The Televangelist: ‘Lost’ episode 9
March 19, 2009 at 11:20 am by Allison Keene in movies & tv, the televangelist
YOU HEARD RIGHT: I'm in charge now.
Namaste, recruits! After a long two weeks “Lost” was back last night in an episode lacking in focus but full of small, fan-pleasing moments. To begin at the beginning: We returned to the plane crash, this time from the point of view of the other Others (Planies?), who mysteriously include Sun. After not quite crash-landing on the island, Lapidus gives a half-hearted attempt to organize the passengers, but allows Caesar to play that role as he follows Sun who’s following a shifty Ben.
Turns out, the plane landed on one of the satellite islands — one where our Losties were held hostage in season three. Ben, Lapidus and a newly badass Sun take a boat to the island proper, which is not in 1977 where the Oceanic Four landed, but in present day. After a cameo appearance by Old Smokey, Christian Shepherd emerges from the shadows to reveal that the folks they seek are actually in the past.
One plot down, several to go. As mentioned, last night’s episode didn’t set its sights on one character arc in particular, instead keeping a wide scope on all the new groupings. Whereas the Sun-Ben-Lapidus plot might have taken up an entire episode of its own in seasons past, last night it was barely a footnote in this filler-sode. I say filler not in a “Jack’s Tattoos” way, but in that it literally filled in some gaps in island mythology (specifically Dharma-related). In doing so, it also uncovered the further significance of characters from the past (including Radinsky and, holy horrors, Ethan!), tying it in with our main characters’ present. As the cinematography showcased the island’s dramatic and varied scenery, so too did the plot take us to all all the hills and valleys of our characters new situations.
Back in 1977, we now have Old Dharma (Radinsky, Horace, all those people who are actually from 1977), New Dharma (Juliet, Sawyer, Jin, Miles), Assimilated Dharma (Jack, Kate, Hurley) and non-Assimilated Dharma (rogue badass Sayid). Each group enjoyed various couplings of shared screen time without any obvious agenda beyond general explication. Now that everyone’s back on the island in one way or another, in one year or another, it’s necessary to have one episode where we pause to see exactly how they’re all fitting together. As I’ve said in the past, “Lost” is great at dividing the groups in new ways. Next week we’ll see how those divides start settling in and affecting the relationships among the characters. And ultimately, what those relationships mean in regards to the fate of the island.
The episode was a distracted one, hindered by what felt like an unusual amount of commercial breaks. No character spoke for more than five or six lines without being interrupted for ads. Maybe it just felt that way because each return from a commercial found us in a completely different place. till, plenty of great moments, which I’ll get to below.
Next week: The Purge? Certainly an episode set to Sayid’s Adventure Theme music. In romantic news, Juliet appears to tell Kate to GTFO. Let’s hope she listens.
Musings and Miscellanea:
- I really enjoyed the few minutes when I was certain Juliet had left Kate’s name off the manifest to send her ultra-buff arms back to the mainland. Oh well. Although for Jack, “Based on your aptitude test, you’ll be doing janitorial work” — you know Sawyer was behind that.
- “Dude, your English got good.” Oh Hurley, voice of the fans. What would we do without you?
- My UGA-fan friends made a big deal of Hurley wearing what turns out to be Sawyer’s UGA hoodie from a spoiler pic released a few weeks ago. 1. Um … Hurley and Sawyer can wear the same clothes? and 2. Isn’t Sawyer from Tennessee? Where did they get those clothes from anyway? Do people go shopping on the mainland for them?
- Lapidus: “I came over here on a boat full of commandos whose only responsibility was to kill you.” Ben: “How did that work out for everyone?” I love me some Beny.
- Great Moment Alert: Juliet cooing over the baby only to find it was Ethan, which changed her expression to mild disgust, was classic. You know for a second she thought, “How do I kill him?” Was Sayid thinking the same thing when he met young Ben? Poll: Would you eat a sandwich Ben gave you?
- “I ain’t here to play Nostradamus.” I used to be 100 percent on Team Jack, but I’m really feeling Sawyer being in charge for a change. Speaking of Jack, was anyone else digging that 1970s outfit he had on?
- So Faraday is here but gone … I can’t wait to find out what that means! And when are we getting that promised Richard backstory? All classic episodes to come!
- Holy Dharma station, it’s Dr. Chang in the flesh!
(Photo courtesy ABC.com)
March 19th, 2009 at 12:26 pm
Great post, Allison. Definitely an enjoyable episode. To me the 2 biggest questions that came from that episode are ‘why is Sun in a different time than the rest of the O6?’ and ‘where in the universe is Faraday??’
I know they’re trying to set-up a great reunion moment of Sun and Jin (probably the season finale, awwww) but they better accompany it with an explanation better than ‘the island wanted it that way’. If that is all I get then Darlton better keep an eye out for an oar-wielding, balding maniac.
Need me some Faraday. Clearly he was with them long enough to come up with some “interesting” theories as to their 1970’s situation but now he is gone. Personally, I think he took a desert vacation compliments of the donkey wheel. I think he knows where the donkey wheel is located based on the opening scene of the season. Perhaps he thinks he can change some of the rules and will try to go back in the past to save the mask..er, Charlotte. Who knows.
Last thing, did anybody else notice the young lady behind Sun’s shoulder while Sun was talking with Christian in the Dharmaville house? I had to rewind to make sure I saw a person but sure enough somebody is there. Claire, perhaps?
March 19th, 2009 at 1:25 pm
was that the smoke monster that they saw from the pier? that’s what i said, but was shot down.
i like kate, but then again, i’m a relative newcomer, so maybe i missed all the business that would have me hating on her.
Go Dawgs!
March 19th, 2009 at 1:56 pm
Any UGA reference is probably courtesy of Josh Holloway, who attended the school for a year.
In a way, Pierre Chang is my favorite ‘Lost’ character. I don’t necessarily want to see a whole show about him, but I want him to have an at least marginal appearance in every episode.
BTW, what’s the deal with Jack’s dead father? Seeing as how he can pick up framed photographs, he’s awfully corporeal for a friendly ghost.
Maybe next week we’ll find out why Sayid is in handcuffs.
March 19th, 2009 at 4:26 pm
And BTW, where in the universe is Desmond? I think Sayid’s handcuffs are connected to him in some way.
I missed the Claire possibility, but given that she’s popped up a few times like that, I wouldn’t be surprised. And where is Aaron? This episode showed some of the trouble of having a main cast of 35 people. As always Els, excellent points!
Debbie – I for sure thought it was Old Smokey from the pier. There were the whispers and that odd machine-like sound. You smack down whoever denies the power of the smoke monster!
Curt – one theory I read awhile back was that jacob/the smoke monster could possibly inhabit corpses? In which case I suppose he could pick stuff up. He did have the lantern a few eps ago as well. Of course at the same time it IS Christian … I can’t wait to find out that particular part of the island’s mythology. I agree too about Dr. Change. Referencing him in passing is really enough, but also pretty great
March 19th, 2009 at 4:44 pm
I’d be surprised if that weird presence over Sun’s shoulder wasn’t just a production gaffe. It seems too easy to miss that for it to be important. I’d be even more surprised, though, if Cuse and Lindelof didn’t incorporate it into the story now that every Lost fan in the world has obsessed over it all day.
March 26th, 2009 at 10:37 pm
It’s Charlotte not Claire lurking behind Sun.