The Lost Diary

Welcome back to another edition of the "Lost" Diary.

So tonight's episode is being billed as the 100th episode of "Lost." Do you think the producers really care? Do you think JJ and company went "It's our 100th. We better make it good!" I don't think they care in the slightest, but either way ABC has promoed the hell out of it and being that we just had a week off, I am excited as hell. Let's roll...

9:00 -- Picking up where we last left Desmond, he's being brought into the ER. Penny gets a visit from Mrs. Hawking.

9:01 -- Back on the island, Faraday has returned and he's intent on seeing Jack and finding out how Jack got back to the island.

9:02 -- "As a matter of fact Dan, it was your mother." -- Jack

9:03 -- "You don't belong here at all." -- Faraday

9:06 -- If we're going to get Daniel Faraday's life history tonight, I think we're in for a good ride.

9:07 -- "I can make time." -- Little Faraday. Creepy line, right?

9:09 -- "Phil, Jack. Jack, Phil." -- Sawyer. Phil doesn't look comfortable.

9:10 -- Faraday is down in the Orchid ... in a scene we've already seen once before.

9:11 -- Faraday seems to think another electromagnetic explosion is about to take place and he's trying to convince Dr. Whateverhescallinghimselfthisweek that he has to evacuate the island. Don't see it happening.

9:12 -- "I'm from the future." -- Faraday

9:16 -- "Dr. Chang, Miles is your son." -- Faraday

9:17 -- Seems like Faraday is running around like a crazy mad man ... on purpose. This should turn out interesting.

9:19 -- "Some industrialist ... Widmore." -- Faraday. It's nice to see some mother issues on the show -- it's a nice change of pace from all the daddy issues everyone has.

9:21 -- Sawyer is plotting on leaving Dharmaville before they get caught.

9:22 --  Faraday tells the Losties that his mother is one of the Hostiles and that she can get them back where they belong, presumably he means the present.

9:27 -- We're back to when Faraday was crying while watching Oceanic Flight 815 -- but this time we get more to the story.

9:28 -- Widmore came to visit Faraday and to make the offer to be part of the freighter. He didn't go to anyone else personally -- but he did with Faraday. Daddy guilt?

9:30 -- "It will heal you, Daniel." -- Widmore

9:31 -- Jack wants Kate to take them out to see the Hostiles; Sawyer is not a fan of this idea.

9:32 -- HUGE MISTAKE on Sawyer's part -- he called Kate "Freckles" again, which made Juliet tell Jack where to find the Hostiles.

9:33 -- "When you realize you made a huge mistake, we'll be back at the beach. Right where we started." -- Sawyer

9:34 -- I can't tell if Young Charlotte's accent is cute or nails on a chalkboard.

9:35 -- A good old fashioned Dharma/Mexican standoff -- that did not go well.

9:36 -- Jack is pretty handy in a shootout for a doctor.

9:37 -- "Sound the alarm!" -- nerdy guy.

9:43 -- I don't really trust anyone who calls their mom "mother." It ain't right.

9:44 -- Mrs. Hawking wants Faraday to take Widmore's job. Of course she does.

9:45 -- Faraday will go on the freighter if it makes his mother proud. Ugh.

9:46 -- "Any one of us can die, Jack." -- Faraday. I'll take OMINOUS PHRASES for $200 please, Alex.

9:47 -- The Dharma alarm is going off -- gonna be hard for LaFleur to sneak off now.

9:48 -- Oh him? Um, he's just a guy I keep in my closet. What, is that weird?

9:51 -- Faraday has been talking for awhile, but I think I can sum it all up with his -- He's going to try and make it so that everything that has ever happened, doesn't happen. Should be interesting. And, oh yeah, he's going to use an H-bomb to do it.

9:55 -- Back where we began, Mrs. Hawking is explaining everything to Penny.

9:56 -- Woo hoo! Desmond is going to make it. Really, did you expect it to turn out any differently?

9:57 -- Oooh, Widmore and Hawking, face to face. This should be good.

9:58 -- "He's my son too, Eloise." -- Widmore. That settles that.

9:59 -- "We disappeared off a plane in mid-air and ended up in 1977. I am getting used to insane." -- Jack

10:00 --  Getting shot in the back by your mother from the past has got to be one of the worst ways to die.

10:01 -- "I'm your son." -- Faraday. Can someone explain to me why Faraday had to go in guns blazing? Did that make any sense at all?

Alright, are you ready? Are you really ready? Here it comes ...

Oh my god.

I.

Absolutely.

Positively.

HATED.

This episode. (Preparing for the backlash...)

Alright, I will try and present my gripes in an organized fashion and without the use of four-letter words. Here we go ...

Fake suspense
This is one of my biggest pet peeves and something "Lost" rarely suffers from. Desmond survived being shot by Ben. Well, DUH??? Did anyone really think THAT is how Desmond would die? And does anyone really think Desmond is going to die at all? He's probably the most beloved character on the show.

And finding out Widmore was Faraday's dad -- was there anyone who didn't think that already? They danced around it all episode long when really it came as a shock to no one.

And I can't believe how many people IMed me this morning -- "I can't believe Faraday is dead." Really? You think he's dead? In that case I also have some land out in Florida I'd like to sell you ...

(UPDATE -- Uh oh. Sounds like I am way wrong about Faraday)

Talk, talk, talk, talk, talk ...
What actually happened last night? Faraday got shot. Everything else was about people talking about doing things.

"Let's go to the beach." "Let's go find my mom." "Let's blow up an H bomb."

And, let's be honest -- not an exactly an A effort from the writers when it comes to the dialog. Sometimes "Lost" can get away with this, last night was not one of them.

Hey, remember everything we told you? Yeah, not so much
We cannot change anything about the past!!!!!

Oh wait, yes we can.

This only irks me minorly, because nothing has actually happened yet, but Faraday's whole speech about variables kinda felt like the writers wrote themselves into a corner (and instead of just walking up the wall) they are now re-writing themselves out of it. I am not fully passing judgment on this yet, but right now this just is starting to feel cheap to me.

If you're still reading this, and you're thinking to yourself "WHY DO YOU EVEN WATCH LOST IF YOU HATE IT SO MUCH?" -- calm down. I don't have to like every episode of "Lost." One episode doesn't change my entire feeling on the show. Hey, Prince's new 3-CD set kinda blows -- and I still saw him in concert 6 times in a 3-day span. And you know what? He can keep putting out shitty albums and I'll still think he is the second coming.

I will gladly read through the comments and I look forward to people actually trying to raise good points on why this episode was good.

Oh, I give it a D-.

Til next week ...

Posted by Daniel at 06:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (988)

Welcome back to another edition of The "Lost" Diary.

The last two weeks have been so phenomenal, I am almost approaching tonight's episode with nervous trepidation. Can "Lost" really knock three in a row out of the park?

For all you "Lost" Diary newbies, here's how it goes: I gather with a group of friends watching "Lost," writing what happens on the show as it happens, and throwing in my two cents along the way. I am actually writing this at 3:30 AM Thursday morning. I went to the Clippers game last night with my friend Aaron (congrats A-Dogg, you have finally made the Diary) and I didn't get home til almost 11:00 PM. So I decided to take a quick catnap before watching "Lost." Let's roll ...

9:00 -- I don't know if my brain can handle a Miles-centric episode of "Lost" right now. I am going to need to seriously focus.

9:01 -- "I told you! I can hear him!" -- Little Miles

9:02 -- Sawyer needs Miles to erase the security tapes. I want to do something once that requires me to go back and erase the video tapes. Just once.

9:03 -- Horace is about to bring Miles into the Circle of Trust. Apparently the Dharma Initiative is nothing more than a bunch of fourth grade girls. Horace is going to write mean things about Miles in his slam book.

9:04 -- What's going on in Grid 334? I feel like this season of "Lost" has given me so many great Fantasy Football team names for this year.

9:05 -- "The ditch had a gun?" -- Miles

9:06 -- "So what really happened?" -- Miles. It just occurred to me -- Miles is The Sarcastic Ghost Whisperer.

9:10 -- Miles' mom isn't looking so good. And MIles, with that hair and those piercings, isn't looking too good either.

9:11 -- Miles knows nothing about his father. Wait, a character on "Lost" has daddy issues? Surely you jest?

9:12 -- "Somewhere you could never go." -- Miles' mom

9:13 -- Horace needs Miles to drive the package to Dr. Chang. Based on his reaction, it sure seems like Miles knows Dr. Chang is his pops.

9:14 -- "It'll help with global warming, which hasn't happened yet, so maybe we can prevent it." -- Hurley

9:15 -- In a surprising move, Ben's dad actually noticed his son is missing. Quite the plan Juliet has to explain Little Ben is missing -- "Um, I don't know."

9:19 -- Hurley asks Miles how to spell bounty hunter. Is Hurley writing "Star Wars"?

9:20 -- Using his incredible sense of smell, Hurley was able to detect there's a dead body in the van.

9:21 -- Miles explains to Hurley how Alvarez died, apparently not realizing that it's incredibly creepy that he knows all this stuff.

9:22 -- I can't tell now if I think Miles is a scumbag for doing what he does (talking to the dead for money) or actually providing people with an amazing service.

9:24 -- Hey it's Naomi, the hot chick from the freighter. I miss her.

9:25 -- Ben's dad has decided to search for his near-dead son by sitting on a swing set and drinking Dharma Beer.

9:26 -- "You're just jealous my power is better than yours." -- Hurley. Sorry, my TiVo accidentally switched to "Heroes" there for a minute.

9:27 -- Dr. Chang ... kind of a dick.

9:28 -- "That douche is my dad." -- Miles. Sorry, I meant douche.

9:32 -- The Sarcastic Ghost Whisperer passes his audition by "talking to" the guy who helped Widmore fake the Oceanic 815 crash site.

9:34 -- "How cool is it that your dad is that guy from all the movies?" -- Hurley

9:35 -- Miles and Hurley discuss how Miles can't save his mom and dad, the whole time travel thing and all.

9:36 -- Instead of thanking his lucky stars that a hot woman seems to like him and his son, Ben's dad wants to turn Kate into Horace. Good thinking.

9:38 -- Miles just learned his dad likes country music. That can't be easy for him.

9:40 -- "42." -- Hurley

9:44 -- I've always wanted to get kidnapped into the back of a van to have a secret conversation.

9:45 -- "Do you know what lies in the shadow of the statue?" -- Kidnapper guy. Hmmm, now where have we heard that question before ...

9:46 -- If Miles is "playing for the wrong team" why don't they just kill him?

9:47 -- "Maybe he'll let you hold baby you." -- Hurley

9:49 -- "I'm writing 'Empire Strikes Back.'" -- Hurley. Seriously?

9:50 -- Phil is going to blackmail LaFleuer because he knows LaFleur took Little Ben. This will not end well for Phil.

9:56 -- Miles is going back to visit the guy whose dead kid he talked to so he can tell the truth. Daddy issues much?

9:57 -- Hurley is trying to help rationalize Miles' relationship with his dad by relating it to Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader. Wow, that is a stretch if I ever heard one.

9:58 -- "Let's face it, the Ewoks suck dude." -- Hurley. If he wants to re-write history, Hurley should make sure Jar Jar Binks never happens.

9:59 -- Welcome back, Faraday.

So I think there are two "must know for next week" things from this episode. First is the guy who tried to stop Miles from going to the island. A quick trip to Lostpedia confirms he's the guy with Ilana on the island when Frank returns. Thus the riddle.

Second is Faraday coming back to the island. Where has he been? I'm guessing the Dharma Initiative never saw him come back with Sawyer and the rest of them or else they wouldn't be bringing him back on the sub as "a doctor from Ann Arbor."

Or maybe he was sent to Ann Arbor by the Dharma people and now he's just coming back? I have no real answers here, but I do feel like this is just another small step towards what I have been thinking for weeks -- the Losties are all here to play their role in history, not change it. Daniel HAS to come back in the mix so, at the very least, he can tell little Charlotte that the island "is death."

And finally, I'm sorry -- but Hurley's "Star Wars" analogy has to be one of the worst pop culture references I have ever heard. Is Hurley trying to say that Miles actually CAN change history if he talks to his dad because Luke and Vader didn't talk and look how that turned out? That's weak. Worst episode title ever.

And here's another thought I have -- is "Lost" setting the tables for the Losties to change history ... simply by making up with all their fathers? If you think about it, the Purge happened almost entirely because Little Ben hates his dad.

Anyway, I give this episode a C. It wasn't anywhere near the last few weeks' episodes, but a Miles-centric ep was going to be great for me no matter what. No major reveals and no big twists, but Miles is the most underused character on the show, so I was glad to see him get his due.

Posted by Daniel at 06:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (2383)

(Sorry I am late this morning. I am home sick with a wicked stomach bug. Good times.)

Welcome back to another edition of The "Lost" Diary.

I try not to look too closely at episode titles, but the last two weeks have been tough to ignore. "Whatever Happened, Happened" told me we were going to discuss the rules of time travel, as they apply to "Lost." "Dead Is Dead" strongly suggests to me we're going to bring Locke back into focus and, hopefully, explain exactly what sort of state he is in. I am also holding out hope we get a little face time with another "dead" person -- Christian. Crossing my fingers on that one.

Let's roll:

9:00 -- A very Ben-centric "Previously on 'Lost.'" Interesting.

9:01 -- "Jacob wanted it done" is how Richard explains to a young Russell Crowe why he took Little Ben to the Temple.

9:02 -- Russell Crowe is talking to Little Ben, who tells Russ he doesn't want to go back to Dharmaville. Apparently Russ is actually Charles Widmore, something I don't entirely buy (bad actor casting) but whatever. Widmore wants to turn Little Ben into an Others spy. We know how that turns out.

9:03 -- Ben looks as completely shocked as we have ever seen him when he sees Locke alive again.  

9:04 -- "We don't have a word for it. But I believe you call it, The Monster" -- Ben. Sorry to correct you, but it's Black Smoke Monster, or just Smokie for short.

9:08 -- "I killed him? Because he looks fine to me." -- Ben

9:09 -- Ben is now trying to turn Caeser against Locke. As usual, Ben cannot be trusted.

9:10 -- Ok, now we're somewhere between the past and the present, and Ben and Ethan are hunting ... or something.

9:11 -- Wow, we're about to watch Ben steal Alex from Danielle. Her French whining is really quite annoying.

9:12 -- "Every time you hear whispers, you run the other way." -- Ben to Danielle

9:13 -- "I assume you're referring to the fact that I killed you." -- Ben to Locke

9:14 -- "I just didn't have time to talk you back into hanging yourself." -- Ben

9:15 -- "I was just hoping for an apology." -- Locke

9:16 -- Just when I thought things were moving along smoothly, Ben went and shot Caesar in the chest. I kinda liked him.

9:17 -- "Consider that my apology." -- Ben

9:20 -- "Home sweet home." -- Ben

9:21 -- "No sense in me dying twice." -- Locke. Is it just me or is the dialog particularly good tonight?

9:22 -- Back at mid 80s Others camp, Ben is battling with Wimore (with a weave) over the fate of Alex. I am starting to wonder -- is tonight the night we learn how Widmore got off the island?

9:24 -- Locke and Ben are playing The Island Loves Me More Than You.

9:25 -- Who is Ben going to find in Alex's room? Sun? Claire? Alex? Christian?

9:26 -- Sun and Lapidus are trying to explain to Ben about the 1970s Dharma cast photo.

9:27 -- "Well, you might want to look outside." -- Ben

9:30 -- Lapidus is trying to talk sense into Sun, which actually makes no sense at all. The least logical choices are usually the best ones.

9:31 --  Ben is heading into the Bat Cave to cast the Black Smoke Monster signal and bring out ol' Smokie ... which is apparently done by unclogging a drain. Um, what?

9:34 -- Toupee Ben is pushing Alex on the swing and talking to Richard about seeing someone off on the sub.

9:35 -- So it seems Widmore was exiled from the island for boffing Penny's mom on the outside.

9:36 -- "I'll be seeing you, boy." -- Widmore. Least threatening sounding threat I've ever heard.

9:37 -- "Dead is dead. You don't get to come back from that, not even here." -- Ben

9:38 -- "It's not a train, John." -- Ben

9:39 -- Locke says he knows where the Black Smoke Monster is. Must be where he almost got dragged into hole way back when.

9:43 -- "I assure you Sun, I'm the same man I've always been." -- Locke. Exactly the same, just undead.

9:44 -- Ben just called Charles and told him he was about to kill Penny. I don't think any of us believe he succeeds.

9:45 -- Locke has led Ben and Sun to the Temple and Ben remembers being healed there. That doesn't seem right.

9:46 -- "If you ever get off this island, find Desmond Hume and tell him I said I was sorry." -- Ben. Um, ok ... now I am a little worried for Penny. And for Little Charlie.

9:47 -- And now I'm worried for Desmond because Ben just shot him.

9:48 -- But Desmond cannot be taken down by a bullet! And he just served up quite the ass whoopin' to Ben.

9:52 -- Hey, I don't know if you're aware of this or not, but "The Unusuals" is premiering next on ABC.

9:53 -- Lapidus has returned back the new Losties, who are now apparently armed and crazy.

9:54 -- "What lies in the shadow of the statue?" -- Ilana. Is that a trick question?

9:55 -- I am fully prepared to not exhale for the next five minutes.

9:56 -- Ben, seeming genuine, really does want to be judged for letting Alex die.

9:57 -- Ancient drawings on the wall seem to represent the Black Smoke Monster.

9:58 -- The Smoke Monster is playing "This Is Your Life" with Ben.

9:59 -- The Smoke Monster is gone and a ghost Alex has appeared and she's not happy.

10:00 -- Ghost Alex is a huge John Locke fan. Hard to blame her.

10:02 -- "It let me live." -- Ben

A few weeks back I introduced the idea that I like to judge episodes now by how long it would take me to tell someone all the things they HAD to know about the episode in order keep up. This episode passes that test with flying colors.

I once said about Ben, "He's always telling the truth. Except when he isn't." Ben has always said he has acted with the island's best interests in mind, not his own. And, by the island's account, that's true -- the Smoke Monster spared him. What greater sacrifice can the island ask for than his own daughter? He sacrificed her to keep Widmore from getting back control of the island, something the island clearly doesn't want.

Now comes Ben's ultimate test of island faith -- can he play second fiddle to someone else? Can he truly follow John Locke, even when the island demands it?

We're focusing a lot on Ben and Locke (and obviously so), but what's brewing with Ilana and the new Losties? That has all the makings of being something interesting.

I thought about it long and hard, and I give tonight's episode an A. I thought the writing was utterly top notch, we got great information, and any episode with that many Ben/Locke scenes surely has to be great. I thought the actual showdown between Ben and the Monster was a little cheesy (would have preferred something more Mr. Eko like) but that's a small complaint.

Two classic episodes in a row. Can we make it three? See you then ...

Posted by Daniel at 09:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (771)

Welcome back to another edition of the "Lost" Diary.

We've got a lot of different things going on right now (time travel, Little Ben got shot, etc.) but I need to focus on something that impacts the entire show -- Juliet vs. Kate. Now, Sawyer (and Jack before him) is faced with that very same conundrum right now and I have to say I like the way he's going. I am very pro-Juliet. I put it to a vote among my friends and Juliet won 7-4 (we're talking long term prospects here, not a one-nighter). Reasoning ranged from "Kate would drop me as soon as someone better came along" and "Kate gets kidnapped every five minutes." Makes sense to me.

For all you "Lost" Diary newbies, here's how it goes: I gather with a group of friends watching "Lost," writing what happens on the show as it happens, and throwing in my two cents along the way. I am watching solo tonight as I only got home just in time to watch the West Coast feed after nearly two hours at the gym with Satan -- I mean my trainer Adam. He's like Ben, but with an ill-fitting tank top. Let's roll:

9:01 -- Jin awakens from his Sayid beating and, inexplicably, tells the Dharma people where Sayid is heading. Why'd he do that?

9:02 -- Horace has figured out that it was a Dharma that set Sayid free.

9:03 -- Ben's dad has the hots for Kate. That is gross on several levels.

9:04 -- It's Kate flashback time. Is anyone happy about this?

9:05 -- Based on Aaron's age, it looks like it's pretty soon after the O6 returned home. And -- HUGE PLUS -- we get Cassidy, played by the wonderful Kim Dickens.

9:06 -- "Sawyer sent me." -- Kate

9:10 -- Kate just told Cassidy the truth (except about Aaron) and now Cassidy is not too happy with Kate.

9:11 -- "That's not your baby, is it?" -- Cassidy. She learned a lot from Sawyer, that's for sure. Anyone think Cassidy is somehow responsible for taking Aaron from Kate?

9:12 -- Kate is freaking out over Little Ben, which is totally natural.

9:13 -- Horace quickly narrows down the possible traitor -- and Ben's dad and Jack are among the finalists. Things could get bad for Jack before the night is through.

9:14 -- Ben's dad is showing actual concern for his son. Doesn't really suit him right.

9:15 -- Little Ben is in surgery -- does anyone else think Jack is going to have to fix him?

9:16 -- "Checking to see if I'm disappearing. 'Back to the Future,' man." -- Hurley. I have made so many "Back to the Future" references over the years, I feel totally vindicated now.

9:17 -- Miles is reiterating the "can't change the future" idea.

9:18 -- "Then he dies." -- Ivan Drago, I mean Jack.

9:20 -- "I've already done this once ... I don't need to do it again." -- Jack

9:21 -- Do you know how you've been having all these time travel related discussions over the past few weeks? About fixing the future, disrupting the future, changing the future? Listening to Jack and Kate and Miles and Hurley have these same conversations ... NOT HELPING!!!

9:22 -- "You didn't like the old me, Kate." -- New Jack. I like New Jack.

9:24 -- Ben's dad has figured out that Little Ben is the one who busted Sayid out of jail. I am kinda shocked he was able to put two and two together and get four.

9:25 -- "Say that again." -- Hurley

9:26 -- "When we first captured Ben, and Sayid like tortured him, why wouldn't he remember being shot by that same guy when he was a kid?" -- Hurley

9:27 -- "Huh, hadn't thought of that." -- Miles

9:28 -- "They?" -- Kate. Juliet wants to recruit the Others to fix Little Ben.

9:33 -- Juliet and Kate are prepping Little Ben for transfer, presumably without telling anyone else. Obviously everything turns out fine (right?) but on the surface this is a terrible idea. Though you have to imagine Richard will come through for Little Ben.

9:34 -- Hey, it's the scene where Sun holds a gun to Ben's face ... again. This is like the Desmond/Locke/Jack scene from season 2.

9:35 -- Kate is now with Aaron, in the time we know SOMETHING happens and she loses Aaron. Come on, Cassidy!!!

9:36 -- If "she lost him in a grocery store is the answer," I will kill someone.

9:37 -- I've said it before -- Kate looks 10x better without makeup. The less she showers, the hotter she is.

9:38 -- Kate has arrived at the Others medical drop-off point. Oh wait, that's right -- THERE IS NONE.

9:42 -- Kate is commiserating with Cassidy over losing Aaron for a minute -- like that hasn't happened to every mom. Is Kate just going to give Aaron to Cassidy?

9:43 -- Sawyer and Kate are dragging Little Ben out into Otherville.

9:44 -- "I'm doing it for her." -- Sawyer

9:45 -- Juliet is talking to Jack about Ben, right after he got out of the shower. Why can't Juliet be the one soaking wet right now? Damn you, "Lost" writers!

9:46 -- "I came back because I was supposed to." -- Jack

9:47 -- Sawyer's face while Kate talks about Clementine is just priceless.

9:48 -- You don't find the Others .... the Others find you.

9:53 -- "He's your grandson. And your daughter Claire is alive." -- Kate

9:54 -- Kate just dropped a few bombshells on Claire's mom and now she's about to drop Aaron on her too.

9:56 -- "I'm going back to find your daughter." -- Kate

9:57 -- Everybody be quiet, Evangeline Lilly is trying to act. First time for everything.

9:58 -- "Don't worry, we got them right where we want them." -- Sawyer

9:59 -- "If I take him, he's not ever gonna be the same again ... He'll forget this ever happened and his innocence will be gone. He'll always be one of us." See Miles? THAT is why he didn't remember Sayid shooting him.

10:00 -- Ellie and Charles are both here still, but it's unclear what the Others hierarchy is right now. Loves it.

10:01 -- Is Richard taking Little Ben to Jacob? Oh my god he is, he is, he is, he is, he is, he is ...

10:02 -- "Hello Ben. Welcome back to the land of the living." -- Locke

"Ask me some more questions about time travel." -- Miles

Ok, where do we begin?

Why?
When discussing why the O6 returned the to the island, I lumped their reasoning into one generalization -- all of their lives were better on the island than they were before it. But I think the last few episodes confirmed that there is a lot more going on than that. Each person is there for their own reason -- their own destiny.

Sayid's was there to shoot Ben. Kate said she went back to find Claire. You get my point.

Back to Sayid -- if his destiny was to shoot Ben, is the island done with him? Just asking.

How?
Whatever happened, happened -- or so we are being told. The Others do their Purging, Dharma loses. I raised the idea a few weeks back that the Losties aren't there to change history -- but rather to play their role in it. That theory has begun in earnest with Sayid shooting Ben and beginning him down his path.

We've seen how things unfold -- Ben helps the Others wipe out Dharma. Or so we think. Something tells me we'll see a few more moments like the Sayid one that show how the Losties help facilitate what happens.

When?
Miles explained to Hurley that Little Ben could not die because we've already seen him grow up to become Big Ben. We are currently in Big Ben's past -- but how many people does that really apply to? Eloise Hawking, Charles Widmore, Richard Alpert ... is that it? Everyone else is in their present, as Miles explained, so anything can happen to them. So my question is this -- the Losties can't change the future, but can they change the present?

I give this episode an A-. I thought the writing was top notch, the acting was great, we got some answers, filled in some gaps, and really got a lot to think about. It's been awhile since we've had any Tivo moments, but this season has felt more like a marathon than a sprint. Slow and steady.

Posted by Daniel at 07:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (1278)