Lost 2.9: "What Kate Did"

Two caveats before we start looking at the last Lost of 2005:

1. Lost is still the best show on television.

(but)

2. Lost has not been itself this year.

I’m fairly certain that every essay you’ve seen me write about this unbelievable show expresses curiosity about the mythology, but praises above all the writing and the character drama above everything else. And that has been something that has lacked in the first seven or eight episodes as new characters and new mysteries were introduced and the survivors slowly pulled themselves back together as a group. It’s been easy to forget the tremendous ensemble that this show has put together, because so many of them disappear for weeks at a time. Of course this only makes you appreciate them when they come back, but do they really have to go is my question.

Well, in the last episode of 2005, Lost found its identity again, mixing intriguing enigmas with entertaining and interesting character drama. If this is the starting point for 2006, it’s going to be a very good year.

What Kate Did

Lots of people dog on Kate for being the least interesting of the original castaways as far as her backstory goes, but I’m not one of those people. Sure the big reveal of Kate’s deep dark secret wasn’t a “Walkabout” scale shock, but it added a completely new dimension to her relationship with Sawyer, one that certainly portends an ugly end. I also had fun watching Kate lose her mind as she was stalked by a mysterious black stallion from her past. Probably the most shocking moment of all the Kate-centric drama was the stunning release of all that sexual tension between her and Jack. It came out of nowhere, and the aftershock was played perfectly by Fox and Lilly. Speaking of Miss Lilly, I want to give her some credit. For somebody as accessibly cute as she is, she does some very subtle things as an actress that keep you wondering just how much murder might be in this character’s heart. I think the people who are frustrated with Kate are the same ones who get frustrated with the show: there’s a lot of mystery there, and even when we get answers they only lead to more questions.

Deceptive Editing

So, it looks like the Orientation film strip may have fallen victim to some careful cuts. Seems Mr. Eko ran across a strip of film hidden away in a Bible on the other side of the island. When the two mysterious shamen, Eko and Locke, splice together their director’s cut, it reveals that the computer is not to be used for anything but enterting the numbers or else they risk another “incident.” Sadly, nobody got this info to Michael before he started an online chat with his missing son. Or did he?

One Happy Family

For the first time all season, everybody was together again at camp. The opening moments with Jin and Sun snuggling while Sun sadly watched Sayid dig Shannon’s grave. The removing of Jin’s handcuff. The random interaction of Jack and Hurley: “Dude… so Rose’s husband is white. Didn’t see that coming.” These little moments are the lifeblood of the show. The chemistry of the ensemble. Adding the deliriously entertaining duo of Locke and Eko to the mix is a great early Christmas present. Finally, Lost seems to be back to its bread and butter: the people.