.046

[krickets]

Okay I will probably be strung up for saying this, but I do not get the fandom beef with Ilana. I LIKE HER, OKAY? I feel like everyone just hates her because she's a girl! (Yeah, said it.) Maybe I am reading into things, but seriously? WHAT IS UP WITH THE HATE? I also have finally decided (as of a couple weeks ago) that I really like Kate a lot -- taking into consideration season 5 and 6 (so far) especially. These two facts probably make me nobody's friend.

[The only girl it's okay to like is Juliet, or something?]

General commentary:
Miles made me happy. Miles and Frank made me happy. Kate being so delighted to see Claire (the smile) made me happy. Seeing Sayid and Nadia interact, seeing him help two cute kids onto the school bus, made me happy. The thing that interested me most in this episode BY FAR was Jin in that closet. NEED MORE.

I feel that Kate actually has no idea what is happening. She is just following the two people she knows that are still standing. (Anyone else she knows are in Ilana's secret cave.)

Where were Jack, Hurley, Richard, Jin, and Sawyer? I fully expected Kate to spot Sawyer in MIB's group there at the end.

Other things:
The song at the end was so fucking creepy I think it actually gave me chills. I am not cool with both Sayid and Claire being romanced by the devil though. Nuh-uh.

Episode was entertaining -- but overall made me feel like this:
Sayid and Claire are dead.

No matter how cool it might look, that is not a good feeling. And I want to believe that's not true, but seeing Sayid turn so quickly gives me little hope for Claire being a product of time, survival instincts, paranoia, and brainwashing by the Man in Black.

I'm conflicted.

ETA: I feel like every opportunity this show has to go "deeper" it makes a u-turn. Let's dig into the psychological ramifications of being left on that island for three years and having to defend, protect, survive, etc.? OR -- let's just say some magical entity turns people evil. Yeah, that's it.

Comments

[gigglemonster.livejournal.com]

Couldn't have said it better myself. It's like you read my mind! Yeah the magical entity stuff is starting to feel like the biggest cop out ever lol

I did enjoy this episode more than I have been enjoying this season though. I think Sayid had a lot to do with that. That's one thing I'm kinda enjoying about the flashsideways things - almost everyone seems to be having at least a marginally better life (Locke is happy with Helen, Hurley is having good luck, Jack is reconnecting with his son, Nadia is alive, etc) Well, everyone except for Jin cuz he's tied up in a close lol I AM curious about that as well. Now all we need is for Michael to turn up! :D

But yeah, basically, GO KATE!

[crickets.livejournal.com]

Yeah I like that the flash-sideways has somewhat improved people's lives. But I am still reserving judgment on "what it all means." LOL.

Oh, Michael. :(

[ozmissage.livejournal.com]

Heh. I like all of the girls, granted I squee over Juliet more but I really love them all. I don't really have any issues with Ilana, I just don't fully get her yet.

But she saved my boy tonight so she just got like a billion cool points. She's okay people in my book.

Miles and Frank made me so insanely happy tonight. As did Kate although I'm worried about her now.

But the whole Sayid being gone thing broke me. That was painful to watch.

[crickets.livejournal.com]

Yeah I'd like to know more about Ilana -- but I am hoping we learn more about her or at least get to know her better. She seems really awesome and more and more I believe what she said when she said they were the good guys.

I have no real doubts about that.

[eponine119.livejournal.com]

Yep, I totally agree. every time they could make it deeper, more interesting or meaningful, they go for the shallow, nonsensical and pointless.

[crickets.livejournal.com]

It's so frustrating.

[angela-weber.livejournal.com]

I like Ilana, too. The "new Ana Lucia" comments need to stop NOW because that comparison is sexist and racist and just plain offensive on so many levels.

[crickets.livejournal.com]

RACIST indeed. I just cringe when I see them.

[kools-pad.livejournal.com]

I like Illana. I don't know why anyone wouldn't. She's soothing to the ears, not terrible to look at, and shes tough as steel. Shes like a less obnoxious Ana-Lucia

Yeah, thats what made me so upset. Was that this is worse than Sayid dying. He's been so tragically and pathetically heroic. To see him go full evil just felt wrong to the character.

You know what might be trippy? If Jack kills Sayid. That irony of him having the choice before, but didn't. And now he has to. A trippy journey for Jack.

[crickets.livejournal.com]

It is worse than the character dying because then they don't even get the benefit of some epic death scene/last episode. And on top of that it's frustrating cause it's like, okay, this is no longer Sayid. Who is it? Do I care?

The only way I care is if there's some way for the infected to be "cured." Without anyone having to die.

Though it's said the show is about your "destiny" and free will being taken from you, say what you will about Jacob, but at least those on his side, like Hurley, are able to consciously make a choice to follow/help him. Whereas with MIB, in the cases of Claire and Sayid, it appears the choice has been taken from them. Which is why I'm inclined to trust that MIB is indeed the evil one.

[kools-pad.livejournal.com]

Exactly. The episode really defined the difference finally. And after Lighthouse's example of Jacob giving everyone a choice, then Sundowns example if 'you don't listen, you die'. I have no doubt MIB will kill everyone once they successfully free him from the island.

What I am really kind of digging about Jack's journey is that he's on that righteous hero path. He's being led and protected by an outside force. He's accepted what he cannot do. He's let go of his fathers influence of self-doubt on him. Now he's just a man. Jack. No epic man of science or faith. That classic story of getting torn down to nothing and then rising to greatness. He's definitely going to be the main protagonist in this season. Besides Kate.

[zelda-zee.livejournal.com]

Sayid and Claire are dead.

I agree. It makes me sad.

I agree w/your ETA too. What decides your fate is whether you get infected w/the Evil Incarnate virus not the consequences of the choices you make in your life? There's just not anywhere to go with that. It's a dead end.

I actually think I almost like Ilana now. She was so annoying when she was teamed up with Bram and just knocking people around and being all 'do-it-because-I-say-so'. Plus, she fucked with Sayid and made him come back to the island. I should hate her for doing that to him, but she's done a few decent things lately and anyway, how was she to know Sayid would catch the evil bug once he got back to the island?

Kate though? No, I can't go that far.

I'd be the first to admit that I dislike almost all the female characters who've been on Lost. But it's not because they're women. It's because they're crappy characters - because Darlton don't have the first idea how to create multi-faceted women. I like plenty of female characters on other shows.

I think Jin was in a freezer, actually. Or maybe a walk-in.

[lenina20.livejournal.com]

THEY MAKE YOU MY FRIEND! I don't mind Illana at all, though I still consider her a not-character. But I don't hate her. And I like her sexy business with sayid and I want that revisited. And Kate is honestly honestly honestly the only reason why i even watch this show, so...

And also. my review loves your review. for me, the best, was also Jin in that closet. By far.

I fully expected Kate to spot Sawyer in MIB's group there at the end.

god. this review is making my morning. ME TOO! But I have faith. Sawyer is with Locke. I guess now, there'll be two teams. Ilana's cave and Locke's team. But I'm pretty sure things will get mixed fast.

Your last paragrpah summarize why this show is simply plain bad. But I imagine we're as stuck on this island as they are, until may at least.

[artemis-90.livejournal.com]

I feel like I'm missing something. Genocide of the whole civilians - somehow I think I ought feel the stakes are high, but since we don't what the stakes are... ? Hmmm. Oh I feel a bit cheated - where was the Kate-Claire smackdown? I was worried that Miles was toast for a moment though - thank goodneess for Ilana!

[elliotsmelliot.livejournal.com]

I agree there are corners of Lost fandom who care a lot more about the men. I assume part of that is a lust factor and part of that is how Lost writes women, i.e. marginalizes them, pegs them a wives/mothers, or kills them. This is not my problem with Illana. Like Dogen, I just can't invest in a new shifty character when characters like Sun and Miles are reduced to one line an episode. For me she is a 'too little way too late' character.

[hepburnesque.livejournal.com]

OMG. Can we make a sign out of your icon and hang it on the library door? :D

[gottalovev.livejournal.com]

Ilana doesn't bother me because she's a woman but because I don't get what she brings to the story and I've always had problems with people who come in saying they know the truth and 'just do as I say'. I have the same problems with Jack. I was one of the few who loved Ana Lucia back in the days, though, so I get being puzzled by fandom falling hard on someone you enjoy. It's great that you like her that much. if they convince me, nothing says I won't change my mind.

I was very happy with everything that made you happy too. oh, Miles ♥

[daybreak777.livejournal.com]

Sayid and Claire are dead.
NOOOESS! That would make me so sad. I'm not sure about Claire but I sometimes hope that Sayid is just playing along. I don't know, though.

I don't hate Ilana I just don't know who she is. She shows up sometimes and I just think, "Who the hell are you again? This is family business!" Hee. :-) But I don't hate her.

Seeing Sayid turn so quickly is dismaying. I know he loves Nadia but I'm not sure it's worth his soul.

[bachlava.livejournal.com]

But hey, at least we still have room for exploration of who Kate will choose. And how Jack will resolve his psychological issues. And what Ben's seekrit plan is - wait, where are you going?

[tellshannon815.livejournal.com]

That just made me laugh out loud - so true though, one other thing I couldn't care less about is Sarah's affair but we'll probably get that shit too!

[chicafrom3.livejournal.com]

I like Ilana too.

Of course, she's played by Zueikha Robinson, so I might be biased. But even if she wasn't I think I'd still like her. 'Cause she's awesome.

[tellshannon815.livejournal.com]

I don't get the Ilana hate either. I'm looking forward to getting some backstory on her, but do you think we ever will? I haven't heard anything about her getting her own episode yet, but she must do, surely?