THE PLANK FEBRUARY 1, 2008
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I think it's reasonably fair to say that, from the show's inception, the flashbacks were among the weaker elements and that, as time went by, they became increasingly redundant. (Yes, yes, we know: Kate has to "escape"; Jack needs to fix things; Locke has daddy issues, etc.) There were exceptions--notably, a few of the Hurley flashbacks that were penned, I think, by "Angel" veteran David Fury--but, watching the show, I know I wasn't alone in typically rooting for the flashback scenes to conclude quickly so that we could return to the main storyline.
It's obviously (very, very) early, but on the basis of last night's season premiere it seems as though that preference could easily flip. The flash-forwards that the show (brilliantly) sprung on us at the conclusion of Season 3 and that continued last night are, at the moment, its most fascinating element. Partly, this is because "What happens next?" is almost always a more intriguing question than "What happened already?" Partly, it's because the regretful tone of the flash-forwards gives the show a darker, more somber resonance. And partly it's because the mysteries on offer--who's in the coffin? who are "the six"? what's the implicit deal Oceanic seems to have made with them? how is it that Charlie's come back, and why does he look so much better than he did when he was alive?--are just so damned tantalizing.
Emily Nussbaum has a much longer, and characteristically fun, rundown of the premiere over at Vulture. But, from my point of view, this was a very promising beginning.
--Christopher Orr
Update: For obsessives, here are further sharp (and highly enthusiastic) takes from Alan Sepinwall and Todd VanDerWerff.
5 comments
Agreed. And, may I just say, I totally would have chosen to go with John Locke.
- primwallflow
February 1, 2008 at 2:52pm
Yes, it was an excellent introductory episode for the second half of the show and put a lot of faith in me that the rest of the series was going to be very low on filler. It doesn't really seem they have room for filler left.
Any theories about who the remaining three are?
- doubtofbuddha
February 1, 2008 at 2:54pm
Naw, I'm sure I'd have gone with Jack (presuming I didn't have the knowledge of the future). After the survivors learn of Locke's previous non-Naomi sabatoges and now that he's a murderer, I'd be a little wary of John Locke. One brilliant thing about the debut: Hurley is one of the 6, so members from both Jack and Locke's group apparently get off the island.
I'm waiting for all the Web/Lost Experience stuff to kick in (If you haven't seen the Lost Experience clips the following is a spoiler, or at least mentions the web stuff): we've yet to see the enzo equation or middlewerk yet.
- Lymon1
February 1, 2008 at 3:08pm
I would also definitely go with the Jack group. But that is largely because Sayid is with them, and Sayid is always right.
- doubtofbuddha
February 1, 2008 at 3:27pm
Dudes -- Des (who is 100% credible to the group) saw that Charlie had written, "NOT PENNY'S BOAT." Once everyone knows that, the John v. Jack debate should be obviated, no? At that moment, has it not ceased to be a question of what you believe about the nature of the island or what you're "meant" to do. Seems now it's become a simple matter of risk analysis; and Occam's Razor says, you can't trust the rescue. So why doesn't Jack say, e.g., "Right, hide everyone and we'll keep eight to twelve people armed and hiding in ambush near the beach"?
Given that Hurley says he made a mistake going with John, there has to be more to it that that. But if anything didn't quite sit right, based on what we do know, it's that -- given the apparently clear implications of what Des saw -- the John-Jack debate suddenly felt about as compelling as the Mulder-Scully debate.
Otherwise ... it was awesome!
- J.J. Gould
February 2, 2008 at 12:23am