Three Minutes Of Lost
It’s doubtful I’ll be able to write this in three minutes, but since that’s the title of this week’s Lost episode, I’ll do my best!
The season finale is upon us next week, so apparently the writers decided we needed to slow things down dramatically with only the tiniest bit of progress in the present and some time-filling flashbacks that show what exactly happened to Michael while he was gone. In a nutshell: he got conked over the head several times by different people (including the girl who would be Deat—er, Alex) and at the very end was quite easily swayed, through an encounter with Walt (who?), to do the supposed Others’ bidding, puzzling as their request may be: bring four specific Lostaways to the Others’ (fake) camp for reasons as of yet unknown. Such meat to build an episode around, no?
When Michael tells his fellow islanders that only a very select few can launch an assault on the Others, they all swallow it far too easily, especially since he wants Hurley to come along: the fat guy who claims he brings bad luck to people and who’s got a personal stake in things, making him blind to possible harmful consequences. You’d think someone would question this decision, but no, on Plothole Island everyone thinks like a dink (Jack in particular). Apart from Sayid, apparently, which is what made the episode for me. Halfway through, after Sawyer invites our favourite Indian-Iraqi to join them (which earned a “hell yeah!” from me), we see Michael desperately trying to sway Sayid from coming along, repeating his incessant “do-you-have-a-son/I-want-my-son-back” routine, and apparently, *gasp*, succeeding!
I gave Lost the Double Finger in disgust at that moment, but as it turns out, unjustly so. What I hadn’t seen coming was Sayid figuring out that Michael had been “compromised”, as he so carefully put it, creating a situation that could well turn out to be quite interesting next week. Planning to play along with whatever Michael’s got planned—and isn’t it oh so convenient that Hurley decides to go island-traipsing after an initial refusal—Sayid might well be crucial in finally getting an advantage over the semi-mysterious Others. So, as usual, the interesting turns of events happen during the final few minutes of the show. Everything else is largely filler until we’re hit over the head with Sayid’s little revelation and, far more out of left field, the arrival of a quite nice-looking boat (Sun seems to have lost the power of speaking in proper sentences this episode, I might add). Not really sure where we’ll be going with that, but now that they’ve written out two characters once again, they’re probably going to throw in a couple of new ones for next season.
As slow, plodding and repetitive as some if not most of the scenes were, I rather enjoyed the bits with Charlie, Eko and Locke. The role-reversal between black and white was staged well, as Eko has now become obsessed with the damn button, abandoning little-boy-lost Charlie, while Locke appears poised to take our very own addicted Hobbit under his wings once again, witnessing him getting rid of his temptation once and for all (until more heroine comes falling out of the sky, of course).
Speaking of Locke though, I must take issue with Lost’s pacing once again: last week he was deeply dissatisfied with himself and his role on the island, this week we get virtually no follow-up. I realise they must work with a specific focus to make syndicated viewing easier, but when working with a large ensemble cast it feels out of bounds to ignore people for various episodes until it suits you to write them back in. It’s happened to almost every single character now (except for the one whom I’d like to see a LOT less of, Jack, with Kate next in line). I don’t get the feeling that there is a logical flow to the series as a whole, something I’m rather sensitive to, I can’t help it. Maybe they’re doing it to create tension but in my case they’re only creating substantial aggravation.
Something I was perturbed by was Michael’s decision to become a killer just to be reunited with Walt again. Now, I don’t have children, admittedly, but even so, Michael knows the Others are duplicitous, why would he trust them to keep their word? I can see a man committing murder if well and truly forced, but Michael was in a situation where he could’ve tried to get help, fighting back somehow. Instead he basically rolled over and shot two people who were in his way. It’s clear he feels guilty (they sure hammered us over the head with it when Eko pontificated on the boy who killed his dog to protect his sister) but come on, way to irrevocably destroy a character. He wasn’t brainwashed, he wasn’t really coerced so much as edged into it, it seems weak to me. Suspension of disbelief, dramatic license, I’m aware of these things, but they can only get the writers so far, and they’re losing me.
Naturally, because their character work is shaky and they know it, they throw in a new plot twist. Lost may pretend to be a character-driven show all it wants, but it’s as plot-driven as a show can possibly be with some occasional character bits that work. The hatch, the plane, the button, the blacklight map, now the boat, they’re all ways to introduce something new and to keep the blood pumping. But seen as part of a larger pattern, we’ve watched over 40 episodes without any clear answers or logical storytelling at all. Nor is there a feeling of community amongst the Lostaways, who get along and disagree with each other whenever it’s useful for the writer in charge. The meant-to-be gripping funeral scene is a perfect example: Ana Lucia and Libby might have been around for most of the second season, but for the islanders she arrived, like, 2 weeks ago? At least Hurley added a little bit of emotion to the scene, before Sun attracted everyone’s attention to the sudden appearance of the boat. Dear lord, I’m having flashes of us having to wait a whole season until we find out who’s on the damn boat ;)
All in all, a fairly weak outing for a show that is only strong on occasion but keeps me interested just enough to keep watching. At least I’m not paying any money for it like I do with my bloody comics! :) Fingers crossed that next week will actually be riveting (I don’t watch previews, so I’m in the blue as to what might transpire, which is exactly how I like it, thank you very much!). Lost attempts to be thrilling, which it usually manages during the cliffhanger moments, but it'd be nice if there was a certain level of excitement during the preceding 4 or 5 acts as well. Better luck next time!
The season finale is upon us next week, so apparently the writers decided we needed to slow things down dramatically with only the tiniest bit of progress in the present and some time-filling flashbacks that show what exactly happened to Michael while he was gone. In a nutshell: he got conked over the head several times by different people (including the girl who would be Deat—er, Alex) and at the very end was quite easily swayed, through an encounter with Walt (who?), to do the supposed Others’ bidding, puzzling as their request may be: bring four specific Lostaways to the Others’ (fake) camp for reasons as of yet unknown. Such meat to build an episode around, no?
When Michael tells his fellow islanders that only a very select few can launch an assault on the Others, they all swallow it far too easily, especially since he wants Hurley to come along: the fat guy who claims he brings bad luck to people and who’s got a personal stake in things, making him blind to possible harmful consequences. You’d think someone would question this decision, but no, on Plothole Island everyone thinks like a dink (Jack in particular). Apart from Sayid, apparently, which is what made the episode for me. Halfway through, after Sawyer invites our favourite Indian-Iraqi to join them (which earned a “hell yeah!” from me), we see Michael desperately trying to sway Sayid from coming along, repeating his incessant “do-you-have-a-son/I-want-my-son-back” routine, and apparently, *gasp*, succeeding!
I gave Lost the Double Finger in disgust at that moment, but as it turns out, unjustly so. What I hadn’t seen coming was Sayid figuring out that Michael had been “compromised”, as he so carefully put it, creating a situation that could well turn out to be quite interesting next week. Planning to play along with whatever Michael’s got planned—and isn’t it oh so convenient that Hurley decides to go island-traipsing after an initial refusal—Sayid might well be crucial in finally getting an advantage over the semi-mysterious Others. So, as usual, the interesting turns of events happen during the final few minutes of the show. Everything else is largely filler until we’re hit over the head with Sayid’s little revelation and, far more out of left field, the arrival of a quite nice-looking boat (Sun seems to have lost the power of speaking in proper sentences this episode, I might add). Not really sure where we’ll be going with that, but now that they’ve written out two characters once again, they’re probably going to throw in a couple of new ones for next season.
As slow, plodding and repetitive as some if not most of the scenes were, I rather enjoyed the bits with Charlie, Eko and Locke. The role-reversal between black and white was staged well, as Eko has now become obsessed with the damn button, abandoning little-boy-lost Charlie, while Locke appears poised to take our very own addicted Hobbit under his wings once again, witnessing him getting rid of his temptation once and for all (until more heroine comes falling out of the sky, of course).
Speaking of Locke though, I must take issue with Lost’s pacing once again: last week he was deeply dissatisfied with himself and his role on the island, this week we get virtually no follow-up. I realise they must work with a specific focus to make syndicated viewing easier, but when working with a large ensemble cast it feels out of bounds to ignore people for various episodes until it suits you to write them back in. It’s happened to almost every single character now (except for the one whom I’d like to see a LOT less of, Jack, with Kate next in line). I don’t get the feeling that there is a logical flow to the series as a whole, something I’m rather sensitive to, I can’t help it. Maybe they’re doing it to create tension but in my case they’re only creating substantial aggravation.
Something I was perturbed by was Michael’s decision to become a killer just to be reunited with Walt again. Now, I don’t have children, admittedly, but even so, Michael knows the Others are duplicitous, why would he trust them to keep their word? I can see a man committing murder if well and truly forced, but Michael was in a situation where he could’ve tried to get help, fighting back somehow. Instead he basically rolled over and shot two people who were in his way. It’s clear he feels guilty (they sure hammered us over the head with it when Eko pontificated on the boy who killed his dog to protect his sister) but come on, way to irrevocably destroy a character. He wasn’t brainwashed, he wasn’t really coerced so much as edged into it, it seems weak to me. Suspension of disbelief, dramatic license, I’m aware of these things, but they can only get the writers so far, and they’re losing me.
Naturally, because their character work is shaky and they know it, they throw in a new plot twist. Lost may pretend to be a character-driven show all it wants, but it’s as plot-driven as a show can possibly be with some occasional character bits that work. The hatch, the plane, the button, the blacklight map, now the boat, they’re all ways to introduce something new and to keep the blood pumping. But seen as part of a larger pattern, we’ve watched over 40 episodes without any clear answers or logical storytelling at all. Nor is there a feeling of community amongst the Lostaways, who get along and disagree with each other whenever it’s useful for the writer in charge. The meant-to-be gripping funeral scene is a perfect example: Ana Lucia and Libby might have been around for most of the second season, but for the islanders she arrived, like, 2 weeks ago? At least Hurley added a little bit of emotion to the scene, before Sun attracted everyone’s attention to the sudden appearance of the boat. Dear lord, I’m having flashes of us having to wait a whole season until we find out who’s on the damn boat ;)
All in all, a fairly weak outing for a show that is only strong on occasion but keeps me interested just enough to keep watching. At least I’m not paying any money for it like I do with my bloody comics! :) Fingers crossed that next week will actually be riveting (I don’t watch previews, so I’m in the blue as to what might transpire, which is exactly how I like it, thank you very much!). Lost attempts to be thrilling, which it usually manages during the cliffhanger moments, but it'd be nice if there was a certain level of excitement during the preceding 4 or 5 acts as well. Better luck next time!
posted by Peter at 3:00 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home