Lost Season 6 Premiere: "LA X"

[Mr Awe]

Excellent. The closest thing I've seen to television perfection in a LONG time. I don't say that lightly, I'm a harsh reviewer.

I think these are 2 separate time lines, one doesn't lead into the other. The group that was in 1977 continued directly after the explosion to being transported to the present. The alternate group is also in the present.

Lots to process still. Head is spinning! In a great way!

One prediction. Eventually, the versions on the island will come to see their alternate selfs and how futile it was to return to their "pitiful lifes", as not Locke put it.

Mr Awe

 

[LitmusDragon]

I notice a lot of people are considering the "good to see you out of those chains" comment from NotLocke literally. I assumed he meant it figuratively- now that Jacob is dead, Richard is no longer bound to serve him.

 

[Gryffindorian]

Now it appears an alternate timeline has been created (Juliet's Message: "It worked").

BTW,

Exactly how would Juliet know that it worked?

Good question. I was thinking Miles (who can "talk" to dead people) said what Juliet was going to say to Sawyer before she died. When she said "it" worked, I was under the assumption the "it" referred to the reset (2004, Oceanic didn't crash). How she knew, I have no clue.

 

[Mallet]

But the Others also kept up the sonic fence to keep Smokie out, which they wouldn't have to do if Jacob was protecting them from it.

Did they really though? I mean, the fence could be climbed over, so I'm assuming smoke could just fly over it. Plus, Ben seemed to be able to summon the smoke monster. I think the fence was just initially there to keep the hostiles away from Dharma, and the others just kept it to keep anyone else out.

Well we have seen it keep Smokie out, in the Ep. where Kate and Juliette were out in the jungle being chased by the monster they ran behind hte fence and turned it on, smokie smashed into it a few times, but couldn't get through so it went away. Juliette knew this would happen (that's why she led kate there and rushed to turn the fence on) so it must be common knowledge to the Others that the fence does this, otherwise how would she know?

Also, during the back in time episodes when Richard comes to talk to Houris(?) he says "that fence may keep somethings out, but not me" clearly referring to the smoke monster.

But... if that is the case, then Smokie and (at least some of) the dead "ghost" people are not the same being. because Ben's dead mother was able to enter the Dharma compound (presumably while the fence was up) and talk to Ben (when he was a child).

 

[Alidar Jarok]

I think people are just swept up in the frenzy that it's back and that there is lots of flash-bang coming at them. But really this is just the same formula as always, just on a more confusing level.

Same formula with a slight twist. Still, compared to previous season premiers, I think this one was a bit more up tempo. They've made the Others a bit closer to the Others in the 70s and before (as opposed to the modern clothes wearing ones in the third season). It would make sense, Locke got them back to their roots, so that's what they're like now.

Lost tends to have action/adventure episodes and character episodes. This was clearly the former. It remains to be seen if the slightly changed format can handle character episodes (the flash forwards and flashbacks did. Last season had some character moments, but it was quite a bit more linear and plot driven).

 

[Caligula]

Where's the option on the poll for "Holy shit!!!"...?? I mean, that two-hour ep. was one hell of a trip... and I wasn't even stoned!

 

[LitmusDragon]

I think it's time I dust this off again

This was relevant last season with NotLocke, seems even more relevant now.

Foreshadowing omg?

 

[Ryan8bit]

Well we have seen it keep Smokie out, in the Ep. where Kate and Juliette were out in the jungle being chased by the monster they ran behind hte fence and turned it on, smokie smashed into it a few times, but couldn't get through so it went away. Juliette knew this would happen (that's why she led kate there and rushed to turn the fence on) so it must be common knowledge to the Others that the fence does this, otherwise how would she know?

Good point, I forgot about that episode. Maybe the fence acts similar to the way the ash does in that the 3rd dimension doesn't matter. So obviously I can't ask a common sense question about voodoo.

 

[Mallet]

I wonder if "bathing" in the fountain and not dying (like Sayid) makes a person stronger, tougher, heal quicker, or something like that?

Could that be why Mikhel (eye patch) could survive so many things that should have killed him? Maybe he was "bathed" in the water at some point giving him his seemingly super regeneration/immortality?

And maybe why Ethan was so super strong? He could kidnap and control Charlie and Claire at the same time, plus lift Jack off the ground with one arm, sneak into camp and break almost every bone in body of a look out guard (Steve? Scott?)? and generally be a super strong bad-ass.

 

[WeAreTheBorg]

Very intriguing premiere. As I expected, it posed more questions than it answered, but that's fine with me. I just hope they don't go the BSG route by the end and all of this is explained by a supernatural being moving the pieces around (at least not in the classical sense).

One thing that stuck out for me.... when Jack was trying to revive Sayid, and Kate was doing the cliche "Stop! he's dead Jack!" thing. The first time that happened was with Charlie in the forest and I was wondering why she gave up so easily then and was vindicated. I thought the same thing this time. He was kicking in the water 60 seconds before that, isn't it normal procedure to do CPR in those cases even if they stop breathing?

 

[Trippy]

I think it's time I dust this off again

This was relevant last season with NotLocke, seems even more relevant now.

Foreshadowing omg?

I was just flipping through my copy and landed on this (p.61)

"...but it's the twin thing that makes it really complicated. Like a seesaw, one goes up and the other comes down"

Kinda seems like the Jacob/MiB relationship perhaps? Hmmmm....

 

[DarthPipes]

This was the first good Jack episode in quite a while. He actually came across as likeable again.

 

[TheGodBen]

I found the episode very average for the most part, but the Locke/Jack conversation towards the end raised it up to Above Average. I love the divergent timelines, I must admit that I hadn't considered that as a possibility for this season and I'm eagerly waiting to find out how the two timelines will connect together. But the best thing about this is that fact that in one of the universes Locke isn't dead, and that makes me so happy I'm considering lifting my hit on Damon and Carlton for killing him in the first place.

But there was too much to this episode that didn't work for me, the main one being the focus on Kate in the alternate timeline. I've always hated Kate, she should have died back in Tabula Rasa, and this episode actually made me hate her more. She killed her father in cold blood, she is responsible for the death of her best friend (who had a family!), and she completely refuses to accept responsibility for her actions by, once again, going on the run. The only way I could possibly have more contempt for her is if she killed my dog.

As for the island stuff, it was okay but I felt it was undermined by the Japanese(?) guy. That was silly, it made the whole thing feel like a cartoon whenever he was on screen.

But I still enjoyed the episode for the most part, because Locke is back. And not just any Locke, but season 1 Locke, the best of all the Locke variations. NotLocke was also interesting, especially his speech about Locke.

Can you tell that I like Locke?

I haven't read all the comments in this thread yet, so maybe somebody will make a comment that changes my mind a little, but I'm sitting here this morning thinking about the show. And for some reason, it just seems so disconnected from previous seasons. Same actors, same characters, but it just feels so different to the point of me not really being all that excited about it last night. Maybe as the season wears on, I'll get more into it. Right now, I just want it to be over.

I felt that way about season 5. Seasons 1-4 all feel like the same show despite all twists and character combinations, but once they time-jumped back to 1977 I lost the connection I had to the show and stopped being so fanatical about it. I didn't like having the Losties living with the Dharma folk and I hated how the cast was separated for most of the season. What I liked about LA X was that it felt closer to seasons 1-4 than any episode in season 5, largely because the main story is all taking place in 2007 again while the divergent timeline is heavily based on the events of season 1. I hope that they can keep this up because I really want to feel connected to this show again, the same way I did in the first 4 seasons.

But I'm waaay in the minority with this opinion, most people on this board seemed to love season 5.

Lost tends to have action/adventure episodes and character episodes. This was clearly the former. It remains to be seen if the slightly changed format can handle character episodes (the flash forwards and flashbacks did. Last season had some character moments, but it was quite a bit more linear and plot driven).

That's another reason why I didn't like season 5 so much, it lost its focus on the characters and focused too heavily on the plot. I mean, Locke was one of my favourite characters on television, and yet his death had no impact on me because of the way that it played out. I felt sadder about Boone dying than I did about Locke, and Boone was practically a redshirt. LA X clearly wasn't character-centric, and that's okay because it was the season opener and and event episode, but if the character focus gets shafted again like it did in season 5 then season 6 will be very disappointing for me. If they regain the balance between character and plot that the show had in the second half of season 3 and the entirety of season 4 then I'd be one very satisfied bunny.

Did I just call myself a bunny?

 

[Alidar Jarok]

There are flaws with Season 5. But I like the mythology of Lost and that season handles it the best. The show is a character drama, however, and I'd have been disappointed if this season was entirely like that one. I think this one will be closest to season 4. Lots of action and adventure, but also emphasis on character development through flash whatevers. The difference is it'll hopefully be myth heavy and fantastical like last season (since that's needed to address the questions).

I hope this makes sense.

 

[Hober Mallow]

Lots of action and adventure, but also emphasis on character development through flash whatevers.

Media magazines doing interviews with Lindelof and Cuse have been calling them "flash sideways."

 

[Hermiod]

Average.

I didn't really enjoy this. The alternate universe stuff was okay, but the on island story was fairly dull.

There is, by the way, a good article on Lostpedia detailing the differences between the original and altered timelines.

They've picked up on interesting things, like Jack not being able to find his pen to help Charlie - the same pen he used to save Edward Mars back in season one, and Jack and Charlie having different haircuts.

 

[Mallet]

Average.

I didn't really enjoy this. The alternate universe stuff was okay, but the on island story was fairly dull.

There is, by the way, a good article on Lostpedia detailing the differences between the original and altered timelines.

They've picked up on interesting things, like Jack not being able to find his pen to help Charlie - the same pen he used to save Edward Mars back in season one, and Jack and Charlie having different haircuts.

I haven't gone to that link yet, but I thoguht it was pretty clear that Kate pick pocketed jack's pen when she bumped into him at the bathroom and later used it to try and pick her handcuff locks.

 

[Hermiod]

Average.

I didn't really enjoy this. The alternate universe stuff was okay, but the on island story was fairly dull.

There is, by the way, a good article on Lostpedia detailing the differences between the original and altered timelines.

They've picked up on interesting things, like Jack not being able to find his pen to help Charlie - the same pen he used to save Edward Mars back in season one, and Jack and Charlie having different haircuts.

I haven't gone to that link yet, but I thoguht it was pretty clear that Kate pick pocketed jack's pen when she bumped into him at the bathroom and later used it to try and pick her handcuff locks.

You're probably right, but there's a link there - that Jack used the pen to save one life on the island but when he needed it to save another on the plane it was gone.

There are other more significant differences - Sun and Jin appear not to be married. They are not wearing wedding rings and the airport staff refer to Sun as "Miss Paik".

Rose was originally nervous about flying, but Jack calmed her down. Here it's the other way around. She also wore her husband's wedding ring on a chain on planes because his fingers swell up - she doesn't do so here.

Most curiously of all, Sayid has an Iranian passport.

 

[chrisspringob]

Does it seem reasonable to assume the Island Losties are about 5 months ahead in time of the no-longer Losties that landed in LAX?

I thought the events of Not-Locke and Dead-Locke are taking place currently (2009), whereas the crash, and presumably the LAX Losties was 200whatever (the year LOST premiered). I'm making the assumption that this flight shown this time was back then.

My head hurts.

Flight 815 happened in 2004. The Island-based stuff is happening in either late 2007 or early 2008, as it was established last season that the Ajira flight took place roughly 3 years after the O6 were rescued.

 

[RoJoHen]

Indeed. As far as we know, nothing in LOST takes place in the present day. The closest we are is 2007/08 back on the Island.