I'm Lost without Jin

I knew it.

The minute Jin walked into the toy store wanting to buy a panda, I said outloud in a desperate, panicked voice, "Jin's in his own flashback. He's not Sun's flash forward. Something has happened to Jin!"

I sat there for the rest of the episode hugging a pillow and waiting for the inevitable reveal. Now I'm comforted by the emails and posts I've received from so many of you saying that the date of his gravestone is the date the plane crashed. That Jin could very well be back on the island alive and well and perhaps sacrificed his freedom to save his wife and his unborn child. I hope so. Of all the characters the show has killed off and of all the possible deaths we could learn about in the flash forwards, this one hurt the most.

Jin and Sun have always been my favorite Lost story line. Daniel Dae Kim and Yunjin Kim continually turn in delicate and heartbreaking performances. I think that's why I miss them the most when they aren't in an episode. Their relationship is a complex, intimate and devastatingly believable portrait of a marriage.

This is the episode that truly cement Lost as one of the best TV shows of all time. The way the showrunners bend and twist their own premise and story telling devices to shock the viewer, bring the viewer to tears and captivate the viewer is profound.

So now we know for sure (or at least I think for sure) that Sun, Sayid, Hurley, Kate and Jack are five of the Oceanic 6. But who is the sixth member? One of the babies? Ben posing as someone else with his fake ID? Did Jin make it back to the island and then die (although that would fly in the face of the date on the gravestone theory). The producers have said they have revealed all the members of Oceanic Six. So who do you think the sixth member is? Talk about it below?

Highlights of the Week Ahead

All times listed are Eastern Time for March 17-23

Dancing with the Stars is back with a two night premiere beginning with a two hour episode Monday at 8 p.m. on ABC. And since you know I love fearless predictions, I'm going to go ahead and announce my picks for the final four right now. Cristián de la Fuente, Jason Taylor, Marissa Jaret Winokur and Kristi Yamaguchi. Who do you think will do well? Talk about it below.

They're baaack. The CBS Monday night comedies are the first ones out of the post-writer's strike gate and return with all new episodes this week. And remember that The Big Bang Theory (Monday, CBS, 8 p.m.) and How I Met Your Mother (Monday, CBS, 8:30 p.m.) switch time slot beginning this week. Ted decides to live life like Barney (yeah that's an excellent idea) on How I Met Your Mother. Vanessa Minnillo guest stars. Alan is breaking up with his girlfriend on Two and a Half Men (Monday, CBS, 9 p.m.) Dave Foley returns as Richard's friend Tom on The New Adventures of Old Christine. I'm so excited about this that I've decided to absolutely ignore the fact that CBS is promoting the night as "All Gnu."

Judy Greer stars as high school guidance counselor Becky Freeley in the new ABC comedy Miss Guided, which premieres Tuesday at 10:30 immediately following Dancing with the Stars. The comedy then moves to its regular time slot with back-to-back episodes Thursday at 8 p.m. on ABC. (By the way my father is so upset that ABC is not repeating last week's episode of Lost. Because when you live in the House That Techology Forgot, you aren't TiVoing, DVRing, or plain old recording.) Miss Guided is executive produced by Ashton Kutcher. Kutcher guest stars in the first episode on Thursday as a dreamy free-spirited substitute teacher. That episode also features an appearance by Jamie Lynn Spears. This comedy has quite a bit of potential and Greer is a great lead, but right now it's a little too goofy and predictable. I think the show is capable of being a little more savvy and incisive with its jokes. The show also would be wise to not make Becky too downtrodden. There's a lot of good stuff here from Brooke Burns turn as the prom queen turned English teacher to Earl Billings as the seen-it-all-before principal. The series just needs a little more time to come into its own. Three and a half stars.

When I told my friend I was watching the 100th episode of One Tree Hill, he replied "that's 100 more episodes than I've seen." And I think that's true for a lot of you out there. It goes without saying that this has been a bizarre TV season. I get a weekly reminder of how weird this season has been when I tune into One Tree Hill. This is a show that I never watched before and now suddenly I care about Nathan and Haley breaking up and sad for poor little rich girl Brooke. I'm not even bothered that I think little Jamie (Jackson Brundage) may be the best actor on the show. So when the CW sent out the 100th episode of the show (Tuesday, CW, 9 p.m.), I'm embarrassed to tell you how quickly I popped it in my DVD player. It's the wedding of Lucas and Lindsey and I think most people will be able to accurately predict whether or not the two are husband and wife by the end of the episode (if you can't, then you're probably not watching enough TV). It's a pretty good episode for the show - Moira Kelly returns as Lucas' mom and Skills has a funny little dialogue about how other TV shows have handled big weddings. If you are not a fan of the show, I don't think this episode will make you one, but if you are a fan, it's a good episode.

Well I've already confessed I've been watching One Tree Hill so really it shouldn't be that surprising that I'm keeping up with The Celebrity Apprentice (but hey I haven't watched Big Brother in weeks so congratulations to me). I'm so glad Omarosa is gone and I think it was reprehensible that she accused Piers of being gay. Being gay is not an insult and has nothing to do with business or the challenges they were competiting in. The fact that a grown women in 2008 thinks this is how she should fight in the board room is ridiculous and I think exposed Omarosa for who she is -- I would be surprised if we saw her again. I thought Piers response was pitch perfect. That being said, as a contestant Piers exhausts me. He is not a fun to watch -- he's a bully. This week (Thursday, NBC, 9 p.m.), the final four are interviewed by CNBC'S Jim Cramer and Erin Burnett. Then the Donald will fire two more people and assign the final tasks (next week is the live finale). It seems impossible that Trump won't pick Piers as one of the final two, but I'm still rooting for a showdown between Carol Alt and Trace Adkins and I can't wait to see which celebrities return to help out the final two. We know there will be a little Stevie B. sprinkled all over the place, but who else?

Lipstick Jungle ends its run this Thursday at 10 p.m. on NBC. Don't forget that Kim Raver's old Third Watch co-star Bobby Cannavale guest stars as a hockey player who is interested in Victory. And I have to know did last week's episode change your opinion of Victory's boyfriend Joe at all? Do you want the show to return for a second season? Talk about it below.

That's all for today. I'll be back on Wednesday with this week's familiar faces and much more. Have a question? Seen a familiar face? Want to nominate a quote of the week or a topic for discussion? Write me at amytvgal@zap2it.com. Talk to you on Wednesday.

Amy Amatangelo, TV Gal ®

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