Six years, over 121 hours, and now it’s THE END.

First and foremost I have to say that as a fan of LOST, having watched it from the very beginning, I was completely satisfied with the ending of LOST. It brought a certain level of cohesiveness to this six year journey that I wasn’t really aware of all the way up to the final episode. It treated me, as a fan, in a kind manner and after all was said and done it let me know that it was OK to say good-bye to these characters that I’ve followed all this time. It didn’t try to be overly intellectual but at the same time it was still damn smart television.

I didn’t realize when I was writing my post-LOST wrap up last week that I would be hitting the nail on the head when I said that the flash-sideways world was in many ways coming across as a love letter to the fans. This entire season we’ve been building up to a moment of closure in the flash-sideways world, which I’ll just now refer to as the Gathering, as it got ready to cushion the blow for us that we all knew was coming. We knew that some people would make it to the end of the show, others wouldn’t, but the Gathering is the place where eventually all of our characters would come back together and prepare themselves for whatever the next step is after their journey in LOST would end. As viewers it was a place that reminded us that it doesn’t really matter what characters get off the Island and which ones don’t because eventually everyone dies and after they do they would come to the Gathering and rejoin those that they wanted to be with. This was their reward for entertaining us and this is the place where we know it is OK to wish them well and know that we can all move on now from our LOST experience together.

In a similar line of thought I also found that the Gathering is that special place for us, the viewer, where the characters will always be there for us to enjoy them again later much in the same way our favorite literary characters still reside in our books when we return to them. I’ve never been happy with the eventual death of GLEN BATEMAN in that Las Vegas jail cell but when I come back and read THE STAND again I can always find him sitting by a creek, painting, and waiting for his eventual discovery by STU REDMAN.

Of all of the characters that came to their realizations of where they really were in the Gathering I think the journey that was most interesting was actually that of BENJAMIN LINUS. In many ways I think it is fitting that BEN’s journey stands out for me given that the amazing acting of MICHAEL EMERSON transformed a simple three episode guest spot in the second season into one of the most complicated characters on network television who stuck around for the remainder the series run. In the Island word BEN sought and was granted redemption, so much so that he goes on to act as a confidant to HURLEY, the purest soul on the show. In the Gathering BEN is outside of the church in those final scenes and apologizes to LOCKE for what he had done to him. He further bonds with HURLEY but when it is all said and done he remains outside. I’m sure there are many interpretations why. BEN may have come to bid farewell to all of these lives that he had been involved with but knows that his journey doesn’t continue with them. Maybe BEN is waiting for ALEX and DANIELLE to have their own realizations so they can journey on together as a family. Perhaps his deeds as a man make it so that he can not continue on. I don’t know the answer but I love that the complexity of the character now will live on in perpetuity.

The big bit of enlightenment for me in watching the finale, the bit that much like The Dude’s rug really tied it all together, was the realization that what we had watched for the past six years was at its core one man’s journey. The series began with the awakening of JACK SHEPHERD after the crash. Looking back at the past six years it may be that his awakening was also in more of a spiritual sense. He was a man that was broken and needed to travel his own journey to redemption. When it is all said and done that redemption comes after fulfilling his purpose in restoring balance to the Island so that it can continue on beyond him. For six years we were able to see that journey and travel it with him and bore witness to the sacrifice he made that allowed for his redemption. The fact that it was his story and his journey that we followed is reflected in those that were chosen, or drawn together, to be with him in the Gathering before they all passed on to whatever comes next. This is possibly another reason why BEN wasn’t part of JACK’s Gathering.

I’m sure that there will be those that will simply look to the obvious and cry foul. They will be angered because they still don’t know exactly what the Island is, why babies stopped being born on it, or any number of other dangling questions that may be out there. The truth, however, is that in the grand scope of LOST we won’t be any happier if we actually knew why JULIET was branded by the Others, how WALT was special, or where Kate’s toy plane went. In the big picture these things don’t apply because what we were watching was JACK’s story and these answers just aren’t important to his story being told.

Be aware, as well, of the future because there may still be just a bit more of LOST for us to discover. The series finale breaks the 44 minute average show model and there may be a few scenes we didn’t see to help pad the shows so they can complete and balanced for syndication. Maybe we’ll see how BEN gets out from under that log, how JACK got back to place where the plug had to be put back in the ground, or maybe even a scene where MILES, RICHARD and FRANK are in an outrigger during pouring rain and another outrigger mysteriously appears in front of them and they open fire? This is all just based on conjecture but I can’t see much being trimmed from this finale in order to make it into two clean episodes. I guess we’ll eventually see.

The executive producers have also hinted that they haven’t quite completed telling their story of WALT. I don’t know where they plan on telling more of it so keep an eye out on the Internet, TV, DVD store or local comic book shop for that story possibly wrapping up.

Here is a simple laundry list of all of the things that I came away liking in the finale:

• - The Island truly was a cork keeping evil, malevolance, whatever at bay.
• - The knowledge that DESMOND was actually given a glimpse into the afterlife and didn’t even realize it.
• - The emotion evoked during each of the characters realizations in the Gathering.
• - The simple fact that MILES, FRANK and RICHARD actually got off the Island after being dragged there not knowing what they were really getting in to.
• - HURLEY taking on the mantle of ISLAND protector after JACK. This made his confidence and knowledge acquired before the Gathering even more meaningful.
• - The shock BEN had at being asked by HURLEY to help him in protecting the ISLAND.
• - The mutual respect that BEN and HURLEY have for each other at the Gathering.
• - The multi-denominational nature of the back room where JACK accepts his own death at the church.
• - VINCENT keeping JACK company in the bamboo forest so that our hero would not have to “die alone.”

So there we have it folks, THE END has come, the discussion and arguments will still continue and I’m very glad to say that after the story has been told I’m not really that LOST anymore.

Namaste.

- Will Wilkins

PS: This coming week will also bring the final installment of the comprehensive and witty “The Final Season of LOST as Seen by Someone Who Has Never Seen LOST” and I had the opportunity to interview the author mere hours before the finale for your listening pleasure right here.

---

I suppose, before I do anything else, I should issue a half-hearted apology to the writers and producers of LOST for the harsh review of ‘ACROSS THE SEA’ that I put out last week. I only say this in context to having seen this week’s episode ‘WHAT THEY DIED FOR’ since there are holes that would have been left unfilled had we not seen ‘ACROSS THE SEA’. I still stand by it being one of my least favorite episodes of the season for many reasons but I can not at least see the logic of what they were trying to accomplish as well as the reason why they placed it exactly where they placed it.

If you have been tracking the number of special LOST columns that I have written for this season than you will notice that I haven’t written one for every single episode. My reason for leaving out certain episodes is the same reason that I almost did not write one for this series penultimate episode. It is very hard to talk about the elements of what happened in ‘WHAT THEY DIED FOR’ because it feels like both a lot happened and a lot didn’t happen in the episode. If I were to sit down and list all of the things that did happen in this episode you would probably think I’m off my nut in saying a lot didn’t happen, but maybe my perception is in the fact that we didn’t see much progress happen in the story.

THREE MEN AND A BADDY
One of the three stories transpiring in this episode was the tale of MILES, RICHARD and BEN going to BEN’s former house to pick up some C4 from his special pantry of disaster in order to blow up the AJIRA plane on the smaller island. This seemingly small and uninteresting story had most of the action and progress in it because the following all happens:

• Before getting to the cabin we find out RICHARD took the time to bury BEN’s daughter ALEX
• Right after getting the C4 the trio find their party crashed by CHARLES WIDMORE and the EVIL TINA FEY (ZOE).
• Right after THAT party crash the party gets crashed further by LOCKE MONSTER (why have I not been calling him this all along?) who tosses RICHARD ALPERT into the jungle (with MILES having ditched the party in favor of living via a jungle jog).
• BEN seems to turn coat pretty quick after in handing over ZOE and WIDMORE over to LOCKE, both of whom wind up dead shortly after WIDMORE reveals that DESMOND was JACOB’s failsafe should all the candidates get made dead.
• BEN accompanies LOCKE MONSTER to the well where DESMOND is supposed to be but find an empty well and a rope instead.

See, lots of action? In the story we’re reminded of BEN’s daughter being ALEX since that will come up in the flash-sideways story also in this episode. WIDMORE and ZOE have to be there in order to tell LOCKE MONSTER why they brought DESMOND to the ISLAND as well as allowing their game pieces to be cleared off of the board. This gets them added to the pile along with FRANK (pilot the AJIRA flight) and ILLANA (get the ashes from JACOB’s death pyre) as characters who enjoyed several episodes on the Island to only fulfill one purpose. WIDMORE is also crucial to either prove to us through his death that BEN is vengeful and evil or just that he’s vengeful and hopefully he’s working the long con on the LOCKE MONSTER in order to simply survive this whole ordeal. I really hope that this is the case because BEN first seems to switch sides again when the LOCKE MONSTER offers him control of the Island after he’s left. By the episodes end, however, he says he is going to find DESMOND and use him to do what he’s never been able to do which is to destroy the Island. This naturally leaves BEN with a LOSE/LOSE situation so if we see him hanging around with LOCKE MONSTER on the Sunday finale it means he’s working the long con or simply trying to survive.

I think the writers really want us to believe that RICHARD ALPERT is dead. I don’t really know if that is the case. RICHARD was trying to use dynamite to off himself a few episodes back because, I’m assuming, that living after you’ve been blown to bits is kind of hard to do. Being tossed into a jungle like a wild foul ball probably bangs you up really bad, probably to the point where you wish you were dead, but RICHARD was given immortal life by JACOB wasn’t he?

During LOCKE MONSTER and BEN’s trip to the well it was nice to have the writers also answer a very simple question that I’m sure many a geek like myself has wondered. He asked LOCKE MONSTER directly, “If you can become smoke whenever you want why do you bother walking?” Turns out LOCKE MONSTER is the granola eating tree hugging type who likes to feel the Earth under his feet. Good on you LOCKE MONSTER!

CAMP FIRE STORIES
The second of the three stories that went on in the 42 minutes and 20 seconds of screen time was the story of the remaining candidates. They grieved over their sunk comrades, they started on their quest to find DESMOND and they ended up all finally meeting JACOB. It turns out that those ashes that ILLANA took from the base of the statue could be used to bring JACOB back one last time when burned in a fire (if I describe any more detail it comes off even crazier so let’s just leave it at that).

Even though HURLEY seemed to find JACOB in a matter of moments some how it takes him all afternoon and evening to finally get his friends back to JACOB’s fireside vigil where he finally let’s them know why their friends died and ‘WHAT THEY DIED FOR’. He cops to accidentally creating the SMOKE MONSTER almost 2000 years ago and how that LOCKE MONSTER wants to destroy the light of all creation at the heart of the Island, and that’s what needs protecting. One of them has to choose to become the new protector of the Island and hopefully dispatch the LOCKE MONSTER because the LOCKE MONSTER is going to be gunning for them. Faster than you can say, “JACK has been building up to this all season” JACK stands up and takes the job. JACOB says an incantation and gives him a mug of river water to chug down and then tells JACK, “Now you’re like me.” I suppose this means that JACK will now speak in vague statements and won’t be able to answer any question posed to him in a direct manner.

This is part of the story that had to happen but it contained the least amount of action and momentum. The torch was passed from one protector to another and that’s about it.

TAKE A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE
The third story that occured in under three quarters of an hour can really be labeled as the adventures of DESMOND the enlightened in the alternate reality. Flash-sideways DESMOND is still on his quest to open the eyes of his fellow Flight 815′ers. The first stop is to prank call JACK to let him know that his Dad’s coffin has been found. The second is to stop off at the school and beat the snot out of BEN. The third is to turn himself in to the cops so that he can be transferred to county with SAYID and KATE and helps bust them out with the help of HURLEY and ANNA LUCIA. His final reveal is that KATE is his date to a concert, which might be the concert that is being hosted by DANIEL FARADAY WIDMORE, even though I thought that was happening the same night that CHARLIE took DESMOND into the bay for a leisurely underwater drive.

The flash-sideways world, in many ways, comes off more like a love-letter to the long time fans of the show. After getting his beat down from DESMOND the very timid BENJAMIN LINUS accepts a ride home and dinner invitation by ALEX’s mom DANIELLE who insists he comes over, “even if we have to kidnap you.” His appearance during this invitation, after the beat down by DESMOND, is almost the same as… well… his appearance after the beat down by DESMOND in the previous season. There’s also a touching scene after dinner where BEN finds out that ALEX thinks of him as a father figure, where he subsequently gets all choked up and we as an audience all are supposed to go “AHHHHHHH.”

Another item that stemmed from BEN’s whoopin’ is the re-installation of faith into JOHN LOCKE. When BEN tells him that the guy that beat him up said he was trying to help LOCKE to “let go” LOCKE has coincidence overload and goes to see JACK to let him know he’s ready to get out of his chair if JACK really thinks that he can help him. This scene has a great call back to a line to one said by MR. EKO in the second season when JACK says to LOCKE that he is, “confusing coincidence for fate.”

I think the most important item of note is probably one of the most subtle. In the very beginning of the episode we see flash-sideways JACK in the bathroom noticing the same bloody neck wound that he had in the first episode of this season as well. Sideways JACK is the only person that we’ve seen a persistent wound on this season, he’s also the only one that seems to notice physical problems or issues with himself (remember the appendix question a while back?). I don’t think that this bodes very well for sideways JACK. I don’t know how and I don’t know why this isn’t a good thing for him but I think that in the series finale things aren’t going to end well for him.

ALMOST TO ‘THE END’
That’s really all that I have to say about this episode. After seeing this episode I think that there is a lot of story to still be told so I’m glad that the broadcast slot for the episode was expanded to 2.5 hours, especially since this actually means roughly 110 minutes of actual show time. That’s just 10 minutes shy of two full hours to have three separate stories converge into one final tale. I still have no idea about what is going to happen and I’m glad I don’t. It means that ht writing isn’t predictable, the story is unique, and the experience will be a memorable one.

See you on the other side.

---

Well TV viewer, it’s been a crazy week.

I’m going to preface this column by saying that as I sit here typing I am sick. I’m the miserable kind of sick that leaves you run down, your head filled with cotton, your sinuses on fire and all you want to do is crawl into the fetal position and welcome the blissful escape of sleep to help you in time-warping beyond your misery. Other than that though, I’m great. I’m also not much in the writing mood so here’s what I got out of the past seven days (and what I know of the few days to come).

NBC has finally and mercifully laid HEROES to rest. I’m glad because the show has been the biggest mess since the second season. They’ve also killed off just about every freshman show for this TV season. When the new TV season hits they’ve got plenty of couple-centric comedy, adrenaline pumping action and even a new super hero show to try to keep some of their HEROES audience. I won’t bore you with the details, however. I’ll instead just give you a link to the site where they have trailers for all of their upcoming shows that make just about every one of the shows seem like they are going to be great because that’s what trailers do. The only bit of depressing news that I can come away from all of this is that FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS features FRAN KRANZ in the trailer and he isn’t going to be a series regular. That’s a damn shame since the role seemed perfect for him and I loved his performances on DOLLHOUSE.

There’s going to be tons of more TV news this week with most of the networks doing their “upfronts” so keep an eye out because the info is out there.

Now let’s get the listing done so I can go back to bed.

MONDAY

CBS – 8:00 PM: TED takes a date to a movie only to find out that it’s loosely based on his life in the season finale of HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER. Wait until you find out who wrote the script.

FOX – 8:00 PM: After tonight’s season finale of HOUSE the doctor will be out until next season.

NBC – 8:00 PM: It’s the penultimate episode of CHUCK before next week’s two hour season finale and it also marks the return of SCOTT BAKULA so I know what I”ll be watching tonight (if the Nyquil hasn’t overpowered me by then).

THE CW – 9:00 PM: I’ve not watched a single episode in my life but the season finale of GOSSIP GIRL is tonight.

ABC – 10:00 PM: Is BECKETT‘s new relationship with DEMMING causing a strain in her relationship with CASTLE? Wait, we are talking about a murder mystery show and not GOSSIP GIRL right?

TUESDAY

NBC – 8:00 PM: It’s the last regular episode of THE BIGGEST LOSER before next week’s season finale. I’m impressed and amazed that these final four contestants will run a marathon and I complain after four miles.

THE CW – 8:00 PM: 90210 has it’s season finale tonight and I can’t tell you a single thing about it.

ABC – 9:00 PM: Here it is folks, the last regular episode of LOST before the big season finale. I’m not going to lie to you guys, the fit really hits the shan tonight.

FOX – 9:00 PM: Tonight is that episode of GLEE I’ve been waiting for where JOSS WHEDON directs and NEIL PATRICK HARRIS guest stars. Oh yeah.

ABC – 10:00 PM: It’s the season finale for V but those lucky lizards will be back for another season so don’t be mad if it is a cliffhanger.

WEDNESDAY

FOX – 8:00 PM: FOX is taking a page from last year’s early preview of GLEE by giving us a special preview of the buddy cop show THE GOOD GUYS. The fact that BRADLEY WHITFORD‘s vet cop looks like he just stumbled out of an episode of STARSKY & HUTCH makes it worth the time to peep this out.

ABC – 9:00 PM: KOBE BRYANT guests on tonights episode of MODERN FAMILY.

FOX – 9:00 PM: Why does AMERICAN IDOL have to let JUSTIN BIEBER perform on tonight’s results show? Haven’t these contestants (and America) suffered enough?

ABC – 9:30 PM: It’s the season finale of the poorly named but cleverly written COUGAR TOWN.

THURSDAY

NBC – 8:00 PM: It’s season finale night for the comedy block on NBC kicking off with tonight’s episode of COMMUNITY. The Peacock is really hoping you stick around for PARKS & RECREATION, THE OFFICE (with special guest KATHY BATES), and 30 ROCK (with special guest MATT DAMON) as well.

FOX – 8:00 PM: It’s also season finale night on FOX with BONES and the second part of the FRINGE two-part season finale. FRINGE is worth viewing if for no other reason than this might be the final acting job that LEONARD NIMOY will perform before retirement.

CBS – 9:00 PM: The DICK AND JANE killer returns on tonight’s episode of CSI.

ABC – 9:00 PM: There are millions who will be tuned in to the GREY’S ANATOMY finale. I’m not one of them.

FRIDAY

CBS – 8:00 PM: It’s the night of spirit speaking finale’s on CBS with both THE GHOST WHISPERER and MEDIUM having their final shows of the season.

TBS – 9:00 PM: Although not the greatest piece of cinema ever created it’s amazing to see how fast LINDSEY LOHAN has fallen from her career high point in the 2004 movie MEAN GIRLS.

SATURDAY

ABC – 8:00 PM: It’s almost the end of LOST so they’re rolling out the two hour first episode tonight to help us get ready for tomorrow’s mega-TV event.

BBCA – 9:00 PM: After the last few moments of FLESH AND STONE I think the bachelor party scene at the beginning of tonight’s episode of DOCTOR WHO was a nice touch. The rest of the episode was just there for me but after a two episode Weeping Angels bit what do you expect?

SUNDAY

ABC – 7:00 PM: Tonight ABC is milking every single ratings point it can by getting the rabid fan base as soon as it can. LOST: THE FINAL JOURNEY takes a look at the show and it’s events as well as cast interviews to make sure we are in front of our TV’s at 9 PM tonight.

FOX – 8:00 PM: THE SIMPSONS try to fight off the LOST finale by bringing in the all of the judges from this season of AMERICAN IDOL to voice their animated counterparts.

CBS – 8:00 PM: CBS tries to fight the inevitable with country music with the two-hour special AMC PRESENTS: BROOKS & DUNN – THE LAST RODEO.

NBC – 9:00 PM: Can THE CELEBRITY APPRENTICE stand up and fight going head-to-head directly against the series finale of LOST? Bad news DONALD, I see a big DVR audience in your future tonight.

ABC – 9:00 PM: This is is folks, after six years of television and some of the best story-telling on TV we’re about to see if I’ve wasted the past six years of my life watching this show in real time with the series finale of LOST. For all of the enjoyment that the show has brought me I’ve got no regrets. It is both a testimony to the audience and the show runners for actually arguing for a real end date for the show to do good by both.

FOX – 9:00 PM: So a few months back FAMILY GUY put out a special direct-t0-video episode titled SOMETHING SOMETHING THE DARK SIDE that served as the second re-telling of the STAR WARS saga by PETER. Tonight if you didn’t buy it or rent it you can watch it for free if you don’t give a toss about LOST.

ABC – 12:05 AM: Yes, technically this makes it a MONDAY show but this special JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE: ALOHA LOST is either going to serve as a fine tribute to the show or a consolation to all of the fans that feel like they were just betrayed by the finale. This will also feature a special segment with LOST executive producers CARLTON CUSE and DAMON LINDELOF that may contain their only comments in regards to the finale in the short term. I’ll be honest, I’m going to have to DVR this one. I’ve got work in the morning!

---

There are times when I’m watching a TV show that I really love that I sometimes sit in wonder and amazement at how compelling it can be. Other times I can be blown away by the use of imagery and symbolism that require me to think deeper about the message being delivered. Finally there are times that I am watching the show and have the feeling that I’m just completely missing the point because I don’t care for what I’m seeing at all. Sadly the 15th episode of the final season of LOST played out that last case scenario for me. As usual I will warn you that I am about to discuss the episode in detail so if you haven’t watched it yet and don’t want to know what happened than I suggest you return at a later date to read this.

I’m sure both on paper and in concept the idea behind the episode of ACROSS THE SEA sounded great and made the writers feel that they were really going to deliver on answering some questions for fans of the show while also tying up a few loose ends. We the fans would finally know who the skeletons of ADAM & EVE, discovered in the caves in the season one episode HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN, were. We would find out who built the DONKEY WHEEL that when turned moved the Island, and we’d find out the origin story of both JACOB and the SMOKE MONSTER/MAN IN BLACK. Unfortunately, for this viewer and fan anyway, what may have sounded good didn’t come off very good. I think that the Tweet from writer BRIAN LYNCH sums up my viewing experience best:

OK, maybe that doesn’t really sum it up but it made me laugh upon reading. I think fan reaction to the episode is also pretty clear from the Tweet sent out today by Executive Producer Damon Lindelof:

With ACROSS THE SEA what I ended up getting was a rather uninteresting story that lead to more questions than answers, which this late in the LOST game isn’t a good thing. I’m not just talking about a little list either. Here’s all of the questions that got stuck in my head while watching this episode:

• Why did they have to clearly make a point out of the MAN IN BLACK not having a name by never saying his name, a move that just made me want to know his name even more?
• Where did the MOTHER character played by ALLISON JANNEY come from and how did she become (I’m so sorry for this bad cliche) the protector of the light (yes, again, sorry, you read that right but hey I didn’t write the episode)?
• Why throw us a bone by showing us it was the MAN IN BLACK who built the DONKEY WHEEL only to also show us that his job site was collapsed before being finished forcing me to wonder who did in fact finish it? Yes, I get that he probably convinced others that came to the Island to finish the job but still, why even give me that question?
• Why have MOTHER say that she’s made it so that JACOB and MAN IN BLACK can’t harm one another and then have JACOB beat the crap out of him twice in the episode and then either nearly or completely fatally wound him as he’s tossed into the tunnel where the LIGHT is?
• Why the heavy handed inter-cutting of the HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN footage of the skeletons being found in the future while JACOB places the bodies in the past? I know the producers said that this is one of the things that proves that they had the end game planned the entire time but instead it just came off as them finding a solution that fit the scenario they set up six years ago (not to mention JACK said the bodies looked like they could have been there for 30 or 40 years… that’s a bit off the mark from 100′s of years).

I suppose if you break it down to the essentials seeing this episode brought me the same level of frustration I experienced with the introduction of the MAN IN BLACK and the actual appearance of JACOB in the season five finale. Meeting these two characters made me feel like a lot of what we had watched up to this point and the struggles we had seen were diminished by these new players who apparently held a greater importance to the show than we had ever known. It felt like one of those bad mysteries where suddenly the bad guy is revealed and it is a character who was playing a bag handler in the background of the second scene.

Maybe I would feel better about this episode if they had come up with this idea earlier in the season, like immediately after the season premiere where we learned that SMOKE MONSTER and UN-LOCKE were one and the same. It certainly didn’t spoil anything for the rest of the season. I’d probably also feel better about this episode if it didn’t actually make me feel almost sympathetic again for the MAN IN BLACK right after the episode that let us know that he was completely, totally and unarguably the bad guy. In this story he came off more as a victim who doesn’t want to be trapped on an Island where for 13 years he was raised by the crazy woman who murdered his mother. Yes in the end he ends up stabbing his “Mother” but this can also be taken as avenging the death of his real mother and the people he has lived with for the past 30 years as well as freeing himself of the evil that this mother murdering monster clearly seemed to be capable of. Instead of black and white (a metaphor and bit of symbolism used WAY TOO MUCH in this episode) and the struggle of DARK and LIGHT we get dumped right back into shades of grey. From a story telling perspective this sudden shift made no sense.

Another frustrating element of this episode was taking JACOB from the wise and enlightened being we previously viewed him as and reduced him to a whiney little momma’s boy. He didn’t come by the job of protector of the light (ugh) and Island as a noble calling or through trials and redemption. He was handed a job at the family business that he didn’t want and just like so many others in the same role he screwed up on his very first day on the job. All he has to do is protect the light and keep men out of the cave. First command decision? Throw his brother into the tunnel and BAM he makes a smoke monster. Way to go JACOB!

Oh yeah, before I forget, I think we should officially ban any writer from ever using the term “There’s a storm coming” again. I’m calling for a moratorium on this one folks, it’s been overused and is such a heavy handed term used in foreshadowing that it pretty much insults my ears for hearing it. In this episode that was overflowing with symbolism it was pretty much the straw that broke the camel’s back.

Going in to this episode I really wanted to love it but instead it was just too long of a story that did very little to hold my attention long enough to show me who built the DONKEY WHEEL, how MAN IN BLACK became the SMOKE MONSTER and who two skeletons were in the caves. If this episode is any indication for the type of writing we can expect over the next three episodes than I can only tell you one thing folks: There’s a storm coming.

---

After recently spending some quiet ‘me’ time I was finally able to catch up on ABC’s floundering FLASHFORWARD. Since the show came back from its long winter break I’d only watched two episodes so I felt as though I hadn’t really given it all that much of a chance.

When FLASHFORWARD premiered I really enjoyed the first few episodes and I thought the show had a lot of promise. The gimmick was good and in many ways the show really seemed like the heir apparent to the LOST throne. Some how though the show really lost its steam prior to taking the winter break. I’m not sure if that was from having us involved in too many stories, taking us in to many directions, or just a lack of cohesive thought in the writing process. Whatever it was I wasn’t the only one to pick up on these things because the show had a pretty big shake up in it’s creative team during the break.

After coming back from the winter break the show seemed determined to really get down to business. They instantly established the fact that another world wide blackout may be coming (OH NO!) and the show gave us something we were missing prior to the break: real bad guys that the characters would eventually have to deal with. In taking a page from X-FILES and LOST they’ve kept the bad guys mysterious, made them seem real organized, and kept us virtually in the dark as to who they are and why they are doing what they are doing. It’s something that the show was realy missing and it’s a welcome addition. The recent addition of James Callis to the cast as a secret flash forward experiment victim who has all kinds of possible futures locked up in his head is probably the one story line I want to see them follow because his performance is so opposite that of BALTAR from the re-imagined BATTLESTAR GALACTICA that it’s just brilliant.

There are still some things that just don’t seem to work right and a few missed opportunities, if you were to ask me. The story of the kidnapped daughter in the middle east is one that I just don’t have a lot of interest in. The doctor with cancer who is waiting to find his asian lady love? Yawn. Taking the hope that the futures we saw aren’t set in stone and making us question if it can really be possible? Predictable.  Having an episode air on April 29th and not have it co-incide with the show’s timeline of the day of the flash, also April 29th? Meta fail.

All-in-all, however, I can really say with a degree of confidence that the show is actually worth the time to watch, especially in this latter half of the season. There is real momentum week to week and it really gives you a reason to watch instead of just making you watch to avoid missing some small detail that may be relevant later.

SNL

This past Saturday I think that SNL might actually be able to learn something from the Internet since the show featuring BETTY WHITE was probably the best episode of the entire 2009-2010 season. For the majority of this season watching SNL has been bitter-sweet as I’ve been looking for the ‘good sketch’ needle in a haystack of unfunny. I suppose even saying that it has just been this season is a bit of a stretch as well since the majority of last season was the same for me. Still, week after week, I DVR the show with the hopes that I push enough straw of funny out of the way to find that gleaming and sharp needle of funny that everyone is going to be talking about. All of that changed with BETTY WHITE.

First and foremost BETTY WHITE has (literally) had a lifetime of experience to finely tune her comedic timing to the point where I believe it is second nature. Her finely tuned comedic timing coupled with her mature and maternal grandmother facade make her a one two punch that I think just about any writer would be hard pressed to NOT make her funny. With this show there were close calls, two awkward ones in my opinion, where the premise was pushing it or BETTY seemed slightly out of sorts but even in those instances you were more forgiving because BETTY WHITE’s presence is so powerful you just didn’t care.

Another reason why I think that this episode of SNL was so good had to do with almost every major female cast member from the last 10 years returning for this special installment. I’m sure that this returning group has a certain affect in the writing room of the show that helped contribute to what, perceived by me, was a higher caliber of show quality. I also strongly suspect that this installment of the show had the benefit of lots of preparation in the way of writing being done well in advance instead of the usual writings as they go that I believe happens during regular production of the show. I only hope that there was something to be learned from the entire BETTY WHITE experiment and the forthcoming season finale with ALEC BALDWIN sends this season off in a good way.

Now let’s see what TV holds for us this week.

MONDAY

NBC – 8:00 PM: CHRISTOPHER LLOYD drops in as a therapist to help CHUCK deal with his head. Hopefully he’s more Doc Brown than Jim Ignatowski (oh heck, I’d take a nice merge of both).

CBS – 8:00 PM: The gang on HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER crash a swank New York party. I sense some stunt casting in this one.

ABC – 10:00 PM: CASTLE has to struggle for attention from BECKETT now that DEMMING is hanging around. Speaking of which has ABC got option contracts on most of the BATTLESTAR GALACTICA cast?

TUESDAY

FOX – 8:00 PM: OK AMERICAN IDOL this whole mentoring thing has got to stop. JAMIE FOXX mentoring the remaining contestants on singing songs from movies? Really? Now you’re stretching it. Why not RUSSELL CROWE, BILLY BOB THORTON or KEANU REAVES? They’ve all got bands, they just didn’t play a singer in a movie. Oh, wait, you want someone else who did the whole singer biopic thing? Bring in JOAQUIN PHOENIX instead or maybe DENNIS QUAID?

ABC – 9:00 PM: Tonight we see the touching story of When JACOB met SMOKEY on a very special episode of LOST.

FOX – 9:00 PM: OK, let me get this straight: KURT tries to butch it up, PUCK shaves the mohawk and RACHEL can’t sing on tonight’s episode of GLEE? Wow, this doesn’t scream filler at all!

WEDNESDAY

TheCW – 8:00 PM: OMG! It’s the two hour finale of AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL and I’ve not watched a single episode! Why start now, right?

BC – 9:00 PM: OK, this week the MODERN FAMILY actually gets to Hawaii instead of just travelling there and just like last week I’m rooting for PHIL to find the cursed tiki idol to make my world complete.

NBC – 9:00 PM: MERCY has it’s season finale tonight and it’s ranked in my viewing schedule just behind AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL. Oh well.

THURSDAY

CBS – 8:00 PM: The penultimate (kind of) episode of SURVIVOR: HEROES VS. VILLAINS airs and we I’m wondering if RUSSELL makes it to the end or did PARVARTI eat him alive?

TheCW – 8:00 PM: It’s spooky night done right on TheCW with the season finale of THE VAMPIRE DIARIES followed by the looming apacolypse on SUPERNATURAL.

NBC – 9:00 PM: Tonight is all filler on THE OFFICE until next week’s return of KATHY BATES.

FOX – 9:00 PM: Wow, I could use penultimate twice tonight because the the first part of the FRINGE season finale is tonight as well. It’s a two parter so next week won’t make much sense without tonight but it’s still the next to last episode to air for the season so I’m saying it’s the penultimate. I sure hope I’m using that word right.

FRIDAY

TheCW – 8:00 PM: Well we’ve waited all season to find out just how CLARK is going to deal with the Kandorians on SMALLVILLE and it’s finally here. The solution he sought and found last week results in all Kyrptonians being banished from Earth so I’m dreading a finale where it seems that CLARK is gone (again).

CBS – 9:00 PM: I only bring up tonight’s episode of MEDIUM because I once again wanted to say penultimate. So yeah, this is the penultimate episode for what could be the final season of the series.

SATURDAY

BBCAMERICA – 8:00 PM: OK, so maybe your TARDIS was a bit wibbly-wobbly and you missed last week’s first part of this awesome two-parter of DOCTOR WHO. Guess what? Tune in at this time and you can catch THE TIME OF ANGELS before the 9:00 PM airing of the second part FLESH AND STONE. Two hours I have no fear in recommending.

NBC – 11:30 PM: How do you follow-up the stellar BETTY WHITE performance on SNL? Two words folks: ALEC ‘MOTHER TRUCKIN’ BALDWIN.

SUNDAY

CBS – 8:00 PM: Grab a bowl of popcorn and sit down as CBS tries to dominate the night with the season finale of SURVIVOR: HEROES VS. VILLAINS. After the two hour finale you can even stick around for the reunion special right after.

FOX – 8:00 PM: The FOX network refuses to bow before SURVIVOR by rolling out another appearance of SIDESHOW BOB on tonight’s episode of THE SIMPSONS.

ABC – 9:00 PM: The explosive season finale of DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES hits as we see LYNETTE finally learns the down side of befriending a serial killer and the entire BOLEN business is finally put to rest.

HBO – 9:00 PM: It’s the final episode of the amazing World War II miniseries THE PACIFIC tonight. I hope no one spoils how it ends for me!

ABC – 10:00 PM: You hear that folks? It’s my sigh of relief at the fact that another season of BROTHERS & SISTERS comes to a close and I know there’s one less show on the DVR that I won’t be watching.

---