What follows is my recap from TVGasm.com verbatim.
Unfortunately I wasn't able to add the pictures from that site.
Lost Ink Translation.
Are Jack's tattoos important enough to focus on for a whole show? Think about that for a second.
The producers and writers of lost focussed on Jack's tattoos for a whole show. Flashbacks are usually dedicated to major character traits and their roots and/or life altering events in the lives of the subject.
So.
Jack's arm art must be pretty damned important.
Now we just have to figure out why.
This episode was supposed to answer a bunch of our questions, and to be fair, there were a lot of questions that we got answers to. Unfortunately, either the answers created more questions or just weren't all that important.
Do Jack's tats have meaning? Well, considering that just about everything in the show has a meaning of some sort, I guessed "yes" a long time ago. I also guessed that the meaning would be something enigmatic. Two for two.
What happened to Cindy and the kids from the tail section. A detail that I hadn't spent a lot of time worrying about and rightly so. They're fine.
A bunch of questions about the Others got answered too. Again, nothing I'd been losing sleep over.
With Season 3 not even at the half way mark, anyone who thought that we were going to get answers to the important questions (Who is responsible for the Lostaways being on the island, What is smoke monster, Why go to all this effort, Where are they, When will the Lostaways figure out that they have all those connections between them, to name a few...) was bound to be disappointed. If you are among those looking for real answers, stay tuned. You should get them sometime in May 2009. Seriously. Don't expect anything earth shattering to be revealed before then. Even with dwindling ratings, Lost is still a heavy hitter for ABC, and while they might juggle timeslot or even what night they air it, they aren't going to let us peek behind the curtain for a good long time yet.
It's the television network version of the dance of the seven veils. Every time they reveal something juicy, it turns out to be just another layer to be peeled off eventually. A good dancer won't let you see any of the goodies until the very end.
If even then.
So, let's check out what they were willing to reveal this week...
This week's episode opens with Sawyer singing "Show me the way to go home," while steering the little boat he and Kate stole last week. After a brief argument, Sawyer lays down the law about going back for Jack. He makes a lot of sense, and even a half conscious Karl knows that going back for Jack is a suicide mission. Of course, Karl also knows that "God loves you as he loved Jacob," so maybe listening to Karl isn't the best idea right now.
Jack's on his own. No subtext there.
"I'm Tom, by the way" comes to move Jack to different quarters. Jack figures that his number is up and that now that "I'm Tom, by the way" and his cronies have manipulated Jack into saving Captain Bunny-Killer's life, they're going to kill him to get him out of the way.
"I'm Tom, by the way" seems surprised that the man they've kidnapped, drugged and kept captive for days thinks that he and his people are the type to kill a man when he's outlived his usefulness. Jack points out some of the other behavior that has led him to this erroneous conclusion, but despite the list of heinous crimes that the Others have visited upon Jack's group, apparently the Others don't feel that their actions are unjustified.
"See this glass house you're livin' in Jack? How 'bout I get you some stones?" Anyone else get the feeling that "I'm Tom, by the way," has been waiting ages to use that line?
As Jack is moved out of his glass enclosure, he passes Juliet, who is being moved in. She gives him an incredibly casual "Hey," as they pass each other and while he looks back to try to catch another glimpse of her, we are introduced to a new player. She doesn't speak at this point, but we get the sense that she's going to be very important in fairly short order.
For the moment though, Dr. Jack has more important things on his mind. He's got soda to drink and a kite to fly. If he can ever figure out how to put the kite together, that is.
Enter Achara and her kite building skills. Achara fits into the Lost mythology as if she were made for it. She's incredibly attractive, very mysterious, appears at precisely the right moment and like many other important things on the show, her bikini top casually defies the laws of physics.
Jack's new accommodations are Sawyer's old ones. Poor Jack, locked in the cage where he saw Kate and Sawyer bear-ing themselves to each other. Sawyer didn't even leave him a fish biscuit to console him.
Tom apparently either likes Jack enough to bring him a cheese sandwich or isn't confident that Dr. Jack will manage to figure out the complicated gizmo that produces fish biscuits.
Jack asks about the mysterious new woman and we learn that she is a kind of Sheriff to the Others. We also learn that Juliet is in rather serious trouble which is why they put her in Jack's old room.
Sawyer's singing about going home was obviously intentionally ironic, as he points out that he never thought he'd be glad to get back to Island 1.0. Kate wants to take the boat and circle the island until they find their camp, but Sawyer wants to put in for the night and make camp. Despite Kate's glare, Sawyer sticks to his plan and brings them ashore where they can get food and water. When they get ashore, their spat continues until Karl points out that they shouldn't fight since they're lucky just to be alive.
Now that he's awake, Kate takes the opportunity to ask a few questions. Karl tells them that he and the Others don't live on the island that Kate and Sawyer just escaped from, they just work on their projects there. They live on the island that Kate and Sawyer have escaped to. At this point, I feel it important to note that we don't know for sure that the three amigos have found their way back to Island 1.0, since we have yet to see any evidence of Locke et al. Theoretically they could be on another island altogether. I'm just sayin'.
Kate also asks about the kids that the Others took. Turns out that the Others give them a "Better life". When asked "Better than what?" Karl answers "Better than yours." Now, with Dr. Jack and James Ford fighting over her, I know a lot of ladies who'd trade lives with Kate in a heartbeat, so I guess "Better" is relative.
Karl gets wistful and relates how he and Alex would lie in his back yard and name constellations on clear, moonless nights.
Sawyer asks tonight's big question. "You have back yards?"
In his cage, Jack is trying to figure out the "Knife-ee, Fork-ee" button's function. After two tries, Jack answers another burning question for us. He is not smarter than your average bear.
Armed guards bring Juliet to talk to Jack. Ben's stitches are infected and she wants Jack to help him. Again.
When Jack refuses, she tries to make it a personal request to help her out of the trouble she's in. She tells Jack about killing someone (but refuses to tell him who, which is just weird) and that her situation is why she wants to save Ben. Jack's not buying this time.
Achara and Jack get to know each other over dinner at a restaurant where her brother works. He seems to like Jack. While they eat, they talk about Jack's lack of kite flying skills. Naturally, Jack blames his shortcoming on his father, but Achara stops him short. "I have no interest in your father." I'm surprised Jack didn't marry her on the spot. Achara wonders if Jack is on the Island of Phuket to find himself, which she figures is why all Americans go there. Just as the conversation is about to turn to Jack's need to discover who he is and what he's meant to do, a man interrupts them to give Achara an envelope, apparently full of money.
"I have a...gift."
"Must be one hell of a gift."
Little does he know.
I did a little research on Phuket, since my knowledge of the area is pretty limited.
The reason I did the research was that when the mystery woman from the hallway finally speaks, she's speaking Chinese. Apparently, Jack's Thailand Tattoo is in Chinese and the mystery woman seems to be able to read Chinese. It struck me as odd that a tattoo from Thailand would be in Chinese, so I did some checking. The main island of Phuket is populated my several different groups, but the three most populous ethnic groups are Thai, Chinese and Chao Le. Chao Le are a group of "Sea Gypsies" who have their own language and religion. Click this link to learn a bit more about them.
One of the important things about Chao Le is that their religion, the Animism, has one very interesting legend associated with it. The legend says that they brought their dead people to so-called "Death Islands" where their souls live forever. "Death Islands"? Why do I get the feeling that the producers were hoping we'd do our homework on this one?
After teasing Jack with her ability to read his tattoo and suggestion that perhaps he doesn't really know what it actually says, she asks him to join her to answer a few questions. In a scene more courtroom than interrogation, she asks him if Juliet had indeed tried to get Jack to kill Ben for her. For some reason, Jack lies for her. Isabel, the Sheriff, seems to know he's lying, but Jack doesn't budge and only the most miniscule of smirks crosses Juliet's face when Jack explains that he was simply trying to create chaos by turning the group against itself.
Achara joins Jack in his bed, beneath the mosquito netting, which she has been doing for a month or so, apparently. Jack, spoiler of all things sexy, starts asking her about herself and her gift. When it seems that he won't take "You could never understand" for an answer, she changes the subject by rolling the two of them out of the bed onto the floor and asking if he's having fun with her. When he says yes, she says those seven little words most men long to hear in this situation.
"Then stop ask questions. Let's have fun."
Since they're on the floor, they won't get caught in the net.
Jack awakens to find a crowd outside of his cage. Among the crowd is Oceanic flight attendant Cindy. Last seen traipsing through the jungle with the tailies, just before they encountered the main group of Lostaways. She looks remarkably well. So too does the little girl who is asking about Ana Lucia, other than a rather desperate need for an orthodontist...
Jack runs the group off with some harsh words. Only the creepy little boy is left behind, eyeing Jack in that creepy way that only teddy bear carrying, brainwashed little boys can.
Kate and Sawyer wake to find that Karl has run off, but only far enough away to have a good cry in peace. Sawyer, ever the student of human nature, wisely keeps Kate from embarrassing the kid and expresses his sympathy with the young man in the way that men understand best. He punches him in the arm.
Can't have a real man cryin' in the jungle.
A complete waste of a Brady Bunch (The Brady Bunch, Ghost Busters, Indiana Jones...Sawyer is a veritable pop culture machine, yet NOT ONE Gilligan's Island bon mot in two and a half seasons of being stuck on a tropical island. It boggles the mind.) reference later, the two men have a heart to heart about women. Sawyer gives Karl the standard man to man advice. Go get her.
Romeo...er, Karl figures that if they catch him, this time they'll kill him.
Juliet...er, Alex (Now that I think about it, with a woman named Juliet actually in the story, it's gonna be tough to use that metaphor...) takes out the surveillance camera on Jack's cage with a rock, so the two of them can talk.
*We saw her break the camera, but there may still be a microphone in play...*
Alex wants to know why Jack saved Ben, even after all that he put Jack and "his people" through. He wants her to answer his question before he'll answer hers.
"Where's Juliet?"
"She's with the rest of 'em. They're gonna read her verdict."
"Her verdict."
"And we all know what it's gonna be. We're pretty strict about killing one of our own. Eye for an eye."
"Who, who did she kill?
"The man who was gonna murder your friends."
That's three questions answered. Truth in advertising.
Jack's answer to Alex's question is that he saved Ben because he said he would.
After confirming that Ben still has the power to make Isabel change the verdict, he convinces Alex to bring him to see Ben. Captain Bunny-Killer is laid up and about to get injected with a nasty looking needle when Jack bursts in. Time for another round of "Deal with the Devil", only this time, the life on the line is Juliet's and we get the sense that Ben is almost relieved to be able to save her from the Sheriff's justice. What puzzles me is why he let things get to this stage in the first place, if he was willing to save her after all. Ben does try to point out to Jack that he can't trust Juliet any more than he can trust the rest of them, but Jack has made his choice.
Speaking of bad choices, Jack is once again on a stake (stalk?) out. He follows Achara to her tattoo studio, which is located in an unmarked doorway, down a dark alley. Like all reputable tattoo parlours.
Despite appearances, Achara asserts that she is not a tattoo artist. Her gift is that she sees people. Her work is not to decorate, but to define. She sees who people really are and then marks them.
Jack wants her to tell him who he is. She can't use her gift for an outsider. He pushes her and she tells him.
"You are a leader. A great man. But this...this makes you lonely. And frightened. And angry."
Despite her protests that it is against her people, Jack makes her mark him.
"There will be consequences."
"There always are."
Alex and Jack interrupt the verdict reading with Ben's note. Isabel doesn't seem happy about Ben commuting Juliet's sentence, but she does note that he has instructed that Juliet is to be marked.
Considering how strongly the soda kid and Achara's brother and his friends react to Jack being marked, it seems that being marked has a much deeper meaning than just a bold statement of one's personality. Unless, of course, that bold statement reads "I like having my ass kicked." Oh, and I might be mistaken, but at least one of Achara's brother's goons looks suspiciously like one of Ben's goons. Gotta check that.
Juliet finally gets Jack a grilled cheese sandwich (I don't think he'll ever figure out the fish biscuits.) and he makes her show him the mark. It's a brand, in the shape of an eight pointed star with the "North" arm extended beyond the rest. What's with these island's and North, anyway?
Jack soothes her scar with some aloe he spots growing across from his cage. She asks why he helped her and he tells her that was so that together the two of them can make sure that Ben keeps his word and lets them both go home.
Speaking of home, now that Jack's compadres know where the Others are, they have to leave and go back to where they live. Their home. And they're taking Jack with them.
Even Karl gets a chance to go home. Sawyer let him go, because he knows that Karl is a target and as long as he's with them, they're in even more danger than they already are. Kate figures that all Ben wants is to keep Romeo as far from his daughter as he can. I'm not sure I buy that. If he can brainwash the kid into thinking that God loves him as he loved Jacob, couldn't he just brainwash him into thinking that pretty little Alex wasn't his lady love? Hmmm...
And since we're on the topic, Sawyer and Kate have it out about there little roll in the bear droppings. Sawyer might be a lot of things, but he's neither blind nor stupid. He knows that Kate's feeling guilty for feeding him his last dessert and leaving Jack behind. He absolves her of both, not kindly, but effectively.
Isabel finally tells us what Jack's tats say. "He walks amongst us, but he is not one of us." is the direct translation. It's obvious that she thinks it ironic because Jack is among the Others, yet not one of them.
"That's what they say. That's not what they mean."
It's obvious that Jack doesn't agree with her assessment.
Judging by the closing montage of Ben being rowed out to sea, Sawyer and Kate lighting their way through the jungle, Karl and Alex stargazing together and Juliet smiling that little enigmatic smile at Jack as they sail away from Island 2.0, all to the swelling strains of emotional violin and piano music, this episode was intended to be the end of something.
And the beginning of something else.
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Episode 10 - Tricia Tanaka is Dead
What follows is my recap from TVGasm.com verbatim.
Unfortunately I was unable to add the pictures from the site.
The Needs of the Mommy Outweigh the Needs of the Son.
First and foremost, before we delve into the nuts and bolts of this week's episode, let's take a moment.
A moment to bask in the glory of a return to the Lost we all know and love, led by the most lovable of the castaways.
Hear that? That's laughter. Out loud, sincere, laughter.
Nobody is forgetting that they're trapped on an island full of danger and mystery. We laugh despite those looming dangers and perhaps because of it.
With just the right mix of humour and pathos, Hurley once again comes through and restores our faith in the show.
Sure, no great mysteries were solved, no Doctors were rescued, and no one (well, almost no one) had any sex, but this episode had more heart than the first nine episodes of the season combined.
On top of heart, there was Vincent, beer, Cheech, a solid gold Jesus, a headless Workman and Mr. Cluck's was leveled by a meteor. What more could you ask for in a tv show?
Ahhh, that's some good basking.
A very young Hugo Reyes hauls his Dad's tools out to the driveway where a Camaro waits for some attention. After popping the hood, his Dad appears and with some gentle coaxing, gets Hugo behind the wheel. Hugo doesn't think that they can get the car started without the new carburetor, but his Dad thinks that if he has enough hope, it will start. He's trying to teach the boy that having hope is never stupid and everyone makes their own luck in life. That doesn't get the car started, but it sure sounds Fatherly.
Speaking of luck, Dad's off to Vegas, where he's got some work.
With a "Glacier" bar, some fatherly advice to "live a little" and a promise that they're only postponing their Grand Canyon road trip, he's on his bike and gone.
Cut to Hurley pouring his heart out at Libby's grave. He's telling her about recent events and admitting that he is as frightened as the rest of the survivors. And that he misses her. For a minute, it seemed like he might have been talking to his old buddy Dave, but no such luck.
You remember Dave, don't you? Dave was that possibly imaginary guy in the hospital who used to try to get Hurley to eat things that would make him fat. Cheech Marin's character is credited as "David Reyes" and Hurley obviously has chocolate abandonment issues. Coincidence? In this show? I'd say that the odds are about as good as being hit by a meteor...
After his chat with Libby, Hurley seeks out more lively conversation. He and Charlie have a chat about Charlie's impending doom and the big man confides that he thinks he's cursed.
"Death finds me, dude."
Just then, Vincent bounds out of the jungle.
Those Lost writers. So subtle.
Vincent's got something in his mouth. It's an arm. Carrying a rabbit's foot. The rabbit's foot is a keychain, with a key.
Hurley figures that they should get it from the dog. Charlie is less than convinced.
"Yeah. Chase the dog with the skeletal arm into the creepy jungle. You be my guest."
Hurley chases the dog through the creepy jungle, all the way to an overturned Micro Bus. "Awesome."
In front of Mr. Cluck's, Hurley is being interviewed about his lottery win and buying the chicken shack. When he starts detailing some of the bad things that have happened to him since he won the money, Tricia Tanaka calls for a cut. She wants a puff piece, not a heavy interview. She asks Hurley's permission to go into the restaurant to shoot some b shots and Randy, Hurley's former boss, tells her to go ahead. He knows that Hurley is superstitious about the public going in before the ribbon cutting, but everything is off and they don't start cooking until tomorrow, so what could happen?
Well...
Sounding remarkably like flight 815 as it fell out of the sky over the Pacific, a meteor streaks down from the heavens and slams into the chicken shack.
That's ONE.
As they panned over the wreckage of the store, I was struck by how airplane-like the burning restaurant looked. Coincidence? In this show?
Hurley runs back to the camp and tries to recruit some help in his new automotive venture. No one is really interested in starting a car. Paulo asks one of two very important questions. Why would they want to start a car? He gets points for this in my book. He also gets points for pulling Darling Nikki back to the kitchen by her daisy dukes.
No one asks where the HELL a car would come from or why it would be out in the jungle on a tropical island with no roads. Obviously, the group has stopped questioning the odd things that crop up around them almost daily. Couple that with an apparent lack of enthusiasm for rescue and I'm really starting to wonder what's in the Dharma Oat Bars besides fiber-ee goodness.
Kate and Sawyer are making their way back to camp when Sawyer steps on what looks like a pub dart. Now, if only they could find some beer...
Kate suggests that Sawyer need only say he's sorry and the two of them can start fresh, with a clean slate.
"A clean slate? Like on 'Little House'?"
Kate seems confused by his reference to "Little House". As he explains that he meant "Little House on the Prairie" she mocks him, saying "You call it 'Little House'?" Now, I never watched the show, but even I knew what he was referring to. Coming as it did on the heels of last week's "Brady Bunch" reference that went over Karl's head, we are left wondering just a wee bit more about Kate...
When he refuses to apologize for whatever it is that she's seeking an apology for, she stops calling him "James" and welcome's Sawyer home. I can't help thinking that James missed a crucial opportunity in that moment. For all his con-man skills, he sure has a hard time with Kate.
There is a joyous reunion on the beach when the two finally arrive at the camp. It's happy smiles all around as they are welcomed back to the beach of doom. Heck, Sawyer gets an almost hug from Locke for cryin' out loud!
Hurley comes home to his upscale estate and tells his Mom all about how Tricia Tanaka and her camera dude and Mr. Clucks all got hit by a meteor. When he tells her that it's because of the money and the curse, she slaps him. Hard.
"Ow!"
That's TWO.
To prove that he's not cursed, his Mom takes him by the hand to show him something. It's his Dad. Returned after 17 years.
"Your Mom wasn't kidding about those candy bars."
That's THREE.
Hurley and Jin are examining the wrecked Micro Bus and it's occupant, Roger. When they open the back they find it full of beer.
"Dude. Roger was on a beer run."
Jin tries to explain to Hurley what he intends to do, using primitive sign language.
"Ah man, I suck at charades. You wanna what?"
That's FOUR.
When the two men try to hoist Roger's desiccated corpse from the van, his head gets caught in the door frame and snaps off. Holding the headless body, Hurley tells Jin, "We'll get that later."
That's FIVE.
As Charlie and Desmond discuss the finer points of precognition, Sawyer storms up in search of his missing stash. When he lists off the items that are missing, the bottle of scotch comes up and Desmond gallantly offers his apologies. He explains that there were three of them that night.
"You, the munchkin and who else?" Hobbit. Not Munchkin, Hobbit. HAW-BIT. Say it with me now.
The third scotch thief was, of course, brotha Hurley, who is getting the Micro Bus back on it's feet with Jin's help. In return, he's teaching Jin about English. Pretty much the blind leading the blind in this case.
When Sawyer comes looking for some retribution, instead of his scotch he gets a big, sweaty man hug from Mr. Reyes. Jin puts in a "Good see you" hug for good measure.
"Somebody's hooked on phonics." Sawyer's form seems no worse for bear...
When Sawyer learns that Hurley not only doesn't plan to give his stuff back but also intends to draft Sawyer into helping him fix the car, he asks why he would do that.
"Cuz, there's beer."
That's SIX.
Hurley has a new, positive outlook on life, thanks to what he sees as signs of good things to come: Sawyer's and Kate's return, the car, all point to things starting to get better for them. He figures it'll all be ok.
Saayid and Locke aren't so sure. They're questioning Kate about her escape, wondering why Jack told her not to come back. She explains about his sacrifice, the other island, the zoo, the boats and Karl. Then she heads off to find some help to get Jack back.
The Reyes family is sitting down to a dinner of burgers, fries and lasagna (finally, something other than taco night for my Wednesday night pre-Lost meal!) and Hugo's Mom is telling the Prodigal Father about the solid gold Jesus and the butlers that the lottery money has allowed Hugo to procure for her. Despite the tasty lasagna and burger combo, Hugo seems pensive. When the Prodigal Pop asks what's wrong, Hugo says what we've all been thinking. It's just a tad suspicious that Dear Old Dad happens to return to his family shortly after a huge lottery win. Dad claims that he's back because Hugo's Mom called to tell him that his son was in trouble. She didn't know how else to handle her son's obsession with the lottery numbers and curses. Hugo figures that the only reason his Dad came back was for the money, but Hugo plans to divest himself of the funds. He fires the butlers Tran with a hefty severance in cash and tells his parents that he plans to get rid of the money, the houses and the livestock (The livestock???) and he's starting with his Father.
Mrs. Reyes doesn't want Mr. Reyes to leave. She has needs. Sure, cover up Jesus's ears, but not Hurley's. No wonder the big man was in therapy.
She suggests that Hurley show his Father what he has in the garage. It's the Camaro. Still on blocks, still in need of a new carburetor.
Back in the jungle, Hurley, Jin and Sawyer manage to flip the Mystery Machine back onto it's wheels. Sawyer immediately sets to scavenging, while Hurley and Jin check out the engine. Sawyer finds a map, some beer and a head.
"Oh, that's just Roger."
That's SEVEN.
Despite Jin's protest, Hurley tries to start the bus. He has hope. He believes that it will work. He has a dead battery and no amount of hope is about to start the engine without a battery.
It's flat, and it stinks. The beer, not the battery. But Skeletor seems to like it.
That's EIGHT.
Jin doesn't think he can fix it, but Hurley thinks that it's worth a try. Sawyer wonders why it's so important to the big man. Hugo figures that getting the car running is a way to bring a little hope to the group.
"If it's hope you're looking for, Ese, you're on the wrong damn island. Cuz' there sure as Hell ain't no hope here."
Hugo's Dad wakes him up to take him on an adventure. They're going to break the curse.
A tarot card reading psychic sees Hurley winning the money and how the money has brought great misfortune. She sees numbers. The numbers.
There is darkness around these numbers. Great tragedy. She's sorry, but the next card is death. Death surrounds him and more is coming. She sees a curse on Hugo, but it can be removed. She starts gathering her mystic ingredients to remove the curse. She needs Hurley to take off his clothes.
Something about that makes Hurley just a mite suspicious.
"I'll give you a thousand dollars right now, if you admit that my Dad told you to say this stuff.."
"The mystic arts are not subject to bribes. How dare you..."
"Ten thousand."
"Your Dad put me up to it."
That's NINE.
*Side note. You gotta wonder what the next step in the "exorcism" was going to be...*
Back in the jungle, Hurley is praying for help while Sawyer give Jin some English lessons. "International House of Pancakes." Sawyer, back in the saddle.
When he tosses Hurley some help in the form of a beer and it sails past the big man and on down the hill, Hurley realizes that his prayers have been answered.
He goes to the beach to share the good news with Robin...er, Charlie.
Hurley wants to snap his buddy out of the moping he's been doing. When Charlie protests, Hurley uses his Mom's technique and slaps the Hobbit. Hard.
"OW!"
That's TEN.
"It is dangerous. And there's a very good chance that you will die."
"That's supposed to convince me to come with you?"
That's ELEVEN.
Hurley wants to use starting this car to turn his and the group's luck around. He needs a victory after all the crappy stuff that's happened to him lately.
Sawyer and Jin are going over Jin's English lessons.
"I'm sorry."
"You were right."
"Those pants don't make you look fat."
The only three things a woman needs to hear. How is it that Sawyer has so much trouble sweet talking Kate?
Hurley wants Sawyer and Jin to stop drinking and help him.
"What's your problem Jumbo-Tron."
"Shut up...Red...Neck...Man..."
"Touche."
That's TWELVE.
With some gentle persuasion, Hurley gets the boys to push the Micro Bus to the edge of a hill. Sawyer sums it up for them all. "Oh, this is gonna be real good."
Hurley is packing for Australia and his Dad is still trying to change his mind. He tries to convince his son to stay, suggesting that the big guy just give away the money and just keep enough to buy that new carburetor for the Camaro. It doesn't work, and the sincerity of the offer is questionable at best.
"Are you nuts?"
Sawyer is understandably skeptical of the big man's chances of surviving the plunge over the hill in the Mystery Machine. Hurley figures he'll pop the clutch at speed and start the bus with no trouble. Charlie came to ride shotgun. He wants to face possible death and see if his number really is up. Victory or Death.
"There is no curse. We make our own luck. There is no curse."
When he pops the clutch, the bus roars to life, eight track blaring "Shambala" by Three Dog Night.
Wash away my troubles, wash away my pain
With the rain in Shambala
Wash away my sorrow, wash away my shame
With the rain in Shambala
[Chorus:]
Ah, ooh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Everyone is helpful, everyone is kind
On the road to Shambala
Everyone is lucky, everyone is so kind
On the road to Shambala
How does your light shine, in the halls of Shambala
I can tell my sister by the flowers in her eyes
On the road to Shambala
I can tell my brother by the flowers in her eyes
On the road to Shambala
How does your light shine, in the halls of Shambala
"Shambala" is also the name of a mystical Buddhist Kingdom said to lie somewhere beyond the Himalayas as well as being a Sanskrit term meaning "peace" or "tranquility".
Those Lost writers. So subtle.
At the bottom of the hill, Scooby and the gang pile into the Mystery Machine and go for a joyride.
Jin returns to camp bearing a flower for Sun. I bet that during that slow motion hug he told her that those pants don't make her look fat.
Charlie returns to Claire and regales her with the story of his adventure. Sawyer scans the camp for Kate, but she's nowhere to be found.
Hurley takes the Micro Bus for another spin, basking in the glow of his victory.
Ahh, that's some good basking.
Out in the jungle, Locke and Saayid catch up with Kate and ask her why she didn't seek their help to rescue Jack. She explains her reasons, and while Locke doesn't disagree that he isn't motivated to find Jack, he does think he knows where to look. He has a compass bearing and thinks that following it will lead them to Jack. Saayid seems less than convinced, as he knows that the source of the bearing is the way that the sunlight hit Mr. Eko's stick when Locke was burying him, but he doesn't seem opposed to trying.
"Now that we've told you our secret, why don't you tell us yours."
When shots ring out all around them, Kate gets a reprieve from answering Locke's question. She calls for the shooter to show themselves, that she just came to talk. The shooter is Rousseau. Kate asks for her help but Rousseau has no reason to help them.
Until Kate reveals the existence of a sixteen year old girl, named Alex, who bears a strong resemblance to Danielle....
Oh, baby!
And for those wondering what I was counting? The times I laughed out loud when I watched this episode the second time through. That's a dozen laughs in forty-two minutes of television. Humour, Pathos, Drama. When they get it right, nothing is better than Lost.
Unfortunately I was unable to add the pictures from the site.
The Needs of the Mommy Outweigh the Needs of the Son.
First and foremost, before we delve into the nuts and bolts of this week's episode, let's take a moment.
A moment to bask in the glory of a return to the Lost we all know and love, led by the most lovable of the castaways.
Hear that? That's laughter. Out loud, sincere, laughter.
Nobody is forgetting that they're trapped on an island full of danger and mystery. We laugh despite those looming dangers and perhaps because of it.
With just the right mix of humour and pathos, Hurley once again comes through and restores our faith in the show.
Sure, no great mysteries were solved, no Doctors were rescued, and no one (well, almost no one) had any sex, but this episode had more heart than the first nine episodes of the season combined.
On top of heart, there was Vincent, beer, Cheech, a solid gold Jesus, a headless Workman and Mr. Cluck's was leveled by a meteor. What more could you ask for in a tv show?
Ahhh, that's some good basking.
A very young Hugo Reyes hauls his Dad's tools out to the driveway where a Camaro waits for some attention. After popping the hood, his Dad appears and with some gentle coaxing, gets Hugo behind the wheel. Hugo doesn't think that they can get the car started without the new carburetor, but his Dad thinks that if he has enough hope, it will start. He's trying to teach the boy that having hope is never stupid and everyone makes their own luck in life. That doesn't get the car started, but it sure sounds Fatherly.
Speaking of luck, Dad's off to Vegas, where he's got some work.
With a "Glacier" bar, some fatherly advice to "live a little" and a promise that they're only postponing their Grand Canyon road trip, he's on his bike and gone.
Cut to Hurley pouring his heart out at Libby's grave. He's telling her about recent events and admitting that he is as frightened as the rest of the survivors. And that he misses her. For a minute, it seemed like he might have been talking to his old buddy Dave, but no such luck.
You remember Dave, don't you? Dave was that possibly imaginary guy in the hospital who used to try to get Hurley to eat things that would make him fat. Cheech Marin's character is credited as "David Reyes" and Hurley obviously has chocolate abandonment issues. Coincidence? In this show? I'd say that the odds are about as good as being hit by a meteor...
After his chat with Libby, Hurley seeks out more lively conversation. He and Charlie have a chat about Charlie's impending doom and the big man confides that he thinks he's cursed.
"Death finds me, dude."
Just then, Vincent bounds out of the jungle.
Those Lost writers. So subtle.
Vincent's got something in his mouth. It's an arm. Carrying a rabbit's foot. The rabbit's foot is a keychain, with a key.
Hurley figures that they should get it from the dog. Charlie is less than convinced.
"Yeah. Chase the dog with the skeletal arm into the creepy jungle. You be my guest."
Hurley chases the dog through the creepy jungle, all the way to an overturned Micro Bus. "Awesome."
In front of Mr. Cluck's, Hurley is being interviewed about his lottery win and buying the chicken shack. When he starts detailing some of the bad things that have happened to him since he won the money, Tricia Tanaka calls for a cut. She wants a puff piece, not a heavy interview. She asks Hurley's permission to go into the restaurant to shoot some b shots and Randy, Hurley's former boss, tells her to go ahead. He knows that Hurley is superstitious about the public going in before the ribbon cutting, but everything is off and they don't start cooking until tomorrow, so what could happen?
Well...
Sounding remarkably like flight 815 as it fell out of the sky over the Pacific, a meteor streaks down from the heavens and slams into the chicken shack.
That's ONE.
As they panned over the wreckage of the store, I was struck by how airplane-like the burning restaurant looked. Coincidence? In this show?
Hurley runs back to the camp and tries to recruit some help in his new automotive venture. No one is really interested in starting a car. Paulo asks one of two very important questions. Why would they want to start a car? He gets points for this in my book. He also gets points for pulling Darling Nikki back to the kitchen by her daisy dukes.
No one asks where the HELL a car would come from or why it would be out in the jungle on a tropical island with no roads. Obviously, the group has stopped questioning the odd things that crop up around them almost daily. Couple that with an apparent lack of enthusiasm for rescue and I'm really starting to wonder what's in the Dharma Oat Bars besides fiber-ee goodness.
Kate and Sawyer are making their way back to camp when Sawyer steps on what looks like a pub dart. Now, if only they could find some beer...
Kate suggests that Sawyer need only say he's sorry and the two of them can start fresh, with a clean slate.
"A clean slate? Like on 'Little House'?"
Kate seems confused by his reference to "Little House". As he explains that he meant "Little House on the Prairie" she mocks him, saying "You call it 'Little House'?" Now, I never watched the show, but even I knew what he was referring to. Coming as it did on the heels of last week's "Brady Bunch" reference that went over Karl's head, we are left wondering just a wee bit more about Kate...
When he refuses to apologize for whatever it is that she's seeking an apology for, she stops calling him "James" and welcome's Sawyer home. I can't help thinking that James missed a crucial opportunity in that moment. For all his con-man skills, he sure has a hard time with Kate.
There is a joyous reunion on the beach when the two finally arrive at the camp. It's happy smiles all around as they are welcomed back to the beach of doom. Heck, Sawyer gets an almost hug from Locke for cryin' out loud!
Hurley comes home to his upscale estate and tells his Mom all about how Tricia Tanaka and her camera dude and Mr. Clucks all got hit by a meteor. When he tells her that it's because of the money and the curse, she slaps him. Hard.
"Ow!"
That's TWO.
To prove that he's not cursed, his Mom takes him by the hand to show him something. It's his Dad. Returned after 17 years.
"Your Mom wasn't kidding about those candy bars."
That's THREE.
Hurley and Jin are examining the wrecked Micro Bus and it's occupant, Roger. When they open the back they find it full of beer.
"Dude. Roger was on a beer run."
Jin tries to explain to Hurley what he intends to do, using primitive sign language.
"Ah man, I suck at charades. You wanna what?"
That's FOUR.
When the two men try to hoist Roger's desiccated corpse from the van, his head gets caught in the door frame and snaps off. Holding the headless body, Hurley tells Jin, "We'll get that later."
That's FIVE.
As Charlie and Desmond discuss the finer points of precognition, Sawyer storms up in search of his missing stash. When he lists off the items that are missing, the bottle of scotch comes up and Desmond gallantly offers his apologies. He explains that there were three of them that night.
"You, the munchkin and who else?" Hobbit. Not Munchkin, Hobbit. HAW-BIT. Say it with me now.
The third scotch thief was, of course, brotha Hurley, who is getting the Micro Bus back on it's feet with Jin's help. In return, he's teaching Jin about English. Pretty much the blind leading the blind in this case.
When Sawyer comes looking for some retribution, instead of his scotch he gets a big, sweaty man hug from Mr. Reyes. Jin puts in a "Good see you" hug for good measure.
"Somebody's hooked on phonics." Sawyer's form seems no worse for bear...
When Sawyer learns that Hurley not only doesn't plan to give his stuff back but also intends to draft Sawyer into helping him fix the car, he asks why he would do that.
"Cuz, there's beer."
That's SIX.
Hurley has a new, positive outlook on life, thanks to what he sees as signs of good things to come: Sawyer's and Kate's return, the car, all point to things starting to get better for them. He figures it'll all be ok.
Saayid and Locke aren't so sure. They're questioning Kate about her escape, wondering why Jack told her not to come back. She explains about his sacrifice, the other island, the zoo, the boats and Karl. Then she heads off to find some help to get Jack back.
The Reyes family is sitting down to a dinner of burgers, fries and lasagna (finally, something other than taco night for my Wednesday night pre-Lost meal!) and Hugo's Mom is telling the Prodigal Father about the solid gold Jesus and the butlers that the lottery money has allowed Hugo to procure for her. Despite the tasty lasagna and burger combo, Hugo seems pensive. When the Prodigal Pop asks what's wrong, Hugo says what we've all been thinking. It's just a tad suspicious that Dear Old Dad happens to return to his family shortly after a huge lottery win. Dad claims that he's back because Hugo's Mom called to tell him that his son was in trouble. She didn't know how else to handle her son's obsession with the lottery numbers and curses. Hugo figures that the only reason his Dad came back was for the money, but Hugo plans to divest himself of the funds. He fires the butlers Tran with a hefty severance in cash and tells his parents that he plans to get rid of the money, the houses and the livestock (The livestock???) and he's starting with his Father.
Mrs. Reyes doesn't want Mr. Reyes to leave. She has needs. Sure, cover up Jesus's ears, but not Hurley's. No wonder the big man was in therapy.
She suggests that Hurley show his Father what he has in the garage. It's the Camaro. Still on blocks, still in need of a new carburetor.
Back in the jungle, Hurley, Jin and Sawyer manage to flip the Mystery Machine back onto it's wheels. Sawyer immediately sets to scavenging, while Hurley and Jin check out the engine. Sawyer finds a map, some beer and a head.
"Oh, that's just Roger."
That's SEVEN.
Despite Jin's protest, Hurley tries to start the bus. He has hope. He believes that it will work. He has a dead battery and no amount of hope is about to start the engine without a battery.
It's flat, and it stinks. The beer, not the battery. But Skeletor seems to like it.
That's EIGHT.
Jin doesn't think he can fix it, but Hurley thinks that it's worth a try. Sawyer wonders why it's so important to the big man. Hugo figures that getting the car running is a way to bring a little hope to the group.
"If it's hope you're looking for, Ese, you're on the wrong damn island. Cuz' there sure as Hell ain't no hope here."
Hugo's Dad wakes him up to take him on an adventure. They're going to break the curse.
A tarot card reading psychic sees Hurley winning the money and how the money has brought great misfortune. She sees numbers. The numbers.
There is darkness around these numbers. Great tragedy. She's sorry, but the next card is death. Death surrounds him and more is coming. She sees a curse on Hugo, but it can be removed. She starts gathering her mystic ingredients to remove the curse. She needs Hurley to take off his clothes.
Something about that makes Hurley just a mite suspicious.
"I'll give you a thousand dollars right now, if you admit that my Dad told you to say this stuff.."
"The mystic arts are not subject to bribes. How dare you..."
"Ten thousand."
"Your Dad put me up to it."
That's NINE.
*Side note. You gotta wonder what the next step in the "exorcism" was going to be...*
Back in the jungle, Hurley is praying for help while Sawyer give Jin some English lessons. "International House of Pancakes." Sawyer, back in the saddle.
When he tosses Hurley some help in the form of a beer and it sails past the big man and on down the hill, Hurley realizes that his prayers have been answered.
He goes to the beach to share the good news with Robin...er, Charlie.
Hurley wants to snap his buddy out of the moping he's been doing. When Charlie protests, Hurley uses his Mom's technique and slaps the Hobbit. Hard.
"OW!"
That's TEN.
"It is dangerous. And there's a very good chance that you will die."
"That's supposed to convince me to come with you?"
That's ELEVEN.
Hurley wants to use starting this car to turn his and the group's luck around. He needs a victory after all the crappy stuff that's happened to him lately.
Sawyer and Jin are going over Jin's English lessons.
"I'm sorry."
"You were right."
"Those pants don't make you look fat."
The only three things a woman needs to hear. How is it that Sawyer has so much trouble sweet talking Kate?
Hurley wants Sawyer and Jin to stop drinking and help him.
"What's your problem Jumbo-Tron."
"Shut up...Red...Neck...Man..."
"Touche."
That's TWELVE.
With some gentle persuasion, Hurley gets the boys to push the Micro Bus to the edge of a hill. Sawyer sums it up for them all. "Oh, this is gonna be real good."
Hurley is packing for Australia and his Dad is still trying to change his mind. He tries to convince his son to stay, suggesting that the big guy just give away the money and just keep enough to buy that new carburetor for the Camaro. It doesn't work, and the sincerity of the offer is questionable at best.
"Are you nuts?"
Sawyer is understandably skeptical of the big man's chances of surviving the plunge over the hill in the Mystery Machine. Hurley figures he'll pop the clutch at speed and start the bus with no trouble. Charlie came to ride shotgun. He wants to face possible death and see if his number really is up. Victory or Death.
"There is no curse. We make our own luck. There is no curse."
When he pops the clutch, the bus roars to life, eight track blaring "Shambala" by Three Dog Night.
Wash away my troubles, wash away my pain
With the rain in Shambala
Wash away my sorrow, wash away my shame
With the rain in Shambala
[Chorus:]
Ah, ooh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Everyone is helpful, everyone is kind
On the road to Shambala
Everyone is lucky, everyone is so kind
On the road to Shambala
How does your light shine, in the halls of Shambala
I can tell my sister by the flowers in her eyes
On the road to Shambala
I can tell my brother by the flowers in her eyes
On the road to Shambala
How does your light shine, in the halls of Shambala
"Shambala" is also the name of a mystical Buddhist Kingdom said to lie somewhere beyond the Himalayas as well as being a Sanskrit term meaning "peace" or "tranquility".
Those Lost writers. So subtle.
At the bottom of the hill, Scooby and the gang pile into the Mystery Machine and go for a joyride.
Jin returns to camp bearing a flower for Sun. I bet that during that slow motion hug he told her that those pants don't make her look fat.
Charlie returns to Claire and regales her with the story of his adventure. Sawyer scans the camp for Kate, but she's nowhere to be found.
Hurley takes the Micro Bus for another spin, basking in the glow of his victory.
Ahh, that's some good basking.
Out in the jungle, Locke and Saayid catch up with Kate and ask her why she didn't seek their help to rescue Jack. She explains her reasons, and while Locke doesn't disagree that he isn't motivated to find Jack, he does think he knows where to look. He has a compass bearing and thinks that following it will lead them to Jack. Saayid seems less than convinced, as he knows that the source of the bearing is the way that the sunlight hit Mr. Eko's stick when Locke was burying him, but he doesn't seem opposed to trying.
"Now that we've told you our secret, why don't you tell us yours."
When shots ring out all around them, Kate gets a reprieve from answering Locke's question. She calls for the shooter to show themselves, that she just came to talk. The shooter is Rousseau. Kate asks for her help but Rousseau has no reason to help them.
Until Kate reveals the existence of a sixteen year old girl, named Alex, who bears a strong resemblance to Danielle....
Oh, baby!
And for those wondering what I was counting? The times I laughed out loud when I watched this episode the second time through. That's a dozen laughs in forty-two minutes of television. Humour, Pathos, Drama. When they get it right, nothing is better than Lost.
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