The first issue of The Quad is released on Monday. I would have a preview but I graduated 8 months ago and, thus, do not have a preview for what's coming in Monday's issue. I look forward to discovering the identity of the person succeeding me as the beat writer for the men's soccer team. I look forward to the entertainment section remaining the best section in the paper. Last year, for the first issue of the fall semester and my second issue as overlord of the entertainment section, I did a round-up of summer news and a last-minute piece on Noel Gallagher suddenly quitting Oasis. I digress. Everyone can read the latest Quad issue at wcuquad.com.
Last week, I indulged in a week-long search for new television shows to review for the Fall. After the extensive search, I settled on only four shows. The problem is each show is new and the premiere dates won't allow me to write about television at the pace that I want. For example, The Walking Dead won't air until October 31. For nearly two months I will only write about three shows? No way.
For the sake of credibility, I won't write about shows that I'm unfamiliar with. In other words, the plan is to write about shows I actually watch. It's a novel concept. Of course, the TV schedule isn't favorable in the early weeks. Only The CW returns before the rest of the network landscape on September 20. Most of the shows I'd write about (Community, It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, The Vampire Diaries) air on Thursdays which would create an insane amount of posts in a short span. Plus, my 5th season of NFL predictions is moving into The Foot. Returning shows might find their space within the actual picks. Basically, the TV reviews will become frequent once the full fall schedule is in full swing and I just need to show patience before I can write at the pace I want. Moving on...
A new show is entering the review rotation. Which show? Well, read on:
The Show: Beyond Survival with Les Stround
The Channel: Discovery
Premiere Date: Tonight at 10PM
Premise: (From Discovery Channel Press Release) As "Survivorman," Les Stroud spent years surviving some of the most remote locations on earth -- alone -- while filming himself. In BEYONDSURVIVAL WITH LES STROUD, premiering Friday, August 27 at 10PM ET/PT, Stroud learns the tribes' techniques, takes part in their rituals and ceremonies and discovers the secrets of how their culture has survived for thousands of years... before they vanish forever. Les has relied on his years of training, raw instincts and sheer will to endure his seven-day challenges. Now, he takes his knowledge deeper; seek out the true masters ofsurvival -- the last indigenous tribes in the most remote corners of the planet.
Thoughts: I was a huge fan of Survivorman during its run. I understood why Les walked away from the show because he never looked happy by the end of an episode. He spent days with either little food or little water or both. His show wasn't as intense as Man Vs. Wild. Stroud always offered the more practical way to survive. If I was lost in the wild, I think I could survive with what Les Stroud taught. I would probably die if I followed Bear Grylls because he always adopts the most extreme method of survival but it's awesome to watch in the comfort of one's home.
The premise of the show reminds of the movie about the linguists. Linguists would travel to remote corners of earth to capture the dialect of the remaining indigenous cultures. The idea of traveling to the last indigenous tribes on earth to learn about not only their survival skills but their culture is fascinating. I'm eager to learn about these different tribes and their cultures. The description of the tribe Les visits in the first episode is so cool. I expect a healthier, less worn down Les Stroud by episode's end.
I'll have much more to write about when I see the episode tonight. The review/recap/thoughts/whatever-you-want-to-call-it will be posted Monday.
THE YOUTUBE CLIP OF THE WEEK
Showing posts with label the quad. Show all posts
Showing posts with label the quad. Show all posts
Friday, August 27, 2010
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Jacob's Foot: The Last Recruit Recap
[caption id="attachment_1332" align="alignnone" width="800" caption="Jack and NotLocke discuss stock options."]
[/caption]
What an hour of LOST, folks. Goodness gracious, this felt like the penultimate episode of the series but we still have four left. We had the Sideways stories connecting and some serious plot movement on the Island. That was fantastic. I need a cigarette. AND I DON'T EVEN SMOKE! No singular character was focused on. It mixed in every lovable character from the six seasons of this magnificent show. I hope that this is how the remaining four episodes play out. I think it will. Did MIB just meet the new Jackob? EH? See what I did there?
Speaking of Jack, this episode did have a main focus: Jack and Locke. They are the most iconic characters on the show. Their relationship personifies the Man of Science vs. Man of Faith battle that has dominated the series since the first season. But, of course, this wasn't Jack and John Locke because Locke's been dead for a bit of time now. Jack finally got to meet The Smokness/His Smokeness/Smokey/NotLocke/The Man in Black. The writers aren't playing around anymore. The teaser featured their conversation. THE TEASER. They had a heavy mythological conversation. Just how could Smokey take the form of John Locke? That is what Jack wondered. NotLocke downloaded a bit of information for him. John Locke had to be dead (which seems a given considering the rampant speculation since NotYemi reared his ugly head in "The Cost of Living). NotLocke scolded Locke again, telling Jack that Locke was a sucker who thought they were really there for a reason. Jack wondered whether or not NotLocke took the form of his father, Christian, in "White Rabbit." NotLocke says he did. Jack wondered why. NotLocke explained that Jack needed to find water. He added that he's always tried to help them. He didn't want them trapped and he told Jack that he had been trapped by the Island even before he arrived to the Island. One could argue with NotLocke. The show wants the audience to debate that: fate vs. free will. What constitutes destiny? I believe we're going to get more of that as we progress.
Their conversation ended when NotLocke brought Claire, who had been following them, out of the darkness. She just wanted to see her brother again. It was a moment four seasons in the making. I loved Jack's first words to her: "I'm so sorry." I digress though. Jack had a decision to make in an episode entitled "The Last Recruit." Of course, Jack is the last one. Like Locke attempted for five seasons, even in death, NotLocke wanted to do: make a believer out of Jack. Of course, Jack's been a believer since Locke's death, since that meeting with Hurley in Santa Rose, since he had a vision of his father late at night in the hospital. Jack's not going to buy it. He followed Sawyer's plan to keep his promise to Sun. He wanted to get everyone off the Island but he doesn't want to leave the Island. Not again. We all know what happened to him. A miserable, suicide beard man. Pill-popping and drinking alcohol. He didn't come back just to leave again. He told Sawyer, during another heart-warming chat, that if NotLocke wants them all to leave then they should probably stay. Sawyer told Jack to get the hell off of his boat. Sawyer had no interest as Jack told his Lockeisms. Jack admitted he felt a piece of himself missing once he left the Island. He looked at Kate for possibly the last time. He apologized to Sawyer for getting Juliet killed and he jumped into the ocean. On the shores of goody Island, he found the waiting NotLocke. Of course, seconds after he arrived, Widmore's crew had NotLocke's position locked in. More explosions. This is rivaling John Locke's great Island Explosion Tour of Aught Four, folks. Jack went FLYING. The familiar post-explosions sounds were heard. NotLocke rushed to get Jack. He carried him on his back to safety. "You're with me now," NotLocke told Jack.
Meanwhile, Sawyer successfully eluded NotLocke for the time being with Desmond's ol boat that Libby gave him. Jack brought Sun, Frank and Hurley with him as planned. Sawyer explained to Jack that Claire and Sayid weren't invited. Sayid's a zombie and Claire's nuts is how Sawyer summed it up. Jack went along with it. It was a bit cruel. Moments before Jack fled, he had a little talk with his sister about the trust she's put into NotLocke. Claire put it simply: he was there for her when everybody else had left her. What she didn't know is that the Island started throwing characters back in time. Of course, Jack immediately abandoned her again. She didn't take kindly to that. She approached the boat with a gun, ready to shoot. She yelled that NotLocke would be mad. Poor Claire. She doesn't want to be alone. Kate came through in the clutch. She finally told Claire why she came back to the Island. She apologized for raising Aaron. She told her she would not leave without her. It was enough to make a grown man dusty in the eyes, folks. She got on the boat but not before warning them that NotLocke will be mad if he finds the boat. HE'S A PILLAR OF BLACK SMOKE! OF COURSE HE'LL BE MAD! Sawyer's Widmore-Submarine plan didn't go as planned. We got one heck of a Jin/Sun reunion. I didn't expect it. I yelled out loud and I command absolute silence during LOST. But we were left with the group of six on their knees. I assume Widmore, that bastard, wants them killed. Zoe told Sawyer that the deal was off. Someone name ONE thing that Widmore's done to make him likable. ONE.
Also, NotLocke assigned Sayid another assignment: kill Desmond. You see, Zoe showed up to show off the power of her crew. NotLocke didn't really care and wasn't scared. After all, he IS black smoke. Widmore wanted Desmond back. NotLocke acted ignorant. Later is when he told Sayid what to do. Sayid arrived at the well and pointed the gun down. Desmond began talking to Sayid, his old buddy. They once traveled with one another to the freighter, had each other's back. Desmond wanted to know what Smokey promised Sayid. Sayid told him about the return of the love of his life. Desmond wanted to know how Smokey could pull that off. Sayid explained that he died and was brought back by Smokey. Desmond then went for the heart. He asked Sayid what would he tell his love about what he did to get her back. Such sadness conveyed in this scene. Shades of what Michael did to get Walt back. It was brilliant. We didn't see Sayid kill Desmond. The next thing we saw was Sayid tell NotLocke that he killed him. Hope for Sayid? I think I write those words every week.
In the SIDEWAYS, the threads began to merge. Sun and Locke were taken to the hospital. Sawyer had a chat with Kate about their little meaning. Sawyer made a big fuss about fate bringing them together. Kate assumed Sawyer didn't want anyone finding out he had been to Australia. She's very good. Claire ran into Desmond as she was arriving for her adoption appointment. Desmond told her he could help her with the legal stuff of adoption. Claire obliged though she seemed a bit freaked. They were both going to floor 15. There, she met Desmond's lawyer friend Ilana. Yes, the very same Ilana who got Arzted last week. Ilana seemed to be waiting for her because she had Christian's will. Later on, Claire and Jack met. Claire told him that she was his half-sister. Jack had a tough time dealing with that bit of news. He received a phone call from the hospital. He was needed for emergency surgergy. Also, Sayid got arrested for murdering Keamy and his friends. HOW'S THAT for a succinct recap of the Sideways? Listen, you can go to Lostpedia for a thorough detail recap of the Sideways. I do have more to say about the Sideways.
A fascinating bit happened very early when Sun and Locke were side by side. She said "no...no...no...it's him." HMMMMM. In the ambulence, Ben tried helping the paramedics as much as he could with the little info he had. Locke told them to contact Helen, his fiancee. "I was going to marry her," he said. The way Terry O'Quinn delivered the Helen line was enought to make a grown man dusty in the eyes as he recalled the lousy life of John Locke. The man who believed when no one else believed and was rejected for his belief. The man whose own father conned him, who was left alone by Helen when he couldn't and so on and so on. John Locke was so awesome. I digress. Jack arrived for surgery and noticed the man he was about to do surgery on was none other than John Locke, the man he had a nice chat with in the airport. Of course, I had a flashback of the season three spinal surgery storyline with Benjamin Linus. Do I think we're going to see part II of that? Not really. But it sure was a familiar scene. About Sun's line, maybe she was having memories like we've seen the characters having. She was bleeding, traumatized from being shot. I think John Locke is absolutely the original John Locke. In the Sideways that is. Sun's lines are matter of the worlds slowly, slowly becoming...one...maybe...or bleeding into eachother. How they reconcile will be amazing I'm sure when we finally learn how they reconcile.
Time for some other thoughts:
--Of course I'm going to begin this by complimenting Emilie de Ravin's beauty. She looked gorgeous in the Sideways. Absolutely gorgeous. I really enjoyed her reunion with Hurley. I especially enjoyed Hurley's reaction. I felt quite bad for Claire. No one wanted her. People were afraid of her. She just wanted to be with her friends again. She even told Jack that she never had much family and was glad that he was back. All she needs is a little love. I thought Emilie was wonderful in this episode.
--Best scene of the night goes to Desmond and Sayid. Henry Ian Cusick is a hell of an actor. Great writing, great performances. That scene ranks among some of LOST's best.
--Sayid, Sayid, Sayid. It's been a rough season for him. I keep writing that there's hope for Sayid's redemption. Is there? If Hurley believes people can be brought back from the dark side, there is hope. He's not giving up on Claire. I don't think he'd give up on Sayid either.
--I feel a bit bad for getting angry at Richard, Ben and Miles for going off on their own. I now LIKE their plan. Hopefully, we catch up with them in two weeks.
--Who would've thought when watching seasons 1-4 that Claire would one day be a real threatening presence? I didn't think she was going to shoot Kate but it wouldn't have surprised me. That's good writing and good acting.
--As I wrote earlier, this episode felt like the penultimate episode of the series. The final four are going to be astounding.
--Speaking of that, I can't believe there's only four episodes left. This season has flown by. I'm really going to miss this show.
--The Jin/Sun reunion was well worth the wait. Yes, I applauded when it occured. I thought I even saw Sawyer choke up.
--I must mention: there's only 3 audio LOST podcasts left. The Official LOST podcast has been a favorite of mine ever since it debuted in late 2005. Damon and Carlton are awesome in every podcast. Yep. There's only 3 podcasts left. I'll probably give a recap and thoughts on the final podcast.
--Paul Zbyszewski and Graham Roland wrote this episode. It's probably their last LOST episode. Tremendous job by them. Graham Roland, a new writer this season, has some potential. I'm looking forward to what he writes after this. Same for Mr. Zvbyszewski. Stephen Semel directed this one.
--I enjoyed this one a whole lot. I had so much fun watching it. The pay off is truly beginning. Every actor and actress was wonderful. The entire crew was fantastic as always. There was so much going on in this episode. I'm so excited to watch the final four episodes of the series.
--No LOST next week so I'll be back in two weeks. Enjoy the re-run of "Ab Aeterno" next week.
--And yes, this is being posted a mere 2.5 hours after "The Last Recruit" aired!
TO THE RANKINGS!
Good times with the rankings. There's some movement in both. STEVE moved Jack to 2 and MIB to 3. Kate was demoted in STEVE's. Frank made it into the top ten. Sayid fell out of the top ten. As for my rankings, Claire remains on the cusp of the top 5. Will she make it? My top 5 remained the same. I moved Kate up because of how awesome she was with Claire. Sawyer got demoted for his plan backfiring and kicking Jack off the boat. Check 'em out for yourselves:
AFTER EPISODE 13
RANKED: 4/20/2010
CHRIS
1. Desmond
2. Jack
3. Hurley
4. Jin
5. Ben
6. Claire
7. Kate
8. Locke
9. Sawyer
10. Miles
11. Sayid
12. Frank
13. Sun
14. Richard
15. Jacob
16. Man in Black
17. Widmore
STEVE
1. Desmond
2. Jack
3. Man in Black
4. Richard
5. Ben
6. Miles
7. Kate
8. Jin
9. Frank
10. Sawyer
11. Sayid
12. Jacob
13. Claire
14. Locke
15. Jacob
16. Hurley
17. Widmore
[/caption]What an hour of LOST, folks. Goodness gracious, this felt like the penultimate episode of the series but we still have four left. We had the Sideways stories connecting and some serious plot movement on the Island. That was fantastic. I need a cigarette. AND I DON'T EVEN SMOKE! No singular character was focused on. It mixed in every lovable character from the six seasons of this magnificent show. I hope that this is how the remaining four episodes play out. I think it will. Did MIB just meet the new Jackob? EH? See what I did there?
Speaking of Jack, this episode did have a main focus: Jack and Locke. They are the most iconic characters on the show. Their relationship personifies the Man of Science vs. Man of Faith battle that has dominated the series since the first season. But, of course, this wasn't Jack and John Locke because Locke's been dead for a bit of time now. Jack finally got to meet The Smokness/His Smokeness/Smokey/NotLocke/The Man in Black. The writers aren't playing around anymore. The teaser featured their conversation. THE TEASER. They had a heavy mythological conversation. Just how could Smokey take the form of John Locke? That is what Jack wondered. NotLocke downloaded a bit of information for him. John Locke had to be dead (which seems a given considering the rampant speculation since NotYemi reared his ugly head in "The Cost of Living). NotLocke scolded Locke again, telling Jack that Locke was a sucker who thought they were really there for a reason. Jack wondered whether or not NotLocke took the form of his father, Christian, in "White Rabbit." NotLocke says he did. Jack wondered why. NotLocke explained that Jack needed to find water. He added that he's always tried to help them. He didn't want them trapped and he told Jack that he had been trapped by the Island even before he arrived to the Island. One could argue with NotLocke. The show wants the audience to debate that: fate vs. free will. What constitutes destiny? I believe we're going to get more of that as we progress.
Their conversation ended when NotLocke brought Claire, who had been following them, out of the darkness. She just wanted to see her brother again. It was a moment four seasons in the making. I loved Jack's first words to her: "I'm so sorry." I digress though. Jack had a decision to make in an episode entitled "The Last Recruit." Of course, Jack is the last one. Like Locke attempted for five seasons, even in death, NotLocke wanted to do: make a believer out of Jack. Of course, Jack's been a believer since Locke's death, since that meeting with Hurley in Santa Rose, since he had a vision of his father late at night in the hospital. Jack's not going to buy it. He followed Sawyer's plan to keep his promise to Sun. He wanted to get everyone off the Island but he doesn't want to leave the Island. Not again. We all know what happened to him. A miserable, suicide beard man. Pill-popping and drinking alcohol. He didn't come back just to leave again. He told Sawyer, during another heart-warming chat, that if NotLocke wants them all to leave then they should probably stay. Sawyer told Jack to get the hell off of his boat. Sawyer had no interest as Jack told his Lockeisms. Jack admitted he felt a piece of himself missing once he left the Island. He looked at Kate for possibly the last time. He apologized to Sawyer for getting Juliet killed and he jumped into the ocean. On the shores of goody Island, he found the waiting NotLocke. Of course, seconds after he arrived, Widmore's crew had NotLocke's position locked in. More explosions. This is rivaling John Locke's great Island Explosion Tour of Aught Four, folks. Jack went FLYING. The familiar post-explosions sounds were heard. NotLocke rushed to get Jack. He carried him on his back to safety. "You're with me now," NotLocke told Jack.
Meanwhile, Sawyer successfully eluded NotLocke for the time being with Desmond's ol boat that Libby gave him. Jack brought Sun, Frank and Hurley with him as planned. Sawyer explained to Jack that Claire and Sayid weren't invited. Sayid's a zombie and Claire's nuts is how Sawyer summed it up. Jack went along with it. It was a bit cruel. Moments before Jack fled, he had a little talk with his sister about the trust she's put into NotLocke. Claire put it simply: he was there for her when everybody else had left her. What she didn't know is that the Island started throwing characters back in time. Of course, Jack immediately abandoned her again. She didn't take kindly to that. She approached the boat with a gun, ready to shoot. She yelled that NotLocke would be mad. Poor Claire. She doesn't want to be alone. Kate came through in the clutch. She finally told Claire why she came back to the Island. She apologized for raising Aaron. She told her she would not leave without her. It was enough to make a grown man dusty in the eyes, folks. She got on the boat but not before warning them that NotLocke will be mad if he finds the boat. HE'S A PILLAR OF BLACK SMOKE! OF COURSE HE'LL BE MAD! Sawyer's Widmore-Submarine plan didn't go as planned. We got one heck of a Jin/Sun reunion. I didn't expect it. I yelled out loud and I command absolute silence during LOST. But we were left with the group of six on their knees. I assume Widmore, that bastard, wants them killed. Zoe told Sawyer that the deal was off. Someone name ONE thing that Widmore's done to make him likable. ONE.
Also, NotLocke assigned Sayid another assignment: kill Desmond. You see, Zoe showed up to show off the power of her crew. NotLocke didn't really care and wasn't scared. After all, he IS black smoke. Widmore wanted Desmond back. NotLocke acted ignorant. Later is when he told Sayid what to do. Sayid arrived at the well and pointed the gun down. Desmond began talking to Sayid, his old buddy. They once traveled with one another to the freighter, had each other's back. Desmond wanted to know what Smokey promised Sayid. Sayid told him about the return of the love of his life. Desmond wanted to know how Smokey could pull that off. Sayid explained that he died and was brought back by Smokey. Desmond then went for the heart. He asked Sayid what would he tell his love about what he did to get her back. Such sadness conveyed in this scene. Shades of what Michael did to get Walt back. It was brilliant. We didn't see Sayid kill Desmond. The next thing we saw was Sayid tell NotLocke that he killed him. Hope for Sayid? I think I write those words every week.
In the SIDEWAYS, the threads began to merge. Sun and Locke were taken to the hospital. Sawyer had a chat with Kate about their little meaning. Sawyer made a big fuss about fate bringing them together. Kate assumed Sawyer didn't want anyone finding out he had been to Australia. She's very good. Claire ran into Desmond as she was arriving for her adoption appointment. Desmond told her he could help her with the legal stuff of adoption. Claire obliged though she seemed a bit freaked. They were both going to floor 15. There, she met Desmond's lawyer friend Ilana. Yes, the very same Ilana who got Arzted last week. Ilana seemed to be waiting for her because she had Christian's will. Later on, Claire and Jack met. Claire told him that she was his half-sister. Jack had a tough time dealing with that bit of news. He received a phone call from the hospital. He was needed for emergency surgergy. Also, Sayid got arrested for murdering Keamy and his friends. HOW'S THAT for a succinct recap of the Sideways? Listen, you can go to Lostpedia for a thorough detail recap of the Sideways. I do have more to say about the Sideways.
A fascinating bit happened very early when Sun and Locke were side by side. She said "no...no...no...it's him." HMMMMM. In the ambulence, Ben tried helping the paramedics as much as he could with the little info he had. Locke told them to contact Helen, his fiancee. "I was going to marry her," he said. The way Terry O'Quinn delivered the Helen line was enought to make a grown man dusty in the eyes as he recalled the lousy life of John Locke. The man who believed when no one else believed and was rejected for his belief. The man whose own father conned him, who was left alone by Helen when he couldn't and so on and so on. John Locke was so awesome. I digress. Jack arrived for surgery and noticed the man he was about to do surgery on was none other than John Locke, the man he had a nice chat with in the airport. Of course, I had a flashback of the season three spinal surgery storyline with Benjamin Linus. Do I think we're going to see part II of that? Not really. But it sure was a familiar scene. About Sun's line, maybe she was having memories like we've seen the characters having. She was bleeding, traumatized from being shot. I think John Locke is absolutely the original John Locke. In the Sideways that is. Sun's lines are matter of the worlds slowly, slowly becoming...one...maybe...or bleeding into eachother. How they reconcile will be amazing I'm sure when we finally learn how they reconcile.
Time for some other thoughts:
--Of course I'm going to begin this by complimenting Emilie de Ravin's beauty. She looked gorgeous in the Sideways. Absolutely gorgeous. I really enjoyed her reunion with Hurley. I especially enjoyed Hurley's reaction. I felt quite bad for Claire. No one wanted her. People were afraid of her. She just wanted to be with her friends again. She even told Jack that she never had much family and was glad that he was back. All she needs is a little love. I thought Emilie was wonderful in this episode.
--Best scene of the night goes to Desmond and Sayid. Henry Ian Cusick is a hell of an actor. Great writing, great performances. That scene ranks among some of LOST's best.
--Sayid, Sayid, Sayid. It's been a rough season for him. I keep writing that there's hope for Sayid's redemption. Is there? If Hurley believes people can be brought back from the dark side, there is hope. He's not giving up on Claire. I don't think he'd give up on Sayid either.
--I feel a bit bad for getting angry at Richard, Ben and Miles for going off on their own. I now LIKE their plan. Hopefully, we catch up with them in two weeks.
--Who would've thought when watching seasons 1-4 that Claire would one day be a real threatening presence? I didn't think she was going to shoot Kate but it wouldn't have surprised me. That's good writing and good acting.
--As I wrote earlier, this episode felt like the penultimate episode of the series. The final four are going to be astounding.
--Speaking of that, I can't believe there's only four episodes left. This season has flown by. I'm really going to miss this show.
--The Jin/Sun reunion was well worth the wait. Yes, I applauded when it occured. I thought I even saw Sawyer choke up.
--I must mention: there's only 3 audio LOST podcasts left. The Official LOST podcast has been a favorite of mine ever since it debuted in late 2005. Damon and Carlton are awesome in every podcast. Yep. There's only 3 podcasts left. I'll probably give a recap and thoughts on the final podcast.
--Paul Zbyszewski and Graham Roland wrote this episode. It's probably their last LOST episode. Tremendous job by them. Graham Roland, a new writer this season, has some potential. I'm looking forward to what he writes after this. Same for Mr. Zvbyszewski. Stephen Semel directed this one.
--I enjoyed this one a whole lot. I had so much fun watching it. The pay off is truly beginning. Every actor and actress was wonderful. The entire crew was fantastic as always. There was so much going on in this episode. I'm so excited to watch the final four episodes of the series.
--No LOST next week so I'll be back in two weeks. Enjoy the re-run of "Ab Aeterno" next week.
--And yes, this is being posted a mere 2.5 hours after "The Last Recruit" aired!
TO THE RANKINGS!
Good times with the rankings. There's some movement in both. STEVE moved Jack to 2 and MIB to 3. Kate was demoted in STEVE's. Frank made it into the top ten. Sayid fell out of the top ten. As for my rankings, Claire remains on the cusp of the top 5. Will she make it? My top 5 remained the same. I moved Kate up because of how awesome she was with Claire. Sawyer got demoted for his plan backfiring and kicking Jack off the boat. Check 'em out for yourselves:
AFTER EPISODE 13
RANKED: 4/20/2010
CHRIS
1. Desmond
2. Jack
3. Hurley
4. Jin
5. Ben
6. Claire
7. Kate
8. Locke
9. Sawyer
10. Miles
11. Sayid
12. Frank
13. Sun
14. Richard
15. Jacob
16. Man in Black
17. Widmore
STEVE
1. Desmond
2. Jack
3. Man in Black
4. Richard
5. Ben
6. Miles
7. Kate
8. Jin
9. Frank
10. Sawyer
11. Sayid
12. Jacob
13. Claire
14. Locke
15. Jacob
16. Hurley
17. Widmore
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Jacob's Foot: Answers Won't Make or Break LOST
NOTE: I wrote this in August and it ran in an online-only version of The Quad in August two weeks for the first print edition of the semester was released. It probably would've been more effective to post it now rather than in August but oh well. Heck it might even be a better idea to re-post it on Feb. 1 or Feb. 2 but, you know, it's already available on wcuquad.com so it doesn't really matter. So, if anybody actually reads this, please read it. It's decent prose. I'll post an all new entry tomorrow or Friday. It won't be too exciting. I've got some ideas floating in my head for next week so keep checking back, if anybody actually reads this, for there will be new content up to and through the sixth season which is now less than two weeks away. WOOOOHOOO! Oh, and don't forget ABC will be re-airing The Incident on January 26 at 9PM.
Originally printed (digitally): August 17, 2009
One the finest aspects of LOST is its mystery. I know many fans will be clamoring for answers and will feel like they've been following the show for six years for nothing if Lindelof and Cuse don't provide a satisfactory amount of answers to the abundance of questions raised during the show's run.
The problem with this, as noted by Doc Jensen, is the subjectivity of the audience. What are the most important questions? Depends on who you ask. Some want the nature of the Numbers unearthed. Others want to know about the Monster. Those stuck in 2004 are still puzzled about polar bears.
But really, the endgame of the show will not be constructed on what the audience wants. The endgame of the show is going to reflect the vision Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse have worked five plus years to create
In the end, LOST is a story. It's not a complicated math problem that needs to be figured out and solved. It has a beginning, a middle, and an end like any other story. It's a story about these characters, their problems, their weaknesses, their past. It's a story, like all of the great stories in Western literature, that touches on the big questions in life: death, life, religion, philosophy, relationships, uncertainty, and destiny.
The evolution of television programming has lost the art of storytelling. Reality television is devoid of it Those shows are a series of happenings stringed along by a 'theme.' Scripted television also suffers from a lack of storytelling. There's barely a whole picture now at the end of a season. What happened in the beginning of a season has no bearing on the conclusion of the season. There's no cohesion, no building towards a climax. The end of Buffy marked the beginning of the end of serialized, story-based storytelling. The fifth season premiere of Dawson's Creek marked the end of any hope for honest storytelling in a teenage drama and these procedural dramas have no idea what a season of television entails.
The blame can be placed on the television industry of course. It's hardly a safe haven for storytellers. A new show exists on an episode-by-episode basis. Money drives everything. Advertising runs television. Commercials are responsible for three minutes being trimmed off an hour long drama. However, to blame the industry for a world of hollow storytelling is to make the industry a scapegoat when blame can placed on the shoulders of creators and showrunners. While the current structure of the television landscape is not in the best interest for a series, it is still the responsibility of the creator to have some sort of vision apart from the pilot and the first batch of episodes.
Take for example Joss Whedon, a veteran of the television business. He's run two successful television shows (Buffy, The Vampire Slayer and Angel). His one abrutly cancelled television series, Firefly, ended up on the big screen in 2005. His secret to success? A plan. He believes in what I like to call 'The 5 year plan.' In interviews he gave following the cancellation of Firefly, he repeated that he had five years of story for his show. Likewise, prior to the debut of Dollhouse, he said that he also had five years of story for Dollhouse. Of course he made a critical mistake of starting off the series terribly slowly but, that aside, when the story really kicked into gear, when the show found its focus, it took off creatively and made waves critically. And is still on the air.
The viewing public can sense this focus, this sense that there's actually a story. The most remembered television series of the last decade won't be any lousy police procedural or reality show. The most remembered shows will be shows that told a damn good story like The Wire, Mad Men, The Sopranos, and, of course, LOST.
Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse, on numerous occassions, have compared the structure of LOST to that of how Charles Dickens published his novels. Dickens published his novels in a serialized fashion, in increments. In addition to their love for Dickens, they have constantly alluded to great works in Eastern and Western literature. The battle between science and faith as represented by Jack Sheperd and John Locke was represented in a season two episode by the authors Ernest Hemingway and Fyodor Dostoevsky (and used by Ben (under the guise of Henry Gale then) to mess with an already fragile psyche). The Chronicles of Narnia, Alice in Wonderland, The Wizard of Oz, Lord of the Flies, Watership Down, The Little Prince, and Ulysses among many, many more novels have been alluded to throughout the series. LOST knows how to tell a story.
Consider then that some of the mysteries are meant to remain just that--mysteries. Consider: maybe it's better to not know who the skeletons in the cave are (personally, i would like to know because i think it would be a very satisfying). Consider maybe that it's best for the skeletons to remain a symbol of the long history of The Island. Consider that it IS better to not know the mystery of the Numbers or who ran over Nadia or why people who are dead appear to our favorite characters on The Island. The most important thing with all of the mysteries and intrigue is that they led to excellent character development and helped progress storylines.
Nestor Carbonell (Richard) echoed a sentiment that I myself agee with: there has to be some mystery at the end. Yes, they need to provide answers. We need to know why Claire disappeared, we need to know what the Others are definitevely, we need to know the deal with the whispers as well as why Richard doesn't age. They will indeed provide answers.
Simply, do not judge the worth of the show on answers alone. First and foremost, the show is about the characters. Their struggles, weaknesses, problems, their destiny, and biggest of all, the show is about why these characters were brought together on an Island of miracles. And remember, it's Damon and Carlton's show, and that it's a story and not a math problem that needs to be solved.
Originally printed (digitally): August 17, 2009
One the finest aspects of LOST is its mystery. I know many fans will be clamoring for answers and will feel like they've been following the show for six years for nothing if Lindelof and Cuse don't provide a satisfactory amount of answers to the abundance of questions raised during the show's run.
The problem with this, as noted by Doc Jensen, is the subjectivity of the audience. What are the most important questions? Depends on who you ask. Some want the nature of the Numbers unearthed. Others want to know about the Monster. Those stuck in 2004 are still puzzled about polar bears.
But really, the endgame of the show will not be constructed on what the audience wants. The endgame of the show is going to reflect the vision Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse have worked five plus years to create
In the end, LOST is a story. It's not a complicated math problem that needs to be figured out and solved. It has a beginning, a middle, and an end like any other story. It's a story about these characters, their problems, their weaknesses, their past. It's a story, like all of the great stories in Western literature, that touches on the big questions in life: death, life, religion, philosophy, relationships, uncertainty, and destiny.
The evolution of television programming has lost the art of storytelling. Reality television is devoid of it Those shows are a series of happenings stringed along by a 'theme.' Scripted television also suffers from a lack of storytelling. There's barely a whole picture now at the end of a season. What happened in the beginning of a season has no bearing on the conclusion of the season. There's no cohesion, no building towards a climax. The end of Buffy marked the beginning of the end of serialized, story-based storytelling. The fifth season premiere of Dawson's Creek marked the end of any hope for honest storytelling in a teenage drama and these procedural dramas have no idea what a season of television entails.
The blame can be placed on the television industry of course. It's hardly a safe haven for storytellers. A new show exists on an episode-by-episode basis. Money drives everything. Advertising runs television. Commercials are responsible for three minutes being trimmed off an hour long drama. However, to blame the industry for a world of hollow storytelling is to make the industry a scapegoat when blame can placed on the shoulders of creators and showrunners. While the current structure of the television landscape is not in the best interest for a series, it is still the responsibility of the creator to have some sort of vision apart from the pilot and the first batch of episodes.
Take for example Joss Whedon, a veteran of the television business. He's run two successful television shows (Buffy, The Vampire Slayer and Angel). His one abrutly cancelled television series, Firefly, ended up on the big screen in 2005. His secret to success? A plan. He believes in what I like to call 'The 5 year plan.' In interviews he gave following the cancellation of Firefly, he repeated that he had five years of story for his show. Likewise, prior to the debut of Dollhouse, he said that he also had five years of story for Dollhouse. Of course he made a critical mistake of starting off the series terribly slowly but, that aside, when the story really kicked into gear, when the show found its focus, it took off creatively and made waves critically. And is still on the air.
The viewing public can sense this focus, this sense that there's actually a story. The most remembered television series of the last decade won't be any lousy police procedural or reality show. The most remembered shows will be shows that told a damn good story like The Wire, Mad Men, The Sopranos, and, of course, LOST.
Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse, on numerous occassions, have compared the structure of LOST to that of how Charles Dickens published his novels. Dickens published his novels in a serialized fashion, in increments. In addition to their love for Dickens, they have constantly alluded to great works in Eastern and Western literature. The battle between science and faith as represented by Jack Sheperd and John Locke was represented in a season two episode by the authors Ernest Hemingway and Fyodor Dostoevsky (and used by Ben (under the guise of Henry Gale then) to mess with an already fragile psyche). The Chronicles of Narnia, Alice in Wonderland, The Wizard of Oz, Lord of the Flies, Watership Down, The Little Prince, and Ulysses among many, many more novels have been alluded to throughout the series. LOST knows how to tell a story.
Consider then that some of the mysteries are meant to remain just that--mysteries. Consider: maybe it's better to not know who the skeletons in the cave are (personally, i would like to know because i think it would be a very satisfying). Consider maybe that it's best for the skeletons to remain a symbol of the long history of The Island. Consider that it IS better to not know the mystery of the Numbers or who ran over Nadia or why people who are dead appear to our favorite characters on The Island. The most important thing with all of the mysteries and intrigue is that they led to excellent character development and helped progress storylines.
Nestor Carbonell (Richard) echoed a sentiment that I myself agee with: there has to be some mystery at the end. Yes, they need to provide answers. We need to know why Claire disappeared, we need to know what the Others are definitevely, we need to know the deal with the whispers as well as why Richard doesn't age. They will indeed provide answers.
Simply, do not judge the worth of the show on answers alone. First and foremost, the show is about the characters. Their struggles, weaknesses, problems, their destiny, and biggest of all, the show is about why these characters were brought together on an Island of miracles. And remember, it's Damon and Carlton's show, and that it's a story and not a math problem that needs to be solved.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Jacob's Foot: Born To Run
THE 'LOST' EPISODE OF THE DAY
[caption id="attachment_1052" align="alignleft" width="399" caption="Can't pass up a Claire picture, folks (lostpedia.com)"]
[/caption]
The episode: Born To Run
Original Airdate: May 11, 2005
Written By: Edward Kitsis & Adam Horowitz (Story by Javier Grillo-Marxuach)
Directed By: Tucker Gates
Content (from original ABC.com press release/lostpedia): With news that the raft must leave at once to avoid changing winds, Kate decides that she needs to be one of the passengers, attempting to steal Sawyer's spot. Meanwhile, suspicion abounds after Michael's drinking water is tampered with. Flashbacks in this episode focus on Kate reuniting with Tom after learning about her mother having cancer.
Why It's Worth Re-Watching: This episode is a Kate episode but there are a few more interesting things that aren't related to Kate that occur in this episode. The John Locke vs. Jack Shepherd gains more speed in this. This episode occurs a few days after the death of Boone, and Locke lying to Jack about how the accident happened, which made Jack treat Boone wrongly. One of my favorite lines in this episode is when Jack says simply to Locke, "Discretion, John" in response to why he kept Kate's secret a secret. Hurley spills the secret and then drops the hilarious tidbit that Steve didn't know about the polar bear.
That exchange is preceded by a great exchange after Jack finds out about the Hatch. Jack's mad because Locke's been digging for 3 weeks and hasn't said a thing. Locke responds with, "All due respect, Jack, since when do I report to you?" Jack responds with the fact that John lied. Locke follows that up with Jack keeping the guns a secret and then says 'You used your best discretion and I used mine.' Jack, as described above, throws discretion back at Locke. It's fantastic. The second best dynamic on the show (Ben and Locke are 1).
Another great part of this episode is the Walt/Locke scene in which Walt warns Locke to not open that thing (The Hatch). The most interesting part of this is how Walt becomes aware of it: Locke touches his arm. Now, I can blowhard about this scene until the winter solstice to be honest. I won't though. I will write simply that Walt didn't even understand why he wanted Locke to not open the Hatch but he also, somehow in someway, knew what would eventually happen in that Hatch that would get him off of the Island. I write this only with the knowledge of what happens afterwards. Near the end of the episode, when Walt admits to Michael that he lit the raft on fire because he didn't want to leave, and then tells his dad that they have to leave adds a new wrinkle to possible foreshadow. To go back to the surface meaning, this scene with Locke exists to up the dramatic tension as the finale began the following week. Sayid is also very cautious to open the Hatch and admits that he brought Jack in hopes that he would assist him in talking Locke out of opening it up. The Hatch in season one was fascinating.
I'd be mad at myself if I didn't mention a delightful scene between Claire and Charlie. She's cutting his hair and he's writing music (track two is titled 'Monster Eats The Pilot'). It's a simple scene. Charlie tells Claire that she and Turnip Head can stay with him in Los Angeles when they are rescued (the hope of the Raft remember (many things going in this episode and I haven't even touched the A story)). Emilie's incredibly sweet in this scene.
As for Kate, her flashback revolves around her mother and also connects the dots with episode 12 of this season (Whatever The Case May Be). The significance of the plane is tied with her lifelong friend Tom (who Kate felt was the love of her life).
This episode is my favorite of Kate's season one episodes. I was moved by her story with Tom. I think the scene when they dig up the time-capsule is great. Tom stays with her until he dies. He stayed with her when they were kids and she was shoplifting from the store (when she met Jacob for the first time). There's a tape the two of them recorded that they listen to (before she kisses him) in which she talks about running away (a hint is given about why she wants to runaway which is delved into more in her season two episode). I'd be remiss if I didn't mention why she meets up with Tom. He is a doctor at the hospital her mother's at (she has cancer). The scene with Kate's mothers heightens the-need-to-know regarding Kate's crime and why she's a fugitive.
The On-Island mystery this episode revolves around Michael's poisoning. I won't spoil it for any one reading who would like to watch the episode but the poisoning leads to a significant event: the outing of Kate as a fugitive. Sawyer outs her after she tells him she'll get his spot if she wants it. The poisoning also reveals Jack's sort of mistrust with Kate, telling her that he doesn't know what she's capable of after she seems offended that he thinks she'd be capable of poisoning Michael.
I've also got to mention Dr. Arzt's terrible prediciton about monsoon season. That's revisted later on in the series. Oh, Arzt.
There's a whole lot going on in this episode. There's preliminary set-up for season two, there's set-up for the finale, there's set-up for future Kate flashbacks, mystery about the hatch grows, etc. It's a good episode. Eddie Kitsis and Adam Horowitz wrote the teleplay for the episode (that duo has been dominating the episodes of the day. it likes every other episode i choose is written by them. quality writers they are). LOST alum Javier Grillo-Marxuach wrote the story for the episode (always liked Javier). Buffy Directing Alum Tucker Gates directed it.
Thoughts on the newest Mysteries of The Universe will be up tomorrow afternoon. Watch Born To Run right here: http://www.hulu.com/watch/86577/lost-born-to-run#s-p1-n1-so-i0
[caption id="attachment_1052" align="alignleft" width="399" caption="Can't pass up a Claire picture, folks (lostpedia.com)"]
[/caption]The episode: Born To Run
Original Airdate: May 11, 2005
Written By: Edward Kitsis & Adam Horowitz (Story by Javier Grillo-Marxuach)
Directed By: Tucker Gates
Content (from original ABC.com press release/lostpedia): With news that the raft must leave at once to avoid changing winds, Kate decides that she needs to be one of the passengers, attempting to steal Sawyer's spot. Meanwhile, suspicion abounds after Michael's drinking water is tampered with. Flashbacks in this episode focus on Kate reuniting with Tom after learning about her mother having cancer.
Why It's Worth Re-Watching: This episode is a Kate episode but there are a few more interesting things that aren't related to Kate that occur in this episode. The John Locke vs. Jack Shepherd gains more speed in this. This episode occurs a few days after the death of Boone, and Locke lying to Jack about how the accident happened, which made Jack treat Boone wrongly. One of my favorite lines in this episode is when Jack says simply to Locke, "Discretion, John" in response to why he kept Kate's secret a secret. Hurley spills the secret and then drops the hilarious tidbit that Steve didn't know about the polar bear.
That exchange is preceded by a great exchange after Jack finds out about the Hatch. Jack's mad because Locke's been digging for 3 weeks and hasn't said a thing. Locke responds with, "All due respect, Jack, since when do I report to you?" Jack responds with the fact that John lied. Locke follows that up with Jack keeping the guns a secret and then says 'You used your best discretion and I used mine.' Jack, as described above, throws discretion back at Locke. It's fantastic. The second best dynamic on the show (Ben and Locke are 1).
Another great part of this episode is the Walt/Locke scene in which Walt warns Locke to not open that thing (The Hatch). The most interesting part of this is how Walt becomes aware of it: Locke touches his arm. Now, I can blowhard about this scene until the winter solstice to be honest. I won't though. I will write simply that Walt didn't even understand why he wanted Locke to not open the Hatch but he also, somehow in someway, knew what would eventually happen in that Hatch that would get him off of the Island. I write this only with the knowledge of what happens afterwards. Near the end of the episode, when Walt admits to Michael that he lit the raft on fire because he didn't want to leave, and then tells his dad that they have to leave adds a new wrinkle to possible foreshadow. To go back to the surface meaning, this scene with Locke exists to up the dramatic tension as the finale began the following week. Sayid is also very cautious to open the Hatch and admits that he brought Jack in hopes that he would assist him in talking Locke out of opening it up. The Hatch in season one was fascinating.
I'd be mad at myself if I didn't mention a delightful scene between Claire and Charlie. She's cutting his hair and he's writing music (track two is titled 'Monster Eats The Pilot'). It's a simple scene. Charlie tells Claire that she and Turnip Head can stay with him in Los Angeles when they are rescued (the hope of the Raft remember (many things going in this episode and I haven't even touched the A story)). Emilie's incredibly sweet in this scene.
As for Kate, her flashback revolves around her mother and also connects the dots with episode 12 of this season (Whatever The Case May Be). The significance of the plane is tied with her lifelong friend Tom (who Kate felt was the love of her life).
This episode is my favorite of Kate's season one episodes. I was moved by her story with Tom. I think the scene when they dig up the time-capsule is great. Tom stays with her until he dies. He stayed with her when they were kids and she was shoplifting from the store (when she met Jacob for the first time). There's a tape the two of them recorded that they listen to (before she kisses him) in which she talks about running away (a hint is given about why she wants to runaway which is delved into more in her season two episode). I'd be remiss if I didn't mention why she meets up with Tom. He is a doctor at the hospital her mother's at (she has cancer). The scene with Kate's mothers heightens the-need-to-know regarding Kate's crime and why she's a fugitive.
The On-Island mystery this episode revolves around Michael's poisoning. I won't spoil it for any one reading who would like to watch the episode but the poisoning leads to a significant event: the outing of Kate as a fugitive. Sawyer outs her after she tells him she'll get his spot if she wants it. The poisoning also reveals Jack's sort of mistrust with Kate, telling her that he doesn't know what she's capable of after she seems offended that he thinks she'd be capable of poisoning Michael.
I've also got to mention Dr. Arzt's terrible prediciton about monsoon season. That's revisted later on in the series. Oh, Arzt.
There's a whole lot going on in this episode. There's preliminary set-up for season two, there's set-up for the finale, there's set-up for future Kate flashbacks, mystery about the hatch grows, etc. It's a good episode. Eddie Kitsis and Adam Horowitz wrote the teleplay for the episode (that duo has been dominating the episodes of the day. it likes every other episode i choose is written by them. quality writers they are). LOST alum Javier Grillo-Marxuach wrote the story for the episode (always liked Javier). Buffy Directing Alum Tucker Gates directed it.
Thoughts on the newest Mysteries of The Universe will be up tomorrow afternoon. Watch Born To Run right here: http://www.hulu.com/watch/86577/lost-born-to-run#s-p1-n1-so-i0
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About The Foot
- Chris Monigle
- Originally, I titled the blog Jacob's Foot after the giant foot that Jacob inhabited in LOST. That ended. It became TV With The Foot in 2010. I wrote about a lot of TV.