Magical Mystery Tour


I didn’t get a look at Lost’s season premiere up as quickly as hoped for and skipped
last week entirely, but here, for my readers who don’t frequent Nik at Nite, I’m sharing my initial reactions to last night’s episode...

Lost 6.04 The Substitute card with Locke seated at office desk

Holy frackin’ shoot!

I think this makes up for any perceived apathy or frustration over the previous
episode. They honestly could have run nothing but deleted scenes of Nikki & Paulo getting tattoos in Thailand last week and this still would have redeemed my faith in
the show.

The Numbers were finally explained:

4. 8. 15. 16. 23. 42.

Locke. Reyes. Ford. Jarrah. Shephard. Kwon.

Does that, by the way, make Kate 108? ’Cause we definitely saw Jacob touch her in
last season’s finale. Esau (or Fake-Locke, or the Lockealike) may not have felt that it was in his interest to point her name out to James — or he might not have known it
was there.

I did wonder if perhaps she was a hidden sibling of one of the others, Leia-style. Her being a Kwon or Jarrah is doubtful, and having her be a Ford or Shephard would be beyond icky. But that in turn got me thinking whether, her legal name aside, Claire qualified as a Shephard being Christian’s daughter and she was now out of the
running or, conversely, already fulfilling part of her role.

You could really get your brains in a twist wondering if Aaron’s biological father was
a long-lost sibling of Sawyer or Locke’s, or even if Ji Yeon was the Kwon in question — the plane having been brought down on the Island so that Sun and Jin could conceive a child — although that feels like a stretch. When “Jacob’s list” was first mentioned in the Others’ camp, one said that Shephard was not on it, but at this point we have no idea what that means.

And maybe saying the Numbers were explained isn’t exactly true, since we don’t
know how the six corresponding to these specific castaways were chosen for the Swan’s hatch door or the computer in that station, let alone broadcast in the South Pacific at such a point that they’d find their way to Hurley and become his winning lottery numbers or, more freakily still, the mileage on his restored Camaro. But the simple fact that they’re etched in a cave on the Island and tied to Jacob is enough for me to regard them as having some inherent power, because this group of people out of all those who were called to the Island seems to be special.

The first act of the episode just rocked:

I loved seeing John laugh at the sprinklers starting up, then Helen walk out the door — after which the surprises just kept on coming.... The wedding? John’s Dad?!? The, um, conference? (I’m glad that last part got worked out, as secrets and lies wear thin this late in the game.)

Our Smokey’s-eye-view rumble through the jungle got played back several times just
for the cool factor. I didn’t notice until the third go-’round that we could see a billowing grey cloud reflected in the window of Sawyer’s house as Smokey reared up to it. How is that robot-cricket, roller-coaster-chain chika-chika sound so oddly infectious*? [*No pun intended regarding last week’s episode. I have not been “claimed”.]

While you can’t really call the revelations of circumstances in the alternate timeline surprises, as we know things are different there, it was surprises galore on the Island in the present day of the established universe. Even before the title card appeared, we learned that Richard can get beat up, get thirsty, and get scared. I don’t like seeing him that way, but the chiseling away at his mystique hopefully means that we’re close to finding out more about him, so I’ll take it.

The great lines were plentiful:

Helen: “I mean, Who knows? Maybe it’s destiny.”

Esau: “Richard, I’m sorry I hit you in the throat and dragged you off the beach, but I had to do something.” Funny.

James: “Well, I guess I’d better put some pants on.” Ditto.

Esau: “Don’t tell me what I can’t do!” Not funny ha-ha, but funny ironic, and the first time that I’ve felt a twinge of sympathy for the Man in Black, who despite arguments from friends I still highly doubt is the good guy.

Esau: “No, James. That... is why you’re all here.” Awesome!

Frank: “This is the weirdest damn funeral I’ve ever been to.” Funny. Grade-A,
laugh-out-loud funny.

Esau: “Jacob had a thing for numbers.” Funny, and tied as the best dry, sly wink to
the fans with his tossing the white rock into the ocean and saying, “Inside joke.”

The final act of the episode rocked too:

After learning that Richard wasn’t necessarily as unflappable or as invulnerable as he seemed, we learned when he chased the blond-haired boy that neither of them is Esau. He can feel surprised, wonder if what he’s seeing is really there, and even run out of breath in this body.

Was that Young Jacob? Did he rise like a phoenix from the ashes and get to 10 years
old already? Is the Island akin to the Genesis planet (Star Trek Genesis, not Phil Collins or Peter Gabriel Genesis), where dead bodies are reconstituted? Did the boy just slip away before Richard could see him, or could Richard flat-out not see him yet James somehow could?

I suspect it behooves the producers to bring together the characters on the Island as quickly as possible, because flipping back and forth week-to-week between different storylines is roused viewer discontent in the past. And while I’m very interested in the Temple, our focus this week was far more edge-of-the-seat intriguing than last week’s. Whether that has to do with the script and direction or with the fact that direct glimpses into the Jacob & Esau mythology trump anything else I’ve not sussed out, but even before we got tonight’s bountiful bonanza folks seemed concerned that for all their potential the Temple scenes would quickly devolve into this season’s version of the interminable layover at the Hydra station.

Esau did give us answers, I’ll say that much for him, despite their context or backstory not yet having been fleshed out. He was annoyingly cryptic to both Richard and James early on, which was worrisome, but darned if the torch he struck in that cave wasn’t a metaphor for some welcome enlightenment.

What did you think?



Previously: Get Back / Next: You Won’t See Me

30 comments:

  1. Great review, Blamkins! You know what though? It would make commenting a bit easier if you did the pop-up box for comments because then I can re-read your text and comment as I go. I don't mean to be bossy and I don't know if your are (weirdly) attached to this current set-up but I have the memory of an old man who spent his childhood eating lead paint ships. You know what would make commenting easier?


    You managed to work Peter Gabriel into a Lost recap - hats off to you, good sir! Sledgehammer is one of the greatest songs ever!

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  2. @Joan - in regards to your comment about commenting, if you click on the highlighted "Show Original Post" at the top of the comments page, it will show Blam's (or Nikki's, or mine - depending on the blog) post and then you can comment, cut and paste, etc.

    Hope that is helpful (it took me a while to figure that out and when I did I was like, duh!)

    @Blam: I like the idea that Kate might be 108. I'm also wondering if there are other important numbers (i.e. 23 pops up an awful lot).

    I really feel like there are more direct connections between more of these characters - like Jack and Claire being half-siblings. It seems to me that Jin and/or Sun need to be related to someone else, because they feel like such stand-alones, but maybe that's just me.

    And I had the thought of Spock as well.. hehe.

    I wish they would just give us Lockalike's "real" name already. That whole thing is beginning to wear thin.

    Anyhoo...

    VW: horjo - Joan doing some gardening

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  3. Great review! I, too, loved Frank's line: "This is the weirdest damn funeral I've ever been to". That line is priceless.

    VW: Lacon- A French con artist.

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  4. p.s. Look at how sassy Sayid looks in that promo pic. Looks like somebody else got their groove back too!

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  5. Thanks Sonshine - ha, I have missed that glaringly obvious glowing blue link at the top of the page for the past 9 months!

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  6. @Joan re: Sayid's picture in the promo pic: LOL! My thoughts exactly.

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  7. not Phil Collins or Peter Gabriel Genesis

    That would be an AWESOME Genesis Planet!

    I like your thought about Kate being 108. I'd like to think that FLocke left her out intentionally, so as not to distract Sawyer, but then, what number would she be assigned? 108 is a perfect answer.

    Either that, or she's Jacob's wild card, a potential candidate he didn't record anywhere for FLocke to see.

    Which might mean Kate is one of the most important characters on the show, after all. After last week's ep, I shudder to imagine. ;)

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  8. Hi, all! I'm really glad you kids stopped by and sorry that I haven't been able to get online all day. Ain't that always the way?

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  9. Joan: It would make commenting a bit easier if you did the pop-up box for comments because then I can re-read your text and comment as I go.
    Hmm... I'll give that a shot.

    I don't mean to be bossy
    Yeah, right. Pull the other one. (The other other one, toots.)

    but I have the memory of an old man who spent his childhood eating lead paint ships.
    And the body of his great-grandmother! Thanks, I'll be here all week. Right now it's dinnertime, though.

    PS: "Sledgehammer" rocks!

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  10. I posted this on Nikki's blog, but I really like your idea about Kate being 108. At work, I am strictly forbidden from going online to do anything cool, so I spent all day being like, "Hmmmmm…I really wonder why Kate's name wasn't on the wall?"

    And, sadly, all day I couldn't come up with a single theory. But I really like your idea. Much better than the nothing that I came up with on my own:)

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  11. @Joan

    "p.s. Look at how sassy Sayid looks in that promo pic. Looks like somebody else got their groove back too!"

    Okay, I just put in my comment, and then went back and looked at picture to see what you were talking about, and I laughed. Out loud. Like this: LOL

    :)

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  12. As others of have said, nice review, Blam! The 'explanation' of the numbers have just raised more questions for me (which, unlike many others watching this season, doesn't really bother me). So the numbers of Hurley/Jack/Sawyer/et al from the cave ended up on the hatch (and various other places). So does that mean that Jacob has had some influence on people in the DI back in the seventies, much like he touched the lives of our favourite Losties? Did he have a direct influence (like distracting Sayid or handing James the pen), or was it just some sort of mystical/ethereal influence, with whoever deciding on the hatch numbers saying "Mmmm... yes, THESE numbers are the ones for here! No idea why, but they're perfect!" Personally, I'm leaning towards the physical influence route.

    Also, who else thought that Locke would end up teaching a class with WAAAAAAAAAAAALT in it?

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  13. (The other other one, toots.)
    Bwaha! Oh, man - well hey, wasn't there something said about the number 11 that could be leading to all this confusion? Inappropriate!

    Oh, strange, as I recall you saying my old man mind and great gramma body are a "huge part of" my appeal. Unbelievable, Blam, unbelievable!

    @Gillian and Jenn - See, you guys get it! :)

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  14. Sonshine Music: horjo - Joan doing some gardening
    Why, Sonshine! I've never heard you speak like... oh... gardening... horticulturalsim. Never mind!

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  15. Teebore: That would be an AWESOME Genesis Planet!
    You know, Jacob does seem to have an invisible touch. And "Welcome to the Home by the Sea" is appropriate. Heck, we've been in a land of confusion for over five years now. Maybe I should be titling these posts after Genesis instead of Beatles songs.

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  16. Teebore: 108 is a perfect answer. ...
    Gosh, thanks.
    I haven't read through most of the day's posts over at Nikki's blog yet, but it seems to me that Kate's too much in the mix not to be either a wild card, as you said, or connected deeply to the number-names some other way. Whether she's a secret of Jacob's that Smokey Man doesn't know about or there was an "Austen" on the cave wall that he deliberately steered Sawyer away from remains to be seen. She may also be in the cave under another name, not only as one of the six we saw but another one entirely, because the marshal bringing her in may have used an alias for her on her ticket.

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  17. Jenn: I really like your idea about Kate being 108. ... Much better than the nothing that I came up with on my own
    Thanks, Jenn. I wouldn't sell "nothing" short though. Coming up with theories is fraught with danger at this point, especially if one gets too attached to them.

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  18. to the ladies: Yes, Sayid is looking pretty sassy in that promo shot.

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  19. Joan: I'm not sure what worries me more — understanding you or not understanding you. Right now, though, I'm afraid I'm not understanding you. (Not crazy-eyed Richard Alpert "He's coming to get you!" afraid, just mildly addlepated.)

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  20. Batcabbage: who else thought that Locke would end up teaching a class with WAAAAAAAAAAAALT in it
    Ha! That would've been great. Can you imagine Michael coming to the room in the middle of class with, like, his lunchbag? "Waaaaaaaaaaalt!!!" "I'm right here, Dad." "You forgot your lunch. Don't you ever... do that... again. Also, somebody set the car on fire, so you have to take the bus home."

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  21. @Blam: Also, somebody set the car on fire... AAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! Ooh, my sides, she hurts!

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  22. I'm not sure what worries me more — understanding you or not understanding you

    What should really worry you is that I am standing outside your house right now. HAH! That is so creepy but it's OK cause I'm a girl. (As far as you know...) What?

    The 11? It is in regard to a certain cough you made on Ashlie's blog. And my mentioning it was inappropriate and yet I did so let's just agree not to talk about it anymore :D

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  23. I don't have much to add, but this was great. You should do for it very episode — Fringe too. And also get back to the comics reviews. : )

    The 108 is brilliant if you're looking for something to assign to Kate failing other options, but I wonder if there isn't another number of import that we've overlooked (besides 815 and 316) to use for her. Because 108 is clearly the sum of the other numbers, so you'd expect that if somebody represented it (or was represented by it) it would be Aaron, who is in a way the whole group's child.

    As far as Genesis goes, I just hope that the Lost finale doesn't boil down to "That's All".

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  24. I just took advantage of the post having vanished briefly to rejigger the logo & photo. Sorry the sassy Sayid is gone (he was tiny, anyhow)... A few folks complained that the graphic was too big for their browser window and partially visible sullen Locke was even scarier than fully visible sullen Locke. The group shot, besides being all over the Internets, should return with my next post on the show.

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  25. Arben: You want me to do your laundry too? 8^) I'm wiped tonight and was barely able to republish this post after seeing it had gone down. But I have a couple of new posts almost ready to go, and I'm trying.

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  26. @BlamCan you imagine Michael coming to the room in the middle of class with, like, his lunchbag? "Waaaaaaaaaaalt!!!" "I'm right here, Dad." "You forgot your lunch. Don't you ever... do that... again. Also, somebody set the car on fire, so you have to take the bus home."

    Hil-a-rious. (And I thought the same thing too about Sonshine's verif word. I was like, "Ummmmm? Oh! I'm a doofus."

    Good review, and I can't finish reading comments because my mum is leaving without me. Ergh.

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  27. Good review, and I can't finish reading comments because my mum is leaving without me. Ergh.
    Shane! Come back, Shane!

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  28. horjo - Joan doing some gardening
    You know what they say... You can lead a horticulture but you can't make her appreciate it!

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  29. The annual Flower Show is in town, and I laugh at the word "horticulture" every time it comes up. Glad you didn't take offense, mamacita!

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