LOST Rewind: Season Two
I think the introduction of The Dharma Intiative is worth thinking about when considering the answers to the questions we'll be awaiting when the sixth season returns. I want you all to remember that Sept. 21, 2005 night when "Man of Science, Man of Faith" premiered. NO ONE saw The Dharma Intiative coming. No one saw a button that had to be pushed every 108 minutes to save world coming. Billie Doux, a veteran LOST reviewer, wrote that she expected answers but didn't expect that. It was jarring. I had no idea what to make of it. In retrospect, the feeling is, "of course they had to do that." Perhaps considering this plot point is rather weak considering it opened up a whole new world of LOST storytelling while the answers we'll be given in the sixth season are going to work towards the ultimate conclusion.
I'm aware I promised less-wordy season recaps and opt for smaller blocks of text so I will keep to my promise.
Episodes You Need to Watch before Feb. 2
*Live Together, Die Alone--my vote for the most underrated LOST finale (most forgotten as well perhaps). I planned on writing a rather verbose entry on this specific episode and will most likely do so as January will be LOST season finale month. I have a lot to write about all of the happenings in this episode because these happenings launch so much for the future of the show. It's a brillaint finale. In short, this episode has: Desmond's first flashback, the revelation that his failure to push the button caused Oceanic 815 to crash, The Four-Toed statue (known as JACOB'S FOOT!), The Hatch implosion, the introduction of Charles Widmore, etc etc. I don't want to step on my own toes (there's also the weird encounter Desmond has with Libby) for when I write about this episode but this episode is pretty important in the LOST story.
*S.O.S.--Rose and Bernard's only flashback. It's sweet. We find out Rose, too, was healed by The Island. Why is this essential to watch? I have my reasons[caption id="attachment_590" align="alignnone" width="250" caption="The season two poster. It's like an old school Royal Rumble poster."]
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[/caption]LOST Rewind: Season Two
I think the introduction of The Dharma Intiative is worth thinking about when considering the answers to the questions we'll be awaiting when the sixth season returns. I want you all to remember that Sept. 21, 2005 night when "Man of Science, Man of Faith" premiered. NO ONE saw The Dharma Intiative coming. No one saw a button that had to be pushed every 108 minutes to save world coming. Billie Doux, a veteran LOST reviewer, wrote that she expected answers but didn't expect that. It was jarring. I had no idea what to make of it. In retrospect, the feeling is, "of course they had to do that." Perhaps considering this plot point is rather weak considering it opened up a whole new world of LOST storytelling while the answers we'll be given in the sixth season are going to work towards the ultimate conclusion.
I'm aware I promised less-wordy season recaps and opt for smaller blocks of text so I will keep to my promise.
Episodes You Need to Watch before Feb. 2
*Live Together, Die Alone--my vote for the most underrated LOST finale (most forgotten as well perhaps). I planned on writing a rather verbose entry on this specific episode and will most likely do so as January will be LOST season finale month. I have a lot to write about all of the happenings in this episode because these happenings launch so much for the future of the show. It's a brillaint finale. In short, this episode has: Desmond's first flashback, the revelation that his failure to push the button caused Oceanic 815 to crash, The Four-Toed statue (known as JACOB'S FOOT!), The Hatch implosion, the introduction of Charles Widmore, etc etc. I don't want to step on my own toes (there's also the weird encounter Desmond has with Libby) for when I write about this episode but this episode is pretty important in the LOST story.
*S.O.S.--Rose and Bernard's only flashback. It's sweet. We find out Rose, too, was healed by The Island. Why is this essential to watch? I have my reasons.
Episodes You Don't Necessarily Need to Watch but Still Should
Yes. I'm aware I listed just two episodes that begs to be watched before the premiere. But hey, season two doesn't have much mystery anymore. Season Five really shored up Season Two.
*The 23rd Psalm--Eko's greatest episode and one of the best in the series. Eko provided a different kind of man of faith compared to the man of faith that is John Locke.
*One of Them--I mean, you don't really need to watch this episode before Feb. 2. It's just fun to re-live the very short Henry Gale era.
*Lockdown--I wrote a whole episode of the day on this one.
*Dave: I know Damon and Carlton have stated that Libby's Dave and Hurley's Dave are totally different people but those two like to trick the audience. I doubt it's a big deal for the sixth season. The final scene of this episode is the reveal that Libby was once in the same mental institution as Hurley and she was a patient. I also am trying to make up for omitting "Numbers" in the season one rewind I did. I have no idea why. There's some great Hurley stuff in this one too.
*...And Found--a nice, sweet episode about Jin and Sun's destiny to be together. also, a nice episode about friendship. Jin goes off to find Michael after Michael takes off into the jungle to find Walt.
*Fire + Wate--an episode I onced had trouble accepting when it first aired but I have since found a new sense of appreciation for it. There's an Episode of the Day for it. Also worth watching: the bonus feature about this episode in the season two dvd. It gives valuable insight into Locke and Charlie.
*Everybody Hates Hugo: Again, an episode of the day exists for this one. I'm a big Hurley fan. The Island story in this one is terrific as is the conclusion of the episode. Love the montage.
*What Kate Did: Remember when EVERYONE wanted to know what Kate did? I do and this episode tells you what she did. It also features the famous horse that is still be discussed and theorized.
*Maternity Leave: I mentioned this episode in my "Whatever Happened, Happened" recap. I think it's an important episode for Claire/Aaron.
*Man of Science, Man of Faith--The introduction of Desmond, Jack and Locke yell at each other, the introduction of The Hatch and Dharma, Walt-Who-Speaks-Backwards appears. It's very, very good.
MOST VALUABLE CHARACTER--SEASON TWO EDITION
This was fun to do for season one. I will do this again right now:
Jack Shephard: The defending MVC. In season two, he decides to push the button every 108 minutes, explores The Hatch with Sayid and discovers the electromagnetic energy, yells at Tom in The Hunting Party, is nice to Ana Lucia, continues to help people as their doctor, saves Sawyer's life, engages in a passionate kiss with Kate, wanted to find Michael when Michael went to look for Walt, listened to Sayid about Sayid's suspicion of Michael, attemped to force a trade for Walt by using Ben.
Sayid Jarrah: Sayid fixes The Swan computer, wonders why time is being wasted just so Jack can decide the button needs to be pushed, discovers the amount of concrete undernearth The Hatch and compares it to Chernobyl (the incident), continues to court Shannon, dazzles her as he comforts her about Boone, eventually believes Shannon about her visions of Walt, forgives Ana Lucia for murdering Shannon even after being tied to a tree, helps put the fire out ignited by Charlie, listens to 1940s music with Hurley in the first hint of time travel, is the only one that believes Ben is lying about Henry Gale, PROVES that Ben is a liar by going back to the balloon Ben told them about and digging up that very grave, is correctly suspicious about Michael after Michael returns from his sojourn to find Walt, hatches the plan with Jack for how to handle Michael, uses Desmond's boat he got from Libby to sail to the other side of The Island to aid Jack, Kate, Hurley, and Sawyer in their battle with the other, as he sails he discovers the four-toed statue which will eventually be known as Jacob's Foot by me.
Mr. Eko: Protects the Tailies after they've landed just like he protected Yemi, does not speak for 40 days afterwards as penance, comforts Ana Lucia as she cries, later apologizes for killing some Others to Benny Linus, apologizes to Sawyer for his actions against Sawyer, Michael, and Jin (he beat them with his Jesus Stick when the Tailies mistook them for Others), helps Jin look for Michael after Michael takes off for Walt, Eko suggests the group go inland as they make their way to the Losties camp in order to save Sawyer's life though it puts them at risk with The Others, saves Ana Lucia's life when Sayid's ready to kill her, stops Jack from going to the Tailies full of anger and bloodlust, comforts Ana Lucia as she deals with accidentally killing Shannon, Eko brings the missing piece of the Orientation film from The Arrow, CONFRONTED Smokey and did not stand down or run, is able to properly mourn his brother's death as he recites The 23rd Psalm with Charlie, begins building the church he owes Yemi, baptizes jagirl Claire and baby Aaron, discovers the ? Hatch (otherwise known as The Pearl) with Locke, Eko then believes pushing the button to be more important than ever, continues pushing the button until Locke and Desmond force him out and then lock him out.
Hurley: Is told to do an inventory on the food but eventually decides to give the food to everybody, develops a relationship with Libby, accepts the Tailies, helps Sawyer out even if Sawyer's blackmailing him, exercises with Libby, tries to fix his eating problems, attacks Sawyer because Sawyer called him crazy and probably for all the other stuff Sawyer said to him that got under Hurley's skin, is one of the few characters to remember The Caves existence, plans a picnic for Libby (but unfortunately forgets the blankets), buries Libby and leads the funeral for her and Ana Lucia, decides to go on the trek to The Others after Michael asks him to.
Desmond: Informs Jack and Locke of the importance of pushing the button every 108 minutes, tells them about the Orientation video, flees as soon as the computer's shot because he hates The Island, gets Jack to open up about Sarah, eventually returns to the beach because his sailboat just went in circles, tells Claire she doesn't need to give Aaron the injections because he's been doing that for three years with zero results, helps Locke see whether or not the button's consequences are real, realizes it's all bloody real, and turns the failsafe with the key (doing that will eventually allow him to get off the island as he boards the freighter, is able to call Penny, and Penny finds him and The Oceanic 6 plus the whole 'see-the-future' thing starts with that but that's for season three). For fun: he's also the reason why Oceanic 815 crashes.
WINNER OF THE SEASON TWO MVC AWARD: This is a tough, tough call but I think the award has to go to Desmond Hume. The failsafe thing is so damn important for the future of the show. So the season two MVC is Desmond Hume.
2. Mr. Eko
3. Sayid
4. Jack
5. Hurley
TOP THREE EPISODES OF THE SEASON
3. Lockdown (http://www.hulu.com/watch/90178/lost-lockdown#s-p2-n2-so-i0)
2. The 23rd Psalm (http://www.hulu.com/watch/90207/lost-the-23rd-psalm#s-p3-n2-so-i0)
1. Live Together, Die Alone (http://www.hulu.com/watch/90204/lost-live-together-die-alone-part-1#s-p1-n2-so-i0)
FINAL THOUGHTS
The tagline for season two was: Everything Happens For A Reason. That has been a prevailing theme throughout the series. Damon Lindelof even mentions the tagline at the end of the commentary for "Man of Science, Man of Faith" as he emphasizes the importance of Jack meeting Desmond in the stadium. I read Doc Jensen's newest LOST column and he wrote about experiencing moments again and again and offered an opinion that LOST is doing just that. But I will respectfully disagree with that. I should probably make these thoughts known in a whole different entry and probably will. I'll simply remind you of James Joyce's Ulysses that is seen in 316 in season five and turn your attention the book Joyce wrote after Ulysses (entitled Finnegan's Wake). Actually, I definitely will make this its own entry. As for season two, it's an interesting season. It happened before the show had an end date. There's 24 episodes (1 less than the epic season five). With the shorter seasons, you can see the filler that's present. It takes 8 episodes for the Tailies and Losties to meet. There's a B story in an episode in which Sawyer forces Hurley to hunt down a tree frog. But there's some great stuff in season two. I'm a huge fan of the Henry Gale stuff. The end of "Two For The Road" is a top 5 LOST ending. Any spoiler-free person at the time did not see that coming including me. I like the first-ever on Island flashback (Claire's Maternity Leave). Season Two and I have had a complicated relationship for four years now but that's just me.
UP NEXT: Who knows. Maybe Season 3 rewind. Or a season five DVD feature review. Don't expect my season six-Finnegan's Wake thing next because that'll probably go up close to Feb. 2
Merry 2010!
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