Monday, April 13, 2009

S5Ep12 - Dead is Dead... and Illegal is Illegal

Hello my dear friends -

I've got all sorts of bad news for you, so let's just get straight to it.

KARMA POLICE
ARREST THIS MAN

Those of you connected to me on Facebook and/or following me on Twitter are already aware of this situation, but for the rest of you, allow me to provide a brief summary of how I've been spending 90% of my time since Thursday afternoon. I haven't been working on this episode recap, that's for sure. No, instead of writing, I've been filing copyright infringement claims and talking to intellectual property attorneys after it was brought to my attention (thank you, thank you, THANK YOU reader "Andre from Germany") that a video blogger who goes by "Seanie B" (yes, I feel silly writing that) has been passing off parts of my posts, and other Lost recappers' posts, as his own. As in, word for word. As in, over 20% of the content in one of this guy's videos came directly from Long Live Locke. And it is much, much worse for Vozzek69, who also writes (like I do) for DarkUFO's site. Vozzek69's content has been lifted by Seanie B since episode one of this season, and there's a good chance that some of his Season Four posts have been plagiarized as well (it takes a long time to document these things, so we're still going through the videos).

I intend to write more about this whole mess in a separate post sometime soon, but as of right now the situation has not yet been worked out to my satisfaction. You can see proof of Seanie B's blatant plagiarism at my good friend Jon Lachonis' DocArzt & Friends site. It is not possible for me to thank Jon enough for all that he has done to help bring this issue to light and support me and Vozzek69 in our quest to resolve this situation. Jon went spectacularly above and beyond in putting together a side-by-side comparison of my blog and Seanie B's video, and I guarantee your jaw will drop when you watch it. (For those of you who use Digg, please Digg this article.) Anyone who commentates on Lost is bound to mention ideas or theories that others have already thought of or written about, but that's not what we're referring to here. We're talking about shameless, word-for-word content theft from copyrighted sites, which is illegal. Trust me, I've checked into it.

Since it's now 4 PM on Easter Sunday and I'm just starting this recap (whereas on a typical week by this point I would have already put in about twelve solid hours of writing), my take on "Dead is Dead" is going to be shorter and less in-depth than usual. I actually considered reader CCW's suggestion that I "only write about how hot Desmond is" from here on out so that Seanie B is less likely to steal my work. But honestly, not only am I mentally and physically exhausted from dealing with this unfortunate situation for the better part of 72 hours, but I also simply don't feel like writing. To make things even worse, Walgreens and CVS are sold out of Cadbury creme eggs, so I can't even drown my sorrows in chocolate.

So, thank you for understanding why this post isn't all that inspired and currently doesn't have any screencaps (I may add some later, but they take more time than I have to upload right now). If you've been reading my recaps for any length of time, then you know how much work I put into them. You know I do this because I love the show -- I don't make any money whatsoever off of this site. You know that I think the online community of Lost fans is a group I'm very proud to be a part of, and the outpouring of support I've received over the past three days is a testament to what intelligent, thoughtful and ethical people are out there watching this series. That's why it had to be a priority for me this weekend to help stop someone who was illegally passing off my content and my friends' content (and artwork) as his own. After all, as Mr. Benjamin Linus has been known to say, "We're the good guys!"


OK... on to "Dead is Dead." From the messages I've been receiving, it seems that a lot of people didn't like this episode. However, I'm in the camp that did. How could I not enjoy Ben and Locke bickering for the better part of an hour?


A HORSE IS A HORSE
OF COURSE
OF COURSE


I'm sure I wasn't the only one who cocked her head to the side and said, "Huh?" as Long-Haired Widmore galloped through the Hostiles' camp on a noble steed. I really wasn't expecting that Chuck On a Horse would kick off this episode, and immediately wondered if perhaps I'd accidentally switched over to some channel that was airing one of the many Robin Hood movies. But no, it was Lost, and the action was still in 1977, right after "Whatever Happened, Happened" left off.

Widmore caught wind that Richard had saved "one of them," and cold-busted over to confront the Ageless One about it. Richard was in no mood to let such an unkempt man give him the business, though. "Jacob wanted it done. The Island chooses who the Island chooses. You know that," he replied coolly.

Can we take Richard at his word? Was he really instructed by Jacob to save Little Ben? Adult Ben told Locke that he was the only Other who had ever communicated with Jacob. This could of course simply be Ben's 4,223rd lie, but if he was telling the truth for once, then that means Richard acted on his own when he brought Ben to The Temple. It's not like we saw or heard a creepy "Saaaaave hiiiimmmm" whisper. Yet, on the other hand, Richard clearly knew who Jacob was back in 1954 when Locke name-dropped him, so chances are that Ben was lying and Richard has been in touch with Jacob from the very beginning (whenever that was).

Since almost everything about Jacob remains a mystery, we're probably not going to get clarity on his interaction and relationship with any of the other characters any time soon.


THE GIRL IS MINE
MINE, MINE
YEP, SHE'S MINE

First I was surprised to see Widmore on a horse, then I was surprised to see that he actually treated Little Ben pretty kindly when the two future-enemies first met. He ensured Little Ben that even though they'd have to return him to Dharmaland, Ben would always be one of the Hostiles.

The next flashback we see is in either 1988 or 1989, and Rousseau is alone in her tent with newborn Baby Alex. I was certainly expecting the whole kidnapping scene to go down a lot differently than it did, weren't you? I had envisioned dozens of Hostiles descending upon Rousseau's tent -- perhaps even with Harry Potter-like Invisibility Cloaks on or something -- and then some sort of magical force would freeze Rousseau while she watched in horror as her daughter vanished in front of her eyes. Instead, it was an approximately 23-year-old Ben who did the deed calmly and quickly, all within less than a few minutes. And Pre-Teen Ethan was with him, of all people.

That didn't make the scene any less heartbreaking to watch, though.

Ben and Ethan return with Baby Alex to the Hostiles' camp. Widmore is not happy about this at all, and said that Ben should "kill it"... "it" being poor little Alex. After I heard those two words, all notions I ever had that Widmore might be the good guy evaporated. I now am confident that he is a... what's the word? It starts with a "b"... and ends with "astard"...?

Ben drops the J-bomb and tests Widmore by saying, "Is killing this baby what Jacob wants? Then here she is. You do it." But we all know Widmore let Alex live... albeit only for sixteen more years.

A few things to note/question from these scenes:

1) Although it wasn't explicitly stated, I can only assume (from what we know transpired in other episodes) that both Ben and Ethan were still living in the Barracks at that point in time, and that their interaction with and visiting of the Hostiles was on the down-low, and only during the wee hours.

2) Since Pre-Teen Ethan is accepted among the Hostiles, that either confirms the suspicions that his mom Amy is an Other, or something else happened with Ethan between 1977-1988 that we don't know about yet.

3) Ben took Alex to live with him in the Barracks. If he was still posing as a Dharma member, though, how in the heck did he explain suddenly having a baby?

4) Finally, as Ben told Rousseau to "run the other way" whenever she heard whispers, does that definitively tie the Others to the whispers? Are we ever going to get any more information about the whispers... like why they're only heard at certain times, how they're able to repeat phrases from a character's off-Island life, or who exactly is making them? I'm not so sure we will... this may be one of those mysteries left unexplained at the end of the series.


IF I NEVER SEE YOUR FACE AGAIN
I DON'T MIND

Next, we see Ben and what looks to be a five or six-year-old Alex bonding on the swing set in the Barracks. Richard interrupts them to inform Ben that Widmore's about to go buh-bye. As the Hostiles are using Dharma's sub to ship Widmore back to the mainland, we can assume this scene takes place at some point after the 1992 Purge.

Just like The Swiping of Alex, The Banishment of Widmore wasn't exactly what I thought it would be. Many of us had assumed that he'd turned the Frozen Donkey Wheel, and that's why he could never find the Island again. At the very least I figured there would be some sort of hocus-pocus element to getting Charles off of his favorite rock. But no, he was just handcuffed and escorted down the dock and into the submarine, never to return.

Not before he had these ominous words for Ben, though...

WIDMORE: Are you quite certain you want to do this, Benjamin?
BEN: You left the Island regularly. You had a daughter with an outsider. You broke the rules, Charles.
WIDMORE: And what makes you think you deserve to take what's mine?
BEN: Because I won't be selfish. Because I'll sacrifice anything to protect this Island.
WIDMORE: You wouldn't sacrifice Alex.
BEN: You're the one who wanted her dead, Charles, not the Island.
WIDMORE: I hope you're right, Benjamin, because if you aren't, and it is the Island that wants her dead, she'll be dead. And one day, you'll be standing where I'm standing now. You'll be the one being banished, and then you'll finally realize that you cannot fight the inevitable. I'll be seeing you, boy.

I definitely got chills during the "she'll be dead" part.

What's going on here? (And just to make some of what I'm going to say below a little easier to write out, let's assume Widmore left the Island in 1993, even though we have no concrete proof of that.)

1) Between 1993 and 2004, something must have changed with the Others' "rules," because we all know that Ben, Tom/Zeke and Richard have left the Island before. Perhaps if anyone left on "Others Business" it was OK, but if Charles was going to shore just to, um, get his freak on, then that was not OK.

2) On that note, who was this "outsider" he had a child (presumably Penny) with? Could it be Ellie/Ms. Hawking -- was she gone from the Island by that time? And would she really ever be considered an outsider since she was not only a Hostile in 1954, but also seemed to be working on behalf of the Island when she met Desmond in 1996, and then obviously when she helped get the O5 on Ajira 316 in 2007? If Ellie is Widmore's sister, as many have theorized, then perhaps the identity of Widmore's wife/lover is unimportant. All that matters is that the Hostiles frowned upon his involvement with this mystery woman.

3) Were Rousseau and Alex truly "not meant to live"? Why would the Island want them dead? Were their murders the universe's or Island's way of course-correcting what should have happened sixteen years prior? Or were their deaths what most of us saw them as: awful events that can be blamed on Widmore (and Keamy)?


WAITING FOR YOUR CHANGE OF HEART
IT JUST TAKES A BEAT
TO TURN IT AROUND

By the time we got to the scene with Ben at the marina, I was beside myself with glee over how awesome all of the flashbacks had been. There's no denying that some serious pieces of the puzzle fell into place in this episode. But because (during the real-time events) Ben had told Sun to pass along his apologies should she ever see Desmond again, I was bracing for something horrible to go down once Ben aimed his gun at Penny.

Thankfully, Little Charlie ran out onto the deck of Our Mutual Friend in all of his mop-headed glory, and Ben hesitated just long enough to allow Desmond to spring on him and pummel him senseless. Speaking of Desmond, did anyone else think that the reason there was no blood when Ben fired at him wasn't because of a strategically placed can of beans, but rather because the Island won't let him die? That maybe Ms. Hawking knew what she was talking about in "316" when she said the Island's not done with him yet?

Now, before I end with my analysis of the flashbacks, I have to bring up one more thing. Let's rewind a little bit and talk about the scene where Ben called Widmore to inform him that he was about to kill Penny in revenge for Alex's death. During their tense chat, Ben also told Widmore that he would be returning to the Island later that same day, to which Charles replied, "The Island won't let you come back, trust me. I've spent almost 20 years trying to return."

I wouldn't have thought twice about this line until reader JH-Z sent me a message and asked why the math didn't add up. Don't know what she's talking about? Consider this:

- It was probably 1993 or 1994 when Charles was banished from the Island. We know this because we know Alex was sixteen when she was killed, and she was definitely killed in 2004. The fact that she looked to be about six years old when Ben was pushing her on the swing is in line with this.
- So Alex's timeline makes sense... but Widmore's definitely does not. Miles stated earlier this season that Widmore had been looking for the Island for twenty years. Now Charles just repeated this same number to Ben on the phone. But, um, twenty years from 1993 would be the year 2013. So what in the @#(#*$(&*@ is going on?!?!

My dear friends, I'm at a loss. Because of the drama I referenced at the beginning of this post, I have not have a chance to investigate this mystery at all. So I put it out there for you to think about... and I'm sure you'll let me know if another Lost blog has cracked it. Off of the top of my head, the only two high-level explanations I can think of are: 1) It's another innocent goof, similar to what happened with Charlotte's age, or 2) it is a huge clue. Since Charles repeated the "twenty years" line in this episode, though, I have to think it's a clue. But my mind can't process anything beyond that. Sorry!



Consider the flashbacks covered... now onto the Island.


TOGETHER AGAIN

Ben woke up to find Alive Locke looking down at him. Talk about awkward... but of course Ben quickly recovered and claimed that he figured Locke would probably bounce back from his murder-by-strangulation. Then he's like, "But don't you judge me... let's let The Monster judge me." (Did anyone feel a bit weird hearing two grown men talk about "The Monster" throughout the episode? I mean, I know "Smokey" isn't any better, but I really wish the writers had chosen to give Ben a clue about the real name for The Monster. Like "Cerberus" or whatever else we've all been thinking it might really be called.)

In the very next scene, Ben was up to his old tricks, trying to convince Caesar that Locke is one suspicious bald dude. I was totally shocked... I had really thought that Ben would be on his best behavior once he realized that the Island brought Locke back to life. However, a few scenes later, everything made sense; Ben had taken the sawed-off shotgun from Caesar during their little chat, and then used it to kill him when he stood in the way of Locke and Ben heading out to the main Island.

Color me surprised once more -- I certainly did not expect Caesar to leave us so soon. We may still see a flashback on him or something, but I sure was totally off in my "He's Our You" recap, in which I proposed that Caesar, not Ilana, was going to be the Important New Character. I'll get to her a little bit later, though.



THE BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN

Ben and Locke made it safely to the main Island, and Locke waited outside while Ben went into his old home to see why a light was on. Now -- trust me -- I have not forgotten that Ben is a master manipulator and serial liar, but I honestly believe that he did not know: 1) who Christian was (when Frank referenced him) or 2) that some of the 815ers were in living among Dharma members in the '70s (when he saw the orientation picture Sun handed him). Could Ben truly be unaware of the time travel the 815ers have experienced? And does that mean that they were all gone by the time he returned to Dharmasville as a young boy?

Locke joined the group inside, and when Frank saw that he was no longer dead, he's like "THAT'S IT! If I don't find me a bottle of Jack Daniels right quick, I'm going to spontaneously combust!" He must've figured his chances of coming across the hard stuff would be better back on Hydra island, so he bid adieu to Sun and ran off before anything else supernatural could happen.

Before I move on from this scene, I have to share one thought that popped into my mind when I heard Sun say that Christian told her that if she wanted to see her husband again, she'd have to wait for Locke. I couldn't help but wonder if the torch was being passed, so to speak, from one Island Zombie to another. Now, you all know that I personally do not want to believe that Locke might not be 100% alive anymore. But I have to keep what I want to happen and what I think could be happening separate... and between Sun's comment and some of the other things that I'll talk about shortly, I have to begrudgingly admit that Locke might not be as flesh and blood as he once was.


I'VE BEEN A BAD, BAD GIRL

Let's jump back to Hydra for a moment. Frank makes his way up the beach, and he's all, "For the love of God, has anyone found the stash of mini-bottles of booze from the plane yet?" But the rest of the 316ers had much bigger issues to worry about. Ilana and some meathead dude (and I think two other guys) were now armed with rifles, and were working on opening a huge metal crate.

Frank is asked, "What lies in the shadow of the statue?" and he's like, "Are you serious? Is this a joke? Dammit, I thought Ben and Locke were the freak-shows... why did I come back here?" But it was too late for our favorite pilot... he was taken to be tied up.

Obviously the riddle Ilana rattled off was similar to the "What did one snowman say to the other snowman?" joke that both Kelvin and Desmond posed to Swan hatch intruders. Does that mean that Ilana is part of a "new Dharma" that's attempting to re-establish itself on the Island? That would definitely jibe with the events of last summer's Comic-Con, where Dharma was looking for fresh recruits (yes, it was all an elaborate marketing effort for the show, but you get my point).

Regardless of what group Ilana represents, how did they find out about Ajira 316, what's in the crate, and what are they going to do now? Is this all part of "the war" that's coming to the Island, which Widmore warned Locke about?

All I know for sure is that I do not like Ilana, and that thick-necked guy is already bugging me, too. They better not hurt our Frank or there will be hell to pay!



SMOKE GETS IN YOUR EYES

And now for the climactic finale...

Locke tells Sun that he can't help her find Jin until Ben checks "GET JUDGED BY SMOKEY" off of his to-do list. Next, a bunch of exceedingly bizarre things happen:

1) Ben goes into his secret room and calls Smokey by draining out a nasty pool of slop. ?!?
2) Locke walks off into the jungle after he apparently told Sun that he had something to take care of. ?!?
3) Ben tells Sun that he has never seen the Island bring somebody back to life, and the fact that it seems to have done just that with Locke frightens the holy hell out of him. ?!?
4) Ben warns Sun that something is about to come out of the jungle that he can't control, and so she better take cover inside. Shortly thereafter... Locke comes out of the jungle. ?!?

And then finally, the scene we'd all been waiting for. Bring on Smokey!

Locke says that they're going to have to go under the Temple in order for Ben to accomplish his task. I don't have the brain-power right now to process what that could mean, but I'm sure it means something. Just like I'm sure it means something that Locke knew where to go to find Smokey in the first place, and Ben didn't.

Sun, who tagged along, falls behind once the two men head underground. Ben tumbles through a break in the structure, and while Locke runs off to find a vine for Ben to pull himself up with, Ben explores the chamber he's landed in. Hieroglyphics abound, and the camera focuses on one that appears to be Smokey and The Statue God in a face-off. Even though I was aboard the Taweret Theory Train in my "LaFleur" write-up, I'll admit that if the four-toed statue is meant to be the same Egyptian god depicted in the carving Ben saw in this episode, then it's most likely Anubis.

Ben didn't get much more time to snoop around, though, because up rose Smokey through a vent in the floor. As a cloud of black smoke surrounded him, Ben's life literally flashed before his eyes, just like we saw happen when Mr. Eko had his first face-off with the monster. I have to admit, there was a teeny, teeny part of me that was worried that this was the last we'd see of Mr. Linus. But then a voice inside my head said, "Are you a freakin' idiot? Because the producers aren't -- Michael Emerson has scored two Emmy nominations for his role on this show -- he ain't goin' nowhere."

And sure enough, he survived. But he wasn't totally in the clear until Apparition Alex had her way with him. "I don't care WHAT baldy tells you to do... you will do it and you will like it! And you will stop plotting his second death, fool!"

Ben's like, "Geez, OK, I get it... ohandbythewayI'msorryIletKeamykillyou." And then Alex was gone.

Mysteriously, as soon as Smokey and Apparition Alex vanished, Locke reappeared, adding credence to the theory that Locke might either BE Smokey or somehow be controlling him. I certainly hope it's not the former, but definitely think the latter is a possibility. However, before Locke was on the Island, and before Christian was on the Island, we saw Smokey attack Danielle's group. So if a person controls/summons/unleashes Smokey, who was controlling him then? That's why I think it may just be a coincidence that Locke's appearances and disappearances were seemingly timed with Smokey's coming and goings.


That's it, folks! Be sure you read the section after the Best Lines for a note about the timing of my next post...


BEST LINES OF THE EPISODE

BEN: What has he told you?

CAESAR: When you were out cold, he was watching over you. And he said you killed him.

BEN: I killed him? Really? 'Cause he looks fine to me.



LOCKE: Well, Ben, I was hoping that you and I could talk about the elephant in the room.

BEN: I assume you're referring to the fact that I killed you.




LOCKE: Looks like we're not the first ones who decided to tie up here.

BEN: That would be Sun and Lapidus. I showed 'em where the boats were, and Sun thanked me by smashing me on the head with a paddle.



BEN: No. Someone else hurt my arm.

LOCKE: You just make friends everywhere you go, don't ya?



BEN: The man was unarmed because I'd stolen his gun--the gun he was going to use to kill you. I couldn't let that happen.

LOCKE: No sense in me dying twice, right?

BEN: You're welcome.



BEN (looks at 1977 Dharma orientation picture): Of course not. Where did you get this? Who gave this to you?

LAPIDUS: We met some crazy old man outside. He said his name was Christian. [e: This probably wasn't meant to be funny, but I thought it was.]



SUN: What you're saying, it's... impossible.

LOCKE: But here I am. I don't know how, I don't know why, but I'm sure there's a very good reason for it.

LAPIDUS: As long as the dead guy says there's a reason, well, then I guess everything's gonna be just peachy. And forget about the fact that the rest of your people are supposedly 30 years ago... now the only ones who are here to help us are a murderer and a guy who can't seem to remember how the hell he got out of a coffin.



LOCKE: You don't like this, do you?

BEN: What?

LOCKE: Having to ask questions that you don't know the answers to, blindly following someone in the hopes that they'll lead you to whatever it is you're looking for.

BEN: No, John, I don't like it at all.

LOCKE: Well, now you know what it was like to be me.



LOCKE: What happened?

BEN: It let me live.




PROGRAMMING NOTES

- I will be traveling this coming weekend and the one after that, so I will not have my recap of the April 15 episode up by Monday, April 20, and am not exactly sure when it will be done. But that's OK, because there's not a new episode on April 22.

- Instead, there's a clip show entitled "The Story of the Oceanic Six" that will air on the 22nd, and during that time I will be joining Ryan from Zap2It's Guide to Lost for a live chat about our favorite show. As soon as I have the final details about that chat, I will post them so that you can hopefully join us and banter about the show with other Lost fans in real-time. (Side note: Ryan wrote a very nice article about the Seanie B plagiarism drama here, please check it out.)

Thanks again to everyone who wrote me messages of support over the last few days. I haven't been able to respond to all of them, but I have definitely read each and every one, and you have no idea how much they've meant to me.

Enjoy the show on Wednesday, and be sure to check back early next week for details about the live chat.

- e

208 comments:

1 – 200 of 208   Newer›   Newest»
Tony Shorrock said...

Love the recap - it's the highlight of my Monday morning:) I hope things work out in the "hunt for the fake lost recaper" - that's just not right!!!

Thanks for the thoughts!

Erika (aka "e") said...

The lyrics from this post are from:

Karma Police - Radiohead

A Horse is a Horse - Mr. Ed TV show theme

The Girl is Mine - Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney

If I Never See Your Face Again - Maroon 5 and Rihanna

Change of Heart - Cyndi Lauper

Together Again - Janet Jackson

The Boys are Back in Town - Thin Lizzy

Criminal - Fiona Apple

Smoke Gets in Your Eyes - The Platters (there are also other versions)

- e

Life Is A Road Trip said...

Still a great recap - as usual, Erika! I'm sorry you're having to go through this mess. You and Vozzek69 are the two Lost writers I read faithfully. I hope the situation is resolved to your satisfaction soon.

Kim said...

I just wanted to say that I am *so* sorry this Seanie B. person ever came into your life. I mean, while it's flattering that he thinks so highly of your intelligent, insightful commentary that he felt compelled to lift it word for word, it's disgusting that he is able to con TV Guide into paying him for reading your blog on the air.

I hope that some of the legal papers you are filing are directed at the legal department of TV Guide, and that your demands for relief include an on-air apology citing you as the *true* source of "Seanie B's." musings.

Anything less would be unacceptable.

Keep Your Chin Up!

Kim

Jenni said...

I'd actually seen one of the dastardly clips on TV Guide, and I'm shocked I didn't get a big sense of deja vu. To repeat many of the other comments you've already gotten, hang in there!

Joshua said...

Couple of thoughts as you fight the good fight.

Anubis is meant to protect the dead and bring them to the afterlife. So, based on the face-off hieroglyphic, Smokey might be trying to return the dead to life, or thwart them from entering the afterlife and keeping them in a sort of purgatory. Perhaps the recently dead haven't completed their earthly (island) tasks and Smokey is trying to see that they stick around long enough in order to do just that.

Next is the nature of Ben. For any Shakespeare fans reading, Ben strikes me as identical in nature to Othello's Iago, a character you were NEVER to believe unless he was alone in soliloquy. I think the only time Ben's come close to that is turning the FDW. I don't think we can ever believe one word he says to anyone, period.

Enjoy the travels, E, and best wishes for quick resolution.

Cekma said...

Widmore says he has been trying to find the island for ALMOST 20 years. The freighter mission clearly failed so he is still trying to find it. When Ben calls Widmore it's late 2007/early 2008.

So that can count as ALMOST 20 years.

R.S said...

Even though I've known about the plagiarism for a day or two now I wanted to wait for this this re-cap to post my support for you E.

I've never heard of this Seanie B guy before and I've been reading this blog for over 2 seasons now. The sooner Seanie disappears the better - Long Live Erika.

Ginny said...

I'm appalled that someone would actually think they could get away with going on screen and reading out your work word for word (I've seen it on youtube) I speak for many I'm sure who log on every week to read LLL and appreciate the time and effort you spend to help people like me enjoy the whole Lost expereince even more. Best wishes

Hamed said...

Hi Erika...

Wow, that Seanie B character makes me angry! Great recap as usual... I always find yours to be the most realistic--the theories are never too outlandish, and you do a great job pinning down each character.

By the way, when Caesar told Locke he couldn't take the boat, I was sooo hoping Locke would respond with his usual "DON'T TELL ME WHAT I CAN'T DO!"

But I really like the new and improved John Locke.

LilyLa said...

Wow E - I had no idea this was happening! I follow you on Facebook and Twitter but I haven't been on them in the last few days b/c I have a 10 month old who has been very sick... but I am so shocked! Like Tracy said above, I follow you and Vozzek69 every week for my Lost recaps and I can't believe that someone would steal your writings like that and get paid for it! Shame on you TV Guide!
Anyway, you still wrote up a great recap! I am in the "I LOVED the episode" camp. I couldn't wait to read your recap b/c there were so many awesome Locke scenes. And yes, whoever told you to write about how hot Desmond was, was right - I literally jumped out of my seat when I saw him and his hotness! And then that beatdown? Classic!!
Anyway, keep the faith and have a great time traveling!

Lady-in-Gray said...

Maybe The Island isn't done with Caesar and won't let him die yet.....

Now, on to finish your recap, Erika.

Colleen said...

Hi Erika,
Just wanted to say that I was one of Seanie B's subscribers until today. I had no clue that he was taking his ideas from other peoples hard work. I only heard about your blog from a friend and checked it out straight away, I can't believe how blatent he has been in lifting your words. Just wanted you to know that Seanie B has one less subscriber today and you have one more! Good luck and I hope this can be resolved quickly for you.

Rob Klotz said...

Best of luck dropping some legal whoop-ass on Seanie B, Erika.

I'm not fully on board with Zombie Locke (my phrase, not yours). But once again LOST has left out a key chapter in John Locke's Island Tale.

The first time it happened, the Monster came upon Locke while Kate was up a tree in Season 1. And Locke looked up at the Monster. And we got a big fat 3 minute commercial break without knowing what happened there exactly. That scene -- or missing scene, really -- still sticks with me. In some way Locke and Smokey have a "thing" together. What that thing is is continually peripherally alluded to but not explained.

It would be very interesting to do a montage of all Locke's scenes involving the Monster, including preludes to encounters and discussion of it. Remember he WANTED to be dragged underground by it in S1. Could Smokey have infested -- INFECTED -- Locke like it got into Danielle's crew? Has Locke all along been a dual being, both Man and Monster?

Just throwing more wild-eyed theories at the wall to see what sticks, as usual.

Happy travels!

Wanders said...

e - you take care of the plagiarism issue first. We'll eagerly await your full focused return, but want you to deal with this problem in the way you think best. This season has been fantastic.

Joe K said...

Not sure if you saw this response he made on the forums at his site. For those that can't get there/don't want to visit his site, he says:

"Going to write the response tomorrow still. I'm not going to write anything to Docartz or whatever the name is. He has nothing to do with it, just trying to name names to get people to head over to his site, which is working. This is between Erika and myself, and my fans and myself. I have already apologized to Erika 2 days ago, which I'll talk about later... I have been literally called the next Hitler by thousands of people the past 2 days, which I really didn't care about at first, but, as you can imagine, it's just getting old now. If you've noticed, I closed my YouTube channel comments section for now, and it will remain closed until things settle down. I'll talk more about this and other things tomorrow.

In the meantime, Happy Easter guys...
"

Alex Catarino said...

Even without dedicating as much time as usual, your enhanced recap was as great as aways!

On the episode, I think you should consider the fact that Smokey can be the Egyptian God Apep as Erin Scottberg from PopularMechanics.com mentioned after talking with a Professor of Egyptology.

http://www.popularmechanics.com/blogs/science_news/4312764.html?series=6

I'm intrigued on how they're going to wrap up together Mythology with Science...

PJGM said...

R U serious, do you really belive, that the whispers are going to be left unexplained after the series end, I dont think so, it is one of the Major misterys of the show, if they do that, Ill be hugely dissappointed.

Pennys mom obviusly is not Ellie, I dont know wht everybody is sticking to it, I think pennys mom is a "who cares character".

Anonymous said...

So sorry for your troubles E and I hope they work out in your favor!

As for this episode, I did not like it at all. The whole smoky/Ben/Alex thing was just too cheap looking to me! I thought it was silly and thrown together without any thought or imagination. I was very dissapointed.

First of all, why wouldn't Ben tell Alex he only said those mean things to Keamy about Alex in hopes he wouldn't kill her?

Why would Alex say, listen to Locke or else......very comical sounding and fake.

And the whole visions in the smoke thing could have been more imaginative. It felt very cartoony to me.

Not up to regular LOST standards in my mind.

SF said...

Sorry about what happened to you. That guy is certainly destined for a judgment run-in with Smokey, and he will not be as lucky as Ben.

Love the posts every week. Thanks so much!

Hamed said...

Oh, I forgot to mention in my last post... did you notice in the scenes around Locke and Ben's boat ride to the main island, Locke was taking off Christian's shoes and then putting them back on?

I wonder if there will be any other significance to the shoes--I guess they're just shoes though. I can't wait until we see Locke and Christian meet up again. I really hope they do.

Jabberwock said...

Erika, it's really too bad someone would stoop this low. Let me know if there's anything I can do at Lostpedia to help your cause.

This article has been dugg.

http://digg.com/d1ocGP

Anonymous said...

Great recap, as always, Erika. I can’t believe that ‘a lot’ of people didn’t like this ep. How could they not? Yes, Ben and Locke arguing is always awesome, especially now that Locke seems to be more in control than Ben.

4,223rd lie? Is that all?

I ABSOLUTELY LOVED the end scene where notAlex threw Ben around and pretty much owned him. Just frakking awesome.

My mouth went completely dry when Ben was walking towards the dock. I’ve haven’t been that scared since we thought Sayid/Jin/Bernard were dead during Greatest Hits. Wow.

It is possible that Widmore left the island and was transported BACK in time? Maybe the sub didn’t follow the right bearing. Or, maybe it means nothing. I can’t think of any mysteries on the show that would need an explanation that 10 missing years would provide.

I noticed, too, that the riddle Ilana asked sound a lot like the snowman thing and wondered if Dharma was coming back all bad-assed to reclaim their houses and swingsets. I am particularly proud of myself, because I don't usually figure out stuff like this on my own :)

If Locke really is dead, where can I mail you a sympathy card?

I was very glad to read, over the weekend, Ryan and Jo and DocArtz’s articles about your drama. I’d never heard of that twit on youtube until this weekend, but his name is now mud at my house. Keep up the good fight, girl. To put a smile on your face, just go look at that picture on your website....no one can take THAT away!

Anonymous said...

Great write-up E. I actually like it better without pictures because now when my boss walks by my desk he only see me reading text and not see photos of Lost characters. Now I can claim I'm doing research.

I have to think this is the best line in the history of lost. I'm glad you posted it as well
"And forget about the fact that the rest of your people are supposedly 30 years ago... now the only ones who are here to help us are a murderer and a guy who can't seem to remember how the hell he got out of a coffin"

Classic!

I agree the whole locke leaving when smokey comes is odd. I think Maybe John went and stopped smokey from showing up the first time to force Ben to go to the temple. Ben had a weird smirk when he unclogged that drain.

I love this type of episode so much better. The whole Darhmaville storyline this season is starting to get old. It doesn't intrigue me as does the mysterious part.

And by the way. I LOVE ILYA. Grrrrr, she can ask me what lies in the shadow anytime she wants.

Roland said...

Note that Danielle is not living in the Jungle Dugout where she tortured Sayid in 2004. History has been rewritten.

Since CW was the Official Leader before, during and immediately after The Purge, it would seem that Ben did not formally take charge of the Hostiles/Others until well after the Purge - which is exactly what Ben suggested to Hugo at the DHARMA Pit. The fact that CW was nowhere to be seen during The Purge itself suggests that he was possibly off-Island at that exact time - which may be how Ben "tricked" CW into Banishment.

Note that pre-Purge, the Widmore-era Hostiles seemed quite willing to exterminate any Outsider (even a New Mom) who dared to trespass on their Island - except for the DI - with whom they had a Truce - for a while.

During the post-Purge "Linus" era, Family Ben/Richard (or part of it) seemed to have shifted to a “Not-Killer” philosophy which shunned guns and preferred to use bolos, trank darts, tasers and sling-shots. This same "Good Guy" Faction seemed to have adopted a warm and fuzzy creed which placed an emphasis on Telling The Truth, Honouring somebody’s Free Will Choice, seeking (and extending) Forgiveness after any sincere Apology as well as honouring commitments and promises. Since the difference between the Widmore era and the Linus era is Ben Linus, it seems to me that Ben really is the Good Guy he’s been referencing for 5.5 Seasons. In order to protect the right and privilege of his people to live such a pacifistic life-style, it’s sadly necessary that the Rules not apply to Ben himself.

Unknown said...

HEY E,

It makes me mad to hear some jerk off is stealing your post. Give em' hell!!!

Jackie said...

That really does suck e! I had a similar problem with a blogger and photos, so I feel your frustration. Looks like you have a great case though, good luck with everything (and don't worry, we would forgive you if you had to miss a recap due to all this garbage!).

I am in the group that thinks Ellie and Charles are siblings, and that the mother of Penny isn't important. Thanks for your thoughts and summaries, you always help me make a bit more sense of things!

timmy said...

It will be nice to c Sean's response to this. It sucks you got all butt hurt and had to hire lawyers and go after him like a head hunter.

I feel he just one up'd u cause he put your stuff into vids and all you have is crappy txt

Unknown said...

First of all, this is my very first comment on your site. But I've been reading your recaps ever since they were published over at DarkUFO, but then I tracked your site and I check it every day to see if you have posted anything new.
I just LOVE your recaps.
Thats why I have to beg you to keep writing, you have such a huge fan base that it would be very sad if you stopped writing.
Please, a mexican-fan asks you to keep writing. The fake-lost-recaper will be stopped, but dont stop doing something you do so good.

PS. If I Never See Your Face Again is an original song from Maroon 5, they just did one version featuring Rihanna, but its orginally from them.

Daniel Jonsson said...

I'm sorry to hear about what has happened. I really hope that you don't stop writing your episode reviews because of this incident. Because besides watching the actual episodes, reading your reviews are the highlight of the week. Keep up the good work!

Gumionday said...

Thanks E for the recap. I am sorry to hear about the copier guy. That really sucks. I found your blog halfway into season 3 and have been hooked ever since, especially since I am a huge fan of Locke as well as you are. You put too much time and work into this to have some one steal your work. This guy needs to be offered to Smokey.

jroberts said...

Nice recap Erika. Please settle for no less than a pulic admission and apology.

As I'm sure you can see from the comments on Doc's page and the comments tha were flooding Seanie's site (until he shut the comments off) and youtube account, you have A LOT of support.

Regardless of the players, right is right, and wrong is wrong. He is clearly wrong.

Stay strong.

Beth said...

I became aware of "Seanie B." from a Lost site I frequent. As a result, it lead me to your blog. I'm now hooked! I hope many others like me will find your blog as a result of the copyright nightmare you're unfortunately going through.

Scoutpost said...

First of all I just want to say- great recap as usual, even without the screencaps and being cut short on time! Thanks as always!

Second- holy crap I don't know how you're holding it together so well after finding out about SeanieB! I'm enraged, I can't imagine how angry and frustrated you must be. I really hope it all turns out with this guy getting his head handed to him on a platter. Good luck with all the legal paperwork and red tape. You and Vozzek have all of us supporting you! ((hugs))

Jess said...

I feel like a complete idiot, but I've had you on facebook for awhile... and have read your article for awhile but until you commented on my link I never put the two together. DUH. Clueless Wonder, indeed.
So, I won't post even more about the Seanie B drama, (Ha. I almost typed Dharma there lol)but I am eagerly waiting the turnout.

I am probably as much of a Ben fan as you are a Locke fan, so yeah, I can certainly see how this episode was a 9/10 on the Awesome scale. I just loved Locke being so smug around Ben. It was such a nice change. I think that it puts their whole scene in Lockedown (and others of course) into such amazing perspective!

Ilana bugs me. That whole part with the "ubersupersecret password" bit was annoying. I felt like I was being hit over the head with a clue about who she is, and who she's working for.

Your point about tween Ethan being with the Others at this point is excellent. I don't trust Amy and that whole scene with her and Sawyer and her ex-hubby. Plus the fact that she was instrumental in turning the Group against Sayid... boo.

Anyhoo. Great recap! :D

Anonymous said...

e

even with everything going on you still took the time to write an awesome recap, thank you so much for your devotion, and i'm so sorry this has happened to you, it's just disgusting and unbelievable. thank you again so much or the wonderful work you do, and for your great attitude!!

Anonymous said...

can I just say - we all know, and even most characters on the show know by now, that the island and time have a very interesting relationship. Is it out of the question to assume that Widmore has both been looking for the island for twenty years AND left in only 1993?
Island Time - 1993 - Widmore leaves
Off-Island Time - 1989 - Widmore arrives
I wouldn't be surprised.

Bruno Renato said...

e,

Just wanted to give you a word of support for this that you're going through. I say sue the bastard all the way to Timbuktu! :-)

Thanks for your amazing write-ups on Lost, I actually look forward to them after every episode. They're entertaining and thoughtful, and it's a great way for me to rehash whatever crazy things happened on any given wednesday night!

Uwe said...

Hello,

I never really comment, but I want to voice my support...

I'm glad I never had heard about the guy who stole your guys' intellectual stuff. And I don't think we will much longer...

I enjoy your blog very much. Thank you.

God bless,
Uwe

DR said...

Boy, Erika,don't take the high road or anything. Sit atop your pedestal and preach about it some more.

Anonymous said...

e, great job and thank you!

I have read through the comments (I suspect many people don't since I often see repeat posts) and had just a few responses. I don't think history was changed, I think that Danielle just simply moved AFTER Ben took Alex to a more permanent area (bunker). So we are not seeing history changed, we are just seeing into the past to see what caused what we know has happened in lost.

And my other comment - thestad - first off, e's text is not "crappy". I suspect you feel this way because you are too lazy (or illiterate?) to read e's blog. Her thought process carefully and meticulously crafted into a well thought out discussion can fill your head for over an hour in ways that taking in a 10 minute vlog of someone’s (pirated, btw) opinion could never do (especially when also downing a plate of mom’s fresh-from-the-microwave pizza rolls and a 2-liter bottle of Mt. Dew). e’s blog is obviously much too in-depth, complete, and honest to have your support, and as I see it that may be a good thing.

e – fight for what is yours! You have my support!

-Jeanna

Lani said...

Just add me to the list of angry fans! Hang in there!

jb_dean said...

As for the 'searching for the island for 20 years' thingy ... what if time off-island IS different from on-island? We saw it proved with Daniel and the freighter. Of course I have no idea how much time accumulates so no clue if 20 years would make sense from 1993-ish to 2004 but it's a theory. :D

Great re-cap, as always. You picked some of my favorite lines, as well. This ep. had some really great ones.

Only sad part for me was finding out that the new hottie, youngish Charles Widmore, was not going to be seen more frequently. Too bad. He was quite a hunk back then. ;)

Keep on fighting the fight! You've got us all in your corner!!

Anonymous said...

Another best line:

Locke: If all I had to do was die, Ben, then why did you stop me?

Ben: You had critical information that would've died with you. And once you'd given it to me...well, I just ddn't have time to talk you back into hanging yourself.

(Good luck with your legal battle!)

Jill said...

E!

I just want you to know that you are Awesome!!! I haven't even read the post yet, but I know from past posts that you are the best. That guy should be feeling pretty crappy about stealing all the time, passion and creativity you put into your posts. Boo that man!!! (from the movie Half Baked)

Good thoughts are heading your way :)

Jill

wellslogan said...

Well, Erika, as a long time Seanie B fan, I have converted to a Long Live Locke fan (since the previous material was just yours anyways)Because after only posting 2 comments on a thread of 20 pages, my IP address was banned from his forums. 2 Comments! I was trying to support Sean, but the truth is incontrovertible. I am supporting you know in this legal battle. Can't wait to see "Some Like it Hoth"!

Julie said...

Hey Erika,

Thanks for posting the question I had about the math not adding up. Even if we are all off on the timeline a bit by about 2 years or so, it still really only brings the time from when he was banished to present at about 15 years. So if we are right in assuming Alex was about 6 years old at the time of banishment, Widmore should have been searching for the island for almost 15 years not almost 20. 20 years seems to be way off, but I'm not sure if this was done on purpose or if it is another continuity error. I guess we will have to wait and see!

Like I told you before little things here and there don't really bother me but this one really got me sitting there thinking "what the? huh? that isn't right!" Lol

I hope you have a better week this week and things get sorted out! Just be sure to sit, relax and enjoy this Wednesdays episode! :)

-Julie

joyce said...

On the bright side, did you ever expect such an abundance of support? ; )

Anonymous said...

Erika,

I was a bit shocked to see the Seanie B video posted by DocArtz. If he intentionally stole your material, that was wrong.

However, I think you have made a mistake in the way you have posted the information about the situation. The more you wrote about it, the more I wanted to stop reading it. You make it sound like you are victim of something bigger than what it is. Hell, by the end of your post I was wondering how this thing even hurts you. There's no denying the publicity you will get from this. I am not saying that justifies what Seanie B did, as one other person wrote, I think you had an oppritunity to take the high road and failed miserably. Personally, I would have just let it go.

Luckily you are significantly better at writing Lost recaps than you are at throwing a pity party, as I thought you analysis of "Dead is Dead" and "What Happened, Happened" were fantastic. I look forward to reading more of your work.

Fellow Lost Fan,
Cory, MN

Jim E. said...

e -

Best of luck with the fight against Seanie. You might be interested to know that his website is currently offline.

Erika (aka "e") said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

Erika-

As a long-time fan of the show and reader of your blog, you are clearly on the right side of this one. Even though I was aware of the situation, seeing the stolen material from the two of you being read word for word by this guy was shocking.

From your perspective as someone who produces something of "intellectual property", you can't let this sort of thing slide. Some may say it is much ado about nothing but that is the very reason why these laws are in place. Ignoring this would be a blow to those who write for a living.

My whole family looks forward to reading your posts. We look at a few others from time to time but you are our favorite. Letting us know about the situation is totally appropriate because we certainly care about you and your blog.

Best of luck,
-S

Anonymous said...

Post comments about SeanieB on TVGuide's video that featured him here:

http://video.tvguide.com/Lost/GETTING+LOST+Call+from+Cassidy+Claire+and+Smokey+Theories/2100727?autoplay=true&partnerid=OVG

Sharon Rose said...

How pathetic that guy must be... and how low he must feel now that his shame is uncovered. You rock, as always. I miss your pics & mouseover captions. ;)

Anonymous said...

E, for heaven sakes don't listen to anyone that is not supporting you. You are very good at what you do and deserve to have the credit for what you do - not anyone else. Illegal *is* illegal and he deserves to get called out and suffer the consequences for what he does.

He obviously chose to make a battle out of it instead of *him* taking the high road and opting to just stop doing it.

Best of luck to you and know that Long Live Locke fans love *you*.

Anonymous said...

Here's a better link to the TVGuide video docartz shows in the expose:

http://video.tvguide.com/Lost/GETTING+LOST+Juliet+gives+us+a+call++theories+on+Jacks+dad/1902292?autoplay=true&partnerid=OVG

Anonymous said...

i've enjoyed your recaps since they first were posted on Darkufo. I hope you guys nail this jerk. just so you know you have the support of another reader.

PenguinJosh said...

e we absolutely love you!!

When I saw that video about the plagiarism - I was absolutely fuming & swearing at the screen!

Another great write up! :D

Josh

Anonymous said...

i prefer seanie b's recap videos,,i dont think he stole much from erika,,i also heard that erika stole from other bloggers and lostpedia,,this comment will not appear because erika must approve comments first,,so no negative comments will appear,,how fascist

Erika (aka "e") said...

Anon -

Yep, I love those claims that *I* stole from other bloggers and Lostpedia... still waiting to see the side-by-side comparisons, let me know if anyone posts any.

And you are right, Sean didn't steal that much from me... compared to what he stole from Vozzek69 and others.

- e

NanX said...

Erika, thank you for all the work you put into your recaps. I always enjoy them. Here is hoping the young man learns from his mistakes.

To the timeline, yes, it seems off, but if the 316'ers went into 2012 it would make more sense on the shape of the DI processing center.

The date of 1992 for the purge has always seemed off to me, for one thing Danielle changed the transmission to her distress call not long after Alex was taken. Dharma monitors everything, how could she have changed the signal had the Purge not already have happened?

So if the Purge happened sometime in 1988 then Charles is still in charge, in fact, it could have happened shortly before we saw Alex get taken.

And why take Alex? How cruel to take Danielle's child, to let her suffer for the rest of her life? I actually thought that was the trick Charles was referring to, or the beginning of it to undermine Charles's authority.

Jacob/The Island did want Danielle and Alex dead, why turn Robert and the rest against her if they did not; Robert was going to kill her.

What a great place to hide something but in a puddle of water? I have thought for a long time we had two smokies and Ben knew which one he wanted to call and it was not the same one who killed Eko and attacked Keamy's group! You know we have a lot of twin images on Lost!

I think Locke is alive and the whole purpose of that wonderful tasting mango was the reason to show it.

A difference in Eko's and Ben's flashbacks. Eko's seemed to show more of his life and transgressions whereas Ben's were centered on Alex. And Ben could have surrendered and saved Alex, he ended up surrendering anyway at the Orchid, telling Locke he always had a plan.

I loved this episode - but I sure am anxious to see Penny and Des and Charlie all be okay with my own eyes!

Sue M. said...

Wow! Please don't ever call you work uninspired! That was an amazing recap -- no way could I tell that you didn't feel like writing! I always look forward to your postings and your insights into "Dead is Dead" did not disappoint!
I also want to say that I watched the video on doc artz's site comparing your writings to SeanieB's production and I was just absolutely speechless. The gall! The nerve of that man! Absolute, blatant thievery. I am so upset for you. The thought and time and work that you put into each recap -- I don't know how he lives with himself. Thank you for not allowing your disgust with his antics affect your desire to share your theories and ideas with people like me! I LOVE this show, and your work really serves to heighten my enjoyment (and my understanding of what the hell is going on!!!!). So thank you very, very much -- I look forward to reading all your recaps in the future AND hope to see Seanie B get exactly what he deserves.

Beerage said...

I feel like a fool e. I've been reading your blog for years now because the quality is incredible.

I've been watching Seanie B's videos not as long as reading your blog, but for at least a full season now.

I did notice in the past, his words were very similar to yours. The biggest time I thought he stole from you was a time where you were either sick or on extended holiday and couldnt post the recap for a few days. His video update surprisingly didnt come out, he never gave a good reason apart from "just couldnt get around to doing it". Then about a day after your recap, he posted.

I didnt think much of it, never realised how much word for word he stole, if I had I would have definitely let you know about him and the possibily of him stealing your work. So sorry e for not letting you know.

I didnt realise he made money from his videos, I think its horrible he's stealing your work and I wish you luck in your legal case.

M.R said...

Hey,
If you're on FB please join the group we made to support E through this. here's the link:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/group.php?gid=66802980884&ref=ts

Bonnie said...

Hi E,

I a a friend of your future SIL's, and have been reading your recaps since she first emailed them to me. They are incredibly well written and insightful and I am always excited when I see a new "Long Live Locke" post on my google reader.

I am disgusted that this person plagiarized from you. I commented on tvguide (from the link Anonymous posted) that I would no longer go to their site (which I actually do a lot) or read their recaps while they employ SeanieB. Keep fighting the good fight, and I hope this is resolved positively and quickly for your sake.

Malika said...

I'm so sorry to hear about this thieving scoundrel...It's a shame that someone can't muster up the talent or work to make themselves a star...Just think, when you make it, Stanky B, you have pull some talent from somewhere...and since you can't even pull it from your arse, that fall downward from your 15 seconds won't be cushioned at all.

I'm steamed, sis!

He had to ruin what had to be one of your favorite episodes so far! That's all my mom and I kept saying while we watched..."E has to be jumping out of her seat happy right now! Cuz Locke is the Man!"

On another note...I went to a funeral last week and the preacher's elegy was about coming back to the Lord after you've backslid...telling Him all about your exploits...and the Lords says is "all I need is and apology and all is forgiven." All that made me think of was LOST...Had me thinking that Locke was God...or Jacob...or Jacob is God...

That's what LOST does to ya...makes you see the world differently...Shoot, watching "Ancient Aliens" on the History channel gave me Lostisms.

Just handle your business, E, grrl, the darkness always comes to the light.
~m

Anonymous said...

I love how one guy "defends" Seanie B by stating that his videos are cooler than your crappy "txt." That about sums it up right there. The people defending him are ignorant, plain and simple. They'd rather have a liar and thief read them stolen material than read it themselves. They either can't comprehend the concept of plagiarism, or they just are upset that they might actually have to read it themselves instead of having a soon-to-be Hollywood area bartender "vlog" it to them. Sweet!

Don't let the vocal minority get to you with their "OMG who cares" crap. They're the folks who set the low end of the curve on the logic sections of standardized tests. This is a simple "if, then" analysis, and Seanie B is busted. The fact that he didn't (and still hasn't) come clean, and the fact that he is trying to confuse the issue by stating that it's not like he's Hitler (or whatever he said) just proves his guilt even more.

Keep up the great work!

Ug

Erika (aka "e") said...

Hello everyone -

A quick note to Cory from MN, thastad, DR, and anyone else who does not see the issue here.

Perhaps you should check out a lawyer's take on the situation:

http://entertaining-thoughts.blogspot.com/2009/04/lost-and-law-meet-i-dont-know-what-to.html

What Sean did was illegal. And somehow *I* am not taking the high road by letting people know about it? I do not have any ads on my site. He does. He has been interviewed on TVGuide.com, for which he might have gotten compensation. I couldn't care less about hits to my site as I MAKE NO MONEY off of it -- hits mean nothing. So much for the claims that this "publicity" is somehow helping me.

I think exposing someone who is illegally passing off copyrighted material as his own IS taking the high road, so that he can't do it to others, and that so more people understand how serious copyright infringement is.

Perhaps you would be more sympathetic if you knew the details of Sean's initial response to me when I tried to handle this privately. But divulging the specifics of his denial would be taking the low road, so I will not do it.

- Erika

Anonymous said...

Kudos to you for calling Seanie B out on his plagiarism.

To those that are giving you heat, I would ask if they'd be cool with a guy they work with taking an idea of theirs, passing it off as his own, and then getting a promotion as a result. That is EXACTLY the same as what Seanie B is doing-there is no room to question that. I really can't understand why people don't understand that concept?? Maybe I should put it into tiny words so they can understand: Sean. Stole. Erika's. Work.

It doesn't matter if it's 'just a Lost blog' or if he made a blanket statement in his first recap video that he might use other people's work. Erika's site has a clearly visible copyright claim that explicitly states that anyone who wants to use its content needs to receive her permission first. How much simpler can this issue be?

Seanie B needs to own up. Now. What is he waiting for? The situation isn't changing--only more instances of plagiarism are being revealed the longer he waits to put this issue to rest.

Jill B

Willemijn said...

Hey Erika!!

So sorry to hear about this copyright issue. I read about it on facebook and couldn't believe someone would do that. Go you for doing something about it, even if it takes you longer than anyone really would want to spend on it. Good luck with that, I'm supporting you all the way of this fight!

Thanks for the write-up about this episode. I wasn't quite sure if I liked it, but it definitely was a good episode. When I thought Ben was going to shoot Penny I almost turned off the tv, I couldn't believe anyone would do that :P How weird was it to see Ben bleeding in the water - such an image in any other movie would mean death for sure!

Anyway, have a good trip this weekend and we'll be waiting when you get back :D

Anonymous said...

Great recap Erika considering the circumstances.

All I have to say on that matter is that the true Lost fans are right behind you & Vozz and if he was any sort of a man he will apologize. It made me mad when I first heard about it and as each hour goes by he only lowers himself further down into the sewer.

Like Locke says "You could have just asked me".

I hope for everyone's sake this is resolved quickly before it turns into a Widmore "war".

Keep up the good work Erika and try not to let the "b"... and ends with "astard" get you down!

Stephanie said...

Erika -
All the best. Plagarism is ugly and a horrible thing to have to deal with. I'm glad you told us all about this. It is the legal and morally correct thing to do. We're all standing behind you.

Best wishes.
Please know that you have an entire Lost community here to support you!

Keyser Söze said...

E- Don't let some punk kid discourage you from continuing to write your blog! There are lots of us that really appreciate the amount of time you spend putting together your recaps.

Even though it's been a crazy week for you, there was still an excellent writeup this week. Great job!

Shelley said...

Hi E, that is really creepy about someone stealing your posts. I hope it all works out!

So I've only found your blog a litte while ago and this is the first time I'm putting forth ideas; forgive me if they are super stupid or obvious.

First, I thought Ben seemed to have a change of heart when he saw Charlie and Penelope. I think he wasn't really going to be able to kill them. Maybe I'm crazy, but Ben might have some good in him?

And Second, when Ilanna and the two other guys were acting all bossy weird, what it reminded me of was when Rousseau's friends met smokey and then turned on her. Could Ilanna and her thugs be "infected?"

Okay, love your recaps and ideas! Thank you so much for doing it, reading you is a weirdly important part of my week.

Mel said...

A few years ago, I was sued for $16 million because I made a cafepress t-shirt that said "sweet pea"...no joke. I designed this and a few other innocuous baby t-shirts after I had my first son because I thought I could make a few extra dollars to pay for diapers. Needless to say, the $27 I made from the cafepress store did not cover the legal fees.

Personally, I'd like to see you get more than just an apology. I thought my lawsuit was silly, but you could definitely have a solid case if only legal services were free. Best wishes!!

Lost Fan said...

It's fair enough if it is found Seanie B used yours and others material in his recaps, but to make it public like this? If you wanted to sort this out with any decency you wouldnt get into a slagging match and try and publicise this as much as possible, you would do it behind closed doors and let your loyal subscribers know what has happened AFTER it has been concluded. However, i do not condone what Seanie B has allegedly done, I just personally believe you shouldnt have made it public before we have an official statement from Seanie himself.

Jill said...

e-
I look forward to reading your blog every week!! Just know that your loyal readers are 100% behind you and Vozzek69! Go get 'em!

Aunt Sue said...

I like the theory about maybe Jacob being God.

God is good, and regarding this Seanie B (or as I call him, Seanie B Lying) thing, good will win over bad. Always does, always will.

Aunt Sue

Anonymous said...

Your recap was short and to the point!! I cannot fathom how any Lost fan could not have loved this episode! So much information!! I too thought I was on the wrong channel when Widmore rode up on a horse. I don't think the writers screwed up the timeline, there is defintely a reason Widmore refers to 20 years in trying to find the island.

In reference to your copyright ordeal, you should have registered a copyright for your site and a trademark for "Long Live Locke". It's not too late!!

M.Snyder said...

I agree that the Widmore timing is way off. Surely the guys behind the scenes wouldn't screw the timing up, especially since we saw the Widmore exit in the same episode. I am equally mind-boggled, my only thought is that maybe we are witnessing bits and pieces of a possible alternate timeline, even though I am still confident of the Law of Faraday.

Erika (aka "e") said...

To Lost Fan -

A lot is going on behind the scenes that I did not and will not mention if Seanie B ends up handling this properly. There are only two, very high-level paragraphs in this post that reference Seanie B, and I included those because the situation had ALREADY been made public a few days earlier with 1) the comparison video on Doc Arzt's blog (Doc has also had copyrighted images and content stolen from Sean, by the way) and 2) several messages Seanie B left on his own site that were not truthful.

So I'm not sure why I should remain silent when my work and others' work was stolen, yet it's OK that Seanie B is posting on his site that he is "working things out" with me when he is the one who has created this mess? Perhaps you were not aware that Seanie B was talking about this on his own site before I also decided to comment on it.

If anything, the public outcry resulting from Doc Arzt's post has been the only thing that motivated Sean to start working a little more with myself and Vozzek69. His initial response to me BEFORE Doc posted his video or any of this was made public was one of straight-up denial.

And quite frankly, it does not really matter what anyone -- you, me, Seanie B, Vozzek69, Doc -- *thinks* about this situation or how any of us handled it. All that matters is what copyright law dictates, and I have talked with five different IP lawyers who all agree that this case is very clear-cut. So Vozzek and I await a response to a message we sent Seanie B much earlier today, outlining some very simple steps he could take to make this situation go away.


Anon - My site is already copyrighted, as is "Long Live Locke."

- e

Anonymous said...

Maybe-this occurred to me, even though I dont really like the idea-the island did want Rousseau/Alex dead. If Jin wasnt there, Rousseau would have gone under the temple area too and she probably would have died or been changed by Smokey then. So she sent the other Frenchies to kill Danielle but it was already too late and she was ready for them.

Anonymous said...

http://img19.imageshack.us/my.php?image=seanie.jpg

Robin said...

I have been watching Lost since the beginning but have only begun to more clearly understand it on a richer, deeper level since I started reading your blog this season. Thank you for sharing your insights in an easy to understand manor (for those of us that do not always see or get the multi-layered subtext) filled with sardonic humor. I look forward to reading your blog every Monday and will no longer watch my recorded Lost episode until I've read the previous week's blog entry. Thank you and 'hang in there.'

Jasonbails said...

Erika,

I am a Seanie B fan; however I will not come on here and disrespect you. As a matter of fact, I have great respect for you. As a student who is still taking General courses, I have great respect for a Harvard graduate. I attempt to speak for all of the "Seanie B. supporters" when I say that I continue to support him because we do not know the extent of what has happened. Is it possible that took all of this information and gave it to Sean? Sure, I guess. Is it possible that this is not what it seems? Yes, possibly. I guess it is just a really difficult situation to be certain of if we, the fans, are not in on the messages being sent between you two, and so on. The messages, of course, are none of our business. All I know is that we at the Seanie B. forums logged in one day to check if anyone responded to our recent posts, and instead forund pages of "you suck!", and You're a thief". This, of course, led to some of them coming here and other places to do the same thing. I honestly would love for Sean to keep making recaps. I believe that they are entertaining, and dorkishly funny. I really hope that he makes a response to us, the fans, and makes an effort to work with you on your suggestions. I would like it even more if the two of you could get past this in the future and work together similar to how your blog is often featured with DocArzt. Again, we are all Lost fans who put aside our religious, political, and other views to have fun and freak out about a mind-blowingly hour of entertainment. Please, take the negative comments with a grain of salt as most of us at the Seanie B forums are civilized and just want to see a resolution to this.

Randi said...

Hey Erika! I, like everyone else, am very sorry for this jerk stealing your ideas. Truth be told, it is your website that truly made me a fan of the Lost. Before reading your blogs, I was a casual viewer, not completley understanding the deep, terrific writing on the show. Now, I analyze and over-analyze everything. Thanks for making me think!!

One thing that I have not read anywhere since 'Dead Is Dead' aired is the following...

When Ben, John, and Sun are all in front of the "wall" that surrounds the Temple, Ben mentions that the Others built the wall. If they did this, why did they put heiroglyphics are the walls? Do they know how to read the heiroglyphics? Any thoughts on this?

Take Care!

Anonymous said...

Hey e,

As a fellow writer, I was SO pissed off to hear about what this lame-ass Seanie B has done to you and other LOST blog writers. This is a very serious issue, and one that I commend you for taking on in the exact manner that you have (informing your readers, getting legal advise, etc.).

It's a tough fight, but one that is well worth it for you and ALL writers. Thanks for not giving up, and fighting the good fight for all of us!

I really look forward to your recaps each week, and know that you love to write. So keep up the good work NO MATTER WHAT. We love ya, e!

Take Care,

another e
(Emily in Cali)

Fourmares said...

I have a theory about who Richard Alpert really is... since Lost seems to be on an Egyptian theme, and a God is just the type of being that might appear the same for all time... and Richard's intials are R.A... Ra. God of the Sun and the creator.

Sally said...

Despite your problems and lack of the screencaps i really,really, really(!!!!!!!!!!!!!) enjoyed this recap.it's GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
one of the best of yours...
P.S.good luck with your copyright issues.

Panda Attack said...

Hello! I used to watch and love Seanie B's video recaps and now that I know that he stole your and other's work I feel betrayed. I hope you can find a solution to this problem ASAP.

murc said...

Wow what a shame,
I'm really sorry you had to gone thru this Erika, i've never post here before but i follow your recaps closely, cause they are fun to read and hold an unique insight for the episode.
I had read DocArtz post and Zap2it, and i even went to this Seanie B dude YouTube channel to see what was all this about...it's really sad to see people still support him and defend what he had done, but well it shows how unethical and perhaps stupid some people are, this is the internet everyone has access to it, you'll find all kind of people here.
that on the other side you find the good side too, people that support you and stand by you, your fans and fellow bloggers that admire the work and time you put on your writing e, i hope things get fix soon and you can put this on the past.
Funny how this dude said on his channel that he's not posting this week's video but waiting until next week just like you said you'll do w/ your recap, hahah be careful he might steal your hotel room when you on vacation :P.
Good luck e~
Best of wishes!

Anonymous said...

I am just throwing this out, but what if CW had been trying to permanently map or locate the island since before he was banished? We all know that folks are asleep while in the sub, so maybe he was off the island for years prior trying to find a different way to and from the island. Was is Ben in season 4 who talks about how popular the island would be due to its healing properties? This would explain his "20 years" comments. Like I said, just throwing it out there.

-Jeanna

Anonymous said...

I've read all of the posts, now, and I've been appalled at THE people who give ERIKA a hard time about this. Unbelieveable. These are the same people who would blame a homeowner for being robbed or a little old lady for having her purse snatched. It's all called STEALING, people, and stealing a candy bar is just as bad as stealing a car. The penalties are different, but the crime is the same.

Erika, you give 'em hell, girl.

- Bert from Facebook.

jroberts said...

I received the below response from Matt Mitovich regarding an email I sent about this issue. It appears, as expected,that tv guide takes this seriously also.

Thank you. TVGuide.com (no affiliation with the print magazine) is taking this very seriously, and has no plans to use Sean's content any further.



Matt Webb Mitovich | Senior Editor, TVGuide.com




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Roberts, James [mailto:XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX.org]
Sent: Monday, April 13, 2009 11:10 AM
To: Getting Lost
Cc: Roberts, James
Subject: SEANIE B



To whom it may concern,



Please take note that one of the guests that appeared in your Getting Lost feature has been blatantly passing off opinions, ideas, and actual words of other Lost bloggers as his own. I feel what Seanie B has done is blatant plagiarism, and as a journalist I am sure would agree.



Please view the following evidence if you have not done so already:



www.docarzt.com/lost/lost-news/lost-video-recaps-exposed/



I assume by the time you receive this you would have gotten many notices of this, however, I feel it is important to send this anyway, so that it may be realized that this is not a small issue to just a small amount of people.



I have faith that TVGuide, a well respected national magazine, will the do the right thing in the end.



Thanks for your time.

Katie Kat said...

Just commenting to say that people who steal other people's stuff are just plain too stupid to think of an original thought. It's just ridiculous. You and Vozzek are two of my favorite Lost bloggers and I KNOW how much work you put into your thoughts and recaps. I'm confident that Seanie B. will be ousted as the loser and liar he truly is, and if any LOST fans find him we'll sick Smokey on his ass!

P.S. Even your quick recaps are GREAT! Thanks for your hard work.

hatch man said...

So, this S.B. guy is a waste. Burn him.

Anyway, I wonder if the "20 years" can be explained by a little time shift as Widmore is leaving the island. Perhaps he got shoved back a few years, in a manner similar to the way Ben was shoved forward a few years after tunring the FDW.

-just a thought....

Jim E. said...

e -

Here's a thought, and you can take it or leave it.

You, Vozzek, Doc Arzt and whomever else Sean ripped off should withhold your recaps for this week's episode and let the guy sink or swim on his own.

Jim

Peter said...

I thought this episode was great! I really loved the new and improved Locke! He was just so confident. I figured your whole post would be just gushing how awesome he was. How long are we going to have to wait until Ben tries to kill Locke again I wonder?

Jasonbails said...

Please excuse the bad grammar and typos in my previous post as it was 2am here and I was sleepy :) -Thank you.

MikeNJD said...

Hey everyone. I'm the lawyer who writes www.entertaining-thoughts.blogspot.com that Erika referred to above. I just want to follow up on something e posted at 9:08p last night.

e wisely has a notice at the bottom of her page that her work is protected by copyright. Thing is, while it is smart to emphasize this fact with the notice, it is completely unnecessary. As soon as you write anything "creative" (which, legally, essentially means original and not wholly factual) that is "fixed" (meaning it is permanent, and websites are permanent for legal purposes), it is protected by copyright. Notices are not needed. Registration with the government is not needed. It is automatic.

Also, I have seen some people say, "Oh, Seanie is just a kid. Leave him alone. He's just a fan like you. It's just a TV show." First, he's 21 (per his You Tube channel), so he's an adult and is responsible for his own actions. Second, would it somehow be better if the subject was politics, or crime, or a supposed "serious" topic? Of course not. I can understand the point that we haven't heard Seanie's side. Fine, but then don't jump on Erika for making some info public. As she has stated, most of this story is going on behind closed doors, as it should. But Erika works very hard on these posts and the little info that has been made public serves to discourage others from stealing her and others' work in the future.

Yes, we have to wait to see how this all plays out, but with the "substantial similarity" between what Seanie says and what Erika has written, the burden is on Seanie to prove he didn't steal.

If anyone has any further questions on this, please let me know.

e, sorry for all the problems with this. Hope my explanations help a bit. Oh, and good call on The Platters!

Lula! said...

I "dugg" Jon's video. I support you, and have for over 3 years now.

I'm sending you virtual Cadburry eggs at this very moment.

And thanks for doing the recap...I'd still be sobbing in my pillow, were I in your situation.

desilu said...

Hello E,
First I would like to say great recaps! I came to your site after hearing about the whole Seanie B incident. I have been watching Sean's recaps on youtube for about a year now, and I was really disappointed when I found out what had happened. No matter what the excuse is, what he did was wrong and I hope he has enough integrity to admit that. What is upsetting to me is that a lot of Seanie's subscribers are young (the majority f them are in their teens) and unfortunately they don't see anything wrong with this behavior. On the upside, they are getting a pretty good lesson on the severity of plagiarism, and hopefully they learn that it is not only ethically wrong, it is also illegal. I hope this all works itself out in manner where all parties are satisfied, but I for one will be reading your recaps from now on. Good luck with everything.

Anonymous said...

You are filing a lawsuit now? I would like to officially throw my hat in the ring with the few people on this website who think this Seanie B thing has been blown way out of proportion.

And also point out a bit of irony:

"I think exposing someone who is illegally passing off copyrighted material as his own IS taking the high road, so that he can't do it to others, and that so more people understand how serious copyright infringement is."-Erika

I can only assume that you will pass the same judgement on DocArzt for using a copyrighted song in his video he used to bust Seanie B. Afterall, illegal is illegal.

Jacob said...

"3) Were Rousseau and Alex truly "not meant to live"? Why would the Island want them dead? Were their murders the universe's or Island's way of course-correcting what should have happened sixteen years prior? Or were their deaths what most of us saw them as: awful events that can be blamed on Widmore (and Keamy)?"

Can't it be both? They were meant to die but could only be killed by Widemore or by somebody acting on his behalf (like Ben, Ethan, or Keamy).
Widemore created his own course corretion.

Anonymous said...

e- I am calling now that Richard IS Jacob - that is why he never ages.

I am still starting my grassroots campaign to get YOU on TV Guide and "Seanie B" (so dumb) exiled forever!

Gibb

Catherine said...

As a high school English teacher, I would love to use your (horrendous, I'm sorry!) situation as an example of just how serious plagiarism is. I know that cheating has always existed, but I often worry that the internet has deadened many of our teenagers to the real immorality of cheating/stealing. They illegally download music and movies all the time. Information is so readily available to them they have a hard time comprehending what real research or analysis is. Why look at multiple sources when Wikipedia has it right there for you? Why think about symbolism on your own when SparkNotes has it right there for you? My 9th graders were flabbergasted that I expected them to use in-text citations for every idea that wasn't their own. "Who cares if you're taking someone else's idea?" I was battling that question through our entire last unit. I'm sad that you're battling it with some posters here, whom I assume are significantly older, but no wiser, than my 9th graders.

Sigh. The internet's advantages surely outweigh its disadvantages, but it still makes me sad and frustrated many days. I'm trying to decide if your issues with Seanie B would be relevant to a bunch of 14 year olds who don't watch the show... I'll try to figure out how I can spin it.

As always, you've got a wonderful, insightful recap here. Thanks for your hard work. You've certainly got my support.

melissa said...

Anonymous who referenced DocArtz using a copyrighted song in his video- this is not at all the same thing. You are getting into fair use laws, which deal with using copyrighted material without getting permission from the author for certain uses. What Sean did is plagiarism- blatantly passing off someone else's ideas as his own and giving no credit to the orignal authors. He could have easily avoided all of this by asking Erika's permission to use her ideas.

India Wave said...

I haven't read all the posts, but in regards to the Widmore "nearly 20 years" comment...what if when he was shuttled off the island they took a particular heading and ended up off-island in 1987/8. This would then jive with Widmore's comment in 2007/8.

Anonymous said...

Erika for what it's worth you have my anonymous support in this situation. Also want to say that I love the name of your blog.

Maren Hansen said...

Sorry to hear about the plagiarism. Hope everything works out, sooner rather than later.

Ed said...

Hi everyone, just thought I'd let you know it looks like Seanie B has now been kicked out of youtube. Good riddance.

Anonymous said...

Hey there E,

Just noticed now that Seanie B's videos on Youtube have been removed. Your efforts are appropriate and it seems the proper recourse is now happening.

Good luck.'

-bjd

Anonymous said...

Erika and friends,

Sorry about SeanieB. I'm with ya and I hope you get what you desire out of the law suit.

Just tossing this out there. I know that Upuaut is not one of the more popular egyptian myths, but as another Jackel headed god, he's certainly worth looking at as a potential island guardian. He had much to do with the crossing of the reeds, guiding the dead to judgement.

I don't really think that the statue is Upuaut, but Anubis seems so very obvious for the excellent writers of Lost to use.

jroberts said...

Seanie B's YouTUBE account has been suspended. I suppose he still denies he did anything wrong?

jroberts said...

Seani B's youTUBE account has been suspended. I suppose he still denies he has done anything wrong.

Anonymous said...

I am assuming that you are jealous of seanie B? His video recaps are great and i think yours are quite boring...

Anonymous said...

i think that people on this site are too harsh on seanie b! Sean put up awsome recaps that were easy to follow and entertaining! unlike this site...

Andre said...

Hey E,

sorry for the mess i brought to you with my tip off, but better this way, than him keep doing it. To bad me or someone else didnt notice it earlier, as it was so obviosuly.

And now a little thought that came back to my attention when Whidmore and Ben were talking on the landing stage. Its about Penny´s mother. It was often assumed that Mrs. Hawkings is her mom.
And on the last episode, when Ben said to Whidmore, he had an daughter with an outsider, and we didnt hear anything from Elli anymore since 1977, when Richard took little Ben in the temple (if i remember right), maybe she left or had to leave the island, and thats the reason why Whidmore left the island regulary, to be with the woman he loves.

And what came back to my attention… in Jughead, when Desmond came back to Penny after he met Whidmore, Penny asked where Daniels mom is, and Des said, she´s dead for years, Penny asked why he´s lying to her, and where she is. How could she know that he´s lying? My first thought was, she knows, because Daniels mom aka Mrs. Hawkings, is her mother, and she'd know when she would be dead for years.

greetings from germany

John Locke said...

Wow it looks like Erika also steals ideas from people! Check out - http://chuckislost.blogspot.com/

His was posted before Erika's and its almost the same!

Got something you want to share with us?!

Anonymous said...

It would appear that Erika does not write her own stuff either! She steals it from other people!

Please check out http://chuckislost.blogspot.com/ - As you can see hiss posts are made before Erika's, so this begs the question is she using other people ideas with out giving her sources?

How funny that would be!

Gypsy said...

Hey Erika, I've loved your recaps since last year when I became aware of them - you have a sharp, analytical mind, coupled with a great sense of humor and good taste in bald protagonists.
I for one believe that Locke still is one of the good guys, for the same reasoning (almost) that you pointed out regarding Mister Emerson. The producers would have to be crazy to undo their own story by making Locke be the smoke monster this late in the game. Locke is (as you have faithfully pointed out) our main man; the first character to on this supernatural island to have a supernatural mystery. His story arc parallels the overall story too flawlessly for them to abandon the formula now. I wouldn't be prepared to discount some manner of fusion or what-have-you, but whatever else happens, Locke redeems all.
This, I think, is Ben's only chance. Much in the same way that nazi war-criminals were put to work in the interests of defeating communism, so too does Ben's only hope at redemption stand in Locke's shadow.
And at the risk of making this obnoxiously long comment even longer, I must add that we, the fans, must bring back Caesr, in much the same way we killed off Nikki & Paulo. I loved that guy, SO MUCH.
Also, we shouldn't put to much weight in the '20 years' discrepancy. I think this is another example of time getting all stretchy and taffy-like for old people. Widmore was having a 'senior' moment. It a shame he condones the murder of infants - I find it really undermines my ability to take him as a cute old man.

Gypsy said...

It sort of goes without saying, but it should still be said:
Plagiarists will be first against the wall when the revolution comes. Long Live Long Live Locke.

Erika (aka "e") said...

Hi there John Locke and Anon, who I am sure are the same person...

Yes, I saw that someone on Seanie B's forum noted the "similar" theories between Chuck's blog and mine.

What he forgot to point out is that if you visit 1,000 other Lost fan sites, you're going to find those same, similar theories across all of them.

Similar doesn't matter and is not grounds for a lawsuit. All that matters is WORD FOR WORD copying of content. There is none of that going on between the site posted and my site. Can I prove this? Yes.

Go to copyscape.com.

(It's a site that fights plagiarism on the web.)

Type in Chuck's web address. Go ahead, I'll wait for you.

Did any results come up?

No, they did not. That means that Chuck's word-for-word content is not being replicated anywhere else on the web, so he can rest easy.

Seanie B read parts of my posts and Vozzek69's posts from DarkUFO.blogspot.com word for word, throughout ALL of his season 5 videos. This was not a one-time thing.

So next time, before you accuse someone of copyright infringement or plagiarism, please get your definitions straight first. Perhaps you should review IP lawyer MikeNJD's comments above. He knows what he's talking about more than the rest of us.

- Erika

(And for the record, no, I've never visited Chuck's site before today.)

carloard said...

I'm really upset over the whole situation. I'll be upfront about this: I am a huge Seanie B. fan (no need to make fun of his nickname, lots of goofy nicknames in college) AND a huge Long Live Locke fan. Sean should have given you credit and you have every right to be angry. For the record, Sean's website is how I found out about your blog, which is top notch and obviously requires much time and effort. This is an honest question, not a driving point, but are the pictures from the show (seen in Sean's videos and this blog) used with permission from ABC? Is permission required for photos like that? (I've used similar photos as avatars, fantasy football logos, etc.) The comment's are filled with perfect people who have never made a mistake. Forgive the sarcasm, but a 21 year old made a mistake. I employ 11 "kids" between the age of 19-25. (You can call them adults all you want, I’m around them 12 hours a day and they are KIDS, not an excuse, just an observation.) They can make mistakes in their sleep. Sean used poor judgment. I'm not THAT shocked. He needs to face the music. He needs to atone for his mistakes. He does not need to be compared to Hitler (an actual comment on one of the boards). And he does not need to be disallowed to continue his hobby (legally). I am a bit surprised that you haven’t heard of him until now. I thought it was cool that he read your blog like I did when I saw his recap. I didn't realize it was word-for-word until I saw the "exposed" video,(again BIG mistake on his part). I hope he goes back and gives credit where it is due. I hope he personally apologizes to you, Ms. Olsen, and I hope this is resolved to the point where these two excellent lost "supplements" can not only co-exist, but perhaps even share ideas and team up for an All-Star type Lost Recap. (Big-time mistake aside, Sean is very talented at video editing). Please don't let your very understandable anger make you forget that Sean has the same passion as all of us, for an outstanding show that, until this unfortunate situation, has always brought people all over the world together.

Erika (aka "e") said...

Carloard -

I have a standard copyright disclaimer at the end of this blog about the graphics, you can take a look at that. Most sites that use any graphics have this "fair use" copyright statement.

I agree that Sean is a very talented video editor. I am certainly not trying to discourage him from making videos in the future. I'm just trying to get my and others' copyrighted material out of his past videos.

Rest assured that Sean, Vozzek69 and I are working this out privately.

- e

carloard said...

Thank you for your response. I did notice the "fair use" statement. Like I said, Just an honest question. I wasn't sure if that covers all images obtained online for non-commercial use. I once had a professor call me out in front of a History of Cinema class for putting a picture from a movie on the title sheet of a term paper. I would hate to have to change my teams logo.(fantasy football geeks may find that funny). Thanks again and best wishes.

Unknown said...

Hi Erika,

I'm someone who previously would peruse Seanie B's videos on youtube and tonight was shocked to see them removed. As one video mentioned, I was wondering where this guy found the time to get all his ideas from. And then I found out... all of this.

I feel dirty.

I wish I had known about this blog, I should have been coming here all along.

As a fledgling writer myself I have never been the subject of plagarism, but know the consequences. I'll be sure to read more of this blog in the future.

As for Seanie B... in the immortal spirit of Harlan Ellison (who holds plagarism in the highest contempt): stone the muthafugga.

Unknown said...

Sorry to hear about your current situation E. Hope everything works out for the best for all parties involved.Keep up the great work on the recaps. I feel your pain on the lack of the Cadbury eggs(can't find them anywhere around me anymore).

Anonymous said...

all of the lost bloggers are getting jealous of seanie b's success....its that simply...........his videos are a work of art. many of his supporters love watching his video's because he sums up alot of theories with pictures in one package.....it doesn't matter where seanie b gets the info from....there's a million blog sites and forums that pose very similar theories...in fact, your last blog is very similar to a blog written by some chuck guy and he wrote his blog four days before your blog....are you stealing ideas from his site? should you be referencing his work in your blog?.... all sean b is doing is summing up the goods theories in a video......you have ruined alot of fun for some 14000 lost fans; you should be ashamed of yourself...

calialy said...

I apologize first and foremost to all the lost fans out there if there is a chance that i am repeating any theories and/or questions that might already have been asked but after going through the first 20 comments and all are sympathy remarks i gave up and just decided to write my comment...

e as most of your new fans, I was once a seanie B fan too. I think it was never questioned because none of us (seanie b fans)thought anything the wiser. he seemed so confident in his findings and answers that we just thought he found him. and that is always why it took him so damn long to put up his "show". not that im sayin what you are going through isnt valid or correct. but that dude is a person and we all make mistakes. some greater than what he has done and some less. my point is is it really necessary to call him hitler. really? really? thats takin it a little far dont ya think?. i am not related to him in any way nor to you and i think what you do is great and awesome cuz i know i would never do this. it definately does benefit the masses and being a ridiculous lost fan i thank you.

so this commentary is being about lost (and possibly being lost within lost which is a whole other irony based commentary), i have questions and probably misguided attempts at answers too...

1. the whole 20 years thing. i was wondering could it possibly be that time moves slower or differently on the island then the rest of the world. when locke went through the FDW he had been on the island four days and three years had passed in regular time. granted the wheel was skippin and so was time but it might be a possibility. it really might have been 20 years for widmore, but that seems like such a cop out.

2. while locke, sun, lapidous,and ben were all sitting in ben's living room. who was the blond lady in the painting . is that ben's long lost love that we have only seen/heard about once?

3.about the barracks in 2007/2008 time. is it possible that there are two docks on the island. in the end of season four the others moved to the temple station. so even if time was the same the others wouldnt be there right? thats why locke went to the barracks when the 815ers split up.

4. last and least, i guess. i think locke and smokey do have a connection of some sort. locke was the only one that was attacked by smokey and was ok with being dragged through the forest and down the vents. my and my other lost friends think that this has something to done with his "famili"ar connection with christian, jack, and claire. locke maybe part of the island family. wasnt he adopted?

oh and by the way i never thought i would say this but reading and watching the recaps are to totally different experiences. i thought about more facts waaay more when i was reading it. lol go figure.

When in doubt, go to the library said...

Hey e - I've been reading your blog since season 2, and I really look forward to it every week. It's great, because I live in Australia, so by the time I've watched the episode you've posted your write-up for the week, so I can read it straight away! My experience of watching Lost would definitely not be the same without your blog posts. I also really enjoy your posts on According to e and on redblog. I hope you make it through this rough patch, and don't forget you've got support from all around the world.

Anonymous said...

Hey, girl. You got a shout in Jensen's article today:

"The more pressing question regarding Ethan posed by ''Dead Is Dead:'' Since Ben's abduction of Alex predated the Purge and the end of Dharma, at what point did Master Goodspeed leave his parents, Horace and Amy, and begin to live with the Others? Over at darkufo.blogspot.com, a bright, clear-eyed Lost blogger named Erika has put forth the idea that Ben had been returned to the Dharma Initiative prior to this event, and that he and Ethan were sneaking out at night to play with the Others. Why can't I come up with inspired common sense like that?! (Note to Erika: You got robbed. Get your justice. And keep writing!)"

I don't expect you to post this. I just wanted you to know and I can't access facebook from work.:)

Bert

Erika (aka "e") said...

To the most recent Anon commenter above:

- I responded to the "Chuck's blog" situation already... read up to find my earlier comment on it. There is no case of plagiarism there in the slightest.

To Calialy - I'm not sure who in the world called Seanie B "Hitler," but from what I understand it was someone on his own forums. I agree that that is totally ridiculous, on top of the fact that it doesn't even make sense. I got the impression from your comment that you thought *I* said that. I did not. No one should be calling anyone names in this situation.

- Erika

vaderzzz said...

Hi Erika,

I stumbled upon your blog after reading about the whole plagiarism issue on lostpedia. So i guess something good did come from this as you've gained one more reader, i really like your recaps. :-)

I hope you can resolve this issue soon.

P.S. Lost Bloggers rule!!

Anonymous said...

The only people that are truly hurt by this whole mess are lost fans. Seanie B is way more popular than you and I think its sour grapes on your part. I love his videos cause I can sit back and watch. I read all day at work so last thing I want to do is read when I get home. What he may have done is unethical but you having him shut down is mean spirited.

Anonymous said...

Erika,

I invite you to check out the forums at lostvideorecaps.com. Yes, you will find some stuff there that you will not like; however, it looks like some of that is going on here as well. There are some people trying to remain civil and say nice things there as well. I also invite you to make a polite comment or two in the same manor that you are doing here. I believe that most people on those forums just want a word or two from someone....anyone. I have told them about how you have been commenting politely to both the positive and negative comments here and how muct character it shows. Most people agree with me. I support Seanie B. making new videos and I will continue to watch them; however, because of what I have seen on your site I will also be reading your recaps in the future. I urge your fans to remain civil as to not change my mind, as I have also uged the people on the other forums to do the same. We are not two different nations at war. We are all just Lost fans.

Erika (aka "e") said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Erika (aka "e") said...

To the most recent Anon -

Let me make something very, very clear. I did not shut down Sean's YouTube account. Sean has taken content from other writers besides myself, and they all also filed claims. YouTube doesn't pull an entire channel without multiple infractions being filed. For some reason, probably because I am the only writer named in Doc's video, everyone is assuming this is just between Sean and myself, but that is not the case. He has plagiarized content and stolen artwork from more than one other person throughout ALL of his season five videos and some of season four. That's why the channel was suspended, I can only assume.

To Jasonbails - I have looked at those forums but cannot comment on them without registering for Sean's site, which under the circumstances is definitely not appropriate for me to do.

Between this comment and all of the others I have made above, I don't think there's much more for me to say about this situation right now.


- Erika

Anonymous said...

Don't let them get you down, Erika. You have done nothing wrong, and, in fact, if you did nothing, THAT would have been wrong. You've only said this about 10 times, so maybe some people didn't catch it, but you didn't start this. You and others are attempting to finish it, which is what you should be doing.
I used to hold some authority at the college I went to and I always 'loved' it when the people who got in trouble by breaking rules, blamed me for their trouble. Some of these people have apparently grown up to post on your blog here that this situation is your fault. There is no answer to those types of accusations. At least, not one that the accuser will be able to comprehend.
I've posted a few times here and I wanted to post again to encourage you. Even when 'right' is on your side, it does get old and can wear a person down being told you are wrong again and again.
You/Vozzek69/DocArtz/etal, are absolutely doing the right thing.

I hope this crap doesn't dim your enthusiasm and enjoyment of the TV show that we all love so much. I look forward every week to your recaps and smarta$$ captions on the screen caps.

I say again: Give em hell, girl!

Anonymous said...

Hey Erika

I just wanted to chime in with my support; I was especially happy to see Jeff Jensen throw in for you on his page today. The people that don't understand; they have confused loyalty with blind devotion and there really isn't anything you can say to someone like that. You are doing exactly what should be done and don't need to justify it. Moreover, you are the wronged party so you shouldn't have to.

I hope you don't lose your joy in writing over this. Everybody has some rotten fruit in their basket of passions; I hope this one doesn't sour the whole thing.

Anonymous said...

I've only commented here once before, but I just wanted to say that I love your blog and it's obvious how much time you put into the (brilliant!) recaps, so I can imagine how annoying it is to see your ideas being passed off as someone else's original thoughts.

I hope it all gets sorted out soon!

calialy said...

i just wanted to clear something up. i wasnt saying that you called him hitler. i was just saying to the masses that did. i dont point fingers unless i am involved in the situation. i am just a lost fan looking for people with intelligence to bounce my theories off of. i again appreciate what you have done for us. and hope soon this will be taken care of!

p.s. have yall already talk about the picture of the lady in ben's living room? sorry i am a probie to this site so im not sure how all of this works

Anonymous said...

I think your just mad cause seanie b did a better job with your product then u did his web side is way better you don't have any Pic's, clips or anything all u do is write put some clips on your sitke
Your site is lame get over it an leave seanie b alone u should hire home to fix your web site
SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB

IS BETTER THAN U LOLLOLLOLLOLLOLLOLLOLLOLLOL
YOUR JUST JELLY

jroberts said...

^ Um yeah. I'm jealous too. Ugh.

Anonymous said...

E

take the high road and accept his apology. All you blggers borrow ideas and twist them. He did screw up big time in not referencing you but take the high road and quit giving it more attention.

I couldnt read your recap until today becasue you started out so negative and angry...

come on. you are better than that

Anonymous said...

i am so sorry to hear that he did that. i watched his video blog each week during lost. there is something just not right about him. maybee he entered the temple and was changed forever? what do you think? i think after this he will be changed forever... thank you mrmatt70. still have to create an account.

Martin said...

Hi Erika,

Longtime reader, first time poster. I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoy your recaps and I also wanted to tell how sorry I am about someone taking your work without giving you proper credit. That is beyond tacky.


Looking forward to your thoughts on tonight's ep. Please keep up your excellent work!

Martin

Anonymous said...

ease up... you need to get over the incident and quit letting it drag your writing

you referenced it 4 times after the "book" you wrote about it to start out the blog

just saying dont be a typical woman and hold a grudge... does no one any good

Anonymous said...

two things:

1) Stealing sucks. I'm so sorry. I am a huge fan of yours, Erika, and it's awful that you are going through this. Be strong.

2) I think you might have the timeline of Ben being in OthersCamp/Otherville wrong...I think the scene where he says goodbye to Charles is POST purge, but the scene where he steals Alex he (and Ethan) are actually living with the Others. I imagine he raised Alex with the Others, and moved her to Dharmaville after the purge.

Anonymous said...

I'm sorry, but I think Seanies video's are waaaaay better than this lump of boring rubbish. From my point of view, he compresses all this into a fun 20 min video. Much better than having to trawl through all this.

Anonymous said...

well as it would suck to see your own ideas stolen, perhaps maybe you and S.B could get together and colaberate on doing this as a team. I for one to, do not feel like reading your posts so much as I would like to watch Seans videos, which are well edited, and funny at times. Please work as a team, be civil with each other, no need to screw him over, as long as he says he is sorry and so forth and mans up, I would support both of you! Peace out. Great posts btw. :)

Anonymous said...

yea it sucks that he stole your words, but what really sucks is that his videos are all gone now...I've been watching his vids for a couple years now...they are excellent...I do read blogs sometimes and I figured Seanie B was basically summarizing the best content on the net...I never thought he was coming up with the stuff on his own...I just thought he was really good at filtering all the stuff out there and condensing it into an entertaining video...This is a video about a TV show...come on...it's not like this is some stolen lab data for a cure for cancer...it's a TV show...this is the internet...it's 2009...give me a break...accept an apology from Seanie...and let's get his videos back up! They are awesome and he is great at putting them together each week

Charlotte said...

Plagiarism is unethical. Copyright infringement is illegal. Blaming the victim is tasteless.

Josh (aka Rooky) said...

Hi Erika,
Love the blog its great. I am also sorry to hear about this inncident with "Seany B" (maybe thats what the lost finale is about) I never liked him, he always seemed full of himself in his videos as he made fun of Hurleys weight. I can only imagine how you feel and I hope he gets whats coming to him.
On a brighter note I think you blog is great and am ashamed to say have only just found out about it but I had a hug smile on my face the second I saw you picture with Terry.
Keep up the good work and good luck with the problem.

carloard said...

Nice to be talking about LOST again. Great episode last night (die hard Star Wars so no choice BUT to like it) Here's a couple of ideas about Charles 20 year comment. Either 1). He was just rounding up to a nice even number - 20 sounds cooler than 14/15 (didn't we establish it was actually 2008 when they went back to the island - Locke's passport was issued Dec 07) If he left right after the purge, then it could be up to 16 years. I've rounded 16 up to 20 before. OR 2). Charles went back to the island at some point, actually turned the donkey wheel - like he said he did - and ended up in 1988 Tunisia. So far the donkey wheel exits have shown time jumps of seemingly random time frames.

Unknown said...

Why is it all the negative comments are from anonymous posters, and most of those negative comments have massive spelling and grammatical errors? Hmm. Why do I think my 10 year old could write more eloquently?

e, I'm reading all these comments and have no idea how you're handling this with such grace. Just know I am FURIOUS on your behalf. I've been reading this blog as well as your other one for about a year now and you are awesome. Don't take any of those harsh comments personally, just focus on the support.

Can't wait for the next recap, Miles and Hurley were golden!

Kim in Texas said...

I just wanted to drop a line to add to the throng of support! You do an incredible job and I'm so sorry that your hard work has been stolen! It really has had me tearing up all morning (its possible the hormones have something to do with it). Anyhow, I LOVE, love, LOVE your sight! Thanks for all your hard work and insight!

Charlotte said...

"Why is it all the negative comments are from anonymous posters, and most of those negative comments have massive spelling and grammatical errors? Hmm. Why do I think my 10 year old could write more eloquently?" - Kristin

1. Cowardice

2. Illiteracy

3. Because he/she can

I also want to address all the comments about Erika being jealous of Seanie B: why should she be? She has the ideas and the writing talent; he just steals the words of other people. As rosered2318 pointed out, these people have confused loyalty with blind devotion.

E - You have my support for any action you take against this plagiarist.

Keila said...

Hi Erika
Some of Seanie's fans are really crazy and kind of proud to be... I just want you to be safe. May be now it is not the time for you to let us know what you are doing and where you are.
I love following you on Twitter, but I will totally understand if you fly low for a while.

Noreen said...

You justified attacking a guy, half your age, just because of some silly theories? You are talking about morals, where have your gone?

You talk about, that he hasn't said sorry. When will you say sorry to all the LOST fans, who will miss Seanie B's recaps?

You talk about your theories being very original. Let me tell you about this blog posted by Chuck http://chuckislost.blogspot.com/
He posted the same theories as you, just that he did it 4 days before you. How would you like if he shut down your blog?

To see people(you)go all crazy because of theories on a TV show, is just so sad.

I was naive. I thought people were much more nicer. This has just made me realize that the world is full of jealous, envious people. People who cant handle seeing others having success. People who will do just about anything to get a piece of the cake.

I bet that one day you will think back at it, and hopefully you will regret for setting this all in action, I hope it will be the same day you will say sorry to Seanie B. He was just doing this for fun,for us LOST fans. The article written by your friend doc... whatever his name, is full of shit. Copyright, or no copyright, nobody deserves this.

I feel sorry for you, and hope God will forgive you.

hendolo said...

great article. I always wondered how that Seanie B dude came up with so many theories, now I know he stole them. I guess you already know his youtube channel has been suspended and he took down all the videos from his site. I'll be reading your recaps instead of watching his videos from now on. cheers.

Anonymous said...

Digg's video was crazy!! I can't believe how blatant the plagurism was... RIDICULOUS.

Unknown said...

I rarely post a comment but I could not resist a good'ol fashioned internet war. The only reason I am here is because of Seanie B. So he used your words, well if you would of taken the time and put them on video you might have had more of a fan base. I am not trying to be rude but I was looking forward to his videos and now they are all down because you couldn't just email him and tell him to credit you on the next video.

GingerSling said...

Love your recaps, e! I hope that Seanie B gets his comeuppance. It's nice your fellow writers brought your attention to this. I saw you were mentioned in Jeff Jensen's article. Nice.

Now that Seanie B is a a douche. It looks like there will be some course correcting going on. Good triumphs over evil.

Magda said...

Erika - we're with you - so sorry you have to go through all this. I'd just ignore all the Anonymous voices that find reading soooo difficult... Don't let them get to ya.

You're doing a great job, we love you! We go from Wednesdays (LOST) to Mondays (Your Recaps), and don't really notice the days in between.

Take care!

Anonymous said...

Hey Erika,

I'm actually one of Seanie B's fans and I just want to say the following. There's no point in denying that he may have plagiarized some of your work at one point, when he was low on inspiration adn it's despicable, ya da ya da.. but give him a break, the guy has 16,000 subscribers on youtube. you honestly think all of his interpretations are plagiarisms?
everyone deserves a second chance

Unknown said...

E

Great blog. Being one who has taken a few shortcuts in my life, I sympathies both sides of the issue. What he did was and is illegal. I never thought these were all his original ideas, no one did. There is a reason they weren’t released until the day before the next episode. I also never thought that he would read word for word from someone else’s work.

However he was a fantastic editor and made very entertaining videos that made me laugh. He needs to learn how to credit and not to profit off of other peoples work. Hopefully this has done that for him.

Do I agree with his copyright violation? No.

Do I think he should change his ways? Yes.

Were his videos entertaining and well done? You bet.

I def miss them and if it makes you feel any better his foul up introduced me to your blog. However I must say I hope the issue gets put behind and wish you both have success, (honest success in his case) in the future.

You are a great writer and I hope you move on as fast as most of us have. Look forward to your next posts!

SKID said...

Quick question . . . and I usually hate trite connections made in haste, but having said that . . .

ANY chance that Alvarez’s “Andrea” (that Miles “heard” him talk about) is Annie?

. . . or was she just mentioned by name to highlight Miles humanity beneath his cynical surface???

I still maintain that whatever happens to Annie is what sends Ben over the edge.

Wacko prediction: Maybe SHE dies in childbirth giving birth to . . . Karl and THAT is why Ben wanted to keep them apart. Even though not related by blood, there is a Luke/Leia thing going on between he and Alex?)

As I read back over this it looks JUST like the theories I skim over and even want to throw into a pile of polar poop, but I found it odd that Andrea was mentioned so prominently . . . AND I keep waiting for Annie’s return.

SKID said...

One more thing . . .

e, maybe Sean is nothing more than your bad twin.

Keep your chin up. The universe will course correct.

I say we assign a new screen name to SeanieB: URMilliVanilli

. . . and if he does not like it he can blame it on the rain.

Anonymous said...

Can I add to the best lines of the evening? It was towards the beginning,and Ben told some guy from the Ajiri to "have a great day"...that made my night.

Erika (aka "e") said...

Noreen -

Please go back through the comments and look for my "e" icon... I have already addressed the "chuckislost" site, there is no issue of plagiarism there in the slightest.

- e

Paula said...

Hey e,

I haven't commented before, but I wanted to encourage you & let you know that I'm behind you 100% in this nightmare with Seanie B. You are one of my favorite Lost bloggers. I always look forward to your recaps every week. I enjoy your keen analysis & clever wit. Also, I love, love your hilarious screen caps! I'm with you - illegal is illegal and wrong is wrong. I hope you & the other writers who got their stuff swiped find a good resolution soon. In the meanwhile - hang in there! We're all rooting for you & looking forward to further great writing from you in the future!

ClemP0 said...

People,

when I read post like "triumph over evil Seanie" I have to ask myself: How serious can one take oneself?! It is a show on TV - the best there is - and I believe once the show is over there will be about 5% left of the recaps-watchers and blog-readers.

He should've mentioned you in his recaps just to be fair and square. But talking to lawyers and stuff? That's over the top! And since you're reviewing all the comments, I have to tell you that there are some really degrading ones - I hope for Seanie that he's the cool dude as we know him and he can stand above it all.

Sorry for that, but I think his video-recaps are the most professional recaps on the internet and we should give him credit for this.

DarkUFO said...

Hey E,

Hang in there and ignore the idiots who have no idea what they are posting about :)

Have a great evening and weekend.

Ash said...

Zowweee - sent over from Sussing Out Lost.

Plagiarists should be strung up by their pencils. The ultimate in Lazy in my book.

Sorry for all the stress!! Em

Ash said...

P.S. totally jealous of your picture with Terry O'Quinn!!

R. said...

Get over it. No one wants to read anything. Maybe you should make a video recap and secrets, or maybe your inferior video making skills aren't as sophisticated as your primitive writing. All in all, shut up, stop whining, and get over it.

Alex said...

e, first of all, I'm very sorry for the Seanie B issue, and I hope it works out well for you (I love reading your recaps!).

Now, back to lost and "some like it hoth": After the scene with Felix, and the one on the van with Bram, I think these things might be happening:

- Miles thinks that the people from the van are Ben´s people, that's why he asks both times for 3.2 millon, and the second time without any explanation (because he thinks Ben already knows).

- Ben and Widmore are in a fight against each other, but they're not the sides of the war that is coming. The war is Jacob+The island+The others, against Illana and whatever´s under the statue. I guess the new version of Dharma will play a role into this.

Moreover, both of them (Ben and Widmore) think that the other side faked the wreckage of O815, but it's possible that neither of them did. They're both on Locke's side (or at least, the island's), and just battle because they hate each other.

Alex

Martin said...

Hello again e,

I've been noticing some comments from anonymous posters accusing you of stealing info from chuckislost.blogspot.com. I would just like to point out that when this was brought to Chuck's attention, he had this to say:

"Anonymous...I don't agree with your assessment. The theories I put forth in that post are pretty widely known and discussed ideas within the community.

The Lost community often shares ideas, theories, and predictions about each episode but in no way do I think that Erika lifted my words for her own use. I think it's pretty clear that she has her own voice...and a damn good one at that."

There you have it, from the author of the blog himself. Now can we please put that issue to bed and go back to reading E's awesome writing?

Thinking about what lies in the shadow of the statue,

Martin

Impheatus said...

Thanks to this debate I was introduced to your blog and I'm so glad this happened because you are such an amazing blogger.
I really like your site and I'm starting to love it too.
Thanks for all your hard work and keep it up! I'm looking forward for your "Some Like It Hoth" recap.
Cheers!

Momin said...

I wish that your page gets defaced

Unknown said...

Okay, been thinking alot and researching! Your site rocks and you get my wheels turning...

In the "swan video" Dr. Chang was avoiding the 2 rabbits to get close to each other... hmm

This probably explains why Locke did not want to go see his early self at the hatch a few episodes back. Who knows what will happen if that happens?!

Well it happened this episode...

Miles, unlike any other character, (and for the first time I believe) has seen his other self, there must be a consequence....

Perhaps his ability to hear dead people spurs from this and future encounters with himself. Perhaps Miles will learn this from his father down the line, and PERHAPS....

JUST PERHAPS... Miles will be the pain to his own existence and actually BE THE ONE to convince his father to banish his mother and son for their own good?!

Thoughts?

NATS said...

what lies in the shadow, is the donkey wheel of course

Ana Sofia said...

Since some people find reading soooo hard, hopefully they will be gone by your next post. God forbid they have to....eek... read again and actually think.

Janet said...

I've been a huge fan of Seanie B's Videos. Not so much the cheesy way we presents it, but all the information given that makes it so I don't have to think so hard about LOST. This whole time I've been telling people "wow, he's so smart". Now I know better. I can't wait to start reading your blog.

Anonymous said...

I never posted before but I’d like to run some things by you.

It’s about Juliet. I know she is hiding something BIG. BTW- I can’t stand her. I’m unforgiving for what she did to Sun. (Telling Jin that Sun cheated on him. Even if girls sometime back stab, there is no excuse for breaking patient/doctor confidences.)

What do you think of this possibility happening…? In 1977, where Juliet is on her timeline, Juliet is dumped by Sawyer. She feels horrible….maybe takes a walk or checks in on Ben at the Other’s camp… meets Widmore…starts an affair….she eventually is his lady and gets pregnant with Penny….

I can see her leave the island, have the baby, and that’s why Widmore keeps going off island to visit her and the baby. Why, at some point, Penny grows to hate her father, might have something to do with his treatment of Juliet. OR MAYBE JULIET IS STILL WORKING FOR WIDMORE SIDE.

I would like to point out what a serial liar she is, from beginning to end. She doesn’t blink an eye. (can’t stand her little smirk non-smile.)


Here are a few things that lead me in that direction. Remember when, in 1954, she answers Sawyer about how old is Richard…she says “very”. Now how would she know that if she hasn’t seen him stay the same age during all the time she saw him in 1977, and in 2006, when he recruits her, and in the 50’s. (Botox aside, Richard looks pretty good.) Maybe she never meets him until the recruiting thing, but saw and knows about him from Widmore.

Remember when the others put her on ‘trial’ and they branded her back an ‘outsider’? I think that’s a clue.

We have very little back story on Juliet. Just the thing about her sister. She was a pretty, smart girl, so where was her husband/boyfriend/love interest back then? Being Penny’s mother adds up age wise. And they’re both blonde. And stretching it even further, Ben has a crush on her (and I don’t think she ages) and when he finds out she’s with Widmore, he gets jealous and adds to his rivalry with him.

Just a P.S. on this Seanie B thing. I am a professional writer myself, so I can relate to feeling ripped/raped when someone uses your stuff….A hundred percent I am with you. I just want to interject my mother/grandmother side which feels reeeeally sad for this kid. And he is just a kid. He made a bad mistake…probably the worst of his life so far…but he wasn’t doing it for monetary profit. And now the poor boy doesn’t know how to get out of the mess he made for himself. The reality is that if he humbly owns up to the entire affair it will hurt only for awhile (more painful agony than hurt). But he’ll grow to be a bigger man for it.

As for you, I just want to say I realize you have to do what you have to do, BUT there is a thing we call in Israel ‘meda kanegid meda’ which means ‘measure for measure’ in Hebrew. (Karma for most people.) Let me share an event from my past as a young driver, Once I was rear-ended. I got out of my car and saw that only one of the tail lights were broken. I felt bad for the guy. I told him to forget it and we went on our way. A few months later, I made a left turn in an intersection and I smacked right into this huge caddy. I was driving my little Fiat Spider and I creamed my car. The big Caddy barely had scratches on it. The owner of the car didn’t call the cops and let me go. I felt because I wasn’t judgey on the fellow that hit ME, the guy who I hit let me go. My point to you Ericka is, ‘if you can find it in your heart to forgive and let this Seanie B kid off easy, that kindness will come back to you some point in your life. I hope you take the high road on this. Whatever you decide, best of luck.

P.S. - I'm doing this anonymous cuz I realy don't know how to do this blog corresponding thing. which is a drag because I want to hear from you.

Anonymous said...

Possible explanation for the "twenty years".
Google "lost time loop theory".

As far as I can remember this guy suggests that the island had been frozen in time for a few years in the late 90's until Desmond stopped entering the numbers and 815 crashed.

Anonymous said...

To Anonymous, April 19, 2009 7:17 AM

I just had to chime in here with my two cents. I hardly think that reading something word for word would be considered a mistake. Especially not when it concerns a kid his age. I'm only a few years older than him and all of my teachers since 1999 have all made a strong case of what will happen to us and our grades if we plagiarize someone else's work. Seanie B was in college, if I'm not mistaken, so he must have heard the "don't plagiarize" speech in school. There's no way that he didn't know that reading someone else's work word for word without crediting them was plagiarism.

If Seanie B had taken some theories/ideas from this blog, but forgotten to credit the place he got them, then that's one thing. But he was obviously reading word for word from a script, only changing a few words here and there. And he tried to pass them of as his own thoughts, often starting his scriptreading by saying "I think....."

Not a mistake, very blatant plagiarism.

He needs to own up to what he did and admit that what he did was wrong.

Anonymous said...

I don't know if this has been said as I'm new to this.

Is the clare little baby Aaron really the baby that Kate had with her and left with clare's mother.

The reason the lawyer asked for a DNA test could have beem because he really did want to knoe the identity of this child. How do we know there wasn't some baby switching going on. And Clare still has her baby - wherever she.

Uk

p.s have just discovered through this sean b mess, youre really talented and some good has come from it, we the fans now know who the brains behind the thrown is.

Adam said...

If there is any consolation to this whole Seanie B saga, I wouldn't have known about your marvellous website if I hadn't have stumbled across the side-by-side comparison video!

BAC said...

New reader to your site because of this whole SeanieB mess - just wanted to say you're doing a great job. You gave him the opportunity to fess up, he didn't, and he still won't apologize? He's not a "kid", by the time I was his age I was already in graduate school, he's well old enough to know that plagiarism is bad- else why would he have denied it??

Keep up the great work, and I'm sorry that people are being tools to you.

Anonymous said...

Good Lord. I am furious at some of these comments and I'm not even the one who was wronged. You must be livid.

from Patrick Rothfuss' blog (http://www.patrickrothfuss.com/blog/2009/02/concerning-release-of-book-two.html) concerning the delay in the release date of his book:
*******************
I say that as a joke, but like most jokes it has a grain of truth to it. That's the reason I've turned the comments off for this blog. I know they would break down roughly like this:

30 considerate, supportive comments.
20 touching, heartfelt comments.
15 funny comments
10 comments saying, "Meh, I already knew."
5 passive-aggressive snarks masquerading as one of the above.
1 comment from some anonymous frothy dickhole.

And you know which comment I'd focus on? Yeah. The last one. It would sit there like a steaming turd in my bowl of cereal. It doesn't matter how delicious the cereal is. It could be Fruity Pebbles, or even Cookie Crisp. But in a situation like this it doesn't matter. You can't just eat around it. All you can do is focus on the turd.
*******************

For whatever reason, we always look at our naysayers. At least, in this case, they are all wrong. Moreover, they will probably make similar mistakes in their lives and won't even understand what they did wrong. It's hard not to focus on the jerks, but I'm hoping that they aren't making you too mad.

Again, I hope this doesn't sour your love of writing.

Anonymous said...

Sean's videos are better than yours. They are entertaining. The saddest thing here is that he didn't need your ideas. And most of your ideas are NOT just your ideas. You can find a dozen other people who are catching the same things you are. You are not the only person on the planet coming up with ideas that you are coming up with.

Anonymous said...

self absorbed melodrama

Anonymous said...

"Anonymous said...
all of the lost bloggers are getting jealous of seanie b's success....its that simply...........his videos are a work of art. many of his supporters love watching his video's because he sums up alot of theories with pictures in one package.....it doesn't matter where seanie b gets the info from....there's a million blog sites and forums that pose very similar theories...in fact, your last blog is very similar to a blog written by some chuck guy and he wrote his blog four days before your blog....are you stealing ideas from his site? should you be referencing his work in your blog?.... all sean b is doing is summing up the goods theories in a video......you have ruined alot of fun for some 14000 lost fans; you should be ashamed of yourself..."

this is EXACTLY how EVERYONE on lostvideorecaps.com feels. thank you so much for putting my words exactly perfect.

Anonymous said...

Erika, thanks for putting up with all the comments. You are 100% right and I'm amazed at the attitude of it doesn't matter, no big deal. I've used what happened to you as a lesson for my 7 year old. Funny how he gets that copying something that isn't yours but saying it is is wrong. From the mouth of babes.

1dimpleonly said...

Hi Erika! I love your blog, and was sorry to hear about the plagiarism. I was on two sites, that you referenced (your friends), and almost fell off my chair when I opened the video of this guy, word-for-word, repeating paragraph, after paragraph of your posts here on your blog! Do not give up your fight. You are an excellent writer, and nobody has the right to steal another person's work product, without permission!!!

I just finished reading your post on 'Dead Is Dead', and did some Googling. I found a great site concerning Anubis, and Egyptian mythology.

Here's the link: http://touregypt.net/magazine/mag05012001/magf3.htm

I hope you will take a look. I think I stumbled upon the answer to the question of "what lies in the shadow of the statue."

Here is the exact post from that site regarding what I think could be the answer:

Khaibit - The shadow of a man, it could partake of funerary offerings and was able to detach itself from the body and travel at will, though it always was thought to stay near the Ba.

The answer to the question is "the shadow of a man, and/or Khaibit."

This site was really informative, and gives a lot of information regarding the monster that has no name ;), and what could be going on inside the temple.

Keep up the great work Erika!!! I loved the pic with Terry :))) Isn't he a wonderful actor!!!!

Anonymous said...

I can't believe how much flak *you*, the victim in this case, are getting - and the poor quality of it at that. Noreen especially wins the prize for Most Galling And Self-Righteous Internet Post. Your even, professional responses display an enviable level of self-control.

I hope it's some tiny consolation that you're getting new readers from this mess. Count me yet another new reader who found you through DocArzt's great video expose'.

I will be following your commentary from now on. I hate it when a recap is just a long, excruciatingly detailed synopsis - your recaps really give something to think about!

Lana said...

Hi Erika,

I'm ashamed to say I used to be a subscriber to Seanie B. He seemed to have good theories along with his own witty comments. But as it turns out he has been stealing any talent he had from you and cutting down your hours and hours of work into half-arsed 20 minute videos.

I don't know how many of his other subscribers would agree with me. But I'm shocked and to be honest, furious that he would steal somebody else's work word for word. Plagiarism is a big deal even if it is 'just the internet'.

I'd like to let you know not all of his subscribers are ranting fangirls that are hunting for your blood.

And I for one don't mind reading lengthy intelligent theories. I'd rather read this and be enlightened than spend 20 minutes listening to someone who think's it's okay to steal other people's work.

I'm so glad this has been brought to my attention. And I wish you the best of luck in dealing with this. I think it's safe to say I'll be reading here now instead.

Anonymous said...

E- I've always read and enjoyed your recaps over at darkufo. After this seanie b fiasco, I wanted to come directly to the source to express my support. I hope everything works out for the best. What he did is wrong and I can only imagine how frustrating it must be. Chin up!

Also, I just read your blog about your Terry O'Quinn encounter and I could actually feel your excitement coming through the page. Ithink that I would have just froze and not been able to utter a single word. Good for you! Keep up the good work and don't pay any attention to these children who have been flaming you. -Dolce

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