‘Lost’ blogging: “The Last Recruit”(previous: “Everybody Loves Hugo”) There’s no way to “review” or “analyze” or even “discuss” this show on an episode-by-episode basis -- it’s more like you just have to react and try to guess what the hell is going on. So I’m not even gonna try to impose any sense or reason upon it: I’m just going to react. Maybe when it’s all said and done there will be something cohesive to say. Till then... Perhaps needless to say, Lost doesn’t make much sense while you’re watching it. My ramblings will surely make even less sense if you haven’t seen the episode... and something may get spoiled for you that you don’t want spoiled. You have been warned. So, here are the thoughts I jotted down, pretty much in order as they occurred to me as I watched: This was the episode that was supposed to be like a wild ride through Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory. And... Eh, not so much. Jacob trapped everyone on the island before they even arrived. Okay, then. Why do I suspect that we’re never, ever going to learn who or what Jacob really is? He’s going to forever be mysterious Jacob who wants what he wants for reasons that don’t really matter, ’mmkay? Just trust that Jacob’s motives are really really cool and awesome, even if we never discover what they are. Not-island Sun recognizes Locke? WTF? “Who the hell’s Anakin?” Hoorah for a fresh pop culture ref from Sawyer... I guess he never saw the new Star Wars films even though he was able to make a Chewbacca reference early in the show. Still, it’s the most interesting thing that’s happened on Lost recently. Get on the plane and leave? Blow up the plane and save the world from Jacob? I’m sure it would all be a lot more intriguing if we knew who the hell Jacob is? All these coincidences in the not-island, no-crash world -- like how Kate keeps bumping into Sawyer -- seems to be suggesting that Jacob and The Numbers have control over these people even waaay off the island. Is this supposed to be creepy? Are we meant to be ooked out by Jacob’s influence? If so, why don’t I feel it? “This is quite a coincidence” lawyer-lady says to Claire -- yeah, it sure is. How far can a pile of “quite a coincidences” be taken before it stops making sense? Before it feels just plain absurd? (PS: I think we’re already past that point, and I don’t think that calling it out in the text itself is enough to counter it.) “It doesn’t feel right, leaving the island,” sez Jack? Oh, it’s way past time... Still, nice yacht. (next: “The Candidate”) support
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Wed Apr 21 10, 2:26PM categories: tv buzz permalink 6 pre-Disqus comments Disqus comments infoMPAA: rated TV14-LV viewed at home on a small screen official site IMDB tip jarshare
read morerelated· ‘Lost’ blogging: “Everybody Loves Hugo” · question of the day: What fictional boogeyman -- zombie, vampire, Giger Alien, Oompa Loompa, etc -- do you need to protect yourself against? · Hop (review) · question of the day: What is the greatest children’s film of all time? · Friday night fortune cookie: Willy Wonka says... · question of the day: What is the creepiest movie moment ever? · September 18: DVD alternatives to this weekend’s multiplex offerings · August 21: DVD alternatives to this weekend’s multiplex offerings · ‘Doctor Who’ blogging: “The End of the World” · ‘Lost’ blogging: “Dr. Linus” bloggyprevious post: I’m crushed... next post: The Losers (review) |
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pre-Disqus comments
posted by JoshDM (Wed Apr 21 10, 4:23PM)
Just in case you missed it, Lawyer Lady was lady who got all blowed up last episode.
posted by Newbs (Wed Apr 21 10, 5:38PM)
I totally get it if you think the storyline is silly, but you continue to express incredulity over things that have not only been previously established, but explained and referenced within the last few weeks. I'm not saying they're logical or even that they're good storytelling moments. Just that they have been explained within the show as recently as 1 episode ago, and you somehow missed them. Again.
Hey, I've got a new idea for a feature for your site, MaryAnn, it's called "Day Blogging" and what you do is, every night when the sun vanishes, you write about how silly and unexpected that was. Why can't it still be daytime, you'll ask, dripping with insolent snark as if you really don't understand. But we'll all suspect you actually do get it, because after all the sun went down yesterday and a million days before that, so we'll keep reading just because we are trying to figure out why you're being so obtuse. It'll be hilarious!
posted by Mo (Wed Apr 21 10, 11:42PM)
Really? Jacob is supposed to represent good so we're supposed to just trust him because the writers are pretending they want us to? It's all that simple? You really think that little of them now? Has everyone forgotten about the GIANT PIT OF DEAD BODIES sitting in the middle of the jungle that Jacob supposedly authorized and his people, the ones who claim that they're the "good guys" killed?
Jacob is not a good person and I really doubt we're supposed to trust him at all. He seems to have almost as much blood on his hands as Smokey. I'm sure they have at least one big twist in store about him and *spoilers*rumorhasitanupcomingepisodeisallabouthis backstorysotherewillbeanswers*spoilers* Besides, the writers like to show off how clever they are too much to never give in and tell us. They want us to pat them on the back and say "whoa I never expected Jacob was that!" at the end.
This all may be set up as a dualistic thing now, but it's all about the shades of grey, really. At least that's my theory and I'm sticking to it.
posted by JoshDM (Thu Apr 22 10, 10:40AM)
The "good" and "evil" motives of the "smoke monster" and "Jacob" are implied. We are to believe from the actions of Charles Widmore and other people, and the word of Jacob, etc. that Fake Locke is "incorrect" and Jacob is "correct".
We really still DO. NOT. KNOW. I'm sure we'll get our answers, but it won't be until the show has ended. I believe the goal is to move everyone to the alternate time-line with their memories intact while leaving the smoke monster behind, but the purpose for doing this is vague beyond giving people "happy endings", and for that I can go to the local masseuse and pay extra.
posted by CB (Thu Apr 22 10, 10:02PM)
@Mo:
Mary said:
Just trust that Jacob’s motives are really really cool and awesome
You said:
Really? Jacob is supposed to represent good so we're supposed to just trust him because the writers are pretending they want us to?
Strong Bad says:
Good is not the same as Awesome! In fact, in my experience they're usually opposites.
I say:
The point, I think, wasn't that Jacob is simplistic, morally or otherwise, it's that he's so complex and mysterious and powerful that it's doubtful he'll ever be adequately explained. The "trust" was referring to trust in the writers that Jacob really does have a coherent, and awesome [Not "good" - SB] motivation for what he's doing.
posted by Mo (Fri Apr 23 10, 12:30AM)
@CB:
Fair enough, though I still read the statement as being about Jacob not the writers.
Personally, I still don't think the motivation is all that awesome or cool or even complicated. I still read him as a manipulative prick who likes screwing with mortals to amuse himself and piss off his charge because being a jailer forever can get boring. Not unlike the Greek gods, actually. But then we're still reading the stories about the Greek gods thousands of years later, so it's not exactly a bad thing story-wise.