“Lost” — The Man From Tallahassee
When I got home from work last night and pulled up Lost on my DVR the description line said, “Some of the islands secrets.” Well played, DVR. Well played.
I don’t know if “some of the islands secrets” was the tag line the guys over in ABC’s promotions department had intended on using for the episode but it seemed to have delivered leaps and bounds above its promise (especially when compared with previous idiotic statements like, “Three big questions will be answered!”
Either way, I feel bad for people who jumped ship on the series. Yes it took a while to get moving, but at this point (just over halfway through the season) things are progressing nicely. This episode in particular had to have pleased even some of the biggest Lost haters, right? Full details after the break…
First of all the first two acts were not only great, but they went to commercial right on the heals of these great, take-no-prisoners line readings by Terry O’Quinn that made me almost giddy. There’s just something about Locke with his scarred face in a tight close-up saying, “I’m looking for the submarine” only to have the frame quickly cut to black that makes me want to giggle like a school girl.
As for what we learned, where does one even begin? Should we start with Locke’s curious forgiveness and/or very rational fear of his father by never alerting the authorities to his misdeeds and instead simply asking him to go away? Then we discover than his wacky aloofness this season has been more about keeping people from getting off the island (or rather people getting to the island) than simply being something of a curious cat. Oh yeah, and the box. The box with his criminal jerk-face father bound and gagged in it. That’s something, right?
There’s also that little bit about being pushed out of a window, eight stories up, putting him in a wheelchair that he no longer needs.
I don’t know, maybe I’m the last person on the planet who is still frequently dazzled by this series, but I can not wait until next week.
What was especially satisfying about the episode is that it didn’t raise all sorts of questions like previous episodes (and seasons) had done (which isn’t to say questions weren’t raised… um, the box anyone?). Instead, and to a greater degree the series has instead positioned itself in a way that it could go in any number of directions. Now that Jack can’t get home is he no longer going to be buddy-buddy with The Others. Will everyone start being friends? Does Ben start having people picked off one by one? Lord knows, but I’ll be tuning in next week to see what happens.
March 22nd, 2007 at 8:14 pm
agreed on all points - last nights episode made me say: now THIS is why I’ve stuck with it all season.
March 23rd, 2007 at 1:34 pm
I loved this episode. I’ve been watching and will continue to regardless of whether it’s good, but this one was totally, super, sweet. I loved how the “because I’m the one who’s not in a wheel chair” thing turned on its end.
Anyway, one other thought: Ben is hilarious. I’ll point to two classicly hilarious bad guy zingers.
Exhibit A.
BEN
Bring me the man from Tallahassee.
LOCKE
The man from Tallahassee, who is that? Is that some sort of code?
BEN
No, John. Unfortunately, we don’t have a code for ‘there’s a man in my closet with a gun to my daughter’s head.’
SFX: Rim shot, uproarious laugh track.
Exhibit B.
Same room. Locke about to help Ben into his chair.
BEN
So tell me, John. How do you expect to pilot our submarine? It’s a complicated piece of machinery. You don’t just press ’submerge.’
SFX: Rim shot, uproarious laugh track.