S2Ep12 - Fire + Water (Charlie's third flashback) - 1/25/06

Hello my dear friends -

I want to start off by saying how excited I was to be watching the Screen Actors Guild awards (which I thought were only 'movie' awards) two weekends ago and see the cast of Lost win for Best Ensemble Cast in a Drama Series. But that's not even the best part... Terry O'Quinn (Locke) was the one to speak for the group! He looked dashing in all black - quite a departure from his usual show garb. Don't you agree?

Now onto 'Fire + Water' ... I think anyone who has watched the show since its inception knew that yet another Charlie flashback was going to be lame. I think this episode was probably the worst episode of the series to date, and most people on the boards agree. However, many boarders mentioned that this could also be one of those “set-up” episodes where when you look back at the end of the season, you realize that it was a turning point in many ways. With that, I will share what scarce tidbits there were...

A FEW COOL THINGS

• The reference to the 80s toy 'Voltron' ("the Defender... of the UNIVERSE!!!!!!") in the beginning of Charlie's flashback. Shout out to my brother because otherwise I wouldn't have known/cared about Voltron. http://www.voltronforce.com/
• THREE more nicknames bestowed upon Hurley courtesy of Sawyer: Jabba, Jethro and Hoss
• Seeing Hurley in crazy robes during Charlie's wacked-out dream
• "You All Every-Butties!"

TPTB GIVE ANOTHER SHOUT-OUT TO THE BOARD PEEPS

The scene where Libby and Hurley were washing clothes was almost entirely a shout-out to the message board geeks. Here are the three main issues that have often been discussed on the boards that were addressed during that scene:

1. The fact that the washer and dryer are new front-load models, whilst everything else in the Hatch appears to be from the 70s:

• LIBBY: Is this washer and dryer newer than everything else in here?
  HURLEY: It washes clothes. That's all I need to know.
• So... no real ANSWERS on that issue, but it makes me happy that it was addressed, because that means to me that the writers thought it through and are comfortable with the fact that people noticed it. As in, it's not just a "mistake." Most people think that the washer and dryer are there to hint that while the hatch itself and was established a long time ago, it is clearly being "maintained." Meaning that someone has actually COME TO and subsequently LEFT the island, meaning it is possible to leave.

2. Perhaps Hurley and Libby had met pre-flight 815?

• HURLEY [studying Libby's face]: Do I know you from somewhere?
  LIBBY: You mean other than the flight?
• Let's remember... He was in a psych ward and she claims to be a psychiatrist. People think that perhaps they could've both been at the same hospital at one point. However, others think that she may be lying, and that she herself was also a patient. Or that maybe she was stalking him after he won the Lotto? I'm not sure what I think about Libby yet, but she definitely is sketchy and I'm not sure she's been entirely truthful thus far.

3. Is Libby another Others' mole?

From the beginning, people on the boards were doubtful that Libby was actually on the flight, they just felt that she acted too shady, and unlike some of the Tailies, she had not been referenced or seen on the plane in Season One (Bernard was obviously mentioned in Season One as he is Rose's husband, Cindy (who has now disappeared) was in the pilot episode as a stewardess, Ana Lucia was in a Season One flashback of Jack's, and now that we've seen Eko's flashback, combined with the fact that he killed two Others, he is not likely to be a mole).

• LIBBY: ... I cannot believe you don't remember stepping on my foot.
  HURLEY: I did?
  LIBBY: Yes, you did. And it was hard. I know that because I remember you were the last one on the flight, and you were all sweaty, and you had headphones on -- and crunch. You stepped on my foot.
• People on the boards were quick to note that since Libby was in the TAIL section, there is no way Hurley would've passed her seat when he boarded the plane. Also, he did not put his headphones on until he sat down. However, the other details she provided are true (he was the last one to board and he was all sweaty) Remember, we saw the scene with him boarding the plane, and Libby was not in it. So is she lying, or did the writers make a mistake? Something makes me think they did NOT make a mistake.
  

MIND OVER MATTER

So to everyone who is freaking out that this is going to turn out to be some extremely religious show - fear not, I am positive that that is not going to happen. Jack seems to be an Atheist, Locke worships ‘The Island’ itself, and most other characters are not overtly spiritual. But undoubtedly, there are religious undertones in the series. My take on why that is is that religion is part of a much larger, overriding theme in the show: ‘the mind is powerful.’ Rose believing her husband was not dead. Hurley believing he is cursed. Kate believing she is “not good” because of her birth father. And on and on and on and on. There are also many examples of people desiring/wishing things to happen that actually end up happening seemingly of pure will (a few: Jack bringing Charlie back from the dead, everything related to Walt, Locke wanting to walk, Charlie wanting his guitar and it appears, Jack seeing his zombie dad, etc., etc.). An example from this episode: it was made very clear that Claire was not a religious person, but once she got the idea in her head, courtesy of Charlie and then Eko, that she and her baby would go to Heaven if they were baptized, she wanted it to happen. Since she believed it would save them, that drove her to carry out what Charlie originally intended. And before anyone jumps all over me – I am NOT saying that I personally think religious beliefs are all just in peoples’ heads to make them feel better about things, but I am saying that perhaps this show is raising the question – “if you believe in something so deeply and completely, does that make it so?” Or, does that make it so on this crazy island at the very least???

And I don’t know about you all, but when Claire was baptized by Eko, all I could think was that her chances of being killed off just jumped like 400%.

CLAIRE: I haven't been baptized. Does that mean that if you do it to Aaron and something happened to us that we wouldn't be together?
EKO: Not if I baptize you both.

On this show, if that's not asking to for the ol' Grim Reaper to come a-knockin', I don't know what is.

I should also mention here that it has been pointed out several times on that boards that the show is messing up nearly every time it actually references religion directly. Eko and Charlie mixed around words in The 23rd Psalm, and the baptism story Eko told was not correct. There are literally entire sites devoted to the show and its religious undertones.

EKO HEARTS TREES

So is it just me, or ever since Eko's flashback, when he comes on the screen now, do you start hearing the low humming and eventual smooth sounds of Kanye West's choir singing "Je. Sus. Walks!.... ….Jesus. Walks. With. Me." I can't shake it. (As a complete side note, Jesus Walks has to contain some of the best rap lyrics of all time, and I quote: "The way Kathy Lee needed Regis that's the way y'all need Jesus!" Deep. So, so deep. And inspiring. Kanye, we’re proud you’re from Chicago).

But back to Eko and his “marking” of the trees because he “likes them.” Uh, that’s weird. Some people thought it was some Biblical reference about building a chapel. People were totally split as to if they were the same trees burned down by Charlie’s fire at the end. I assumed they were, because Eko acted all sad looking at burnt tree stalks once the fire was put out, but others thought that the two scenes happened in totally different places.

WHAT'S MY MAN LOCKE UP TO?

To all you people posting comments to me trying to convince me that Locke is "bad" or "evil"... I ain't gonna believe it until Terry O’Quinn himself delivers this news to me, so don't waste your time. And as with the “power of the mind” theme – can someone really be “bad” if THEY think the things they’re doing are in everyone’s best interests? Anyway, until Terry knocks on my door, I will at the very least admit that Locke is acting kind of weird lately. And the ominous long rotating shot around Locke glaring at Charlie and Claire was definitely done for a reason.

Then you’ve got Locke not wanting Claire and Aaron to sleep in the hatch, along with the fact that he’s continually changing the locks on the ammo room door, and is now saving the Virgin Mary statues in the hatch for some unknown reason, rather than destroying them as Charlie of all people suggested.... hmmmm. Some very, very naïve people on the boards were like, “Maybe Locke is saving the statues so Jack can use the heroin as a painkiller for people in the future?”

Ummmm….. no.

But Charlie DID deserve to get the beat-down, so I was fine with that.

BEST LINES OF THE EPISODE:

HURLEY: Uh, Sawyer, when you were over there across the island how well did you get to know those Tailies?
SAWYER: Well enough, why?
HURLEY: That Libby chick seems pretty cool. I mean, is she?
SAWYER: Well, you got a little love connection brewing over there, Jabba?

LOCKE: Is there something you want from me, Charlie?
CHARLIE: I was hoping you could speak to Claire for me. You know, put in a good word.
LOCKE: Are you using?
CHARLIE: What?
LOCKE: Heroin. Are you using again?
CHARLIE: Kate sees a horse -- nothing. Pretty much everybody's seen Walt wondering around the jungle. But when it's Charlie it must be the bloody drugs, right?
LOCKE: It's funny, you didn't answer my question.

[We see Eko marking an X on a tree. Charlie approaches.]
CHARLIE: What are you doing?
EKO: I'm marking trees.
CHARLIE: Why?
EKO: Because these are the ones I like.

ANA: So when are you going to tell me what happened in the jungle?
JACK: I already did.
ANA: You told me what that guy said. You didn't tell me what made you turn around -- what made you come back.
JACK: He had a gun at Kate's head.
ANA: You hittin' that?
JACK: What?
ANA: Plane crash -- you both survive -- nice beach -- she's hot, you're hot. It's what people do.
JACK: I'm not hittin' that.

ARE YOU SITTING DOWN? THERE ARE AT LEAST 3 NEW EPISODES IN A ROW COMING UP!

I will give you the names of the next three episodes, because you can probably guess whose flashbacks they are just from the titles. I have fallen off the spoiler wagon a tad lately so I do know what these are about - but no worries, I will not pass my knowledge on to you. All I want to let you know is - rest assured - they should be good... or good enough to make up for the crap that was Fire + Water.

2/8/06 - The Long Con
2/13/06 - One of Them
2/22/06 - Maternity Leave

Two more non-spoilery hints:
- I hope you paid extremely close attention to the Numbers repeat episode, or to the episode when it aired the first time around.
- I hope you keep your eyes peeled during The Long Con (as you always should).

We all saw from the previews that it looks like Sun is going to be kidnapped. If that brings out MajorlyPissedJin, then I’m all for it.

MIGHT AS WELL FACE IT, YOU'RE ADDICTED TO LOST

If you watched the Super Bowl, then you saw a shortened version of this. I just watched the full thing and I must say, even though I muttered, "Oh NOooooo, how CHEESY!!!!" during the game, I actually quite enjoyed the extended version.

Addicted to Lost

I DON'T LIKE PINK FLOYD, BUT IF YOU DO, THEN YOU MAY CARE

Beware of spoilers elsewhere on this site:

Screen capture

DWIGHT ROCKS

In last week's episode of "The Office" (on rival network NBC, mind you), the "white collar" workers from the office went down to visit the "blue collar" workers in the warehouse, and as the office boys were heading down the stairs, Resident Nerd Dwight whispers into the camera, "Remember on 'Lost,' when they met 'The Others'...????" Awesome.

SCREEN ACTORS GUILD - BEST ENSEMBLE CAST

http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory?id=1555729

IS HE AS ANNOYING IN REAL LIFE? YOU BE THE JUDGE.

http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2006-01-24-monaghan_x.htm

YO DIDDY! TELL THE CAST: MO' MONEY, MO' PROBLEMS!

http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/TV/01/23/television.lost.reut/index.html

DUH!

http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/TV/01/26/tvhunks.ap/index.html

LOST - THE MUSICAL - CLIP FROM JIMMY KIMMEL

Lost Musical

IF YOU LEARN HOW TO REWIND TIME LIKE IN HARRY POTTER 3 SO WE CAN ALL GET MORE HOURS OUT OF EACH DAY, LET ME KNOW. UNTIL THEN...

Full disclosure - I wrote and re-wrote this section of the write-up about twenty times, because quite frankly I really take to heart the emails and posted comments I get regarding this blog, and it bothers me that some people are upset that I can't post my write-ups fast enough. There are a lot of things I would like to say on this subject, but since I would most likely offend somebody, I will leave it at this: I know that a handful of people are impatient and want to read the write-ups shortly after a new episode airs, and I do take that as a compliment… but there are several good reasons why I will never, ever be able to make that happen. Hey, as we say at work: 'It's all about setting expectations,' so I just want to be clear to everyone, I have no intention to ever post these write-ups any sooner than I currently do. If you do not like to check the site several times to catch a new post, your safest bet is to check the site Wednesday AM on the day a new episode will air - the post from the previous episode should definitely be up by then.

Forewarning - between now and the end of the season, I have several - gasp! - mini-vacations coming up that could throw a wrench into things. I will let you know in advance when/if I expect that to happen.

For example, I will be gone this weekend entirely (shout-out to the Silver Bullet and Mrs. D, whom I will have just missed in West Palm Beach). Typically that's when I work the most on the write-ups. Therefore, I do not expect the write-up for 'The Long Con' to be up before Tuesday the 14th - a little Valentine's Day present for my dear friends. On that note, what are you all going to get me? ....

Until then,
- e