Wednesday, May 06, 2009

"Follow the Leader" Instant Reactions

Brian's One Word Review of the Scrubs Series Finale: Perfection.

If you know me, you know that I'm famous for overhyping things to the point where it's nearly impossible for the actual event to live up to what I've got planned out in my head. Then an hour of television like the final episode of Scrubs comes along and proves that it is possible to exceed even my highest expectations and leave me speechless, with simulataneous feelings of happiness, hopefulness, sadness, and appreciation.

The biggest compliment I can give to any show is that there is nothing I could think of that would improve upon it. But I can honestly say that I can't think of a single way to improve the final episode of Scrubs. It hit on all the right beats - had the trademark goofy humor, plenty of JD-Turk guy love, numerous callbacks to the entire series, and ended with a five minute montage of not what happens - but what could happen... and that's what made Scrubs so great. On almost any other show, that ending montage would have come across as super cheesy and overly sappy - yet on Scrubs it's been earned over the course of eight long years... and in the end, it's nothing more than what JD hopes will come... and that thought that we can "have it all" and someday get a "happy ending" is something that is nothing more than honest - and gives us all reason to continue dreaming and working towards achieving it.

In the end, Scrubs will probably go down as one of my five favorite television series of all-time. But its series finale will probably go down as the greatest ending to a television series I have ever seen.

Well done, Scrubs. Well done. 

I miss you already.


Brian's One Word "Follow the Leader" Review: What?!?

Locke is going to attempt to kill Jacob? Does that mean that when Jacob said "help me" to Locke a few seasons back, that meant "put me out of my misery and free me from this Island?" That would certainly open the door for Locke to become the new "pope of the Island" - or is that role already filled by Christian Shephard.

Are Alpert and Ben in cahoots? Did you see the look the two shared when discussing how Locke might "be a problem"? Up until this point, I always assumed Alpert was a "good guy" - or at least an honest guy who was always working for the Island's best interests. He wasn't scheming against anyone, manipulating people, or brutally killing anyone. He was just doing what Jacob told him... right? Or does Alpert's "position" not allow him to communicate with Jacob either? Remember all my theories a few weeks back about how Alpert would selectively choose the best leader for the Others based on their current situation on the Island? Perhaps he really doesn't have any connection with Jacob either, and is simply making these decisions from a practical perspective rather than a spiritual "Island choosing" perspective.

I could not believe that the submarine containing Juliet, Sawyer, and Kate actually took off and dove underwater. Now what? We know that the women and children on that submarine end up back in the real world (see: Lara Chang and Miles, Charlotte and her mom), but I also refuse to believe that three main Lost characters are absent from the season finale. So does this mean the sub will make a pit stop before leaving the Island for good, where Juliet, Sawyer, and Kate will jump off? I'm extremely curious to see how the writers reconcile this storyline without it feeling cheap - because it definitely feels like they've written themselves in a corner with this one!

I would love nothing more than to have a Lost Sitcom Spinoff featuring Sawyer and Juliet living happily ever after in the 1970s, gambling on sporting events and making shrewd stock market decisions. It's the ultimate con for Sawyer! Stupid Kate had to come along and ruin everything. I swear, if Juliet or Sawyer end up dead this season (which is my greatest fear), I am totally going to blame Kate for it.

So the Jughead is actually under the Barracks in the "Tunnels", not the "Temple" - which makes a lot more sense... and it happens to be sitting directly underneath the Barracks. I'm guessing when Alpert said they were going to get it out "the same way they got it in", that means there is some type of ramp that goes straight through the heart of Dharmaville - which should make for a very interesting transportation of the Jughead next week - and how do they intend to transport it miles away to the Swan Hatch? And how are they going to detonate it without killing everyone? Again, very curious to see how this all plays out.

But in the end, they're not going to succeed, right? Like, even if they use the Jughead in the Swan Station, that's going to be what the "Incident" is, right? I'm feeling that this will somehow lead to a Universe "Course Correction" that sends our Survivors back to 2008 - and this will explain Alpert's comment that he saw all of our 1977 Survivors "die". Maybe they vanished before his eyes... although after living through the effects of time travel twice now, one would think he would have caught on and understood what really happened.

As predicted, this "Alpert-centric" episode really didn't reveal too much about him (sadly), but it definitely moved all the characters and storylines in place for next week's surely epic season finale. Even though I've been calling for this season to end with the Incident and sending our Survivors back to 2008 since mid-season, I honestly have no idea where the writers are going from here with the story - which is pretty fun and exciting.

Okay - that's enough yammering. Blame it on Scrubs, it's got me all introspective tonight! Discuss Lost and mourn / celebrate Scrubs below!




50 comments:

orangejack said...

I was surprised at how much Richard doesn't seem to understand. I guess I always thought he understood the time travel, etc. I know he always was surprised to see people skipping in time around him, but still...he seemed to not really understand the dynamics of island time travel. Interesting.

Rebecca said...

When Alpert was questioning Locke I was shocked, has he ever asked anyone a question that he didn't know the answer to? Once again we heard that Richard's been around for a very long time - duh! I was a little frustrated with this episode, hoping to learn more about Alpert. Now we know he's an adviser of sorts which we pretty much knew already.

Chang questioning Hurley was funny and I'm glad to see that Miles figured out why his dad made them leave the island. Does that put Miles on death watch though?

I'm happy/sad for next week's episode. I know it will be great but then we'll have MONTHS of NO LOST!!

Steve said...

Wow, Lockes got the Mojo, and he's going to show Alpert for the sham he is... and Ben.

I don't know where they're going either, but I know that 'whatever happened, happened' and that the nuke doesn't go off.. as the barracks are still there in the future and the purge happens. Farradays role was obviously to get Jack to do what he was supposed to do, just as it was to get Chang to do what he had to do... even if he didn't himself realize it... Widmore and Eloise did... which is why they sent him to the island. What a miserable life they must have had... living it knowing that they had no free will afterall... but rather that they had a role in making their own past happen by making sure that what happened, really happened.. again, even if they didn't know.

Now for scrubs. Damn, I agree with you Brian on both counts. Scrubs a top 5.. and the ending actually brought me to tears... and that's hard to do. JD's vision of what might be was so damn perfect for the ending of this show. This show has moved me with very deep story lines that make you really think, and often have hit many situation in my life dead on. It's one of those shows that are funny but in the end deliver a message, a strong one, a strong truth.. that makes you more aware of who we are. I'm babling now.. but yes, while the show had it's up's and downs through the years, what may have been the best ending for a series.

Scrubs, you are already missed, but very glad that for once, it was done right. They are lucky they got the final ABC season as last years NBC finale was weak, so I didnt have the expectations that I have for lost.. but geez.. . What a way to make the best of the final season

I sure hope Lost finishes up and meets my expectations!

Bea said...

All along I've been assuming that the Island/Jacob/Smokey/Christian/Richard Alpert are all just manifestations of the same spooky spirit. But now it seems as if Jacob and the Island are really two separate teams - or perhaps that there is no Jacob and Richard has always been the little man behind the curtain using the image of Jacob to control the masses. And yes, Richard comes across as innocent and well-meaning when perhaps he is the real master manipulator behind all the Others' crimes.

Anonymous said...

I hope I wasn't the only one that thought they must've skimped a little on the CGI budget. That submarine looked so fake it isn't funny.

But that was the only thing that took away from the night.

Scrubs finale was also great, but I don't think they should do a spinoff. Because the interns are at the same hospital, and the only people that left are Kelso and J.D., I can't imagine how they'd do it without the others there, and showing more of them would dilute the perfection of the potential future shown in the finale.

Brian Leonard said...

Nick beat me to it: that sub dive was way too cheesy-looking and not up to Lost's high standards. I'll save other comments for the board...

the Other Brian

timcourtois said...

Crazy Ep! So are Jacob and "The Island" not on the same team? Is it Jacob vs. Smokey?

Bea - you suggested Jacob might not be real - but we've seen Jacob, remember? He's definitely real.

I'm thinking the sub was supposed to leave, but having Kate, Sawyer & Juliet on it changed that. They're going to highjack it & go back to the island to save their friends from Jack's insane plan.

Seriously: My bet right now is that next week ends with Jughead going off and everyone on the island dead... then season 6 opens with them all alive again, present day. I think they're way jacking up the space-time continuum right now. Don't know how so many of you are still subscribing to "Whatever Happened Happened". Give it up!

Joyce Saenz Harris said...

"Stupid Kate had to come along and ruin everything. I swear, if Juliet or Sawyer end up dead this season (which is my greatest fear), I am totally going to blame Kate for it."

Amen, amen!

I was rather disappointed that we learned so little that's new about Richard (except that he can build a ship in a bottle, whoopee).

Was anyone else confused by the fact that Eloise appears to be 40 and pregnant in 1977? Charles Widmore expressed concern about her "condition" -- what else could that be? And if she's supposed to be pregnant with Daniel, who apparently isn't around as a child in 1977 Otherville, how can her time-traveling son be barely 30 when she unwittingly shoots him? Surely Dan was supposed to be older than 27 when he came to the Island on the freighter! That would have made him younger than Charlotte. I don't get it...

Anonymous said...

Could Smokey do some Jughead carrying up the ramp to help out perhaps?

Steve said...

Oh yeah, the sub!

Look, they had a real sub.. right? Why not film it submerging? Have they hired George Lucus?

Back to Alpert.. he wanted to talk to Locke in the tent, but Locke seems to know more than Alpert... and alpert doesn't like that he's not playing his game.

So here are my options:

- The Island doesn't like Jacob and is trying to get rid of him.

- Jacob does not, and never did, exist(which is not the case.. I'm sure)

- Jacob is in misery, as per his plead for help, and he is asking Locke to end his misery.

Regardless, the others are a bit out of touch..... this is going to come down the to Egyptian Gods or maybe Jacob cursing childbirth in retaliation for not letting him die?

Remember, Jacob may not be seen, but his hut exists! And there is something around hit hut.. ash maybe? That may be trapping him?

I have a feeling that in the finale, we're going to find out a whole hell of a lot about Jacob, and I think we're going to see him... and I'm not sold that he's going to be 'killed'... well, whatever it is, we'll be surprised.

Brian said...

Wow what an episode! It's really got me super psyched about the season finale! And I agree with you Brian, this has left me completely unsure of what's going to happen next. Usually we have some kind of a clue, but this could go anywhere... especially with the the Jacob-Hunt Extravaganza.

And I agree with Nick. That submarine shot was silly pretty silly looking... :/

Leadfoot said...

Three thoughts:

1) I am totally confused by Locke telling Richard to tell Locke that he has to die. So the only reason Locke died is because he told himself to die?! WHAT?

2) I bet they get Kate/Sawyer/Juliet off the sub by just surfacing, stopping and kicking them off. I can see those lame security dudes saying, "Just kidding - we aren't keeping up our end of the deal. Get off. Swim, drown, whatever, Good luck."

3) Did you notice the weird night/day shift when they went to find Jacob? It was nighttime when Locke said "I need to talk to these people right now. We are going to find Jacob. Do you want to come?" (Paraphrased, obvi). He said it was urgent and they were going to go "now." Then when they were all walking, it was daytime. WTF?

Anonymous said...

the season will definitely finally reveal who Jacob is.

are we all on the same page that Jacob either has to be Locke or Jack?

I mean, it would be the ultimate twist and would go hand in hand with all the time traveling on the show.

I just feel like with how much hype they've built up to finally reveal who Jacob is, it would be incredibly anticlimactic to have it be a new character we've never seen before.

I think even Brian has said that Jacob is more than likely a character we've already met, which is why the writers have put so much effort into hiding his identity.

Debatable, yes. But one thing is for sure: we're in for some insane surprises next week!

jack said...

Could anyone explain the timeline of how the resurected Locke was on the Island when the non-resurected Locke got shot in the leg?

Wasn't resurected Locke in the "present" and not 3 years back? In other words, Locke got shot 3 years back before he turned the FDW, left the Island,got killed, etc. WTF?

The annimation created for the sub departed, to me at least, were clearly good enough. Keep in mind, this is a TV show, albeit high budget, but without a $100 million film budget. My curiosity was how they fit all those people inside it....didn't look that big.

jack said...

One more thing...Jerremy Davies was a jewel and amongst the best, IMO, amongst an already great cast. RIP Daniel Faraday!

Unknown said...

during one of Locke's time skips he came to this 2007ish time. (After being shot) I don't think we knew when it was when we saw it the first time though.

Unknown said...

it is totally awesome that for 4 seasons our castaways were in the dark about everything and now the tables are turned. suck on it Others!

tsolfan said...

Did I hear Locke say to Ben, near the end, that he didn't care about Jack and Kate, etc.? Does that mean he lied to Sun about finding Jin? I hate to think Locke in becoming Ben-like and manipulative...

I too was sorry to see Kate show up on the sub. I actually would have been very happy to have that be our last view of Sawyer and Juliet, sailing off into a 1977 sunset, happily ever after...

TheycallmeVic said...

Man, awesome episode.
I was really impressed by Locke's knowledge, and especially the island "telling" him stuff? that's insane.
It really shows how in-tune he is with the island.

When Locke asked Alpert if he's the new leader, Alpert's face looked as if there was something he's not telling him.
Alpert is starting to look a bit suspicious to me.

Dharma Mayonnaise said...

J-Bos’s two word review for when Kate got on the submarine with Juliet and Sawyer – Awwwwwwk-warrrddddd.

I may have missed something but the circular logic of having Locke tell Richard to tell Locke that he had to die makes my head hurt. Locke only knew about his mission (to go off-island and die) because Richard told him but Richard only knew to tell him because Locke told Richard.

I’m really excited for next week’s episode but I’m already depressed that we’re going to be left with a massive cliffhanger for several months.

Dave Harty said...

J-Bos, I agree, I'm having a hard time with the Locke telling Richard to tell Locke. Also, the compass comes into play. How did Richard recognize the compass in 1957 if Locke gave it to him in 2007.

One more thing. Locke was shot by Ethan, giving him the bullet wound that Richard helped him with. We now found out that that event happend in 2007. Wasn't Ethan killed three years before that?

TheycallmeVic said...

J-Bos, yeah all these circular time loops are definitely headache inducing.

Dave, remember that Locke time traveled after being shot by Ethan.

Dave Harty said...

OK, that makes sense. I wasn't sure if there was a flash in between those two events.

Lizzy said...

I think that we have to assume that Jacob really exists (vs. being some way to control the Others thought up by Richard) because Christian Shepard can speak for him. What if Jacob is with the Shadow of the Statue folks and Alpert has fallen out of favor with them over the years so he knows about Jacob but is no longer in contact with him?
I was hoping for a good reveal moment when Jack went into the Others camp and met a young Christain...I guess that will have to wait untill later :)
Also, I thought it was great when Radinsky asked Sawyer to draw him a map, that must be the map that he drew on the wall of the swan so that we he finally got out of there he could track down the hostiles.

jj said...

This is Scrubs-centric:

I started crying with 15 minutes left and didn't stop. Cox's speech was beautiful, all the returning characters in the hallway was so touching, and the end was perfection. I love this show for the way it blends the absurd with the serious. I love that they showed grown-ups acting the way grown-ups do; completely juvenile one second, apprehensive the next, and always learning and growing. For me, Scrubs fits in right between Lost and Battlestar Galactica as my favorite shows. I learned something from all of them and cherish them for it.

Anonymous said...

I was a little dissapointed that Richard knows as little as he does. How could Ben possibly know about skipping through time and yet Richard doesn't?! I was interested in his new title as an "advisor" (Thank you LOST writers for that little tidbit!). Maybe Richard does now more than he lets on...at least about the "spiritual" side of the island and that's why he's wary about Locke's recklessness. I think Richard is the most pivotal character for the story. Here's hoping that the season finale lets us in on a few secrets!!!

Seenu said...

Brian - I'm dying to hear your views on the Sneak Peek that they showed after last night's episode got over. I'm not mentioning anything out of respect for your other readers, but perhaps a new blog post to talk about that? That way, people who don't want potential spoilers can avoid it?

jon. said...

Mind boggling! (In a good way)

The Locke storyline is getting dizzyingly circular. Thinking about it is like using a VCR to film a TV screen and then output the video feed to the same screen.

I'm appealled by the idea that many events that we've seen during the show, and the whole time jump events, are the result of individuals making action on what seems right for them given their limited information in the situation (like Ellie shooting Faraday) and is NOT the result of some master plan by some good/evil character. Looping away the mysteries of the show seems like the only way to resolve them without disappointment. All other resolutions that I can think of would involve boatloads of ad hoc magic. That would be a let down.

I'm mostly intrigued by two things after this episode:

1. how can Locke now have such a well informed plan? Did the island really "tell him" exactly where/when his older, wounded self would show up? Or did some other person inform him of that? When? There just doesn't seem to be a fitting time where someone could have told Locke that. Yet the island "told him" solution isn't enough of an answer. When/how did it tell him? I think and hope that there's some other surprising twist to this.

2. how can Ben know so little about the time travelling and so on yet previously on the show knew so much about the islands powers, including the FDW?

I can't wait for the season finale! I will however isolate myself from L...AGF until after the finale. I want to experience this one head on with maximum immersion -- without any knowledge gained previews or preview based discussions here throughout the week.

So cheers for now and see you on the other side!

Unknown said...

was the entrance to the tunnels the same pool where Jack and Kate swam in the first season? Is that the same place where Adam & Eve skeletons are? (Bernard & Rose)

Kacie said...

I personally think that both Christian Shepherd and the resurrected Jack are just dead bodies being used by the monster... and so were Alex, and Yemi when he talked to Eko...

Which is why it made sense when that chick in the car last week said to Miles that the island was populated by an increasing amount of dead people.

I wrote about it. :)http://kaciesmixedmedia.blogspot.com/2009/05/lost-so-were-following-leader-but-who.html

Seenu said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Seenu said...

@Kacie - assuming you meant resurrected John (Locke) and not resurrected Jack (Shephard).

Did anyone else wonder how Ben had no clue about the Beechcraft? Seems like he would know the island like the back of his hand, but his reaction yesterday was "What plane?"

I was half-afraid that Ben would then run out behind Alpert and try to harm time-jumping Locke!

On a different topic, I'm inclined to agree with the theory that Jacob will turn out to be someone we already know. My extra two bits are that Locke already knows who it is, and thinks that killing him will somehow stop all the funky time and bring everybody back. It would be mind-boggling if Locke has to kill an alternate-timeline version of himself (or kill himself?) to set things right...

Dharma Mayonnaise said...

@Seenu: Locke as Jacob??!! That would be crazy! Good thought.

Remember Walt foretelling Locke's demise? Could that be coming up in the finale? When Locke told Alpert to tell himself that he had to die, he could be talking about this upcoming episode and not his death in the hotel room...

jack said...

J-Boss - so you're suggesting Locke will die twice?

Anonymous said...

Is it possible that the 'ship in a bottle' is the Black Rock?

Seenu said...

@J-bos and jack:

Would be pretty funny and ironic, wouldn't it?

Imagine a wicked-and-twisted version of Groundhog day, where Locke wakes up everyday and his only mission is to kill himself in new and unusual ways, trying to find the one foolproof method to break the cycle of life and death :-P

I vote this to be the best opportunity to get a funny spin-off from LOST.

Day 1: "Hmm...I wonder how arsenic tastes..."

Day 2: "Guns don't kill people, people kill people. Hey Ben mind giving me a hand with this Colt I found?"

Day 221: "Hey smoky - yo' mama so fat she ..."

Day 456: "Uhh...6.30am already? Dang must've overslept and missed the volcano eruption"

Day 888: "Hello? God? You there? Where's the love, dude?"

Just some black Thursday humor :-)

Seenu said...

@wxnetcanada:

My thoughts exactly. I'm pretty certain it's the Black Rock...wouldn't mean much from the storytelling perspective, but it's just another nod to all us obsessive losties.

terrysupe said...

I think that Kate had to get on the sub because she is going to tell Juliet and Sawyer about Jack's intentions. If Faraday's plan works and Jack is successful, then the plane won't crash... Jack might not care that as a result he will never get to know Kate, but Sawyer does care and won't want to lose Juliet. So Sawyer and Juliet are going to somehow get back to the island to try and stop Jack.

Anonymous said...

We all cheered when Sayid popped out of the jungle. I'm glad he's still around taking care of business.
It had never occurred to me before this episode not to trust Richard Alpert. I wouldn't be disappointed at all if the writers pulled a fast one on us like that.

Steve said...

the more that I think about it, the more I'm convince that the bomb is the failsafe. Now, how it's containted, I don't know, but I'll betcha that they don't explode it... desmond does.

Doesn't explain a lot though, no radoactive stuff, etc.. but the idea I think, of faraday was that the bomb would counter/destroy the magnetic properties.

But thinking, the Donkey wheel still exists, jut not what's a the swan... that think impoded.

It's funny, I saw an interview with either Damon or Carlton where they said that we've all formed our opinions of what things mean, and what's going to happen, and that season 6 will be telling us that we're all wrong... and that in doing so, we may find that our ideas are better that what is actually happening. I've already seen that.. so lets keep that in prespective.

Sam said...

I also think Alpert is now a bad guy, and perhaps in cahoots (sp?) with Ben this whole time.

what about Locke coming out of the jungle with the dead boar - exactly like Miles when they just started to flash? Seems to be too coincidental and odd to be nothing. I have no idea what it means though.

Dharma Mayonnaise said...

Jack: I’m not suggesting any of that but it sounds totally Lost-ish to do something like that. We’d have to spend the entire off-season trying to figure out how the hell Locke is Jacob/Jacob is Locke

brett said...

Agree on the sub CGI - pathetic!

jack said...

I see your point Brett but in this day of severe budget cuts, I found the sub CGI to be acceptable and was even in a bit of awe witnessing the sub leaving the Island depite the hooky quality of the depiction. Evidently, the writers thought it was a powerful enough image for us to see that despite having to pull it off on an obvious budget, they didn't edit it from the final cut.

Seenu said...

Take a look at the most popular boys' names for 2008 (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/05/08/national/w063850D91.DTL&tsp=1)

Top was Jacob, followed by Michael, Ethan, Joshua and Daniel.

Do you think we'll get a Joshua on LOST next season? :-)

Jeff said...

Remember back a few episodes where Ben, Sun and Locke make there way back from Alcatraz and arrive at the barracks. Locke leaves Ben and Sun and heads into the jungle. I had a theory at the time that Locke was up to something involving Smokey - as when summoned by Ben he never showed. Perhaps Locke was enlightened by something/someone?

Steve said...

kacie,

Chritian? it's possible that he's an image from the Monster, but Locke is quite different. Christian and Yemi would run into the woods and disappear.. were limited in their communication.
As were the images of Walt.

but there are other images on the island, bens mother, Kates horse.

Christian may be different still, he actually picked something up, but didn't necesarily touch or help locke.. remember?

Locke is quite solid though, note how Alpert said "it's a good thing you didn't have to die". He's also changed his clothes.

Christian and Yemi didn't change.

Bea said...

Lizzy - I always assumed that Christian was speaking for Jacob, but that`s because I assumed that there was only one quasi-spiritual force on the island, and that Smokey, the Island, and Jacob were all essentially on one team. If Locke is taking the side of the Island against Jacob, it`s possible that Christian is also on Locke`s side, trying to break Jacob`s power.

Also, when Locke heard the words Help Me! at the cabin, that might have been the Island trying to break free of the power of Jacob (slash Richard Alpert, perhaps).

Laura said...

Has anyone seen the new Star Trek movie? I saw it last night and it was awesome, and that's coming from a woman who is neither a Trekkie nor a big sci-fi fan. I'm not surprised, though, that I liked it, knowing how much JJ Abrahms and Damon Lindeloff had to do with making it.
My boyfriend thinks I am a serious dork for 1)recognizing the musical score of Star Trek as the possibly coming from the same composer who does Lost's music and 2)recognizing the composer's name in the credits as indeed the one who does the music on Lost.

Cathy said...

My ideal character would definitely be Hurley for the reason that he addressed lots of mystification regarding time travel. Two thumbs up for this TV show.