LOST---The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Part XI

Much satisfaction to be had this week. Let us get right down to it.

The good:
1. Benjamin Linus did not die. Last week’s review said that I was not looking forward to this week’s episode. I said that because I had a bad feeling that Ben was going to get “smoked”(bad pun absolutely intended). That event would have dropped his overall importance to the show---past, present, and future---to zero, and would have caused more severe doubts to spring up about this shows credibility and substance.

2. When Ben told Sun and Lepidus to “look outside”, the expression on Lepidus’s face was reminiscent of the famous YouTube Dramatic Chipmunk. It was a quick cut, but still funny.

3. Penny was spared; as are the LOST writers from more of my wrath.

4. Smokey’s bit this week was originally going to land in Purgatory, but after some more serious consideration, it now lands here. The monster’s scene was nothing short of brilliant. It was exquisitely detailed and well thought out. It will probably become one of LOST’s most remembered scenes.

The bad:
1. Character consistency struck again this episode. However, this time no human was its victim; it was the character of the island(yes, I believe the island is a thinking character in this show. If you do not believe me, ask the Others). For something who has dozens of people trying to protect it, the island is a pretty ungrateful little twit. For starters, there is the fact that it spares a brute like Benjamin Linus but decides to kill good-hearted Mr. Eko, whose “unforgivable” sin was to not be sorry for choosing his own way of life rather than follow a pre-planned destiny, chosen for him by a fucking island. I daresay this little spit of land is a bit full of itself. Then, there is also the fact that everyone who comes into contact with the island, no matter what their background, suddenly wants to start a conflict; i.e. Lepidus not acting in a threatening manner and still getting smashed in the head with the blunt end of a rifle by one of the newbie’s.

2. Speaking of consistency, one must ask whatever happened to the consistency of memory on this show. In a previous episode, Farraday encounters Desmond, and Desmond wakes up several years later and suddenly remembers it. Yet, Ben does not remember any of the Losties from his younger years in the Dharma Cruddy Ass-wipers Association. One would think, though traumatized by getting shot, Ben would at least remember Sayid as a prisoner(which, perhaps, he may).

The ugly:
1. Many questions have recently been raised, by others, concerning annoying character consistencies like Jack’s annoying habit of just wanting to start conflict. One theory for this could be that the LOST writers are trying to turn some characters into archetypes. One can find archetypes throughout mythology, especially mythology dealing with destiny and/or the hero’s journey; things like the “the Wise old man” or the “Trickster”. Seeing as though LOST is beginning to identify itself as a destiny epic, creating archetypes within the story is thus appropriate. Who knows, maybe in ten years TV viewers will start describing new TV characters as “he’s a Jack” or “she’s a Kate.”

2. Sorry Caesar, and farewell for now. We will see you soon probably, in someone’s island-inspired dream.

This episode ran a huge risk of plummeting a really great Season 5 into the gutter. Avoiding that fall is another job well done. Now we move on to Miles.

Ciao.