Michael in Nashville

Eggtown
Of the four episodes we’ve had so far this year, this one was the weakest. It’s not that it was necessarily bad, but it was just when Claire said, “Oh, you should try being a Mom sometime” I figured somehow Aaron would be the mysterious son that was referred to in the flash-forwards. Guessing this a good half an hour or so before the storyline got to the revelation kind of took a bit of the wind out of the sails on this one.

It’s a contrast to last week when I figured out about two minutes before the story let on that Ben was the one pulling Sayid’s strings. In that case, I didn’t guess so far in advance that it ruined my enjoying seeing how the mystery unfolded for the rest of the story or feel like there should be giant signs jumping up shouting “foreshadowing!” every time it was mentioned. And that’s kind of how things felt here with the revelation that Kate took Aaron.

Even to the point that when we had moments of nearly-nekkid Kate, which I usually enjoy, I found myself getting a bit annoyed. I felt as if I wanted to move past these points and get back to the things that are really interesting taking place on the show.

The biggest being–just who is Benjamin Linus. Interesting that Locke should take Ben a novel by Philip K Dick. If you’ve read any of PKD’s work, you know a lot of it has to do with questions of identity and paranoia. Which pretty much sums up a lot of what’s going on around Ben these days. I’ve not read Valis, but I’m intrigued now to pick up a copy and give it a read. To see what, if any insights we can gain into the show and Ben.

So, it appears Ben is the head honcho of something. What it is, we’re not exactly sure yet, but he apparently can create multiple passports and has access to large amounts of money. Is whatever he’s in charge of a group whose interests run counter to the Penny’s group? And why is that group so hellbent on finding Ben? Has he committed some kind of crimes? Or is it something else that while not criminal may have dealt a big setback to the other group? And who exactly is the guy on the other end giving the orders? Is it somehow related to Jacob? Is that why Ben has Jacob locke up in a shed? Is that why Ben taunts Locke when he goes looking for Jacob? If Jacob is freed by Locke, will this lead to the battle that Ben is part of in the flash-forwards?

Meanwhile, he still continues to pull strings. He pulls Miles string, he pulls Kate’s strings and he pulls Locke’s strings. It’s interesting to watch the leadership styles of Locke and Jack start to go awry. After opposing each other for so long and being in such a power struggle, I begin to wonder if the two needed each other to effectively lead. Each has strengths that cover the others weaknesses as it were. Cracks are starting to show in both leadership styles from Locke’s becoming an overbearing dictator type (almost Ben-like) to Jack’s inability to inspire much confidence in the troops. Sun’s question about Kate going over to Locke’s side was very telling.

There are also some other interesting questions–why haven’t Desmond, Sayid and the others reached the boat? What is the time effect that surrounds the island?

Meanwhile, in the future, questions continue to come up. We know four of the six Oceanic Six, though the story they tell is that eight survived. Who are the other two that they said made it off the plane but died on the island? And did the world buy that they starved for several weeks when Hurley returned? Why are they such celebrities? I am sure many of you know the other two of the six not yet revealed, but if you do, don’t tell me. And if Desmond makes it off the island, does he count? Or are there seven people who successfully left the island? (And what about Michael, who left the island with Walt? Does he count? Does Walt?)

Also, it’s interesting that as we saw in the flashbacks, the lives of the people on the plane are still intertwined. Jack has shown up in three of the four we’ve seen so far. Did he broker some kind of deal? Did he get the others of the six to accept it? If so, what was the deal? And is he showing up to make sure everyone stays on the same page storywise? Was that part of his desire to help Kate by lying on the stand? Yes, he loves her, but is part of it to cover his own rear for the lies he’s told? And is the consequence of that and those lies what catches up to him later and makes him desparate to get back to the island?

A lot of questions, not a lot of answers. But then again, this is Lost.

The Beginning of the End
And so begins the first of the final forty-eight episodes of Lost. (Or at least that’s how many we’re supposed to get…no word yet on if or how the writers’ strike may affect that number).

And while we may have a long way yet to go before we reach the end of the story, if this episode is any indication, we’re in for a heck of a ride–one that could equal or surpass the breathless, must-see excitement of the first season of this show. Watching this episode, you can feel a renewed energy to the show–one that built in the last half of the season last year and has carried over. I chalk this up to two things–knowing the end is in site and moving toward that and the fact that now the flashes to events off the island can be in the past or the future.

You could feel that energy and mystery of “when does this take place?” in the teaser of the show. And I loved the little trick the writers played on us, making us believe for a moment we’d see a Jack story. Instead, we got one on Hurley and what his life is like post-island.

It was interesting to compare Hurley’s hopes on the island to what we see happen to him. Pre-island, Hurley felt cursed by events and the numbers that followed him, to the point that he was locked up in a mental institution and have an imaginary friend who followed him around. On the island, Hurley was free from the money and able to shed the imaginary friend and, perhaps, regain some of his sanity. He did get one moment to savor all this last night when he did the canon ball. In a way, this was almost like a baptism for Hurley. The look of happiness on his face, of contentment was a great moment. And then he came up and his world began to crumble. On the island, he finds Jacob’s cabin–or so he believes. He’s haunted by the voices and seeing Jacob. He makes the choice to follow Locke because of Charlie’s message. Then we see Hurley off the island, where the weight of things is overwhelming him again, causing him to retreat. It’s apparent that some kind of deal was struck or something happened that led to the rescue of six of the survivors–but what? We see it eat at Hurley, to the point that Charlie appears as his conscience. And we’re led to believe that these flashes are taking place before the Jack flash-forward we saw last year.

And that brings up some questions. First of all, who are the six who leave the island? We have seen three of them, but who are the other three? (I am sure this information lurks in SPOILER web sites, so if you know, don’t tell me…I prefer blissful ignorance). And what is the deal they strike? It must be something fairly big since we’ve seen it eat away at two of the survivors? To the point that it puts Hurley back in a mental institution and it has Jack desperate to get back to the island.

I have some ideas–the biggest being that a large chunk of the group is left behind. I also wonder if Jacob is somehow central to these six be allowed to leave. Or do these six make some kind of deal with Oceanic Air? And why do there seem to be two groups looking for the survivors? We can assume Penny’s group has the agenda of finding Desmond. But what is the agenda of the group we’ve only heard on the radio and seen in the closing moments last night?

Of course, another part of me wonders just how many answers we’ll get in these eight episodes and how many were intended for the back eight of the season. I wonder just where in the story we’ll be left hanging this time….

Meanwhile, back on the island, the leadership struggle between Jack and Locke finally reaches a breaking point. One of the good things about having the end in sight is that this can finally move out of the kind-of holding pattern its been in the past couple of years. We had both sides conflicting, but with Locke killing Noami and his desire to stay on the island, it’s reached a breaking point. And we’ve divided the castaways into two groups.

You’ve also still got Ben, who while broken and a prisoner is still pulling strings. I have to wonder if Kate really took the radio from Jack or if Ben managed to switch it. There was a look of surprise on Kate’s face when it rang. Or at least I thougt there was.

One thing that interested me is how as each season starts, there’s been some sense of mystery about some group of people. In season one, it was who are these survivors. In season two, it was who are the other survivors. In season three, it was questions about who are the Others. And now we’ve got questions about how are these people on the boat.

It should be interesting to find out the answers.