Lost 3.6: "I Do"
Written by Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse
Directed by Tucker Gates
In which Jack must decide whether or not to help Ben with his medical condition, while Kate makes a decision about her relationship to Sawyer…
Status Report
One of the major complaints about the second season was the scheduling. ABC loved to show one new episode, show a repeat, air another new episode, air two repeats, and so on. It was absolutely frustrating to the dedicated fans, and many casual viewers stopped watching because they would miss episodes and feel like they were completely confused.
The producers and the network set out to resolve that problem for the third season. The network wanted the ratings in the fall, but the producers wanted as many episodes in a row as possible. Taking the production schedule and all comments into account, they decided on a short fall “mini-season” and a long stretch of uninterrupted episodes in the spring.
It remains to be seen whether or not that will make anyone happen, but the initial reaction is oddly negative. The decision was made based on fan suggestions, yet the fans are acting like it was a decision made in a vacuum. It seems dishonest and petty to complain so loudly about something done in an attempt to make the show more accessible and reliably scheduled.
All that said, it was on the backs of the producers to develop a strong and compelling “mini-season” arc, something that would reward the fans and give them a reason to return in the spring. The episode have, in fact, been focused on Jack, Kate, and Sawyer as they struggle with the Others. Much of the time has been spent on the psychological manipulation employed by the Others, and so it all comes down to how that manipulation culminates into the fall cliffhanger.
In this case, Ben and the rest of the Others within his circle intended to convince Jack that he should save Ben’s life in exchange for a return to the “real world”. In the process, they employ conditioning techniques and a ton of reverse psychology. They get Jack to trust Juliet to some degree, and concurrently manipulate Kate and Sawyer into revealing their emotional vulnerabilities.
It comes together in this episode as Kate reveals, once and for all, her desires for Sawyer and how far she will go to save him. The Others, especially Ben, see that relationship as an opportunity to push Jack towards helping them. Kate’s choice becomes a tool for the Others, and they assume that Jack will give up on the other survivors if Kate’s choice is revealed. Indeed, he is less than pleased about the news, but his reaction may not be what the Others predicted.
Jack’s reaction, however, is a bit unexpected. Rather than leave Kate and Sawyer to their own fate, which is what Ben clearly expects him to do, Jack decides to sacrifice himself for their sake. Ironically, he doesn’t know that the Others are on their own little island and that Kate and Sawyer have no chance of escape; his efforts, if they continue, will only doom them all. It’s also possible that his actions will feed into the internal conflicts among the Others. After all, Juliet doesn’t exactly jump to Ben’s rescue.
Kate’s choice is an interesting counterpoint to her flashback, and it actually takes her character in a new direction. Her flashback fits into every that has been revealed about Kate since the very beginning of the series. When things get difficult, she runs, even when there’s more than enough reason to stay. In the past, she knew that her past would catch up with her, so she ran out on a happy marriage. Now, in the “present”, she has plenty of reason to think that running is the best option. Instead, she chooses to stay with Sawyer and deal with the consequences. It’s the first sign that Kate is embracing, to some degree, the redemption offered by the island.
Jack’s decision is consistent with the changes to his character in the second season. Ana-Lucia’s function was to push Jack into a more proactive direction, even when it forced him into a situation where violence was required. Jack actively does harm to Ben during a medical procedure, something that runs counter to his instincts and training, in the hopes of achieving his goal. It remains to be seen if that decision is a sign of things to come or an act of desperation. It’s also not clear whether or not this is part of his journey towards redemption.
Beyond the focus on Kate and Jack, there is little else that seems to happen. The most significant item pertains to Locke. He openly admits that Eko helped restore his faith, and he also seems to find a message on Eko’s staff. This moment is treated with such importance that it will almost certainly factor into the next few episodes after the break.
This episode also hints at some of the internal issues among the Others. In particular, Alex seems to have serious issues with Ben and the rest of the gang in charge, which is another issue that is primed for future exploration. Previous seasons have hinted at this internal conflict, and given that Alex was stolen from Danielle quite some time ago, it could be related to the reason why children were taken by the Others after the crash and their interest in Walt.
So the question is: will this cliffhanger meet the expectations of the audience? While the events of this episode fit into the overall structure of a season arc by concluding the introductory phase and setting up the conditions for serious complication, they are somewhat less explosive than one might have expected. For fans interested in character relationships, this is a big episode. Kate and Sawyer finally connect and Jack’s reaction to that is somewhat unexpected, but in terms of the psychological and action elements, this is somewhat disappointing.
(As a sidenote: There is a podcast associated with the various science fiction reviews called “Dispatches from Tuzenor”. Current episodes cover “Lost”, so it might be something of interest. Go to http://entil2001.libsyn.com to listen to the show!)
Final Analysis
Overall, this episode is something of a lackluster fall season cliffhanger, focusing on relationship issues instead of major plot developments. While events do culminate in terms of the introductory arc elements for the season, the focus in this episode will play more to a select subset of the audience than the audience as a whole. A lot of people will be wondering, if the ratings go down, if the writers made the right choices at this stage of the game.
Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 1/4
Final Rating: 7/10
Directed by Tucker Gates
In which Jack must decide whether or not to help Ben with his medical condition, while Kate makes a decision about her relationship to Sawyer…
Status Report
One of the major complaints about the second season was the scheduling. ABC loved to show one new episode, show a repeat, air another new episode, air two repeats, and so on. It was absolutely frustrating to the dedicated fans, and many casual viewers stopped watching because they would miss episodes and feel like they were completely confused.
The producers and the network set out to resolve that problem for the third season. The network wanted the ratings in the fall, but the producers wanted as many episodes in a row as possible. Taking the production schedule and all comments into account, they decided on a short fall “mini-season” and a long stretch of uninterrupted episodes in the spring.
It remains to be seen whether or not that will make anyone happen, but the initial reaction is oddly negative. The decision was made based on fan suggestions, yet the fans are acting like it was a decision made in a vacuum. It seems dishonest and petty to complain so loudly about something done in an attempt to make the show more accessible and reliably scheduled.
All that said, it was on the backs of the producers to develop a strong and compelling “mini-season” arc, something that would reward the fans and give them a reason to return in the spring. The episode have, in fact, been focused on Jack, Kate, and Sawyer as they struggle with the Others. Much of the time has been spent on the psychological manipulation employed by the Others, and so it all comes down to how that manipulation culminates into the fall cliffhanger.
In this case, Ben and the rest of the Others within his circle intended to convince Jack that he should save Ben’s life in exchange for a return to the “real world”. In the process, they employ conditioning techniques and a ton of reverse psychology. They get Jack to trust Juliet to some degree, and concurrently manipulate Kate and Sawyer into revealing their emotional vulnerabilities.
It comes together in this episode as Kate reveals, once and for all, her desires for Sawyer and how far she will go to save him. The Others, especially Ben, see that relationship as an opportunity to push Jack towards helping them. Kate’s choice becomes a tool for the Others, and they assume that Jack will give up on the other survivors if Kate’s choice is revealed. Indeed, he is less than pleased about the news, but his reaction may not be what the Others predicted.
Jack’s reaction, however, is a bit unexpected. Rather than leave Kate and Sawyer to their own fate, which is what Ben clearly expects him to do, Jack decides to sacrifice himself for their sake. Ironically, he doesn’t know that the Others are on their own little island and that Kate and Sawyer have no chance of escape; his efforts, if they continue, will only doom them all. It’s also possible that his actions will feed into the internal conflicts among the Others. After all, Juliet doesn’t exactly jump to Ben’s rescue.
Kate’s choice is an interesting counterpoint to her flashback, and it actually takes her character in a new direction. Her flashback fits into every that has been revealed about Kate since the very beginning of the series. When things get difficult, she runs, even when there’s more than enough reason to stay. In the past, she knew that her past would catch up with her, so she ran out on a happy marriage. Now, in the “present”, she has plenty of reason to think that running is the best option. Instead, she chooses to stay with Sawyer and deal with the consequences. It’s the first sign that Kate is embracing, to some degree, the redemption offered by the island.
Jack’s decision is consistent with the changes to his character in the second season. Ana-Lucia’s function was to push Jack into a more proactive direction, even when it forced him into a situation where violence was required. Jack actively does harm to Ben during a medical procedure, something that runs counter to his instincts and training, in the hopes of achieving his goal. It remains to be seen if that decision is a sign of things to come or an act of desperation. It’s also not clear whether or not this is part of his journey towards redemption.
Beyond the focus on Kate and Jack, there is little else that seems to happen. The most significant item pertains to Locke. He openly admits that Eko helped restore his faith, and he also seems to find a message on Eko’s staff. This moment is treated with such importance that it will almost certainly factor into the next few episodes after the break.
This episode also hints at some of the internal issues among the Others. In particular, Alex seems to have serious issues with Ben and the rest of the gang in charge, which is another issue that is primed for future exploration. Previous seasons have hinted at this internal conflict, and given that Alex was stolen from Danielle quite some time ago, it could be related to the reason why children were taken by the Others after the crash and their interest in Walt.
So the question is: will this cliffhanger meet the expectations of the audience? While the events of this episode fit into the overall structure of a season arc by concluding the introductory phase and setting up the conditions for serious complication, they are somewhat less explosive than one might have expected. For fans interested in character relationships, this is a big episode. Kate and Sawyer finally connect and Jack’s reaction to that is somewhat unexpected, but in terms of the psychological and action elements, this is somewhat disappointing.
(As a sidenote: There is a podcast associated with the various science fiction reviews called “Dispatches from Tuzenor”. Current episodes cover “Lost”, so it might be something of interest. Go to http://entil2001.libsyn.com to listen to the show!)
Final Analysis
Overall, this episode is something of a lackluster fall season cliffhanger, focusing on relationship issues instead of major plot developments. While events do culminate in terms of the introductory arc elements for the season, the focus in this episode will play more to a select subset of the audience than the audience as a whole. A lot of people will be wondering, if the ratings go down, if the writers made the right choices at this stage of the game.
Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 1/4
Final Rating: 7/10
posted by John Keegan | 11:21
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