Don’t leave us hanging
3 years, 9 months ago by AndreasRead more: Carlton Cuse, Episode Thoughts
I don’t think I’m the only one who felt a bit let down by last night’s Lost episode “Further Instructions”. Don’t get me wrong, I’m usually not the one who complains when it comes to Lost and the episode had some great moments, including great acting by Terry O’Quinn and the other actors.
However, there where a number of things that really bugged me in this episode. Let’s start from the top:
- The polar bear – The effects where very bad and the bear didn’t look believable at all. I know that they have a very limited time frame for producing the episodes, but if things are going to look as bad as the polar bear, then I would prefer not seeing the bear at all. The bad effects really ruined last nights episode for me.
- The new losties - What the heck was up with the new characters just joining in like that? It would have been way better if they where introduced with “hey, you over there, Paulo, right? I need some help here..†or something along those lines. If they have been part of the inner group all this time we should have seen them before. Their introduction was very bad writing in my opinion.
- The implosion of the hatch – How the hell did Locke, Eko and Desmond end up outside the hatch if they where inside it when it imploded and why is no one worried about the bright light, the quarantine door falling from the sky and the guys in the hatch possibly being dead? It seems like the writers are changing things to fit the new storyline and ignoring what happened in the S2 finale.
A similar thing happened in this season of Prison Break where the writing isn’t even comparable to the first season – every time one of the characters encounter a problem it is conveniently solved trough some lucky coincidence or through simply cutting to a new scene where the character has solved the problem. On my part, I solved the problem by not watching Prison Break anymore.
Writers of Lost, please keep the high writing standards and don’t start solving problems by ignoring them.
Comment 1, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
You’re right on the money. Lost is losing it.
Comment 2, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
I wouldn’t say that Lost is loosing it, but they need to get their act together because this episode could have been better.
Comment 3, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
Although I hate to bash the show, I agree on all counts. Also, what was that random three-minute period in which Locke was a “mute”? Was there any real purpose to that?
What on earth has happened to Rose and Bernard? Where do they go for weeks and weeks at a time?
Comment 4, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
I think the bear was used to show that there are under ground caves and springs that will come in to play later. i agree that they should have put some more effort in its appearence, especially with todays technology, but whats done is done and im hoping there will be a reason for this later. im thinking since they did talk about how they were dissatisfied with the polar bear appearence on the extras dvd on season one it will hopefully be expanded on later. i loved this episode for the ever growing links with greek mythology (fighting beasts and the such) and the use of the sweat hut. i made a promise to myself this season to stop doubting the team of writers and producers and just get totally emersed in lost. you know, just go with the flow and not concentrate on what they didnt cover, but what they did. so i once agian i applaud this episode and have a feeling we will all look back on it later and be like; oh yeah.
Comment 5, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
i agree, i was really disappointed by this episode. in addition to the points you made, locke’s flashback didn’t add anything new to his story or the episode. they really should’ve shown why he was paralyzed to keep the momentum building for this season, but they didn’t. i am hoping that this episode is just a “set-up” episode for a greater one down the road.
also i heard that they were going to introduce the new losties by having claire catch them having sex in jack’s tent. that definately would have been better than what they showed last night. perhaps the network decided against it and the writers had to compromise? that introduction we saw was wayy too forced, and i’m really hoping it was just a compromise that the writers had to throw in at the last second or something along those lines…
Comment 6, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
Where to do I begin:
- I don’t think the bear effects where bad at all! It was in a cave, low-light conditions (probably on purpose so they wouldn’t have to do a full bear). Other than the first bear Sawyer shot they never showed much of the bears anyway. In fact, this is a common technique in sci-fi moives. For example, in the movie “Aliens” only once or twice at the very begining and then again at the end do we actually see a full Alien clearly. The rest of the time is brief glimpses in low light. Why? The first time is to give us an image of what it looks like. After that a brief glimps is all the mind needs to conjure up the image. IOW, your mind fills in the blanks.
- I don’t think the man and woman are necessarily new characters. There are many more people on the plane than just the dozen or so characters focused on. I agree it might have been written better but let’s not Monday Morning Quarterback a minor scene.
- The implossion of the hatch, well that’s as yet another myster of the island! Why does any thing like that surprise anyone any more??
- There has always been much much more going on with the main characters than with the extras. You can imagine being trapped on an island like that most people are more into thier own day-to-day survival than bothering with other people’s business.
However, I do agree they need to start giving solid explanations very very soon (I was saying it last season too). People don’t mind a mystery but a good writeer still gives answers once in awhile.
Comment 7, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
MasterPo, I agree. I think there’s an explanation somewhere regarding how Desmond, Locke, and Eko survived the hatch rather than being crushed into fleshy thimbles.
The side effects of being ejected from the hatch were apparent enough that an explanation needs warrant:
-Temporary loss of voice
-Loss of clothing
-ESP?
Anyways, I bought the bear effects. That’s just me, though. And I haven’t lost faith in Lost.
Comment 8, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
I never thought I would say this… but that just wasn’t lost. It was horrible. I am speechless, and not in the good way.
Comment 9, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
Mater Po, Paulo and Nikki are new characters. The actors where cast for this season and I would assume that they will not just have minor roles.
As for the polar bear not looking bad, maybe I just have high standards, but the bear didn’t feel real. Polar bears don’t look that evil and it didn’t feel like a solid object. The animation wasn’t too good either.
Regarding the technique of not showing the thing the audience is supposed to be afraid of, this is not how it’s done. For a better example, check the movie Signs where in the beginning of the movie we know that something is looming in the corn field but we don’t see it. Then, when we just see a foot we get really scared and start imagining what the alien looks like.
Comment 10, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
I think it’s very possible Desmond had his own “vision” much the same way Locke did with Boone. In Desmond’s vision he saw Locke give his speech about saving Jack and the rest.
It’s also possible being right at the epicenter of the mass release of so much magnetic energy caused some kind of space/time warp (like the Philadelphi Experiment concept) that let him see the near future. (Hey, it’s sci-fi so why not?!)
I also think the time line wasn’t clearly stateed up front. I think the events we saw last night predate everything that we’ve seen with Jack and the rest captured by the Others. IOW, last night took place a few Lost days before the prior 2-3 episodes, right after the hatch blew up (imploded).
ps- Did anyone else pick up on how Claire was hen-pecking Charlie? ;-)
Comment 11, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
Andreas wrote:
Excellent example – I loved that movie!
And in that movie you will notice they never showed you the full aliens until that video clip on tv. You saw the leg and foot, you saw a shadowy outline on the roof, a claw-like hand under the door but that’s it. Your mind fills in the blanks on what they look like.
In “Aliens” the studio was afraid of the massive costs for all the alien effects leading up to the combat scene at the end. So the producer (Cameron) promised to save the bulk of the budget for the Queen Alien effects at the end and did the rest of the movie with just 3-4 guys in rubber suits.
Either way, though IMO it doesn’t matter. I think people are putting way too much importance on something minor. Who knows, maybe they had to slice the budget for this episode and CGI was where they did it.
Comment 12, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
Yeah you might be right MasterPo. I like the idea of Desmond having a vision, but haven’t all the visions on the island been caused by Locke’s magic goo?
The electromagnetic energy / implosion seems like the most credible explanation for what happened but I sure hope they will explain it on the show and not leave it for us to interpret.
I agree with your comment on this episode taking place before “The Glass Ballerina”. The question is, how did Hurley manage to walk back through the jungle so fast?
Comment 13, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
To me it’s not clear just how far away the dock is from the crash camp. I think it’s possible the events before the implossion happened the day before the Hurley has been walking all night.
Locke did his own version of the American Indian vision quest ritual. That black goo may have been a homemade drug or a natural cleansing agent. I don’t know. But I don’t think Locke has been drugging everyone on the island who’s seen something odd.
And when you start messing with intense electromagnetism who knows what space/time warps and changes can occur (in the sci-fi world anyway).
Comment 14, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
Andreas,
I’m a long time listener, first time caller. Regarding the visions of Desmond and Locke, I began to wonder if at the end of Season 2, when Charlie comes walking back into camp and Clair asked him where the others were, if his response had more to do with a vision he had of them already back at camp, rather than just being a jerk about things. He did seem fairly dazed and confused, much like Desmond and Locke did last night. What are your thoughts…
Comment 15, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
i like the comments above about the lack of curiosity. i have thought about this since last season. all these major things happen and no one seems curious about them ever. its like thy are all drugged or lulled into some sense of uncaring
Comment 16, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
Hurley is involved with the others and has been from the beginning. Did anyone notice who was who while getting on the plane?
Comment 17, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
Paul wrote:
I don’t think Charlie had a vision of the others being back, but I guess it could be possible.
For me it felt like Charlie’s actions at the end of the S2 finale became easier to understand now that we know that Locke, Desmond and Eko became “dazed and confused” by the implosion, so yeah maybe Charlie was just chocked and disoriented by the explosion and didn’t really understand what was going on.
Comment 18, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
LJ wrote:
They are not series regulars. They are recurring characters.
I, too, was a little bit bummed by this episode, even though it did have its bright moments. I enjoyed Locke’s flashback. I disagree with the return of the polar bear.
I also get really annoyed with the people who expect LOST to be EXACTLY like they want it to be. Guess what, some things are going to happen that you don’t want. Every episode isn’t going to be an A+. Whenever something bad happens, the good stuff seems to be darkened. Just remember, light always beats shadow, not vice versa.
Comment 19, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
I loved last night’s episode, so I have to disagree with you all.
1. Locke’s Flashback: Some have said that “it adds nothing to the story”. I disagree. I thought the flashback was a great story, and that it advanced the way we thought of Locke as a character. Also, didn’t that community remind you of the Others community?
2. The implosion–I agree that people should have been more worried/shocked after the implosion, and recognized when Locke got back. I think maybe not many people knew that they were in the hatch; what they were doing. In fact, no one knew about the fail-safe key, and only Charlie knew about the Dynamite. I think that people probably didn’t even notice Locke/Desmond/Eko were gone (except Charlie and Claire). Yeah–they should be worried about the white sky and the quarantine thing, but how would they connect that with Locke/Desmond/Eko?
3. The new losties–it would have been weird to give them a big introduction, because we are supposed to believe they’ve been on the island the whole time. Sure, we could have heard a, “Hey, Paulo!”, but there wasn’t really an appropriate time for that in the episode. Also, Paulo and the other one don’t really play a big role in this episode. I’m sure the writers will introduce them more fully when they have to come into the spotlight. It was a little weird not seeing all of the familiar “extras” faces. That got me a little bit, but it didn’t ruin the episode for me.
4. Locke took hallucinogen and saw the airport scene in the same way that Boone thought Shannon was dying in S1. I’m surprised no one is talking about DESMOND, who not only saw the future, but KNEW he was talking about the future. When Hurley questioned him, he was like, “Oh, right,” probably thinking “that hasn’t happened yet.” Oh, did he have a beard last season. Maybe he did…but it stood out this epi.
5. I am annoyed that Hurley didn’t say anything about Des seeing the future. Again with the losties not talking to each other.
6. The polar bear didn’t annoy me. We saw it for about 5 seconds out of 40 minutes. How could that have ruined the show for you? I think the show has to be taken for what it is: a show. It’s meant to be entertainment, and it’s really good at that. It’s also good at a lot of other things. If they didn’t get the polar bear CGI perfect, it’s probably because that wasn’t the focus of the episode and therefore not the focus of the crew.
All in all, I loved this episode. The knife being thrown at Hurley–and the scream before we knew it was him. Desmond’s ability to see the future/time travel/etc. The fun flashback.
Good job, writers, actors, and crew! While this might not have been the best LOST episode, it beats any episode of most other shows!
Alex
Comment 20, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
For two years I have been asking myself why nobody on the Island sits down and askes each other questions,like why are we here?,why are these things happining?, who are the others?, why all the bunkers?, why has their been no search parties? ect.None of the Losties ask eachother ANYTHING.Clair askes some important questions(like 2),the first in 69 days.there needs to be a two or three hour episode(comercial free) to answer some questions(even answering 1 would be good).It is totally ludicris to think that after 69 days on THIS island Losties just walk around,after their friends have been murdered and kidnapped,explosions,and all kinds of weird stuff going on,and everyone just walks around like their at the park.Im seriously getting a little pissed at this.Make an episode where the losties sit around a camp fire on the beach and Brainstorm/troubleshoot
about thier situation like we sit around the computer screen and talk about the situation the losties are in.The fact that none of the losties ask/talk to each other about their current fate just makes me sick its so unrealistic.Someone wake up the writers.
We will look back one day at this episode as the beginning of the end for Lost,like Fonzie
jumping the whatever it is he jumped in the Happydays episode that marked the beginning of the end of that show.Note to the writers if you were on this Island wouldnt you be asking everyone in sight about a million questions or would you just walk around looking at grass grow for 69 days.This is turning into a joke,please save the show while you still can,thx.
Comment 21, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
Why all the hand-wringing about “Lost” losing its believability. It never was. It is a soap opera desperately seeking a plot justfication. You watch it because you like soap opera romance and some decent acting and production values. Plot lines weave in and out, not to take you to the next level of suspense, but so you can see who makes nasty with whom. I love it.
Comment 22, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
Come on people, LOST definitely isn’t losing it.
Alright, the polar bear was cheesy looking and lightweight ruined the seriousness of the dilemma with Eko.
The beauty of the episode is that it’s not about the polar bear, it’s about Locke and his issue of making messes and having to clean them up later… forget the corny CGI, just watch and enjoy.
Another great thing is that with so many people living on the beach, the writers can pull pretty much any character into view…I agree it was a little clumsy this time, but it’s forgivable. :)
So many people have seen visions on the island, i think it would be reasonable to assume that Desmond has as well.
Was it just me or was the guy in charge of the weed scheme that John helped with the same dude with the “beard” who is with the others.
Poor John Locke… always getting tricked and swindled… I almost wanted him to shoot that DEA agent or FBI agent or whatever he really was…
anyways,
the timeline of LOST so far is over the course of about 50 days right? So many episodes crammed into so little a time period. Events are obviously going to be a little bit overlapped throughout the course of an episode. (Like Hurley coming back so soon from the docks.)
By now it should be apparant, to truly enjoy LOST you must overlook minor details and stop questioning every little “mistake” that surfaces. LOST is by no means bound by reality and so by Season 3 (as cliche as it sounds) you’ve got to expect the unexpected.
-THE NOGFISH
Comment 23, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
this looks very similar to what i wrote on my blog about last night’s episode.
http://cashoutcurse.com/?p=133
Comment 24, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
im not at all let down by anything lost does for the past two seasons lost has delivered cliffhanger after cliffhanger i think alot of you people are getting to ahead of yourselves it is the third episode into the new season we have three more to go until the break you know they are building up to something for people to sit here and say lost is losing it because the polar bear was computer animated and how come they outside when the hatch imploded just be patient quit focusing on petty stuff like that and watch the series lost is the greatest show in television history and i get all pissed off and type and fast orget grammar when i read comments like that anyone who is a lost fan(atic) knows that we are all in for some serious mind blowing shit by episode six so be patient. im not trying to be a dick its just offensive i thought last nights episode was great all of them have been great so far. thaks for you time later.
Comment 25, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
plus locke was a marijuana grower, probably medical because that stuff looked skunky seriously how funny is that. It was a good episode damn it.
Comment 26, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
mike wrote:
If you are implying that I have stolen your ideas or something like that then I can assure you that I’ve never even seen your site before.
Since a lot of people seem to agree about the things they didn’t like about “Further Instructions” it’s really not surprising that we’ve written similar posts.
Comment 27, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
not implying that. just think it’s hilarious that we have such similar posts. we think alike!
Comment 28, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
Can someone assure me or deny that Locke’s father figure in the weed trick flashback was the leader of the others on the island?
cause I’m pretty sure that it was…
Comment 29, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
the father figure in the weed trick flashback did look alot like tom (bens lackey) but i assure you it wasnt he even talked like him but i watched that episode again and it isnt
Comment 30, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
Too many unsolved mystries. Some of these mystries need to addressed in order to keep people interested in this show. Thanks.
Comment 31, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
I couldn’t disagree more.
-Bad effects on the polar bear? We barely saw it, that was the intention, sure it wasn’t LotR-esque CGI, but it served its purpose.
-Your assertion about “new losties” is completely absurd. Less important characters have been implemented in scenes as if they were regulars since the shows conception, the “Dynamite Doctor” of season 1, Neil “Yogurt” Frogert of season 2, etc. Nikki and Paulo are just other people on the island, its not like they had massive roles, hell, they didn’t even speak, they were barely mentioned in one scene, stop nit-picking.
-The implosion? The entire nature of the events surrounding it are yet to be revealed, we don’t know anything about what happened, let alone how they woke up outside. Be patient, give it some time, I’m sure all answers will be given in time.
-
Comment 32, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
Mabry wrote:
Definitely something along the lines of what I was thinking!
Eddie is to Weed Community as Losties are to Others :)
I like to re-watch the episodes before I post on them, but I really enjoyed it and didn’t think the ep was that bad. I’ll have more thoughts on it later.
Though I must say, Eko is pretty tough, and I know that polar bears are stronger than people, but if Locke could save Eko from the bear, I’m surprised that Eko was taken at all…. the whole bear thing really through me off, not because of the CGI, but because… what’s the point of it?
Anyway that’s it for me now, I’ll be around again later to chat LOST with you all!
-Mabry
(formerly Libby but there’s more than one of us running around the blog now, so I may as well use my real name- LOL)
Comment 33, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
I’m so glad I’m not the only one who was disappointed by this episode!! All of my “Lost” friends think it was cool and I have to say, it was THE worst episode yet. I don’t like how Locke figured that he needed to “speak with the island” and then did so by taking a hallucinagen! Yeah, he used this method on Boone, but that’s what makes it even more cheezy! I guess I can accept this by saying that he has evolved and is more aware of the island being an actual character than anyone else.
Everyone is being too judgmental, because this show has alot of depth and we were just disappointed to see something we don’t understand. We need to let the writers do what they’re good at. I love this show because every episode ends with questions, but not before answering some first. This episode definately gave me more questions. I look forward to seeing how the producers are going to fix this one!
Comment 34, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
patience wrote:
Alright…but that would be ironic and a great plot twist… i dunnoo…..
Comment 35, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
I didn’t really notice the special effects being bad regarding the polar bear. But, even if they were, maybe it isn’t a careless mistake. I mean, I saw the Dharma symbol in the bear’s cave (just like it was on those sharks in that earlier episode). Therefore, maybe these things aren’t 100% real animals-explaining why it doesn’t look like National Geographics- but instead they were created by the Dharma group. Also, that would make Locke burning the bear (as opposed to stabbing, shooting, etc) a way of opening the bear to investigation so that the cast can stumble upon it later and see that it has something different/artificial/mechanic underneath its burned off skin.
Comment 36, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
I guess I’m in the minority because I liked the episode. But that’s not really what I wanted to address here.
I see a lot of people (here and other places) talking about how they’re bothered by the fact that the Losties never sit down and ask each other, “Why is this happening? Who are these people? What’s with the bunker?” Legitimate questions, for sure, but when you stop to think about it, the Losties asking each other these questions would not make for good television.
Think about it. It’d go something like this:
Kate: “Sawyer! Why are we in these cages?”
Sawyer: “I dunno.”
Kate: “Where’s Jack?”
Sawyer: “I dunno. I was gonna ask you.”
Kate: “Who are these people?”
Sawyer: “I dunno.”
Kate: “Where are we?”
Sawyer: “I dunno.”
*Meanwhile, back at camp…*
Everyone: “Hey! What happened to the hatch? Why did it implode?”
Everyone else: “Um, really, we have no explanation.”
Everyone: “Where’re Jack, Kate, and Sawyer?”
Everyone else: “We don’t know.”
Everyone: “And what ever happened to Walt? And Michael? Where’s Sayid, Sun, and Jin, for that matter?”
Everyone else: “Really, we don’t know.”
Again, legitimate questions. But BORING. When on-screen, they’ve gotta have better conversations than that. I’m sure they’re asking these questions amongst themselves. Why show it? We already know the answers.
Comment 37, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
I agree with Nogfish. I think Mike from the grow opp was the same guy Sawyer calls Zeke just thinner and with no beard.
Comment 38, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
What Alex and KJ said!
Not every episode of the season can blow us out of the water.
I don’t think any TV show in history has been so picked apart and still managed to deliver so much! How is not knowing how they survived the hatch (yet) so different from any other mystery that’s been introduced? I’m willing to wait and see. Now if by the end of the season this hasn’t been addressed, then I’ll be pissed.
But I do agree that the polar bear looked strange.
Comment 39, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
I could really care less about the effects regarding the polar bear. This show is not about effects. It (used to) be about the intriguing storyline. LOST was the show that brought me back to watching TV again and gave me hope that the corporate idiots out there could actually still make TV and Science Fiction!
Yes there is more out there than “reality†TV.
I really think the writers need to pay attention to the storyline every now and then. The island is what is the most interesting part,…. oh yeah “the others†it’s been 3 episodes,…. and what more do we know from last season? Come on,….. don’t patronize me with a mute bald guy that grows pot. I’m not a DOND zombie. Give up some info from time to time.
I hope this show gets better in the next few episodes or I’m sorry to say its gone the way of the Sopranos. Hey is it still running? ïŠ
Comment 40, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
Interesting discussion here. I for one loved the episode. Locke is my favorite character and the episode delivered. People are certainly allowed to dislike aspects of the episode but some of the stuff is just too nitpicky in my opinion.
Comment 41, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
I agree that the father figure was one of the others. He just sounds way too much like him… It would also make the flashback seem less random. They have already established that Locke has been betrayed and tricked many times, for them to have yet another flash back for that reason just seems silly and redundant to me.
I was kind of disappointed with this episode only for the simple fact that it is opening more questions and mysteries and not really doing much to answer them. By this time they probably have more than they could ever answer. I love the show, but at some point the audience is going to be exhausted with this way of storytelling…
Comment 42, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
While I agree that this episode was not a perfect 10, I thought it was still pretty good. I keep hearing people complain about all of the unsolved mysteries, but isn’t that WHY you watch the show?
I disagree that the writers never wrap up any mysteries. After they solve the puzzle for us, we stop thinking of them as mysteries, so we forget that not everything has been a loose end. Mysteries that have been solved throughout the course of the show:
Who was being escorted by the marshal? Kate.
What did Kate do to become a dangerous criminal? She committed murder.
Where is the distress signal coming from? Rousseau
Who burned the raft? Walt.
Who were the people who captured the kidnapped Sawyer, Jin, and Michael? Tailies (not Others).
Who was the Others’ spy among the Tailies? Goodwin.
Is Mr. Eko really a priest? Yes + drug lord.
Who attacked Sun in the Garden? Charlie (for Sawyer).
What is in the hatch? Desmond and the button.
Is Henry an Other? Yes.
Is the pressing the button a psychological experiment? No.
Is pressing the button necessary? Yes.
What happens when you don’t press the button? No more hatch.
Why is Locke obsessed with hunting? Father issues.
Why is Sawyer a badass? Father issues.
Why does Jack have a savior complex? Father issues.
etc., etc., etc.
Granted, the majority of the paranormal mysteries are still slowly being unraveled, but I actually think the writers have been pretty generous about revealing a lot of compelling information in only TWO seasons. Have a little patience, friends. It’s still a great show!
Comment 43, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
FortBriscoe, don’t you dare assume to tell me why I watch LOST.
Comment 44, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
“Writers of Lost, please keep the high writing standards and don’t start solving problems by ignoring them.”
Thats the bottom line here.Somethings I would like to see …
- Perhaps “Nikki” or “Paulo” could teach Kate how to act if they ever get to meet,either that or just knock her off,I mean realty,shes great to look at but I think either She or the writers forgot that she is some hard core crim who kills without mercy not some meek trophy wife looking for a Starbucks.
-Ok ,Ok ,maybe all the loose ends cant be tied up by the third episode but can we at least answer 1 or 2 of the little ones
- 2 hour ,commercial free episode.This is more that possible,by using product placement in the flashback parts of the show.I predict that if they did this,it would go down as one of the greatist ideas in T.V.(did I ever tell you how smart I am?) since the infomercial and bring nothing but praise and higher ratings.Not to mention a great 2hours of T.V. history.
- Is there anyway we could bring back Shannon,PleasePleasePlease.I will settle for Flashbacks even.
- lastly,why the hell do Bernie and Rose stay
off screen so much,it would be nice if after introducing them to us the show weaves them in more.
Still the best show on TV bar none,keep it going.
Comment 45, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
Well, it looks like we are really SPOILED! I do not watch a lot of television, it is all so predictable and boring and…. but then came LOST. Over the past two seasons we have come to expect what television has not brought us in a long time…thoughtful entertainment, great acting and storytelling that ranks high above just about everything else out there. Some of us eagerly research and spend hours contemplating the many issues that come up. But we are here to discuss what bugged us so here goes… I was dissappointed with the implosion aftermath but hope that the story has yet to be fully revealed. If the hatch imploded how did the inhabitants and their props get thrown outward and into the sky from the blast? (Can electromagnetism do that?) I can overlook the bad special effects and chalk them up to budget issues but could a man really wrestle food from a polar bear? Wouldn’t Eko have lost a leg or been very badly mauled? We also know how worked up the island folks can get…remember the frenzy when they thought the Others were coming at end of S1 and beginning of S2? I would expect the same mass hysteria after the earthquake and purple sky, especially considering the leaders had gone off to find Walt. And why didn’t anyone ask Hurley about Walt? (How soon we forget.) The introduction of Nikki and Paulo was not nearly as smooth at the introduction of Dr. Artz. The flashback was great and someone has already mentioned the mirror to Others’ society, that was eerie. But IMO it really felt “unfinished”. (Frankly I thought Locke was going to shoot the guy – that would have left us reeling!) We have come to expect such high standards that we are dissappointed when EVERY episode does not meet our expectations. I watched it again last night and decided that overall I really liked the episode. The dream sequence was killer! The foreshadowing and new questions raised were intriguing. I will trust the LOST crew to lead me where they will – they have not disappointed thus far. LOST has been successful in keeping our attention for all this time and thwarted the iron hands of the network to avoid the fate of similarly fascinating shows (like Twin Peaks). Bring on more of S3. I for one am ready!
Comment 46, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
Chris VH wrote:
There’s no way theyre the same person. they are played by two different actors and they dont look anything alike. tom removed his beard in live together, die alone (remember the pier scene).
The only thing that bugs me about the episode is that the map on the blast door is now gone. i hope locke has another sweat hut session and remembers it. if not what a waste.
Comment 47, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
Sure, we might be a bit spoiled, but there’s nothing wrong with that. I just want the show to keep being as good as it is and last night’s episode, while still a great episode, felt a bit unfinished.
Regarding new characters on the beach, I agree with previous commenters – there are already a lot of characters with stories that need to be told.
Lost was based on a group of people stranded on an island, trying to survive. They only had themselves and a few things from the wreckage and I really liked that. When we discovered Dharma and that stuff I really liked that too, because they had already been on the island. But where did Locke get a pen, pad and hairspray? The hatch is gone and does Sawyer’s stash really contain every single thing they might ever need on the island? It just felt like the writers added the stuff they needed in the episode without much thought.
Oh, and regarding why I was annoyed by the polar bear. Usually everything related to Lost is top notch and high quality, when then something in the show isn’t, it just feels out of place.
Comment 48, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
Regarding the everyday stuff, such as a pen, pad and hairspray, I think is not too unlikely for Locke to have found it in the combined luggage of a transcontinental fligt.
I thought it was a great episode. I especially liked the dump truck and the torn Pearl Station shirt in the cave. When I first saw Eko, I thought I was looking at a bloody bone from his chewed-off arm! Thankfully, that wasn’t the case :-)
Regarding the blast door map, I think Desmond also has a pretty good idea of what it looks like.
Comment 49, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
Well, Zeke and the weed guru are definately not the same actor. Whether Zeke is supposed to be him years later, I dunno. But, Zeke has a smartass attitude and way of talking and I didn’t get that from the other guy. I really don’t think they are supposed to be the same character.
Just a thought but maybe the lackadaisical attitude of Charlie and the beach group that we are all complaining about actually has something to do with the time glitch or time confusion that happened when the switch was turned (or whatever happened). I mean maybe there is a reason for it instead of bad writing. I think Edmonde is trying to sort it all out.
Comment 50, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
Sorry sorry I mean Desmond.
Comment 51, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
Can i just stick up for the writers of this fantastic tv show. Desmond our Scottish friend apeared then disapeared within two episodes at the begining of the second series and found his way back for the last few to only reveal THE biggest mystery thats been on everyones mind since this thing started two years ago and thats as to why the plain crashed. not being arsy guys but lets face it, it took two years for that one thing to be answered and when it was you all called your friends, told your mum, and defenetly had to go pee through excitement. so stop acting like my little brother 10 minutes into a film asking how it ends and just be paitient and wait for that next big answer that this time might just make you piss yourself.
By the way loved Further Instructions cos to support what i’ve said above, I’m sure it will have relavence somewhere down the line..
Chow
Comment 52, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
Looking at the show (again!), at the beginning when Charlie sees Locke, he asks Locke where he’s been “all day long.” Thus, when looking at the show, it would seem this is the day after the hatch imploded. Suggested time line: Beach survivors haven’t missed Jack, Sawyer, Kate, et al because it’s only been a day. It has taken Hurley a complete night and day to walk back to the camp. In “Jack-Sawyer-Kate” time, it has been longer. We’ve seen at least two or three days of their time with Others.
Someone mentioned before about Eko might be blind, and it kind of seemed that way in second viewing. Locke is the one who speaks first to Ecko (and it seemed he was kind of just looking out into space). Just a thought.
What confuses me about the beach group and how the writers have set it up: if I was only one of 40 survivors, I’d think each member of the group would be “stuck like glue” to each other. I’d know everything about everybody. And at night, wouldn’t it be normal that they’d all gather together when eating, to at least take a head count to see if anybody got eaten that day? So, the lack of excitement by all the survivors over the island’s vibration and purple sky, plus the falling hatch door seems weird to me. Then again, they didn’t know what was going on at the Hatch with Eko, Locke, Dez…except for Charlie who seemed to just remain silent on the whole thing when he returned “deaf and dazed” to the camp that night, after the hatch implosion.
Comment 53, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
Is the guy on the last episode, where locke was in the militia type camp, the same guy who is the pressumably 2nd in command of the others (the guy who used the fake beard) it’s the same actor, but did they cast him as Locke’s friend or have the others been intertwined in the castaways lives prior to them getting on the island (Desmond was, but he is not an other)& if the guy at the camp is the other, can it be that his female companion is also?
Any insight will help
Comment 54, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
aaron wrote:
I don’t really understand who you’re talking about, but I can tell you that if it is indeed the same actor, it is the same character- there are no coincidences :)
Comment 55, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
I couldn’t agree more – excellent post!!
http://jakesboysbigbadblog.blogspot.com/
Comment 56, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
dj wrote:
I was thinking the same thing! Did anyone else also notice that when Locke/Charlie/Eko were being “chased” by the polar bear through the jungle, you could distinctly see tufts of white fur in the very spot where Hurley popped up with the knife? I know there have been other hypotheses spinning around about Others morphing to and fro as animals…this makes me think about that theory a little harder….and examining Hurley a bit closer now.
Comment 57, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
I still enjoyed the episode despite it’s shortcomings… the 3 of them ending up outside the hatch i believe has some significance that will be revealed to us later in the season. Yea, there were several problems with the production but this episode was chock full of some really cool beginnings… The skeleton with the dharma shirt, and Desmond’s apparent ESP abilities… as well as a pretty kick ass dream sequence.
One thing to add to the negatives though, all of the sweatloges were inacurate… In a true sweat lodge you build the fire outside of the tent and heat large stones in it… you then place the stones in a pit inside the lodge.
Comment 58, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
aaron- which two characters you are talking about because I don’t see it? Are we talking about the guy who yelled at Locke in the weed hothouse for bringing in a cop? And are we talking about the big bearded guy who was on the raft that took Walt? The two I am thinking about are definately not the same actors but maybe I am confused about who you are talking about.
al- I didn’t notice that about the sweathouse. You are right, he would have been gagging on the smoke.
Comment 59, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
Okay, the bearded guy is played by M.C. Gainey.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M._C._Gainey
The commune guy is played by Chris Mulkey.
http://www.chrismulkey.com/
Comment 60, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
regarding the last episode, i have to agree with those who felt it was a little disjointed.
i have never liked the polar bear scenes (all episodes) because they ALL have “looked” pretty lame. i still do not know WHY the polar bears HAVE to be part of any storyline (couldnt the show be interesting without them?-with that said why is there another polar bear when the last polar bear had a ‘walt’ connection-or was that truly EVER a connection?).
i too feel that although many questions have been answered, why are the basic questions not asked by the characters on the beach (someone has posted this too). that their behavior among the beach characters has me confused. charlie has me absolutely tweakedout. i can’t stand the character anymore, (but with that said, it says volumes about the actors ability to convey that feeling thru the TV medium) and claire still likes him. Aargh! does anyone find charlie just a little too smug? and does anyone think charlie has an important role anymore?
Comment 61, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
I have a thought… does anyone think, as I do, that Eko might be dead? When you see them set him by the tree, his eyes are closed. When he talks to Locke, he looks out in a daze. I think that he died just as they set him down…. no response when Locke gives him water and Charlie says let’s just get him back. I feel that Locke, Eko and Desmond have changed significantly which will be revealed in time. They were saved “by the island” for want of a better reason and now have “powers” that will be explored.
I read Stephen King and he has a Dark Tower series which had segments with robotic animals… I feel that the polar bear and shark are also “man-made” and don’t look convincing but act better than the real thing. Just my opinion.
BTW, I enjoy all the episodes which makes the series a pleasure to watch, some are slow and many are not. Case in point, re-watching season two made more sense and sped up the tale. I thought that this episode gave us many clues through Boone, Desmond, Eko, Locke and even Charlie. You just have to look deeper and question everything, just like great novels, there aren’t always happy endings and all the questions are not answered, that’s up to us.
Comment 62, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
ok, after reading these posts, i think i like the theory that the polar bear looks bad because it’s not real — that it’s mechanical just like the shark. and maybe it was there to protect (or guard) the children. if it were real, why doesn’t it eat the boar or mr. eko? what has it been subsisting on?
i also agree that this episode sets up a bunch of leads and doesn’t tie up a lot of loose ends. but i think it’s way better and more exciting than the 2 or 3 jin/sun/relationship episodes that were really really soapy at the beginning of last season.
and dammit, who cares how they introduce rodrigo, as long as he’s finally on the show!! :D ok, ok, i’m biased.
Comment 63, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
Comment removed by admin. Azandi please do not talk about spoilers on this site.
Comment 64, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
boo, that link above was a spoiler. i didn’t wanna know about next week’s episode. :(
Comment 65, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
I was really pumped up about episode 3 after seeing some of the hidden images in the trailer. I told my coworkers “it’s gonna be a good episode”. I was completely satisfied.
Someone mentioned about the Locke flashback not being so great. Better than Sun and Jin for the millionth effing time…seriously, it’s the SAME stuff OVER and OVER. We GET it. Now Locke on the other hand, wow…a very dark side to his past. I thought it was great. Then of course the airport scene…finally something weird, been waiting for that.
And who really gives a damn about the polar bear? I thought the effect they gave it was better than what a real bear would have been. Seriously, we know what a polar bear looks like, who cares if you see a live action one…oooh, scary. I think by distorting it, they gave it a surreal, otherworldy look.
I for one think LOST is getting back on track. The first two episodes were forgetable…but John Locke has definitely captured my attention once again.
Comment 66, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
The Nogfish wrote:
I seriously thought it was the same guy, too!
Comment 67, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
Chris VH wrote:
I’m telling you that’s gonna be a huge plot twist if it’s true…
and it fits perfectly.
Comment 68, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
They are not the same actor and not the same character. I agree that it would have been an interesting twist though.
Comment 69, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
samsandrasan wrote:
Thank you samsandrasan, reading all these speculations was becoming unbearable. I thought exactly the same thing about Mike, (the leader of the marijuana farm) while I was watching, so I immediately IMDb’d him (God bless TiVo!).
Looks a LOT like Mr. Friendly folks, but it wasn’t Mr. Friendly.
Comment 70, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
For polar bear connections i suggest everyone go to lostpedia. it is very comprehensive and informative. as a matter of fact, id suggest using lostpedia for anything you might be curious about. its awesome. i read atleast 10 articles a day.
Comment 71, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
yeah that would’ve been great…
I think that the people in charge of casting for LOST made a little bit of a mistake by casting such similar looking actors for such similar roles…
Comment 72, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
I think its being done on purpose. im not sure why, but we’ll get to the bottom of it evenually.
Comment 73, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
KillerR wrote:
which do you think is being done on purpose, the polar bear stuff, or the similarities between tom and the weed leader?
just wondering if you could clear that up for me
Comment 74, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
killer you are right on the money. sit back and enjoy the ride. why question the little stupid things, like the way the polar bear looked, and take in every bit of info they just gave you.
Comment 75, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
i agree with you as well. lost is not losing it. the ppl that focus on the little details, like the polar bear, are not true lost fans. they don’t eat, sleep, and breath lost like myself and my husband. so just let it go and focus on the info given i can’t say this enough.
Comment 76, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
Who is Locke?
Why is this “pot” place looking really familiar with the “others” place? (exactly the same thought as alex’s).
Can Locke in some way be connected with the others?
Comment 77, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
I think the producers are casting similar looking actors on purpose.
Comment 78, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
Okay, so I haven’t really been able to comment. I ran to my computer after the episode last week to see if everyone had the same feeling’s as I…. turns out they did.
As Ive said before my mom watches every episode in as much detail as we all do…she just doesn’t catch everything. (shes also 3 hrs ahead of my time zone here in AZ) so I have to call her on Thurs mornings and explain all the weird happenings to her.
After this episode.. there was really nothing to explain.. and I think that’s why we all have a problem with it. We all love the show because it makes us think. If we just wanted to be merely visually entertained we could watch Everybody Loves Raymond for an hour. No blogging required on that one.
Back to my mom, all I could tell her after this episode was ‘well every once in a while they get it wrong… but thats the thing about the writers.. they always make it up to you’. You all know as well I as I do that as insignificant and unpuzzling as this episode was… 6 weeks from now they’ll throw something at us and we’ll all be sitting here infront of our computers saying “OHHHH YEA…. der! We should have caught that… dumb us…”
So, while this episode didnt peak the interest of most of us.. it will more than likely help us to understand something that will confuse us all later.
(sorry to go on.. but I haven’t been able to get a free minute to comment.)
Comment 79, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
weeell…for my part, i like the idea of how the introduced the new characters. they live at this beach for how many weeks now? so they obviously play as a team somehow and try to help as good as they can where they can. the polar bear…maybe that’s also just locke imaging seeing this creature? because ecko didn’t had any flesh wounds. if a beat bites you you’ll miss some of it… desmond might have saw sort of a vision while the implosion? i think he took them out of the hatch.
more and more the series start to play with the reality of each lostie, meaning they have their very own personal problem on the island and that might be the reason for some parts not matching…well…
Comment 80, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
dave wrote:
I feel the same way Dave, I absolutely can’t stand him. I think he is a bad guy and if anybody has been turned, it’s Charlie. There is just something evil about him.
Comment 81, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
I like Charlie, but in Further Instructions he did feel quite annoying. Maybe we are supposed to dislike him for now, just like everyone hated Jin at first.
Comment 82, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
I like Charlie. While he’s most def not a ‘man’s man’… he has his demons and he (unlike some of the other characters) tries to deal with them. I would honestly say that he’s probably one of the more self-aware losties.
Comment 83, posted 3 years, 9 months ago -
Okay, okay. A bunch of complaints that you have ARE NOT THE WRITERS’ FAULTS. The polar bear is obviously not, and the “hanging” flashback ending + poor intro of Paulo and Nikki was NOT written in the script. Instead, certain parts that did introduce Paulo and Nikki and others that finished the flashback were cut.
See here:
http://www.stationzer0.com/lost_news/lost_further_instructions_cut.php
Comment 84, posted 1 year, 10 months ago -
Hello, What a beautiful and awesome site. I adore what you’ve done with your setup and graphics. Thanks you so much.
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