I’ve long said that the Sayid-centric episodes of “Lost” are among the show’s best, and while the flashback sequence behind this week’s story wasn’t nearly as interesting as those of the past, it still made for one excellent episode. Apparently, Sayid is one damn good cook, and while working in Paris after leaving his post with the Republican Guard, he’s approached by a fellow Iraqi with an offer to come cook at his superior restaurant. Despite Sayid’s keen sense for knowing when others are lying, however, he agrees to meet the man only to be ambushed and interrogated for the torture of the guy’s wife. The whole time I was watching it, I was thinking to myself, “Of course Sayid didn’t torture this woman,” only to be completely shocked when he begged for her forgiveness later in the episode. Luckily, the woman took kindly to his apology and released him.
Getting back to more gripping stuff, Kate, Locke and Sayid continue their journey to the Flame hatch only to discover that it’s a farm in disguise, run by Eye Patch Man. After Sayid is shot for trespassing, Kate and Locke flank the guy only to discover that he’s “the last living member of the Dharma Initiative.” Bullshit, and this time Sayid can smell it miles away. After being served some very nasty looking yellow iced tea, Eye Patch Man (or Mikhail to his friends) attacks Sayid again, but has his ass handed to him as is expected from an ex-soldier. Meanwhile, as Sayid and Kate learn more about Eye Patch Man’s business on the island, Locke plays a friendly game of computer chess and upon winning, accesses an override to the hatch that gives him several command options.
Now, is it just me, but when did Locke become so damn stupid? I mean, did he know that if he entered “77” into the computer that the whole building would blow up, and if so, why? They could have easily used the hatch to their advantage, so it doesn’t really make any sense why you’d knowingly let it explode. Anyways, the past is behind them (Mrs. Klugh is dead – anyone know Russian that can translate that?) and they’re moving on with their mission to save Jack.
On a side note, it’s nice to see that rest of the survivors are having fun while a select few risk their lives. Last week it was the joyride through the woods, and this week it’s a friendly game of ping-pong. Sawyer, upset that all of his goods have become thrown into the community sharing pool, makes a deal with the rest of the camp: if you’re best player can beat me at a game of ping-pong, I’ll stop calling people by nicknames, and if I win, I get all my shit back. Well, he loses… to Hurley, though I hardly believe that the writers will put an end to the nicknames – that makes his character – though I love the fact that the survivors are finally lightening up to their situation.
The funniest line of the night comes courtesy of Hurley after crushing Sawyer in ping-pong: “It doesn’t look like that last slam caused any long term damage to your forehead.”
