26 February 2009

The Life & Death of Jeremy Bentham, Initial Reaction

Wow, yeah, I really really hate Ben now. I hope Locke beats him with Eko's Jesus stick and then Desmond finds the island and beats him with his bloody fists. I was really hoping that Locke discovering someone that he recognized would end up being Walt, but alas, it was stupid evil Benjamin Linus, the master manipulator and liar extraordinaire. Beat his face more, Locke!

Questions:
  • Is Christian Shephard really alive? Did he have the same experience as Locke?
  • Does Walt have to go back to the island? Why or why not?
  • Did Ben kill Locke because he got the information that he needed or because he knew that he had to die to go back to the island?
  • How does Ben know Eloise Hawking? Why is he disturbed by hearing her name?
  • Is Helen really dead? Did Abaddon lie to keep Locke from going to see her?
  • Did Frank land the plane on the runway near The Hydra on Alcatraz island?
  • Who did Frank take off with?
  • Are Jack, Kate and Hurley in a different time from the rest of the survivors of the Ajira Airways crash? Are the plane crash survivors in present time?
  • Why did Ben and Locke flash with them? Where are Sun and Sayid?
  • What, why, who and when are the war that is coming to the island?
  • How did Ben convince Widmore to leave the island?
  • Why is Walt having dreams about Locke?
  • Is Caesar working for Charles Widmore?
Notes:
  • In the opening sequence, Caesar finds copies of the same map that Rousseau gave Sayid, a page from the notebook of Daniel Faraday, and the map of the Temple that Ben gave to Alex and Rousseau.
  • So, Sayid has clearly turned into Jimmy Carter after working for Ben for a while.
  • Whyyyyyyyy did you have to kill Matthew Abaddon?!?!?!
  • Who is good and who is fucking bad? Widmore or Ben? I still don't know dammit!
  • I felt really bad for Locke in this episode. The face he made right before he died was the most frightening look I've ever seen on Locke.
  • I hate Ben now. Especially if he killed Desmond and/or Penny and Charlie too. I really had that bug-eyed little fucker.
  • I love how you can clean up an entire crime scene with a rag and a bottle of Windex.
  • The place where they are holding the injured survivors appears to be Ben's office at The Hydra, as seen previously in a deleted scene.
  • Locke didn't tell Walt he was Jeremy Bentham.
  • Hurley was painting a Sphinx at Santa Rosa.
  • Helen's last name was Norwood and she died on April 4, 2006.

That all being said, I liked this episode. Although, I'm really wondering where the season is going right now. I really have no idea what they're going to do now that they're back on the island so soon. What's going to happen now?

19 February 2009

316, Initial Reaction

All I have to say is Desmond and Penny better not be dead. As much as I love Ben, we'll be finished if he murdered one or both of them, and especially little Charlie. That being said, I loved this episode, the opening, and it's probably my favorite after Jughead.

Questions:
  • Why did Jack land on the island the same way but no one else?
  • Why did Hurley have a guitar case?
  • Who or what convinced Sayid, Hurley and Kate to get on the plane?
  • What happened to Aaron? Who did Kate give him to?
  • Where did Ben go? Is his promise to an old friend his promise to Widmore?
  • Why was Ben all bloodied up? Did he go after Desmond and Penny?
  • Are Desmond and/or Penny dead? What about Charlie?
  • Will Desmond get back to the island?
  • Who created The Lamp Post and the pendulum?
  • How and why does Ms. Eloise Hawking know so much?
  • How is the island constantly moving?
  • Where are the other places around the world that are connected to the island?
  • Did John Locke really commit suicide?
  • Why does Jack need to give Locke something that was his father's?
  • What is the significance of Jack's grandad, Ray?
  • Is Ray trying to get back to the island?
  • Why is Sayid handcuffed and being escorted onto the plane?
  • Who is the woman that is escorting him?
  • What is the significance of the man that talked to Jack and was on the plane?
  • Where's Walt? Where's Desmond?
  • Who and where are the other passengers on the plane?
  • Where did the plane go? Did it really crash?
  • Why is there a flash when they land on the island?
  • Where are Sun, Ben, and Sayid?
  • Why is Jin working for DHARMA? Are they all working for them?
Notes:
  • I was surprised to see this opening scene so soon. It has been my speculation for a long time (since about Season 2) that we would see the opening scene of The Pilot again. I flipped out a little bit when I saw this, talking to myself out loud, of course.
  • The photograph of the island in The Lamp Post is from the US Army, labeled Top Secret, and was dated September 23, 1954, which is almost exactly 50 years prior to the crash of Oceanic Flight 815.
  • Hurley was reading another comic book in the Airport, called El Ășltimo Hombre by LOST writer Brian K. Vaughn.
  • There was a Virgin Mary statue in Ms. Hawking's office.
  • When the Ajira plane takes off, there is an Oceanic plane in the background.
  • Locke's suicide note to Jack said "Jack, I wish you had believed me. JL"
  • I think that Jack is a believer now.
  • Where's Vincent? He needs to wake Jack up!
  • Ms. Hawking said that the island has an energy that is connected to other places around the world. One of the places could possibly be the place in Australia that Rose and Bernard visited a man with healing powers, Isaac of Uluru.
  • I really liked the scene where Jack is putting his father's shoes on Locke, saying that wherever he is now, that he's probably laughing his ass off.
  • I think that Jack's grandfather, Ray, may be seen again. Perhaps he's been on the island.
  • Ms. Hawking told Jack that it's a leap of faith, just as Locke did.
  • I really hope that Desmond beat the crap out of Ben, or somehow, Sayid showed up and beat the face off him. I'm going to be really upset if Desmond or Penny are dead, and killing their son, Charlie, would just be horrible. I am really going to hate that if it's true. I strongly believe that it will ruin Desmond's entire story. Can we please just have one happy ending?
  • I'm glad that Desmond had a little explosion on Ms. Hawking. Watch out for that big ass pendulum, though, Desmond.
  • It was cool to find out why Christian Shephard was wearing tennis shoes in his coffin.
  • Alright, Kate, it's kind of time to stop having sex with dudes just because you're upset about something. Not that I mind, it's just getting a little old, and in my opinion, really makes her character very one-dimensional.
  • Jack, you don't hear a noise, and then go looking for it in the dark.
  • Also, what happened to Aaron better not be stupid.
  • I thought Matthew Fox's performance was very strong in this episode. Especially in the scene where he tells Kate about the shoes, and where he puts the shoes on Locke's body.
  • When Ben calls Jack, he's at a phone booth by the marina.
  • Ben was reading Ulysses on the plane.
  • Really, Ben? Your mom taught you how to read? Your ghost mom? Even when telling a joke, Ben just can't help himself from lying about something.
  • Sayid seemed to no longer have a beard on the plane, and didn't have any speaking lines.
  • Frank Lapidus was flying the plane! I'm so glad he's back.

12 February 2009

This Place is Death, Initial Reaction

I liked this episode. I was disappointed by a few things. I'm also getting annoyed with a few things. I'm kind of getting sick of the slow, yet completely obvious reveals. We know it's going to happen, just show us already. However, I am happy with the plethora of answers. I also liked that this episode picked up the pace a little bit, because I'm getting tired of the Oceanic 6 story. I'm glad that Desmond is back at the end of this episode, because I think his story is the most interesting off-island. I am worried that he and/or Penny may die though. I'm going to be really pissed if that happens. If there's anyone that I don't want to die, it's them.

Questions:
  • Was Ben surprised that Ms. Hawking is Daniel Faraday's mother or that Desmond knew?
  • Did going into The Temple make Rousseau's science team sick?
  • Does the monster protect The Temple?
  • Why did Danielle seem to think that Robert wasn't himself?
  • What exactly is the sickness?
  • Did Locke visit Sun when he was Jeremy Bentham?
  • How did Ben know that Locke was off the island? How did he know where to find him?
  • What time are they now in when Locke turns the donkey wheel?
  • Does Locke figure out that Christian is Jack's father?
  • How long has the donkey wheel been there?
  • Why did Charlotte just remember that Daniel visited her when she was young?
  • When does Daniel go back in time and visit Charlotte? Is that the time they're stuck in?
  • Why does Charlotte tell Jin not to bring Sun back to the island? How does she know?
  • Who are Charlotte's parents?
  • Is Christian Shephard Jacob? Why does he know so much?
  • So what would have happened of Locke was the original one that moved the island, instead of Ben? Was he not supposed to lead the Others? Why didn't Richard know this?
  • Did Ben know he wasn't supposed to move the island?
  • Will Brother Campbell make a reappearance? Will we find out why he was in cahoots with Ms. Hawking? Is he Daniel Faraday's father?
  • If they need all of them to go back, then why is what they have good enough for now?
  • Will Frank Lapidus fly them back to the island?

Notes:

  • It was awesome to finally see at least part of Danielle Rousseau's story.
  • Desmond is going to need to seriously flip out on that ring lady.
  • Montand losing his arm and a bone sticking out of Locke's leg grossed me out.
  • If I recall correctly, Sayid asked Danielle, "Have you see other people on this island?" and she replies, "No, but I hear them, out in the jungle. They whisper." So, what was Jin then, lady? Perhaps she just went completely insane and forgot about him, but, in my opinion, it would be pretty hard to forget a dude that's been on the island before you and kept disappearing and reappearing in front of you, and was there when your entire team died. I personally think that's a little weak. Unless, she couldn't remember him from the past until it happened when Jin traveled from the future, in which case, Danielle couldn't remember it because she was already dead. That's the only way it works.
  • The smoke monster seemed a little different in this episode, older, and more greyish looking. It reminded me a lot of Season 1, especially with dragging Montand down the hole.
  • Sun calling her mother and talking to Ji Yeon, telling her that she found a friend for her in America named Aaron, I thought she was totally going to be so evil and kill everyone, and that she would kidnap Aaron and take him back to Korea.
  • Ben said something to the affect of, "The Temple is a sanctuary. It's only for us (meaning the Others)." So, perhaps that's why Danielle's team got supposedly sick.
  • Rousseau, that is not where Montand lost his arm.
  • I'm really hoping to see more about Rousseau, like when she had Alex and Ben took her.
  • I'm so happy that Jin is back. No one matches the comedy he brings to the show.
  • My thought is that Christian has done the same thing that he told Locke to do, which is why he seems to know so much about it. He pushed the donkey wheel, then died and came back to the island where he was somehow resurrected.
  • I really hope that we're going to see everything Jeremy Bentham did in the real world.
  • I would like to know what exactly these rules are for objects traveling through time.
  • So, the frozen donkey wheel was actually stuck, therefore, skipping like a record, just as Daniel said.
  • Basically Ben screwed everything up. Locke should wear a shirt that says "I'm with stupid."
  • Sawyer had a nose bleed, but not Locke or Jin, who have been there the same amount of time as Sawyer, nor has Daniel Faraday had one yet.
  • Ben pulling the van over cracked me up. "I'll turn this van around right now!"
  • Before this season began, I was under the impression that the entire season was going to be about them getting back the island, and that it wouldn't happen until the very end of the season. But, now, I'm feeling like it's going to happen pretty soon, which makes me wonder what's going to happen in the rest of the season or the rest of the series.
  • Charlotte speaks Korean and Klingon.
  • Rousseau's team heard the numbers being broadcasted on the radio.
  • The hieroglyphics on The Temple are similar to Ben's underground lair where he summoned smokey and the ones in The Swan on the countdown timer.
  • Jin found Rousseau's music box on the beach, the same one that Sayid fixed for her.
  • Robert tried to shoot Rousseau, but failed because the pin was removed from his gun, just as Rousseau told Sayid when he tried to shoot her with the same gun, failing also.

I'm a little sad and disappointed to see Charlotte die already. I was looking forward to find out more about her story, though, I'm pretty sure we haven't see the last of her yet. Daniel still has to be scary and tell her not to come back to the island, and we have to find out who her parents are and how she got to the island. Charlotte exclaiming, "This place is death!" and telling Daniel that some scary man told her not to come back to the island, and she thinks it was him, totally freaked me out though. I may have nightmares about that one.

05 February 2009

The Little Prince, Initial Reaction

JIN IS ALIVE!!!!! ROUSSEAU IS ON THE ISLAND!!!!!

This was a great episode, however, I didn't like it as much as the last one, Jughead. I think a few key moments were really outstanding though. As soon as I saw the French equipment, I knew it was going to be Rousseau and her science team, and as soon as I saw the body, I knew it was Jin. I was very pleased with those two things.

Questions:
  • What is the significance of Ajira Airways?
  • Is there another plane crash on the island in the future?
  • Who were the people that were shooting at them?
  • What is the significance of The Little Prince?
  • If Rousseau met Jin when she arrived on the island, why doesn't she remember him in the future? Have Jin and Rousseau ever met in 2004?
  • How did Jin survive the freighter explosion? How did he get to the island if it moved?
  • Who was after Sayid? Why did the man have Kate's address?
  • Is it Charles Widmore who is after them?
  • What is Sun doing for Charles Widmore? Is she going to kill Ben?
  • What were the documents that Sun received in the package?
  • Did Kate come up with the plan to keep Aaron because of guilt?
  • What are the significance of the nose bleeds? Are they going to die?
  • Are the jumps in time causing memory loss? Is that why Charlotte didn't recognize Daniel at first?
  • Why the hell does Locke say that the light from the hatch was nothing?
  • Where are Rose and Bernard?
  • Who attacked the camp on the beach?
  • Were Miles and Charlotte born on the island? Who are their parents?
  • Is Miles Pierre Chang's son?
  • Lawyers and Lawsuits? How does Ben have so much money?
  • Did Danielle Rousseau's science team really get to the island 16 years ago?
Notes:
  • It seems as thought the nose bleeds happen first to those who have been on the island the longest. So, in order, Charlotte got one first, then Miles, and lastly Juliet had a nose bleed. Therefore, we know that both Miles and Charlotte have both been on the island for longer than 3 years, because that's how long Juliet has been on the island.
  • Kate lives at 42 Panorama Crest.
  • When Rousseau arrived on the island, she was with her science team, just as she told her story, with Montand and Robert.
  • I really hope we get to see Rousseau's whole story.
  • I liked the science where Sawyer saw Kate delivering Claire's baby, Aaron, and the light from Desmond in the hatch. I felt really bad for Sawyer.
  • I really didn't like the whole revisiting the love triangle thing going on, especially when Kate said "I've always been with you" to Jack. That was so lame.
  • The side of Ben's van says "CANTON-RAINIER Carpet Cleaner." Canton-Rainier is an anagram for reincarnation.
  • Please tell me they're not going to run into their past or future-selves on the island.
  • Whoever is after Sayid and Kate clearly didn't want to kill them. Otherwise, they wouldn't be shooting at Sayid with dart guns.
  • Sayid is so badass. He can move at the speed of light.
  • Hurley in jail and calling Jack was fucking hilarious.
  • Jack finally gets scolded by the hospital for bringing a dead Pakistani in.
  • I guess Sawyer and Juliet are friends now.
  • If the freighter was in the radius of the island, it could have disappeared because it's an object, but the bodies from it still could have been there, giving reason for Jin to float to the island if he had survived the explosion.

In LOST fashion, I have a bloody nose right now. I'm not even kidding.