Initial Reaction to "Recon"

Some loved it; some hated it. I was very entertained. Of course, there was some predictability and not a whole lot happened. I agree with that. When you invest yourself so thoroughly into a television show for six years, you get to know the people that create and write much better than you think. As much as we've (the fans) put ourselves into this show, they've invested way more than we can even imagine. The show, in a way, becomes a dialogue between the creators and the fans. We get to know eachother through the screen. I think we've become so accustomed to the craziness and confusion that is LOST that we almost try too hard to anticipate their every move at this point. In many ways, I think, especially in this final season, that they're trying to keep us on your toes, though in much subtler ways that they have before. Relax people. It's building. LOST has always been a character story. If this is the story that Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse wanted to tell, then regardless of if I like it or not, I respect that. I'm not going to set myself up for failure. I have loved this show for six years, and if the ending isn't every single thing that I had hoped and theorized it would be in those six years, I'm not going to stop loving it because of that. Perhaps, I will be a bit disappointed. That's a strong possibility. I expect they won't answer every question that I want answered. I'm okay with that. What LOST changed about television is that it never stops making you think, and I wouldn't expect any less if LOST left me thinking for the rest of my life. Now, I'll give you a topic and let's discuss... "Recon" is neither a "re" nor a "con," discuss!

From Lostpedia

Here are some of my thoughts, questions, and theories on "Recon" (Some of which were written while viewing the episode.):

Questions:

• Why is James allowed to have sex with his suspects?
• Why did James allow Kate to escape when he saw her wearing handcuffs at LAX?
• Why is James investigating Anthony Cooper? Is he the same Anthony Cooper?
• Did James still write the "Dear Mr. Sawyer" letter?
• If MIB isn't dead, then what exactly is he?
• Who killed the passengers from Ajira Airways Flight 316?
• What the hell is wrong with Sayid? Is he completely evil now?
• Did James mistakenly kill someone while he was in Australia?
• What growing pains is MIB referring to?
• Who is MIB's mother? Why was she so crazy? Or was he talking about Locke's mother?
• What's inside the locked room on the submarine? Is it a person or an object?
• Whose side is Charles Widmore on? Is he really there to kill MIB?
• How did MIB and Charles Widmore know eachother?
• Will James kill Anthony Cooper?

From Lostpedia

Notes:

• What, no recap? 
• "You weren't exactly supposed to see that." James
• When exactly did Sawyer get a Claire haircut? This is like when Charlie suddenly had a mullet.
• So, that's where Jin and Sawyer have been all this time.
• Was that tea or dirty water?
• Sawyer gives Jin his word that they won't leave the island without Sun, but will he keep his word?
• Whoa! Sawyer's a cop! So is Miles! This is pretty freaking awesome. They're partners just like they were on the island when they worked Security for the DI.
• Okay, sorry. "Sawyer" is going by Jim or Jimmy now. It's hard to keep up with all the name changes.
• The clock says 8:42 and stays on it for the whole scene.
• Uhh.. So, the cops were just outside, listening to him have sex with that chick the whole time?
• She calls James "dimples". I guess he's not the one with the nicknames in this universe.
• James uses the codeword "La Fleur" to call on his cop buddies.
• I guess the real "Sawyer" never killed his parents, but did they still die?
• That squirrel baby creeps me the hell out. Seriously. It has fangs.
• Ummm.. Why the hell is Claire holding Kate's hand? For some reason, that really creeped me out. Oh well. Maybe I'll get lucky and they'll kiss and makeup soon.
• "I'm not with anyone." Sawyer
• Detective James Ford is a bad liar.
• Miles says that the date he's setting James up with works with his dad at the museum, which means that Charlotte works with Pierre Chang.
• "Do you want to be alone?" Miles
• "I wish you hadn't interrupted me." MIB "I'm sorry. I forgot my manners." Sawyer "I forgive you." MIB
• MIB... so forgiving.
• "I'm the smoke thing." MIB
• "It's either kill or be killed, and I don't want to be killed." MIB
• Charlotte! Nice. They finally let her look hot.
• Okay, so James' parents still died because of Anthony Cooper, but instead of using it as a negative, James makes the most of it and becomes a cop.
• Charlotte is an Archeologist. She's also way hot.
• "I'm exactly like Indiana Jones." Charlotte "You got a whip?" James "Maybe." Charlotte
• "I got to a point in my life where I was either going to become a criminal or a cop. So, I chose cop." James
• I really liked the interaction between James and Charlotte.
• On James' dresser, he has the books Watership Down, A Wrinkle in Time and Lancelot. He read all of these books during his time on the island.
• James, you DID say "top drawer, on the right," and that's exactly where she looked. There were no t-shirts. Maybe you shouldn't hide your secret "Sawyer" folder in there, and then tell a chick that's where you keep your t-shirts? Just a suggestion.
• The article read "Local Man Kills Wife, Self, Survived by 9 Year Old Son."
• Come on, Sawyer, why'd you have to pick up the damn dress? Juliet JUST died. Don't pull a Claire. Also, how the hell is that dress still there? Come on now, Darlton.
• "Sayid, are you alright?" Kate "No." No kidding!
• Uh, a little help, Sayid? Sayid? Are you there, Sayid?
  
• Claire WILL cut a bitch. Damn. That was intense.
• Whoa. Apparently Claire needed the sense slapped into her by MIB.
• That must've been at least a little awkward for Terry O'Quinn.
• "You alright?" MIB "No, I'm not alright." Kate
• The flies on the pile of bodies means that they must be dead for a long time. So, it might've been Smokey that killed the passengers of Ajira Airways Flight 316, considering that Charles Widmore just got to the island.
• Also, the dead Ajira passenger in the purple shirt is Jorge Garcia's girlfriend, and co-host of Geronimo Jack's Beard, Sidekick 22. They talked about it on their podcast. It's awesome. Go listen to it, NOW.
• When did evil Tina Fey get to the island?
• Liam Pace was in the Police Station looking for Charlie. I wasn't expecting that. It was cool of them to throw that in there. Did he come from Australia, though? Maybe he was in Los Angeles already.
• "Sorry, not my department." James
• Why is Miles so touchy feely as a cop? You're a cop, dude! You're not dating your partner.
• "She opened the wrong drawer." No, James, I'm pretty sure she opened the right drawer.
• Miles is a little nosey in the flash sideways.
• James punches the mirror and breaks it. Enough with the mirror breaking, guys.
• Really, Tina Fey? You were out collecting wood when everyone else died? That's your story? You expect me to believe that? EVERYONE knows that the log carriers die first.
• "Trust me, God's got nothing to do with it." Sawyer
• "Take me to your leader." Sawyer
• Totally thought they were going to be the other outrigger canoe and that chick was going to get shot by Juliet. I hope we find that out soon considering everyone is going around on canoes between islands. 
• Kate is this season's crier, apparently. She caught it from Jack.
• When Kate told her the truth? Hey, Kate? How about telling Claire the most important part of the story, which is that Aaron is with Claire's mom, his grandmother, Carole?
• "Very insightful, coming from a dead man." Kate "Well, nobody's perfect." MIB
• MIB offers Kate his hand, but she doesn't take it.
• Who called the nerds? Those people look so not intimidating.
• "Your name even Zoe?" Sawyer "Is yours Sawyer?"
• "You could've just told me that you sent him to the island where we were locked in cages. You didn't have to bring me down here." Kate "Sure, but then I wouldn't have gotten to talk to you." MIB
• "You referred to me as a dead man. I am not a dead man." MIB
• The MIB is so witty.
• Those people look like they should be Widmore's interns.
• They're putting up makeshift pylons, apparently to keep Smokey out. I still don't understand why he can't just go right over the top of the pylons, though.
• Nice sub. Widmore's stylin'. Much nicer than the DHARMA one.
• James has beer and OJ in his fridge. And Microwave dinners. He still watches Little House on the Prairie.
• "People aren't really gone when they die." Michael Landon
• James, even I know not to bring a woman a six pack when you kicked her out, naked, at 3 AM. Flash sideways James is kind of a bumbling idiot.
• "You've got to be kidding." Charlotte
• They make it a point to show us that locked door when Sawyer points it out. I wonder what's in it. It could be a person. It could be an object. I'm not going to speculate. Just show me it already. It better be good, because you went out of your way to make it obvious that we were supposed to start speculating on what's inside the name room on the submarine. I hope it's Desmond.
• "Whatcha got in here?" Sawyer
• "It's sad, really, how little you actually know." Charles Widmore
• "We didn't murder those people, but I don't expect you to believe that." Widmore "Good. I don't." Sawyer
• So, Charles Widmore is against MIB/Locke? Apparently he wants to kill him. Look at that smile he had when Sawyer said he'd lead MIB there.
• Kate with the awkward pat on the back when Claire hugs her. I'd be sketchy too.
• Look, James! Another suspect you can have sex with!
• "Son of a bitch." James
• I knew that was going to be Kate the moment the car crashed. Seriously, who didn't know? No one can run for that long and have a hood stay on. Come on, guys.
• Uh, Sawyer? I'm pretty sure that commandeering a submarine is just as hard, if not harder, than flying a plane. At least most people know something about planes from seeing movies. How many times have you seen how to pilot a submarine in a movie? I have no clue how that could work. Does it have a steering wheel? I don't know! Do you push a button? A pedal? NO CLUE. You could have to play Pac-man to drive a sub for all I know. At least you can find Frank Lapidus to fly the damn plane. Although, how are you going to turn it around? I guess that makes sense. Maybe I'm overreacting. I guess he can just force someone at gun-point to drive the submarine. Makes sense.
• Sawyer plays a good hand sometimes. He's also like the worst cop ever.
• And, Sawyer, come on with the "freckles" and Darlton, with the damn music. That wasn't a big reveal.
• I'm going to say it again, Josh Holloway is doing a great job this season.

There has yet to be a mind-blowing episode (on the level of "The Constant") this season, but I strongly feel that is coming very soon. Unfortunately, I've known who this week's episode is about for quite a while, so I have a feeling that this will be where the season really starts to hit its stride. I won't spoil anyone, but I'm very excited about it. I think that's the biggest spoiler I've known for quite some time, and I didn't even want to know it. I know almost nothing from there on out, and I hope that I don't get spoiled. I'm really looking forward to what the rest of this season has in store, and beyond...

Will James Ford and Miles Straume have a LOST buddy-cop spin-off show? I'd watch it.