'Lost': The Other Woman

Normally, I hear "Juliet flashback" and start breakdancing with Lost joy. So when I learned originally that I'd get a Juliet-centric AND a new Dharma station, let's just say I popped AND locked in the week leading up to it. And yet, what we got was merely a solid, not mind-blowing, episode. Does the episode hold up free of the burden of expectation, or does it still suffer in comparison to the rest of Season 4's high quality of episodes? Let's find out.

I remember thinking quite clearly, the night this episode aired, "I feel really lucky to be alive to witness this." It's hyperbole, of course, since it's just a television show, but it was also one of the most creative and emotional piece of popular culture I'd ever witnesses. And so it meant both nothing and EVERYTHING at the same time, and generally left me in awe of Lost (again) and privileged to have a forum in which I can discuss the show.

I think if there were a Top Ten list of places I'd least like to visit, Eggtown would have to be somewhere on that list. It's a place where little of interest happens, and what does happen stretches credulity to its absolute limit. While I'm not a Kate hatah, no Kate-centric ep has ever thrilled me. Or even particularly interested me. And this is the worst one of all. Hang in there, Lost fans. We're one ep away from greatness. We just gotta get through this one first.

Oh, Sayid: such a badass character, such mediocre flashbacks. Would his flash forwards be any less lame? The answer: only slightly, thanks to one of the great cliffhangers in Lost history.

Even though this is only an hour-long episode, this is one of my longer recaps, people. And if I'm warning you ahead of time, you know that I must be telling the truth. If you take public transportation to and from work, as I do, print this bad boy out and read it on the way. Then again, in this economy, maybe you should save yourself the ink and just read it onscreen. But trust me, Lost fans: it's worth getting through, as buried in here is the answer to everything that's going to happen in Season 5, beyond, and behind as well. Don't worry: it'll all make sense by the end. Maybe.

Season 4: by most fans' count, the best of the seasons to date. But do they say that because it truly IS the best, or simply because it's the most recent? Keep that in mind as we pore through these final thirteen episodes in the We Have to Go Back series. I myself think it's indeed the strongest, but I'm trying to keep an open mind as I start the last leg of this long, Lost journey.

As promised, the wife and I put together a podcast to commemorate finishing the Season 3 leg of the We Have to Go Back project. We don't do podcasts in the traditional fashion. Many podcasters have private studios, specialized equipment, and spend hours prepping their material beforehand. Whereas we sit down, pour the wine, and I pray she doesn't punch me as I spout out another Lost theory that makes little no sense to anyone but myself.

It's mailbag time, y'all. I'm here to answer your Lost-related questions as we take a short break in the We Have to Go Back series before heading into the homestretch of a series that started way back in June. How time flies when you're writing 80+ rehashes, eh? As always, these are real questions asked by real readers. No artificial ingredients here, people.

Here we are, Lost fans. The episode that, like Charles Widmore, changed the rules. It's both the literal and figurative midpoint for the series. Season 4 felt NOTHING like what came before it, and we have the revelations contained within this episode to thank for that. Find a comfy seat, kids: this is a long one. Even for me. I know. Fear all that click "Continue reading."

Charlie Pace. Has-been rocker, cleaned-up druggie, would-be baptizer: this is your life! The first and only Charlie-centric episode of Season 3, it's also the finest Charlie-centric episode in Lost history. Then again, that's slightly faint praise, as almost anything would be better than him throwing up in a copier. That being said, there's nothing faint in my praise of this episode, which provided wonderful character moments and arranged the pieces for the mind-blowing season finale.