In the years and decades to come, how will Kiele Sanchez and Rodrigo Santoro be treated at Lost-Cons? Heck, will they even bother to show up? Tough to say, although time heals most wounds. Needless to say, were there a Lost convention today, with each Lost actor at an individual table, not many would be lining up to get the autographs of Nikki and Paulo. (They'd be fighting for Shortest Line Duty with Michelle Rodriguez, I fear.) But hey, I'm not here to posit the crowd psychology at a fictional geek-fest: I'm here to talk about the life and death of two of Lost's most infamous characters.

The two Locke/Ben-centric episodes of Season 3 (this and "The Man Behind the Curtain") are my two favorite episodes of the year not named "Through the Looking Glass." The show simply struck gold with this combination of characters and actors, and when it's just the two of them onscreen, every scene just sizzles. Sure, we'd see plenty of scenes involving the two of them inside the Swan, but starting with this episode, the tension between these two characters went to the next level. As did Lost itself.

With Season 4 putting Claire back into central importance, episodes such as this provide Lost fans with an opportunity to see what important clues the show might have buried about her part in the shape of things to come. Between the identity of her father and the mysterious circumstances surrounding her car accident, there's a lot to chew on. While her on-Island actions are more than a bit lacking, the flashbacks take on potentially new significance. Let's get into it!

So maybe you weren't a fan of "Tricia Tanaka is Dead." So maybe you're sick of slow mythological progression. So maybe you're dying to find a new hatch. Well, have Darlton produced just the ep for you! This episode of Lost is the first that bears the unmistakable marks of, "We know the finish line now, so we can start doling out all the answers we've been holding onto all this time." Seriously, the show takes off like a fighter plane for the next few episodes, until it violently crashes into Mt. NikkiPaulo. So sit back and enjoy the ride for now!

While not quite as divisive as "Exposé," this episode nevertheless starts a lot of fights among Lost fans. Some see it as a waste of time; others see it as the perfect tonic to the nearly morbid levels to which the show had sunk in the early part of Season 3. Me? I see both sides of the argument, but coming at it this time around, I saw it primarily as a palette cleanser: a way to segue between the Hydra arc and the search for New Otherton. Throw in some great character work, and you have an episode that might not sit atop the pantheon of great episodes but provides an enjoyable episode.

I don't know how many of you remember this, but back in Season 3, there was one mystery that towered over them all. Not the smoke monster, not Jacob, and not Desmond's time travel. I'm talking, of course, about the origin of Jack's tattoos. You don't remember this? Oh yea, that's because no one really cared. And yet, Lost spent an entire episode dedicated to half of Jack's arm ink.

I've been waiting literally weeks to get to this episode in the We Have to Go Back series. And in case you're wondering, yes, I have been rewatching all of them, and I have been doing so in order. I haven't skipped around, even if my curiosity wants to get the best of me. Trust me, I'd rather be watching this than "Fire+Water" any day, but I set up the rules, and I abide by them. Because if I don’t, fellow Lost fan, who will? Let's get into some Des-centric goodness now that the hour is right. Ms. Hawking would say it's what I'm destined to do now.

After the long hiatus following a disappointing initial arc, Lost roared back with two of its finest Season 3 episodes. The next one actually probably sent a lot of people running, given how plain WEIRD it is, but this one rewarded long-time fans with a combination of character work, rich mythological expansion, and one of the better flashbacks the show ever produced.

Ending the controversial six-episode arc of Season 3's Fall with a Kate flashback might not have been the sanest thing the producers of Lost ever did. People were already fed up by the slow pace, the complete dominance of the Others, and the surfeit of screen time for two bozos we'd never seen before. But now? This is just the episode after Eko dies and the one before Juliet's ex gets pancaked by a bus. As such, it goes down much smoother. DVD is like a spoonful of sugar that way, people. It helps both the btwrth and the Kate flashbacks goes down much easier.

End of an era, kids. How many of you had "Bernard" in the "last remaining Tailie neither killed nor brainwashed" office pool? Exactly. Here lies the sad tale of Mr. Eko: Nigerian warlord, unorthodox priest, polar bear snack, and smoke monster victim. The smoke monster had Paolo and Nikki right there for the killing, but no, it had to go kill a fan fave. That smoke monster's a lot like Ben Linus' version of fate: a fickle...well, you know what. I understand the behind the scenes reasons why this happened, but can any Lost fan truly argue that the show is better without Eko? I love the show more than peanut butter, y'all: but I miss this character something fierce.

Didja know Sawyer's a con man? I swear, he is. And even though Lost seems to think you've forgotten, they are gonna spend another hour reintroducing you to James Ford: Con Man.  Course, this time around they added a slight twist (he cons for the love of his daughter!), but if you've seen one episode about cons, you've kinda seen them all at this point. Luckily, the flashbacks are kept to a minimum as Sawyer meets his on-Island (or should I say off-Island) match this time around.

This episode marks a first in the We Have to Go Back series: the first episode I liked LESS second time around. Every other episode I've either maintained my general enthusiasm or increased it, but this episode just feels off to me in hindsight. Continue reading »

Lost wants to know that Sun is a very bad person. She cheats on her husband. She gets maids fired for no reason. She paid a lot for this muffler, dammit! She's a horrible, horrible person, and if this all sounds out of character and out of left field, well, then, my point's been made. The final scene might make you think this is a better episode than it is, but trust me: taken as a whole, it's a sub-par episode in a season that took a little while in finding its footing.

We're onto Season 3 here in the We Have to Go Back Campaign. I know, time flies when you're recapping all the episodes of Lost in anticipation for the start of Season 5. I know my hands and wrists sure can't wait for that glorious day. In this episode, we have underwater hatches, French presses, and a new perspective on the crash of Oceanic 815. Literally.

This is the end...beautiful friend. We don't really break on through to the other side, and some of the character decisions don't really light my fire, but hey, people are strange. It's the last episode of the controversial second season of Lost: Jack leads an ill-advised trip towards Othersville, Locke leads an ill-advised trip into the Swan, and a certain Scotsman takes his place at the center of the show's mythological universe.

Earlier in the season, we saw an episode called "What Kate Did." This one very well could have been called "What Michael Did," or more accurately, "What Michael Did Dead Wrong." We also get the equivalent of the "Multiple Angle" feature on many DVDs, as we revisit several scenes from the season through Michael's perspective. In addition to that, frayed relationships are slightly mended, goodbyes are said, and final plans are laid as Lost draws to its season's close.

In this cornah: from Nigeria, a former drug-lord, current priest, and vision quester Eko! In this cornah: from the United States, currently crutched, and suffering a severe crisis of faith: Locke! Let's get ready to ruuummmbbblllleee! The two lynchpins of faith during the second season of Lost go in search of answers in the aftermath of Michael's bloodbath, and at least one of them finds what he is looking for.

Oh, Ana Lucia. We hardly knew ye. And most of us liked it that way. This is your Lost swan song, kiddo, and a lesson learned for all Lostaways: as soon as you achieve closure, be prepared to hit the road, Jack. Just don't hit the road after you've gone on a Christian Shephard-like bender: ABC tends to not like that very much.

Well, this ep really divides people. As many people love it (me) as hate it (ignorant, unwashed heathens). It's the calm before Hurricane Michael sweeps up everything in its path throughout the remainder of the season. So strap in, Lost fans, as we focus on two of the more beloved secondary characters on the show, Rose and Bernard.

The whole "is Lost real or just the figment of someone's imagination" question gets answered definitely in this episode. I personally never held that theory, thinking at the time everything hinged on a frozen elk wheel. (So damn close!) Hurley goes insane in the membrane, Sayid goes gun crazy, and Eko proves that he'd be a horrible designer on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Action-packed ep, y'all.

The blast door map in this episode got me thinking about the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, specifically their hit song "Maps." After all, it's easy to think of Locke screaming, "Wait, they don't love you like I love you!" to Helen, isn't it? Or pleading, "Wait, why don't you love me like I love you?" to Anthony Cooper. This assumes, Lost fans, that you can imagine a musical episode of Lost. Which, while amusing in theory, is something I hope never occurs. I'm fine with frozen donkey wheels in my Lost cereal; I just don't want Rose and Bernard to go all Captain & Tennille on us.

Ah yes, the episode in which we learned Sun is a pathological liar, Jin is a romantic schmuck, and Henry Gale is one scary, scary dude. In fact, so many things are set in motion that it's hard to rectify episodes such as this with the general "nothing ever happened in Season 2" complaints that people (such as me) often lob at the show. I still say that momentum of Lost was at its slowest during this season, but I certainly was not bored watching this one again, I can assure you.

Strap in, kids: this is Lost at its best. It's Claire-centric, but it's so good I don't make one joke about the way that she says "baaaaybeeee" in my recap. It's a deft blend of character-based drama and delicious mythology. Oh, Lost mythology, if I could I'd drizzle you on my oatmeal on a daily basis. Now THAT'S a balanced breakfast, people. But enough about my morning routine: on with the recap!

There are a few seminal episodes in the history of Lost, those that stand above the rest and exist as turning points either in terms of narrative scope or sheer quality. This episode is an excellent example of both, with the introduction of a now legendary figure coupled with some excellent acting, sprinkled with a lovely dose of mythology. Such a combination quelled the bad taste that the last few episodes left in many a mouth in order to produce a five-star quality outing this time around.

This is Episode 1 B.L. (Before Linus). It's an episode long on character, short on mythology, and featuring a back story that really doesn't gain resonance for another season or so. But it's a crucial Lost episode, in that it exists to create the proper atmosphere of distrust and anger in which a future visitor can work his psychological mastery to perfection.  So all I can say it don't look back in anger at this episode: admire the darkness creeping on the edge of town.

Oh Charlie Pace. You know I dig you, right? I mean, in general, you're an alright guy, and your presence on the show is keenly felt. But dear Dharma did Lost deliver a stinker of an episode in this, an hour about you, your piano, and losing your religion. (In more ways than one, really.) This episode makes "The Hunting Party" seem like "Orientation." Translation: break out the adult beverages, people. You're gonna need 'em. Assuming you're an adult, after all. If you're not, break out the Sunny D.

Strap yourselves in, Lost fans. This is a bit of a rough one. But at least it features the first major dialogue scene with the Others since the end of Season 1, a scene that crackles with excitement and danger to this day. Gotta love those theatrically-minded Others, people. As a former techie myself, I appreciate the subterfuge inherent in their performance.

Has a flashback ever done so great a job at explaining an entire character so succinctly as the one in this episode? I think we've seen approximately seventy-four Jack Shephard flashbacks at this point, and we know less about him than we do about Eko after this one. Course, they did such a good job that the actor who played him forced the show to eventually fire him, but hey, Lost fans, we're not here to bury Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, but praise Eko, and this fantastic episode.

If you're like me and dreading this one, trust me: it's much better than you remember. Just make it through the back story and you're golden, as the on-Island stuff is top-notch for Lost fanatics. There's a little something for everyone: mythology, romance, horsies: you name it, this episode's got it. Except for "compelling flashback," naturally. Oh well, you can't have it all. Unless you're "Walkabout" or "The Constant."

They are the three scariest words in the English language: Ana Lucia flashback! OK, maybe not, but Ana Lucia's clearly up there with the Blunder Twins of Season 3 as the most controversial (read: loathed) characters in Lost history. Me, myself and I? I'd put Nikki and Paolo way higher on my personal list of most hated characters, but it's not as if I used to give an Aresnio Hall-esque Dawg Pound salute every time A.L. popped up onscreen.

OK, it's been a few rough episodes, Lost fans. I spent the first few episodes of this season seriously reconsidering my own semi-low opinions of this season, only to be brought back down to earth by the post-"Orientation" episodes.

Ready for a shocking death that will change everything you know about the Lost universe? Me too! Unfortunately, it doesn't happen in this episode. I know, bummer. What we get instead is the ignominious death of a character no one ever really liked, a victim not only of her own shortcomings as a character but a vicious attack on her screen time by those selfish Tailies.

You know how we all look forward to those Darlton-written episodes of Lost? Well, this is one of them, although you wouldn't know it. It features a few signature moments in the Lost universe, but doesn't hold up nearly as well to scrutiny as some of their others. But hey, not every episode can be a heart-wrenching, mind-blowing, brain-expanding extravaganza. Sure, I might make it seem easy here on the blog, but trust me, it's hard work.

Well, we've now got a button to push, a hatch to investigate, food to distribute, and most important, a shower to take! Yes, it's the follow-up to "Orientation," in which those involved with the inaugural Lostaway button pushing ceremony figure out how to keep as much information as possible from the rest of the survivors.

Awww yea, Lost fans, it's Marvin Candle time, y'all. Been waiting to rewatch this one for a long time, even if sometimes it feels as if the We Have to Go Back project is my own personal version of pressing the button.

It's Shark Week here on Lost! That's right, the second episode of Season 2 bringing us an attack on the high seas as Michael and Sawyer struggle to cope with the events of the end of Season 1. Back in the hatch, Locke learns about snow men, Kate rediscovers junk food, and Desmond learns about the Lostaways timeline.

I honestly thought going into the We Have to Go Back project that this would be the toughest slough: the progression through Season 2. However, a lot of you have seem to have placed this season above the third one in your own estimation, which frankly surprised me. Continue reading »

OK, this is a long one, folks. I mean, even for me, this is long. Took me three separate writing sessions to pump this sucker out, or turn this mutha out, or whatever phrase you wish to employ. Continue reading »

This is a dark episode of Lost, y'all. Come on: we have black smoke. A Dark Territory. We have Pearl Jam crooning "Black" on Hurley's CD player. OK, so two out of three ain't bad. Continue reading »

I have three words for you, Lost fans: Mackenzie Freakin' Astin! That's right, Andy from The Facts of Life is here to rock your flashback world in this week's episode, in which at least one girl is poison. Well, poisonous, I suppose, is more accurate. Continue reading »

I have to put Sayid atop my list of "favorite Lost character that has the worst flashbacks." There may be characters that have a worse set of flashbacks, but these aren't character I really connect with in the first place. But Sayid? He's one of my favorite on-Island characters. Continue reading »

There are episodes of Lost we all love, cherish, and can recite on cue. Then there are others we barely remember, those that don't ring a bell, or those that simply make us draw a blank when they are referenced. "Do No Harm" is one of those latter episodes for me. Continue reading »

Having recapped "Numbers" last week, I have a new number for you: 108. Lost fans will know that as the sum of all the Numbers themselves, but it also represents something more: the new goal for the Zap2It's Guide to Lost Facebook group. We destroyed our last goal, more than doubling the group in less than a week. Continue reading »

I will say, the timing couldn't be better for this episode to come along. And why is that? It just so happens that my effort to double the membership of Zap2It's Guide to Lost Facebook group stands at 62. Why is this so important? Well, the drive started with thirty-three members, leaving us just 4 short of my goal. And any good Lost fan knows just how important the number four is. Continue reading »

I'm a Desmond/Penny guy, let me state that up front. You Jaters, you Skaters, you Rosenards...sorry to disappoint. Everything about Des and Penny thrills me, and I just hope they are still involved in the events of Lost to come. Can't see how they won't be, but then again, I can't see why Sam Adams refuses to sell its Octoberfest beer year-round, either. Life's cruel on many fronts. Continue reading »

I cringed when I realized this was the infamous "Sawyer gets harassed by a boar" episode, but I was pleasantly surprised at how easy this one went down the second time through. Coming in clutch this time around was a crucial bar scene that seemed super cool at the time and "oh baby this might be one of the key scenes in Lost history when all is said and done" this time around. Continue reading »

As great as it is to have this whole "We Have to Go Back" endeavor to provide you all with content to digest in the eternal time between Seasons 4 and 5 of Lost, I must admit, I did as much for myself as for you. I'm kinda selfish that way. Continue reading »

I don't have firm recollections of watching this episode of Lost initially. Which isn't to say I don't remember viscerally enjoying it; I just don't remember exactly how I phrased my realization that this show was both darker and weirder than I'd previously thought. Continue reading »

Now here's a weird one. And honestly, knowing what we know now, Lost fans, I'm not sure parts of this even make any frickin' sense. As such, in the recap proper, I'll distill what actually happens on-screen, but later, I'll try and make sense of what happens to Boone and Shannon out in the jungle. Continue reading »

Look, not every episode of Lost can be incredible. Some will merely be decent, which, when compared to most television, is still quite excellent. And then there are episodes such as this one, in which the show has interesting ideas but only semi-successful execution. Continue reading »

Maybe it's the fact that the Jack Shephard's favorite baseball team just swept the Minnesota Twins, but I enjoyed this one a heckuva lot more than I thought I would upon re-reading the synopsis this morning. I sort of instinctively react to a Lost "Jack flash back" episodes the way I do "interpretive dance": I mean, yes, I give both the benefit of the doubt, but I usually end up wishing I'd spent my time alphabetizing the contents of my pantry. Continue reading »