Brian's One Word Review: Shepherd-tastic
From Jack's "is it a dream (something nice back home?)" flashforwardy future to Christian Shepherd's multiple shocking appearances, this episode was chock full of Shepherdly goodness. Another week of incredibly strong storytelling with few easter eggs / hidden references for the hardcore fans, but plenty of mystery, twists, and turns. I think it's safe to say that no one has any clue where this storyline is going at this point, and I absolutely love it.
Here are some thoughts to ponder as you count the minutes until next week's episode...
1. Claire and Jack are going to find out they are related. Jack mentions to Kate that she "isn't even related to Aaron", meaning that he knows he is. Coupled with Christian's appearance to Claire in the jungle, it looks like we're due for a Claire-Jack-Christian meeting at some point in the future. Of course, the only problem with this is that Christian is dead... right? (although those who watched the preview for next week that immediately followed this week's Lost will argue maybe that's not such a big deal...)
2. Sawyer chose to stay on the Island, meaning that the other Survivors probably made a similar choice. This is a big deal, since it hints that our Oceanic Six didn't leave mid-battle, or by accident - but rather made the conscientious choice to leave or stay. Perhaps Claire is MIA, explaining how Aaron ends up getting rescued without her, but it's also likely that both Claire and Jin die before the rescue, explaining why they would let their loved ones go without them.
3. Who wants to bet that the thing Kate had to do for Sawyer involved his daughter Clementine, or possibly Cassidy - with Kate telling them that Sawyer was a hero, and helped rescue everyone else? Jack would be upset that this would blow the cover of the Oceanic 6 Story - but if Kate made a promise to Sawyer, she would most certainly keep it.
4. This episode seemed to serve as the turning point for Jack... going from perfect life with Kate to alcoholic miserable person obsessed with returning to the Island. It's interesting that he is once again paranoid about his lover cheating on him (just like he was with Sarah), and more than likely that Christian Shepherd's image will continue to haunt him, just like Charlie haunts Hurley. (PS - was the smoke detector going off before Christian's appearance really a terrible pun that he might be the Smoke Monster?)
5. It's official - CFL and Karl are dead. Sorry conspiracy theorists... although again, maybe this isn't such a big deal based on the episode preview for next week.
6. I loved the logical reasoning in this episode. From Kate, asking exactly what I was thinking "why can't we just take him to the medical station" to Rose, asking what many thought before the episode aired "why is Jack getting sick on the Island when everyone else gets better?", it's nice to see the writers proving that they have asked themselves these same questions, and they do have answers to all of them. Rose's point in particular is interesting - was this really the Island's weak attempt to prevent Jack from leaving the Island? Why not sick Smokey on him?
7. So if Jack really isn't supposed to be raising Aaron, as Charlie told Hurley told Jack, does that confirm the fraudulent psychic's message from Season One? Does this mean that Claire is actually alive and well on the Island, and the whole reason the Island is calling for the Oceanic Six to return is to bring Aaron back to her to complete some sort of prophecy? Didn't the creators hint that Aaron would be a "very important character to the mythology of the show" way back during Season One? Intrigue!
8. You better believe there will be some screen shots of Kate in a button down shirt and underwear from this episode in my full analysis. Wow.
9. This is now two consecutive weeks with scar mysteries. If you recall, last week the Freighter Doctor washed up on shore with a fresh cut - even though we had previously seen him with a scar where that cut used to be. Then this week's episode opened with Jack half naked, with a scar-less body, even though the episode showed he went through a pretty rough appendix surgery on the Island that would definitely leave a scar. What is going on? It's like time is all backwards.
My brain hurts.
Okay, that's all I've got for now. But let me just say right now that next week's episode has the potential to be the best episode of the whole season, the kind of "game changing" episode that blows our minds.
Next Thursday can't get here fast enough.
Discuss!
http://facethewoods.com/lost/index.php?topic=303.0
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36 comments:
Kate in underwear. Clearly the best episode thus far this season.
Ok, so I forgot all about the shirt-less Jack open... there was no scar! Nice catch.
Brian the smoke detector wasn't going off, that's the sound they make when the batteries need to be replaced.
Yes, the producers said Aaron plays a big part on the show, they said in a podcast they'll cover that topic next season, or is it the following one? Now I can't remember.
And ditto on Kate! lol
Great episode! I didn't get why Juliet said to Jack after she stitched him up and Kate left, "I know your awake.". Did that mean anything? It just kinda seemed weird to me. Was that just Juliet telling Jack that he should just go after Kate now and stop avoiding his feelings for her (Kate)?
I can't take credit for this theory, but has this come up yet? Everybody on the beach, save the Oceanic 6 members, (and Sawyer and Jin) was dosed by a huge electromagnetic pulse in the Season 2 finale. So basically, they're trapped on the island, lest they want to go through some brain melting time jumping process like Desmond did. So Claire's not necessarily going to die, she's literally trapped there, along with most of the survivors. And Sawyer would have the choice to leave as well, so it fits.
It also makes Ben's actions in Season 2 more logical too. If the Hatch exploded, then everyone would be trapped on the island. Boom, instant army to defend the place against outsiders.
The only problem is Aaron. That could be explained away by all that stuff Ethan was pumping him full of. Otherwise, it's a really good theory that would should great long term planning on behalf of the Lost writers.
kate was defintely doing something for Sawyers daughter, and Jack who was starting to become a druggie became Jealous like we have seen him before and freak out for no real reason.
The whole episode seemed dark to me... kinda creepy, in a way. And I kept having the extremely unsettling feeling that they were setting us up for some sort of dream sequence. You know... Jack goes under for surgery and the "flash forward" was really some sort of anesthesia-induced hallucination. Bernard made a comment about dreaming about "something nice back home"... then Kate was the last person Jack saw before he went under. Then there was Hurley's comment about everything being so perfect for Jack, like heaven. Of course, the rest of the flash forward (Jack's dad, the beginning of Jack's pill addiction, etc) didn't fall into that pattern. And I highly doubt that the writers would jump the shark like that, but I couldn't shake that vibe.
Anyway, glad to see you back, Brian!
I think the biggest thing we need to figure out here, is....was that a dream or a flashforward?? Clearly they played as it could go either way. With Bernard saying "wouldn't you rather dream of something nice back home"...which the dream/flashforward was. Although the mentioning of the Oceanic 6 kind of kills the dream theory. So.....nevermind!
Sorry....didn't see the post right above mine....I thought the same thing, but the mentioning of the Oceanic 6 in the flashforward kills the dream theory.
why would Hurley say "we are dead"?
I know it seems too obvious and unlikely, but what if the guy who said he's been dead 12 years in the preview is Jacob? I know it is not likely but maybe the writers are trying to pull a fast one on us just when we're over-complicating everything.
The date of the flashforward/dream is August 31, 2007 (per the Yankees bludgeon of the Red Sox).
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/31/sports/baseball/31yankees
i didnt get to see the trailor for next week! what happened in it?? or does anyone have a link???
not a chance "something nice back home" was a dream of Jack's. as stated here, the writters would not 'jump the shark' with a cheap plot device such as that. plus, too many aspects to the story that defy the idea this was a dream.
hurley saying 'we're all dead' was based on his visits from Charlie. If Charlie is dead...and visiting him, than he (Hurley)...and all other Oceanic 6 survivors, must be dead.
back on-island, Frank proves to be a hero of sorts by telling the gang to hide. another mystery of last weeks show is why Smokie didn't kill these guys. i would bet we will only be able to speculate on this and not learn the true nature of Smokie probably until the end of the series in
2010.
Juliette told Jack she knew he was awake to essentially "release" him to be true to his feelings towards Kate.
I LOVED that Jin showed his chops by threatening Charlotte, in Korean tongue, that he'll break Faraday's fingers, one by one, if she continues to lie. Awesome - way to go Jin!
OMG I was all over the place in this epi! It was SO good though! Not a lot got answered but I think we'll find out more next week. The scenes with Hurley were creepy, I don't like Charlotte more than I don't like Juliet - what does Faraday see in her? Next week's epi looks, just wow. I can't really wrap my mind around it all. Must watch this epi again!
I'm really liking the Miles character and his special abilities.
How cool was it when Sawyer, Claire and Miles were heading back to the beach and we all heard those whispering voices. Miles immediately knew they were from the dead CFL and Karl and then found their bodies.
Imagine how much information our Losties would have gained had this guy been around everytime we've heard those whisperings. I'm sure all the dead on the island have alot of interesting stories to tell. (excluding Nikki & Paulo)
Brian, please post the preview for next week. When I watch the episodes at ABC.com, the previews don't come up. I really want to know what everyone is talking about! Thanks! And congrats on the wedding and we are so happy you are back to blog!
I was very curious about the scar issue. Rewatched the opening sequence after seeing the episode, if you look carefully while Jack is checking out the razor in front of the mirror in the bathroom you can see a scar in approximately the right area (seen in the mirror).
Wow Brian, you're so perceptive, noticing that Jack's appendix scar is not there in the future! I guess that's what we pay you the big bucks for.
Congrats on your marriage!
And even though I'm a straight female, I have to say that Kate was incredibly sexy in Jack's shirt. I will have to borrow my husband's shirts one evening and see what he thinks...
I agree with Frank. There IS a faded scar on Jack's (oddly hairless) torso when he's standing in front of the mirror, just before Kate comes out of the shower.
There's definitely a scar:
http://bp0.blogger.com/_Hxnvg45zlCw/SBqQUUi_uzI/AAAAAAAAA5k/GhApSL5xiHs/s1600-h/jacks+scar2.jpg
Last night's episode once again proves the remarkable storytelling abilities of the writers.
Just when I was beginning to lament that Lost seemed to have lost it's spookiness in Season 4, we have this super episode in which:
- Christian Shepherd appears all over the place
- It's proved that Miles is not just a phony trying to make money, but a real "ghost whisperer" :-)
- Claire just vanishes (btw writers, we know that the Claire character is going to be killed off - fantastic (and totally unexpected )way to do it. Much better than a hail of bullets or some other mundane way
- Hurley is coming unglued in the asylum, and actually warns Jack to expect a visitor (terrific spooky scene)
The spookiness was what got me hooked on Lost in the first place - I'm so thrilled to have the series return to its roots, being not only about inter-personal drama, but also the mythology of a larger entity...
Also, to ryan's comment. The guy in the preview who says he's been dead for 12 years - thats the guy who brings Ben and his dad to the island (http://lostpedia.com/wiki/Horace_Goodspeed)
LOOK PICTURE #6 !!! THE MONSTER REALLY EXIST !! ;)
http://galeriedephotos.cyberpresse.ca/index.php?t=Black&a=4688&m=cp
Brian,
I see Jin's conversation/insistance that no matter what, Sun end up on the helecopter rescued as a big clue that he may not die.
I do not think they everyone has choice to leave or you would have more than 6 people. I think certain people were at the right place and he didn't fight to be one of the 6. He told her before he wasn't interested in leaving.
Think of 6 people trying to fit in one car to go get a bite to eat.... but 2 people aren't interested at all, making the decision on who goes easier.
Mile's authentic ability to communicate with the dead was clearly established by the writters in the first episode he appeared in earlier this season. Remember....the police suggested the black women contact him which gave the impression the guy is credible. Plus, he found the dead boys' money. I think it will be very cool to see Miles encounter Jacob...perhaps next episode.
Once again, Matthew Fox's performance was exceptional. When playing Dr. Jack Shepard,he seems to often rise to another level of talent when the focus is on him and the storyline demands it. Also, Evangilene Lily showed vulnerability in her performance that was noteworthy and somewhat memorable.
I personally think Hurley says "we're all dead" because of the fake plane and 324 bodies inside, the world THOUGHT they WERE all dead, so that's probably messing with his mind. And I don't think Claire dies (sorry Brian :-(. I think she is still on the island and Charlie saying "you're not meant to raise him" goes back to the pychic telling Claire SHE HAS to be the one to raise him, hence Bearded Jack insisting that they go back to island. That might also be why Kate is so against going back, she WANTS to be his mama now.
Some one said something about this being in August 2007, however I think its actually August 2006 when the Yankees swept a 5 game series at Fenway park. August 15th-18th I believe.
as mentioned previously, the scar on Jack's abdominal area is very apparent when he looks at himself in the mirror. i think we have a case of us bloggers posting too quickly and missing what is obvious in the episode.
as for the frighter MD who washed ashore....that is another matter.
i noticed the scar thing right away too... i was looking at all of jack's (ugly) tattoos and thinking, wow, he has no scars! not even from all the jungle cuts & scrapes. then when i saw juliet cut into him & realized that would have been very noticeable later on. strange.
oh, and i think by jin insisting to charlotte that sun must get on the helicopter when it comes, was the foreshadowing that jin will stay on the island... but not necessarily die.
great call on the smoke detector and jack's dad. genius.
hey CR....Hurley say's "we're all dead" cause Charlie keeps visiting him and Charlie is clearly dead. Plain and simple.
I think there was a subtle hint that Jin is left on the Island and is not dead, given that his date of death is given at crash day.
I don't think the fact that the smoke detector was going off should be any indication that Jack's dad is connected to Smokie. THe smoke detector was giving the little chirp that means the battery is dead, not the wail that indicates smoke ...
alright, i here that some people are saying that clair is dead but i think shes just wandering in the woods b/c she say walt or something. also in the preview for the 4/24 episode, they said we'd find out how the survivors get off the island. also, clair cant be dead b/c desmond said he saw her get in a helicopter and leave the island
how many seasons are left?
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