'Lost' Takes One Step Back

I've waited to write something about this week's episode of Lost for two reasons: I've been very busy and I felt very blah about the entire hour. It felt more like an older episode (blame the flashbacks) and that caused the show to take a small, minor step back for me, especially since it was coming off of last week's tremendous outing. As I watched Ben manipulate Locke this week, a strange and uneasy thought entered my mind -- the Lost producers are kinda like Ben! They manipulate us to keep watching because we know they hold all of the answers and they dole out pieces of those answers each week. Not enough to satisfy us, but certainly enough to keep us coming back. Ben does the same thing to us (and this week, Locke). He holds the answers, but he knows he can't show all of his cards because then he won't have anything to bargain. So, he gives Locke just enough to receive his "Get Out of Jail Free" card. Ben, however, actually shared the name of his man on the boat with Locke unlike the mean producers who cut out of the scene before showing us what Ben told Locke. My money's on Michael, but I (obviously) don't know for sure. At least we now know that Charles Whidmore is the man who owns the boat, not that it was any surprise.

We also had a flashback, and it was Juliet's turn. It seems she belongs to Ben, and he doesn't like it when someone tries to win her heart. The last guy ended up dead after an encounter with Ana Lucia (something Ben most certainly knew would occur). This isn't boding well for Jack, who appears to be getting closer and closer to her. Meanwhile, we can now safely conclude that the parachuters from the boat are not there to harm any of the survivors. In fact, they are armed with enough knowledge about the island to hopefully thwart any of Ben's plans for mass genocide. Of course, things are only beginning to boil, and you just can never be too sure of the outcome on Lost.

Screencaps courtesy Lost-Media.com