Feb 11 2009
Almost-live blogging 5×05 This Place is Death
9:08 Hi! Here we go again! I’m almost-live blogging LOST by writing during the commercial breaks. ABC generously supplies many such breaks for my convenience ;-).
So far, we’ve seen Sun talk on the phone to her adorable daughter, pull a gun on Ben, and then change her mind when he says Jin is still alive. Cut to Jin and the French Woman and the French Guys. They decide to go traipsing through the jungle up to the tower. Doesn’t Jin remember there are scary things in the jungle? Oops! Monster!
9:19 Dead body falls from a tall tree. “RUN!” Wow, it’s like Season 1 all over again.
Therrrre’s Smoky! I’m sorry, but Smoky is the least scary-looking movie/TV monster ever.
I remember when Locke was dragged down into this hole and seemed to emerge better for the experience. Ewww — is that the French Guy’s arm?
Saved by the flash. But it’s only — what? — a few days into the future? Must be the shortest time-jump ever. Rousseau looks so different. Did they switch to the other actress, or just change her make-up? Bang bang, Robert’s dead. Oh, look, it’s Sawyer. Hugs. Awww.
9:28 “Don’t let them bring her back. This place is death!” Well, there’s the title.
Uh oh, lots of nosebleeds now.
Backtracking a bit — Did Jin say how he got off the boat? Did I miss that? Also, we did get our explanation, of sorts, of the smoke monster — it’s guarding some kind of temple, presumably that crumbling building with the hieroglyphics. And it turns Frenchmen into its servants by dragging them into its lair.
Miles: “He’s Korean. I’m from Encino.” I love Miles! So funny.
9:39 “Daniel, I think that man was you!” Oooh, I got chills! I didn’t see that coming. I was thinking it was going to be Ben or maybe Widmore.
Backtracking: Ben, in the car: “If you knew what I’d done for you, you’d never stop thanking me.” Ha ha, Ben as the put-upon martyr. That’s a new one.
The Orchard. Now you see it, now you don’t.
Wonderful scene with Daniel and Charlotte — that whole scene, ending in the “I think that man was you” line, had me on the edge of my seat. Loved it! That was vintage quality LOST!
9:49. Locke always seems to be lowering himself down some long cylindrical passage — first the hatch, now the well. Freud might have something to say about that.
And then he always seems to be falling from a great height and landing with a big thud.
Flash to a time when the well is solid ground — oh, that’s creepy. But we already know Locke will be ok.
Oh no! Charlotte died! Poor Daniel! That was very sad, but I am consoling myself by remembering that dying, on LOST, doesn’t necessarily mean leaving the show.
10:01 Uh oh. Did Locke hurt his leg again? Hey, it’s Jacob! (Is he Christian Shephard? I’ll have to look that up.) Jacob disses Ben — ha ha!
Locke: “Can you help me up?” Jacob: “No.” He’s a cold, cold apparition.
Oh, the donkey wheel is off its track. Is that why they were time-flashing so much?
Off to see Eloise Hawking. Oh, look, Desmond recognizes her!
Eloise: “Let’s get started.” Cool! Does that mean they will be going back next episode?
Okay, I just looked it up — that was Christian Shephard!
All in all, I’d say that was a good episode. One outstanding scene — the one with Daniel and Charlotte — and a good bit of forward movement, as the Oceanic 6 (plus Desmond and minus Hurley and Sayid?) now appear poised to actually return to the Island.
Not sure what to make of the Jacob/Christian Shephard revelation. That whole scene was strange. Why couldn’t he help Locke? Is it because he doesn’t really exist, at least in a physical sense? And why was he such a control freak, wreaking all this havoc just because he told Locke to turn the wheel, but Ben turned it instead?
Editing to add: That was definitely Christian Shephard, but apparently not necessarily Jacob. I had just assumed it was Jacob, while I was watching, since it was someone who said he had been giving Locke orders. But after taking a quick peek at the Television Without Pity forums (the font of all wisdom), it seems that’s not necessarily the case. Now I’m really confused!
I agree this was a better episode than the last couple with some good forward movement.
Something I’ve been wondering about - you know how some of the dead characters (Ana Lucia, Charlie, etc) have been showing up in real time to the O6? Could they also be moving through time? (Although, they’d have to also be moving through space . . so maybe not.)
I liked the reveal of how Charlotte lived on the island when she was little. I wonder how her mom got them off the island, and what things happened to make the mom say it was all her imagination? How did Charlotte know the well was important?
I thought it was interesting how Locke promised Jin to not have Sun come back, but Ben is using what Jin wanted to be proof of his death, to be proof of his life.
The only bad thing about watching LOST episodes online is not getting to see the previews.
You can get the preview on YouTube! Search on “Lost 5×06″ in the YouTube search box, and you’ll see a whole bunch of copies.
Interesting idea that Ana Lucia and Charlie are moving through time. That would explain a lot! As far as their moving through space … maybe they take the bus?
I’m trying to figure out the sequence of things as far as Charlotte goes. Let’s say my theory is right that Charlotte is the adopted daughter of Dr. Candle — that she’s the baby that we saw at the beginning of the first show of this season. If so, then the Orchard Station was already being built when Charlotte was a baby, and the well wouldn’t have been there any more. So Charlotte wouldn’t have been personally familiar with the well. But Dr. Candle probably was — and Charlotte’s real and/or adopted mother may have been too. Maybe they used it for something?
Ben using the ring for his own purposes is so … so Ben-like!!
Now why didn’t I think of searching on you tube for previews!?
Thanks!
And you’re right, Ben using the ring for his own purposes, is so Ben like:)
You can find almost anything on YouTube — it’s pretty amazing.
I got chills too when Charlotte said “I think that man was you”–the look on his face! He just breaks my heart every second. Gah!
I loooved Sawyer in this episode. He was almost…smooshy. The hug for Jin and then his sincere anguish over Lock being possibly stuck in the earth where the well used to be. *hearts madly*
I was thinking that Jack’s father couldn’t help Locke up because he isn’t really there–in a physical sense. I don’t think anyone who’s dead and appears on the island again has ever touched anyone, have they?
I’m completely freaked out about what might happen with Desmond and all–especially when he promised he wouldn’t go back to the island. Eee.
That’s very interesting about the dead not touching anyone. I think you’re right about that.
I hope Desmond doesn’t get nose-bleed sickness when (if!) he goes back!
V - That was pretty freaky when Sawyer was still standing there tugging on the rope, they pan off, and you see that the rope is coming out of solid ground.
Sawyer has such a good heart - even though he spent most of the first couple seasons desperately trying to hide that from everyone.
Msterri, I’m worried about Desmond, too. He and Penny waited so long to be together again, I’d hate for anything to happen to either of them…argh.
Laneerg, I agree, it was so chilling when Sawyer had that rope coming out of solid ground. *shiver*
You’re right that Sawyer does have a good heart–in a way he’s a lot more honest and true than the “nicer” people on the island! I’m always excited when his scenes come up, because I’m really invested in his character.
For a second, when I first saw that rope coming out of the ground, I thought that Locke had been buried alive (gulp!) — until I realized he must be ok because we had seen him in the future.
Am I the only one who misses first-season Sawyer, the nasty version?
Oh, I do like Sawyer in all of his incarnations, but sometimes I think he’s lost a bit of his edge.
@msterri - Maybe he’s lost a bit of his edge, but he’s not given up on the nicknames.
Ginger. 
(To Charlotte) I like how he’s evolved, I think people would’ve gotten tired of him quickly if he never showed us anything but a nasty side.