Line of the night – “Is it like a terminator thing…are you a cyborg?” - Hurley
So just when you think we finally have established our 2 sides of the ‘war that is coming’ between Team Jordin Sparks and Team Flocke MIB, enter the wicked Tim Wakefield knuckleball of Charles Widmore. I wonder if Penny and Desmond are aboard the submarine?
We start off this week’s episode with Ben Linus running through the jungle (cue the dramatic trip and fall). He runs into Team Sparks consisting of Ilana, Miles, Frank and Sun as they are planning their next course of action (head back to the beach).
Flash sideways to Dr. Benjamin Linus portraying a European history teacher at a local high school. He’s describing Napoleon’s last days. Ironically, he is actually describing his alternate 2007 self, “On this island everything changed, here he lost his power even if he still had the title of emperor.’ ‘With no power it was meaningless.”
Dr. Linus ends class and a timid Principal Reynolds is waiting for him. Pop quiz, what other famous character did this actor portray? Answer – one of my favorite college movie villains, Professor Jerry Hathaway from Real Genius.
Your colon: what does it look like? - classic Real Genius line.
I would have also accepted that prick Walter Peck from Ghost Busters. Actor William Atherton continues to shine as the authoritative jerk who commands Ben to cancel his History club meeting and get to detention. Side note - Wouldn’t it have been cool to have outside lockers like they do at Ben’s school (and like in the Karate Kid)? We transition over to the teacher’s lounge and after several comments by Ben and Doc Artz, a substitute teacher named John Locke suggests that maybe Dr. Linus should be principal.
WHOOSH to 2007 and Ilana has Miles relive Jacob’s last moments. “Linus Killed Him!” Miles describes Ben standing over Jacob’s dead body with a bloody dagger in his hand. Ilana says, “Jacob was the closest thing I ever had to a father.” OK, so does that mean Ilana’s been on the island before, and lived with Jacob? How long was she off the island, and what’s her relationship to Jacob?
We return from commercial and Team Sparks is making camp at the beach. No one seems to question Ilana as to why she considered Jacob to be a father figure?!? (I don’t get this part of the LOST)
WHOOSH to our sideways universe and Ben is making a TV dinner for his ailing father. In this reality, Ben’s dad is alive (barely), and appears to have a loving relationship with his son. Roger Linus reveals the following, “I wanted so much more in life for you Ben, that’s why I signed up for the Dharma Initiative and took you to the island.’ ‘They were decent people, smarter than I’ll ever be.’ ‘Imagine how different our lives would have been if we stayed?’ ‘Who knows what you would have become?” LOL – Actually Uncle Rico Wolfman, your son would have become a genocidal psychopath obsessed with power and control, and you would have been just another body in a pit of dead Dharma volunteers. There is a ring at the doorbell, and kiss my grits…it’s Alex Rousseau? At this point, I am excitedly expecting an untidy Danielle Rousseau to jump out of the shrubs and throw a net over Ben's head...no luck. Alex has stopped by to find out why History Club was canceled, and Ben agrees to tutor her the following morning instead. There is something very disturbing/creepy about the looks they give each other...
WHOOSH to the beach and Ilana explains to Sun that she does not know if she is supposed to protect her, Jin, or both since they are candidates. We confirm that a candidate is someone chosen to replace Jacob. “If you are selected, then I imagine you’ll find out!” There are only 6 left (Kwon, Ford, Reyes, Shephard, Jarah, and Austen).
Still on the island, Jack/Hurley head for the Temple and run into Richard (nice to see him again). Richard is supposedly going to lead them over to the Temple. Back at the beach, Frank Lapidas informs Ben Linus that he was supposed to pilot Oceanic 815. Ben seems extremely intrigued by this. “Well the island still got you in the end, didn’t it!?” Ilana takes Ben over to the make-shift cemetery and straps Benry to a tree instructing him to dig his own grave. That sucks.
Flash sideways to 2004 and Alex is being tutored by Ben. Alex wants to go to Yale, but needs a letter of recommendation from someone that went there. Alex refers to Principal Reynolds as a pervert because he had inappropriate ‘relations’ with the school nurse on school property. Ben looks ticked off and I actually slightly feel bad for his existing conditions.
WHOOSH to the beach and Ben offers Miles the $3.2 million dollars he was originally bribed in exchange for Miles’ releasing him. Miles responds, “Why would I need your money when there are a couple of jabronies, Nikki and Paulo, under there that got buried with $8 Million dollars in diamonds on top of them.” Nice reference to the biggest mistake from Season 3 Lost writers, you just made my evening.
Off to the jungle with Jack, Hurley and Richard. Hurley grills Richard with questions about his age, “You look the same as you did 30 years ago…how is that possible..is it like a terminator thing, are you a cyborg?” (No, I’m not a cyborg) “Vampire?” Richard then says, “Jacob gave me a gift!” They arrive at one of my favorite places on the island, the Black Rock! Jack’s pissed that Hurley knew the people at the Temple were in danger. Richard asks, “You spoke to Jacob?’ ‘Well whatever he said, don’t believe him!” Richard appears to be a little upset with Jacob as well and begins to board the Black Rock. “There’s something I need to do…DIE!”
WHOOSH to 2004 and Doc Artz helps Ben retrieve emails from the nurse to Principal Reynolds. “I guess you are a real killer!”
WHOOSH to the Black Rock and we find out that Richard has been there before. “All this time spent on this island, and today is the first day I ever came back.” Richard finds a crate of dynamite and reveals to Jack and Hurley that he can’t kill himself even if he wanted to, so that’s why he needs Jack to do it for him. More reveals in the Black Rock from Richard, “Jacob touched me, it was to be considered a gift, but it’s not a gift at all, it’s a curse.” Richard goes on to say that he spent his life in the service of a man whom said that everything was happening for a reason, and that Jacob had a plan he would eventually share with Richard. Now Richard wants to end his life, because he feels that his entire life had no purpose. Jack lights the fuse, sits down across from Richard and says, “Now…let’s talk.”
Jack explains that he was at Jacob’s Lighthouse. Jack feels that Jacob wanted him to see his house growing up, and Jack’s on the island for some ultimate purpose. Richard says, “But what if you are wrong?” Jack’s simple yet convincing response, “I’m not!”
Over to the Beach camp, and a ticka ticka sound can be heard in the jungle. Flocke appears and attempts to recruit Ben. Flocke’s getting a group together to leave the island, but once they leave, he needs someone to watch the island. Flocke wants Benry to take on that responsibility. Flocke and the rest of his gang will be at the Hydra Station.
WHOOSH to a sideways 2004 and Dr. Linus confronts Principal Reynolds about the 30 or so inappropriate emails from the school nurse. The principal turns the table when he reveals that Alex Rousseau wants a letter of recommendation to Yale. Here’s Ben Linus’s second chance to save Alex!!
WHOOSH to the Beach Camp and Ilana chases down Ben after he has escaped his shackle. Ben explains why he killed Jacob. “I had a chance to save her, but chose the island over her all in the name of Jacob!" Now he needs to go to Locke because he is the only one that will have him. Ilana goes soft on all of us and takes Benry back? Awwww…
WHOOSH to the final scene of our flash-sideways and Ben has saved Alex. Principal Reynolds wrote the letter of recommendation, and the history club is back on schedule. A happy ending for Ben and Alex…yeah!
WHOOSH to the beach with lots of slow motion shots and classic dramatic ‘reunion’ music. Hugs all around for Hurley and Jack as they join the beach group.
The camera shot quickly switches to the ocean and a periscope peers from the surface of the water. “Sir, there are people on the beach, should we stop?” Enter Charles Widmore, “No, proceed as planned!”
BAMM- LOST
Not one of the best episodes of the season, but solid. It was interesting to see such a selfless Ben Linus in the alternate reality, and even more interesting to learn about Richard’s past. I wonder when his flashback will be shown?
Like I said in the beginning, it would appear that now there is a third component in our ‘war for the island’. So who’s on the sub with Widmore?
Are Eloise and Desmond going to show up on the sub?
Where are Rose and Bernard?
Is Kate now stuck on Team Flocke for good?
Where are Jin and Sawyer?
Until next week, Namaste and Good Luck!
-Slice
It was a Real Genius reunion, as you know the actor that portrays Ben's father played Lazlo Hollyfeld in the the movie. Hathaway and Hollyfeld reunited in LOST. Dig it!
ReplyDeleteI thought it was a pretty good episode last night. Some random thoughts:
ReplyDelete*As soon as I saw Sideways Linus reading about the Boston Tea Party...I had a feeling we'd be seeing the Black Rock at some point.
*Alex Rousseau is HOT...beautiful eyes! (Loved the "Kiss my Grits" comment.)
*My 2 favorite lines of the night were from Miles. "Let's make a fire, that will make everything better" and "I saw you standing over him with a bloody knife, so yeah, I'm pretty sure."
*I really want one of those Bamboo shovels that they use to dig graves. I wonder if they sell them at Home Depot.
*The comparison of Ben's school and situation to the island was pretty obvious, but it was still interesting to see how everything played out.
I'm not getting this season. It is going no where fast. They have less than 10 episodes now (I think) to pull this all together, but they keep putting more questions out there. I'm really worried about how this is going to end. I feel like they are limping to the finish line.
ReplyDeleteI love the Real Genius theme last night..I wanted Val Kilmer to be on the sub listening to "All She Wants to do is Dance." The episode was alright in my opinion, but I still think they need to start answering and stop asking questions.
ReplyDeleteI guess Uncle Rico (Ben's Dad) loves his son in the alti-verse because Ben was shot when he was little and he realized how important Ben was to him. "He's coming for your son!!!"--transformation into Wolfman.
Episode was a little lame because there were no shots of Kate or Claire jello wrestling yet....maybe next week.
P.S. Rest in Peace Corey Haim
How did Rousseau end up at Ben's high school in America? Her parents were foriegn.....
ReplyDelete"Wanna try another stick?" - FINALLY, Jack gets off semi-humorous one-liner, worthy of mention.
ReplyDeleteRousseau's French team spoke English, so it is possible they have been to, worked in, or were heading to America.
I am really trying to just watch and enjoy, but I can't help myself - here is an interesting question for consideration:
1) Obviously, the implication is that Jacob stopped the fuse on the dynamite and that he is keeping Jack alive to serve a greater purpose. This is VERY similar to Michael, when he repeatedly tried to kill himself off of the island (gun jammed, unscathed in auto accident, etc.). Once Michael served his purpose on the freighter, Christian appears and says, "It's time.", and Michael dies in the freighter explosion.
2) We are all projecting that the visions of Christian all over the island and with Claire have been the Man in Black (currently in Locke's body).
The question: What was the vision of Christian on the freighter? Jacob or the Man in Black? Or was it Christian, and maybe Christian has very important meaning to the island (as we once predicted), along with Aaron and Jack (i.e. - the Sheppard bloodline, including Claire).
The Christian "sightings" are driving me crazy, because the explanations seem to contradict themselves. I think the best explanation is that Christian IS Christian, NOT the Man In Black or Jacob. When he appeared to john before he turned the wheel, Claire, Jack, Michael, etc. - he was just simply ... Christian.
P.S. - Real Genius? Ghostbusters? Good examples, but By FAR AND AWAY, my first thought was Die Hard. Come on, Slice. The annoying, intrusive, slimy reporter, Richard "Dick" Thornbury who gets decked by Holly "Genero" McClane has to get top William Abernathy billing. He was even in the sequel.
BTW - is there another actor who IMMEDIATELY creates a feeling of repulsion in the viewer more consistently that William. He was even hatable in Bio-Dome, and that movie had Steven Baldwin AND Pauly Shore.