The Televangelist: ‘Lost’ episode 8
March 5, 2009 at 12:27 pm by Allison Keene in A&E
NO SHIRT, NO SHOES: At your service
What if the Dharma years of “Lost” had its own spin-off? The U.S. version of “Life on Mars” may not have worked out, but the ’70s were so far out man why not try again, can you dig? This week’s episode felt so out of time and so far removed from where we’ve been the past few weeks (with the Last Days of Bentham and the O6 Reunion Tour), it was nice that the episode was still peppered with familiar tidbits from the future past: the sonic fence, Horace, Richard, Dharma Merlot.
Three years forward and 30 years back, the island has stopped skipping and those on it find themselves in the land of Dharma. As Faraday explains, “The record is spinning again, we’re just not on the song we want.” The Misfits (Sawyer, Juliet, Jin, the Ghost Whisperer Miles, Faraday) immediately cause trouble by offing two Hostiles in the midst of an afternoon picnic that ends up as a mini-massacre. Though James “I used to lie for a living” Sawyer/LaFleur schmoozes his way into Dharma’s good graces (and also Horace’s … remember him?), Richard comes back to ask about his lost men, assuming Horace and company have broken the truce. Sawyer, using his time-traveling knowledge of Locke and the Jughead, convinces Richard that he’s not his enemy … but also not his friend. One would think Richard would be a little more interested in these revelations, but as far as we know, all he wants is slain Dharma employee Paul’s body to do who knows what with. OK then.
Beyond that, we learn that all of the Misfits have partially new names, new occupations, and a new life as Dharma members. We don’t yet know why they didn’t leave the island two weeks after Richard’s visit (as Horace told them they must). We do know it was a darn tootin’ good thing they stayed, since Jack, Hurley and Kate return three years later to give a nice little view halloo. One can assume at this point that the flash/disappearances from the plane sent the O3 and Friends back into the past, so does that mean Locke and his new friends are in the present?
In relationship news, looks like the Juliet-Sawyer ship has set a course, and for three blissful years there were no thoughts of Kate (huzzah!). And then … “Is three years enough time to get over someone?” I hope so. Kate and Juliet both rank pretty low popularity-wise among my fan friends, but then again, the guys on the show don’t really have many ladies to choose from, do they? Although I would have loved to see Sawyer and Jin strike up a little “Perfect Strangers” bromance on the compound.
This episode was all about setup. With so much foundation, I’m expecting a large payout in the coming weeks leading up to the finale.
Two Weeks from Now (??): More divisiveness among the group as some become Dharma folk and others becomes Hostiles. Be warned: Ben is Watching!
Musings and Miscellanea:
- As “Lost” is prone to do, it’s divided our original cast up again in new ways — those in the present and those in the past — and within that, more factions. “Lost” may be good at splitting the group, but it’s even better with reunions. Who’s excited for when Locke catches up with Ben?
- Juliet (the grease monkey?) finally delivers a baby! Will Juliet lose every man she’s loved to Kate? Honestly.
- Per usual, Sawyer gets all the best lines: “Are they Hostiles? What, you guys don’t know each other?”
- Miles really hasn’t used his “powers” in awhile … they seem pretty useless right about now.
- Sawyer was wholly domesticated in this episode … almost too clean. I was digging the glasses, though.
- Admittedly, Faraday was a little creepy with the baby Charlotte thing.
- “I want to go talk to your buddy out there with the eyeliner.” So meta! Seriously, Nestor Carbonell just has dark eyelashes, guys. It’s not part of some “he’s an Egyptian and this is Atlantis” conspiracy … or is it?
- Hey! it’s Herc from “Friday Night Lights” and that creepy guy from “Mad Men” and Mullholland Drive as Dharma lackeys making polar bear references!
- Are you guys looking forward to more Skate, Jate or whatever relationship drama is likely to come? I, for one, am over it. More Faraday!
(Photo courtesy darkufo.blogspot.com)
March 5th, 2009 at 2:18 pm
me thinks that charlotte might be daniel’s sister. not creepy.
March 5th, 2009 at 2:27 pm
what?? how do you figure
March 5th, 2009 at 10:24 pm
Giant omission: We for a moment see the four-toed statue. Sure, there still isn’t an explanation for it but at least we know the writers haven’t forgotten about how it’s confused the hell out of us.
March 5th, 2009 at 10:58 pm
Yeah, I should have put that in my “stray thoughts” section. It was so random I didn’t know what to do with it! But I am glad it’s still around and that we’ll probably learn about it at some point. Clearly Nicki and Paolo are the answer (cough)
March 6th, 2009 at 4:43 pm
I like this four-toed statue theory from The Vulture: “Another good guess would be Horus, Egyptian god of the sun (and of war?). There are some good arguments for him being the best candidate, the first being that this episode had a whole lot of ‘Horace’ in it to begin with.”