So 'Lost' kicked off its third season last night -- and man, I had no idea I could hold my breath for a whole hour! I thought the show was great in predictably unpredictable 'Lost' fashion: It offered some answers but asked apeloads of questions, and the rabbit hole just got deeper and deeper.
The folks at EW and 'Lost': the Tailsection have excellent recaps of last night's episode up. And if I dare say so, ours isn't too shabby either. No sense in my reinventing the wheel here.
Theories and Predictions
The real fun with 'Lost' is in the armchair commentary the day after. This must be what winter is like for football fans -- talking shop around the digital watercooler with friends and strangers.
So here's some stuff that I've compiled from a peek around the Web. If any of you have theories of your own -- or better yet, your own blog entries about 'Lost,' please drop a link in my comments. I'd love to get some discussion rolling here.
What the Web says:
1) The Others are much older than they look and have discovered a "Fountain of Youth."
2) There's a little dissent between Juliet and Ben, and Juliet's a bad cook.
3) We may have missed a big hint.
4) Some folks think that the Others expected our heroes on the island.
What I say:
1) The Others have a connection to the outside world. They were totally surprised to see the plane breaking up over the island and managed to compile a dossier (within two months!) that detailed Jack's life down to career and marriage issues.
No doubt they know about Jack's daddy issues, and I would not be surprised if those sick suckers stole Jack's father's corpse out of the casket in the cave back in Season 1. One thing is certain: They didn't learn all that stuff about Jack from his Myspace page. Back in the world, the Others' folks are meticulous.
2) Connection to the outside world = potential for escape. While I doubt our intrepid antiheroes will be consuming any in-flight meals anytime soon, you best believe they're going to have the possibility dangled before them.
3) The Others are not 100 percent cool with being on the island either. Petula Clark's 'Downtown' (a loathsome tune if there ever was one) coupled with Juliet's tears in the mirror during the opening moment hints that maybe she's not too stoked on island life. She's certainly no fan of Ben, AKA Henry Gale, who left her to drown when Jack turned on the waterworks.
If any of the Others are going to turn, it's gonna be her, although she's not to be trusted. Anyone who lies and plays trust games -- like her little game with Jack and the food -- and then demands to be trusted is a broken soul capable of monstrous evil.
4) The fact that the Others are obsessive psychological scientists reinforces 'Lost's' central conflict: science vs. faith. I bet we'll see a titanic inner struggle as the rational Jack find himself drawn to the Others' science, while his emotions keep him with his friends. He may be the first to find the good in the Others' way of life.
5) There is a pattern to the Others' lies. They do not lie 100 percent of the time, but they sure don't tell the truth all the time either. If we can figure out why they lie, we're a long way to figuring out what they're hiding.
6) Man, was the music during Sawyer's escape a 'Planet of the Apes' reference or what?
Every TV show's got it ...
Have you noticed that everyone on the island has a knockout switch located above their neck? Striking someone in the back of the head, on the temple or jaw is equivalent to pressing ctrl-alt-delete on your computer. It kinda reboots them. I'm not the first guy to notice this, either.
Seriously, knocking someone unconscious like they do EVERY DAY on 'Lost' is way harder than it looks. My best friend's little brother learned that the hard way after we conducted a few "experiments" on him one unsupervised afternoon in the early '80s.
Also: I did NOT appreciate that Wrangler commercial that showed the hawk attacking the buglike Wrangler. It looked so much like 'Lost' that I watched the whole damn thing with bated breath. That's 30 seconds of my life I'll never get back ...
Again, if you have a 'Lost' blog, a blog post or your own theory, leave it in my comments or send a mail to me at : journalseditor@aol.com ...
34 comments:
You're right, it is TOTAL CRAP that a guy like Jack would be knocked out cold from what's her name hitting him one time. What the hell was that? Did she have brass knuckles on?
I did write a Lost! post just minutes before the season premiere aired last night. Mine isn't as replete with analysis as your entry is, however, I do mention a few abstract concepts I find within the story/plot/characterizations. I agree. It was a great season premiere. The ease with which the characters are subdued reminds me of the westerns, like Gunsmoke and Wagon Train... seems like they were always getting shot or cold-cocked. Having the main character helpless for a few moments, or at least unawares, allowed things to happen beyond his control, and offered him untold opportunities for finding his way out of another desperate situation. It's a story ploy, I believe. Knock them out, tie them up. Then they have to start from scratch to escape and return stronger than ever to rescue their comrades. Thus, we have a hero. Besides, Kate, Jack, and Sawyer are control masters... they like to be in control. Forcing them into helplessness and unconsciousness allows them to deal with their lack of control. My theory. Anyway, I did leave a link at my journal back here yesterday. I think Juliet is going to side with Jack eventually... like you said, she doesn't like Ben, she seems bored with the Island life. She wants out. I think she will switch "tribes." bea
http://journals.aol.com/bgilmore725/Wanderer/entries/2006/10/04/its-wednesday...-im-lost/1329
Never underestimate the devastating power of a well-placed Judo chop or a swift kick to the shin.
-Dan
http://journals.aol.com/dpoem/TheWisdomofaDistractedMind/
I think one of the most striking things about the Others is their unique physical prowess... while I don't think Kate could cold clock somebody unconscious, I wouldn't be surprised to find that Juliette could. I believe it has something to do with the medical experiements in which they've been involved... maybe the life-lengthening treatments have a side effect of extreme strength. (Life lengthening is my theory because of Joop, the over a hundred year old primate on the Hanso Foundation's website. I also believe that's why they need children... there is something unique in their DNA or blood that's beneficial to the life lengthening process. Of course, that, like many things in Lost, only begs another question- if they need kids so badly, why aren't they having any of their own? Infertility may also be a side effect of the drug. I think the island is or was a pharmaceutical testing facility under the guise of doing good work.)
http://gwennierocks.livejournal.com
if you notice in the beging the earthquake happens at the same time as the plane flies overhead. mabey its connected. they wernt wating for them, mid book club, but they certenly knew what to do when they got there. the Others must have an outside contact. in the Kate shower part she is given a bottel of herbal essance, a very new shampoo. also Jack must be near Sawyer and Kate when Sawyer and the other person (who is the other person there, i was orignally thinking a plant, now i have no idea) escaped Juliet was the first there, she was with jack.
It wasn't an earthquake. It was when The crazy guy flipped on the switch in the hatch that started the magnet thing, which caused the plane to crash. So how could the Others have planned for those people to come when it was an accident.
Chuck Norris could glare at someone and knock them unconscious! Sorry, had to do it.
Anyway, maybe I'm an idiot, but I'm still kinda confused with the way last season ended. What was the deal witht he boat in the south pole, and the men reporting to that woman when the beacon went off?
Here's my take on the episode
http://journals.aol.com/slapinions/Slap-Inionscom/entries/2006/10/11/lost-season-opener/1946
Dan
Unfortunately I can't offer too many answers, but I can post additional theories!!! Did anyone notice that only Jack and Kate had been "tested on" or "drugged"? They made it a point to show that both Jack and Kate had syringe marks on their left arm BUT not Sawyer. Hmmmm…
Also, did Jack and Juliet really almost drown? Juliet told Jack that the drugs they had given to him (for reason’s unknown) would dehydrate him and eventually he would hallucinate. So… I beg to question whether Jack really did attempt to escape and opened the door or did he just imagine it? Ben (AKA Henry Gale) commends her at the end for “braking” Jack down, and she smiles. Is that really behavior for someone that a few hours before locked her in and almost let her drown with Jack?
Too many theories, so few answers!
I don't have anything additional to offer, I am just going along for the ride & agree with alot of the things I have read. I just had to respond to your little addition about that wrangler ad! It totally got me, too. I was trying to zip through commercials like I always do with my tivo & I thought it was the show. Brilliant marketing on their part, but damn them for tricking us & sucking us in.
i am very confused with the show. i'd like to know why the others are being so mean to Jack and Kate and Sawyer. It's not like they did anything to them. And where is Clarie and her baby? THere are SO many unanswered questions. It makes me really mad.
Excellent recap! Love the point about the 'knockout switch!' Hilarious!
Here's my take on the episode...lots on the theory side; we hit on some of the same points!
See it here: http://poprocks.blogs.pennlive.com/default.asp?item=207402
I will be posting after each episode.
"Also: I did NOT appreciate that Wrangler commercial that showed the hawk attacking the buglike Wrangler. It looked so much like 'Lost' that I watched the whole damn thing with bated breath. That's 30 seconds of my life I'll never get back ..." << All I can do is lmao after reading that part of the whole blog! Oh heavens lol
lovein this show!!
i LOVE THE SHOW ITS SOO GOOD im always so exited for wendsdays
One day in my government class we'd been discussing the philosopher John Locke... and i was thinking. Are the Lost characters based on other people or characters? Like.. Locke. Or Jack, Jack in Lord of the Flies does the same thing as our Jack does. They both take a group of survivors to caves because of better protection and water, thinking its the only way they'll survive.. while other survivors disagree and think its better to stay on the beach where they can be seen by a plane or a ship.
Although, I dont know enough about the real John Locke to make any other connections there besides their names.
I don't know.... it's just been on my mind.
Hello everybody.....Don't know if this has been mentioned anywhere around here yet but as for the "big hint" from the pilot.....Maybe they were reffering to the fact that we now know how the polar bear got there. Apparently the bear must have been in the Darhma Zoo that they are keeping Jack Kate and Sawyer at.
Also....Just a guess but....as for the fact that that chick could knock out Jack so easliy....Maybe they did find some sort of "Fountain of Youth" or perhaps they need children to create whatever youthfullness thing they may have. Perhaps it increases strength as well.....Remember how tough Ethan was....almost as if he had super strength. .....
Ok well Im a total Lost fan all the way!! & I have my own take on things after seeing the season premier.
These are some of the questions that they have anwsered:
1) We found out where the polar bears came from (if remember from season 1 when Sawyer shot a polar bear and when Walt almost got eaten by another polar bear) you know this because when Sawyer was in that cage and he figured out how to get food and water out one of the others said, "... it only took the bears 2 hours"
2) When Jack opens up the door and the water comes pouring out, we learn that they had an aquarium of some sort (which explains the shark with the dharma sign on it from the season 2 when Michael and Sawyer are on the raft)
So apparently Dharma had a station that had animals on it had & it has all long been diserted and the animals have been let loose. Which bring up another idea that maybe the "others" are the children of the original Dharma people that were sent there? Because Juilet had mentioned that its been a very long time.... Its a possibility. That could also have something to do with why they are so obsessed with babies (stealing 'Alex' and Claires baby).
hey,, i am a ttl LOST fan more than ANYONE can think of!! but we have an explanation here, at the end of season two, we had these two guys probably somewhere in the artic ocean. when they spotted that speck that they thought was a "false alarm", WHY did they call Desmond's x-girlfriend?
i <33 this show like u cannot imagine...gosh if only they would tell us whats going on!! the suspense is killing me...and is it just me or are there more mysteries appearing for every one that we solve??
lol...that is too funny...about that eagle....I THOUGHT IT WAS ON LOST TOO!! lol
then i was like...omg..it's just some dumb car commercial...lol
i thought the exact same thing with the commercial... now i feel alot better and not like a complee idiot for thinking that
Lost has the most brilliant producers and writers ever to walk the face of the Earth! They have discovered the fountain of youth of television. The writers have discovered that all that they have to do is make up obscure plots and "hidden clues" and they have America in a drunken stupor. I watched the first two seasons of Lost and was as completley mesmorized as the rest of The world. However, after the second season I realized that I was simply being led on by arising mysteries and added plot. Nothing ever is solved in any episode. At this rate there will be fifty seasons of boring plots and that creepy music without any solution. The whole show is ridiculous. Therefore, I decided that Lost and I must part and I am happy to say that I have not wasted another second thinking about it.
yeahhhh, you haven't spent any more time thinking about the show.....except for the comment which you just wrote about it.....which was on a page about Lost predictions......
"I think one of the most striking things about the Others is their unique physical prowess... while I don't think Kate could cold clock somebody unconscious, I wouldn't be surprised to find that Juliette could. I believe it has something to do with the medical experiements in which they've been involved... maybe the life-lengthening treatments have a side effect of extreme strength."
i'm just curious: if the Others have extreme strength then how was Sayid able to beat the crap out of Ben/Henry? it just seems to me that the super-human strength argument is a bit far fetched, if not completely fabricated. however, i wouldn't doubt the possibility that the writers would read all the LOST-crazed blogs and incorperate it into the show.
every episode seems to me like progress is made, yet at the same time the audience is left even more in the dark, LOST if you will. although i am an avid fan of the show, it really does seem like a plot based around smoke and mirrors, keeping the audience clueless as long as possible. i must say we know significantly more than at the end of season 1 when they finally open the hatch.
one topic i am interested in is finding out what the clue was in the pilot episode. last time i watched it was ... the airing date of the pilot itself. i guess i'll have to check it out. charlie's character, as well as claire's, are particularly interesting to me. i really wonder what their purpose serves on the island, i do believe that everyone is made to play a specific role in the escape/demystifying of the island.
man. did ben/henry REALLY say that he could bring Jack back to civilisation? scary that they have contact. however offended i was that Jack doubted the Sox's Series win (diehard Sox fan), i am befuddled at their contact with the outside world and why they (the Others) <i>seem</i> to be unhappy that they're there, yet they claim they can return any day. then again, maybe it's a technique for breaking Jac
Hey, i totally agree with the person who talked about John Locke. I just noticed in government class today(when i was thinking about lost)that this philosopher from the 1700s in my text book has the name john locke too. There has to be a connection there. Why would they ramdomly name him after an english philosopher? John on the show acts all wisom-like, so im thinking there has to be a connection.
Also, i realized right when the guy siad it on the first episode of season 3, that the bears he mentioned had to be the polar bears that were loose in the jungle.
As for the Jeep Wrangler commercial that everyone talks abbout, i didnt remind me of lost, im the first one to say that, i guess im wierd or something...
Keep the John Locke thing in mind!!! Im gonna try to find more similarities in my text book. ill do more commenting. See yall later.
WIKIPEDIA ON JOHN LOCKE (PHILOSOPHER):
Locke believed that human nature is characterized by reason and tolerance. In a natural state all people were equal and independent, and none had a right to harm another’s “life, health, liberty, or possessions"... believed that revolution is not only a right but an obligation in some circumstances.
interesting, i thought.
i thought the same thing with that commercial! it was very annoying.
"2) When Jack opens up the door and the water comes pouring out, we learn that they had an aquarium of some sort (which explains the shark with the dharma sign on it from the season 2 when Michael and Sawyer are on the raft)"
if you watch the extras on the DVD for that season you find out that it was just an "easter egg" that they put in and they didn't mean for it to be that noticeable on the shark
2) When Jack opens up the door and the water comes pouring out, we learn that they had an aquarium of some sort (which explains the shark with the dharma sign on it from the season 2 when Michael and Sawyer are on the raft)
if you watch the extras on the DVD for that season you find out that it was just an "easter egg" that they put in and they didn't mean for it to be that noticeable on the shark
ok, i'm wondering about when michael and walt left on the boat. when they were driving (or floating...whatever) off, vincent was in the boat with them. how in the world did he get there? he wasn't with the group when they were heading back there, was he? this dog just seems to show up in random places. but then again, i might have missed something. any ideas on this?
Austen, Ford, Locke, Rousseau, Hume, Cortez?? Famous names anyone? Some may just be purely coincidental but come on you don't just name your characters after 3 philosophers on accident along with some obviously recognizable other names.
AHAHAHAHAI THOGUHT THE SAME THING ABOUT THE HAWK COMMERCIAL
Let me just throw these theories out there that are legitimate from the tons i have read thus far...even though this may be off the subject.
1) Locke was paralyzed because of hurley. If we can remember back, hurley explains how he once killed two people and injured 26(or so) people by stepping on a deck and breaking it, because he was obviously over weight. i feel locke will eventually find out he was one of them.
2)Locke's dad will eventually be the man who slepped with sawyers mom and whom sawyer wants to kill. The dad is a con-artist...no longer married...what more needs to be said.
3)jack and the chick with the baby(sorry, forgot her name) are brother and sister. If we remember jacks dad went to australia with ana lucia and went to a house where a blond girl answered. He then begged and demanded to see his daughter! They obviously wouldn't show this for no reason. Now, who is blond and has any chance of being his sister. The chick with the baby!!
Just some theories to think about
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