LOST: Namaste

It’s a lunchtime quickie for LOST.  What can I say about the show while scarfing down my chicken caesar salad in between meetings? (Ah the life of a blogger with a real job).  Well I can say that despite last night’s episode being a bit of a filler, transitional episode I loved it.  I’m so invested in these characters that I enjoy seeing the entirety of their journey.  “Namaste” might not have been a jaw-droppingly great episode but I enjoyed it as much as I have all the other episodes of LOST this season. I’m this show’s bitch.

So let’s run through the events of the island circa 1977.

Last night we learned more about what happened in between the time Ajira Flight 316 started shaking in the air and when we saw Jack, Hurley and Kate scattered about on the island.

As the plane started to go down, Frank and his co-pilot did all they could to pull a Sully but the landing was rough.  While Frank got a little banged up, his poor co-pilot took a tree trunk through the chest.

Heading back to check on his passengers, Frank finds a confused but otherwise ok Sun. Jack, Kate and Hurley are no where to be found.  Ben appears, and in the creepy way that Ben does, declares “they are gone”. Ben, you are a complete freak of nature and I am strangely drawn to you.

Fast forward a little bit (nope, you went to far, go back, nope missed it, fast forward just a little bit – there!) Kate, Jack and Hurley are in a staring contest with Sawyer, or should I say, LeFleur. Hurley breaks the tension with his signature bear hug.  But it’s not the big man that Sawyer wants in his arms right now.  To answer Horace’s questions from a few weeks back, no, it doesn’t seem like three years is long enough to get over someone.

After a few pleasantries, Hugo asks what’s up with the Dharma garb. Sawyer explains that they are living in 1977 and working for Dharma.  Personally I thought the 316ers would have a little bit more reaction.  I mean it’s not like they were around for the flashes and had much time to get used to the idea of time travel.  They took it in stride.  I guess after all they’ve been through nothing much surprises them.

They explain to Sawyer and Jin that they were in a plane crash.  The men panic and Jin takes off to find Radinsky.  If a plane crashed on the island it was imperative that they find it before the hostiles. Especially if Sun is on board.

Sawyer is anxious to find a way to hide Kate, Jack and Hurley.  If they are found by either the hostiles or the Dharma folks it’s going to blow their whole cover. Juliet lets him know that there is a submarine with new recruits coming on to the island. How convenient. Sawyer grabs some 70’s threads and gets ready to integrate his old friends with the Dharma newbies. Sidenote: Are we really supposed to believe that Sawyer owns a sweatshirt that is big enough to be baggy on Hurley? Come on now.

After a few minor missteps during orientation, the threesome are now among the Dharma Initiative Class of 1977. Namaste.

No matter what the year, the power struggle between Jack and Sawyer remains strong.  Jack seeks out Sawyer at home and is surprised to see Juliet answer the door.  After realizing that the two of them are together, Jack fights back a smile. Score – Sawyer wont’ be an issue with Kate. Jack doesn’t have anything to worry about.  Oh silly Jack. The two exchange (not so) pleasantries during which Sawyer blames Jack for the deaths that happened under the Doc’s “leadership”. Jack leaves. Sawyer and Kate longingly gaze at one another from their front porches.

Meanwhile, Sayid, having escaped the plane was wandering through the forest when he happened upon Jin. Their happy reunion was short lived when Radinsky found them. Without having a proper explanation for his presence, Jin treated Sayid like a hostile and took him by gunpoint back to one of the stations.

Sawyer, who seems to be running the island these days for all his responsibilities, is called in to deal with Sayid.  He too had to fake their relationship but Sayid caught on quickly and told Radinsky that he was in fact a hostile.  Trying to keep Radinsky from killing him, Sawyer had Sayid jailed.  During his stay a young boy came to deliver Sayid’s lunch.  And that young boy?  None other than young Benjamin Linus. Duh duh duh.

Speaking of Ben, upon crashing he took off for the main island.  Sun followed him and Lapidus followed her.  Ben told Sun that if she wanted to find Jin they needed to take the boats to the main island.  Frank questioned Sun’s loyalty to Ben. But once he led them to the boats, Sun took an oar to Ben’s head and knocked him out cold.  I must ask – how is Ben still alive?  This guy has been beaten to with an inch of life many, many times over.  I don’t know how he doesn’t at least have some brain damage or something. The guy takes a licking and keeps on ticking.

Having commandeered the boats, Frank and Sun end up on the island.  They find a cabin and see a light flickering inside.  Knock Knock. Who’s there? Christian Shepherd. Damn, this is perhaps the most frakking confusing parts of LOST for me.  What role does Christian Shepherd, dead or alive, have to do with all of this. I need to know!!

Sun tells Christian she needs to find Jin.  He can help.  Christian knows exactly where Jin is…1977.  Too bad Frank and Sun aren’t. Christian tells them they have a long journey ahead of them.

And with that we end another thrilling episode of LOST.  I kind of wish I had the notes that I took during the episode last night with me because Hurley had some classic one-liners.

I’m completely wrapped up in the show and have no problems with these transitional episodes.  Do you?  What worked for you last night and what didn’t?  Are you the one of many, many who are frustrated with the lack of answers?  And let’s talk about Jack/Kate/Sawyer/Juliet – just how is that going to play out?