Episode Review - 5x01/02
Alternative title: WHEN am I?
That line from Locke was clearly THE soundbite for the 2-hour premiere in my mind - an absolutely fantastic summation. As per the last two-three years we've been doing episode reviews, Season 5 episode reviews will consist of either me or another Lostpedia Administrator blogger going over the eps and highlighting key 'points of interest' that fuel the mythology and our general theorizing.
So to start off, the general theme for the episode other than time seemed to really be about everything making sense. It seemed like, now that time is shifting all over, the holes and the mysteries we have of the Lost world are being filled as we go. The start itself was full of these - learning a little more about Pierre Chang and the Arrow station's purpose, seeing the Nigerian plane crash, Faraday in the past (linking to the Comic Con 2008 video). I have to say, the rumors of time travel before the season began scared me, but having seen the episodes, I'm starting to be converted as it seems to just work really well. Perhaps considering Lost is built on flashes of time, the idea of 'real-time' shifting just fits in with the narrative so fans can accept it. Guessing WHEN the scenes are taking place, I actually really enjoyed, and it seemed to be like the opening scene to a new season every 10 minutes (where there's always a play - Desmond in a hatch S2, Barracks house S3, etc). The opening of this Season was generally quite amusing, with Chang warning of the catastrophe that'd occur if someone went into that energy room.... oopps...
The time travel timeline was very intricate, and it was also nice for the Oceanic 6 to be given a timeframe - three years in the future from when the wheel was turned. It was nice to watch the O6, but I felt there was little 'what the hell' moments for them (apart from the final scene with Ms. Hawking). In contrast, on-island there was a host of peculiar happenings from the time distortion. First, FROGURT makes his debut (bar mobisode), albeit shortlived - we couldn't have had him all S5 though, right? His character is a little irritating. Furthermore, we've got flame arrow throwing freaks - probably the Hostiles/Others, considering DHARMA are a bit more gung-ho with their weapons (just not the name of their stations). It made me think though - how far back did they go when they're getting shot at with arrows... this didn't last long however with DHARMA folk (I assume DHARMA folk...) attacking Sawyer and Juliet. Guessing they thought they were Others. Also - deja vu with Sawyer stepping on a splinter... any significance to that you reckon, Losties?
For a final section - picking up the pieces of the O6 events. Firstly, it was nice to see Ana-Lucia... glad it wasn't really her though, cause if time was moving weird for Hurley too, it would have been too much to handle. It was enjoyable though to have so many guessing games of who the person was. Pierre Chang, Ana-Lucia, Ms Hawking... all great moments of tension. Furthermore, was that Carlton Cuse I heard introducing an episode of "Expose"?
So that's it, minus the enlightened Hurley's mom, who now has won me over - believing her son out of sheer love instead of nagging him like she usually does. Typical parenting I guess. All in all though, a great opening - and I think hats off to the writers for introducing the notion of time travel and yet at the same time, doing so in a smooth way that didn't alienate fans. Only on Lost....
20 comments:
I can't remember who Ms Hawking is. It must be a big deal because they hid her face for so long and then the reveal...I just don't remember her and why she's important.
It was great to have Lost back, though.
I am glad there were two episodes. I'm not sure just the first alone would have been satisfying.
I knew it was going to be Ms. Hawking, but I thought they were going to reveal her as Faraday's mom. Maybe they still will, who knows.
only on lost indeed. I missed this show. ahhhhhhh
Definitely only on Lost! I've always been the advocate of "scientific explanation" and so hated the idea of Desmond's flashes. Now though, I'm starting to be converted.
I'm definitely a "man of science". But Desmond/Faraday are emerging as my favorite characters (it used to be Des/Sayid). I've always hated the fate/religion undertones but when the flashes HAPPENED to Desmond (rather than Locke talking about fate)I was able to accept it.
I'm excited for the return of Mrs. Hawking (@Tori- I think she's Dan's mom too), because her "you don't buy the ring" line to Desmond was the first time that lost really gave me goosebumps. What a way to start this season! But I'm already tired of Kate's storyline, normally that doesn't happen till we have a Kate-isode.
am i the only one who thinks faraday may be related to c.s. lewis, maybe even be her father?
I LOVE THIS SHOW! It was AWESOME last night. I loved the whole 'record skipping' analogy that Dan gave to explain what was happening with time.
Joseph- I think you mean Charlotte, not Faraday.
I loved the end with Mrs. Hawking. I wasn't surprised to see her again, but I was surprised to see her at that moment. I also think she is Daniel's mother.
I was completely irritated by Kate pulling the runaway crap again last night. But, it was typical Kate- running from problems instead of facing them. I just don't want another fugitive storyline with Kate running from the cops. Again.
That said, I think the lawyers may have been sent by Ben to scare Kate into running away. Back to the island.
CK - an excellent theory about the lawyers.
I didn't mind Kate running - it was cool cause she was breaking her agreement to stay put. I thought the "being the fugitive again" was an interesting parallel, considering Kate was supposedly all reformed and self-actualized now. I think the point of the episode was to prove - did your life really get any better because you left? And the answer is: no.
I thought last night's episodes were incredible. Faraday is clearly a fan favorite and rightly so. I call him 'the new Jack'. I thought Locke's line, "When am I?" was classic. Looking forward to a fantastic season.
I feel like an idiot. Am i the only one? Cause when the the episode first started I was like "Whhaaaaaa???" I thought the woman in bed was Sun. and I'm like "dude!!! Who's that guy?" I'm thinking "Is it Jack, Jin, Who?" Then Later in the episode when Sun is talking to Kate she asked her in a kind of a sheepish way "how is Jack?" When she said that I'm like "Dude!! she's secretly with Jack!!" Finally after the two hours were over I went back and watched the beginning again and I realized "oh..wait... never mind.. not her :(
I was thoroughly confused on what I thought was Sun at the beginning of the ep too, so don't feel bad.
Can someone explain, who is "Ms Hawkings" or where she's originated from? I don't remember at all...
They should put a disclaimer at the beginning of the show to remind fans not to drink alcohol during the eps, just makes it harder to remember:)
First of all I don't know why anyone would have been worried about time travel--the very best episode of last Season was all about time travel. Just saying is all.
I'd also say don't make the mistake of assuming that Science and Fate are two separate things. The two can co-exist quite easily.
I also forgot who Ms. Hawking was, so I looked her up and was all--oh, right, how could I forget her? She's the one who explains to Desmond that you can't change the future.
One thought on the fire arrows--everyone seems to be assuming that the arrows were coming from either the Others or DHARMA, but I wonder if they might have been even further back in time. Fire Arrows make me think of tribes. Maybe the people who built the infamous statue? Or another group of people who lived on the island a very long time ago.
This time travel thing has the potential to tie together everything we've seen on the show. It's a very clever move on the writer's part.
Potential problem with time travel plots is they can tie up everything; that is, once you've made the leap and decided to go along with the concept, it can be extended to resolve just about anything and it's hard to dispute the specific resolutions since you've already bought into the overall premise.
For example, I find myself believing the theory that Jack is Jacob now. He's somehow gone back and forward in time such that it works, he's not directly changing anything, there's the knowing smiles of his father and sister when they're with Jack/Jacob, and all the subtle clues that more attentive people than me have noted relative to this theory.
That sort of thing I wouldn't have believed before, but now that time travel is so clearly at the core of everything, I can go along with it. Or be completely yet happily wrong. :)
It makes it a fantastic ride.
What Ax says there about tying the show together is very true.
All the visions that people have seen in the jungle can be explained with this concept.
What i was confused about at first was how Locke remained static and the 'others' disapeared. His time line seemed to have entered previous Ethan and future Richard. Locke skipped in and out of existence, the past remains unchanged but his actions in the past were not known to him on his timeline. It's a very intresting conception of time.
Sorry if this seems obvious to anyone, I'm just trying to understand what I have just seen myself.
Ax, I agree, "The Constant" was the best episode of last season...time travel is IMO the most interesting concept of Sci-Fi and I'm glad they are going with it. Also, what you say about the "natives" of the island using arrows is right on target, makes the most sense and it does connect to the four-toed statue.
What about arrows coming from sailors (pirates) from the Black Rock?
I think that Jacob might be from ages ago, just because Ben only wanted to take a lantern inside the cabin. When Locke heard Jacob say "help me" he used the flashlight (modern technology) and Jacob went off in that cabin, lol! Maybe Jacob is really old and when he seen that flashlight he didn't understand what it was, maybe he's tired of Ben's lies and him always holding back on what is going on. But, Jacob does seem to be held as a prisoner.
...Joseph, you are not the only one; I also thought, by the way he treats her and how he looks at her, that Faraday is a blood relation to Charlotte...and how can anyone not remember who Mrs Hawking is???...
I thought a common theory was that Jack's father is Jacob, not Jack himself.
It's been awhile, so my Lost theorizing is a little rusty. All the thoughts on this thread are fantastic though!
I also was thinking Black Rock when I saw the flaming arrows.
I also knew it was going to be Ms. Hawking. She has haunted me in her various appearances. I also agree she will likely be Faraday's mom.
Can't wait to see how Desmond interacts with the time shifts. Next Desmond episode should be fantastic. I totally agree that "The Constant" blew my mind last season.
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