"The Hunting Party," tonight's episode of Lost was again filled with new twists, turns, and revelations. The
character du jour of the show was Jack, and while we were shown more interactions between him and his father in the
show's flashbacks, the main story line of the backstory revolved around his relationship with his wife. As you'll
recall, in a previous episode we discovered that Jack's wife was the same woman who crashed her car into Shannon's
father, killing him. Jack married her after miraculously curing a back injury that should have left her paralyzed for
life.We begin "The Hunting Party" in a flashback of a father and daughter talking to Jack and Jack's father for assistance in removing a tumor in the father's spine. The surgery is too risky and Jack's father tells them he's not willing to operate. We then discover that Jack has some fame as a miracle doctor after healing his wife, and that they weren't interested in Jack's father's help, but rather came to seek Jack's help. Jack, partially to feed his pride and partially to defy his father, agrees to the surgery.
More with spoilers after the break...We come out of the flashback and Jack finds Locke lying knocked out on the ground of the ammunition closet. Jack runs in to see what happened and Michael comes up with a gun, says he's going after Walt, and insists that Jack stay in the room. He locks both Jack and Locke in the room and we're hit with the Lost opening.
When we return, Locke wakes and discovers that he and Jack are locked in the closet with no access to the computer as the clock ticks down. We're offered a rather weak tease at this point, as Locke realizes that they are the only two on shift for the next four hours with no one left to enter the numbers in the computer and press the button. This tease doesn't last long, as we immediately jump to Kate and Sawyer heading down to the shelter to get Sawyer's bandage changed right after Jack states that they'll be coming for them. Flirty scene between Kate and her new boyfriend.
When they let Jack and Locke out of the closet Jack, Locke, and Sawyer prepare to run off in pursuit of Michael. We enter another flashback with Jack talking with the daughter of the dying man, building the sexual tension between these two, just before Jack looks guiltily at his 4:30am watch and heads home to his wife. Unlike the warm toned scene between Jack and the patient's daughter, the scene between Jack and his wife is cool filmed in dim lighting with a blue tinge seeming to represent the quiet and cold that has grown between them. Jack's wife says she was late and took a pregnancy test, he looks concerned (but not in the right way) and she says not to worry that it came out negative. He says, "Do you want to talk?" and she says, "What's there to talk about?" and leaves. We return from flashback to Kate trying to follow the boys on their hunting party. Jack shouts her down and tells her to stay.
There are several scenes mixed in here with the three guys traveling together where we get some interesting bits. First, we discover that Michael is going north as opposed to back to the east, the way that Sawyer and the people from the back end of the plane travelled from. Evidently, he received some directions from Walt and the computer. We also have a scene where Sawyer confronts Jack about how abrupt he was with Kate, and Jack quips "Of course. You love her." Then there is a later scene where Locke reveals that he knows that Sawyer's name isn't Sawyer, as he saw his real name was James Ford in the plane manifest after Hurley conducted the census, and asks Sawyer why he picked Sawyer. There's also a scene where Locke and Jack have one of their tug of war discussions, where Locke asks Jack what he intends to do when they catch up to Michael. He says he'll make him come back, and Locke says, "Who are we to tell anyone what they can or can't do?" This, of course, ties back into Locke's whole "Don't tell me what I cannot do" philosophy that he was screaming in the episode where we first discovered that he used to not be able to walk.
The episode has a few slight flavoring bits to remind us of the rest of the survivors. Jin and Sun have a fight about Jin wanting to chase after Michael, and Sun shouts him into saying, pointing out that Michael may be his friend, but that she is his wife. Later this story line is revisited when Jin mentions how he felt being ordered by her and Sun basically says that she didn't like it much all that time when he used to order her around.
There's another scene with Hurley and Charlie searching for some tunes to listen to in the bunker, and Hurley says he thinks he has a chance with the psychiatrist and Charlie wonders if Claire misses him. Sayid shows up and says that the music they are playing is depressing, and he is still clearly depressed over the recent loss of Shannon.
All of these little scenes are interspersed with more scenes where Jack is becoming more and more familiar with his patient's daughter, and at one point his father tells him that there is aline that he shouldn't cross. Jack says something like, "Guess you would know" and his father replies, "May be okay for some people, Jack, but not for you."
Jack, Sawyer, and Locke hear gunshots and pursue the sound. They lose the track for a while, but ultimately, the man from the raft who took Walt and shot Sawyer appears and draws a line in the sand, pointing out that all the survivors are guests on the island: "This is not your island; this is our island. And the only reason you are living on it, is because we let you live on it." Jack thinks he's bluffing and that there are more survivors than Others. HIs theory is blown away when torches light up surrounding them. Jack still refuses to back down until they pull out their trump card: the Others have captured Kate who ignored his warnings and followed them.
Jack acquiesces at the last minute, dropping his gun, and Locke and Sawyer drop their guns as Sawyer says "You and me aren't done, Zeke," just before 'Zeke' releases Kate and walks away as the torches go out. Jack clearly blames Kate and simply asks "Are you alright?"
We return to the flashback. Jack loses his patient. Then he sees Gabriella, the patient's daughter, and she kisses him and he kisses back before pushing away from her. He goes home and confesses what happened to his wife and talks about how he hates what has happened to them and wants to fix things, just before she reveals that she's leaving him, and has not only been planning to do so before he kissed this girl, but has been seeing someone else. She says, "You will always need something to fix. Goodbye," and leaves as Jack begins to cry and we return to camp, Kate following Jack and Sawyer following Kate. Locke visits Claire and her baby as Charlie looks on jealously. Jack finds Ana and they share a drink of water and chat a bit. Jack asks her about her being a cop and killing one of the Others and then asks, "How long do you think it would take to train an army?" Tense music, then previews of next week. Looks good.
The TV Squad Podcast: Linda Purl talks about The Office, we talk spoilers, and more
Ask TV Squad: Ghost Whisperer and more!
The TV Squad Podcast: Bill Scheft of The Late Show, Cake Boss, Mad Men and more
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
2-08-2006 @ 1:53PM
Sha said...
OT: Did anyone else notice that the guy that Hurley visits in the mental institution looks like Desmond?
Reply
1-19-2006 @ 12:18AM
baron said...
i was a bit surprised jack was asking anna about building an army. first of all, they have sayid on the island, who was obviously in an army (even if on the losing side). second of all, seemed a bit out of jack's character, but I think we have seen jack's character morph a bit since they've been on the island.
great episode overall.
Reply
1-19-2006 @ 1:09AM
Jess said...
Did anyone else cry? I cried at the end. Very bitter ending. The army. Kate and Jack. Sawyer's comment actually didn't sound too much like a compliment ("I would have done the same thing."). Jack's army comment completely stunned me. I was not expecting that and next week's episode looks amazing. Big things are coming up, methinks.
Reply
1-19-2006 @ 1:54AM
Akbar Fazil said...
I was not suprised at all about Jack asking AL to train an army. Asking Sayid would not be a good idea IMO because he would probably be against it.
As we remember what Jacks ex wife said "You will always need something to fix." Dealing with the others is now his new problem to fix.
Reply
1-19-2006 @ 2:02AM
Jamie said...
Jack asked Ana-Lucia instead of Sayid because she has hadexperience with the Others. Plus, as we saw, Sayid is still depressed about Shannon. He's in no shape to be training an army.
i think jack has a better bond with Ana than with Sayid, too. The Lostaways are awfully cliquish.
Reply
1-19-2006 @ 3:59AM
Siraris said...
I thought the episode focused too much on Jack's past. I found the encounter with the others extremely unfufilling. Again, we learn nothing about who these people are, and they just let them walk off into the jungle. One would assume, between the time Locke built the fire and they made them drop the guns, Jack Sawyer or Locke would have asked who they were, where they came from etc. Kinda silly to me, and brings me back to my frustration of dragging out the hatch for soooo long last season.
I got someone to watch the show recently, and they asked how in the world it could last past this season. I ask the same thing to this day. How much more could they really expand before the show goes completely down hill? I just feel like when they have big plot events, like tonight, the show tends to avoid doing anything with them because they need to draw them out to keep the show going.
I still love the show, but I just feel like there's a lot being thrown out there, and a lot not being explained. We still don't know the significance of Aaron, we still don't know what the hatch is for, we still don't even know who was typing on the computer or why the others are kidnapping people, hell we don't even know how Ethan had that super strength and agility or even what the security system is.
I used to be a huge fan of Alias, and I see the same thing happening with Lost that has happened with Alias. Rhumbaldi was never resolved, Nadia was never resolved, nothing ever was "really" resolved, and I just see Lost eventually losing steam, and all of us loyal fans getting shafted. I pray I am wrong.
And as a side note, did anyone notice that "Zeke" as, Sawyer referred to him, was carrying a German Luger? That was the gun that he was holding up to Kates neck. The gun hasn't really been used since World War II, and yet this guy has one? I just noticed from the long narrow barrel, and the two round points near the back of the gun.
Reply
1-19-2006 @ 4:14AM
Joe said...
Did anyone else notice "Zeke" say "Bring her over here Alex?" As in Danielle's Alex? They didn't show whoever he was talking to as they handed off Kate.
Reply
1-19-2006 @ 6:34AM
Chris Cardinal said...
Joe, fantastic pickup on the Alex comment.
I didn't recognize the name, but you're absolutely correct.
Reply
1-19-2006 @ 7:41AM
rob said...
I thought the eppy was good but slow. We didn't advance the story a lot. Meeting the others was cool, but didn't tell us much more than what we already suspected.
But one thing I'm still puzzled about was when Sawyer shot at "Zeke". What happened? Seemed Zeke was a projected image and Sawyer's bullet bounced off metal to clip his own ear. How could that have happened then Zeke being there in flesh and blood?
And I don't get the Zeke reference. Sawyer is always nicknaming people but that one I'm not catching.
Reply
1-19-2006 @ 8:44AM
Will Carroll said...
Am I crazy (possible!) or was the "head Other" the same actor as played Jack's father?
Reply
1-19-2006 @ 8:58AM
Michael said...
I am not surprised that Jack went to Ana Lucia. Looking at his pattern of finding things that are broken and trying to fix them, this fits. He sees that Ana Lucia is estranged from the main group for killing Shannon. Snould AL help them train the army and be seen as a positive force instead of that woman who killed one of our own, it might help heal the rift between AL and the main group, thus being all about Jack fixing things.
Reply
1-19-2006 @ 9:02AM
Tom said...
An o.k. show. I'm actually glad we are getting to see some more of the "others." I have a few comments and questions though.
(1) Whatever did happen to Danielle? She was there at the end of season one and then, what, she just disappeared again? Also, I did not catch the Alex reference, but you can bet I'm going to que up the episode on my Tivo and check that out. Good catch indeed.
(2) The army thing didn't throw me. What I thought was more interesting was that "Zeke" was VERY interested in getting the guns and ammo. The others really must need it. But you know, it is not outside the realm of reason that if I was trapped on an island with a store of guns, and knew there were hostile people somwhere on the island WITH A BOAT no less, I would think about going after them. THEY HAVE A BOAT! It would seem that they (the others) are not stranded on the island (but then where is the fuel coming from?)
(3) I agree, this show really seems like it cannot last for many years. Sure, they've got a couple good seasons in it, but I'm beginning to wonder. It's almost as if the writers had this story arc that they could tell in a season or so, and you know they are hoping to just get picked up for a full season by the networks, but then they had a MONSTER hit on their hands, and the next thing you know, you've got like a whole half a season dedicated to the new "Tailies." While I believe the "Tailies" were contemplated from the beginning, and I LOVE characters like Eko, does anyone else notice that characters like Kate, Sawyer, and even Locke, have really gotten short-changed this season? I saw Evangeline Lilly interviewed and she said: "Boy was I glad they went with the Tailies this year because I was exhausted!" Imagine Desperate Housewives in season two, only 4 new women move into the neighborhood and you focus on their stories alone, only catching glimpses of the rest. But anyways, I'm off track (and please don't read that as any kind of endorsement of Desperate Housewives). Here's where I wonder: Where can they go?
(#1) "Sawyer" is Locke's father? O.K., kind of interesting reveal, but the show has already established all these inter-connections, where can they go beyond making the connection? Sawyer would have to get off the island to do anything about it.
(#2) Jack's wife killed Shannon's father? Anyone notice that they killed off Shannon and Boone before any kind of confrontation or realization by the characters? Kind of hard to follow that storyline out anywhere.
(#3) Eko's story was great, but hasn't it been largely resolved now after last week?
(#4) Jin and Sun. Does anyone care?
You know, thinking back to last week, didn't Kate say something like, "The tail broke off, and then the front broke off..." I mean, I know we found the cockpit and a seemingly empty front of the plane very early in season 1, but you don't think they will introduce "Fronties" do you? I guess they could introduce characters from the pool of people who are there but we never hear about.
Anyway, I could go on and on, but they clearly have a lot of potential storylines. Claire's (Rosemary's) baby. Walt/Michael/Others/Danielle. Sayid and ?????. Hurley and his psychiatric nurse Libby. Black/White/Original Couple. The Black Rock. The race-round-the-world guy (who I suspect was the man Jack's wife left him for--just watch.) Sawyer/Locke/Kate/Jack/Anna Lucia. Oh yeah, and then there's the hatch/dharma/swan thing. I just hope they don't go the way of "The X-Files," the mythology of which was never resolved satisfactorily and was drawn out to long.
(4) This is a shot in the dark, but with all the talk about Aaron and Moses, does anybody know what Ezekial's role was in the bible, and can it be applied to "Zeke?" Just a thought, but I ain't checking it out. Think it was something apocalyptic though.
(5) Finally, no, I did not cry.
Reply
1-19-2006 @ 9:15AM
JonLaw Hastings said...
well lets see. The OTHERS are either offspring of the SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON or....descendants of the LORD OF THE FLIES friggen kids. This show gets MORE AND MORE RIDIULOUS. Before you know it, Tom Hanks and Wilson the volleyball will show up. Years from now when this show is on some sci-fi cable network having an all day marathon, a LOT of peeps that were too young to remember it or never saw it at all will all say in UNISON...WHAT KIND OF DRUGS were the writers of this show on?
Reply
1-19-2006 @ 9:37AM
Keith McDuffee said...
After seeing this episode, a thought occured to me as to how I could see this season concluding, cliffhanger-style: We see the 108 timer tick down to zero as nobody is manning the computer. Cut to black.
Man, would that be a cliffhanger.
Reply
1-19-2006 @ 9:57AM
Tom said...
Cool, I re-watched part of the episode. That is what is great about these blogs. I would not have caught several things if not for it. First, the Alex comment is absolutely right. And rob, Sawyer did not shoot at Zeke, he started too but was shot by one of the others in the trees behind "Zeke." Your comments about projections and bullets bouncing off. Some advice--lay off the payote before watching the show.
"Since the dawn of our species, man has been blessed with curiosity" - Alvar Hanso, Address to the U.N. Security Council, 1967. Is this a real historical person? Nope--he's a completely fictional character created by the writers. But this quote does connect the "other's" with knowledge of the Hanso Foundation. Their role in the experiment?
Zeke tells Jack, "This here is a line..." the same thing his Dad says to him earlier in the episode. He tells Jack "other" people could cross the line, but not Jack. Interesting. Jack's Dad has previously told him he didn't have what it takes. Could the whole crossing the line comment by "Zeke" cause Jack to react to the memory of his father by trying to prove he does have it in him to cross the line?
Reply
1-19-2006 @ 10:21AM
Guido said...
Being "special" has always been a focal point in the show. Walt is special, and Jack is special.
I thought it was a good episode, although I felt the first 20 mins was a throwaway. One thing that this episode showed me was that the "others" and the black mist obviously aren't connected.
The Darma tape that was cut, cut out the part that stated this is the second attempt (or something to that effect), so I'd suggest the others are the first group that was placed on the island.
I like the idea of a war myself, but it takes the show in a different direction for sure. If the island is a big experiment, then this is a natural society occurence.. protect your turf.
Reply
1-19-2006 @ 10:24AM
Keith McDuffee said...
There was also interesting developments with Sayid. He wasn't included in the search for Michael, and then Jack doesn't come to him to help build an army. You think Sayid's going to follow Shannon's killer's instructions? Psshyeah, right.
Reply
1-19-2006 @ 10:26AM
Guido said...
Being "special" has always been a focal point in the show. Walt is
special, and Jack is special.I thought it was a good episode,
although I felt the first 20 mins was a throwaway. One thing that this
episode showed me was that the "others" and the black mist obviously
aren't connected.The Darma tape that was cut, cut out the
part that stated this is the second attempt (or something to that
effect), so I'd suggest the others are the first group that was
placed on the island.I like the idea of a war myself, but it
takes the show in a different direction for sure. If the island is a
big experiment, then this is a natural society occurence.. protect
your turf.
Reply
1-19-2006 @ 10:47AM
Nicole said...
O.k. not sure if this is the correct forum for a random "Lost" question, but this was just posed to me by someone in my office and I thought I would throw it out there, and maybe get some answers from other people who are just as insane about figuring out "Lost" as I am...
This was the question:
Rose's husband. He was in the bathroom at the time of the crash, at the back of the plane. Or so she says. But she always believed that he was alive.
When we got to see the "Tailies" story, in the very beginning of the episode, we see him strapped in a chair, with the seat section stuck up in the branches of a tree.
An inconsistency?
Or are we supposed to make the assumption that the "Fasten Seatbelt" sign went off while he was peeing and he ran out of the bathroom and strapped himself in the first seat he could find because of scary turbulence?
Anyone? COmments?
Reply
1-19-2006 @ 11:12AM
Albus Dumbledore said...
Charlie was in the bathroom, too, but came out and strapped himself in. Why not Bernard?
The thing I noticed was that Jack said that they had been there "50 days" (and the announcer on the commercials Sunday night during DH said the same thing). Let's see...Shannon was killed on day 48 (in the episode "The Other 48 Days"). So let's assume she was buried on, at best, day 49 (even though the whole Anna-Lucia story day, I assumed, was day 49, thus making Kate's story and the burial, day 50). Then we had Eko's story, I assume, another day, since Charlie and Eko were at the funeral. So at BEST, last night should have been day 51, which is still unreasonable. What doctor let's his patient that has just awoken from a coma go hunting after a day or two?
Otherwise, I thought it was a great episode. Started really slow, but ended with a bang.
And I want to see more of Gabriella. She's hot.
Reply