First, an apology to those of you (and I know there are just throngs of you out there) who have actually noticed that I haven’t blogged since January. And, after I promised I was going to review and deconstruct evey single episode of LOST’s fifth season as it aired! Okay, now that we’re all over that, let’s talk about last night’s no-breathe-TV 2-hour episode — the one that will have to hold us for the next nine months! If you haven’t watched the episode yet, DON’T READ ANY FURTHER! If you have, get out of this paragraph and into the next one…hurry!
You know Jacob has to be in the first paragraph. For someone who has been so elusive for so long, he sure was easy to find here! The dude was everywhere! But, more than that, he gave us one of the most gorgeous opening scenes of the entire series! Sitting inside his giant foot (which was a whole statue then), he spun and wove by firelight. Whoa. Moments later, he went all Bobby Flay on us and cooked some fish on his rock grill (Lostpedia says it was a red herring…a cool tidbit). When the second guy showed up, I’m betting I’m not the only one who thought HE was Jacob (it was the beard). Once the Black Rock appeared and the conversation began, I was sure ONE of them was, anyway. By the end of the scene, we knew which one was, but the identity of the other remains a mystery. Can’t say I’m thrilled with that, but being frustrated over mystery on LOST seems kind of like being frustrated about the thrill you feel when you willingly get on a roller coaster!
Once we have established that Jacob seems to be able to control the actions of others and seems to exist outside of time (he brought the Black Rock to the island, apparently to prove that things will play out the same perpetually…except for the mysterious reference he made to “progress”), we see him make his rounds, clearly keeping an eye on those whose lives are tied to the island. We see Kate, Sawyer, and Juliet as children and I didn’t realize why it was those three until I just typed their names all together. They were uncomfortably chained to a table on the submarine together, broke out of it together, and stood against Jack and Jughead together…initially. They came around to see Jack’s view together (well, Sawyer allowed Juliet to run the show, but the ladies were genuinely convinced), and they all ended up at the mouth of the drilled hole that led down to the dreaded “pocket.” I’m guessing these three will have a lot of screen time in the beginning of season 6. What? You think Juliet is dead? Didn’t you watch the season 2 finale where Desmond turned the key and the sky went all purple and the hatch blew up? On this island, my friends, being at ground zero isn’t necessarily the end of the game!
Jacob also makes appearances at key moments in the lives of Jack, Sun & Jin, Locke, Hurley, Sayid, and Ilana. We see Jack’s first major surgery and pick up some history on the “count to five,” technique. We see Locke apparently resurrected by Jacob after being pushed out of the window that left him paralyzed. I always wondered how the heck he survived that fall, didn’t you? It seems, perhaps, that he didn’t. I loved this setup because it seemed to explain why Locke was alive on the island after being killed by Ben. That small window of satisfaction was then ripped away from us when we finally saw what was in the crate! We saw how Hurley came to be in possession of the guitar he carried on board Ajira 316, and we saw Nadia die. Even though we’ve seen that hit-by-a-car/bus/quarterback film technique a million times, now, I am still amazed by it. It seems to have replaced the cat leaping out of the dark as the quintessential guarantor of gasps! Back on point, Jacob touches or gives something to everyone he encounters. That physical contact was certainly played up as significant, making me wish it wasn’t going to be nine months of waiting to find out more about it.
Okay, so our love triangle of the season are out of the sub (one of the coolest escape scenes I think I’ve ever seen! I mean, who the heck escapes from a SUBMARINE?) and rushing off to stop Jack when Vincent comes running out of the jungle. Wait, what? Aren’t we in 1977? Oh, so that means Vincent must have time traveled, too. By the way, that was so clearly not the same dog actor, it was almost distracting as I was trying to process this scene. But, the moment Bernard and Rose showed up, I let that all go and just drank them in. Their peaceful hippie vibe made for an outstanding scene! We’re so accustomed to everyone being all dirty and sweaty and urgently running off to deal with some crisis and right in the middle of that we have this serenity that is just unshakable, even when the happy couple is told they’re about to die. Priceless! It did raise one question, though: How is it Rose and Bernard never had any problems with the Hostiles (was it because they were not a threat?) and how did they keep themselves in Dharma provisions? Okay, that was two questions. Any thoughts?
Drama, drama, drama while the core is removed from the bomb and carried through Dharmaville out to the Swan construction site. Sayid gets gut shot and there is a dramatic VW bus getaway that you just gotta love! Radzinsky continues to be way too intense and annoying and Pierre Chang is doing his darndest to stop the drilling. Once the bomb core is dropped down the drill hole (nice work covering Jack by the VW bus and the gang, by the way!), we get to watch the faces of Jack, Sawyer, Juliet and Kate up close and teary-eyed as they prepare to never have been to the island. Then, we get the anti-climax of the century as — well — nothing happens. But, a moment later, the pocket begins to suck metal and we watch “the incident” unfold.
Yea…Phil is dead by impaling! That guy was asking for it almost as much as Radzinsky and exactly as much as that annoying dude that was trying to steal Libby from Hurley and got it with a flaming arrow! Now, let me pause here and confess that I genuinely cried when Juliet was hanging on for dear life in that hole with Sawyer and Kate trying to save her. The eye contact between her and Sawyer and the stream of “I love you’s,” and “Don’t you leave me’s,” was actually stronger than the grip they had on one anothers’ hands. That Kate was present and desperately trying to be a part of that moment, but unable to touch either of them was poignant on a number of levels. This scene was EPIC in the same way as the two reunion scenes between Desmond and Penny (the one on the telephone in “The Constant,” and the one on her ship as the Oceanic 6 were rescued). That was just great television and there is just no arguing with that.
As creepy as her alien-eque stare can sometimes be, Elizabeth Mitchell deserves serious recognition for her acting prowess here. The scene where she recovers from her fall, momentarily panics, then causes the bomb core to detonate (another juicy tidbit from Lostpedia says she strikes it “8″ times) puts her on a par with Terry O’Quinn (Locke) and Michael Emerson (Ben) in my book. I’ve always been ambivalent about her as Juliet, but I think that feeling has made for the best characters on Lost. My hat’s off to her. And, now that she has won me over, I’m a bit sad to have read that she is already cast in a remake of the 1980’s schlock TV series, “V,” so there’s no telling if we will actually see her here again. I know, I said in the third paragraph that this whole episode set her up for season 6, but perhaps that’s not the case. I’m making this up as I go along, people!
Okay, before we talk about the sky going white and the awesome white ending title screen (oops…I guess I just did that), let’s go back to 2007 and the shadow of the statue. Ilana asks the now-famous question of Richard, who correctly responds in Latin, “”He who will protect/save us all.” Whatever that means. So, even as Jacob is being stabbed and burned to death inside the statue, Ilana is fulfilling her promise to “help” him by delivering Locke’s corpse to Richard as proof that the man who took Ben inside was not the man we thought he was. This leaves me wondering how this “helps,” since Jacob ends up dead, but there’s one more reason to tune in for season 6. The man we’ve thought was Locke is now revealed as the bearded man from the opening scene who expressed how badly he wanted to kill Jacob and vowed to find the loophole that would make it possible. Whatever that loophole actually is, I’m not sure, but this scene and the one where Juliet detonates the bomb seem to tell us definitively that whatever happened didn’t necessarily happen and time can be changed. Having said that, we have seen so many examples of “course correction,” that I’m currently of the opinion that there are major points that are non-negotiable but several possible ways to reach them. Whether the bomb was part of “the incident” or not, Chang loses the use of his let arm and the Swan station gets built and he goes on to make the Dharma station orientation films. If you haven’t noticed, watch The Swan orientation film to see that his left arm does not move:
No matter what Desmond does to stop it (or even step in as a replacement), Charlie dies. The Black Rock will land and the people on it will do bad things, though there may be some “progress” involved in the changing minor details. So, I’m guessing that either Oceanic 815 crashes no matter what, or these individuals who end up on the island will always end up there even if it’s on Ajira 316 or some other way. Hey, they’ve been touched by Jacob!
Entertainment Weekly’s Jeff “Doc” Jensen has been writing awesome pre- and post-episode articles here. I recommend signing up for the email alerts if you don’t already. He’s issued a call for your top 3 mysteries that MUST be answered before the series ends next season. There are still many unanswered questions and a few new ones just cropped up last night! But, see if you can get it down to three completely non-negociables — the ones that will make you feel like you just wasted 6 years of your life if they aren’t answered by the big wrap up. You can submit your responses this week at JeffJensenEW@aol.com, but be warned: His inbox fills up and stays filled up so you might have to try a dozen times and get bounced a dozen times before your message gets through. Your other alternative is to just post a comment here and we can keep it nice and cozy! Here are my three picks:
Who are the “Adam & Eve” skeletons found in the cave in season 1 and what is the significance of the black and white stones Jack found on them?
What is the smoke monster…and I want DETAILS!
Who/what is Jacob?
Of course, I want to know about everyone who doesn’t seem to be a “normal” human being, so I could cheat and make my questions more compound than they are, but these are the crucial ones. I’m very curious about the nature of Richard (”I am like this because of Jacob,”) and Christian Shepherd (is he also an enemy of Jacob taking the form of another person…or perhaps the same enemy?). I’m curious about the Hostiles in general (if they are truly “indiginous,” where did all of the Egyptian culture come from and why are they speaking Latin all the time?). Is Claire dead? Are dead people showing up a good thing or a bad thing? Is Desmond coming back to the island? Who are the new posse headed by Ilana that claim to be “the good guys,” just as Ben did is season 2? If the outcome is always the same, what ist here to war about and which is acutally the “right” side? Okay, let’s hear from you!
1 Corinthians 15:35 But someone will say, “How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come?” 36 Foolish one, what you sow is not made alive unless it dies. 37 And what you sow, you do not sow that body that shall be, but mere grain–perhaps wheat or some other grain. 38 But God gives it a body as He pleases, and to each seed its own body. 39 All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of animals, another of fish, and another of birds. 40 There are also celestial bodies and terrestrial bodies; but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. 41 There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory. 42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. 43 It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. 44 It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. 45 And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual. 47 The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven. 48 As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly. 49 And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man. 50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption.
51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed– 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”
Here, everyone. Just, here. I’m so revved up for this! Just bought Season 4 and lent my brother Season 3 so he can catch up in time for the Season 5 premier on January 21. More Island freshness!
Not a scripture today…but a hymn:
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see. T’was Grace that taught my heart to fear, and Grace, my fears relieved. How precious did that Grace appear…the hour I first believed. Through many dangers, toils and snares we have already come. T’was Grace that brought us safe thus far and Grace will lead us home. The Lord has promised good to me; His word my hope secures. He will my shield and portion be as long as life endures. When we’ve been here ten thousand years, bright shining as the sun, we’ve no less days to sing God’s praise than when we’ve first begun. Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now am found, was blind, but now, I see.
I don’t think I’ve ever been so hungry for fresh footage in all my days. I mean real, post-production, polished, juicy, fresh footage. You, too? Well, feast your eyes and ears, my darlings!
Aaaahhh! That’s better! I cannot wait for January 21!
Luke 15:4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’
Well, for any of you who don’t yet know (because I started this blog during the hiatus after Season 4, I am one enormous LOST fan! Oh, yes I am! I’m telling you right now, there are gonna be in-depth discussions of every single episode right here once the 2009 season starts. So, these ridiculously long breaks between seasons cause a very dry, barren feeling in my soul. Thankfully, my best friend Jill just emailed me the link to this wonderful ladel-full of sparkling spring water:
New images! Hints! It’s like a cheeseburger after a 5-month fast! I am so grateful! I am a happy, happy lady today!
Jeremiah 50:6 “My people have been lost sheep. Their shepherds have led them astray; They have turned them away on the mountains. They have gone from mountain to hill; They have forgotten their resting place. 7 All who found them have devoured them;
I reviewed the Fringe Pilot a few posts back. I was on the fence then, but anticipated sticking with Fox’s “New Hit Series,” for the first season. Now, I’m not so sure. Somehow, I managed to completely miss the second episode, but watched about half of it last night on Fringe Television - a pretty impressive website where full episodes are available for viewing without having to dowload a player. I only watched half because I had just finished watching the third episode, “Ghost Network,” and had really had enough for one night.
This episode opens exactly…and I mean exactly…like an “X-Files” episode. Same dark lighting, same something-really-spooky-is-about-to-go-down music, same ominous dialogue, same focus on a desperate character haunted by something supernatural, culminating in a big “What just happened?!” moment and then the first commercial break. That’s not officially a complaint, since it inspired a wonderfully nostalgic feeling and really sucked me in to the episode. On the other hand, the thought, “This feels just like an ‘X-Files’ episode opening ” repeated in my brain throughout the entire segment. So, maybe it is a complaint. In any case, I’ll get to the real complaints in a moment.
See, here’s the thing: If I’m going to invest myself in a new epic mythology television series (like “LOST” or “X-Files,” both of which I am enormously devoted to), there has to be a…well…a natural process. It’s like dating. If the guy shows up in his best suit, bearing a dozen long-stemmed roses and a Cartier watch, it’s not generally a good idea to presume this is what the entire relationship is going to be like. I mean, you wouldn’t marry that guy based on that first impression, would you? I hope you wouldn’t. Your mama raised you better than that, didn’t she? No, you’d spend time with that guy and get to know him and, if you’re both fortunate, love would grow. Granted, I fell head over heels for “LOST,” at episode 1 (It had me at “hello”), but that’s just what kept me coming back for more. And, it never once disappointed. I mean, not once. Some might disagree, but I have never experienced a let-down with any episode.
But, if that guy showed up for the first date in his best suit, but still had bits of tissue stuck to shaving nicks on his face and his socks were two different colors, maybe you’d try to overlook that to give the actual person behind the faux pas a chance…but you’d be leery. And, “Fringe” had me leery from the start. I’m often turned off when I can see stagecraft. It is easy to see “Fringe” trying very hard to show us how much it is “just like” its predecessors…trying to convince us that we should put it in the same pantheon and not evaluate it for ourselves. Did those other two series’ do that? They didn’t have to. See where I’m going with this? And, the careful plotting of a mythology in a television series is really starting to get old for me. As a device to gain a faithful audience from the outset, I think it also has the potential do alienate those who are not blown away by the first few episodes. You can claim the episodes stand alone for casual viewers until the cows come home, but I’m not sure you can really have it both ways here. A show like “Fringe” is after the superfan demographic. And, well, I just don’t think I have enough room in my heart for another series.
Sure, the production values are extremely slick, the characters are all well-cast and engaging, and those symbols (or glyphs) are intriguing. (To see hi-resolution images of each glyph and a brief description, visit the Fringepedia.) But, when I started to see the tiny little Easter Eggs being logged at Fringe Television here, my brain just short-circuited. Not again! It was a great ride with “LOST,” and eagerly anticipate Season 5 and the new nuggets it will bring to my over-active, analytical brain, but how much of this can one really tolerate in one’s diet? I’m talking about tiny things…like a brief shot of a dusty old car in a dark garage with the logo modified from “MG” to “MD,” referring to “Massive Dynamics,” the big, mysterious corporation. Come on! And, I’m still not complaining yet!
Let’s get to the actual episode, because I see I’m ranting just a bit. Focus, woman! Focus! Here are the glyphs that appeared during the breaks in “Ghost Network:”
Episode 103 Glyphs
This episode centered on Roy McCohn, a guy with metal in his blood (put there 20 years previously by Dr. Bishop, who is now receiving transmitted thought over a “spectrum” supposedly unknown to anyone except Dr. Bishop and his old lab buddy “Belly.” Roy sees things that are about to happen…terrible things…because he’s picking up the intentions of others who have, apparently, discovered this spectrum of thought waves…this ghost network. I just know the writers wanted to call it a “Psychic Network,” but I think they would have either had to get permission fro Dionne Warwick or given her a guest spot or something. The opening segment was awesome and the scene that greeted us on the other side of the commercial break was equally so: a bus full of dead people frozen in place by a silicon-based substance like - as Dr. Bishop put it, “mosquitos in amber.” Nice. If they could have kept up that level of eloquence and intrigue for the entire hour, they might have had me.
But, in the very next scene, we’ve got Dr. Bishop and his son Peter sitting in a diner. When Peter gets up from the table and his cell phone, left on the table, vibrates, the good doctor is mystified by it. He later says to Peter, “It was moving. I stopped it.” Okay, for a guy who’s been locked up in a mental institution for 17 years, I can actually accept that. But, remember how I complained about how familiar he was with the computers he used in the pilot? In this episode, he confidently asks to “view axial images,” during an MRI of poor old Roy, even though he lets us know he’s never seen an MRI machine before, and he later makes a reference to satellite television. These inconsistencies in his knowledge base just say “sloppy” to me. Don’t try to tell me this is because he’s crazy or anything like that. If you’re trying to be “LOST,” or “X-Files,” then you need to put that same kind of devotion in to the internal consistency and maybe stop spending so much time changing car logos. You know what I’m sayin’?
And, apparently the writers felt there wasn’t enough quirkiness in the house. It suddenly became necessary to have a piano brought to the lab because piano music helps Dr. Bishop focus. We learn that he and Peter both play very well…setting up yet another contrivance we will surely see more of…much, much more of. I also know I can count on every episode to have these elements:
A confrontation between Agent Dunham and Special Agent Broyles
A flirtation between Agent Dunham and Peter Bishop
A big lab experiment
A weird Dr. Bishop moment
A Massive Dynamics scene with creepy Nina Sharp
A chase and a takedown featuring Agent Dunham
The formula is already smelling a bit musty to me.
But, because I want to give credit where it is due, there are a couple of humorous moments that are genuinely engaging and smart. At the start of an experiment on poor Roy involving drilling right into his brain and monitoring his responses to pictures shown to him, the door to the Harvard basement lab is knocked upon, making the characters…and me, in this case, jump. Agent Olivia Dunham answers and we see two students who ask, “Is this Poli-Sci 101?” Her response? A straight-faced, “Not remotely.” Good one.
I may become a “casual viewer,” but I’m sure not changing any plans to be sure I see every episode. I’ve given my heart twice to series’ before. That’s enough for this old girl. You follow your own heart, but guard it well!
Romans 16:25 Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began 26 but now has been made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures has been made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith– 27 to God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen.
Here is some fan footage of the filming of a “LOST” Season 5 episode, just posted today by YouTube user “thelostvault.” If you have trouble viewing today (September 17), it may be because YouTube is going to conduct some maintenance at 6:00 p.m. EST. Try again!
The video is just over 8 and a half minutes long and features Desmond (Henry Ian Cusick) at a marina with some Asian characters we have not seen before. I must confess, I am so desperately starved for new “LOST” images that I was willing to sit through the inane and obnoxious (and incessant) chattering of the people with the video camera in order to soak in the view. You, however, would be well advised to simply turn your volume down and spare yourself.
If you’re a Desmond fan, you’ll get to see him stand around, sweat, jump rope, smile, and actually film several takes of a brief shot in which he yells variations of, “Hey, Penny! We’re here!” Ah, but where, exactly is here? (Cue spooky “LOST” note). Oh, and if you sit through the whole thing, you’re rewarded with a cool shot of what I believe is a baracuda that also crashed the set.
I just wanted to be among the first to blog it. I love “LOST.”
Ezekiel 34:2 Woe to the shepherds of Israel who only take care of themselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock? 3 You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock. 4 You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally. 5 So they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild animals. 6 My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. They were scattered over the whole earth, and no one searched or looked for them.
Look, I’m a busy woman. I know a silly blog like this might not support such a bold statement, but really, I am. So, I do my best not to attach myself to series television. My DVR is full of “Colbet Report” and “Dog Whisperer,” episodes that I get to watch at the rate of about 1 to every 7 recorded. Then, I delete a bunch of them when the thing gets full to make room for more stuff I probably won’t get to see. But, one thing I have been utterly and completely faithful to from Day 1 is “LOST.” I watch live, in Hi-Def, and record it anyway…usually to watch again just before the new episode airs. My friends and family spend a lot of time shaking their heads (and, occasionally plugging their ears) when I float my theories, straighten them out on details they missed, or fill them in on back-stories they probably don’t care about. My sister comes over for the watching parties sometimes, but confesses, “I have no idea what’s going on, but Sawyer is hot!” All of this is by way of explaining why I chose to tune in for “Fringe,” last night (it actually aired the night before last, but I had to DVR it…I do choose actual life over virtual most of the time). J. J. Abrams was involved, it was touted as “the most anticipated series of the year,” and that was all I needed. Somehow, I knew I would be disappointed, but I had to see for myself. I ran out and got my “Cloverfield,” ticket opening weekend like a good fan, too. But, that’s another story.
For those of you who have not yet seen the pilot episode (which re-airs on FOX Sunday at 9:00 p.m.), let me just say this:
SPOILER ALERT * SPOILER ALERT * SPOILER ALERT
Fringe Symbols - What Can They Mean?
Let me start out with the positive, because I’m going to get cranky in a few minutes. While Entertainment Weekly’s Gary Sussman disagrees, I really, really, really liked the cool, 3-D titles that sit right inside the establishing shots. It hasn’t been done in television before, and I always appreciate innovation. It also establishes the personality of the show…something that worked extremely well for “LOST” fans like me was connecting with the audio cues that left no question that we were “on the island” for the next hour. This visual cue worked for me, too. But, hey, whenever I hear The Who anymore, I think I’m in a CSI episode, so do with this what you will.
Having a series back on the air that deals with the paranormal in a slick and - at least pseudo - scientific way is also a good thing in my impression. I miss “The X-Files.” A lot. There are clear tips of the hat here, though I don’t think any show will ever top that one except “LOST.” If I see one more vampire series get on the air, I might have to move to Mongolia. And, all of these shows where dead people keep hanging around to chat or “real” ghost hunters freak themselves out with night-vision cameras have bored me to a state far worse than tears. So, even if the execution falls short for me, the attempt at engaging our minds was appreciated.
Having a complicated mythology for those who are looking for something to sink their teeth into is a big part of what makes television worth watching for me. So, Abrams lets us know right off the bat that there is a lot of that in store for us. There are the symbols pictured above (plus a frog, a seahorse, and a daisy, I think) that beckoned to us just before the commercial breaks, the hint at “The Pattern,” (which is clearly the concept the whole series orbits around) and the discussion in the final scene about how law enforcement has been rendered “obsolete,” by “corporations who have higher clearance than us.” Seems juicy enough to hang around for…at least in the short term.
So, why the hesitance, you ask? Well, I’ll tell you.
I can feel myself being manipulated here much more than I ever did with either “The X-Files,” or “LOST.” There’s the opening scene on the plane…a plane? Really? Did you have to start out with something so very obvious? I mean, a bus would have worked just as well here. Or a train. Don’t you think? I’m very much hoping a (very near) future episode offers some justification for why it had to be a plane. Otherwise, I’m ticked off right at the outset. A pair of FBI agents that clearly have an attraction to each other (though they didn’t wait 9 seasons to do anything about it this time)? And, when’s the last time you saw one of those trippy isolation tanks used in combination with large doses consciousness-altering drugs? Heck, when’s the last time you saw one at all? That’s right, it was the movie, “Altered States.” So, how did I feel when I saw that film’s star, Blair Brown, make her appearance as someone that is clearly going to be a regular character? Well, kinda nauseous, actually. And, finally, giving the kingpin role to a “LOST” character (Lance Reddick, who plays Matthew Abaddon on “LOST,” and Homeland Security Agent Phillip Broyles here) just confused me. Won’t he be coming back to my favorite show for Season 5? Can fans of both handle him playing two major roles at the same time? I’m seriously scratching my head over that one.
There are some extraordinarily unlikely events in the pilot. Before you can tell me this is a show about the paranormal, let me say that’s not what I’m talking about. I mean, there are some things you just expect more from Abrams on. For instance, lead character Olivia Dunham (who tells us her name about 150 times in the first 10 minutes, and is played by Anna Torv) ping pongs between girlish smiles and a not-quite-believable tough chick who barks orders at everyone from her assistant to her boss, and has apparently mastered the expression one makes when something in the room smells really bad. See for yourself.
What's rotting in here?
The first unlikely thing she does is fly to Iraq and threaten her co-star’s character (Peter Bishop played by Joshua Jackson) with an FBI file about him that does not exist. She hints at things that sound dark and ominous…things that convince him to go with her against his will. I can understand the audience being duped by this since we haven’t got a clue who this guy is yet, but heck…he knows who he is! When he later finds out there was no file (which would logically mean there was nothing to hold over his head, which would logically mean her threats shouldn’t have scared him), he’s not even a little miffed. In fact, they seem to bond over that little revelation. Go figure.
Next, she somehow manages to make a laboratory in the basement of a Harvard building that has been shut down for 17 years fully functional in about an hour. That kind of deviciveness insults me. The man she loves and is obviously willing to do anything for is laying on a table with his translucent skin for most of the episode while she clearly cultivates a mutual attraction with this guy she is supposed to despise, but desperately needs. The locked eyes, the knowing smiles…what the heck? And, here’s the topper for me. While I might be able to suspend my disbelief for the sake of a show of this nature when she actually submits to the experiment in the isolation tank (which involves having a large amount of psychotropic drugs injected into her, a probe attached to the back of her neck with barbs that clearly hurt, and the isolation tank), I cannot go along for the ride when she leaps out of there, receives the antidote and then - moments later - is chasing the guy with the answers she needs across roof tops, leaping off of fire escapes, landing on dumpsters, and not showing even the slightest sign of a dizzy spell. I couldn’t do that stuff on my best day! She just got out of an isolation tank, for the love of Pete!
The other major unlikelihood I couldn’t get comfortable with was Dr. Bishop’s prowess with computer equipment that didn’t exist when he left the scientific arena. He’s been locked in a mental institution for 17 years and doesn’t know that his former lab partner has gone on to become the head of a major corporation, but those wide screen flat monitors and keyboards don’t even give him pause. He’s watching “Spongebob Squarepants” with fascination on an old tv, but makes the transition to cutting edge technology with inexplicable ease.
I’ll probably end up watching the pilot again since my husband and son haven’t seen it yet and I did set the series up to record. Will I stick with it? By the promos, I’m guessing I’ll give up by the end of the first season unless something really outstanding happens. I’m half hoping that doesn’t happen. I don’t need another series in my life and “LOST” has my heart!
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Luke 24:2 But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. 3 Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. 5 Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but is risen!
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