Now that I've pointed out some of the disappointments of Season Three, it's time to give the show its due praise. This season, Lost returned to its Season One glory, and it was a joy to experience. Loyal fans were rewarded with serious answers, killer performances, and one of the biggest game-changers ever. Let's get to it!
Answers, Answers, Answers: If there was one thing I couldn't complain about in my Lost letdowns post, it was a lack of answers. We got plenty of answers to questions that were raised in all three seasons of the show. We learned how Locke ended up in his wheelchair, one of the most intriguing questions of Season One (certainly more so than the origin of Jack's tattoos). Fans' theories about Claire's real father were confirmed. A piece of the DHARMA Initiative's history was revealed, and we even got a look at Jacob. As if that wasn't enough, we learned the identity of the original Sawyer--and so did James "Sawyer" Ford. Thank you, Lost writers!!
Charlie's Death: I'm not glad that Charlie died, but his death was incredibly well-done. Several character deaths have been unsatisfying (Shannon) or controversial (The Tailies and DUI-gate), but Charlie went out with dignity. Dominic Monaghan gave several touching performances ("Greatest Hits" was my favorite) as a man struggling to accept his destiny. After all the build-up created by Desmond's flashes, Charlie had to die. Anything else would have made the whole Charlie-death arc a total tease.
The Others: At first, the Others seemed like creepy menaces, but that was before we really got to know them. The development of characters like Ben and Tom, along with the introduction of characters like Juliet and Mikhail turned the Others into major parts of the show. Now I cannot even picture the final three seasons without Ben. Other-flashbacks like "Not in Portland" and "The Man Behind the Curtain" were the best flashback episodes of the season. I loved watching the Others talk circles around the 815ers, answer their questions with more questions, and make them doubt themselves (and each other). I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a Richard Alpert flashback sometime in the next three years.
Guest Star Billy Dee Williams: The brief appearance of Billy Dee Williams as Himself/Mr. LaShade almost made up for the Bai Ling episode. Lost is full of Star Wars references, and what could be better than getting Lando Calrissian on the show? It would have been great to see him in a non-flashback role, but I don't see Billy Dee Williams taking orders from Ben or hanging out on the beach with Rose and Bernard. The discovery that LaShade was really a villain called The Cobra may have been a useful clue for Lost fans as well. Razzle Dazzle!
Award-Worthy Performances: This year, it felt like the Lost actors were competing with one another to deliver the best performance of the season. Several of the actors brought even more to their roles, including Josh Holloway, Dominic Monaghan, and Yunjin Kim. Elizabeth Mitchell's performances in "Not in Portland" and "One of Us" kept me guessing about whose side she was really on. A single facial expression from Mitchell would change my mind again. Michael Emerson's ability to transform Ben from an all-powerful leader to a desperate murderer was one of the best parts of Season Three. I could go on and on. Lost had better clean up at the Emmys this year.
The Snake in the Mailbox: Just when I thought that nothing could shock me more than Walt's kidnapping in Season One, Season Three's flash-forward came along. It was a brave move on the writers' part to reveal a gigantic piece of the show's future. I was spoiled for the game-changer, but it was still exciting to watch it happen. The flash-forward forced viewers to approach the show in an entirely different way, and set a new standard for season finales. Can the writers top themselves next season? I truly hope so.
What are your favorite Season Three moments?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
5-31-2007 @ 7:51PM
BartmanDK said...
My fav was The Snake in the Mailbox (i would call it "The BIG-ASS Anaconda in the mailbox) becaus my head is still spinning from that one.. Im kinda a sucker for spoilers, but for once i stayed away from it, and it definitly payed out!
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5-31-2007 @ 7:58PM
fred said...
I completely disagree on Charlie's Death!
I'm not happy to see him go either, but I have nothing against having main characters being killed, that's even a great thing IMO (even better when it's midway through the season, but that's another subject)
I agree also that Dominic Monaghan's performance was great. It's the plot, how it's been written that I really "dislike".
Not only because he closed the door while he should have not do so, or leave before. I understand his obsession with Des visions and his will to save Claire and everyone else, but still.
Besides, window was half-way on the wall, so the room shouldnt have been fully filled with water, he should've had a bubble of air to make sure Desmond knew about the boat, and then swim away through the open window!!
And I don't beleive he had to die, even after all Desmond's visions. "Au contraire"! It would have been a nice thing to make Desmond have visions of Charlie dying for a reason. That it wouldn't be random, and yet focusing on Charlie's death.
The reason could have been not to prevent Charlie from dying, but to get other things done. Like prevent a fire or someone else from being injured, or to allow Claire to get the bird and attach a message, or save Nadia....
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5-31-2007 @ 8:37PM
Bash said...
I think the amount of "I hate Charlie's death"-posts shows that this was a highlight.
If viewers didn't care it wouldn't have been good :-)
Other than that I think Mr. Eko's death was a good one too, I liked the _definate_ pointer towards the fact that that thing he saw was NOT his brother so that I can _always_ point to that incident when somebody claims "Walt came back in the finale". Yeah right :-)
I like your list of highlights. Good choices.
I too think that there should be some Emmys and/or Golden Globes for the performances, especially of Matthew Fox. He was so goddarn great in the finale. I really like that guy.
Eerm.. I just revealed one of my mancrushes ;-)
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5-31-2007 @ 10:54PM
Scott said...
I dont know if anyone heard or caught it but when the future Jack went to the funeral parlor the name of the place was "HOFFS/DRAWLAR" - unscrabbled = FLASH FORWARD
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6-01-2007 @ 12:13AM
RedStarRevolution said...
Okay, the whole 'Charlie could have gotten out of the window, he could have gone out the door' talk is starting to get to me.
It had to go down EXACTLY as Des saw it for the rest of the prophecy to come to pass, so Charlie had to flick the switch, then he HAD TO DROWN, or the rest of it wouldn't happen the way Des saw it.
Anyways...onto the rest...
My favorite parts of this year had to be probably the entirety of 'Man Behind the Curtain', and 'Through the Looking Glass', anything Ben or Locke was involved with, Josh Holloway's performance in 'The Brig', and Matthew Fox's performance in 'Through the Looking Glass'. I also thought Elizabeth Mitchell was fantastic this season, and was a standout from all the other newer characters.
Richard Alpert was quite engaging, but we didn't really get enough to really make a judgment (Although for me, he's an immortal Black Rock pirate, but who knows)
Mikhail's many deaths were awesome, and I think any one of the three could be the coolest of the year...and I'm not convinced he's dead yet. I mean if blood shooting from his ears and a spear to the heart didn't stop him, why would a piddly little grenade...?
From a story standpoint, I loved all the answers we got this year, and all the doors that were opened for next.
Obviously the flashforward was the highlight of the season, nothing really can stand up to something like that, including Jacob, how Locke got into his chair, or the REAL Sawyer, even though these reveals, among others, were fantastic. It showed that they will give us answers, and they will be satisfying, and we just have to be a little patient.
I think Season 3 was far, far superior to Season 2, and in my mind at least, surpassed Season 1, as we traveled further along on the main arc than the previous seasons combined.
Can't wait for Season 4, although I am a bit pissed we have to wait until December to get the DVD set... :(
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6-01-2007 @ 12:13AM
RedStarRevolution said...
Okay, the whole 'Charlie could have gotten out of the window, he could have gone out the door' talk is starting to get to me.
It had to go down EXACTLY as Des saw it for the rest of the prophecy to come to pass, so Charlie had to flick the switch, then he HAD TO DROWN, or the rest of it wouldn't happen the way Des saw it.
Anyways...onto the rest...
My favorite parts of this year had to be probably the entirety of 'Man Behind the Curtain', and 'Through the Looking Glass', anything Ben or Locke was involved with, Josh Holloway's performance in 'The Brig', and Matthew Fox's performance in 'Through the Looking Glass'. I also thought Elizabeth Mitchell was fantastic this season, and was a standout from all the other newer characters.
Richard Alpert was quite engaging, but we didn't really get enough to really make a judgment (Although for me, he's an immortal Black Rock pirate, but who knows)
Mikhail's many deaths were awesome, and I think any one of the three could be the coolest of the year...and I'm not convinced he's dead yet. I mean if blood shooting from his ears and a spear to the heart didn't stop him, why would a piddly little grenade...?
From a story standpoint, I loved all the answers we got this year, and all the doors that were opened for next.
Obviously the flashforward was the highlight of the season, nothing really can stand up to something like that, including Jacob, how Locke got into his chair, or the REAL Sawyer, even though these reveals, among others, were fantastic. It showed that they will give us answers, and they will be satisfying, and we just have to be a little patient.
I think Season 3 was far, far superior to Season 2, and in my mind at least, surpassed Season 1, as we traveled further along on the main arc than the previous seasons combined.
Can't wait for Season 4, although I am a bit pissed we have to wait until December to get the DVD set... :(
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6-01-2007 @ 12:14AM
RedStarRevolution said...
crap...sorry for the double post...
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6-01-2007 @ 3:25AM
nathan said...
Did anyone else thought that Jack looked like King Leonidas (300) with his long beard? :)
I'm surprised no one has mentioned that already...
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6-01-2007 @ 7:35AM
PC said...
Good list. Looking back I still think the coolest moment was actually watching the season opener with the plane coming apart - I was like WTF
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6-01-2007 @ 9:10AM
zoya said...
Season 3 definitely brought Lost back to its' S1 glory. Highlights for me were Hurley saving the day in the VW, Sawyer at the Black Rock (I hope this redeems him rather than sends him spiraling further downward like some people are saying), Locke's shooting, and Charlie's death. I never liked Charlie much, but Dom did such a good job, I'm sorry he's gone now. (I'll also miss Eko; I really liked him too).
The fast forwards are brilliant. Now, I'm finding myself hoping that something will change so the sad future we saw doesn't really happen. The past can't be changed, but the future can. So I'm sure that something will straighten everything out. Also, changed by the fast forwards - getting off the island may not be the finale of the series. Who would have thought that? Can't, can't, can't wait until Feb.
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6-01-2007 @ 10:28AM
Bas said...
I agree with your choices, but I loved the VW van. Hurley getting it running was one of my favorite scenes of the season. Then, to have it tie in with Ben killing his own father and Hurley using it to mow down Others...awesome. The use of the van alone shows that the writers aren't just "winging it," like some people have been complaining about all season.
Also, Sawyer's compelling acting and stories this season, Sun's dealings with Jin's real mother really showed her father's genes, and Sayid using his feet to kill the Other on the beach - Great!
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6-01-2007 @ 2:56PM
fred said...
"It had to go down EXACTLY as Des saw it for the rest of the prophecy to come to pass, so Charlie had to flick the switch, then he HAD TO DROWN, or the rest of it wouldn't happen the way Des saw it."
That's only one way to look at it.. ;) After all, previous vision: he first sees Charlie die, then the pilot (Nadia, even though he didn't know that then) being "rescued".
Yet, hadn't he saved Charlie, maybe they'd never have gone through (in time) and saved her. If only because Charlie was actually in his vision of her rescue!, so either he saw from two different timeline/reality, or the first thing he saw was what he had to prevent, in order to the next to happen...
That said, seing how many answers were provided, how much things evolved in this season, despite its shitty start I beleive this was probably the best season of Lost so far!
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6-01-2007 @ 6:06PM
Wax said...
For me, the best part of Season 3 was the death of Mr. Eko. The entire episode was amazing, not just at the end. The episode really defined the character and how he got to where he was in life. Too bad he didn’t survive to further expand on the character.
The best part of that scene where Eko talks to the vision of his dead younger brother was when the brother/smoke monster asked Eko if he was sorry for the choices he made in his life. Eko says no, he wasn’t. He did what he did because he believed they were the right things to do and he wasn’t going to apologize to anyone or anything for them. For that, he's killed. It was an incredible performance by AAA. Emmy worthy.
I was sorry to see (or not see) Paolo and Nikki die like they did. They were brought in to "sex up" the show a bit. Add some new flavor to the lost gumbo. They ended up coming across as being annoying and uncaring; basically, moving props or background filler. But how hot did Kiele Sanchez look in that opening flashback stripper sequence? Damn, oh man! She can "Razzle Dazzle" me any damn day of the week. Their death was just odd. It makes me wonder if Locke's line about "nothing on the island stays buried for long" was a hint of things to come. Ackk, ZOMBIES!
Elizabeth Mitchell deserves a "best actress" Emmy for her portrayal of Juliet. Is she good? Is she evil? Is she out for # 1 (herself) or has she developed genuine feelings for Dr. Jack and his fellow 815-ers? That parting kiss they shared before she went back to the beach with Sawyer to rescue Sayid, Jin and Bernard was, for me, gut-wrenching. I say that because Kate looked oh so longingly at Jack wishing that he was kissing her. You could just see her dying a bit inside. Regret is a Bitch.
I had always found Charlie to be annoying, often wishing he would just die already. The way he was so over-protective of Claire, his mediocre at best back story. But by the time the moment came for him to die, I was wishing he would've lived another day. It was an incredibly touching goodbye to the character; played out exceptionally well by Dominic Monaghan. Maybe he could come back as a ghost/spirit to look over Claire and baby Aaron til they do actually hop on that helicopter Desmond mentioned in his vision.
Jacob was a bit of a letdown for me. He should've been introduced in earlier episodes so that his story arc could've been developed a bit more before the season finale. I know it will be a major storyline for next season, but who wants to wait til January to get answers? I need 'em now!
I've been a "Lost" fan since episode 1. I will watch til the very end in 2010. Critics say the show has lost steam, jumped the shark, written itself into a hole; whatever. I couldn’t disagree more. We were given answers to lingering questions. We were introduced to a whole slew of new questions. Who/what is Jacob? Who did Naomi REALLY work for? Who was in that casket that (only) Jack went to the funeral parlor to see? Who was waiting up for Kate as she and the good doc talked by the runway? Who is going to be rescued? Who isn't? By jumping FORWARD, "Lost" has opened up a universe of questions and stories to watch play out over the next 3 seasons. Will you be watching? I will...
- Wax
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6-01-2007 @ 7:22PM
Bash said...
Scott please mark your sarcastic posts otherwise I'll have to slap you :-)
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6-02-2007 @ 5:39PM
Catherine said...
I apologize for maybe showing my lack of basic knowledge here. Is it absolutely a fact that Charlie is dead? Have the producers indicated so? Of course, it's possible that all of the "dead" will be back, but that's small comfort to me. I loved Charlie- the actor, and the character. Cathy
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6-12-2007 @ 7:51AM
Lloyd said...
I definitely think ol' Chuck good have gotten out, but what for? The poor bastard would have just been facing another death around the corner.
How is it that Mikhail can never die, but Locke throws a knife that hits someone in the mid back and they die instantly? Crazy place that island...
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6-03-2007 @ 12:38PM
Fuzz16 said...
This was a great season.......my fav part had to have been the the Locke/Sawyer killing his father incident.....Its too crazy of all the coinsedences between the characters on the show.........Like what are the odds that Jack and Claire are half brother and sister and then were on the same plane....same with Kate meeting the girl Sawyer conned and Sawyer boned them both...lol...too much......I can go on and on but u all know what I'm talking about...but Im not complaining.....they are good twists......Charlie's death did suck...there could of been so much more with his character.....Season 4 has to be crazy....I wasnt too thrilled about the way the show ended cause its wierd how they all of a sudden they are off the Island but it was a jaw dropping ending which we all wanted...I guess I just wanted more...so the writers did there part......Great show.....One of the best out there......Dont matter what critics say cause its all about us..... p.s. bring back Eko....if any show can do it....its "LOST"
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6-03-2007 @ 10:18PM
Liz said...
ok we are talking a lot about Charlie and his, what it sounds like, disappointing death. Did anyone notice that in the flash foward Jack kept mentioning his Dad... My question is "Did his dad die or not?
How about Jack. Is he seeing the "black smoke" because Ben did make a comment: they will kill us all if we get rescued" Is he the next to die?
Also, could it be that Ben was in the casket at the funeral home? Was it Juliet's sister that Jack rescued when he tried killing himself?
These are just a few questions, that have raced around my head. Any comments?
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6-04-2007 @ 1:31PM
YLIANA said...
who do you guys think was waiting for Kate at home, when she went to meet up with Jack at the airport in the flash forward., was is sawyer. Also, I think the person dead at the funeral home was juliet., but if apparently after the rescue in the flashback everyone had gone on with their lives, was did Jack hit bottom?
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6-04-2007 @ 2:40PM
nicholas tonks said...
hmm...
charlies death...
well i dont really understand why it was a big fuss...
the grenade went off outside the underwater station...
all desmond and charlie had to do was jump into the pool
and swim back to the surface... instead charlie took it
upon himself to top himself.
this season is by far the best.
when jack met kate at the end made me laugh inside
and we can understand why jake has the feelings he
has for her.
BRILLIANT SEASON !!!!
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