One is the Loneliest Number

Episode 1x9: Solitary
Directed by: Greg Yaitanes
Written by: David Fury
Airdate: 11-17-04

Summary: Sayid gets tortured by the French lady.  Hurley builds a golf course.
Centric: Sayid

Review:
I feel like with this episode, the series changes a bit.  It's the first mythology heavy episode and everything after has a bigger feel to it.  I mean, I realize the monster was in the pilot and we saw the ghost of Jack's dad but this episode really sets the stage for, wow, there's a crap load of other things going on on the island.  And, even though they'll continue to deal with survival issues, and this episode in particular does deal with people getting along, it's slowly moving away from that basic, 'we survived a plane crash and have to deal with each other' mentality. 

Sayid episodes are usually pretty good.  I may not always like the flashbacks (this one I do) but his on island stuff is usually pretty entertaining.  What I find so interesting about this show is that they have a great line up of complex characters-Sayid, Sawyer, Ben...granted, they have their shallow, one-dimensional ones as well--Boone, Shannon.  (Funny enough, all the bad characters get killed off, except for Kate) 

Anyway, about Sayid.  I mean, the guy is a torturer and yet you feel compassion for him.  He completely blurs the lines of black and white and is a completely grey character, which makes him so interesting.  Most of the time, Middle Eastern Torturer is going to give you a bad name...but not Sayid.  Deep down, he's a good guy, he helps people, as shown in every episode before this one and so many after~but there's a dark part of him, too.  The part that's able to hurt people (physically) with ease.  Now that I think of it, Sayid isn't much into mind games. 

Okay, I'm not focused at all today.  More so about the episode, Sayid leaves out of shame and remorse.  He truly feels bad for what he did to Sawyer because he doesn't like that dark part of him and, you know, torturing will do that.  It's funny, also, that in contrast, Jack probably doesn't feel that bad and believes Sawyer deserved it.  Which interestingly makes Sayid a more sympathetic character.  He may do worse things but he repents for it more. 

So, Sayid meets Danielle and we get our first look into the weirdness of the island.  Ironically, Sayid is tortured and held captive by her, obviously paralleling that he is getting done to him what he did to others.  Not so subtle there.  The other thing, though, is that they're both tragic characters, who've both lost someone they've lost due to external factors.  And, as the title of Solitary will point out, they're both alone in their own way.

We meet Danielle.  I remember at the time meeting the French lady was huge.  And looking back, I'm surprised they gave us her that early but then, with the show possibly not going past 13 episodes, I'm not surprised they gave out a few answers early.  Anyway, I remember having such a creepy feeling after watching this episode.  Because while we meet Danielle, she had so little answers and was a half crazed mad woman.  Not to mention that she made everything odd going on on that island even weirder.  I read a review of this episode that stated Danielle reoccurrances never held the same impact as this first one and I'm inclined to agree.  She's emotional unhinged, fragile, and human from sixteen years of being alone and having plenty of tragedies happen to her.   Afterwards, she kinda just becomes a generic crazy French woman (though, I still found her entertaining).  But, I have to add that this first episode, there was the mysteriousness about her and with everything on this show, once that mysteriousness was lifted, it just wasn't as intriguing as it once was.

I feel like the meeting between Sayid and Danielle is pretty straight forward.  It's a story of loneliness and how, no matter how tough we seem, we all need human contact.  Sayid can try all he want to cut himself off from people, for fear of the bad person that's inside him, but ultimately, human nature cries out for another, as shown with the French woman. 

Okay, putting drama aside, we have the mythology stuff, which I personally love, so this episode gets ranked pretty high in the first season.  Now, i have to give the writers credit.  Do I think they knew what was going on when they wrote French lady's stuff?  No, I don't think they knew anything.  But I'm impressed that when they went back to the story in season five, they got most of it right.  It's pretty good with a show that sometimes had a hard time with continuity.  So, we get to learn a little island history, about Danielle, her team, how they all went crazy.  And we learn about "The Others"  First time they are mentioned and Danielle mentions them.  I mean, wow, they were such a mysterious people until season three.  The mystery behind The Others was always engaging. 

Then we have that rope that lead to the water.  I'm so glad that's one thing they went back to.  I always wanted to know what it was.  And then we have the first instance of the whispers.  I have to give a lot of credit to the writers because the first three seasons held a lot of genuinely spooky things~the whispers are a top of my list.  I mean, first of all, people have taken the time to listen to them and figure them out.  And they're actually saying something.  Now that I know what they are, it's maybe not as spooky, and having seen it a dozen times makes it lose its thrill a little.  But it's still chilling to me that dead people are saying random weird stuff. 

On a short note, the whispers were once supposed to be The Others~which I think is obvious by watching the episodes in the first few seasons where they appear.  I understand why they had to change it but it makes me wonder what the original conception of The Others really was. 

Okay, so there is a subplot.  And, you know, I realize this episode has been criticized for having a somewhat unbalanced collection of plots, but I love this subplot.  And I think the lighthearted, humorous subplot balances off the drama and strangeness going on in the rest of the episode.  To each their own, I suppose.  Anyway, I think I should start making a tally of every time Hurley shows that he should be the true reciepent of Jacob's job.  I mean, Jack even says himself, he's busting his butt to make everyone feel safe and Hurley can do that just by building a golf course.

So, yeah, this golf course idea.  Not only does it bring out a lot of humor that Lost is known for but it shows of Hurley in a great way, shows Jack relaxing a bit, and even has Sawyer taking his first steps as being apart of the group.  Another sign that this episode is moving the show in another direction.  It's no longer just about surviving and getting along. It's now about learning to live on the island.  The island is now becoming home, even if they are trying to find ways off it still. 

Also to be mentioned, because it's featured in the episode enough, we Walt running off to go hang out with Locke.  Now, it doesn't help that Michael is ignoring him for the most part but we're heading towards the big Michael/Locke showdown that I could not really care about at this point. 

Flashbacks:
Here's the big thing I like about Sayid.  He may be able to do bad things without a second thought, but he's very much a romantic.  I'm not sure if I really got it when it was first one, maybe because I was younger.  But the story with Nadia is very much a love story and a tragic one at that.  The whole torture aspect kinda makes it a dark romance~which, weirdly, is somewhat refreshing from all the cliche romances we get all the time.  

And, like with what they started in Sawyer's backstory, they went beyond the--why were they in Australia model and showed a story that added another layer onto the character.  Plus, Sayid is probably the only character that doesn't have daddy issues and that alone is welcome.  

On top of that, I like that showed another dimension to Arab culture.  I don't feel as though it's as cliched as Sun and Jin's Asian backstory sometimes feels.  I don't know, I just like that the writers took leaps and branched out into other cultures.  That's part of why the show was so good. 

The Little Things:
*It's quite obvious there isn't a real cut on Sawyer's arm.  I've always wondered why they didn't even try to put a little make up there.
*Sun has officially become Jack's nurse.  Hee!
*I wanna know how/why Danielle knows about fifty different languages.
*So, I believe that Sayid's flashbacks are supposed to be done all in Arabic, only it's translated for us.
*The first Ethan episode! 
*Hurley's laugh at finding the golf clubs is absolutely hilarious.  I'm glad they decided to use Jorge more as the series went on.
*I realize it was briefly hinted at an episode or so ago, but why did Michael suddenly decide to change his mind from absolutely never going to the caves to living there?  Because Walt wanted to?  Uh...?
*Charlie and Hurley screwing around and being goofy is just awesome in this episode.
*I realize that in a previous life, Kate is an outsider, but is she on the island?  Her comment to Sawyer doesn't make much sense~eh.
*Nadia's note to Sayid was 'so' a precursor to "See ya in another life."
*Cool fact that I have to mention.  Originally, Danielle's team was supposed to be studying time but ABC didn't want to go sci-fi with Lost yet.  Still--maybe they weren't making it ALL up as they went along. 

Favorite Quotes:
KATE: Well, accidents happen when you torture people, Jack.

JACK: Things could be worse.
HURLEY: How?
Oh Hurley, it's still early...

HURLEY: Dudes, listen. Our lives suck. Everyone's nerves are stretched to the max. I mean, we're lost on an Island, running from boars and monsters -- freakin' polar bears!
MICHAEL: Polar bears?
CHARLIE: You didn't hear about the polar bear?

SAWYER: Doctor playing golf. Woo, boy howdy, now I've heard everything. What's next, cop eating a donut?

Unanswered Questions:
Why does Sayid say that Nadia is dead?  I never really understood this, other than he feels guilty for everything she went through.  He even contradicts himself in the episode by stating that he hopes she's alive.

I want to know what Danielle thinks the monster is.  How could she live on that island all those years and not have even seen it?  And why didn't MiB care about her?  And how is it possible she never ran into ANY of the Dharma Initiative or the Others?  It is a little far fetched.  The island is only so big.

I still don't get the "sickness" but that's an issue left for later episodes.

Grade: A.  Sayid's story is a fantastic one.  This episode has a lot of great drama and creepiness, which makes it worth while, even after seeing it a few hundred times.  Plus, the golf sub plot is just hilarious. 

Lostpedia

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Episode 1x8: Confidence Man
Directed by: Tucker Gates
Written by: Damon Lindelof
Airdate: 11-10-04

Summary: Sawyer pretends to have Shannon's inhalers.  Charlie and Claire share fake peanut butter.
Centric: Sawyer

Review: 
I have to state that I didn't like Sawyer during season one.  In fact, it took me a long time for Sawyer to grow on me.  I'd say somewhere during season three I warmed up and maybe didn't full on like the guy until season four.  Looking back, I can say now, I love the character--really one of the greatest characters Lost had on the show.  Funny how times changes.  Anyway, this episode I liked when it first aired.  I got, even at the time, that this was supposed to humanize Sawyer a bit.  Didn't make me like him any more.  I think, however, I appreciate this episode more than I did back then.  As a piece of writing, the script is absolutely fantastic.  The symmitry of the flashbacks and on island story alone is something that I have to applaud. 

The plot itself is pretty straight forward, which is rare for Lost.  But it's not so much the plot but the characters that make this (and ultimately Lost) interesting.  It's a great character study into one of the more complex characters on the show.  The purpose was to de-villain Sawyer and, in a way, put a twist on other characters such as Jack and Sayid.  Really, I feel like this episode also marks a turning point in the series, but more on that in a second.

Okay, so Sawyer's this con man who essentially hates himself for ending up being what he hated the most.  A lot of season one moments point to Sawyer being suicidal, not really caring if he lives or dies.  And in a way, pushing Jack and Sayid to nearly kill him was a part of that.  I mean, it's not so much that he's a bad guy, we'll learn later in the series that he isn't, it's just that he's so screwed up and that he holds on to so much self hatred, he's not only become narcessistic, but feels he's got nothing to live for.  It's a fantastic place to start a character arc and throughout the series, we get the rise and fall of Sawyer, which is pretty awesome overall.  (it also mirrors Jack fall and rise arc--seriously, I could write a thesis on how these two have similar roles on the show.) 

So, really, the episode is about that--how Sawyer needs to push everyone's buttons out of self hatred.  The ironic part is that he's conning not only everyone else about Shannon's medicine but himself in the process, convincing himself he's just as bad as the original Sawyer.  (which, no, no, no...no one is THAT evil.)  I think the other fascinating thing is not just showing how Sawyer has layers to him but how everyone reacts to him as well.  I think this episode Sawyer being a pain brings out everyone's true natures. 

Let's start with Jack.  Up until this point, Jack is pretty much the hero, good guy, etc.  But Sawyer gets under his skin like no one else.  Maybe it's cause of Kate, which it is somewhat.  Maybe it's because Sawyer won't fall into the good little survivor line.  Maybe cause Sawyer is a lost cause that Jack can't 'fix'.  Whatever it is, Sawyer embodies just about everything that Jack doesn't like and because of that, Jack is pushed to reach a darker part of himself.  One that allows his conscious to torture someone.  Jack's no saint, and I think this episode shows that pretty well.  He bypasses reason because of emotion and Sawyer nearly dies for it.  Not exactly the 'cool' leader one should be.  And it's funny how his flaws in leadership get brought up later.  So, the hero has flaws just like the villain has a heart.  I like the twist here.

Also, there's that scene where Sawyer tells Jack to let him die because he'd let Jack die--  Well, Sawyer pretty much wants to die at this point, so of course he's gonna be rude.  But Jack doesn't, mostly because his need to fix everything overrides his actions at times.  And I do think that by season five perhaps, Sawyer wouldn't just sit there and watch someone die.  But that scene shows the fundamental differences between the two men at this point. 

Okay, so then there's Sayid.  I really do believe they started writing the characters differently after this episode.  I mean, you could argue that the survivors are finally becoming themselves and not the survival/hero mode you original meet them in, and I will say that I think at this point the writers have finally found the characters, but there is a difference in how the characters are presented after this episode.  Anyway, Sayid up until this point, Sayid was rational and logical, being the leading man in getting everyone off the island.  Sawyer's refusal to be helpful pushes him down that dark, emotional path that Sayid doesn't like to go and spends his entire life trying to run from.  We get into Sayid's pysche more in the next episode but it was truly a 'whoa' moment when he actually began torturing Sawyer.

And then there's Kate.  Here's my thing.  I actually like the idea behind Kate when she was first written--that she was a strong character and was going to be the female lead and she needed to find her husband.  Whatever the idea was for her character back in the pilot, that stayed with the character until, say, about his episode.  Because after this episode, Kate stops being a strong, independent character, her IQ seems to drop, and she seems to be around soley to be the object of Sawyer and Jack.  While the triangle was an interesting idea, I feel like in the long run, it damaged Kate's character.  But I suppose that's a point I'll leave for later when it's more relevant.

At this point, I think this is where I actually find the triangle an interesting character study.  I mean, there is a natural chemistry between Kate and Sawyer and I think the two of them understand each other in a way that Kate and Jack don't seem to be on the same ground.  Sawyer, I believe, did part of his little con over the inhalers not just because he wanted everyone to hate him, but also because he really did want a kiss from Kate.  Not only would that stick it to Jack, but I do believe he was attracted to her right from the beginning.  But also, for someone like Sawyer, it's a big deal for him to open up to anyone, and this girl did just that.  She can get under his skin and see through his tough guy lies--and that is huge.  It's part of the reason he starts to fall in love with her.  And Sawyer genuinely falling in love starts him on the path of redemption.  So, yeah, it's kinda cool--

As for Kate, I can't say I really got it the first time I watched it, because I wasn't sure how anyone could relate to Sawyer off the bat, but she does feel something for him, especially after she kisses him.  Because they do have a connection, despite her not wanting to acknowledge that it's there.  Because the two of them are a lot a like.  And he's symbolic of a lot of unresolved issues that she's got to deal with.  So, yeah, there was potential here for there to be an intriguing love triangle between the three characters.  It's just unfortunate that they started ruining Kate's character so that no one cared anymore.

One small note about Kate and Sayid.  It was pointed out to me recently that Kate and Sayid have the most mature relationship at the beginning of the series.  And they did.  They both acted intelligent and worked to do what was best for the survivors in a mature manner.  No one was belittling, or crazy, or abused, etc.  I suppose I never would have bought them as a romantic couple, but it was a nice angle since so many of the relationships/friendships on this show are juvinile.  It's a shame that after this episode, because Sayid leaves, Kate and Sayid never share that same level of friendship again.  Ah, what would have been.

Okay, so, there is a b-plot here, amazingly.  And it's really beautiful and sweet.  I mean, here's how you write a real love story.  Not one where the two characters should be together because their main characters or where they're so screwed up they have their first kiss while one is being tortured and tied to a tree.  Charlie and Claire, laughing, talking, genuinely getting along, flirting, everything.  And the fake peanut butter--which is a little weird, but overall, the fact that he goes through all the trouble to make her safe is quite romantic.  They really are an adorable couple at the beginning of the series and one you can not only really buy as a romantic couple, but one that you want to root for.  It really puts the whole triangle into perspective as to how nutty it is.  

Flashbacks:
The flashbacks do well to tell Sawyer's history.  I mean, we get that he's a con man, but the cool part is that you're supposed to think that he was the one whom the letter was written.  The twist at the end being that he wrote the letter and became the person he hated.  A very nicely done piece of writing there.  I'm not sure if the flashback to island stuff is paralleled as nicely again.  A few things I'd like to mention. 

For one, we get to see Sawyer having a heart, when he can't do what was done to him.  The little boy showing up was symbolic and also lets us know that Sawyer isn't completely evil.  Just very screwed up.

The thing that brings this whole thing down a little--the actual con itself.  I'm hard pressed to believe that anyone with half a brain would fall for the scheme.  I mean, there are that stupid of people out there, but it still seems like a stretch to me.  Also, I hate to say it, but the acting is just a bit over the top--the actress in particular.  It's almost like it's a parody of itself.  I can't help but groan every time she groans for Sawyer at the beginning or when all that money falls out of the briefcase.  It's a little forced.

I also can't help but feel that the sex scene, along with the naked Sawyer at the beginning, was put in there for the female fans.  And they tend to do this a lot with Sawyer.  I feel like, *shrug*, Josh Holloway is a good looking guy but eh, doesn't do much for me.  And I really am more interesting in just about everything else before Sawyer with his shirt off...

The Little Things:
*I'm not sure why Sawyer thinks that the stuff he stole from everyone is now his.  :P
*Boone and Shannon are used mostly as a plot device in this episode.  Unfortunately, they're used this way until the end of their respective purpose on the show.
*Do Australians not like peanut butter?  I've never gotten that line.
*Locke bugs me in this episode.  Why pin it on Sawyer?  And why does Sayid so easily agree to that line of thinking?  I call foul on this one.
*I really wonder what Kate wanted to put at the end of her line 'if you do this' to Jack.  Because he does do it.  And not much happens--
*You know who wins in this episode?  Sun.  She totally rocks.  Not only does she use a plant to solve the problems, she does it without violence.  This is why it's a shame there wasn't a woman running things.  So many problems would have been solved, lol.
*However, why didn't Sun just tell Jin what she was doing?  Seems like a little bit of unnecessary tension to me. 

Favorite Quotes:
HURLEY: Wow, man. That was awesome. I mean, that was like a -- Jedi moment.

SAWYER: Baby, I am tied to a tree in a jungle of mystery. I just got tortured by a damn spinal surgeon and a gen-u-ine I-raqi. Of course, I'm serious. 

Unanswered Questions:
Do I have any?  Not really, we're not really into the mythology stuff yet.  Maybe wondering what happened to Sawyer once he left that one dude's money on the floor of his mark.  But since he's still living, it's not really important.

Grade: A- This episode loses a point or two for the lack of logic in the flashbacks and for Sayid's overreaction.  But the script is wonderful and the characterization is fantastic. 

Lostpedia

You All Everybody

Episode 1x7: The Moth
Directed by: Jack Bender
Written by: Jennifer Johnson and Paul Dini
Airdate: 11-3-04

Summary: Charlie has to dig Jack out of a cave in.  Sayid tries to triangulate a signal to get...uh...a signal.  
Centric: Charlie

Review:
Alright, let's talk about Charlie for a moment, shall we?  For the most part, I like to watch the show for what it is and not delve to deeply into the influences of the writers but Charlie's character, I'm going to.  The Lost writers drew from a tone of things, most of them quite obvious, but one of the major ones, and a novel I absolutely love, is The Stand.  I'll probably go more into that when we get to season six and they pretty much use the same ending as Stephen King's famous novel.  But anyway, for the most part, I'd say plot was what the mostly stole from The Stand.  Most of the characters are different.  Except for in the case of Charlie, who the writers have admitted was supposed to be A Larry Underwood.  I mean, it's the same, classic, cliche, drug addicted rock star finds redemption, etc, etc. 

Here's the thing...Larry Underwood is a fantastic character.  I mean, yeah, the guy starts out as a total douche but it's a cover for a ton of insecurities, which throughout the novel he slowly sheds until he finally becomes the man he wants to be just in time to sacrifice himself for all of human kind.  (actually, Charlie shares with Larry that both their deaths were somewhat unnecessary but whatever...)  My point is, that Larry Underwood's character arc is a great coming of age story, of a boy becoming a man, of how people can stay stagnant and immature until they've found their greater purpose.  Sure, he's still that one hit wonder rock star but there's so much more to the character than that, both flaws and strengths.

The problem with Charlie is that, with maybe the exception of this episode and the end of season three, there's nothing more to Charlie than his ex junkie rock star persona.  There's no depth, there's no arc.  They attempt it a little with Claire and Aaron but I'll get to that failing later on.  Charlie becomes a one-note character, and sure that stems from bad writing, but it also comes from the fact that they solve most of Charlie's issues in this episode

Okay, so the idea of the moth and it's struggle to become free is kinda a metaphor for most of our losties, not just Charlie.  And, it'll go along nicely with the no pain no gain mantra that gets repeated throughout the series.  And the metaphor is so blatant here.  I mean, Charlie literally crawls out of the ground.  He's reborn and on his way to being a better, non drug addicted person.

It's a good episode, even if the metaphor is pounded into you.  But my problem is that the writers kinda went, now what? after this episode.  It's a shame because the basis for the character held so much promise.  I suppose, also, that with so many other good characters, someone was going to fall through the cracks and Charlie was the most obvious choice.  His story just isn't interesting after this, which is a shame because there could have been more potential here.  Or maybe not.  Hard to say. 

One cool thing I'd like to point out, that's not really relevant, just fun.  The Stand was Stephen King's modern adaption of Lord of the Rings, and the name Underwood is a nod to the names of Hobbits.  And, of course, Dom played a hobbit in LotR.  I love circularity like that.

I should mention Locke and his Yoda-ness of the episode.  I don't know, I don't have much to comment on.  Locke can pull it off here, but I always had the impression that Locke was bs'ing his way through these master of the mind, jedi mind trick stuff.  Eh. 

Alright, so Jack gets trapped in a cave in.  *shrugs*  I suppose it was here to feature the caves (as well as stand for Charlie's metaphor)  Also, everyone who wasn't important to the plot got to haul rocks, lol.  The moment between Jack and Charlie in the caves is nice--though, Jack gets a lot of flack in this episode for treating Charlie like dirt.  Did he?  I kinda fail to see it.  He may have been nicer but it's Jack and beside manor isn't his strong suit.    Hurley was kinda mean to Charlie moreso than Jack.  But then they hugged and made up and all was right in the world. 

So, on to the b-plot of trying to get off the island. 

Sayid's doing something technical again.  What amuses me is that they're going out of their way to figure out how to find the transmission when I suppose they could start actually looking around the island.  OMG, they might actually find something useful, like the radio tower or New Otherton.  But can't jump ahead that quickly.  hence, Sayid getting whacked on the head.  I wish it'd been an other that did that.  Locke being the one to do it just rings false somehow. 

Anyway, the interesting part of the subplot is--how Shannon doesn't screw up the bottle rocket.  No...can't be that...

Actually, it's the Kate/Sawyer/Jack stuff.  First of all, while there were smaller hints in the last episode, here's the beginning of Sawyer wanting to bang Kate.  I refuse to believe it's anything more than primal at this point.  But he's still a jerk and, well, it's not going to end well at this point.  There are two points I'd like to make, though--the first being that Kate is rather bitchy to him in this episode.  I mean overly so.  I mean, overly so in the way that you know she'll eventually come around--and see through his little charade.  But, even though he's been a complete ass, he hasn't done anything to her personally and nothing at all in this episode, so why is she overly sensitive to everything?  Actually, I know the answer to that but still, I want to say, chill out!  The other point is the conversation Kate and Sawyer have about Jack.  I do believe Sawyer has a point about he and Jack not being that different from each other--it's true and I think it's one of the cooler aspects of the show, how these two men go through mirroring arcs.  It's a shame that it's often deluded by Kate's presence. 

As for the Kate/Jack side of this episode, which there's a lot of actually, despite the break-up, they're still BFFs--if Kate's freak out over his possible death wasn't enough, she goes a bit crazy trying to move those rocks.  Hell, she even made him a sling, how cute is that?  I still say the rift between them is contrived but gotta give Sawyer an in somehow, right?

So, I think that's it.  Not enough Hurley as of late.  But a lot of the cast that's usually annoying doesn't do that much.

Flashbacks:
I hate to say it but Charlie's flashbacks have got to be some of the most boring and cliche backstories of any character.  Thankfully, there isn't a lot of them.  I'm not sure why they decided to put the religious angle there, definitely wasn't a part of the Larry Underwood mold, but I kinda wish they hadn't.  It seems like such overkill--a good catholic boy who succumbs to drugs, sex, and rock'n'roll.  *rolls eyes*

The other thing that kinda bugs me about Charlie's backstory is that his path to drug addiction just doesn't ring true.  I mean, he starts because his brother was a jerk and already using, so he feels he has to as well to keep up?  Or that he's hit rock bottom so what the hell?  I feel like they try to paint Charlie so much as the good boy, it's hard to believe that he'd actually start using himself. 

In addition, this episode brings up an issue I have with a lot of the flashbacks--that the person isn't responsible for their own bad choices, someone else is.  I realize this started more with Jack but I can let it go if it's one character--not all of them, which it eventually ends up being.  In this case, Charlie's brother Liam is the source of all Charlie's issues.  Not Charlie himself.  This I find a little hard to swallow.  And, in fact, I actually think Liam's story may be more interesting than Charlie's--I mean, the guy does get his life turned around, so what's the story there? 

So, anyway, my overall point is that the flashbacks don't really do Charlie any favors and despite the growth on island, which kinda gets destroyed anyway, Charlie comes off as a less sympathetic character than he was to begin with. 

At least getting to see You All Everybody performed live was fun. 

The Little Things:
*Sawyer waving as Jack vacates his old tent is absolutely priceless.
*I wasn't aware, until a little while ago, that the actor who plays Liam is actually American.  Now that I know, I kinda can tell he struggles with the accent.
*It's interesting that this early on, Boone and Shannon already get a lot of sideline stuff.  (As well as Claire, but I think she was always meant to be a minor character.)
*Firework smugglers.  Really?
*I'm noticing a trend that I didn't so much before, each episode has a plotline that sets up the next week's centricity.  (for a while anyway)
*Yay for Sun slowly breaking out of her battered wife role.  Man, it probably was too hot to be wearing that sweater thing all the time.
*I'm hard pressed to believe that Charlie's meek little voice caused that big of a cave in--but what do I know?
*Kate believes the crashed for no reason.  Oh, Kate.  Someday you'll wish you were right about that.
*Oh, hey, the beginning of the Scott/Steve joke.  I was always amused by it. 
*Again, Kate and Sawyer with an unnecessary recap of the episode so far.  GAH!  These episodes are pretty straight forward--we don't need this!
*Yay, the beginning of Hurley/Charlie love!

Favorite Quotes:
KATE: I take better pictures than that. Smaller, too, if you want something for your wallet.

All of the lyrics to You All Everybody

Huh, serious lack of good lines in this one.  Locke's speech about The Moth and struggle is nice and profound, though not memorable enough to quote here.  The Kate/Sawyer exchange with the bottle rocket was nice too but that was more about body language than actual words.
 
Unanswered Questions:
There really isn't any mythology in this episode to question.  Though, what if Jack HAD died in that cave in?  Or, would it have been more interesting to have an Other hit Sayid. 

Grade: B- For a Charlie episode, it's not bad.  I like the overall plot and message, even if it was heavy handed--and I liked the transmitter side plot.  It's just slow in places, namely Charlie running around the jungle and the amount of rock digging they do.  Also, once you've seen the flashbacks, there's really no need to ever go back and see them again--unless it's You All Everybody live. 

Lostpedia

Could You Repeat that in English?

Episode 1x6: House of the Rising Sun
Directed by: Michael Zinberg
Written by: Javier Grillo-Marxauch
Airdate:10-27-04

Summary: Jin beats up Michael for a watch.  Charlie stands on a beehive.  Jack and Kate break-up for the first time but not the last time.
Centric: Sun (and Jin)

Review:
Side note, Lost premiered seven years ago today.  I can't believe it's been that long.

Anyway, it's our first Sun/Jin episode.  I'm not a huge fan of these episodes, mostly because they never end up bringing a whole lot of relevance to the show, but this one I do like.

I don't miss the days when Jin was a bit of douche.  And I feel like him beating up Michael, especially in front of Walt, is almost out of character for how he's portrayed not only in the future but in the flashbacks as well.  Jin's actually a pretty good guy, so to see him all pissed off and angry is somewhat unsettling.  At this point, as well, I feel like we've still got these stereotypes of the characters.

I read somewhere that both the actors weren't all that fond of how the Asians were being portrayed and I can't say I blame them.  I don't like really like cruel husband/battered wife angle that's used here and at least Sun and Jin get to branch out a bit.  Despite the clicheness used in the making of this episode, I actually like the plot.

The cool part is the miscommunication and not only how Michael doesn't understand why he's being beaten but how the Koreans are distant/cut off from the others because their lack of knowing English.  It was a cool aspect to play and I'm glad the writers took a chance on having two characters primarily speak another language.  I feel like it works well and, especially in these early episodes, it shows how these people are still strangers, how they stick with what they know, and how easily we as a society can alienate from each other.  A big part of the first season was learning to cope with not only surviving a disaster but learning to live with those you're stuck with and becoming a part of society instead of distancing yourself from it.  I give the writers props for that one.

Another aspect of the A-Plot I liked is that Michael and Walt are starting to bond.  It's a slow process but I'm so glad that we get these little moments, such as Michael knowing Walt's birthday, because to keep the tension between the two of them would become insufferable.  (granted, Michael's Walt call did become unbearable, so I guess be careful for what you wish for.)

Okay, so major plot twist here, Sun speaks English.  It might have been a bigger moment had they not ruined it in the flashbacks.  I'm glad, though, that they had one of them speaking English so that it wouldn't be impossible for them to communicate with everyone else.  Anyway, I'm not sure if there's much to talk about regarding Sun and Jin's on island relationship.  She stands by him even though he's coming off as a jerk over a meaningless item.  It's kinda black and white and while the plotline of why is intriguing, I feel like there's not any overall depth on the Sun/Jin side of the episode.  (though, the Michael/Walt does bring out the father/son issues as well as bringing up the racism card.)

Also, this also hints at the Michael/Sun possible romance but, again, I'm so glad that didn't really go anywhere.  Then again, this episode kinda hinted at Kate and Sayid, too, which was weird.  Makes me wonder how they would tie it up had they only had 13 episodes. 

Okay, b-plot #1: Tension over the caves and Jack and Kate take a break part 1.

First of all, about the caves, I didn't really notice it the first time I saw the show, but something that has stuck out to me on rewatch is that all these issues over the caves seem irrelevant.  I mean, why can't they have people taking turns going to the beach to keep the light going and staying in the caves?  Jack does have a point, that the caves are a natural shelter.  I'm not sure why they all decided it had to be one or the other, though it's obvious, the writers just wanted some tension within the group.  I will admit, it does seem a little forced and Sayid's little temper tantrum about it seems a little over the top as well.

Anyway, about those bodies they found.  I have to wonder what (who) the writers intended for them to be.  I mean, after 2000 years, I'm pretty sure the clothes wouldn't still be there and I'm hard pressed to believe that Jack would be THAT bad at identifying the corpses.  I don't know, I just feel like the real answer was sorta a let down (not that I really ever needed and answer to the question).  I just figured that the original idea behind them would have been more interesting than what we ended up getting.  Or, maybe they didn't know at all.  But I assure you, they didn't know it'd be MiB and Mother.


What I don't understand is Kate.  Like usual.  I get her character doesn't do "taco night", which is kinda what moving into the caves is equivalent to.  I get that she's a runner and wants off the island right away to run...to where?  I don't know.  That's the thing about Kate.  Why does she do the things she does?  And it's obvious, by the ending montage, that Kate misses Jack and Jack misses Kate but it seems so contrived when there's really no issue there at all.  I mean, they act like they've completely broken up when there hasn't been anything to break up.  So--brings me to the point that I feel like the romance would have been completely organic at this point and they should have let it play out.  They still could have had their triangle, etc, but at this point it just seems like pointless drama.

And because you can have Jack and Kate drama without mentioning Sawyer, I have to ask--why is Sawyer so interested in where Kate's staying at this point?  It seems a little premature for him to be asking about it.  Though, I feel like it's hitting the audience over the head as to where they planned to go with it.  *groans*

Anyway, b-plot #2: Charlie, Locke, and the beehive.  This entire subplot is really just set up for the Charlie centric next episode.  Locke is still coming off as weirdo mystery man, though at least this early in, he's attempting to do Charlie a favor.  The whole purpose is to show that Locke knows Charlie is a drug addict and wants Charlie to decide for himself to stop using.  I don't feel like there's much to say at this point since the next episode covers the real issues here.  But Charlie does get the awesome lines of the episode and he is on his way to recovery.  Also, I love that Charlie gets his guitar back because, well, I like guitars.  Anyway, on the plus side, this is a step for Charlie's growth, which this early in I think is still entertaining.  The negative side, Charlie growing up so fast means there's nothing for him to do later on--but that's season two.

Flashbacks:
The one thing I have to criticize the show for, it's the overuse of flashbacks and how they don't really stand up over time like the rest of the show does.  But, I have to say, I do like and appreciate these first Sun/Jin flashbakcs more than I did when the show first aired.  I suppose I've grown to enjoy Sun and Jin more than I used to.  I kinda love their first flashbacks, showing how much they were in love with each other.  They're so sweet and beautiful and I don't really care what you may say happened between point A and B, I feel like the on island Sun and Jin are just different people all around.  But, I suppose, in a sense, they find their way back to who they once were.  Maybe that's the point...

Anyway, one thing I didn't like...Sun's dad being apart of the Korean mafia or something.  Really?  Does he have to be an overbearing douche who hates Jin for no real reason, even if we don't even see him in this episode?  I suppose the use of external issues putting pressure on their marriage instead of internal issues made it possible for them to reconcile eventually but I'm not sure how realistic that is.

Granted, what about this show is realistic?

Anyway, the flashbacks are very well done in this episode.  (and how awesome is that that they're all in Korean?)  The ending was sweet as well, when she can't leave him at the airport.  You can convince me that Sun and Jin's relationship ended up being any healthier than the silly triangle but I think their moments of love and affection ring truer at times. 

The Little Things:
*First mention of Jack's tattoos.  I mean, okay, I feel like it's obvious that they belong to Matthew Fox.  The writers should have dropped it at this.  Why is it so unusual for a doctor to have tattoos?  Why did anyone think that the audience would care what they meant?  There are some mysteries that are should always remain mysterious--the tattoos were one of them.
*The show has done some rather violent things but Jin beating up Michael in front of Walt has always been at the top of the most uncomfortable list.  I always want to fast forward.
*Jack and Kate ripping off their shirts because of the bees seems like gratitous nudity overkill.  Humorously so.  I mean, on a show about a bunch of people stranded on an island, I'm sure there are much better ways of getting your actors to take off their shirts.
*Well, now we know who the skeletons really belong to.  Granted, I'm still not fond of the answer.
*Why did the writers feel the need to have Sawyer recap the episode so far?  It seemed so unnecessary and somewhat insulting as the situation wasn't that difficult to understand.
*I still feel like it's Sayid, not Jack, who's doing a lot of the leading of the group.  I suppose this dynamic, and the slight shift of Sayid's character, doesn't really happen until Solitary.
*Willie Nelson asks us is this where we want to be.  We get it writers.  We do...

Favorite Quotes:
CHARLIE: If you guys are finished verbally copulating we should get a move on.

KATE: Hey, Charlie. Ask Jack about his tattoos.
CHARLIE: Oh, you guys have an inside joke. How absolutely wonderful for you both.

KATE: It was, um, it was full of bees.
CHARLIE: I'd have thought C's, actually.

WALT: You don't know anything about me.
MICHAEL: I know a lot about you.
WALT: Yeah?
MICHAEL: Yeah.
WALT: When's my birthday?
MICHAEL: August 24th. When's mine?
MICHAEL: I know you can't understand a word, and normally I'm not the talking out loud type, but since I have a captive audience, I hope for your sake you pay attention. I'm not exactly having the best month of my life. I barely knew my son, and now, I gotta be his daddy. And then to top if off, I have a deranged Korean guy trying to kill me and for what?! Look, I get it, right [takes the watch out of his pocket]. It's the watch. Mine broke and I found this in the wreckage, and I figured, "hey, why let a $20,000 dollar watch go to waste"? Which is ridiculous since time doesn't matter on a damn Island!

Unanswered Questions:
The major unanswered question of this episode actually got answered, even if I didn't like the answer.  So, I suppose I should ask, what were the writers originally intending with those caves?

More importantly though, why was Kate so hellbent on staying on the beach?  I'm still not sure I fully understand that. 

Grade: B+  It really is a fantastic episode.  The main plot is incredibly intriguing, with a decent twist at the end.  The contrived drama over the caves brings it down a little and Locke/Charlie storyline drags a little since it'll be the focus of the next episode.  But one of the few S1-3 episodes where I don't feel like fast-forwarding through all the flashbacks.

Lostpedia guide for trivia, etc: Lostpedia

Water Under the Bridge

Episode 1x5: White Rabbit
Directed by: Kevin Hooks
Written by: Christian Tayler
Airdate: 10-20-04

Summary: Jack runs around chasing his dead father.  Meanwhile, someone stole the last of the water.
Centric: Jack

Review:
I'm not sure which of the writers have a thing for Alice in Wonderland, but the references are scattered throughout the series.  I mean, I get it, the island being this place where nothing is at it seems, full of strange characters and unexplainable things--but, I suppose I've never been an Alice fan.  Ah, well...

This episode is Jack heavy.  And while I do like Jack, it really has a lot of Jack running around the jungle and, well, running around the jungle.  I get it, though, I do.  Jack's chasing his dead father's ghost.  The purpose of the whole episode is that Jack can't accept the role of leadership until he's dealt with his father's death.  In a way, he doesn't really deal with his father issues until the very end of the series but I suppose this episode can be marked as progress.  Anyway, an interesting note is that once he's brought back to his father's coffin, and seemingly accepted his father's death, he's able to find water and bring it back to camp, also in time to step up into his role as leader.  It's a nice piece of storytelling--a set piece for Jack in a sense, and it also holds strands of the EPIC HEROIC QUEST often found in literature.  Jack is, of course, the classic flawed hero.  My only issue is that while Jack is running around, chasing his white rabbit, nothing really happens.  Maybe it's because I know what happens, maybe because there's no sense of danger when Jack is obviously not going to get killed off this early on, but Jack's struggle in the jungle isn't that captivating.

I should mention his conversation with Locke.  It's interesting that it takes five episodes to set up the two sides--Jack, a man of science and logic against (though sometimes with) Locke who is a man of faith and intuition.  They are two halves of a whole and it's a running theme throughout the series.  It's interesting how much of a spiritual like entity Locke is--shows up, tells Jack to deal with his crap, believe in the island, and get back to where he's needed.  Then Locke disappears for the rest of the episode.  Obviously, Locke doesn't convince Jack to be a believer yet but at least it gives him the kick in the pants to finish his quest.

Meanwhile, back on the ranch, they're almost out of water and there's a manhunt for who took the rest of it.  Kate and Sayid take the lead with Jack gone.  Investigations are always fun.  The scene where Sawyer is accused of taking the water is interesting--there is definitely some underlining tension between Kate and Sawyer there.  Just wanted to note that.  Anyway, the main thing is that this small group of people can't really work well without someone leading them, telling them what to do.  I suppose it's a comment on human nature and how every man for himself, or ungoverned chaos, doesn't really work.

I need to comment on Boone, because he's such a tool in this episode.  I'm not sure why he has such an issue with Jack at the beginning, nor am I sure why he just didn't tell anyone he took the water.  Either way, it does knock him down a few notches in the other survivors and makes an interesting contrast to the already villainous Sawyer.  Actually, I'd say that Sawyer admitting he doesn't really like being hated almost humanizes him--though the guy has a long way to go. 

Also, there are some softer moments between Charlie and Claire.  I suppose their not only to show their growing bond but also to lighten the episode some.  They're very sweet and I kind of miss a time when Claire was just a sweet pregnant girl and not a harping baby mama or crazy nutjob.

Flashbacks:
I don't know what happened to the writer's with their fathers but everyone on this show has daddy issues and this episode sets it up.  First of all, Christian is just a horrible person all the way around.  I don't know why they even try to redeem him later--he's just a jerk.  To tell your kid that he'll never be as good as you are, nor try at what comes natural to him because he's destine to fail, well, that just completely sucks.  I'm not sure if it's ever explicitly figured out why Christian is a major douche but he is and it's no wonder Jack has so many issues.  But, I suppose if Christian had told Jack he loved him every once in a while, Jack wouldn't be on the island trying to eventually save the world.

Also, we get hints of the rift that happened between Jack and Christian and the fact that they couldn't work it out before Christian drank himself to death.  The flashbacks nicely line up with the episode by showing that Christian had died but Jack never got a chance to bury his father properly and make his peace with it--hence not being able to fully lead because he hasn't dealt with his issues.  Nice work writers, I really enjoy that the early episode flashbacks actually related to what was going on on the island. 

One thing I wonder--what about Jack's mom?  We don't really get to see much of her and they never really explain the relationship between Christian and Jack's mom.  Are they married still? Can't be a healthy marriage because Christian goes off and has Claire.  Plus, why is she so pissy towards Jack?  I mean, Christian is the one that screwed up.  I don't know, I've always wondered about her and if Jack didn't just have daddy issues.

The Little Things:
*Kate's a Gemini--but not for the reason Claire lists.
*Sawyer as a reader starts here--I like that they gave him that hobby.
*Locke still seems absolutely giddy to accept his new role as dude willing to go into the jungle and be bad-ass.  I never noticed how subtle Terry O'Quinn's performance is (was).
*It's ironic that Sawyer gives Kate the marshal's badge when she was the marshal's prisoner.
*Locke's "what if we came here for a reason" line has been used in just about every promo and tribute video I've ever seen for the show.
*The first time the Life and Death theme is played. 

Favorite Quotes:

SAWYER: You're in my light, sticks.
SHANNON: Lightsticks? What the hell is that supposed to...?
SAWYER: Light, comma, sticks.

LOCKE: Because a leader can't lead until he knows where he's going. 

JACK: [off camera, at first] Leave him alone! It's been six days and we're all still waiting. Waiting for someone to come. But what if they don't? We have to stop waiting. We need to start figuring things out. A woman died this morning just going for a swim and he tried to save her, and now you're about to crucify him? We can't do this. Everyman for himself is not going to work. It's time to start organizing. We need to figure out how we're going to survive here. Now, I found water. Fresh water, up in the valley. I'll take a group in at first light. If you don't want to go come then find another way to contribute. Last week most of us were strangers, but we're all here now. And god knows how long we're going to be here. But if we can't live together, we're going to die alone.

SAWYER: So, how does it feel?
BOONE: How does what feel?
SAWYER: Taking my place at the top of everyone's most hated list. Sucks, don't it?

Unanswered Questions:
*Why was smokey impersonating Christian--hence leading Jack to water?  Especially, since smokey liked to kill off the survivors.  The unclarity of smokey's, and Jacob's for that matter,  motives sometimes makes the story harder to interpret.  Granted, I wish the writer's hadn't even told us it was smokey, I prefer thinking it was just Christian's ghost or a hullicination. 

*What happened to the body in the casket?  It's not that relevant but, really, did it fall out?  Did the other's take it?  Did the Oceanic people just place in an empty coffin to placate Jack?  I guess I don't need an answer but why even put that bit in there if nothing is going to come out of it? 

Grade: B It's a solid episode, it's nice that Jack doesn't stay the reluctant hero for a long time but the montages of Jack running through the jungle slow the episode down.  At least the mystery of who stole the water brings some tension into the episode. 

Trivia:
Uh, haven't found anything that interesting to share.  I can always update again later. 

Lostpedia 1x5

Lord of the Files

Episode 1x4:Walkabout
Directed by: Jack Bender
Written by: David Fury
Airdate: 10-13-04

Summary: Locke hunts boar.  The fuselage burns.
Centric: Locke

Review:
John Locke was an English philosopher in case you didn't know.  One cool layer about Lost is that it's always had its ties to allegory and if you did your homework, which I know many did, you could uncover the deeper meaning--sometimes implied or not implied by the writers.  I don't know what the philosopher John Locke preached.  I could look it up, but I'm lazy and there are other, better places to find the connections between philosopher John Locke and Lostie John Locke.

That said, I'm going to be upfront.  Locke has never been a favorite character of mine.  I have more of an appreciation for him now then I did when the show started, but I can't say that I've ever been compelled by him--not in the way I'm interested in other characters.  I will, however, mention that it should be noted that Terry O'Quinn gives one of the most brilliant performances in this show as Locke.  Despite not caring for a character, I can't help but praise the actor, who always does a fantastic job.

This episode is a lot denser than the previous one, though I've always noticed that Kate episodes tend to be a bit shallower.  Anyway, the interesting thing is how much more you can get out of it the second time around.  I mean, not only is there a ton of hints giving away that Locke may have been in a wheelchair, but the sheer giddiness Locke tries to mask over being all bad-ass and going boar hunting is not someone will notice the first time around.  Again, brilliant writing, directing, and acting all around.  Interestingly, outside of the flashbacks, there isn't THAT much Locke in the episode, with everything else going on.  He pretty much kills a boar and comes back.  But it should be also noted that he was the first one to really "see" the island--thus starting Locke's journey of faith and destiny.

Kate and Michael decide to go with Locke on his little hunt.  Kate's doing so to help out Sayid, and as Jack wisely points out, because Kate doesn't know what to do with herself if she's in one place for too long.  The only thing I'd really like to note about Kate in this episode is the subtle bit of flirting going on between her and Jack.  Because it's there and I think it's cute and I'm a softie at heart for the smaller moments--especially before the triangle convoluted and blown to hell.

Michael is a whole other set of issues.  Okay, you know, on rewatch, Michael just pisses me off more and more.  First of all, there are about 40 other English speaking people on the island and he asks the non English speaking Korean, with whom he share and uncomfortable moment, to watch his boy.  Um, why?  It's a good thing that Sun knows how to speak English because, surely, she would have been confused.  Also, I realize that there's this whole father-son issue thing going on between Michael and Walt but I can't fault Michael completely.  Walt's a pain in the ass.  I just wanna smack that kid.  I can't wait until about half way through this season when they actually bond so we can be done with it.  Also, Michael doesn't add anything more to the trek than Kate does.  At least he begrudgingly tells Locke he did a good job.  I still don't get the hate there other than Locke is pretty damn creepy. 

Meanwhile...
I feel like Kate's episode was more of an extension of the pilot.  This episode, with the symbolic burning of the bodies, and with the lack of food, starts the realization that they have to start fending for themselves.  Granted, it won't be until next episode where they come to the conclusion that they'll have to start working together.

Jack, interestingly, really stays away from the action in this episode.  I take the separation, and the distaste towards doing the burning ceremony, as a way to avoid the leadership role that is being thrust upon him and the fact that a ceremony would mean having to deal with the death of his father--and he is so not ready to do that yet.  So, Jack spends all his time with Rose--in a way, wanting to be alone as she is.   Oh, and Jack's dad appears but more on that later. 

As for the burning ceremony itself--eh.  It's sweet that Claire leads it but I suppose since we never knew anyone who died and because we didn't experience the crash itself, it's hard to identify.  It's a necessary scene, as the survivors would have to mourn not only the dead, as Jack put it in Kate's episode, the death of themselves and their previous lives. 

In yet another plotline (it seems like there are so many in this episode), Boone and Shannon have it out and Shannon gets Charlie to fish.  It's a humorous side piece to the drama going on around it.  While I still find Shannon to be absolutely shallow beyond belief, the fishing scene between Charlie and Hurley is a delight, as well as Charlie's slow realization that Shannon used him to catch the fish. 

Flashbacks:
Don't tell me what I can't do!! Locke's mantra for, like, the entire series.  Also, WTF, Locke was in a wheelchair!!??!?!  Okay, I believe Lost's infamous WTF moments were set up with the creepy French transmission in the pilot.  But the wheelchair reveal is revered as one Lost's most defining moments.  Honestly, I don't remember being that shocked the first time I saw it--more so, like, huh, cool, the island had powers.  People definitely went ballistic over it, though.

Anyway, the point of Locke's flashbacks is to contrast how crappy Locke's life was before he crashed to the his bad-ass life after the crash.  I have to give everyone involved lots of credit for the way it was presented.  I mean the drastic difference between a droning on office life vs life out in the wilderness was incredibly done.  That said, Locke's pathetic life has always been a little too depressing for me.  He's just so pathetic.  The phone call between the phone sex girl and Locke has always made me so uncomfortable that I don't usually watch it.  I think Locke's droll pre-island self is just one reason I never warmed to the character.

I don't know why people love Locke so much, maybe it's because I think everyone, in a way, can relate to Locke.  I mean, there are so many people that are like him--kinda holding that patheticness about them.  I mean, all of the Losties are screwed up wack-jobs, but, before they went crazy with the father issues, Locke was definitely relatable.   Hmm...maybe I just prefer the insane implausibility of everyone else.  

The Little Things:
*While I understand Sayid's dislike of disregarding proper burial, his strong reaction against the body burnings have always rubbed me the wrong way.  Maybe since I'm in the same state of mind as Jack--or maybe because religion isn't a big part of my life.  But, I always wonder, how would they ever figure out what kind of religion everyone was anyway? 
*It's amusing that Rose comments on Jack's bedside manner--something he is definitely not known for.
*Between Hurley attempting to beat the snot out of Sawyer and his attempt at fishing, he certainly is entertaining.  Hurley is and always has been one of my favorite characters. 
*Sun makes toothpaste.  Her awesome knowledge of plants is, well, just plain awesome. 
*Rose names her husband Bernard--and we spend a heck of a lot of time wondering if he's alive or not.
*Kate claims she's climbed a lot worse than that tree.  Makes me wonder...

Favorite Quotes:

CLAIRE: Somebody's in there.
SAYID: Everyone in there's dead.
JACK: Sawyer.
SAWYER: Right behind you, Jackass.

JACK: We don't have time to sort out everybody's god.
CHARLIE: Really, last I heard we were positively made of time.

KATE: If I didn't know any better, I'd say your worried about me, Jack.
JACK: If I didn't know any better, I'd say you have a problem staying in one place for very long, Kate
BOONE: I hate to break it to you—the ocean is not going to take your gold card.


CHARLIE: What? Fishing? My grand-dad used to take me out, taught me everything he knows. Everything he knew, he's dead now, god rest his soul. Yeah, I'm like a … I'm a fishing fiend. I mean England's an island so I just throw it in and … fish.

Unanswered Questions:
You know what I want to know--why were there so many tarps on that plane?  Makes me wonder what was in that cargo...

No, actually, the big unanswered question in this episode is what did Locke see when the smoke monster came to him.  You know, so many people want to know that question.  I suppose I don't really care--or the short answer is the same thing everyone else saw--their life or their destiny or whatever you think the smoke monster represents.  I'm not sure why the question needs an answer.

I suppose another question that can be asked is how did the island heal Locke.  Well, you know, the same way it travels through time and space and does all the other weird crap it does.  The simple answer is that it's a magic island.  Why people need that more defined is beyond me as I believe an actual spelled explanation not only limits the imagination but would be disappointing. 

Grade: A-  That's not really so much a personal grade but the grade it deserves for it's overall execution.  The writing and acting are excellent all the way around and the story has wonderful balance to it.  It also uses the characters well, even if the episode is stuffed.  The only drawback, to me, is the Locke focus, and the uncomfortableness I find in his flashback story. 

Trivia:
*After Randy  confronts Locke about the TPS reports, Locke returns to work, using his adding machine. As the receipt prints, the clicking sound of the smoke monster  can be heard. This makes sense because according to the producer's podcast, the Monster sound was taken from a taxi receipt printer in a NY taxi.
*The original title was going to be Lord of the Files
*John Terry hadn't been cast for Christian yet, so someone else is in the role.  Nadia also hadn't been cast, so the pictures Sayid holds were originally of someone else.

Lostpedia 1x4

Blank Slate

Episode 1x3: Tabula Rasa
Directed by: Jack Bender
Written by: Damon Lindeloff
Airdate: 10-6-04

Summary: The US Marshall exposes Kate's secret.  Kate stares wistfully...
Centric: Kate

Review:
So, we get our first true Kate episode.  Here's my thing about Kate--I feel like the writers, while seeming to love the character, never really knew what to do with her.  Starting out now, she's still a pretty strong character, which I appreciate for a female role, which with her mysterious background makes her interesting at this point.  Even knowing all that's coming after it, I think is one of the few good Kate episodes, as it is early in the series and still trying to establish who these characters are and their new relationships with each other.

That said, this is still a Kate episode and like most of them, I can't really claim that anything really happens in them.  Basically, the Marshall is dying and, in a way, makes his peace with Kate as he does so.  We're also alluded to her mysterious past, as the Marshall deems her completely dangerous.  I still find that amusing, as Kate seems harmless, but I suppose the writers wanted to use that angle to create some drama early on. 

While the plot doesn't really go anywhere, I think I liked the setting up of various character relationships in this one.  First of all, there's Kate with Jack.  I mean, these two seem to hit it off, then Jack's perfect little view of her is shattered when he finds out she's a convict.  I think, also, and something that is explored later, Kate doesn't want Jack to know anything about her past.  She likes the idea of having a blank slate or "Tabula Rasa" as the title suggests.  I have to give her credit for being somewhat intuitive because I think it's clear that she knows Jack wouldn't take well to her past and she'd like him to keep that pedastol ideal of her--because, in a way, she herself would like to be that person.  I also find it amusing that once she gets back she goes straight to Jack to tell him about more creepy island stuff.  One day in and she already considers Jack her BFF.  So, yeah, the tension between these two characters, the innitial gravitation between the two of them vs the reality of their stark difference is already there.  What I really like, though, is Jack's maturity at the end, where he basically lets Kate off the hook by telling her that everyone gets to start over on the island.  Of course, that is a metaphor for all of them,  and a theme of the entire series--second chances, but on a smaller level, it's a nice moment of understanding between Jack and Kate.  It may only last a half dozen episodes but at least it's there.

We've also got the set up of Kate and Sawyer's relationship--really more so than I ever have given thought.  These two seem to gravitate to each other naturally as well, but more so in a two of a kind, outsider type ways.  Sawyer may not be aware of that yet, but Kate, even early on, is the only one who can really deal with him, as she finds him a familiar type.  Also like to point out that she's already got him doing crap for her.  Heh... I find it amusing that she won't off the Marshall herself, she has to have Sawyer do it.

For that matter, the antagonistic relationship between Sawyer and Jack is created here, too.  As Sawyer points out, Jack is a man holding on to civilization while Sawyer has accepted that they've entered 'the wild'.  While Jack will get into more philosophy discussions with Locke--Jack and Sawyer's varying character traits are very much on display.  I do want to say, though, I like that Sawyer had a humanizing moment after shooting the Marshall and missing.  He had been awfully cocky and overly confident up until that point.  His remorse later shows that he's not just an evil hick with a bad attitude but a very layered screwed up man.  (as are all the losties.)

Oh good god, the whole freaking love triangle was established in this episode.  While I do find it interesting and good character development at this point, I will say it does get tiresome the more they drag it out. 

The other Kate issue that is brought up is the fact that she runs---from everything---partly because she enjoys it partly out of necessity.  At the moment, it's a character trait.  Unfortunately, it's an aspect of her character that will become pounded into us and her issue with running becomes soley what the character is about. 

In other news around the island--
Since we start in on centric episodes, the characters take their turns fading into the background.  Like, Boone and Shannon don't really do anything in this episode.

Charlie and Claire begin to bond.  It's cute and sweet in a junior high way.  I like their relationship pre-Aaron, it was always a bit innocent.

There's kinda a b-plot with Michael.  First of all, he accidentally runs into a half naked Sun.  It's kinda funny/weird and there definite signs of showing a Michael-Sun-Jin triangle early on but, for some reason (thankfully) the writers seemed to deviate away from that.  Michael also goes hunting for Walt's dog Vincent.  Locke is the one who actually gets him back and does the nice guy thing and let Michael return the dog to Walt.  I'm not entirely sure why Michael has such issues with Locke--it kinda bugs me.  But a lot about Michael bugs me.

One quick note about Locke--after three episodes, the characters are pretty much all set and presented.  Except for Locke.  No wonder people found him highly intriguing at first--we really didn't know a thing about him or his character up to this point. 

Flashbacks:
The only thing Kate's flashbacks do is establish why she's in Australia.  She's on the run.   That's kinda it.  Oh, and that whatever she did, she's can't be THAT bad of a person if she tried to save the life of the person who turned her in.  She's still a murderer...whatever.  And really, it's a good thing that the show didn't over do the flashbacks at the beginning.  Once you've seen them, on rewatch you can easily sleep through them and not miss anything interesting or important. 

The Little Things:
*When Hurley first learns of Kate, he's very hesitant and somewhat scared of her.  I find it amusing, since I don't think the dynamic really comes back.  And, for that matter, how many times do Kate and Hurley interact on this show?
*Sayid gives a little speech at the beginning of the episode dictating and organizing the rest of the losties.  So, um, why wasn't he named leader at this point?
*In the beginning, Josh Holloway tried to shed his southern accent.  I feel like it's most notable here than anywhere else.  I'm glad the producers asked him to use his natural accent--he doesn't seem as Sawyer without it.
*I completely forgot that season one was full of musical montages at the end.  I really love the song "Wash Away"
*I should have mentioned this in the previous episode, but also a season one trait, revealing the centricity of the next episode by focusing on that character in the last scene.

Favorite Quotes:
SAWYER: Nice stick.
Out of context, it doesn't seem so funny, but it really is..

CHARLIE: What are you making?
LOCKE: Whistle.
CHARLIE: I used some tribal flutes once in a recording session. I'm in a band.

MICHAEL: I'm going to get your dog back as soon as it stops raining. Hey listen to me, I'm going to get your dog back. [The rain stops.] 
It's all about the timing.

JACK: I don't want to know. It doesn't matter, Kate, who we were - what we did before this, before the crash. It doesn't really... 3 days ago we all died. We should all be able to start over.

Unanswered Questions:
It's a Kate episode--rarely do they pertain to the mythology of the show.  Rarely do they ever do anything besides show Kate's relationship with Jack and/or Sawyer.  (And later Aaron).  For the life of me, I didn't have any after this--but then, I'm not that picky about really specific questions.  So, uh, none for now...

Grade: B- Despite the fact that Kate episodes genuinely never add anything significant to the story, the on island story is still captivating this early in.  Really, the only thing that bogs it down is the flashbacks and there are only a few of them. 

Trivia:
*An interesting tidbit, the writers found it implausible that Sawyer would miss the marshal at such a close range--and thus creating Sawyer's vision problems. 
*Kate claims to be a Canadian during her flashback scenes.  Actually, Evangeline Lilly is Canadian.  I'm always amused they let her keep her accent since she's supposed to be American.

Lostpedia 1x3

Monster ate the Pilot (reprise)

Episode 1x2: Pilot pt. 2
Directed by: JJ Abrams
Written by: JJ Abrams, Damon Lindeloff, and Jeffrey Lieber
Airdate: 9-29-04

Summary: Plane crash survivors deal with being on a weirdo island.  And there's a polar bear.
Centric: Kate/Charlie

Review:
Something that I never really noticed until today, while the first episode is mostly action and an introduction to Jack as the main character, the second half the pilot sets up the plot of the series and does a pretty good job of setting up everyone else.  It's definitely more character driven, which Lost always strived to be, and is a nice balance to the first half.  I'm still under the belief that this two-parter, which was originally meant to be one but ended up being broken up over two weeks, has got to be one of the best television pilots in history.  It's pacing, cinematography, plot, and characterization is absolutely excellent.  I'm not sure I can say enough praise about this opening--it's movie like in quality and very grabbing, which is great for television.  No matter where Lost meandered afterwards, it still started with a bang.

I have to give the writers a lot of credit for having a cast so big.  Almost all shows, and Lost does have this happen to it to a degree, get bogged down with a heavy cast.  Looking back, I'm still surprised that they did have a great deal of balance early on. 

While the main plot is essentially a group going to see if the transceiver works, it's really about these people trying to cope with the trauma they just experienced--

So, let's start with Jack.  It's going to be a while before Jack really lets it sink it what's going on and what happened.  He's still very much in leader/survivor/doctor mode.  It's interesting he doesn't get a lot of screen time, since he is the main character of the entire show, but I think it's great that the writers decide to have him step back so that the other characters don't seemed stifled by his presence.  His main concern in this episode is saving the Marshall--whom we'll learn more about in the next episode, so I'll let that be for now.  But really, all he does in this episode is his doctor thing--which may be one of the few times we don't see him trying to take control of everything.

Alright, so people who did not go on the hike-
Well, there's Hurley, who is quickly making his place as the comic relief.  I've always loved Hurley, even from the beginning.  He is the true everyday man of the story.  He is the audience, something that would come in handy to the writers later.

There's Sun and Jin, who demonstrate that they have marital issues.  I've always had a love/hate relationship with these two.  I love the fact that Lost went out on a limb and showed characters of different races/nationalities, and even went to go so far as making them speak only in Korean.  That was always a joy to watch.  I'm not sure if they ever had any real purpose, though, except being true b-characters.  Anyway, this early on, Jin is kinda a jerk and Sun is repressed.  It is a nice touch, though, to add to the complexity of the characters, that Jin is the only one that's being practical and fishing for everyone who's crashed. 

Claire still hasn't done much but at least her baby is fine and it's a cute scene when she feels her baby kick and has a bewildered Jin touch her stomach. 

Michael starts his infamous Walt calling this early on.  Yeah, yeah, there's definitely a father/son issue thing going on here, but knowing where it goes, I find it one of the more annoying aspects of the show at this early stage, right above Boone and Shannon.

And then there's Locke, who just sits and takes it in.  Really, his character doesn't change that much, while everyone else's character evolves around him.  He plays backgammon with Walt and gives us our first light vs. dark reference.  Now, do I think that the writers figured out this early about Jacob and Smokey and the good vs. evil of the story?  No, I'm not naive.  I think the only thing they knew was that the ultimate story would revolve around light vs. dark--and this was a way to set it up.

Alright, so meanwhile, there's a group going through the jungle to get a signal for the transceiver.  I'm not convinced that it takes that many people to go on such a hike, but it's nice character development.  Kate and Charlie I'll get to in their flashbacks.  Boone and Shannon still have no redeeming qualities and I'm not surprised that they were the first ones killed off because there was never any depth to their characters.  They were annoying spoiled brats, whom once dealt with what petty issues they had, really had no more purpose on the island.  Anyway, it was nice, though, to let Shannon be the one to figure out the French transmission. 

Sayid and Sawyer are both layered and complex characters, which ultimately make them more interesting.  First of all, I love that there's an Arab character.  It's nice to see one, especially since this came out not long after 9/11, portrayed as a hero.  Sawyer is a southern jackass.  I used to hate Sawyer back in the day.  I love the character now and so I can appreciate his growth in the earlier seasons, but man I hated him back then.  Anyway, they both still have a lot of mystery to them, which was appealing, unlike Boone and Shannon, whom you pretty much guess all you need to know about them in the first five minutes of meeting them. 

There are two scenes this episode that have always stuck out to me.  The first one being the polar bear sequence.  Not only is it funny, it's a complete WTF?? moment that Lost was often good at.  The mystery of the polar bear was one of the things that intrigued me to the series. 

The other scene is the last one, where they get the creepy French transmission.  It was a scene that set up that Lost wasn't just going to be about a bunch of survivors--there would be a deep mystery involved.  I have to admit, when I first saw that scene, it gave me chills--literally, it freaked me out.  But I was also hooked.  After the first episode, I figured I'd give it a few episodes decide if I really wanted to continue, but man, that last scene really made me hold on. 

Flashbacks:
Alright, as usual, the flashbacks help define the characters.  Charlie has a FB first, and basically shows how he's so drug addicted, that even when the plane is crashing, he still needs his fix.  This, of course, makes the character seem much more pathetic, but the hobbit is charming enough that there's sympathy to be felt.  It's a bit of a cliche, the drug addicted rock star, and I'm glad they cast Dom in the role because if they had stuck to their plan, the rock star being an aging, washed out star, then I don't think it would have worked all that well. 

The other flashback belongs to Kate and establishes that she is some sort of criminal.  I remember being intrigued by the idea of a criminal on the loose, set up by the handcuffs, though in hindsight, I find it slightly hard to believe that Kate is all that dangerous---even if she did blow up her dad.  Anyway, we don't learn much about her, which elevates her character to mysterious as well.  Unfortunately, as time goes on, the more we learn about Kate, the less interesting she becomes.

The Little Things:
*I enjoy the quiet moment of Sayid and Hurley bonding over their dislike of Sawyer.  We don't get to see much of them together in this show
*It's weird, in the beginning, I wonder if there was going to be some weird love triangle between Jack-Sayid-Kate.  It's definitely there in the first few episodes.  What else is quite apparent is the chemistry between Josh Holloway and Evangeline Lilly, which I don't think was ever scripted.  I'm not a shipper by any means, but it definitely jumped out on screen and I'm sure it took the writers by surprise.
*It's interesting to me that Kate feels that she needs to tell Jack before she does anything.  It's kinda metaphor for how their relationship will be.
*Walt finds a Spanish comic book.  It doesn't mean anything, but there's a nice bit of continuity with it later.
*I love that Hurley says 'dude' all the time. 
*There's a moment early on where Kate is cleaning herself.  While it's an obvious excuse to get Lilly into her underwear, I think it is interesting that Sun comes to talk to her.  It's a nice contrast of how repressed Sun is at the time, having to stay all buttoned up. 
*If the whole transmission is in French, why are the iteration numbers in English?
*Charlie's last line, 'guys where are we', has been the single most overused line in the course of the show.  Every promo anywhere, used to describe Lost, has used that line. 
*I should really add that the music score and the on location shooting just adds to the awesome atmosphere of the show, not specifically in this episode but in all episodes. 

Favorite Quotes:
SHANNON: My brother. Boone. God's friggin' gift to humanity.

BOONE: That can't be a polar bear.
SAYID and KATE: [at the same time] It's a polar bear.
SHANNON: Yeah, but... Polar bears don't usually live in the jungle.
CHARLIE: Spot on.
SAYID: No, polar bears don't live near this far south.
BOONE: This one does.
SAWYER: Did. It did.
KATE: [to Sawyer] Where did that come from?
SAWYER: Probably Bear Village. How the hell do I know?
KATE: Not the bear. The gun.

Unanswered Questions:
You know, a lot of people ask about the polar bear and it's purpose.  I think it's quite spelled out as to why the polar bear is there.  The real question is, why are they still there?  I mean, polar bears don't live to be THAT old, and it's been a good, what, thirty years since Dharma did their experiments.  So did The Others breed them and keep them alive?  I wouldn't put it past Ben.  I don't really care to know or not know the answer to this one, though. 

Grade: A  It's a nice balance to the first half of the pilot.  The characters are defined a little more and some downright creepy moments make this episode stand out.  Truly a masterpiece. 

Trivia:
*JJ Abrams won an Emmy for the pilot.
*Characters created after pilot script was written--Jin, Sun, Hurley.  Jack, Kate, and Charlie's characters were changed.

Lostpedia 1x2

I call this one "Monster Ate the Pilot"

Alright, so I felt it was time to sit down and rewatch "Lost" from start to finish.  I don't believe I have ever done it through all six years, though I have seen most of the episodes, especially the first few seasons, multiple times.  I'm not sure if it's because of nostalgia or what but I felt like going through it again.  Possibly to see the big picture--or to find that there never was a big picture. 

Anyway... 

Episode 1x1: Pilot pt. 1
Directed by: JJ Abrams
Written by: JJ Abrams, Damon Lindeloff, and Jeffrey Lieber
Airdate: 9-22-04

Summary: Plane crashes on a weird island.
Centric: Jack

Review:
I remember first coming to Lost.  It was the end of my undergrad and I hadn't really been paying much attention to television at that time.  For whatever reason, the early 2000s were nothing but a bursting of new reality shows (which, as a side note, I'm sad to say never really left).  But what I was into at the time, and admit still loving, is/was Lord of the Rings.  Yup, that's right, I started watching Lost because of Lord of the Rings.  Or Dominic Monaghan to be more specific.  LotR had just wrapped up and I was, at the time, not so much now, was following just about every actor in the trilogy.  So, one of the little hobbits was on a new show.  A new show that apparently was getting a lot of buzz.  

So, not that I remember much about it, on Sept. 22nd, 2004, I sat down and watched the pilot of Lost.  There aren't very many shows that I can claim that I watched from the beginning to end.  I do remember my reaction afterwards.  It was simply..."okay, I guess I'll watch."  Lol.  I never expected to actually become addicted to the show.

The opening shot/sequence is absolutely brilliantly done and one of the most fantastic things that I have ever seen on a TV show.  (can't say Ive watched everything...but still...)  The first 8 minutes, depicting the immediate aftermath of the crash, is just engaging.  Every time I watch it, I my eyes are glued to the screen.  I think it carries more weight, now that I know all the characters.  But watching and not knowing anything, I think it's an intriguing and horrific thing to show right off the bat.  It's intense and raw and is probably the best sequence in the history of the show.  I suppose that means the show can never live up to it and, in a way, I suppose the spectacle is never topped, but I believe the epicness is always present. 

It's amusing to me that with the 14 person character cast that only Jack, Kate and (to and extent) Charlie are developed.  Some of them don't talk (Sawyer, Locke).  Others seem to stem from cliches (the pregnant girl-Claire, the bitchy youths-Boone, Shannon, the obligatory cut off foreigners-Jin, Sun)  At least Hurley and Sayid seem to stand out a little bit.  I do realize that one of the beauties of Lost is the slow reveal of who these characters are via flashback, so I can forgive the lack of more in-depth introduction.  Besides, the cast is huge and it would be almost impossible to introduce everyone all at once.  The small snapshots of everyone seem adequate enough to form a first impression. 

So, Jack a doctor and apparently a super-hero, as he's the only one with a clear/level head when helping to save everyone from the wreck.  Everyone is standing around freaking out--as I assume would be the natural reaction to such a thing.  Or maybe just the hero of this story.  We haven't heard about his never ending daddy issues yet but he does cry when telling the tale of how he saved the girl on his first real surgery.  Jack is likable enough at the beginning but seems somewhat generic.  It isn't until the character is taken to crazy limits that I find him more enjoyable. 

Kate is our female hero, who right off the bat, is already smitten with Jack.  I'm not entirely sure why--Matthew Fox isn't going to look that decent until he grows his hair out in season five.  But by that time, Kate's going to know he's crazy.  Ah whatever, if there's one thing to know about Lost, it's that Kate never appears to do anything out of logic or reason.  Anyway, my point is, the writers were attempting the start of an all epic romance here.  Or course that ended up being 'big epic fail' but I thought I'd note that from the beginning it was obvious as to where it was going.  Anyway, while I do like Evangeline Lilly, and find it unfortunate that she never gets anything to do, I find out of the main cast, Kate is the most irrelevant.  I mean, does she actually do anything in this episode?  I suppose she stitches up Jack--but other than that, not much. 

Anyway, the basis of first half of the pilot is the forging friendship of these two characters and their adventures to find the cockpit.  Charlie comes along for the ride as well, but there's no real reason for him to be there--I mean, true, its a plot point later on in the series, but I honestly think they wanted Dom Monaghan on screen as much as they could to market the show. 

The ending sequence is shot almost like a horror film.  I suppose after seeing it a few hundred times, it has since lost the creepiness factor, but the dead people in the cockpit, the rain, the spooky sound effects, and the realization that no one knows where they are since they were of course--all adds up to one hell of an eerie scene.  I'd say this show succeeded in reeling in their audience. 

I could talk about the smoke monster, but I'm not sure if I'm up to it.  Right now, we don't even know it's a smoke monster, it's just strange noises on the island.  I realize it's blasphemous to say, but I find the smoke monster one of the least intriguing aspects of the show and never really cared if it's identity was solved or not.  Oh, and the monster "ate" the pilot.  

Flashbacks:
There's only one FB in this episode and it belongs to Jack.  Takes place right before the plane crashes.  Not much to note, except the entrance of Rose, of the awesome Rose and Bernard couple.  But it starts off the tradition of jumping around in time--slowly revealing the true lives of the characters--which to me, is an awesome storytelling device. 

The Little Things:
*For a show based on a major disaster, I appreciate the small bits of humor we got throughout the episode.  In fact, Lost will be known for having a humorous side. 
*Locke, while not having any lines at all, is the only one to accept the rain fall--hence taking his place as the first believer of the island. 
*I think Kate taking off the dead person's shoes is one of the creepiest moments in the show's history.
*One of my favorite scenes is when they all first hear the monster and stand up.  It's like a nicely choreographed cast shot.

Favorite Quotes:
JACK: Stop! Her head's not tilted far back enough. You're blowing air into her stomach.
BOONE: You sure?
[Jack starts giving her mouth-to-mouth. ]
BOONE: That's exactly what I was doing. I'm a lifeguard. I'm licensed.
JACK: Yeah, well, you need to seriously think about giving that license back.
BOONE: Maybe we should do one of those hole things. You know, stick the pen in the throat?
JACK: Yeah, good idea. You go get me a pen.

JACK: Did you ever … patch a pair of jeans?
KATE: I, uhm, I made the drapes in my apartment.
What I actually find amusing about this exchange is the fact that Kate made her own drapes.  When did she have time to do that between blowing up her dad and being on the run for years...

HURLEY: So, I was just looking inside the fuselage … It's pretty grim in there. You think we should do something about the, uh … [stopping and looking at Walt] b-o-d-y-s?
MICHAEL: What are you spelling, man? "Bodies"?
WALT: B-o-d-i-e-s.


Unanswered Questions:
You know, I thought it'd be interesting to list the questions that should have probably been answered on the show but as I was going through the pilot, I didn't find any that stuck out to me.  I suppose on could ask what Rose thought the monster sounded like but I'm not sure that's all that relevant.  And I believe the answer is the subway--because it sounds just like the New York trains.  

Grade: A  Holds up well even seven years later.  The massive, movie like sequences are still quite fantastic and there's just something fun about going back to the beginning.

Trivia:
*Most expensive pilot shot at the time
*Jack was originally going to be killed off and Michael Keaton was going to play him. I know it can be endlessly debated whether or not this would be a good choice or not but  I'm glad they kept him.
*Kate was originally going to be the main character and her husband would have been one of the tailies.  They made this Rose and Bernard's storyline.  While I find the idea incredibly romantic, I'm glad they didn't go that route knowing how poorly Kate's character ended up being.

I'm under the belief that each episode can be nitpicked apart and because these reviews are mainly for my own opinions on how I felt about watching the episode, I'm adding the lostpedia page for a reference to everything and anything more in-depth.
Lostpedia page: http://lostpedia.wikia.com/wiki/Pilot,_Part_1