Once again I welcome you all to another edition of TV or Not TV. I’ve got a lot of thoughts for this week so please bare with me as I bounce around through all of them. Also be forewarned if you still haven’t watched last week’s episode of LOST I’d encourage you to just skip ahead to the listings.
I wanted to start by talking about last week’s episode of LOST titled THE LIGHTHOUSE. First and foremost I was hoping with a title like THE LIGHTHOUSE they would actually be shedding some light on what, exactly, is going on with this whacky Island. Although they didn’t do this they did give us a bit more insight into part of the story we were told last week during THE SUBSTITUTE. I also wasn’t very sure what I was in for because of another Tweet by executive producer Damon Lindelof.
If you haven’t noticed by now I’m not sure you will pick up on the fact that the writers and producers of LOST love elements of ALICE IN WONDERLAND. There were plenty of looking glasses and white rabbits in this episode. There was also a very subtle call back to something that happened in the first season episode titled WHITE RABBIT. At the beginning of the episode we find HURLEY given a mission by the recently deceased JACOB to take JACK to THE LIGHTHOUSE because someone is comign to the Island. In order to do this HURLEY tells JACK the phrase “you have what it takes”. This, of course, sets JACK into a tizzy and where he didn’t care at all what JACOB wanted from him two seconds before after those five words he’s rip-roaring ready to go. Why? The easy answer is from that whacky flash sideways story back in the Los Angeles where the plane never crashed. JACK tells his son DAVID (I know, what?!?) the uplifting story about how his dad CHRISTIAN told him he didn’t have what it takes. At this point I can’t remember if it was about piano playing, baseball, or basket weaving. Doesn’t matter. CHRISTIAN seemed to have been a mean dad who was obviously continuing some cycle of abuse.
You’ll notice I said that the flash sidways story was the easy answer. I also said soemthing about a connection to the first season episode WHITE RABBIT. If you can stretch your mind back six years with me you’ll remember that in this episode, where JACK seems to be chasing after his dead father CHRISTIAN through the woods when he finally catches up the ghost (or SMOKE MONSTER, hallucination, etc.) of CHRISTIAN tells him to not try to lead these people because he just doesn’t have what it takes. Obviously CHRISTIAN has been doubting and loathing his son for quite some time. What a guy!
Now that I’ve spent two paragraphs telling you how they were able to link back to dialogue from six years ago let me tell you about one of the two parts of this episode that I found really interesting. When HURLEY gets JACK up to THE LIGHTHOUSE things really smash the glass. It turns out that the Island has a very old lighthouse on it that no one has ever seen, apparently becuase they weren’t looking for it (like when you misplace your car keys I guess). This lighthouse is so hold it uses a fire pit and mirrors to reflect the light out to the ocean. Just like anything else on this Island, however, it turns out to do far more than just reflect light. It seems that when you turn the mirrors to certain degree markings on the LIGHTHOUSE (also now accompanied by names) you get a glimpse of something in the mirror other than a reflection. JACK first sees what looked to me like the church where SAWYER’s parents funeral service was held (I’m probably wrong). This drives him to make HURLEY turn the mirrors to 23 (which is marked SHEPHARD) and he gets a glimpse of his childhood home. Logically JACK gets mad that JACOB appears to have been playing peeping Tom and smashes all the glass when HURLEY can’t telll him why JACOB is a big ol’ peeping perv. I don’t know if either of them happened to notice the name that was marked 108, as this was the degree marking HURLEY was supposed to turn the mirrors towards. I’d put money on that person being DESMOND since “the Island is not done with” him yet.
Another thing that I think is interesting is that JACK assumes instantly that JACOB is a peepin’ perv based on one still image he sees reflected back at him. How does he know this was the intent and use of THE LIGHTHOUSE. Maybe, instead, these “candidates” that are being drawn to the Island are being revealed even to JACOB himself by using the mirror. He gets a glimpse and has to ascertain who the candidate is. Just a thought. Oh, also whoever this person is must not be all that important becuase it turns out JACOB just did all this to make sure that HURLEY and JACK were as far away from the temple as possible because ol’ SMOKIE JOE is apparently a comin’ to lay a whoopin’ on all the people there. Hopefully MILES gets away.
The second thing that I loved about this week’s episode is that CLAIRE is 100% pure, grade-A bat $hit crazy. She’s taken on the roll of ROUSSEAU as the crazy lady in the woods that wants to get her child back. She’s also been lied to by the SMOKE MONSTER this whole time being told that the OTHERS have her baby AARON (who, if you remember, was taken off the Island by KATE when they escaped via chopper…. man writing about this show makes ME sound bat $hit crazy, doesn’t it?). I assume it is the SMOKE MONSTER anyway because CLAIRE says her Dad told her (CHRISTIAN SHEPHARD) and then her friend, who is revealed to be the JOHN “THE SMOKE MONSTER” LOCKE. I don’t know if there is going to be a possible path for redemption for CLAIRE with all this bad grigri going on around her.
One final LOST thought. Last week we learned that this Fake LOCKE is now stuck looking like JOHN LOCKE. I know I said we don’t know why but I have a funny feeling it has something to do with the fact that JACOB is now dead. Prior to JACOB being killed I’m pretty sure fake LOCKE was able to be LOCKE as well as ALEX, etc. in the episode DEAD IS DEAD. The onlyh thing that’s changed between now and then is JACOB dying. I just thought I would share even though we might never actually know the reason why.
So there’s my thoughts on last week’s episode of LOST here on the eve of the next episode titled SUNDOWN. Considering this episode marks the 1/3 mark for the series (and the fact that they only showed us mere seconds of this week in the previews) I’m sure there’s going to be some heavy stuff going down at the temple. Good luck DOGEN, I’m rooting for you.
Now that I’ve spent so much time talking about LOST let’s switch over to see just what else there is available to watch.
MONDAY
NBC – 8:00 PM: CHUCK is back and tonight he has to impersonate a dangerous assassin. Is there really any other kind of assassin?
CBS – 8:00 PM: CARRIE UNDERWOOD guest stars on tonight’s episode of HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER. Notice I said guest star there Ted? Wouldn’t get your hopes up that this one is your kids mom.
ABC – 8:00 PM: Once again THE BACHELOR chooses (I think) a woman to take his hand in marriage followed by the season finale special “After the Final Rose.” Once again I also successfully navigated my way completely away from seeing a single moment of the show. Me for the win!
CBS – 8:30 PM: Remember that sitcome RULES OF ENGAGEMENT? Yeah, neither do I. It’s back for a third season tonight though. DAVID SPADE for the win!
TUESDAY
NBC – 8:00 PM: Now that the Olympics are over we finally see how that torch balancing on the head stand off ends on THE BIGGEST LOSER. Yeah, you read that right.
FOX – 8:00 PM: The top 10 female finalists try desperately to perform better than their horrid performances last week on AMERICAN IDOL. Based on last week I think SIMON is getting out at just the right time.
ABC – 9:00 PM: Yeah, you may have already heard me say something about that LOST show.
TNT – 10:00 PM: Fans of SOUTHLAND should be sure to tune in to TNT tonight as the second season premiere episode airs.
WEDNESDAY
FOX – 8:00 PM: I can’t really tell if the top 10 male finalists performed any better last week than the ladies on AMERICAN IDOL. I just know that I have absolutely no one to root for.
NBC – 8:00 PM: BIGGEST LOSER host ALISON SWEENEY guest stars on tonights episode of MERCY. Congratulations MERCY, I may actually tune in and watch for once.
ABC – 9:00 PM: PHIL tries to overcome a fear of the dark while exploring under the house with LUKE on MODERN FAMILY. Although not much to read I’m sure it’s going to be comedy gold.
NBC – 9:00 PM: Tonight LAW & ORDER: SVU has a special two hour event with KATHY GRIFFIN guess starring as a lesbian-rights activist. I think the second hour doesn’t have anything to do with this but the show is good enough to stick around.
USA – 10:00 PM: This week on PSYCH it’s LASSITER that actually makes the outrageous claim when he says a shark attack was actually a murder. I can already hear all of the JAWS lines being retread.
THURSDAY
NBC – 8:00 PM: Look, all of the NBC comedy shows are back tonight with the exception of 30 ROCK. Why is 30 ROCK not getting any love? It’s making room for BABY HALPERT who is being delivered during the one hour THE OFFICE event.
CBS – 8:00 PM: I have no insight at all into tonight’s epsiode of SURVIVOR: HEROES VS. VILLAINS but from the previews I look forward to the groups being disrupted by hidden immunity idol fever.
FOX – 8:00 PM: Tonight four more contestants are crushed by the fickle choices made by the citizens of the US on AMERICAN IDOL.
USA – 10:00 PM: The season finale of BURN NOTICE promises to be packed with action in the first five minutes. The only thing really bad about this show is that it feels like the season is over right after it starts.
FRIDAY
NBC – 8:00 PM: WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? follows celebrity journeys to finding out about their family history. I’ve sat through enough family slide shows to know to avoid this one.
ABC – 8:00 PM: Tonight on SUPERNANNY a family with a cafe needs help taming their wild kids from ruining business. One helpful hint: check the stock level on those chocolate covered espresso beans because I bet the kids are dippin’ in to them.
CBS – 8:00 PM: I know that every show wants to have an explosive 100th epsiode to celebrate the achievement but GHOST WHISPERER has taken it a bit too literal with having a missing bomb as part of the story.
SATURDAY
NBC – 8:00 PM: If you missed the pilot for PARENTHOOD (like me) than you have a second chance to catch it tonight.
ABC – 8:00 PM: I guess you can tell the OSCARS are tomorrow with the 20/20 BEFORE THEY WERE FAMOUS special being retread right before THE OPRAH WINFREY OSCAR SPECIAL dreadges through again as well.
HALLMARK – 9:00 PM: Normally I wouldn’t recommend a HALLMARK channel film (because I don’t watch them) but UNCORKED features JULIE BENZ and since in the past six months she’s been a serial killer’s wife AND an ex-stripper I figure we can extend some sympath viewing her way.
SUNDAY
ABC – 8:30 E/5:30 P: Tonight THE 82ND ANNUAL ACADEMY AWARDS are tag teamed by ALEC BALDWIN and STEVE MARTIN. Is it the ACADEMY AWARDS or the SNL all-star guest host show?
– WILL WILKINS has been pre-empted to bring you this very special announcement.
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