s2e19: S.O.S.

Damon Lindelof recently gave an interview where he described the season's first 19 episodes as the "calm before the storm" of the last five, which might help explain why tonight's episode was pretty blasé. The A-plot and flashbacks recognize the fact that Bernard and Rose are the only major characters not seen in flashback until this point (Libby has never had her own episode, but it's arguable how major she is as a character and she was in a Hurley flashback anyway), by showing that they actually haven't known each other very long. Which I guess explains why they don't get along or seem to have a tremendous amount in common. Whatever. Then we find out that Rose used to have terminal cancer and the island healed her, and she has a little moment with Locke where they basically exchange knowing nods, because Rose remembers seeing Locke in his wheelchair in the airport. Oh, and Bernard is really annoying for the whole episode, bossing everyone around for his S.O.S. sign which Rose hates. When Bernard realizes that Rose wants to stay, he states it very specifically for the two people who couldn't tell from the rest of the episode. "You don't want to leave? Because you think the island fixed you?" Thanks, Bernie.

Also, Alma noted that Bernard's bottom row of teeth are pretty terrible and snaggled. And this guy is a dentist? But let's be fair: maybe he's a dentist in a town with no orthodontists.

In the B-plot, Jack goes to see if the Others will trade Walt back for "Henry," even though "Henry" says they won't. The Others don't show up, but after some Jack and Kate semi-flirtation, Michael does, in a fairly predictable ending.

In the C-plot, Locke can't draw the diagram from the blast door, but then he does.

Next month, probably, on Lost: Michael says the castaways could totally take the Others. "Henry" suggests that that might not be the case when he apparently kicks Ana Lucia's ass despite being tied up; the question is, if he could escape like that at any time, why didn't he before? And some gun-having shenanigans are going down. Fun fact: in island time, Michael's only been gone, like, two weeks. Oh, and you can bet there'll be more with Locke's diagram, though possibly not in the very next episode.

Anyone else wonder if Michael isn't exactly what he seems? He's been gone for a while. Okay, I guess it's exactly like the old Michael to charge into the Others' lair, guns blazing. But maybe he's being used as a lure somehow, even if unknowingly. Someone is supposed to die in the final five episodes - would they finally go with a true "major" character (Jack, Locke, Sawyer, Kate) or would it be someone on a bit more of the fringe (Charlie, Ana Lucia, whoever)? I'm guessing the latter. Guesses as to the inevitable season-ending cliffhanger? I say it probably involves discovering something big about the Others, like some sort of headquarters, or an airplane tarmac, or something. (Speaking of which, shouldn't Jack have been a little more fazed by the revelation that the Others are playing dress-up? Maybe he just didn't believe Kate.)

s2e18: Dave

In the B plot, we learn for sure that the counter doesn't really do anything when it hits zero. Sure, we get all that blue light, but that's it. Of course, "Henry" could be lying about that (and Locke says he doesn't believe him), but would anyone really be surprised? I always thought it was more or less implied that the button didn't really do anything and Dharma just wanted to see how long people would push it if they were told it did something but not what. It also would seem that the Others are not connected, at least not directly, to Dharma, which is much more interesting. "Henry" also insinuates that some unknown power keeps the island hidden from outside eyes, perhaps suggesting that, indeed, the only people who end up on the island have a purpose there. But what that is... who can say. Of course, since it would potentially offer all kinds of answers to devote a whole show to an interrogation of "Henry," the B plot only gets about ten minutes of screen time.

In the A plot, Hurley goes all Tyler Durden on us. The fact that "Dave" wasn't real was so telegraphed, I called it before we even saw Dave in the hospital; just the way Hurley and his doctor talked about him made it pretty clear where things were going. Still, it was somewhat interesting to watch Hurley struggle with his inner demons, even if at this point in the season I'd have preferred some more plot. I almost feel like this episode existed more to rule out a potential conclusion - the "it's all in someone head à la St. Elsewhere" finale - than anything else. Dave's explanation of the numbers wasn't unconvincing, but you knew they weren't going to go that way in the end - certainly not this early - so it more comes down to Hurley trying to convince himself that the numbers aren't a freaky island mystery. But I guess they still are.

Speaking of freaky mysteries, so that's where Hurley knows Libby from. Of course, this doesn't mean she was never a clinical psychologist, and if Hurley could be released then so could she. She could end up being a crazy Hurley stalker, but that doesn't make much sense, and she certainly doesn't seem unhinged at this point. I guess we'll see. Or maybe we won't! This has all the makings of a "plot point that doesn't get resolved until next season."

And speaking of plot points that need to be resolved, next week Jack goes into the jungle trying to trade for Walt, though "Henry" claims that the Others won't be buying. Then someone (was it Jack?) gets caught in a net.