On this week's "Lost," we learn what's up with Jin and Sun's alterna-life (seriously? They're NOT married? Argh!), find out why Jin was locked in Keamy's walk-in fridge, and spend the entire episode wondering why ABC is forcing us to stare at that excruciating "V" countdown clock.
Not surprisingly, this week's episode, "The Package," was a bit of a letdown after last week's exquisite "Ab Aeterno." But how could it not be? Last week's episode was that perfect combination of mythology advancement and strong storytelling that makes for some of "Lost's" strongest hours.
But "The Package" wasn't bad and, at the very least, gave us the heaviest dose of Jin and Sun together that we've seen in a long time.
Though a lot of people believe Penny and Desmond are the show's great romantic couple, I've always been a Jin and Sun gal myself. Their stronger-at-the-broken-places marriage is so moving, and Yujin Kim and Daniel Dae Kim are so good at portraying commitment and longing. I've really missed having them together since the story has pushed them apart. So it was a bit of shock when the alterna-Jin and Sun told the hotel clerk that they weren't married. But I was quickly relieved to realize that they're still in love and that Jin's whole "button your shirt" routine on the plane wasn't him being a chauvinistic brute, but a protective boyfriend mistrustful of a plane full of strangers.
Yet I'm curious -- how did this happen? Apparently, Jin and Sun met only after Jin started working for Sun's father. I wonder how Jin began working for Mr. Paik in the first place. At any rate, this relationship is the reason why Keamy has Jin locked in that fridge -- Mr. Paik wants the hulking thug to kill Jin for hitting it with his little girl. It's, of course, a relief when Sayid frees Jin, but I was horrified when, in the ensuing fight between Jin and Mikhail, Sun is shot. Or was she stabbed? I couldn't tell. At any rate, as Jin rushes to her side, wounded Sun reveals that she's pregnant. Arrgh!
Things are even worse on the island, when Locke Mess Monster's plan to get the two Kwons (one of whom is a candidate) together is cut short -- first by a frightened Sun's flight through the jungle from Locke, then by Jin's kidnapping by the Widmore crew.
To make matters worse, Sun hits her head while freeing Locke Mess and develops aphasia. She can only speak Korean, making it tough for her to communicate with the beach crew, and adding another obstacle to her reunion with Jin.
All this gives added weight to Keamy's line to alterna-Jin: "Some people just aren't meant to be together."
Sob.
Here are some more thoughts on "The Package."
* The minute Keamy mentioned that one of his crew was Russian, I knew we'd see Mikhail again! Unfortunately, he wasn't wearing his eyepatch. However, in his fight with Jin, he does appear to lose an eye. Hmmm.
* I forgot how much chemistry our two Kims have. That scene in the hotel suite where Sun teases Jin with her buttons was absolutely adorable.
* So, it appears that alterna-Sun wasn't pretending to not know English at customs (as some of us thought) but actually DOESN'T know English. Unusual, as (just as in the original scenario) she was planning to run away from home. Of course, this time she was planning to run away with Jin, not from him. I guess being with someone would make the escape less scary. That might be why she was willing to risk not knowing the language.
* As for the on-island story, we learn that, even though Kate was a candidate at one time, she isn't anymore. Why not? What happened? Are any other living Lost-ies ex-candidates?
* Did anyone else die a little when Sayid told Locke Mess that he had lost the ability to feel? I am so worried about him!
* It's Ben who finds Sun knocked out in the jungle and, from all appearances, he genuinely is trying to help her. But no one believes him. Sigh. It's tough to be a reformed untrustworthy weasel, isn't it, Benny boy?
* The room where Jin is held with Team Widmore is either the same one we saw Carl trapped in in season three, or a remarkable facsimile. However, the subliminal-message stimuli is turned off, meaning the Widmores aren't looking to brainwash him, just store him for a little while. Zoe said he was taken there to read some old Dharma maps, but I don't know. I think there's more to it. Maybe they're buying into the whole candidate thing?
* Speaking of which, where does Charles really stand in this struggle? He's clearly against Smokey/Locke Mess/Man in Black. And he believes this creepy trinity will destroy everyone he -- and everyone else on the island -- loves if released from the island. But how? Why? And what does he intend to do about it?
* Huge props to Daniel Dae Kim for the absolutely devastating display of fatherly love he showed during the scenes when Jin glimpsed the pictures of the daughter he'd never seen. My heart broke for him.
* Yujin Kim was equally good in her climactic scenes, writing messages to Jack on her notepad. However, the scene would have been much more moving if that stupid "V" countdown clock didn't keep covering up parts of the notepad.
* So Desmond is "the package" that Widmore is storing on the sub. Why? Does it have something to do with Des's ability to transcend time? Does Widmore think there's a connection between Des and the smoke monster? What's going on?
Well, that's it for me. What did you think?
4 comments:
Holy shit that V was the most infuriating advertisement I've ever seen. And that included that dancing old man for Six Flags. If any Lost watchers watch that show, they should boycott. Are we gonna have that the rest of the season?
I wish this had been better -- sure, anything was likely to pale in comparison to "Ab Aeterno," but this was a buncha wheel-spinning. It gave the spotlight back to two of the more neglected members of the coterie, but didn't exactly do much but move them coincidentally away from one another.
Also, not buying Sheila Kelley as a... "geophysicist"? She's married to Toby from "The West Wing" and teaches cardio-striptease in Santa Monica. She makes for as convincing a scientist as Denise Richards did in that Bond movie.
Good to see Andrew Divoff back, if only for a bank transaction. Couldn't they have at least lingered on him as they waited in line, or something?
The room that Jin was stored in was the same room (Room 23) that Carl was placed in. I think they needed a secure place to put him in (they apparently didn't have a giant fridge around).
Also, about the candidates: Sawyer was number 15 and Kate (actually Austen) was a crossed out 51 (draw your own conclusions about that).
Other crossed out "live" Losties: Littleton (Claire or Aaron), Linus (if Ben, yes, if Roger then no), and Straume (Miles).
Last comment, yeah, that "V" logo really pissed me off.
Bill, Mikhail was there for more than a bank transaction. He got the ol' Moe Greene!
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