Of course, we all now know that the hatch led to some sort of bunker, home to the whacked-out Desmond. Now, no matter what was in the hatch, the build-up was such that some people were bound to be disappointed. I was one of them. I mean, I’m sure the hidden bunker has lots of possibilities for the crazy plot twists and revelations that the show is known for, but I admit that, at the season’s opening, I was a bit underwhelmed.
I was also unmoved by the show’s flashbacks in the first few episodes. Last season, the device gave us fascinating glimpses into the pre-crash lives of the main characters (Jack was married! Locke was in a wheelchair! Hurley won the lottery!). But in the first three episodes, the flashbacks were kind of, well, blah. Jack met his wife while saving her after a near-fatal car wreck (um, we already knew that). Michael’s ex took his son away from him (yeah – we knew that, too). Locke was mad about being betrayed by his biological father (well, duh – wouldn’t you be?).
Frankly, I was beginning to wonder if this once compelling show was losing it. Then there was this week’s episode – the best of the new season, by far. It took the two major plot strands of the new season – the hatch revelation and the guys on the raft stranded elsewhere on the island – and actually started fleshing them out.
Now we know that some of the passengers from the rear of the plane are definitely alive, but have gone through something traumatic. And the episode raised an interesting question by having the hatch contain supplies and food. That question was: when you’ve gotten used to living off nothing, is the sudden presence of plenty a good thing? Or will it just cause dissent and tension?
The vehicle for answering this question was some back-story on perhaps my favorite character, Hurley (Jorge Garcia). Again, the flashback was a bit of repeat (seriously – can we get some new back-story on these people?), about Hurley’s lotto victory, but it was done in such a sensitive intelligent way that it didn’t seem repetitive. We understood why Hurley was uneasy about the sudden presence of food on the island, and how the lottery changed his life (even leaving aside those mysteriously cursed numbers). And it provided another fine showcase for the excellent Garcia, with depths of pain visible in his bulky frame and sad eyes. His Hurley is probably the most openly likable character on television. He’s so adorable, I just want to pet him. Is that creepy?
Anyway, kudos to “Lost� for renewing my interest, and promising more strong episodes ahead.
A Brief Aside: Ok, I’ve praised “Lost,� but I’d be strongly remiss if I didn’t mention that the first season of its far less viewed time slot competitor “Veronica Mars� came out on DVD this week. As anyone who reads this blog knows, I am totally in love with this show, and you would be, too if YOU JUST WATCHED IT! The first season is packed with great moments, like this exchange between Veronica and her prospective suitor, Troy, who sees her fixing a flat tire:
He: Flat?
She: Hey, I’m just the way God made me.
It’s funny, it’s poignant, and it’s smart. What are you waiting for? Rent or buy the first season. Watch the current one. Please, please, please.