Author: Jason Zingale (Page 109 of 154)

Last night’s episode is either going to go down as one of the most important shows in the history of “Lost,” or as one of the most boring. Despite my mixed feelings of the transpiring events, I’m going to have to lean towards the former, as it delivered yet another change in structure for the series. Last week gave viewers their very first flashback via the lives of the Others, while this week took it one step further and created a sort of flashback-within-a-flashback scenario for everyone’s favorite Scotsman, Desmond. And in case you still haven’t figured out just what Desmond’s newly gained “powers” are, Hurley is quick to clears things up: “That guy sees the future, dude.”

Charlie’s interest in Desmond has all but amplified ever since he predicted the lightning strike on the island, but after saving Claire yet again from drowning in the ocean, he schemes a plan to find out how exactly he’s able to do this. So, with the help of Hurley, Charlie decides to get Desmond drunk (that always works, right?) before interrogating him. His plan doesn’t work very well, however, and Desmond attacks Charlie for calling him a coward. This results in a flashback of the hatch explosion at the end of season two. We’re quick to discover that upon turning the key, Desmond is seemingly transported back to the past during the height of his relationship with Penelope.

The Desmond that appears in this “flashback” is certainly aware of the fact that he’s supposed to be on the island (and so the possibility of time travel is certainly plausible), but after meeting with a woman whom he believes to be his subconscious (Fionnula Flanagan in one of the best cameos of the series), Desmond realizes that it’s really just all in his head. Of course, if that’s the case, then did he really meet Charlie in the past? Whatever the answer, his relationship with Charlie has certainly become a fatal bond of sorts. You see, Desmond was never really rescuing Claire from death. He was saving Charlie. Charlie was the one that would have been struck by lighting, and Charlie was the one that would have drowned when he dived into the water to save Claire.

This dynamic presents some very interesting theories, the most obvious being that Desmond’s sole purpose of being on the island is to save Charlie from death. It all makes sense, really, since the song that Charlie was playing on the street in Desmond’s flashback sequence was Oasis’ “Wonderwall.” And with lyrics like, “Maybe, you’re gonna be the one that saves me,” you can’t help but believe that it’s destiny. Then again, as Desmond was quick to learn in his trippy flashback/time travel, there’s no such thing as free will, and so it seems, no matter how many times he saves Charlie’s life, the poor kid’s doomed kick it. Hmm. Methinks I’ve seen this movie before. Wasn’t it called “Final Destination”?

It’s been three months since we last sat down to discuss “Lost,” and while the show’s triumphant return will no doubt reignite interest among the wavering fan base, the episode also didn’t deliver on Entertainment Weekly’s promise that it would have fans on the edge of their seats. Then again, the guys over at EW are absolutely gaga for the island drama, so I recommend that you take anything they say with a grain of salt. With that said, this week’s show did answer quite a few questions – the most notable being how Juliet arrived on the island – and looks to have finally ended that horrible string of episodes revolving exclusively around the Mod Squad (Jack, Kate and Sawyer). Oh yeah, and Mr. Friendly was finally given a name during the most absurd moment of the episode. While Jack works intently on Ben’s spinal tumor, Mr. Friendly leans in and says, “I’m Tom, by the way.” What? You’re friend and leader might be on the verge of death and you’re more concerned with introductions? Who cares what your name is?

Picking up where we last left off, Jack has just made his play for the safe return of Kate and Sawyer by threatening to let Ben die on the operating table. Upon discovering that – yes – Sawyer was actually telling the truth about them being on a completely different island, the dynamic duo gain an ally in Rousseau’s daughter and are promised a boat in return for their help. The task at hand is actually fairly easy, and after tricking the guard with the old “Wookie prisoner gag,” they discover that Little Rousseau’s boyfriend is being subjected to some sort of “Clockwork Orange”-like experiment, complete with restraints and subliminal messages. But when they make it back to the coast safely, they’re encountered by a couple Others who have decided to ignore the direct orders to let them go. This course of action doesn’t bode well for the incredibly hotheaded Danny, who gets a couple bullets to the chest courtesy of Juliet.

It looks like the writers are preparing to make a big move regarding Juliet. In the next few weeks, don’t be surprised if she’s either killed or joins up with Jack and the rest of the survivors. Showcasing her past in this week’s flashback segment certainly helped in earning some sympathy votes from the fans. As a research assistant for some unnamed lab in Miami, Florida, Dr. Juliet Burke (yes, you heard correctly) was working on a means of artificial impregnation when she’s suddenly approached by a mysterious (and privately funded) corporation looking to entice her over to the Dark Side. As you could expect, the corporation in question has an obvious connection to the Hando Foundation, but whether or not they are the same people is still unclear. What we do know is that they’re very interested in Juliet’s research, which will no doubt play a big part in why Claire’s baby was of such importance during the first two seasons.

Next week: The survivors raid the Others’ camp in an attempt to rescue their fearless leader. Plus, Desmond goes apeshit… again.