LOST: Catch-22

This is the shortest and lamest week old Lost review I've ever written, and I won't promise that it will be the last. It's been a busy couple of weeks filled with papers, exams, and other things that prevent me from writing for fun.

As far as last weeks episode goes, it was another solid Desmond centric tale with a flashaback that highlighted how Desmond struggles with his walk through life, and the true intentions destiny has for him. This was also shown very well during the island tales of Desmond forseeing Charlie's death (which started the show in a very violent and shocking way), as they (Jin, Charlie, Hurley and Sawyer) tracked through the jungle to find a person who Desmond forsaw coming to the island (he hopes it's Penny). Desmond had to struggle with the decision of whether or not to let Charlie die, or save his life, changing the events that were to happen in the future. There was no B plot in this episode, as the focus was soley on the Desmond story, except for one scene with Kate and Jack, and another with Sawyer and Jack playing ping pong.

This was one of the weaker episodes of the past few weeks, but what I've learned by watching a higher volume of tv shows over the past few years, is that every now and then an episode comes along that is meant to bridge a gap between old and new storylines. This was such an episode, as the parachutist who knew Desmonds name, knows quite a bit more about flight 815. Her knowledge is one of the "game changers" that Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindeloff have been talking about since before this season started. It's crazy, let me just say that.

Tonight's episode is called "D.O.C " which stands for Date of Conception, and centers on Jin and Sun. Also be on the look out for that game changing information. Until tonight......

7/10

Virginia Tech

I just wanted to send out thoughts and prayers to everyone involved in this horrible act. I know personally I still can't truly wrap my mind around the situation, so I can't even begin to understand how those in and around Blacksburg, and especially those who lost someone in the shootings must feel.

It's hard to believe that things like this can happen, and it's hard to understand how someone could cause that much carnage based on a personal problem. This event will surely raise new issues of gun control in this country, and it's a debate that should be had, but that will have to wait for a little while, at least until Virginia Tech as a school can get back to some semblance of normalcy over the next few weeks.

Things like this will grab your worldview and shake it. What's left when it's done is a mess of things you used to think you had a good grip on, and all you can do is try to fit them all back together again. If anything good can come of this situation, it's that we as a country can grow from this, and take even greater steps to prevent it from ever happening again.

LOST: One of Us

One of Us was already a solid episode, the Juliet flashback, and island story gave us more answers at once than any Lost episode that preceded it, but it was the last five minutes that gave this episode classic status.

The flashback picked up right where Juliet's previous one ended. It showed her journey to the island, which began at the Other's airfield in Miami, and then went through her first meeting with Ben, and why she was brought to the island in the first place. That reason of course, was that no woman has ever been able to give birth on the island, no one until Claire that is. During Juliet's time on the island she had been unsuccessful in solving the issue, and Ben refused to let her go until she solved it, and if she did, he said that JACOB himself would cure her sister's cancer. This was an interesting moment, mainly because not only is Jacob their leader, but he can cure cancer, and the fear in Juliet's eyes when Ben said his named, says a lot about his character. That sequence was followed by Juliet informing Ben that he had a tumor on his spine, and then freaking out on him, because Ben had told her that he could cure cancer, only now he has it. This is one of the interesting things about Season 3, and the obvious force that is driving Ben's fascination with Locke.

The best moment of Juliet's flashback, was when Ben took Juliet to the Flame Station, He showed her a live feed of her sister, alive and cancer free, with her son in Miami. Next to the screen of her sister were live news feeds that were covering the disappearance of Flight 815. This was big for a lot of reasons, one, it's further evidence that the plane crash was a real event, and not in someones head, second, it showed how the Other's were able to quickly gather information on all of the people on the plane, and lastly, it was just freakin cool to see that the outside world actually knows these people are missing.

On top of all of this, there was the island storyline, which had Juliet joining the crew on the beach. Everyone, especially Sayid and Sawyer, questioned her motives, but Jack stood by her. The plot thickened when Claire came down with a sickness, and Juliet revealed to Jack and Kate that she was responsible for it, outlining the entire plot behind Claire's abduction from season one. Juliet convinced Jack to let her go get a hidden supply of serum that could cure Claire. When she's out there she is cornered by Sayid and Sawyer, and when it looks like stuff is about to go down old school, she surprise them by revealing facts about there past that no one should know. Juliet takes the case, runs back, saves Claire, and all is right in the world, right! Wrong.

What follows is something that many people predicted, but something I didn't think the writers would actually go through on. The last five minutes are a scene that show Ben and Juliet talking in Ben's house late at night, they are going step by step through the process Juliet will take to gain the trust of the people on the beach. This means that every scene we have seen Juliet in this season where she is trying to warm up to Jack has been a setup, all the way back to the start when she brought Jack a sandwich, to the set up of the surgery, the cheesy flashcards, everything. Juliet is cold, but she wants off the island, and it's clear that she will do anything to do so.

One of Us was awesome, plain and simple. It help add further credibility to the continuity of the show, making the connections between the characters and the overall story even more impressive. From what I hear, the twists do not stop here either. If the rest of this season continues on like this, it will be hard for Lost naysayers to come up with anymore beefs for the show.

Next week is a Desmond flashback, titled Catch 22 (good book), and I don't know to much about it, except for be on the lookout for an old friend/enemy whom we thought me might not see again. Until then.

9.5/10

E-Mails...What...e-mails.

If you have been paying attention to the news today, then there is a fresh new violation of the law you can add to the Alberto Gonzales case. Today it was revealed that millions of White House e-mails are now missing, e-mails that would play a key part in prosecuting ol' Alberto. Seems convienient don't you think?

It turns out that the White House didn't require republican e-mails to be saved to a secure government server, why is beyond me. A white House spokesperson has admitted to the screw up, and claims that the e-mails can still be recovered, but if they are indeed lost, then the deletion of those e-mails opens up a brand new can of worms. Karl Rove, who has been a center of this case, among many others, is said to have nothing to do with deleting the e-mails that could implicate him. By God, if Karl says it aint true, then it has to be (sarcasm)

Oh the drama in Washington.

LOST: Left Behind

This weeks episode was hit and miss. While the island action was excellent, I found the flashback to be dull and somewhat pointless. Did I mention the island stuff was excellent.

The flashbacks were centered on Kate, taking place sometime after she killed her step-father, but before her earlier flashback from this season. She breaks down somewhere in Iowa, and inexplicably meets up with Cassidy (Sawyer's baby Momma). I normally enjoy the character crosses on Lost, but this one seemed forced, really forced. It got even worse when the two started working together and giving each other life advice. The only good thing to come out of the flashback was the encounter Kate had with her mother, and clarification that Cassidy is really the mother of Sawyer's child. Other than that, I'm pretty sure I will strike this flashback from my memory. Worst of the series in my opinion, and definitely of the season.

Now the island stuff, that saved this eppy from oblivion. The show starts off with Kate getting it handed to her by Juliet, and when she wakes up, Locke comes in to tell her good bye. Apparently Locke is going with the Others, wherever they are going, and he tells Kate he made a strong case for her to the Others. After that the Others pick up and leave Othertown, but not before gassing Kate. When she wakes up, she is handcuffed to Juliet in the middle of the jungle. They place nice for little bit, but then break off into a series of small fights (nice) which includes Kate dislocating Juliet's shoulder. After the fight breaks up, the two ladies are then chased through the jungle by every one's favorite island smoke monster. The scene itself is pretty intense for TV. The next morning Kate and Juliet come out from hiding only to get chased again by smokey. They come to the fence (which is actually turned off), and Juliet takes the key to the handcuffs out of her pocket and turns on the fence, stopping Smokey in his tracks. Kate is pissed, and her and Juliet go back to Planet of the Others. When they get back, Kate apologizes, Jack doesn't really react, but says they need to go back, and Juliet is coming with them. Sayid doesn't like it, because he is the smartest person besides Ben on the island.

I also completely forgot about the B plot of this episode, with Hurley conning Sawyer into being nice. I enjoyed it for what it was, and that's to serve as a set up for the return of Jack and the rest of the gang. Only this time they are coming back without Locke. I wonder if the cast will ever be all together again?

Why was the island stuff so awesome? Because of the few questions that where answered, and the new possibilities that are now presented. Jack is back, but in what condition, and what will be his focus since his master plan of getting off of the island failed? Locke is now with the Others, but is he with them, or is he simply searching for answers to the island that only Ben can provide? Then there is the stuff with Smokey. Apparently, the Others now as little about it as we do, the only thing they know for sure is that is doesn't like the fence. Speaking of the fence, if Juliet had to turn it on, then was it off when Locke threw Patchy across, so then is Mikhail really dead? I don't think so. Sneaky f'n Russians. Then there is Juliet, I still don't fully trust her, but we should get some answers pretty soon on her.

Overall this ended up being a solid episode despite the terrible flashback. The stuff with Juliet and Kate was money, and Juliet having a key the entire time was nice twist. Although I'm still a bit confused as to whether Juliet set up the whole thing, or if she simply had the key the entire time. I guess it's not that important, but hopefully I can get some clarification on that fact. Next week's eppy is titled "One of Us", and centers around Juliet getting interrogated by Sayid. Sweet. Hopefully it'll be another good one as Lost heads towards the Season 3 finish line. Until then....

7.5/10

Tis the Season

March Madness leaves no room for any other sports interests (NBA what? NHL who?), but once the buzzer sounded on my beloved Tarheels, there was only one logical place to turn. Hello Baseball season, you've never looked sexier.

With that, I thought it would be fun to pass along my increasingly terrible MLB predictions. I was about as off as you could be last year, except with the Cardinals. So here goes

NL East
Mets
Braves
Marlins
Phillies
Nationals

NL Central
Cardinals
Reds
Cubs
Astros
Brewers

NL West
Padres
Giants
Dodgers
Diamondbacks

NL Wild Card
Braves

AL East
Yankees
Red Sox
Blue Jays
Devil Rays
Orioles

AL Central
Tigers
Twins
Indians
White Sox
Royals

AL West
Angels
Mariners
Rangers
Athletics

AL Wild Card
Blue Jays (with a tie breaker over the Red Sox)

NL Divisional Round
Mets vs. Cardinals
Braves vs. Padres

NLCS
Mets vs. Braves

AL Divisional Round
Yankees vs. Blue Jays
Angels vs. Tigers

ALCS
Yankess vs. Tigers

World Series
Yankees (W) vs. Mets

As much as I hate the Yankees, they seem to have the best squad from top to bottom, and don't be shocked if they pick up Clemmens after the All-Star break. Also don't be shocked if I am completely, and embarrassingly wrong.