Though a Slow Start, Hung has Potential

 
    HBO has been known to give us some "out there" shows.  Some, such as Six Feel Under have proved to be great, award-winning shows.  Others, such as The Comeback, have proved to ... you know ... not be.  Anyway, like its lead character Ray Drecker, HBO's newest half-hour comedy Hung started off slow but definitely shows great potential to be the next big thing on HBO.  The plot is quite simple: History teacher / basketball coach Ray Drecker needs money so that he can have custody of his two distant teenagers.  To leave the kids with their beauty queen mother (played by Anne Heche) and her rich, successful husband would be terrible!  So with the help of his "motivational class"-mate Tonya, Ray finds away to use his "best tool" to his advantage; Ray becomes a gigolo.  Tonya, a past one (two)-night stand, acts as his pimp. 

 

    HBO's 45-minute pilot received some poor reviews.  As usual for HBO series, the show focused merely on exposition with very little action.  As always, viewers were a little doubtful of whether or not this was the show for them.  For those of us that stuck around for episode two, we were disappointed to see there was simply more exposition.  What viewers forget is that if you go back and watch all the favorite HBO series' pilots, exposition has always been the focus.  Go watch the pilot of The Sopranos or Sex and the City and tell me what actually happens.  But after three episodes, like it's predecessors, this series has shown true promise to be entertaining, even if it simply takes The Full Monty a small step further. 

 

    As individuals, the cast is strong.  Some work might need to be done on getting them to work on the same plane.  Anne Heche, while a talented actress, seems unsure as to what role the ex-wife is really going to play.  Is she a friend or foe?  The writers seem to be more interested in her relationship with the troubled teenagers (who are more troubled in the parents' eyes than in reality) that she does with her ex-husband.  The best part about Heche on screen are her loud-mouth mother and new husband Ronnie, played brilliantly by Eddie Jemison of Ocean's Eleven.  Hopefully, the writer's will give her character more motivation and direction.

 

    While the character of Lenore is a great start, the shows needs to bring more women for Ray to share his "gift" with.  Starting off with such an attractive woman like Rebecca Creskoff was too easy for Ray.  Was it really that difficult to be with such a woman?  If the show wants an audience to believe there are actually trials and tribulations to being a male prostitute, it better give us some women that we believe are hard to fornicate with.  Lenore has promised more clients to come, but it's doubtful that Lenore is friends with many upper-class, ugly chicks. 

 

    With all that said, this show is written really well and it's two leads Thomas Jane and Jane Adams are a lot of fun together.  While the sexual tension between them is acknowledged from the start, the subtext of the romantic tension is subtle and terrific.  Hopefully the writers will fine tune a few of the relationships and get us more involved in the comedic side of the situation.  With that said, don't give up on this show!  The next few episodes may prove that this show is not meant to be hung out to dry. 

We Finally Meet Jacob ...

 

    So the Producers of LOST finally allowed us to meet the mysterious Jacob and now we have more questions than ever!  Who is this guy?  Why are we not meeting him until now?  Why did he agree to see John Locke and not Ben?  Was he really meeting with Richard Alpert all those times?  Why did he want these people on the island?  Is he really dead?  What does it mean if he is dead?  My head hurts!

    Like past season finales of LOST, season five seemed to not end a story, but begin a new one.  While the entirety of Season Five dealt with science, mainly physics and time travel, this two-hour episode entered with full force, the world of religion.  While Jack has been slowly becoming a man of faith, Faraday has contrasted him with the question of whether or not we can change the past.  The appearance of Jacob completely changed the theme of the season.  While Jack continued the mission that Daniel Faraday started, the producers revealed how the power of Jacob has influenced the islanders for many years previous to their arrival.  This was all concluded with Ben's angry rant about being denied divinity after being so faithful.  Like many believers of God, Ben breaks down and questions how someone so powerful and so good can do so many bad things and still expect people to be have faith. 

    Ben's questioning of Jacob, the god of the island, was not the only religious theme of the show.  Ben made it quite obvious that Locke was acting like Moses, leading his people to the Promised Land.  It was a great moment when he said that, making it easy for anyone who was confused!  We also had the surprise appearance of Bernard and Rose (and Vincent).  Their short, but adorable, scene questioned people's belief about life.  While many people would agree with Sawyer and think they are crazy for living out in the jungle, it made so much sense when Rose and Bernard looked at it as a beautiful retirement.  After all is said and done, who really cares?  Death is inevitable.  One might say that Bernard and Rose have hit the nail on the head!  Now that they have figured out the secret to happiness, it seems even more likely that these two (being the first to figure it out) will eventually be the "Adam and Eve" skeletons that are discovered earlier in the series.  The atomic blast most likely will be the cause, leaving them to be found almost thirty years later.

    The biggest question is, surprisingly, not about Jacob.  It's about the other gentlemen who was with him at the beginning of the episode.  The man said that he wanted to kill Jacob and that someday he would find a "loophole."  Eventually, he does find a loophole by disguising himself as the deceased Locke and having Ben Linus do Jacob in.  This answers the question about why John Locke just "knew" things about the island.  But who is this guy?  If Jacob is the god of the island, is this guy Satan?  It looks like Season Six is going to be about the ultimate battle between good and evil.  It's not looking too good for the good side since it seems that Jacob was killed as soon as we met him.  But why are we assuming that Jacob is good?  LOST has fooled us before in thinking the obvious is true.  Perhaps Jacob was actually the "Satan" of the island and this "new guy" represent God.  Those questions will surely be answered in Season Six, when we explore the religious side of the island.  We will probably also see this man (Esau, perhaps? ... to cite Jacob's Biblical enemy brother) take the shape of other characters.  Most likely, we have already seen him take the form of Alex, Ben's daughter.  I was wrong.  It wasn't Smokey.  But I was right, something was taking the form of dead people.  Does this mean Christian Shephard is also NOT walking around the island?  Further, is it only dead people?  Even further, is it only dead people?  Can the people be alive?  Can it be other creatures such as the black stallion that Kate was so enthralled with in "What Kate Did" of Season Two?  Could Esau be SMOKEY?  My head is hurting more and more!

 

    While all of that is well and good, there is still the issue with the nuclear explosion.  Juliet's desperate attempt to stop Kate and Sawyer from being together was extreme, but will be the catalyst for the top of the final season.  What does this explosion mean for the islanders?  Will this mean that Flight 815 will not land?  Despite my past theory that if the flight does not land, there is no way for them to actually cause the explosion, there is another scenario.  If the theme of the next season is fate and destiny, then it's their destiny to show up on the island one way or another.  With this thought in mind, here is my theory: Ajira flight 316 will still crash on the island in 2007.  Nothing is preventing this crash from occurring.  Somehow our travellers (even the ones who died previously) will end up on that flight.  When it crashes, the people will find themselves in the exact same predicament as in Season One, but they will not know this has already happened to them even though the audience will.  Talk about dramatic irony!

    It will most likely be Richard that has to explain what has happened to them.  Locke and Jack will still battle out the science and fate war while Sawyer attempts to sleep with as many passengers as he can, finally falling for Kate ... or Juliet, who will be with the "Others."  No matter what happens, the door is open for so many possibilities since we now have a man who can take the form of dead (and living?) people.  Also, if this all happens, Jacob will also still be alive if and when flight 316 lands. 

    It's been an amazing season.  Here's looking forward to the sixth and finale season (especially episode 108).   Let's all relax for a bit and then spend the next few months coming up with more theories and predictions.  I am sure I am not the only one planning on putting all the previous episodes on my NetFlix queue and reliving the adventure!  One thing is for sure, we can thank the writers, cast, and crew for a season well-done!

Palace High School Gets "Cool" with West Side Story!

 

    

      The Palace High School's production of West Side Story, directed by Mrs. Kathleen Marshall, was performed last night with such terrific zest!  As soon as the young cast appeared on stage, it was obvious you were in for two and half hours of pure, delectable fun.  It was adorable how the two groups danced the difficult choreography of the great Jerome Robbins, while at the same time pretending to hate each other.  It was obvious that the two months of rehearsal after school paid off.  Sophomore Matt Cavenaugh did such a nice job with his sweet-voiced Tony.  It was very smart of Mrs. Marshall, Palace School's Theater Arts director, to give him no movement during "Maria."  It reminded us of all the times we've seen him in his voice recitals singing "This is the Moment" and "Anthem."  Who doesn't love being reminded of that?  Other highlights included Karen Olivo, now a senior, stepping back from playing the lead in last year's production of Bye Bye, Birdie, to playing the show-stealing supporting lead of Anita.  Also featured was George Akram, finally stepping out of the chorus during his junior year, as Bernardo.  But the true highlight was our exchange student Josefina Scaglione, playing the sweet Maria.  She simply stole the show whenever she held out those nice notes written by the great Leonard Bernstein.  If only Stephen Sondheim and Arthur Laurents were able to see this!  They would have been so proud to know that there are still high school theater programs that can handle their challenging work.  There are still a few more nights to catch West Side Story.  Tickets are only $7 at the door, but $6 if you are a student or if you buy them in advance!  See you at the theater!  

     I'm so sorry.  I got confused.  I knew I wanted to write a review of the production of West Side Story at the Palace Theater in New York, but I got confused as to what I was actually watching.  Now that I've come back to my senses and I remember that I was not at a high school production last night, here is my review of the highly anticipated Broadway Revival of West Side Story.  

    When the original production of West Side Story opened in 1957, audiences were terrified.   The first line of the New York Times review stated that play was "horrifying."  I would say the same thing about this production, but I doubt for the same reason.  What horrified me was the lack of conviction in any of the movements originally created by the legendary Jerome Robbins.  Instead of providing the exposition information about the hatred between rival gangs the Jets and the Sharks, this cast simply danced.  Granted, they danced well.  If I was watching a high school dance recital, I would have been blown away.  But I wasn't.  I was watching professional Broadway dancers and actors performing West Side Story.  With no sense of intensity or drive, these young (and I mean young) performers executed timeless choreography without giving a shred of the timeless story behind the moves.   

    

    Rumors flew when 91-year-old Arthur Laurents (writer of the book) announced his plan to revive the musical after his hit production of Gypsy, for which he also wrote the book.  The two big rumors were that he planned on having the Puerto Ricans speak Spanish and that it would be a contemporary, updated version.  Both had the theater world curious what the theater icon had up his sleeve.  Though the idea of updating the show went out the window, someone forgot to tell the actors who carried themselves as if they were hanging outside the mall in North Jersey on a Friday night.  While "giving the finger" has been a gesture since the ancient Romans, I am pretty sure that it was not the most popular gesture circa 1957 (please feel free to correct me if I am wrong).  I counted about fifteen can only hope there are directors more deserving of a Tony this year.   

    As for the other rumor, Laurents did have the dialogue of the Sharks translated into Spanish, which was both distracting and effective.  While I know the show inside and out, I felt that some people were lost, especially in Act II.  It also did not help to put the English translations of "I Feel Pretty" and "A Boy Like That" in the program, causing multiple people to have to open their cell phones to provide reading light.  However, at times, it helped show the struggle of living in America for these characters and demonstrated the ethnic tension.  Was it worth it?  Probably not.  

    While it's hard to accept the love-at-first-sight scenario, audiences have learned to accept it for years.  But one of the reasons it usually works in West Side Story is the obviousness of Maria's attraction to Tony.  He's just a great guy.  Who would not want to be with him?  Well, in this production, it would probably be because Maria wants a man and not a boy.  Matt Cavenough, from Grey Gardens, performs the leading male as a youthful sissy who would be more appropriate as Freddy in My Fair Lady.  Tony should be a man who strongly announces that "Something's Coming" and that he is in love with a girl named "Maria."  Mr. Cavenaugh seemed like he was calling Mr. Hankle requesting to speak to Penelope Ann (theater people know the reference).  It did not help that Mr. Laurents gave him absolutely no movement for either song.  The first was done on a ladder and the second was done downstage, just off center.  In fact, a good majority of the action happened downstage, practically on top of the floor lights.  I'm pretty sure that Mr. Laurents knows that there is some power upstage.  It's not just for the chorus people.   

    Karen Olivo of In the Heights fame played the role of Anita.  While I did not see In the Heights, I am going to assume that Ms. Olivo simply took her role in that and brought it to this show of a completely different generation.  Olivo seemed completely out of place and did not provide any of the spitfire attitude that Anita requires to make her lovable.  It did not help that I could not understand a word that she said most of the time.  There were moments were I assumed that she was speaking Spanish, but I later found out I was incorrect.  One must wonder what has happened to Broadway when we've gone from Chita Rivera and Rita Moreno to a one-hit wonder such as Karen Olivo.  What is sadder is that she is the front-runner for the Best Featured Actress Tony Award.  

    Ms. Olivo was not the only one who was hard to understand.  The cast sped through the dialogue as if the half-priced appetizers ended at 10:00, rather than started.  There was not a sensitive moment sustained throughout the whole production, ending with Maria's monologue of murder and hatred where Ms. Scaglione held the gun to the temple of Action (a 2009 skinhead who I assume had a Nazi sign tattooed on his back).  Eventually, Maria finished her speedy monologue while holding the gun to the back of Action's head execution style.  Further, her reason for dropping the gun was not so much her realization of the rage inside her, but the fact that Lt. Shrank appeared and would have seen her eventually shoot the young, hatred-filled gang member.  Once she was back crying over the body of doomed Tony, the curtain could not have come down faster, eliminating any sense that these gang members learned the lesson that was taught to them.  

    Many moments have been left out of this review, but I feel I have said enough.  Of course, I can't help but mention the attempt at youthful symbolism when the creepy red-headed kid who lurked in the background sang "Somewhere," then disappeared.  While the idea that their childhood has been destroyed (I would think a lot earlier than this play) is a pathetic tug at our heartstrings, Nicholas Barasch did have the nicest voice in the production.  But why listen to a little boy sing "Somewhere" when I already listened to a little boy sing "Maria"?    

    I leave you with one question:  How easy is it to get a standing ovation on Broadway nowadays?  Especially on a Friday night  Well, this production left the audiences in their seats for the entirety of curtain call, which was also rushed.  I hope the cast enjoyed their potato skins more than we enjoyed West Side Story.    

 

 

Follow the Who?

    The most recent episode of LOST, "Follow the Leader," has us all wondering who holds this title.  Though thirty years apart, we again see the split leadership of Jack and John, who have a semi-reversal of roles with Jack talking about crazy illogical things like fate and destiny.  In case you didn't get that, Kate tried to clarify it with the brilliantly written line, "You know who you're beginning to sound like?"  Thanks for clearing that up, Kate!  Of course, we also have the god-like leadership of Jacob, who once again becomes the Holy Grail for John Locke.  Could it be that we are finally going to learn who Jacob really is?

    There is always the chance that Jacob is a new character.  He may be someone we've never seen before who has been looming in the shadows waiting to make his grand appearance, like the Wizard hiding from behind the curtain.  Don't forget the allusion to The Wizard of Oz earlier in the series - Ben first introduced himself as Henry Gale (Dorothy's Uncle Henry).  We all trust LOST to keep us interested and riveted, but we'd all be slightly disappointed if the revelation of Jacob was not someone we are familiar with.  Let's go through some options as to who Jacob could really be.

 

Jack Shephard

    Our fearless leader has once again proven that you just can't mess with him.  Though Kate has decided to give up on him and head back over to her back-up guy, Sawyer, Jack has convinced Sayid that perhaps he still has a few tricks up his heart-wearing sleeve.  Due to the time-travel element introduced this season, there are opportunities for everyone to actually be Jacob.  While it seems logical that Jack could become Jacob in 2007 after living from 1977 to the present, our audiences seem to forget that Jacob was in existence in 1977 already for what seems like a long time.  Richard Alpert, our timeless right-hand man has reference Jacob numerous times to the horse-riding Charles Widmore, bringing about a sense of respect not seen with anyone else.  Still, I can't help but think back to the odd visit between Jack and his granddad, who gave Jack his father's shoes that were eventually worn by the deceased John Locke.  Theories jumped around that Granddad was actually Jack.  If so, was he also Jacob, there is make sure that young Jack went back to the island?  Not so impossible, thanks to the record-skipping wheel opening the time-travelling door. 

 

Jack's Granddad

 

    Okay, stick with me for a minute.  He shows up to give Jack his father's shoes.  He doesn't discuss the island, but talks about destiny.  Soon after their meeting, Jack decides to head back.  What a coincedence that we meet Jack's grandfather at this important point in Jack's destiny.  Furthermore, if the grandfather is Jacob (God), his son is Christian Shephard (Christ / Shepherd), making Jack the son of Christ.  Though the Bible never addresses the grandson of God, LOST might just be taking the next step.      

 

John Locke

    How does John Locke just "know" things now?  Is it because he is in fact, Jacob.  Or is it that Jacob is taking the form of dead people by either entering their bodies or forming into their shape (ala Smokey)?  Either way, John Locke seems a little too confident.  Ben seems to think so, too.  Though it's doubtful that is really "following John," as he says, Ben does seem interested in nothing but where John Locke plans on taking his people.  But if John is Jacob, why does he want to "kill Jacob"?  Does he mean kill the idea of Jacob by showing everyone his true identity, like if Clark Kent showed Metropolis the Fortress of Solitude?  Ben and Richard seem very interested in John Locke right now, though they are not too happy about his blunt "I-don't-give-a-crap-what-you-think" style of leadership.  I personally loved the exchange:

Richard: I'm starting to think John Locke is going to be trouble.

Ben: Why do you think I tried to kill him?

This exchange seemed to show a true alliance between Ben and Richard and one that does not seem to include the new leader, John Locke. 

 

 

Richard Alpert

    Our ageless friend is too mysterious, don't you think?  It's about time we learn why he never ages (and what brand of eyeliner he purchases).  Since he is the only person who claims to have spoken to Jacob, it is reasonable to suspect that he is actually Jacob and his fears of John Locke lie in the fact that John Locke does not trust Jacob and is starting to create a rebellion against him.  If Richard does fall victim to the mutinous islanders, how does that affect the Richard of 1977?  Well, if Richard is in fact not ageless and just a time-travelling junkie, it might affect him colossally.  

 

Sawyer

    I never would have thought about Sawyer being Jacob until I watched the submarine containing him, Juliet, and Kate leave the island.  Side note: why did LOST all of a sudden become a cartoon when they showed the sub floating away?  Has the economy gotten so bad that ABC can't afford good computer graphics?  The guy in charge should be fired!  Anyway, if Sawyer leaves in 1977 and continues in the 70s and 80s, his story could continue with him going back to the island, travelling back further into the past and becoming the social-phobic leader, Jacob.  Furthermore, the same could be said for his two love interests.  Second Side note: Elizabeth Mitchell deserves an Emmy simply for the moment when Kate enters that sub.  Brilliant!

 

    The sad thing is that even though the water coolers are crowded with theories of who Jacob actually is, we might not find out in season five.  While I suspect the revelation of Jacob will be the "bomp" of the season, the producers might keep us dangling until the concluding season.  Either way, don't miss the Season Finale of LOST next Wednesday, and don't forget, it starts at 8:00!  Maybe we'll finally learn that Locke and Ben are brothers ...

A Major Paradox?

 

    I hate to gloat, but how often did I have to say that there were loopholes in the whole "we can't change the past" thing before someone finally believed me?  As mentioned by the ill-fated Daniel Faraday in last night's LOST episode, "Variables," the past can be changed or, at least, adjusted.  The new mission on LOST: prevent the hatch from ever being built by destroying the island with a Hydrogen bomb.  If they succeed, Desmond will not have the push the button every 108 minutes, Desmond will not fail at pushing said button, Flight 315 will never crash, and the passengers arrive safely in Los Angeles.  Awesome!  Great operation for the Season Finale, but is it possible? 

    After bragging for a moment about being correct, now I'm going to contradict myself.  In this case, it is NOT possible to change the past.  Particularly, it is not possible to change your own past.  This is a mistake that Back to the Future also makes.  Marty McFly cannot be the cause of his never being born.  If he succeeds, he would never go back in time to prevent his never being born.  Confused?  Okay, let's make it easier.  Forgive the harshness of this example, but let's say you travel back in time and kill your mother when she is a child.  If you succeed, you would never be born, right?  But if you are never born, then who would go back and kill your mother as a child?  No one!  So if no one kills your mother, your birth would eventually occur.  It's a cycle which getting out of is simply impossible.   

    Let's take this theory and apply it to our passengers of Flight 815.  In September of 2004, they crashed on the island.  After traveling back to 1977, they now have the opportunity to prevent the crash from ever happening.  Let's say they succeed.  They land in Los Angeles.  Jack buries Dad, Hurley escapes his fortune, Kate goes to jail, Charlie does crack, etc.  Now that this crew is busy continuing on with their lives, who is going to travel back in time to stop the Hatch from being built in 1977?  No one!  And if no one prevents the Hatch from being built, Flight 815 still crashes on the island.  There is no way to prevent the crash.  But what if they actually succeed in their mission?  Doctor Emmett Brown would probably warn them that this even would create a major paradox - "A paradox?  You mean one of those things that can destroy the universe?"  "PRECISELY!" 

    My guess: the characters will never succeed in their mission, avoiding the paradox angle.  Locke and Ben (whom I still believe are brothers) will prevent their precious island from ever being decimated.  I would guess that some attempt at messing with the newly discovered "wheel" in 1977 may begin a new stream of time travel for the characters.  Perhaps it will send them back to 2007 to meet Locke, Ben, Sun and the "shadow of the sculpture" people.  I hope so.  I really want to see Jin meet Sun again.  What a moment that will be! 

    Again, at the risk of bragging, I must remind you that my prediction about Widmore being Faraday's father was right!  But will Penny ever find out that her half-brother (I say half-brother because I am now doubting my prediction that Eloise is Penny's mother) is the time travel genius who Desmond had to visit at Oxford?  I doubt it.  That will be left for only the audience to know!  But who knows? 

    We are getting to the end of a terrific season!  While I am sad, I can't help but fill with the excitement for the sixth and final season.  Remember, the producers told us that Season five was going to be boring compared to the final.  Is that possible?  They've set my expectations high, but this show has never failed to beat my expectations!  We shall see.  Tune in next week! 

The Judgement of Benjamin Linus

 

    Benjamin Linus is finally judged.  Smokey came out of the floor and surrounded him with his sins, much like we saw the Monster do for Mr. Echo so long ago (well, to us, not them).  I hate to say, but there really wasn't anything that amazing in that huge cloud of smoke.  We knew about these sins.  Further, we knew that he felt bad for these sins.  What about his treatment of the islanders?  What about killing Locke?  Was Smokey trying to tell us that these actions were justified?  So is Ben the good guy of the island who simply made a few mistakes?  If so, when will the other islanders be judged?  Let's face it!  They all have made mistakes. 

    While I was quite underwhelmed by the episode, I was interested to see how wrong I was about my "Eloise + Charles = Penny and Daniel" Theory.  It seems that Charles had relations with an outsider, according to Ben.  Naturally, we may find out that Eloise was, at some point, banished from the island, hence becoming an outsider.  This doesn't seem too far fetched considering the plot lines of LOST.  There is also the notion that the Ellie of the island is not Eloise Hawking.  I think this is a stretch, but still a notion to mention.

    While it was another disappointing "Bomp," we did watch Ben receive a visit from his dead, adopted daughter, Alex.  Earlier in the episode, we learned how he apprehended her from Danielle in an attempt to keep her safe.  Quick question for other LOST fans: did anyone really care about how that occurred?  I apologize if I see too negative towards the show, but if we needed to know that, it should have been told to us earlier.  At this point, no one cares.  Anyway, I digress.  Alex told Ben that, despite his plan to kill Locke again, he will listen to everything that Locke says and will follow him in his every move.  It was a clever way to reveal that Ben was planning on killing Locke again.  I can't help but mention that this goes well with my Cain and Abel theory.  Ben really wants Locke dead.  It was not just because the island wanted it.  I'm telling you: they're brothers!

    While we are used to seeing dead people on the island, this is the first character who was killed on the island to make a Lazarus-like appearance.  Alex's appearance seemed to complement Smokey's, but I must bring up that she, Locke, or the Monster never appeared together on screen at any point.  Also, where had Christian gone when Locke showed up at Ben's house?  What if this Smoke Monster had the ability to take on the form of people, particularly dead ones.  I know.  I know.  You're thinking, "Joe, that's crazy and totally unrealistic!"  You know what, the moment we started watching (and loving) a show where there was a Smoke Monster, we threw away reality.

    Anyway, I now am starting to wonder if Alex was the Smoke Monster.  Further, are Locke and Christian Sheperd also the Smoke Monster performing impersonations of dead LOST characters?  This raises the question of whether or not the island can actually bring back the dead.  Apparently, Ben didn't actually think this was possible.  He seemed pretty surprised to actually see John Locke in front of him. 

    One more thought: assume for a moment that Smokey can become the image of dead people.  This Monster seems to have many crazy abilities, almost as if it were a god of the island.  Who else is a god of the island that Ben seemed to worship?  Jacob!  It may be that Smoke Monster is actually Jacob and takes the form of different dead people.  Remember: Christian Sheperd was sitting in the rocking chair in the cabin and later appeared with Claire in the cabin.  That was our best link to Jacob so far.  Also, John Locke seemed pretty confident that he "just knew" what to do to get Ben to his judgement place.  Jacob would "just know" as well. 

    Next week's episode looks very promising.  I can't wait to finally learn more about Miles, one of the more intriguing characters on the island.  He also may be able to shed some light on the dead-people-waking-up conundrum.  But seriously, writers, where is Daniel Faraday?  This many episodes without him is like Back to the Future III with Doc Brown!!  Great Scott!

    

Poor Hurley ...

 

    Poor Hurley!  He's always the one who gets picked on.  Now that Sawyer has finally laid off of our beefy friend, wise-guy Miles gives him a hard time about his lack of understanding of time travel.  Though I felt empathy for the large islander, it is about time that the writers gave the viewers some explanation as to exactly how time travel on LOST works.  For those of us using Back to the Future as a guide, this was a wake-up call.  As you know, my friend Jeff and I argue often about time travel.  Jeff made no hesitation to call me and compare me to the feeble-minded Hugo.  Sometimes my friend underestimates me.  Nevertheless, time travel is now a little clearer to all of us.  We know that the writers' intention is that Ben knew Sayid long before the crash of Flight 815 and that Kate is actually responsible for bringing Ben to the Others. 

    Though Jack was attempting to save them by not saving Ben Linus, he indirectly became responsible as well.  As John Locke would say, we cannot stop our fate.  In an attempt to save them from the future wrath of Benjamin Linus, he created the situation that will eventually bring on Ben's hostility.  It only makes one wonder what else Ben knows and what else he is responsible for.  For instance, does anyone else out there wonder if Ben knows why Mr. Echo died at the hands of Smokey?  Since everyone else who was killed by Smokey was someone Ben wanted to off, should we assume that Ben had a reason to end the life of one of the most interesting characters in LOST.  If it means that Mr. Echo will make another appearance, I'm all for finding out.

    Along with a clearer explanation of time travel, we got a lot of answers last night.  We now know that Kate's abandonment of Aaron was not rooted in evil at all, but a move to save the child and reunite him with true family and hopefully find his mother.  Here's a motive to get back to the island I didn't see coming.  Did anyone?  What is the true connection between Kate and Claire?  Does Kate see a bit of herself in the young mother?  Is Claire Kate's chance at penance for all her wrongs?  Or is there more?  I think we shall see, but probably in the sixth season.

    Another note on Jack.  While I was torn as to whether or not I agreed with his insistence on not saving the twelve-year-old Ben, I was even more thrown on the awkwardness of the "shower" scene.  Did it seem unusual to anyone else that neither Jack nor Juliet were concerned that Jack was naked?  "I really don't care that your naked crouch is right there, I want to know why you won't save that kid!"  I guess Juliet is no longer enthralled with Jack now that she has Sawyer!  Another note: those tattoos were clearly present on Jack's arm ... think we'll ever hear more about what those mean?  

    Finally, we saw how Ben entered the world of the Others.  While this was intriguing, the most interesting part was clearly when one of the Others asked Richard if he was concerned about Elie or Charles finding out.  Richard obviously did not to care, but the audience was given a subtle clue.  Was this Other telling us that Charles and Eloise were lovers?  Further, has there been any mention of Daniel Faraday's father or Penny's mother?  If Eloise (assuming Elie and Eloise Hawking are the same person) and Charles are ... were ... (whatever) lovers, then Faraday and Penny are siblings (again, assuming Faraday is, in fact, the son of Eloise Hawking).  This may also explain why Widmore is financing Faraday's experiments: he is simply supporting his son.  To further the irony, Faraday's constant is Desmond and Desmond's constant is Faraday's sister, Penny. 

 

 

    Finally, the "bomp!"  Weak!  It was obvious that Ben was going to wake up to Locke at some point.  I like a nice revelation to keep me guessing.  Granted, "Welcome to the land of the living," was a great line, but not worthy of the "bomp!"  However, the next episode looks very intriguing.  Is this it?  Is Ben going to meet his end?  They certainly want us to believe it.  In fact, they lead us to believe it so much that now I'm doubting it.  I would also be shocked if Ben died in an episode in the middle of the season and not in the season five finale.  Perhaps this is the episode where we will find out that Ben and Locke are actually brothers!  At least we'll finally find out why Ben was covered in blood when we arrived on Flight 316 ... at least I think so!

    I want to give a shout out to a LOST fan and a good friend of mine: Jessica Krenek, who has been accepted into the University of Maryland's PhD program in theater history and performance studies!  This is a huge achievement and could not be earned by anyone brighter and smarter!  I've known Jessica for many years and her success never ceases to amaze me and fill me with pride!  Congratulations, Jessica!  Please promise me that all the hard work will not prevent you from watching LOST! 

    Feel free to share theories and thoughts!  We'll in deep now and there is no turning back!  Sadly, the season finale is getting closer and closer!