Directed By: Eric Laneuville

Written By: Co-executive producer Drew Goddard and Christina M. Kim

Episode Focus: Juliette (Elizabeth Mitchell)

Original U.S. Air Date: March 6, 2008

Reviewed by Chris Daniel

Back to on island action and a character that we haven’t heard much from in while. After last week’s mindblowing Desmond episode we get back to the regular formula. And by “regular” I mean an actual flashBACK, who would have thought? The title The Other Woman, has multiple meanings, it refers of course to Juliette originally being an Other as well as her relationship to Goodwin. We learned a lot about Juliette’s time on the island, that she was in fact having an affair with the married Goodwin. Her therapist was Goodwin’s wife. And best of all Ben is obsessed with her. We always knew that there was something strange about their relationship, but we could never be certain what it was. Now we know.

We also saw Daniel and Charlotte go on a little trip. There mission was to find yet another Dharma station, the Tempest, and shut it down. The Tempest(get your Shakespeare reference here) was/is a power station on the island that contains chemicals that, according to the freighter folks, Ben plans to use against every one on the island. Daniel succeeds at the last moment to shut her down and saves the day. While the on-island action was pretty mundane there were some very interesting points made during the episode that made it better that it actually was.

• Ben gives us proof that Charles Widmore is the “man behind the curtain”. Perhaps not in the sense that Jacob was last year, but Penny’s pappy is certainly up to know good. First buying the Black Rock diary now beating people up in parking lots. Is there no end to his madness? I can’t imagine it will be long before we see an on air connection between Widmore/Piak(Sun’s Dad)/and Hanso. What The Lost Experience revealed to us nearly two years ago seems like its about to play out on the show.
• Ben is living the good life again. How long will it be before he double crosses Locke again?
• What was the meaning behind the horseshoe game if any? Was it just me or did it seem a really odd thing to place at the very end of an episode? Hurley is good at it too, which is surprising, he even seemed surprised. Remember when he was really good at HORSE in the season premier with Jack? Any connection or am I just reaching? The only thing that comes to mind maybe the freighter being a Trojan Horse reference. Thoughts?
• I you have the episode recorded, go back and listen to the whispers that Juliette hears in the jungle. Is that Ben’s voice, or was it just me? Has it been his voice all along, even in the Season 1 whispers?
• Juliette loves Jack. Who cares? If, at this point, you are watching the show for the Jack/Kate/Sawyer/Juliette crap then you obviously don’t understand what this show is bout at all.

Just one thing about next week. If Ben’s man on the freighter isn’t Michael then I will stop watching the show.

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Directed by: Lead director Jack Bender

Written by: Executive show-runners Carlton Cuse & Damon Lindelof

Flashback and central focus: Desmond (Henry Ian Cusick)

Original U.S. air date: 28th Feb, 2008

Review by Chris Daniel

Sayid has long been my favorite character. A man of action who takes no bullshit, and will stick reeds under your fingernails for some medicine. Desmond Hume, however, is the most interesting character. I look forward to his episodes the most because I know that when we get back to his story, as confusing as it may be, we are going to get some answers.

Like Flashes, The Constant does not follow the traditional flashforward/flashback structure. In this episode we get to the heart of one of the biggest mysteries of the island, why it is so hard to find? It seems that it is in a Bermuda Triangle type black hole, where time and space are different. Remember the link to the vile vortices? Well, maybe there is some truth to this. Instead of flashing forward or flashing back Desmond actually time travels! While this may seem hokey to the viewers who just want to know who Kate is going to hook up with (like my wife). For others it speaks directly to the mysterious nature of the show, just as Flashes did.

While flying to the freighter something happens to Desmond that forces him back in time to 1996, when he was in the military. It seems that along the course to the island there is a skip in time, as shown by Daniel Faraday’s experiment, that triggers this. These episodes continue to occur until he can get in contact with Daniel back on the island, who tells him to visit him in the past. In the past Daniel tells Desmond that if he doesn’t keep himself grounded he will not be able to tell the difference between the past and the present which may kill him. In order to achieve this Desmond needs a constant, something or someone that will be there in both times. Of course Desmond chooses Penny and has to convince her to answer the phone eight years in the future. On the freighter Desmond is finally able to contact Penny and we know that she is still looking for him.

There are some interesting notes to take from this episode.

• Apparently it is actually 2004 on the island. I thought that the time leap might be greater than was proved in Faraday’s experiment. It is actually Christmas Eve on the freighter, which could make it Christmas Day on the island.

• That being said are we to assume that it is 2007-2008 during the flashforwards? And therefore the Oceanic 6 have been off the island 3+ years?

• It is interesting that if these time travel episodes happen to him, that Daniel has chosen Desmond as his constant.

• Is what happened to George and the mouse, the sickness that Rousseau referred to her team having? Can you get coming on to the island as opposed to going off?

• What was up with Charles Widmore wanting the Hanso diary from the Black Rock. We know from Bad Twin that these sides were in cahoots at one point. Is this another part of the island cover up?

• Remember the Orchid Orientation video that was released at ComicCon, with the rabbits?

This is looking more like a hint to time travel. Does it foreshadow Desmond coming in contact with himself at some point? And what would the danger be in that, outside of what Doc Brown told us in Back to the Future.

Either way this is the kind of episode that could get weird season back on solid footing. I said it long ago, and I will say it again. Though the Jack and Kate type stories will give the dramatic climax when this is all said and done, Desmond will be the central figure in understanding the real mysteries of the island.

Directed by: Co-executive producer Stephen Williams

Written by: Supervising producer Elizabeth Sarnoff & debut Lost writer Gregory Nations (The District)

Flashback and central focus: Kate (Evangeline Lilly)

Original U.S. air date: 28th Feb, 2008

Review by Chris Daniel

Do you ever get that feeling that you’re the smartest person in the room, only to look around and realize that you’re the only person in the room?

Happened to me tonight during tonight’s episode of Lost.

The episode as a whole continued on the same path that has been set in Season 4. There is still a whole lot about the show that feels familiar, but something that doesn’t feel quite right. As I have mentioned before the there is a different tone to the characters, story, and show as a whole. I am sure that this is done purposely to disrupt our comfort level. Four episodes in and I am still saying this is going to take some getting used to.

The Kate-centric flashforward deals with her trial for the murder of her father. The most interesting thing to come out of the proceedings was Jack’s false testimony about the crash, Kate’s actions on the island, and his feelings about her. Like every Kate episode since Season 2’s What Kate Did, the rest was pretty mundane until the final moment. More on that in a second.

What was the deal with the Miles/Ben crap. Didn’t it all seem like a let down? Why exactly $3.2 million? How long do you think Miles can hold that grenade in his mouth? Not long, I hope.

Which gets me back to being the smartest person in an empty room. First, during the ”enhanced” replay of last weeks The Economist the producers made a point of mentioning Charles Widmore. So I am glad to know that I may be on to something in that regards. Secondly, about twenty minutes in I am happy to say that I figured out who Kate’s baby was. I’ll give you all a second to absorb that . . . what? You did too? Fuck.

Regardless, this raises many more questions. Is Aaron one of the Oceanic 6? What has happened to Claire? Why doesn’t Jack want to see him? How long have they been off the island at this point? Why does it feel like my head is going to explode?

I hate this show.

Directed by: Lead director Jack BenderWritten by: Edward Kitsis & co-executive producer Adam Horowitz

Flashback and central focus: Sayid (Naveen Andrews)

Original U.S. air date: 14th, Feb. 2008

Review by Chris Daniel

I have put off writing anything about last night’s episode because frankly I myself am starting to get a little lost.

I’m pretty sure that I understand most of what happened. Sayid is one of the Oceanic 6 and is now working for Ben in order to find a person known as The Economist, even though they are not an economist. Whatever this person is future Sayid and future Ben need them killed. Why? Here’s my guess. The person they are after is actually Charles Widmore, yes Penny’s father.

I keep bringing him up even though he has not appeared in scene since Flashes Before Your Eyes. But I feel that he is very important, and it seems that a kill or be killed thing is developing between Widmore’s side and those left on the island. The struggles that the Oceanic 6 are dealing with are being stuck in the middle and being forced to ignore this fight. It appears Ben and Sayid are not going to ignore it any longer.

The other curious thing which is proving the theory of some sort of lapse in space and time was Daniel’s experiment. I could try to explain what many believe is going on, but I would eventually slip[ on the portions of brains that oozed out of my nose. So here is a link to docarzt’s blog page that explains the theory more clearly than I ever could. I will warn you that this makes a whole lot of sense. I also find it curious that this theory has picked a lot of steam just prior to this week’s episode.

Lost has had a very strange and different tone so far this year. In a way it is cool to see something so different. In another it is disturbing to be out of our comfort zone. Either way it is going to be one hell of a ride watching this play out.

Although the WGA strike is all but over, Lost is still going to suffer a series cull.

The Hollywood Reporter say that the current season of Lost will only run a MAXIMUM of 13 episodes, losing at least 8 episodes from it’s original plan of 21.

Eight episodes were already scripted before the strike, with a further five now to be scribed and shot, though it’s not expected that any of the major plotlines planned will be scrapped. They will simply “condense them” into the episodes and it’s unlikely that the missed hours will be added to further seasons. So for those saying Lost moves to slow… I don’t think that will be the case any longer!

It’s also entirely possible that the 13 season run will air without any breaks now that the strike is over.

Directed by: co-executive producer Stephen Williams

Written by: co-executive producer Drew Goddard & executive story editor Brian K. Vaughan

Flashback and central focus: The Rescuers (Jeremy Davies, Ken Leung, Rebecca Mader, Jeff Fahey)

Original U.S. air date: 7th, Feb. 2008

Review by Chris Daniel

Near the end of last season it seemed that we might be getting close to some answers in the world of Lost. It was confirmed that Jack and Claire were siblings. We know how and why Locke ended up in the wheel chair. We met the real Sawyer and watched him die. Just as it appeared we were on a course for resolution the finale and Season 4 premier again began to rock that boat.

Tonight’s episode continued that trend.

We have now seen the entire rescue team. Four more individuals to go along with Naomi, all with back stories of their own. Who could have guessed? The question that needs to be asked is what is their true objective? The ghost seeing Miles tells us that they are here for Ben. But why? Is it as I suggested before, that Ben has a price to pay for the Purge? It seems clear that this team is Dharma related.

We also got to see the wreckage of 815 referred to last season, when we were told that it was found and there were no survivors. It was a great way to open the episode and was an awesome reveal to know that the rescue team’s pilot was supposed to be the pilot of 815. Now we have to ask why wasn’t he on the doomed flight?

For me the big question is why was there a 2 million year old polar bear with a Dharma logo collar found in Tunisia? Does this make sense to anyone? Dharma was founded in the 1970’s. Perhaps this speaks to the duel time lines again, and maybe research wasn’t restricted to the island.

While the producers and writers keep piling on the questions I do get the sense that the answers are going to be gin coming more quickly. We had to wait 3 seasons to find out why Locke was in a wheelchair. I don’t think we will have to wait long to find out the truth behind these new characters.

Two last highlights of the night.

• Locke asking Ben point blank; What is the monster? Though we didn’t receive the answer right then and there, I think it is coming soon.

• Ben telling those in Locke’s camp that he has a man on their freighter. Who is it?

Directed by: Lead director Jack Bender

Written by: Executive show-runners Carlton Cuse & Damon Lindelof

Flashback and central focus: Hurley (Jorge Garcia)

Original U.S. air date: 31st, Jan 2008

Review by Chris Daniel

Wow! Season 4 is here and it started with a bang. The usual formula of Jack-centric flashbacks were replaced with the surprising twist of Hurley flashforwards. While the on island stuff picked up exactly where we left off, the off island story was really a kick to the head.

Here’s what we know.

• Six get off the island.(Hence, the meaning of the flashing of the number 6 in the promos.)

• This story takes place before the Jack flashforward from Season 3. It foreshadows Jack’s alcoholism and grizzly beard.

• Hurley refers to the island as an entity all its own, when he says, “I think it wants us to go back.” “It’s going to do everything it can.”

• Jack, Hurley, and Kate as well as the three other unnamed people are keeping a secret.

• Charlie is haunting Hurley. Is he alive or dead? My guess is dead.

The following is a guess on my part but if I happen to be correct, (don’t count on it), it may turn out to be an unwanted spoiler so read at your own risk.

So in trying to piece this together I think it is safe to say that who ever has shown up to rescue the castaways, is working for someone that is not Penny Widmore, however that is not to say that the person orchestrating it is not a Widmore.

I believe that it is Penny’s father Charles, who we know from The Lost Experience was in business with Alvar Hanso and the Dharma Initiative. As the magnetic anomaly was discovered in the Season 2 finale, Penny’s snow crew may not have been the only ones to detect it. And now the survivors are being bribed and threatened to secure Widmore’s secrecy. Secrets about what has gone on on the island in the past and since the crash of Oceanic 815. This could explain why Ben does not want the rescuers to arrive. He knows that there will repercussions for the Purge.

End of Spoiler Possibilities.

So here are a few questions to ponder until we get the answers in Season 6.

• What makes Hurley leave Locke’s camp and go with Jack and get rescued?

• Why was Christian Shepard in Jacob’s rocking chair in the cabin?

• Why does the cabin disappear and then reappear?

• Why does burn when I pee?

What did you all think of the episode? I really liked it and the change of format. I think the new style of flashforwards really lends itself to furthering the show and making these characters more interesting. They are now no longer limited by there past.

Ok, it’s strictly not movie news but hey, everyone loves Lost right?

The fourth season of the best t.v. show this Millenium begins tonight in the U.S. (to be screened on Sunday in the U.K.) and if you’re anything like me you have been counting down the days until the show returned to our screens.

For me it’s this decade’s STAR TREK. A show which plays with such deep mythology (sometimes it’s own un-doing) and the most rich and fully rounded characters in any show I’ve ever seen.

Lots of unanswered questions remain from the last episode of Season 3. Who’s funeral, who does Kate need to get back too? How the fuck did they get off the Island? I wouldn’t expect anything to be resolved for some time because, well, that’s the Lost way!

Let’s re-live those last moments of Season 3, thanks to The Rec Show…