Lost
Numbers
original airdate: 03-02-05
Portal Watch: Day 5. Despite Locke’s assertion during
the “previously on LOST” segment that “right
now, this is our priority,” fans still didn’t
see the portal opened. Fortunately this highly entertaining
episode made if clear why that’s probably for the
best. There’s
a lot to like here. Character junkies will enjoy finally
seeing Hurley’s backstory (or at least part of it;
we know his full name now, but we still don’t know
what initially brought him into contact with Lenny). Arc
junkies will appreciate the return of everyone’s favorite
nutty French chic, Danielle Rousseau. And everyone will
enjoy the fact that these two events are cleverly, and chillingly,
connected. And as a cherry to the sundae, there are even
two nice scenes with Locke and Claire.
The
episode opens with the efforts to rebuild the raft (with
new Odd Couple Michael and Jinn working together). After
the would be sailors broach the idea of revisiting Rousseau
to get a battery for a signal device, Hurley discovers something
on her stolen documents that agitates him. This usually
calm fellow is so upset that he wakes Sayid in the middle
of the night before setting out solo to find Rousseau.
As soon
learned via flashback, Hurley’s island discovery has
something to do with his winning the lottery before the
crash. And with what seems to be a curse associated with
his winnings. The series of unfortunate events that follows
shows that the curse (for lack of a better word) does not
actually affect Hurley himself, just those around him.
So it’s
a little odd that he later wonders if he caused the crash
(it did, however, affect my viewing, which was interrupted
during a critical scene by a blaring “Amber alert”
through the cable provider Comcast. Yes, it’s extremely
important to aid law enforcement in child abduction cases.
But Comcast, the same company that delivers wonderful state-of-the–art
On Demand and DVR services, is incapable of a ticker or
split screen alert?!)
Jack,
Sayid, and Charlie the Wonder Dork set out to find Hurley
before he runs afoul of Rousseau and her penchant for jungle
traps. Ultimately, though, Hurley proves he is more than
capable. He’s more physically and mentally nimble
than his fellow survivors give him credit. Some fans might
wonder, however, why he didn’t have to face the jungle
voices that haunted Sayid when he escaped from the French
woman.
Kudos
to Jorge Garcia for his wonderful portrayal of a seemingly
simple man who had a lot more on his mind that anyone suspected.
And kudos to the writers for tying up several stories effectively.
And most of all, kudos to whoever came up with that final,
chilling shot of the episode…
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