As I was in Memphis last week experiencing some culture shock and working on about a dozen projects, I didn’t get to go back to my perky (Shut UP!) recaps of the only show I’ve ever given a commitment to which would be LOST.

I’m a commitmentphobe, I admit it. But LOST, you got me. I will send you a Valentine’s Day card because you are the only thing I’ve ever really cared about on the tube other than Battlestar Galactica and Celebrity Rehab. (And VH1, I have a beef to pick you which I will do later.)

Last week was trippy, but I’m not going to really go into that other than to talk about this weekend’s episode. I love that Locke, and as I think Cathy called him UnLocke, are not the same people, that the smoke monster is an asshole but then again, maybe he’s not and that, as hard as I’ve studied this show, I still have no idea who the Big Bad is and who isn’t.

With that said, other than the last 15 minutes, I thought this episode called “What Kate Does” was weak when it comes to LOST episodes.  Jack, who usually vexes me by his sheer stupid to be a spinal surgeon, actually showed some moxey this week with the new weird guy, Dogen, who said that Sayid didn’t pass the test. So what does Jack do, takes the poison himself. Pretty bold.

But here is my issue, why do all the people that claim to be on Jacob’s side always act the most homicidal? I don’t get it.

Thus the reason I don’t have a clue who the Big Bad is.

The obvious things we saw in the Flash Sideways was that Ethan Goodfellow (formerly villainous Ethan Rom) was a … good fellow? He didn’t want to put needles into Claire but he was all about it back in the day of CrapHole Island.

(Side note: Where was Michael and Walt on the plane?)

We saw a little bit of the old Hurley, not being the leader anymore, asking Sayid if he was a zombie.

We witnessed, lo and behold, an infested Claire, or so creepy murderous Dogen tell Jack, who is one of those guys, and you know them in your own life, that believes the truth comes from the last person he talked to.

Sawyer in his grief was sad and I’m glad they did it, but I still don’t get Kate. Never did, never will.  He was grieving, Joan Hart/Kate Austin, so what did you expect. Him throwing you down for crazy monkey sex in his destroyed village and home that he once shared with Juliet. Also, I know her father was an abusive asswipe, so why doesn’t anyone believe her. I mean, she did blow him up so there is that. (This part made me stabby.)

I will say that Sawyer’s grief was believable and Josh Holloway has become a better actor during his tenure of LOST.

Jeff Kober and Jeff Fahey always remind me of each other because they are relics of my childhood. Kober’s cameo was all too tame and antiheroish. I like it when he’s a bad ass. Both of these men should really be given more credit than they get.

Claire looked a lot like crazy Rousseau, which sort of made me glad. Christian took her back when I assumed she died during her house exploding, but that funky beast of an island just doesn’t give up now, does it?

I go back to that the Smoke Monster is a sumbitch, as we say here in Hoots proper, and although he is a crazy killing machine, but why are all Jacob’s people crazy killers?

Also, more Locke, Ben, Smoke Monster and Richard Alpert please (who was eluded to in last week’s episode in chains?)  I like them the best.

P.S. Creators of Lost, if you are going to make Sayid a zombie, do it up spectacularly.

Last night, however, proved to me one vital clue about this journey we have been on which I will pontificate to avoid spoilers after the jump:

This is a game.

There is a larger picture here where there may be a battle between good and evil. The first scene last night as Jacob and Loophole guy sat on the beach watching what I can only assume is the Black Rock was the most important scene we’ve seen. Two people, most likely otherworldly for lack of a better word, take three minutes to say a great deal.

There, for me at least, is the issue that we see biblical, philosophical and mythological implications written all over this series. Yes, we have the melodrama because it’s television, but we have a set time to tell the story. The other issue comes down to, of course, that we still don’t know who the good guys or the bad guys really are.

And you never do in a game. You just know who wins or who loses. In Chess, you have multiple “deaths” to get to the King. Now, the question is, who is the king? I’m not sure we still know the answer to that question.

We have nine months before we will see the last season so let’s recap. I’m also playing theory girl here.

• What’s done is done. (Goodbye Juliet. I truly believe that you were one of the best actors on the series and I will be watching you on V because I loved the show as a kid. The reaction by Sawyer was actually heart wrenching. He did love you. I believe that and he became more of the man of logic than Jack could ever be.)
• Benry, you silly boy with daddy issues which happen to be connected with Jacob. He wasn’t very fond of you, now was he? And you got owned by Fake Locke/Loophole Man.
• If Jack wanted to blow that damned Jughead/Swan Station up for Kate, I hope his ears fall off. It honestly was the weakest part of the episode. Honestly, I usually don’t give Evangeline Lilly props, but she hasn’t been too bad this season.
• I’m still pondering on why Jacob went and visited the childKate and childSawyer (although I can only speculate that those two might be Adam and Eve found in season one. Also, we remember Locke playing chess backgammon (Thanks Gary.) with Walter in the pilot. Black and white elements. A GAME. ) Is this about destiny with Jacob? Is Jacob trying to prove a point as well that people have choices regarding faith when the other dude sees something along the lines of predestination. My only other thought is that hasn’t RealLocke’s storyline always been about destiny. Was he a sacrifice. I’ll let a bible scholar tackle that one as I am ill-equipped.
• Give Frank the pilot more to do! Anyone who can deliver the line “Terrific” as well as he did is the best ever. I like Frank.
• Nice to see Bernard and Rose with Vincent taking themselves out of the equation. I think that worked well.
• “It only ends once. The rest is just progress.” We are also seeing the game play out where people die to get to the end result. Much like any war. (Have I mentioned Chess? I did. Nevermind.)
• I don’t think Sayid is going to make it. His story is the saddest one to me and his character does react constantly to how the choices he has made have defined him.
• Miles saved his dad. Just saying.
• I think the bomb was supposed to blow up and was part of the big picture. We saw Pierre with his fake arm in the videos.
• “They are coming …” Jacob said after Benry shived him.

I’m theorizing here, but I can’t help but wonder if next year’s season will have them back on the island making different choices this time, all of them infused with the knowledge of what they have been through before.
As I said, Theory Girl.

Of course, this is brilliant.
.

The last two weeks of Lost have been interesting. We get to see John Locke last week get killed by Ben only to eat a mango and Sawyer/James Ford/Jim LaFleur’s journey. Other than Locke’s escapades in the outside world, I really like Lost better when the folks are on the island. We always knew that Sawyer had the hero in him, and honestly I have enjoyed his journey from snarky conman to reluctant leader much better than Jack’s “I’m the Leader” to groveling believer.

It was said in another forum that Jack is the man of science, John is the man of faith and that Sawyer is the man of heart. I thought that was an excellent description of the three men. Does this have anything to do with the base of the show? Maybe. Maybe not.

More observations after the jump:

• I was glad to see Sawyer, who is a liar, tell the truth to Richard Alpert. And as Alpert is the leader of the hostiles, my initial observation was Charles Widmore is part of the indigenous Others while Ben is the one who took power through the Purge who is the outsider. In the 50s, we saw Widmore with Albert in the Jughead episode. You see, I get this confused of who is the Big Bad. Of course, my thoughts on Widmore and Ben will change repeatedly but it was an initial thought. I also go back to the many times that Alpert has shown up in Locke’s timeline. Alright, I’ll stop now because I’m back to head spinning mode. As Alpert is supposedly based on Ram Dass, whose name means “Servant of God”, I can’t help but think I’m going to need to take LSD as Dass did to understand this any further.
• Homer, the wonder sis, made the observation that Kate is a blight to the men’s psyches in their association with her. The collective opinion from Hoots is that we still don’t trust Juliet but I will say that I really like Sawyer with her instead of Kate.
• Where is Horace’s companion, Olivia? She was in the car the night that Benjamin Linus was born and she was a teacher on the Island during the Ben recap. Olivia is not Amy. I did a little research, but The Purge happened in 1992 on Ben’s birthday. The Losties are in 1977 right now. Oh yeah, where is Bernard and Rose?
• Did Daniel Faraday mumble that he wasn’t going to tell Charlotte? It was a mumble but I found it to be important in some way.
• TRUCE!! I kinda dig that element. It’s all mysterious.
• No episode next week so we have to wait until we find out about how Sawyer is going to rein all these yahoos who came back to the island back in, as they aren’t familiar with him being a leader or called Jim LaFleur.
• I’m sure that Jack will be a douche.

I haven’t done a Lost recap in a couple of weeks. Sorry ’bout that but let’s move forward and pretend that I did.

The only word I can describe this week’s episode is that everyone is in a state of urgency.

I always have a lot of questions about Lost, as does any fan of the show. My big one this week is why was Richard Albert off the island recruiting Juliet and can seamlessly move back and forth with no issues it seems while now all of our beloved Losties who are going back and forth in time getting brain goo from the time travel?

I know what you are saying. Albert wasn’t even on last night, ‘Coma. Still, it’s what ran back and forth in my cranium.

More after the jump.

We finally got a look into Danielle Rosseau’s past and that the man she loved did try to kill her. And that Jin warned them of “Monster” when Smokey showed up. I have found that I tend to look ahead during these flashbacks. She was still waaay knocked up when she shot at her lover, so I’m eager to know when Ben came into the picture. And then we get to see the arm ripping out of Montand’s socket that, after a flashback, is mummified. WOOT. But I guess the pregnancy is secondary because we know Alex and Danielle’s fate, and we got to see the Sawyer and Jin reunion rather quickly. Danielle was right about one thing though, although we didn’t see Charlotte go utterly insane during the last 15 minutes of the show, we did see her revert to childhood memories (in my opinion) and we learned that she grew up on the island, deceived by (once again a parent) that the island was a figment of her imagination.

And now everyone is getting the dark red faucet noses.

This is where we sense the urgency of the situation of those still stranded on the island as well as Mrs. Hawkings and Ben. Not only do we have time travel as the equation, but time limitations. I can’t help but wonder that is the Oceanic 6 go back, are they going to be susceptible to the brain goo disease as well.

Now, on to Jack. I’ve been hard on Jack in the beginning of this series. The writers tended to beat us in the head with a gourd about the Kate/Sawyer/Jack love triangle to the point I wanted to scream. Yes, they are all pretty. Yes, they look good together. Yes, it got annoying.

The Jack we see off the island is broken and impotent.  No longer the self-professed leader on the island, he follows Ben around like a puppy. It seems that he has been destroyed on the inside, no longer the one that makes decisions. And Ben chewing Jack’s butt out in the car as the doctor set like a five-year-old in the back seat just solidified that Jack is no longer, and probably never was, in control. Kate tolerates Jack at this point (their libidos no longer spewing longing at each other)  and even though he saved Sayid’s butt a couple of weeks ago, his former ally is not happy with him due to his association with Benry.

And Hurley is living the good life in lock-up.

On to Locke, we learn from Ghost Dad Christian that Locke was supposed to turn the frozen donkey wheel, not that scoundrel Ben. Some doctor GDC is, making Locke turn the wheel with a frakking compound fracture. Whoa. That’s hardcore.

Image Credit

The other reason is that I’ve been busy in the non-virtual world.

However, you know that I watched Lost last night.

I have a variety of questions about the show and that’s why I dig Lost. For everything they answer, they bring up four questions to replace it.

And so we don’t spoil it for those of you who haven’t seen it, I pontificate after the jump.

I guess we understand a little bit better although I can’t wrap my fingers around it regarding Desmond’s nakedness when the Losties found him in the jungle a couple of years back. There’s something up with him that’s different than everyone else. And why doesn’t Ben want to go find him HOWEVER Dr. Daniel “Mad Scientist” Faraday knows he’s an important clue with the the time travel mystery.

My two cents.

So, is Mrs. Hawkings the mother of our favorite mad scientist? It seems almost too obvious but also makes sense. I guess we will find out. Is Miles the son of Marvin Candle/Pierre Chang?

I have one complaint. Jack convincing everyone on the boat that they had to lie just seemed weird to me. Of course, the Losties have never been very good at communicating with each other so it doesn’t surprise me but it just didn’t jibe with me. I return to why anyone would listen to Jack at all but that’s just me.

Jack, our resident stoner and doctor hero, is intriguing me however. And is it just me but I wish that Kate, when she sees him, whacks him with a stick.

Too much happened last night so I will return to my random observations:

• I like that there are rules about time travel and that the writers are being upfront about paradoxes and the like.
• Flash-Present! Shazzam!
• Sun is up to something more than meets the eye. I’m not convinced she wants Ben dead. I think she just wants Jin back.
• Are the Hostiles the Others? Were the Dharma Initiative folks the bad guys? Who are the bad guys? Who’s on First? First is on first. (Getting my Abbot and Costello on.)
• If you are killed on Lost you still get air time.
• Is John Locke really dead because Ben didn’t say he was.
• Sayid is just killing everyone. Paranoid much? (Actually, I find he’s calm about his murderous ways a bit unsettling.)
• I’m glad Hurley’s mom believed him. I’m also glad his dad, Cheech, told Jack off.
• Is John Locke Jacob in another timeline? (Just pondering.)
• If it took Charles Widmore 20 years to find the island and it disappeared, then why did the Oceanic 6 have to lie about it? They saw it go “Poof.”
• MORE Frank the Pilot! (Which brings up, do Desmond and Frank need to go back to the island too?)

That’s all I have this week. For more Lost goodness, I noticed that Barry Wallace has an update at I love Television.

Of course after last night’s brain-exploding extravaganza, I found myself seriously believing this is one of the best shows I’ve ever watched from the pilot where I’m truly enmeshed in what’s going on. We started two weeks ago with the first hour of the finale and there was a three hour showing last night repeating that episode and spiraling into an amazing finale.

It’s good TV.

So let’s break it down after the break. I don’t think there is anyway to get everything all the way in.

• For about two years now, I’ve been writing about Jack being a douchenozzle. He’s just not a very good leader but then again, everyone follows him around either out of ignorance or laziness. His dismissal of Locke since the beginning has been one of the catalysts of the show. Science vs. Faith. It’s been pounded into our head. Seeing broken Jack break into the funeral home and we are introduced, finally after a year, to Jeremy Bentham who is also our dude Lock in the casket, we see that Locke did win this battle with Jack. We just don’t know how he died. And we won’t for awhile I’m thinking but Locke did indeed win. Jack also created the lie about the island. Locke said he would have to and he did.
• Ben sacrificed his life on the Island to save people yet he knew that he would kill people on the freighter when he attacked Keamy. You know, Ben has turned into quite the action star and his assault was quite vicious but Keamy saying the line about his daughter bleeding out was incredibly cruel as well.
• “You can go now” were the words Zombie Island Christian tells Michael. I sort of feel the return of Michael was wasted. He killed two women in cold blood and he apparently had to atone for his actions because the island needed him too. But I also got the impression that we needed to see that actions/decisions are judged by the island. Michael was used as a tool.
• Is Jin dead? Is the island done with him as well?
• Walt is now 22 years old. (I kid.)
• Penny and Desmond. Does Penny know about her father? We finally got one happy ending. But if Ben is correct, they all have to go back to the island together. Does that include Frank the Pilot and Desmond? For those into the love stories and triangles and quadrangles, Penny and Desmond are the love story. Will we seem them again in another life, Brother?
• And is Sun going to be working with Charles Widmore because she’s angry at Jack? Man, she got badass quick. She also did some fine acting when the freighter exploded.
• More on Sun and Kate. These women really had little control on the island, but back in the real world, they are the ones that are tough. Even Sayid almost died during his assassination attempt when he got served. Kate was highly pissed at Jack. After four seasons of everyone sitting around the island following Jack like a flock of sheep, Kate was, dare I say it, more independent when it came to him. But the finale picked up right where we ended a year ago in Season Three’s finale. Kate was tired of Jack’s BS.
• I told you Sawyer was a good guy. I’m sure an internet audio fiend will figure out what Sawyer told Kate. The look on Jack’s face when Sawyer jumped out of the plane was priceless. Sawyer has felt second place with Kate on the island, but Jack is the one who feels second best off of it.
• Desmond’s vision was wrong. He told Charlie Claire and Aaron would get on that helicopter if Charlie sacrificed himself. Aaron did, Claire didn’t. And Zombie Claire was pretty specific with Kate about taking Aaron back to the island.
• For those of us who have watched this show and dissected it since the pilot, this season did pay out some answers while keeping the mystery. The whispers have not been completely explained but I’m starting to get it a bit more. The writer’s strike most likely got the shows flow upended, but Lindlof and Cuse have used that break and worked with it. I have always found each turn delicious but I find myself a little bit more in love with it. We tied up the season and now the big question is “What happens next?”
• I think I want Richard Albert to be the guy in the woods around here that saves me from the bad guys. I also think I want him to serve me breakfast with Sayid. (Wait, I’m not supposed to have those thoughts, never mind.)
• I think Hurley may be the key in some of this stuff. Playing chess with Mister Eko was another indication that Hurley is either crazier than batshit or that he’s in tuned with the island’s mojo and can’t cope with it. Remember his buddy Dave, that was pre-island. Hurley might just be the one who can see what the other Oceanic 6 cannot. This is in theory stage for me so I don’t have any real answers.
• And quick hits: Charlotte’s back on the island? Was that Ben’s buddy from his childhood? Please LOST people, make Miles a weekly feature. He makes things fun.
• Great line: “If you mean time-traveling bunnies, the answer is yes.” Man, Ben is the most complex character on television.

All I have to say is that Hurley was playing chess with Mister Eko.

That’s all I can say tonight. I’m wrapping my brain around it all. A lot happened. My brain is fried.

So while I’m figuring it out, go to Jorge Garcia’s blog which is really his blog and which is charming and is as  navel-gazing as the rest of us.

I adore smart television. Regardless of Lost’s missteps last year, it was amazing this season.

Bloody amazing.

Well, I guess it’s a bad thing to use a small gold statue of Jesus Christ as a weapon. Want to know how I know?

It happened tonight on Lost.

Too much to think about in these initial moments after the conclusion of tonight’s episode, so what I have to say goes after the jump.

Ahh, Richard Albert, how you snuck up on me tonight. I didn’t expect you to show up with all your peeps who were all dressed in brown. And, I love your eyeliner. Of course I still listen to The Cure so that’s how I swing.

First of all, I was glad to see The Others show up. We haven’t seen them in awhile and they haven’t been around lately. I was worried about them. Of course, I knew they were there. I also know there are coyotes round these parts but I only see them about twice a year. Thus, I was glad to know they were still alive and kicking.

The best I can do is some observing about things tonight that I noticed. This was one of those episodes that was setting things up. I don’t think we really gleaned a lot of new information but we set up the narrative for the the finale. I’m cool with that.

• Everyone that is part of the Oceanic 6 are in different locations. I wonder how that’s going to work out.
• Rose and Locke got better however Ben and Jack got sick. Jacob (or the island) is non forgiving.I’ve said that before, however, when Sawyer saw Jack he brought up that the crazy Keamy freighter people came after Othertown ” … just like Locke said they would.” It was a subtle (well, it’s Sawyer so take that for what it’s worth) validation that Locke was right and Jack, well, Jack was wrong. Jack is constantly wrong. Being wrong might be Jack’s Constant.
• Seeing Kate with Aaron in the real world is weird but I also felt sorry for her during the homecoming. I have no idea what it’s like not to have a family and friends. She seemed very alone.
• We heard whispers before Hurley picked up Jesus to deck somebody. WHISPERS!! I love the whispers.
• The look on Sawyer’s face when he realized that Hugo might be in trouble.
• The odometer on Hurley’s car with a badly wigged Cheech. Ooooh, and the coconut. I thought Charley might show up and sing “Hello Everybody.” Seriously, I thought he might. Boy was I wrong.
• Today is Frank Baum’s birthday. Baum brought us the Wizard of Oz. What did Dorothy say to get home? I think you get where I’m going here.
• Guys, both Squirrel Queen and I have had appendectomies and I have to tell you. The nurse told me I had to walk the day after surgery. I said sure, no problem. MY GAWD it was excruciatingly horribly I have to tell you, the whole Jack surgery thing is dramatic license and I get that but I didn’t buy it. I was out for the count and SQ’s ruptured. No, you don’t go dancing through the jungle after this. Jack, you annoy me.
• Jack now knows that Claire was his half-sister.
• Was Sun seeing Jin for the last time as she stood on the boat.
• Desmond yelling out “Michael” and not Kevin struck me. Why is the boat wired to blow? Is that box that Mr. Friendly set to go “Ka-boom” if the boat guys try to get to the island. I’m thinking yes but I’ve been wrong before.
• What’s that thing on Keamy’s arm? Will it made the island/freighter blow if he messes with it.
• I wonder why Locke’s mother hasn’t show up lately.
• The others, while wearing brown as it was apparently the preferred color during this fashion season on Lost, were not in theatrical make-up.

So, initially, this is what I have.

Two weeks before the finale.

Dang.

Okay, Carlton Cuse/Damon Lindelof have changed the rules again and my initial reaction is WTF? I’ve also been saying to myself that Destiny is a fickle bitch because that’s what this episode was about.

Let’s talk Lost after the jump.

I’m just going to throw some things out here because last night’s episode was controlled chaos peppered with a bit of the crazies.

• My observation above is that apparently Ben and Locke have more in common than being slightly psychotic and island worshippers because both of their mom’s names is Emily. Emily means rival. I read that on a message board because I’m not that clever.
• Did they island bring down the plane for Locke specifically? And aren’t Richard Albert and creepy guy Abbadon on different teams? Of course, every time I make an assumption about folks on the show it changes.
• Has Ben resigned himself to Locke being the Chosen One? Well, he got part of Hurley’s candy bar so I guess he’s got that going for him.
• Is Claire dead? I’m thinking so but refer to up above. This part, for me at least, was most fascinating. Miles was quite intrigued by Claire last week before her dad came and got her. Now Christian Shepherd and Claire seem to be hanging out and doing the dad/daughter thing in Jacob’s cabin and serving as his spokesperson. Death seems to become Christian as he seems to be guiding things along but why is he big buddies with Jacob.
• Random observation: Where is Cindy the airline attendant and those ratty children? Remember when the others were filled with mystery and Eko made Jin hide in the second season talking about how quiet and lethal they were. Memories.
• Another random observation: I miss the whispers.
• Why don’t they ever go to the caves anymore where Adam and Eve, those pesky corpses are?
• The time variations between the island and the freighter are bizarre. The morse code message said the doctor is dead but we saw that the Doc was alive and well before Keamy slit his throat. And, as Lost is wont to do, there are people on the freighter that were trying to do the right thing. Frank being one of them and the doomed Captain who got Sayid the boat.
• Michael avoids a bullet once again and I must say that Keamy is one psychotic sumbitch. The one thing that I can’t figure out is Keamy’s motivation for his actions. Did Widmore order the island torched? Is Keamy working on Widmore’s agenda or his own? I can’t imagine Widmore ordering the island destroyed. Human life, yes. Island, No. It’s too important.
• When I saw the smoke monster drawing from young John, I couldn’t help but think that the island has been testing him for some time.
• Dead people are talking to Locke a lot lately. Apparently there is some kind of death zen on the island where when you die or it because Locke is the Dalai Lama of the island.
• How does one move an island?

I know there is more going on. These were just my initial observations.

And I’m more blissfully confused than ever.

Spoilers if you haven’t seen it after the jump …

Anytime I pontificate on Lost, it’s basically just my opinion of how I perceived last night’s episode. The episode last night, for me at least, gave us a couple of goodies but was basically Jack filler. I honestly like Matthew Fox and I realize he’s playing a character but he is so frustrating with his willful need to NOT communicate with anybody and then demand the opposite from them. He wants people to trust him but he can’t return the favor.

And with his dad popping up everywhere, you can see that daddy issues are being pushed into our psyche again.

First, on the island, I think Cuse/Lindelof kick butt. Danielle is gone as is Karl and seeing Miles dig through the dirt where they were buried was pretty good and they didn’t have a resurrection. The writers do pay it off and don’t take the easy way out. It wasn’t one of those “HOLY CRAP’ moments we have had with the show in the past but it was all right. I’m starting to dig Miles. And Sawyer being protective of Claire was not as surprising as I’ve seen other blogs talk about. He’s a butthole with a heart of gold. We know this because they’ve been telling us it for years now. And didn’t the psychic say only Claire could raise Aaron so why does Kate have him. I think we will see Claire as a special guest at Jacob’s cabin and this is key because it continues the canon from season one.

What I did like about this episode, and I admit it wasn’t my favorite, was that we always get a juicy payoff when Bernard and Rose are on screen every single time. What did Locke and Jack do to piss of the island gods? It was a good question. Rose’s character has faith due to her own experience and is not a zealot but a believer, which in my opinion is two very different things. I also like that Bernard has been utilized effectively in the past two epis.

I also like that Jin is, and has always been, bad ass. The scene where he spoke to Charlotte about Daniel was good but the look on her face when he made his “deal” with him gave me a case of the wiggums.

The surgery, well, let’s go back to Jack being a controlfreak. KNOCK me out if you are going to cut a whole in my abdominal cavity. I’m glad that Juliet knocked him out just to quit seeing him roll his eyes and babbling.

Off the island, is Hurley some kind of psychic ghost hunter or something? He talks with Charlie everyday. I haven’t wrapped my head around this whole scenario yet and I need to think about it.

I also believe that Ben and Charles Widmore are each other’s constant but I could be wrong.

As for the love story, I want to say to all you Skaters/Jaters out there that I think the love story is key although I could care less who Kate ends up with and I’d much rather hang out with Ben, Locke and Smokey. Without love how do you set up actions of sacrifice. You don’t sacrifice something of value if you don’t have a connection with it. And with that said, I think the future was an odd thing and I do find this triangular thing a bit tedious. Juliet actually gave it some depth last night with what she said to Kate. We get it, Kate is loved by two men but she pretty much ended it this season with Sawyer. As for the newspaper, which is always key in Lost episodes, was it a Yankees sweep of just a regular season series with the Boston Red Sox.

Finally, is Kate helping Sawyer’s kid Clementine? She can’t leave LA remember so maybe she’s helping them there.

One final thought, Kate grew up in an abusive home where she killed her abuser. The last scene between them had some very icky qualities that looked as if Jack was being a controlling psycho/drunk freak in it. If Kate didn’t put up with it from stepdaddy Wayne, don’t you think that she’s going to shove Jackieboy to the curb because I do.

And I think that helps set up the timeline from last year’s finale which helps create the current season’s timeline.