Sunday, February 3, 2008

LOST: Extras Like Immigrants Workers

Wow. LOST, for me, is a little piece of America, punching Italy in the face. In other words, the balm of Gilead.

The season premier was much just fallout from last season's finale. People rejoice at the prospect of going home. Big smiles all around. Everyone lets loose with the contrived jokes they save for such occasions ("Oh Sun," says Clare, "just rub in it, why don'cha!") The tension comes from the small group left on the beach, who have to warn everyone else that the boat is basically filled with bad guys.

The first sequence of the LOST premiers have usually been pieces with one giant twist. In the second season, it was the man in the hatch. In the third, it was the Anytown, America on the island. In the fourth, it was the Oceanic Six.

So, right away we're told that only six make it off the island. Hurley, Jack, and Kate, who we have already seen; that leaves three more, and I'm sticking to my guns that Locke is one (though he will probably be revealed last). The Six will probably be given in slow, small doses, so the real question is, will all the flashforwards focus on those who we know got off, or will some be on the island?

Wait - that's not the real question. It's a question, for sure, but the real one is, what are the people on the island doing in the future? Hurley tells Jack (a pre-bearded and pre-Oxycodon addicted Jack) that "they" need help; a mysterious man comes around asking about the livelihoods of "they" (Oceanic doesn't know the truth, they only suspect). Are "they" those left on the island? And why do they need help? And is the island the "it" Hurley refers to, the "it" that is won't let them go?

On thing is for sure: going with Locke was a bad idea. Though it seemed the clear choice, given the current information, Hurley apologizes to Jack of the Future, telling him that Hurley should have gone with Jack; that he made a mistake going with Locke.

IN OTHER NEWS, Naomi kicked the bucket (my money was on her to live - needless to say, I lost that money), Jack actually really tries to kill Locke, Sawyer is going soft, and Jacob's cabin is a mobile haunted house. Like the circus, only scarier.

Other than these tidbits, this episode was pretty tame. This episode, however, was completely overrun with excess extras. I mean, a new record for random extras. Congrats, LOST.

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