It's Official . . . And I Can't Wait!

Mark your calendars. Thursday, January 31, at 9:00 p.m. EST. Yes, that's right. The new season is on a new day at an earlier time. If you're like me and can't wait 6 weeks, 2 days, and 2 hours, then check out this new promo for Season 4. I got goosebumps!
http://youtube.com/watch?v=0ou7cWOTXJs

Latest News on Season 4

Read all about it here: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071215/ap_en_tv/tv_lost

Also, TV Guide reports that Michael's return will occur in the eight (and final?) episode of the possibly shortened season. He will be facing a gun-toting character we thought was dead and still may be. And the encounter does not take place on the island but far from it. Hmmm.

Season 4 Trailer

Currently playing in movie theaters along with the coming attractions is this first peek at what's in store for the new season: http://spoilerslost.blogspot.com/2007/12/lost-trailer-high-quality.html
Enjoy!

Get Your Weekly Fix . . . It May Be a While

This week's web episode, "Operation Sleeper", is here: http://abc.go.com/primetime/lost/missingpieces/index?pn=index

Also, the Season 3 DVD box set is out. (As a side note, I ordered mine on-line through www.fye.com where it was $15 cheaper than in their stores, where they wouldn't match their own website's price!)

I tell you this because the latest buzz on the web is that "Lost" may not be on Wednesday's at 10 p.m. EST as it was last year (no definite schedule announced as of this entry), but that, due to the writers strike, it may not air until April! From 8 weeks to 4 months? The Numbers are cursed!

I'll keep you posted as I know more.

"The Deal" and the DVD

Check out the always enigmatic Juliet in the weekly web episode, "The Deal". http://abc.go.com/primetime/lost/missingpieces/index?pn=index

Next Tuesday, December 11, is when the Season 3 boxed set is released.

Nine more weeks until Season 4 premieres!

"King of the Castle"

Have you seen this week's web episode? A lot of foreshadowing, knowing what we now know.
http://abc.go.com/primetime/lost/missingpieces/index?pn=index
And just a couple more months until we can all watch a full length episode.

Weekly "Missing Pieces" Episode On-Line

This week's web episode, "Hurley and Frogurt", is now on-line at http://abc.go.com/primetime/lost/missingpieces/index?pn=index
Happy Thanksgiving!

Need Something to Hold You Over?

Just can't wait until February for a new episode of "Lost"? Then try this: Lost: Missing Pieces. These are 13 two- to three-minute stories of compelling, new, never-before-seen moments from the hit television show LOST. These newly-created scenes (not deleted scenes from previous episodes) reveal answers and new details about your favorite characters. For each story, it's left up to the fans to figure out where these pieces fit into the overall mythology. The new stories are from the same creative team responsible for the series and feature the show's main actors in stories that have all the compelling values that make LOST one of the most popular dramas on television around the world. These "Lost Lite" shows will debut each Monday for the next three months leading up to the season premiere.

Here's the first, featuring Jack and his dad, titled "The Watch": http://abc.go.com/primetime/lost/missingpieces/index?pn=index

Good News / Bad News

Well, it looks like the writers strike will impact "Lost" after all. Although the new season will premiere in February as originally planned, only eight episodes will air as opposed to the promised sixteen.
Read more about it in the Watch with Kristin section under Gossip at http://www.eonline.com

Will Writers Strike Impact "Lost"?

According to www.eonline.com: "Lost" may have the best advantage of all series, given that it has been stockpiling new scripts since June and not a single episode has aired. At this point, 14 of 16 episodes have been written. And if the strike does last long enough to seriously impact other series, "Lost" could very well be the only quality scripted drama on television in February.

Five New Faces for Season Four

Although their characters are still being kept hush-hush, the following five actors have been confirmed as joining the cast of "Lost".

Jeff Fahey ("Grindhouse", "The Lawnmower Man"), Jeremy Davies ("Saving Private Ryan"), Ken Leung ("The Sopranos", "X-Men: The Last Stand"), Rebecca Mader ("Justice", "The Devil Wears Prada"), and Lance Reddick ("The Wire", "Oz").

"Lost" News

Hello, fellow Lost and Founders! Those of you who are still checking out the blog during this long drought of no new "Lost" episodes, that is. Two months down, seven months to go. In the meantime, I thought I would update everyone on the latest news (some spoilers!) from the show's producers who appeared this week at Comic-Con, the huge comic book/sci-fi convention in California:

• The Season 3 DVD will be out on December 11. At this time, there are no plans for ABC to rerun any past episodes.
• Michael, last seen driving away on Ben's boat with son Walt in tow at the end of Season 2, will return next season. No word on Walt.
• Flashbacks will lessen in the new season; flashforwards will increase.
• The flashforward with Jack and Kate was not the end of the show.
• Jack and Claire will learn they are related.
• More of Libby's back story should be addressed in the new season.
• At the convention, the producers played a new Dharma Initiative orientation film, hosted by Marvin Candle under an alias. The footage begins with him getting his makeup done and smoothing down his Dharma lab coat. Bunnies! It's about bunnies! Bunny #15, to be specific. Marvin, who calls himself Dr. Edgar Halifax in this film, identifies it as station six, the Orchid. He says the viewer has probably realized by now that he or she is not working at a mere botanical research unit. He apologizes for making him or her lie to friends and family members about the nature of the work. He mentions something that sounds like "Casimir effect" and mentions the "unique properties of the Island." Then there's one of Jacob's subliminal messages. It may have been some variation on "as Jacob loves you." Then there's a bunny riot. One of the station's alarms blares, Dr. Halifax/Marvin panics. There's an intercut clip of someone riding a bicycle. The clip is inserted upside-down, and the rider appears to be in the village green of Otherville...And then, amid the chaos (perhaps this is the Incident?), the filmstrip slides off the reel. Here is the link to a convention goer's camera phone(?) version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZlkVW5XiqU

"Through the Looking Glass" (Season 3, Episode 22)

After starting the week with some underwhelming season finales (24 - ugh, Heroes - eh), I was thrilled with the Season 3 finale of "Lost". It was the most jam-packed two hours of action, excitement, emotion, and anticipation. A fitting end to an incredible year. And if the final scene is any indication of what next year has in store for us (flash-forwards instead of flashbacks for all the characters?), I can't wait. The show that re-invented the one-hour drama has re-invented itself.

Best Lines

• "I am a dentist. I am not Rambo." At Rose's request, Bernard keeping things in perspective.
• "It's Charlie. Tell him I said hi!" An upbeat captive Charlie shouting to Bonnie on the phone with Ben.
• "If you say 'Live together, die alone' to me, I'm gonna punch you in your face." Rose to Jack in anticipation of him repeating his oft-spoken mantra.

Did You Notice?

• So whose death in the future upset Jack so much? What do we know? It was never revealed whether it was a man or a woman. Jack considered himself neither a friend or family to the deceased. Kate was surprised Jack thought she would go to the funeral. My initial thought was that it was Ben and that Jack felt he was his last, best hope of getting him back to the island. Or perhaps it was Juliet? Or could it have been Locke? Only time will tell.
• Yet another car accident to add to the list.
• Jack's ex-wife Sarah was pregnant.
• Ben told Richard to take his people to "the temple".
• Dr. Hamill, the new chief of surgery, referred to Jack as "a hero twice over." Our first hint that this may be Jack after the island.
• I was quite surprised at Juliet kissing Jack.
• What was up with all of Ben's talk about everything he did, he "did for the island"? And that the island was "under assault by forces stronger than it's had to deal with in many, many years"?
• I loved Sawyer and Juliet's conversation of alien runways and who's screwing Jack.
• Ben's map had an area marked "Pascal Flats". Pascal was a French mathematician, physicist, and religious philosopher.
• What a surprise to see Walt (or at least an incarnation of him).
• So Jack loves Kate. And still does even after the rescue.
• Another subtle hint as to the scene's final twist can be found in the name of the funeral home that Jack visits. Hoffs/Drawlar is an anagram for "flash forward".
• According to Ben, Naomi is not who she claims and works for the bad guys. And Penny doesn't know who they are either. Yet, it would seem they do end up rescuing the survivors. Unless next season holds some surprises as to what eventually happens between the rescue and their return to the real world.
• It was great to see Hurley drive to the rescue. And in Ben's dad's VW bus no less!
• Penelope's appearances (when not in flashback) seem to be limited to brief moments in the season finales.
• Is there any significance to the fact that a musician programmed the code for the jamming equipment?
• I loved the moment when Rousseau finally met her daughter Alex. I also loved when she elbowed Ben in the face.
• Rousseau's message translates from French as "It is outside and Brennan took the keys. Please help us. I will try to go to the Black Rock. It killed them. It killed them all. They died. They are all dead. Help us."
• What did Locke mean when he told Jack "You're not supposed to do this"? Did he have some vision of the future where Jack reacted differently?
• So who is the "he" in future Kate's life? Could it be Sawyer?

The Numbers - 2 3 4 5 6 8 15 16 23 42 (108)

• Future Kate's phone number was 310-555-0148.
• The survivors expected 3 explosions but there were only 2.
• Jack was driving around at 2 in the morning.
• Only 3 people (Ben, Bonnie, and Greta) knew the jamming equipment code.
• The Others caught 3 of the survivors (Sayid, Jin, and Bernard).
• The mother from the car accident had surgery scheduled for 6 a.m.
• The accident victim's son was 8 years old.
• The accident was covered by Action 8 News on the hospital television.
• The accident occurred on the 6th Street Bridge.
• Ben wanted 5 minutes of Jack's time.
• Kate saw only 2 sets of tracks (Ben's and Alex's).
• The jamming equipment code was 545877554376113.
• After the attack on the beach, the Others were left with 3 guys and 4 guns.
• Dr. Hamill left 3 messages on Jack's voice mail.
• When Dr. Hamill was talking with Jack, the accident victim had woke up 2 hours ago in recovery.
• Rousseau had recorded the S.O.S. message 3 days before Alex was born.

Death Toll

• Seven Others (including Diane and Ivan) in the beach attack
• Greta, one of the lovely ladies of Looking Glass station
• Bonnie, the other lovely lady of Looking Glass station
• Sayid, Jin, and Bern- oh, wait, they're still alive!
• Ryan the Other thanks to Hurley's driving
• The unnamed Other whose neck Sayid broke with his legs of death.
• Tom aka Mr. Friendly who paid for his first season kidnapping of Walt
• Naomi stabbed in the back - literally - by Locke
• Charlie - famous then failed musician, recovering drug addict, a hero in the end

And now begins the long, numbers-free, colors-less, nine-month wait. See you back here in February 2008 (or maybe before as information on the new season becomes available). Until then, have a good summer, a nice autumn, a Merry Christmas, a Happy New Year, and a good Ground Hog's Day. Namaste!

"Greatest Hits" (Season 3, Episode 21)

Well, Season 3 is almost over. As unsteady as the first six episodes seemed, "Lost" has redeemed itself again and again through the remaining two-thirds of shows. In my opinion, this may have been the best season yet with one exceptional episode after another.

Best Line - "They know, Karl, but thanks." A sarcastic Juliet to Karl after he tries to expose her.

Did You Notice?

• Is there some significance to the fact that the slave ship where the dynamite was found is "The Black Rock" and the tents are being marked with white rocks? If you remember back to Season 1, when the survivors find the cave with the male and female skeletons in it, there is also a sack with black and white rocks. And Claire's nightmare from that year featured Locke with one black eye and one white eye. Hmm.
• We finally learn of the existence of the long-rumored underwater location: the Looking Glass station. The Dharma logo features a white rabbit as seen on Sayid's blueprints (where did he gets these?) and atop the station itself. Appropriate since the name is a reference to Lewis Carroll's stories "Alice in Wonderland" and "Alice through the Looking Glass".
• It was nice to see Rose and Bernard finally. I hope they both survive the coming attack. Was it me or did Rose have something else in mind when she said to Bernard "Let's get you into somethin' dark" before going into battle?
• Was Alex butchering Ben's pet bunny? And did this have something to do with the fact that she is questioning whether Ben is really her father?
• Ironic that Liam thought Charlie would be the one married with a family and he would be dead by thirty when in fact it may end up being the other way around.
• You might think the flashback of Charlie singing Oasis' "Wonderwall" ("You're gonna be the one to save me") was the same moment from a few shows ago when Desmond ran into him. However, Charlie had a different shirt on and there was no hand-written sign. Alternate time line?
• Did you recognize the mugging victim that Charlie saved? It was Nadia, Sayid's lost love, last seen getting a house inspection from Locke. Was it important that she be the one to tell Charlie he was a hero?
• Who are the two women at the Looking Glass station? More of the locals? Dharma Initiative initiates? And does Ben really believe the station is flooded or was this just another one of his lies?

The Numbers - 2 3 4 5 6 8 15 16 23 42 (108)

• Charlie claims he can hold his breath for 4 minutes.
• Ben returns to his camp 6 hours earlier from the episode's current time.
• Juliet marks 3 tents.
• Liam asks Charlie if the girls in his bed are the "birds from row 2".
• Charlie was 8 years old the last time he was in a fight.
• Nadia said 3 people walked by the alley and did nothing as she was being mugged.
• There were 3 shooters needed in anticipation of the ambush.
• Charlie listed his 5 best moments.

Red & Blue & Green

• Shirts worn by Hurley and Charlie (in his Covent Garden flashback).
• Shirts worn by Jack, Desmond, Claire, Sun, and Richard Albert.
• Van used by Drive Shaft.
• Shirts worn by Sawyer, Bernard, and Ben.
• Swim trunks worn by young Charlie.
• Bottle of liquor that Charlie picks up in his hotel room.

Previews - This is it. "Through the Looking Glass" is the two-hour finale and it looks explosive - literally. But the trap against the Others must not go smoothly as one scene showed Bernard, Sayid, and Jin bound and at gunpoint. Also, Charlie's new friends in the underwater station have him tied up and Desmond trying to rescue him. There's also the declaration that this is the finale where "Everything Will Change!" Then when it does, we'll have nine months to contemplate it.

"The Man Behind the Curtain" (Season 3, Episode 20)

Oh. My. God. After 65 episodes, this show can still knock my socks off. Forget The Numbers (3 teams to extract Sun, 4 o'clock on Ben's watch) and The Colors (red convertible, blue bow on Ben's birthday present), this blog entry is all about Jacob. If you blinked, you missed his moment of visibility. If you did see him, then you saw what appeared to be a shaggy-haired, bearded . . . Locke! Don't believe me? Go back to your DVR and freeze frame the instant after Ben is thrown against the cabin wall. I think we are definitely dealing with parallel universe/space-time continuum/Back to the Future territory here. If Jacob is Locke, perhaps this is why John could not see him(self). Is this why the Others are so in awe of Locke? Is this why Ben told him that "Jacob feels the same way about technology as you do"? Locke was the first to look the smoke monster in the "face" and survive. He's always been in tune with the island's rhythms from when it's going to rain to sensing its significance. I predict the final scene of the finale will be a close-up of Jacob and we will clearly see it is a version of Locke. That would have me tuning back in nine months when Season 4 starts in February 2008.

Best Line - "So when do we leave?" Locke to Ben after pummeling Mikhail.

Did You Notice?

• This was a great opening. A heavily wooded area. A woman in jeopardy as she gives birth. Someone running while ominous music plays. How could this be anywhere but the island? Not even close.
• Ben was born outside of Portland, the same city where Juliet thought she was being taken when recruited by Dr. Richard Albert.
• Ben serves the same whiskey as Penny's father and Locke's dad.
• The casting of young Ben was spot on.
• "Namaste" is a conventional Hindu greeting and how Dr. Marvin Candle (who makes yet another appearance again using only his right hand) ended the orientation film that Locke and Jack watched in the hatch.
• What kind of a name is Horace Goodspeed?
• Annie offered Ben an Apollo candy bar.
• Well now we know the origin of Roger "Work Man" and the cause of his death.
• Ben's dad makes Alec Baldwin look like Father of the Year.
• Did Alex think Locke would need the gun against Jacob or her "father"?
• Ben's infatuation with bunnies goes back to his childhood. At least this time, he wasn't shaking the heck out of it as he did in front of Sawyer.
• Just who are these natives/hostiles/original inhabitants of the island?
• The appearance of Ben's dead mother is not unlike Jack's dad showing up after he died.
• Young Ben and Annie were on the same swing set that Sayid was handcuffed to when he was captured.
• The whispering voices were heard when young Ben saw the vision of his mother, then again when he was in the jungle after turning off the sonic fence.
• What was the material that encircled Jacob's cabin that Locke examined? Was it ash from the island's volcano? Residue from the smoke monster? Something to keep Jacob from leaving the cabin?
• Was that the same Richard Albert who found young Ben in the jungle as is currently on the island? If so, he hasn't aged much. Is this why Ben asked him "You do remember birthdays"? Are the island natives not human? Possibly a race whose life span is much longer than ours? Was this why Richard told young Ben to be patient? Could they possibly only have four toes on each foot like the statue from the Season 2 finale?
• Ben appeared to hear and speak with Jacob, but why was the whisper "Help me" not heard by him but by Locke?
• I wonder what happened to Ben's childhood friend Annie? Was she one of the bodies?
• Will Locke's gunshot wound heal like the bite from his dad? Or is one of the five predicted casualties due by the season finale?

Previews - "Greatest Hits" is the penultimate episode of the season. Will Charlie die? Too predictable. I'm guessing either Sawyer, who has come to terms with his real Sawyer issue, or Desmond, who will no longer be able to warn Charlie of when he will die. Then, in two weeks, it's the rumble in the jungle with the two-hour finale, "Through the Looking Glass". It airs an hour earlier at 9:00 p.m. EST. It will be preceded at 8:00 p.m. by "Lost: The Answers", a recap show.

The End is Near?

It's official. As reported in USA Today and other entertainment news outlets, ABC announced today that "Lost" will end in 2010. The show will air three more seasons, shortened to 16 episodes each, running rerun-free between February and May of each year.

"The Brig" (Season 3, Episode 19)

Locke's dad is the real Sawyer. One more mystery solved. That with Jack and Claire being half-siblings makes a total of, what, two answers we've been given? As good as these episodes have been, they can keep me guessing.

Best Line - "Okay, Tarzan, so now that you're back from your 'blow up everything that could get us off the island' tour, how 'bout you tell me why you joined up with the damn enemy." Sawyer when Locke appears out of the jungle.

Did You Notice?

• Cindy the Oceanic flight attendant was talking to Locke at the Others camp.
• The parachutist's name is Naomi Dorrit.
• How accurate could cameras on little robots be when it came to identifying the passengers of a plane crash in a miles deep trench?
• Locke's dad referred to Ben as "Bug-Eye", the same nickname Sawyer used about him in an earlier episode this season.
• So is the sacrificial pillar that Locke's dad was tied to from the same civilization that built the four-toed statue in last season's finale? Ben did tell Locke that they were going to "an old place".
• Why does Rousseau need dynamite? What is the crazy French scientist up to now?
• Locke's bite wound from his dad healed very quickly. The island at work.
• Locke's dad was rear-ended in his car. Yet another car accident-related incident. Also, it took place in Tallahassee, where Sawyer was in prison.
• I have a feeling that the paramedic that smiled at Locke's dad may have been Ethan (a pro at creepy smiles) and that maybe we'll see this in an upcoming episode.
• Locke's dad thinks they're in Hell. Much like Hurley's episode where he questioned his sanity because of his imaginary friend Dave, I think this is the producers way of letting the viewers know this is not the case.
• Sawyer strangling Locke's dad with the chain was very similar to what Princess Leia did to Jabba the Hutt in "Return of the Jedi". Both events took place on a boat: a slave ship and Jabba's sail barge.
• What do Jack and Juliet know that he doesn't want to tell Kate yet? Are they planning a way to get everyone off the island but don't want to reveal it too soon?

The Numbers - 2 3 4 5 6 8 15 16 23 42 (108)

• Locke's flashbacks were subtitled 8 days ago, 3 days ago, and 2 days ago.
• Kate said her tent was 5 tents away from Sawyer's.
• Desmond reminded Charlie that Juliet had his friends in cages 2 weeks ago.
• Oceanic Flight 815 was found in a 4 miles deep trench.
• Naomi said it was 3 days ago when they saw land.
• Sawyer gave Locke 3 seconds to open the door to the brig.
• Locke warned Sawyer that the Others were planning a raid on the beach in 3 days.

Red, Blue, and Green

• Folder which contained the dossier on James Ford/Sawyer.
• Shirt worn by Jack. He wore red last week.
• Washcloth used by Desmond on Naomi.
• Shirt worn by Dr. Richard Albert.
• Fruits Charlie put together for Naomi.

Crazy Theory of the Moment - The Others have travelled from the future to repopulate a decimated Earth. This is why they need women who can have babies. Naomi is also from the future based on her hi-tech phone that Sayid hadn't seen before. There is also the question of the type of vehicle she was in. Not a helicopter, but a flying car? Naomi was hired not by Penelope Widmore but the grown daughter of Penelope and Desmond. This is who we saw in the Season 2 finale. The picture next to her bed was of her parents. And since Desmond and Penny never married, she is called Ms. Widmore and it was her dying mother's wish for her daughter to find Desmond, her father. Due to a tear in the space-time continuum, one version of Flight 815 crashed, killing everyone, and another version ended up on the island.

Previews - Next week's "The Man Behind the Curtain" (nice Wizard of Oz reference) gives us insight into Ben's life from his birth to current day. Ben is also expected to reveal Jacob to Locke. (Wild thought: Could Jacob be a computer?) We saw glimpses of a "Namaste! Dharma Initiative" sign, a ghostly woman, a reference to Roger the Workman (the VW minivan skeleton whose true identity may surprise you), a trio of VW minivans, and a long haired Richard Albert (eye liner guy). Then, in two weeks, "Greatest Hits" promises a resolution to the will-Charlie-die storyline and a return of two long-absent favorites: Rose and Bernard. And, finally, in three weeks, the two-hour finale featuring a Jack flashback and a showdown between the survivors and the Others. This is it, folks!

"D.O.C." (Season 3, Episode 18)

Anyone who knows me knows I'm not fond of the Sun and Jin flashback episodes and this latest is no exception. However, the final moments made it all worthwhile. There were no survivors of Flight 815? They were all dead? What the - ?! Since Season 1, the creators have firmly stated that the characters are not dead and the island is not Purgatory. If that is true, then we should consider the following possibilities:

1. Someone (Dharma?) recreated a second crash with other bodies for the authorities to find.
2. This is an parallel universe or alternate time line where another version of everyone survived.
3. The parachutist is lying. (More on that below.)
   

Best Line - "Oops." Hurley after accidentally shooting off the flare gun.

Did You Notice?

• Did anyone else think Jack was about to do something threatening to Sun in the opening garden scene?
• So Mikhail (aka Eye-Patch Adams) is still alive and didn't die in the sonic fence. In addition to curing infertility and cancer, can the island bring back the dead? Mikhail did tell Charlie that the island has a different set of rules. Or was he faking the shock he supposedly received when Locke pushed him into it? Here's a crazy theory: Is it a coincidence that it was Locke who pushed him? Were they in it together? Could Locke be the "man behind the curtain"? Is he a bigger con artist than his father? Is it possible he never needed the wheelchair? Why did Locke go off with the Others? Is John really Jacob?
• The parachutist speaks Spanish, Chinese, Italian, and English. However, when she spoke in Portuguese, Mikhail translated it as "thank you". On-line experts are saying what she actually said was "I am not alone." Did Mikhail think Hurley's accidental flare was sent by her to rendezvous with him? He was rushing through the jungle to where she was.
• For an Other, Juliet has a nice bedside manner.
• Why did Juliet specifically mention Kate (Austen) in her message to Ben when she spoke of getting samples from all the women?

The Numbers - 2 3 4 5 6 8 15 16 23 42 (108)

• Jin's mother told Sun to return in 3 days at 5 p.m.
• Charlie said it was an 8-hour walk back to camp.
• Jin had previously told Sun his father died when Jin was 16 years old.
• Desmond gave Mikhail 5 seconds to start talking.
• Juliet had nine patients die in the last 3 years.
• On the island, the sperm count is 5 times the average.
• Sun conceived 8 weeks ago.
• Sun believes she has 2 months to live.
• Juliet told Ben it was 6 a.m. in her tape recorded message.
• Charlie thought Mikhail might return with 5 of his mates.

Seeing Red. Feeling Blue. It's Not Easy Being Green? So in addition to the red and blue items appearing here and there, I noticed an equal amount of green in this episode. Appropriate for an episode about birth, since the color green is associated with life.

• Shirt worn by Jack.
• Shirt worn by Jin.
• Shirt worn by Desmond in the photo.
• Pattern in jacket worn by Sun.
• Toy train in the hatch's hidden room.
• Shirt worn by Desmond.
• Tarp on Kate's shelter.
• Wash basin on the beach.
• Shirt worn by Juliet.
• Blanket around baby Aaron.
• Shirt and pants worn by Claire.
• Ball on boat of Jin's father.
• Hoodie worn by Sun.
• Toy crate in hatch's hidden room.
• Jacket worn by Jin's mother.
• Top worn by Sun on island.
• Dress worn by Sun in first flashback.
• Dress worn by Sun when she visits Jin's father.
• Bottle on table of Jin's father.
• Palm fronds that make up Sun's shelter.
• Lockers in the medical hatch.
• Jungle itself which was unusually lush in this episode.

Previews - With just three more episodes before the two-hour finale, "The Brig" may finally answer a burning question from Season 1. Who is the real Sawyer, the con artist that ruined James Ford's life? Will it turn out to be Locke's dad as on-line rumors have speculated? I think we'll find out next week.

"Catch-22" (Season 3, Episode 17)

Another intriguing episode featuring Desmond. I have a feeling this show was laying the groundwork leading up to the season finale. How many times can Desmond save Charlie? What will become of the love quadrangle that is Jack-Kate-Sawyer-Juliet? And who is the mysterious lady parachutist who knows of Desmond?

Best Line - "You need me to make you a mix tape?" Sawyer to Kate when she won't return his advances. He later provides her with "The Best of Phil Collins", which belongs to the long absent Bernard.

Did You Notice?

• Well, now we know where Desmond picked up calling everyone "brother".
• The foursome was whistling the "Colonel Bogey March" from the movie "Bridge Over the River Kwai".
• I don't think we've seen the last of that cable that both Sayid and Hurley separately found coming out of/into the water in earlier episodes and then again in this show.
• Jin telling the classic campfire ghost story of the man who loses his hand in Korean was priceless.
• What caused the helicopter (if that's what it was) to crash?
• Where have we seen that hula girl before? As soon as I saw it, I recalled seeing it on a dashboard somewhere. It wasn't in the VW that Hurley found in the jungle. Was it in his Hummer in one of this flashbacks? I haven't be able to confirm it yet.
• The book, "Ardil-22", found among the parachutist's belongings, is the Portuguese version of the novel "Catch-22". Written by Joseph Heller, this satirical novel follows the airmen of a World War II army air force squadron. The phrase "catch-22" refers to a paradox in which the attempt to escape makes escape impossible. Appropriate. Also, is it a coincidence that the men Penelope had looking for Desmond in the Season 2 finale were speaking Portuguese to each other?
• In Desmond's previous flashback, we saw when the photographer took the photo of him and Penelope with the cityscape background. Desmond has the picture with him on the island. But in the Season 2 finale, Penelope had it on her bedside table. Now, it shows up in the parachutist's book. Are there really this many copies?
• When Desmond returns his robe, the framed picture on the monk's desk was of the elder monk and the white-haired lady in the clock shop from Desmond's other flashback this season. Had the monk told her about Desmond and is that why she knew so much about him when he came into her shop?

The Numbers - 2 3 4 5 6 8 15 16 23 42 (108)

• Desmond wondered if perhaps Penelope has been looking for him for the last 3 years.
• Charlie said they should wait to attempt a rescue since it was only 2 hours until it would be light.
• There were 4 people on the "camping" trip: Desmond, Hurley, Charlie, and Jin.
• Desmond's former fiance, Ruth, had an address on her house of 34.
• Ruth and Desmond had dated for 6 years.
• Sawyer joked to Jack that they needed to play ping pong every 108 minutes otherwise the island would explode.
• Jack suggested he and Sawyer play the best 2 out of 3.
• Desmond had saved Charlie's life 3 times. After this episode, it's now 4.
• The monastery had bottled 108 cases of wine.

Red Alright. And Blue? In addition to the red theme continuing this week, I also noticed some obvious blue objects as well. Is there a significance to which objects are certain colors or who's wearing which colors? Or have I just finally lost it (no pun intended)? And with only 4 more episodes to go. 4? That's one of The Numbers! Do I like Connect Four? Why do you ask?

• Shirt worn by Jin.
• Blood from Charlie's mouth after being hit by the arrow.
• Lights in the clouds.
• Page edges of Desmond's Bible.
• T-shirt worn by Jack.
• Bandanna in Hurley's hair.
• Guitar belonging to Charlie.
• Blood coming out of Desmond's nose.
• Beacons on the parachutist (which were the aforementioned lights in the clouds).
• Shirt worn by Desmond.
• Tents on the beach.
• Seat cushions Hurley was carrying.
• Blouse worn by Juliet.
• T-shirt worn by Sawyer.
• Lining of the water tank Kate was washing up in.

Previews - "D.O.C." is the title of next week's episode and if you know anything about babies, then you may know what this stands for. An appropriate title since this show deals with Sun's unborn child and the baby's paternity. Is it Jin's even though he's impotent? Or is is Sun's tutor/lover who took a nose dive out of a hotel window? Looks like Juliet's fertility expertise comes into play again.

"One of Us" (Season 3, Episode 16)

Juliet. What an amazing character. One minute, you're feeling sympathy for her, the next you hate her. Last night's episode took us on an emotional roller coaster with the island fertility expert. Can she be so gullible to drink a glass full of tranquilizer and go off with two strange men (and can you get any stranger than Ethan)? It was so heart-wrenching to see what she went through regarding her sister, Rachel. So helpless and far away. Is she really going to make Claire better? She did! Then we learn of her and Ben's ulterior motives. What happens in one week when she and Ben are reunited? Or did Juliet just go along with the plan to save herself and could you blame her if she did?

Best Line - "Well, if it ain't three men and a baby. I counted Hugo twice." Sawyer commenting on Hurley and Charlie with baby Aaron.

Did You Notice?

• "Downtown" by Petula Clark was playing in the car as Juliet and Rachel drove up to the airport. As we saw later in this episode (which was actually from this season's first episode), this was what Juliet was listening to on her CD player as she got ready for the Others book club.
• The name of the aviation company where Juliet, Ethan, and Dr. Albert met was Herarat. This is an anagram of Earhart, as in Amelia Earhart, the woman pilot who mysteriously disappeared.
• One of the submarine's crewman had a portion of the Dharma logo line segments on the back of his shirt.
• Is it obvious how much Sawyer loves Kate? When he saw her return to the beach, his face spoke volumes.
• The pregnant woman of the Others who died during surgery was named Sabine. According to legend, ancient Romans abducted the women of Sabine, an Italian tribe, to populate the newly built Rome.
• Why can't the women of the island get pregnant?
• Another mention of Jacob when Ben promises Juliet that the mysterious man will take care of Rachel's cancer himself and apparently does so.
• So Juliet and Goodwin were lovers.
• The symbol carved in the tree was similar to the brand burned into Juliet's back.
• I loved that we now understand the myriad range of emotions (sadness, anger, resignation) that crossed Juliet's face as she stood before the mirror prior to the book club and listened to the last song she and her sister heard prior to her leaving.
• I'm thinking Mikhail and his unprecedented access to information is how the Others know every little detail about the survivors of Flight 815.
• Was it unusual that shortly after the plane exploded over the island that Mikhail's screens were already displaying news reports of its disappearance? Would Oceanic Air's radio silence result in three news stations covering the event so quickly?

The Numbers - 2 4 6 8 15 16 23 42 (108) and 3 this week

• Sayid was chained to a swing set for 3 days.
• Juliet could talk to no one for the 6 months she expected to be on the island.
• Sawyer made his 3 men and a baby comment.
• Sawyer offered to get Claire 2 aspirin.
• Rachel was expected to give birth in 3 months.
• Juliet was on the island for 6 months when she and Ben spoke on the rocks.
• Juliet has currently been on the island for 3 years.
• Ben wanted Ethan and Goodwin to get him a list of the passengers in 3 days.
• Ben informed Juliet that her sister's cancer went into remission 2 years ago.

Red Dawn

• Lighting on the sub when Juliet awoke.
• Toy football Charlie was holding for Aaron.
• Blood-soaked surgical gloves Ethan was wearing.
• Back splash tiles, curtains, and dishware in Ben's kitchen.
• Buttons on Mikhail's control console.
• Slide at the playground where Rachel and her son Julian were playing.

Previews - If everything shown in the previews are in next week's "Catch-22", we are in for a jam-packed. A helicopter coming to the island? Charlie triggering a rigged spear in the jungle. Is this one version of his death Desmond didn't foresee? Hurley shooting off a flare gun. Juliet and Kate together again and at one of the stations? Sawyer and Kate getting hot and heavy in the jungle. Locke held at knife point by Sawyer. An S.O.S. message? Do the black clad legs and boots hanging from a tree have something to do with the tangled parachute of which there is a quick glimpse. And in a freeze-frame moment, we see a copy of the book "Ardil-22", which is the Portuguese version of the episode's title. Considering the men who notified Penelope Widmore of the magnetic anomaly in last season's finale were speaking Portuguese and this is a Desmond flashback episode, could it be she has finally found her lost love?