Lost 5x09: "Namaste"

I'm a big believer in a "leopard can't change his spots." Although I like his character now, it's just not really believable for me. But neither are smoke monsters, dead people ressurected, time travel, etc, etc. I just accept it as part of the show. If I can accept that John Locke rose from the dead, then I have to believe a lifelong con man became the "good guy." Both are equally unlikely to me.

 

He could also finally release his hate after killing the real Sawyer. Once that hate is gone he can start to move on in life. Which he has for the past 3 years.

 

Besides, as a conman (and a professional one!) he thinks ahead. I'm sure he's got something baking somewhere. The absence of Faraday may be related.

 

Above Average.

Poor Sayid. He turns his back for 10 minutes and suddenly everyone's a Dharma zombie.

When I re-watch Lost on DVD someday, I'll have to pay special attention to Ben's first encounter with Sayid. Ben always did have that "I know more than you do" aura about him. Now I wonder if there was more to it than personal style. Did he recognize Sayid?

Now we know why these people don't talk to each other - because when they do spend time explaining to each other what we in the audience already know, it makes the show kinda draaaag, doesn't it?

But there was a fair amount of clever writing and acting that allowed characters to catch on to what's happening without any boring yakking. Jack figuring things out about Juliet and Sawyer; Sayid presumably realizing he was in the past after meeting young Ben.

Sawyer's smackdown of Jack was very well written and acted, and perfectly in character, as was Jack's reaction: okay by me.

Sawyer's evolution works for me. They've forshadowed it from the start, when Holloway was careful to give Sawyer a kind of double persona via his acting. I always got the sense that there was another level to the nasty redneck hillbilly, even when it wasn't literally there in the script early on. And the scripts did also provide some of that double level: the guy went out of his way to get glasses so that he could read books.

 

The writers have definitely done a great job balancing the plot and characters and the have the 2 areas work together.

Lost has really been a joy. I wrote further up in this thread that it feels like we are more than halfway through the season due to the shear amount of ground covered, plot and character ground.

Mr Awe

 

I have to a chuckle a little at myself when I read that because I was thinking, "No, it's not, it's been a pain." LOL It funny how people can watch the same show and have such a totally different reaction to it.

I think I've come to enjoy these threads, all the theories, and people pointing out all the stuff I miss a lot more than I enjoy the actual show. It has it moments, but if weren't for the good discussions here, I probably would have given up on it long ago.

 

Actually, she works with (maybe for?) Juliet in the Motor Pool. Which is kinda funny if Juliet did make her job up on the spot. Keep her close so that you're sure she's not gonna be screwing your dude.

 

At the risk of ruining Flukie's avatar for next weeks contest I was thinking Laverne and Shirley when seeing the preview.

 

Then you'd have to add Sawyer and Jin to the mix - since young Ben's undoubtedly been around them for awhile as well. (and soon he'll meet 3 more).

I agree with most that Sayid and Ben have some sort of unspoken thing going on. Some even say that Sayid is a beaten man because of losing the love of his life. (Interesting that we haven't seen a flashback of that murder - it's only been spoken of.) But I hope their is another reason he's been working with Linus. (perhaps Sun has as well and her constant oarbashing, gunwaving and all around general growling is a ruse.)

 

And don't forget Juliet. Did he know when he fell for her after she came to the island that he'd known her before? Or did she maybe just remind him of some woman he may have crushed on when he was a kid?

 

I think we're in for the revelation that Ben did have a crush on Juliet.

 

Excellent episode. The Ben appearance was to be expected and I was waiting on it since they travelled back. When the sub was coming with the new arrivals I thought that was going to be the reveal and link back to the episode showing Ben's first arrival. [Which would have been cool] But his insertion now means to say La Fluer and Juliet have known him for a time. Just gotta know what their reactions to that were.

The Christian creepy moster thing is also worrying. Just more weirdness that screams for an explanation. The photo reveal to Jin was nice.

Loved the references to all our past stations. Once upon a time we knew nothing and now Sawyer and co. apparently know the ins and outs. If only they would tell us.

Sayid's tanglement is a toughie and the way Ben quizzed him was a little creepy like he knows Sayid's not a hostile. Wonder how Sawyer is going to work that pickle out.

But two reasons no three make this an excellent episode:

1. Frank piloting the plane in and surviving, continuing to be part of the story for a time yet. Cool
2. Jin whacking Ben over the head.
3. And mostly for the Sawyer v Jack bit. Nice revenge making him a janitor but Sawyer was spot on about the reacting thing. Though Jack is probably happy to not to have to worry about the details anymore.

 

But what is weird is how they O6 had to return to save those left behind. because it doesn't really seem like they needed to. It seems that Locke pushing the wheel the final time did that. That is when they stopped skipping through time. So far the people they left behind are fine, Jack, Kate, Hurley, etc... Haven't done anything to help those left behind & they haven't had to.

 

Jin is the husband, Sun is the wife...

 

He's still using his con skills at Dharma, but his motivations are very different now.

 

I'm still laughing my ass off at Gertch's comment regarding the co-pilot's demise: "he got Wash'd"!

 

I don't get it.