617 – The End – No Bloodbath

A Lack of Death

616 – What They Died For

Review:

If that was a set up episode then it was the best one ever.  I don’t think it was a set up episode, it seemed more like it was part one of the finale.  I can barely even count all the things that happened tonight.

First of all the surviving Candidates mobilized and decided to follow the plan to kill “Locke”.  Finally they’ve stopped trying to escape.

Secondly Ben is in the position of a lifetime.  He’s conning the most powerful being on the Island.  This is what he was meant to do.  Unfortunately to get to this place Richard probably had to die, and Ben had to kill Widmore (not a big loss).  But he’s got himself a front-row seat and a position of pivotal power.  I am thrilled about what he managed to do in this episode.

Then Jacob showed up and answered questions, and appointed a replacement.  I didn’t see this coming at all.  Who knew that would happen before the finale.  Jacob had one of my favorite speeches in a very long time.  He finally explained to these fools that they belong on the Island, they had nothing left in the real world.  I’ve said this forever.

Off the Island things really kicked into high gear.  In what was possibly the best choreographed flash-sideways yet, Desmond started two sets of dominoes that resulted in Ben getting matched up with Rousseau, Locke giving into to fate and finally agreeing to Jack’s surgery, and finally Desmond started inviting/coercing people like Hurley, Kate and Sayid into going to the most anticipated concert of the year.  This concert looks like it’s going to be the place to be in the finale.

This episode blew me away.  If it was Richard’s last episode than that’s unfortunate.  Regardless, this episode accomplished a lot.  If this is anything like what the finale will be like, I don’t think I’ll have any trouble giving it a perfect ten.  As for this episode I think it warrants a 9.0/10.0

614 – The Candidate

Review:

Now I’m really glad that I wrote my death list last week.  At least I was partly ready for this bloodshed.  Four down, and the best part is, they were all people I wanted to die!  I didn’t really predict Sun and Jin’s death, but it wasn’t unwelcome.

I was strangely annoyed by Jack and Locke’s conversations in the hospital.  Just let Jack to the surgery, everyone wants that, screw your guilt, Locke.  Anthony Cooper came back for a few seconds, but it wasn’t the same.  This wasn’t the character that we all grew to hate, it was a boring brain-dead version… sigh.

This episode was probably the most stressful episode yet.  First the part with Kate almost getting shot (which seems comical now); and then invading the sub, and Kate actually did get shot; then the bomb, then the bomb again and everyone escaping the sub… more like half the people escaping.  I was on the edge of my seat, and my hands were literally shaking.  Lost isn’t the most stressful show I watch, I get more stressed watching episodes of Damages or Survivor (I’m literally vibrating during almost every tribal council).  But this episode really got to me.  Maybe preparing myself for the deaths only made me more aware of their inevitability.

Obviously I really enjoyed those deaths, but after the episode one of my friends said this was the best episode, and I found myself disagreeing with that fiercely.  I’m having a hard time deciding how I feel about this episode.  Off the Island was a drag, we all wanted one thing to happen with Jack and Locke, and Locke dashed our dreams.  Not great.  It was good that “Locke” finally gave up the charade and tried to kill everyone, that innocent act was getting annoying.  I loved the ending with only four people on the beach, that was a great shocking image.  I liked four things in this episode, and I really liked them, but I’m not prepared to call this episode perfect.  8.5/10.0

Time to Die

The show’s almost over, the clock is ticking.  We all have to ask ourselves, who’s going to die?  And, more importantly, are we ready for our favorite character’s death?

As you probably know, I was extremely shocked when Ilana blew up.  For some reason I thought she was safe.  But no one is safe.  The show is nearly finished and many people must die before it ends.  So I want to look at each of the characters and try to prepare you, and myself, for their possible deaths.

613 – The Last Recruit

Review:

I feel like I’m classifying this episode wrong, but this episode really felt like the set-up episode for the finale.  But there’s still three episodes left and then the finale.  Am I wrong or is this going to get crazy fast?

These episodes aren’t my favorites.  In Season 4 it was the first part of There’s No Place Like Home, in Season 5 it was Follow the Leader.  I get the necessity of the episode, but I find this kind of episode to be unmemorable.  No one will ever say this was their favorite episode.  It’s as if the writers had a chalkboard with all the characters and where they are in the beginning of this episode and where they need them to be at the end, and then they write an episode where they get everyone where they need to go. This happened in both timelines.  I actually find the flashsideways more interesting right now because I have no idea how they’re going to get everyone together.  The Island story is fun, but I’m out for blood at the moment, people need to start dropping soon.  Without deaths it feels like whatever happens on the Island is just procrastination.

I did enjoy most of this episode, it’s not that I didn’t like it.  Ilana’s return was nice.  The business with Claire was interesting.  On the Island I enjoyed Jack and Locke’s conversation.  I like Kate’s talk with Claire.  It was all good.  But after three awesome episodes almost in a row it’s hard to sit back and watch this kind of episode.  5.0/10.0

By the way, who’s “The Last Recruit”?  Jack?  Really?  The title was a little confusing.

612 – Everybody Loves Hugo

Review:

I’m still reeling from everything that happened in this episode.  I had to wait a day to write this post in the hopes that I would calm down a little (it didn’t work).

So Ilana’s dead.  I didn’t see that coming.  In fact seconds before she died I assured my friends that she wouldn’t die.  It felt odd having the rug pulled out from under me like that.  For the rest of the episode I was paranoid.  I think the floodgates are opening, people are going to start dying, and quickly.  It’s a scary thought.  As I said a few times during the episode, every thing’s changed.

Back to the story.  On the Island Hurley was struggling through leadership problems.  He has no actual authority or even much of a plan, but he has unwarranted conviction.  So far that’s worked for him.  Who knows where it’s going to get him.

Desmond had a little fun with Locke on the Island.  He was thrown down a well at the end of the episode, but I don’t think many of us believe that he’s actually dead.  Vincent will find him and go get help.

Then there’s that final scene.  I don’t even know what to say about that.  It’ll be up there as one of the most shocking moments in Lost history.  It’s one of those endings that causes a room to stay silent for minutes after the shows has ended.

I can see no reason why this episode shouldn’t get a ten.  We got a heartfelt apology from Michael, an answer to the Whispers mystery, Hurley and Libby got together, Hurley crossed over between timelines, Ilana died, “Locke” tried to kill Desmond and Desmond tried to kill Locke.  I have a feeling that these episodes are just going to get more and more intense.  If you were worried that the episodes weren’t feeling “final” enough, well I think that’s changed now.  10.0/10.0

611 – Happily Ever After

Review:

Desmond spent this episode revisiting all the people who affected him in the other timeline.  I could write a huge review for each of those reunions, but I don’t want to put all of that in the review, so look at each of the characters for blurbs about that jazz.

Daniel and Desmond are probably my favorite characters in this show.  So you can imagine that this was probably one of the best episodes of the season for me.

The Desmond and Penny are the ultimate couple on this show.  They’re the Ross and Rachel, the Mulder and Scully, the Gaius and Six of this show.  As much as the writers try they can never make us care more about another couple (see: the Kwons or Kate and whoever).  So when there’s a Desmond episode the stakes are high.  This episode did a great job with those two.  It almost reached the same level as the scene in Catch 22 when they originally met.  (If you’ve got a spare minute I recommend watching that scene at the end of that episode, it’s worth it.  Then again, why not watch all the Desmond episodes, they’re all awesome.)

On the Island it was pretty hectic.  Desmond is forced to cooperate at the beginning of the episode.  Then at the end he’s a willing follower of Widmore.  He seems totally at peace even when he seems to switch sides.  It’s going to make for a very exciting end.

Off the Island there was a very interesting ending, for once.  I’m fine with all the cute stuff that’s happening off the Island, but I never really care to see the stories continued.  For the first time ever I’m dying to see what happens next.  Desmond wants to get all our charatcer together so that he can share something, presumably it’s the other timeline.  That’s perfect, just what I want to see.

Let’s just count the reasons to love this episode: Daniel coming back, Desmond and Penny reuniting, Desmond finding his purpose on the Island, Eloise spouting electrifying insanity, the Oceanic Manifest reunion party; it was a very exciting episode for me.  This season is starting to feel very final to me and I’m loving it.  9.5/10.0.  It only just didn’t get 10.0 because of Charlie and because it doesn’t quite compare to Flashes Before Your Eyes or The Constant.

610 – The Package

Review:

Yay!  A character that I like is back!  Poor Desmond is having a pretty rough life.  That’s what he gets for having a happy ending before the show ends.  I knew that was a bad idea.

Widmore and “Locke” have their fateful reunion.  It was surprisingly early, but that’s forgivable.  I’m sure we’ll see a lot more from these two.  (I’m also betting that Widmore will be dead sooner than we might expect.)

Meanwhile, on the beach, Richard finally realizes that he’s smart so he comes up with a plan.  He decides that they have to destroy the Ajira plane so that “Locke” can’t leave.  Of course their plan will change once Widmore gets involves.

It’s possible that this was the most entertaining Jin and Sun flash (be it -back, -forward or -sideways).  That’s not saying much though.  I was happy to see Mikhail again… heh heh heh.

I’d say a third of this episode was totally useless so I’ve give it a 6.5/10.0  that’s pretty good for a Kwon episode.

608 – Recon

Review:

10 second recap: Sawyer is a cop, he dates Charlotte, he’s still looking for Anthony Cooper, there’s a new girl name Zoe, Widmore is against “Locke”, Smokey had a bad mother, Sawyer isn’t on anyone’s side, Kate and Claire are BFFs.  I think that covers just about everything.

Sawyer gets a new name to add to his collection.  The flashsideways was pretty good, the reveal was suitably surprising so I was satisfied.  I enjoyed seeing Charlotte again, but I was mostly reminded how much I miss her.

We got some Kate and Charlie teases in this episode.  I think the writers might be overestimating how much we care about the other timeline.  I am a little curious, but I don’t foresee great things happening with Kate, and I don’t think Charlie’s going to be doing much of anything.

We finally get to find out which side Widmore is on.  That’s been annoying me for a long time now.

“Locke” was strangely forthcoming about his past.  Apparently he had a crazy mother, and that’s why he is the way he is.  Of course he still thinks that he’s right about everything, but at least he has someone else to blame when he does crazy things.

They’ve added a new character, Zoe.  It’s pretty late in the show for new people, but I’ll gladly welcome any female characters that they add to the show.  The male to female ratio on Lost has always been pretty off-balanced.

A pretty good episode.  The Sawyer parts weren’t extremely special, but they were OK.  I’m happy that he isn’t blindly following “Locke”.  I’m quite interested in the Widmore situation and the “Locke” backstory, so this episode was pretty fun for me.  All in all a pretty good episode.  7.5/10.0

607 – Dr. Linus

Review:

Well that’s a rarity, a happy Lost episode.  I shouldn’t really call it happy.  It was probably melancholy at best.  But still, at the end I was feeling extremely happy.  That hasn’t happened on Lost in years, since The Constant.

We saw some great guest stars, all relating to Ben, of course.  We saw Alex, and this time it was actually her; Roger, the nice version; and Widmore, coming to cause trouble, no doubt.

Poor Richard was feeling suicidal, but Jack was there, as usual, to brighten the mood.  They had a very interesting talk and in the end Jack managed to share some of his faith with Richard.

That Ben/Ilana face-off scene was one of the most gratifying moments in Lost history.  It might have even been worth an Emmy for Michael Emerson.  And having Ilana give him another chance was just too great.  Ben chose the right side.  Who knew the writers would redeem Ben this early into the final season.

The final scene at the beach was very obviously a throw-back to the season 1/2/3 endings.  The beach people doing menial duties, the slow motion, the soundlessness, the slowly triumphant music, the reunion on the beach.  At least this time there weren’t any awkward hugs with Red-shirts.

I really enjoyed this episode.  The Jack and Richard stuff was great, it showed that Jack is actually progressing towards his destiny.  But this wasn’t a Jack episode or a Richard episode, it was about Ben.  And for once Ben didn’t do what he thought he had to do.  He actually changed, I never really believed that this guy was going to change.  As Jacob would say “just progress”.  For some very surprising progress and a happy ending I’ll give this episode a 8.0/10.0.