Photos
Video
RSS
Twitter'Lost': Amenable for coercion
Boone and polar bears and sweat lodges. Oh my -- but did it really add up to a whole lot?
I'm not sure it did. After two really strong episodes of Lost to start the season, the return of Locke and his fellow hatch-implosion survivors didn't really bring itself up to that level. Mostly, I blame the sweat lodge.
The initially mute Locke decided he had to go into a trance to figure out what the hell to do next, now that he's seen the consequences of his latest crisis of faith. Fine, but his vision, despite the presence of Ian Somerhalder, didn't really tell us anything new. Of course Locke has to go find Eko, and then set off after Jack, Kate and Sawyer. It's what he does.
The flashback was mildly interesting in that it deepened our understanding some of just how far Locke is willing to go to find a sense of family and a set of beliefs. And a gun-stockpiling, pot-growing commune way up in the far reaches of Northern California is pretty far. But it wasn't hard to figure out Eddie was a cop, and that John wouldn't really "fix" that little problem.
"Further Instructions" wasn't a complete loss, though, thanks largely to Hurley and Desmond. The two provided some welcome lightness to the episode, and the chief bit of weirdness too, with Desmond's foreknowledge of Locke's call to action. Plus, hey, polar bear! (Which, I think we can safely say, was a former tenant in Sawyer's current digs.)
Not sure how I feel about the way the show introduced Rodrigo Santoro and Kiele Sanchez -- two crash survivors we've not met till now. I suppose it makes sense, though, that they'd know everyone's name and wonder what the hell was going on, just like the rest of us.
The end of the episode (including the rather intense teaser for next week) also gave me some hope for the remaining three episodes in the season-opening batch. The producers have promised a fairly large cliffhanger in episode six, before the show's long hiatus to make room for Day Break. I was beginning to worry that they weren't covering enough storytelling ground to get there, but Locke's speech would seem to set up a rescue mission in the coming weeks. That could allow the show to get back on its game.
So, fellow Lostafarians, did you think as well that tonight's episode was a bit of a letdown after such a good start? Or am I smoking some of that greenhouse weed?
Post a comment
Zap2it Twitter Talk 
You are without a doubt smoking the greenhouse weed.
The vision Locke had did give a little knowledge, in that when he looked at Claire and Charlie, Boone said they were safe "For now." I believe he said that about someone else. I won't go over everything that this little vision showed, but I noticed several things of interest in it.
I found this episode far more interesting and intense compared to the first two. Every critic goes on and on about the season premiere being the best episode since the pilot... in reality almost everyone else, either on the internet, or people I know... have said that the premiere was a huge letdown, that the second episode was much better... granted, I loved the first two, but this episode brought back the Locke of old, set up that Desmond now has powers from the hatch (It appears they are basically the same powers as the painter in Heroes.) Seeing into the future should prove rather interesting... plus it appears that Eko may have something going on with him as well, I'm not saying powers like Desmond's, but something interesting non the less.
And then of course it set up a rescue mission, and now Locke as the leader of the camp. (which is pretty obvious the direction they're going in with the remarks about Lockes speech being so good.)
This episode was filled with good stuff, the flashback was interesting as well... but yes I will agree that you could see Eddie a mile away as a police officer. I still find it interesting that Locke would join a commune. His next flashback episode should, one, show how he became paralyzed, and two, what happened after he let that officer go. I think this episode set up a ton, and to me, had far more going on in it that the previous two episodes.
I'm sorry, but the first two episodes were BORING compared to tonight's. Locke reconnected with Charlie. We found where the polar bears appear to live (with it, the fate of at least one Pearl member, and likely setting up the location of the Flame). Eko's stick died. The church area was finally made useful. Desmond became a precog. Locke became HIMSELF again. What happened in the first two eps of the season? We found out Henry's real name, the boat got stolen, and Sawyer got beat up for the 15 millionth time. "Further Instructions" did the one thing the first two episodes failed to do: it was part of the island. Sure, in a technical sense, "Gl*** Ballerina" was on the island, but it might as well taken place entirely in Candyland for all it mattered. The show isn't all about Jack, Kate, and Sawyer, it's about this community of survivors on this island. I'd say they lost their way harder by dwelling ONLY on those three people in the first two eps than in a whole season of button pressing.
Noticable are all the things deleted from the final product tonight. Locke's "I missed this" line when going into the cave; his drawing of some guy's face on the pad to Charlie; Paolo and Nikki getting it on in Jack's tent... Did having an extra week to work on this episode cause the show's crew to overthink those little details?
I totally agree with you. I didnt find tonights epi to be as strong as the first 2.
Tonight's episode, as well as the previous two, SUCKED. This show has been absolutely de****able this season.
I wouldn't say de****aple but I do have to admit for me and my group of friends, the show has gone down a bit. It's just not holding our interest anymore and I can't put my finger on why. Might be the lack of answers, might be the slow start this season... I don't know but for us it's just not the LOST we loved in its first season.
Best episode of the season so far. Bring back old hunter Locke and polar bears!!.
I give the War of the World's kid being a cop was something everybody saw coming but, Desmond's foreknowledge??? DUDE, AWESOME!!!
(Lindelof and Cuse told something about playing with the concept of time, so I guess this is what they were talking about).
The pacing of this episode seemed off. The Locke flashback didn't really add much to the character. It seems like the writers are forcing the flashbacks, rather then letting them occur organically. I think there's enough happening on the island that they could skip a few flashbacks and no one would notice.
I totally agree with Anson. "Best episode of the season so far". I am a huge fan and would not miss any episode. And I love all of them because this series is is a different time frame than regular predictable series, so you will understand the relevance later. I promise you. Just keep an open mind and why are you so eager to want to know things now! This show is not about WYSIWYG. Typical of tthis society's instant gratification thinking..."THINK", this show wants you to use your head.
MA MA MIA dudes. "Use your heads".
AWESOME!!! (Lindelof and Cuse) keep it up guys and thanks.
I totally agree with Anson. "Best episode of the season so far". I am a huge fan and would not miss any episode. And I love all of them because this series is is a different time frame than regular predictable series, so you will understand the relevance later. I promise you. Just keep an open mind and why are you so eager to want to know things now! This show is not about WYSIWYG. Typical of tthis society's instant gratification thinking..."THINK", this show wants you to use your head.
MA MA MIA dudes. "Use your heads".
AWESOME!!! (Lindelof and Cuse) keep it up guys and thanks.
Finally a vintage episode. Anybody else notice the bio hazard suit in the PB cave - Kelvin's remains?? Also what was with the Tonka Truck - implies kids were also victims. Maybe now that Desmond is "helping himself" (as stated by Boone) he will be an ***et to the group. He did after all stare down his cowardice in the closer last year.
Cant believe only 1 more week then it goes into hibernation for the remake of GroundHog Day.