter scene too. He couldn't have survived though could he? Maybe he can pop up in some Hurley visions. It's too bad he's not on the island, I always liked him and Sawyer together and there is a lack of the original group still on the island. Although a Locke/Sawyer team could be fun.
Jin is so alive. He was only in the credits for that episode because of the flashback scene - but he was still listed with the main cast. Michelle Rodriguez wasn't listed with the main cast. I give it a month.
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Just read that he died and I'm really saddened. Always loved the Gary Shandling show, including him driving around the set in his cart and Jeffrey Tambor being "hey now!" guy.