Well, Lost is back for its third season, and let me just say that one of the things that excites me most is the fact that I actually know there will be a new episode next week. And the week after. And the one after that, too! Ah, the wonders of a schedule that does not completely suck.
Secondly, let me state how much I liked the opening, not only for the mini-twist at the end, but also because of the technological contrast to last season’s opener. Last season, we had Desmond’s eyes opening up, putting in a record, cooking a meal, and basically beginning the day. He was in a aesthetically cold and primitive setting, and the overall mood was very unsettling. This season kicked off with Juliet’s eyes opening, her placing a CD in a high tech player, cooking muffins, and beginning her day in an overall warm, comforting household, surrounded by what appear to be caring friends. A wonderful allusion to last season’s opener.
I was also intrigued by the fact that The Others kept Jack, Sawyer, and Kate captive in three very different settings. Kate was pampered, Sawyer was pretty much left to be, and Jack was studied and probed. Why did Henry (who will now be referred to as “Ben”) want to give Kate a nice memory? Why was she then united with Sawyer? Why do they evidently only want information from Jack?
For the first time ever, really, I actually felt that the flashbacks detracted from the episode and hurt the pacing, without really offering us much in the way of information or character development. I guess we did find out that Jack is somewhat responsible for his father’s death, as his stubborness led to his dad drinking again. Speaking of Jack’s dad, this guy should get his own spin off with the amount of flashbacks he’s appeared in.
I immensely enjoyed Juliet’s character, especially her apparent independence and willingness to stand up against Ben. I definitely sense a romance between her and Jack, although I have a gut feeling that she may end up turning on him before the end of the season. Speaking of Juliet, did anyone notice what Stephen King book she was reading at the book club? It was apparently “Carrie,” which has got to be significant in some way.
Well, since Jack appears to be getting with Juliet, I guess that answers our question about who Kate will choose. Humorously, I immediately noticed Kate asking where “Sawyer and Jack” were, only because it sounded so awkward (hearing her ask about Sawyer before Jack). No matter who she may be more attracted to, she’s ALWAYS seemed more protective of Jack. Anyway, I found it funny that Ben asked why she said Sawyer’s name first, after making that very observation.
One of my favorite things about Lost is that it doesn’t insist upon including every character in every episode. Really, we only needed to know about Jack, Sawyer, and Kate, as well as being introduced to The Others. I thought the pacing was great, answering some questions while offering some new ones.
Speaking of which, did I totally misinterpret it, or did the bearded Other (I believe his name is “Tom”) admit to being gay?
