Recapping 6.04: 'The Substitute'

Watch with Kristin's "Lost Redux: Ummm...Did We Just Find Out What This Whole Show Is About?!"

And, if you like spoilers, she has an interesting tidbit here.

And what day after Lost, would be complete without Doc Jensen's insight?

Here's The Washington Post's dueling analysis. They have a 2 p.m. Wednesday chat (Central time). After that, there will be a transcript.

Also, there's already a clip from the next episode, The Lighthouse:

Wrapping up commentary on "What Kate Does"

Entertainment Weekly:
Doc Jensen's insights to "What Kate Does."
Ken Tucker's mythology free review.
Video: Reincarnation clues.
Doc Jensen talks about what he missed the first time around in the season premier.

E!Online:
Watch with Kristin: Lost Redux: Emilie De Ravin Dishes on "Feral Claire," and Insiders Reveal What's Next!

The Washington Post:
Dueling analysis
Chat

''Nothing's irreversible''

At least that's what Jack tells Locke in the sideways world.

Check out these breakdowns of the first two episodes:

• As always, Doc Jensen has riveting insight into how literature (Salmon Rushdie) and even Michael Jackson (sorta) influenced what we saw last night. Also, Cuse and Lindelof explain a few things about the premier.
  
• Here's Watch with Kristin's Lost Redux. Spoiler free until you get to the part entitled "What's to Come." No major reveals if you're OK with spoiler tidbits.
• And The Washington Post's dueling analysis. If you can make it, they host a live chat today at 3 p.m. Central Time. If you can't chat live, you can read the transcript later from the same link.
  

WaPo's Lost Central chats with Lostpedia

In case you missed it, check out today's Lost Central chat on the WashPost site. Postie Lost fanatics Jen Chaney and Liz Kelly talk to Lostpedia founder Kevin Croy and site admins Paul Kerton and Sam McPherson. They talk fave pop-culture moments in the series, what they will miss most when it's all over, and of course theories theories theories.

Check in every Wednesday at 1 PM Central for more Lost Central chat, with Jen and Liz deconstructing new episodes once Season 6 starts on Feb. 2.

Washington Post, Doc Jensen Chat about the show

Check out this chat with the Washington Post reviewers, Jen and Liz, and guest Doc Jensen of Entertainment Weekly.

Lots of theories, guesses and fun. Spoiler free except for the mention of a few characters who are returning.

A sampling:

Reston, Va.: Liz, Jen, you know I love you, but my geek-brain is exploding over the fact that Doc Jensen is sitting in on our little chat! I'm wondering what his position is on the Ben, Good or Evil, debate.

Jeff Jensen: All this depends on what was meant when by Richard's statement that if he saved Young Ben, the kid's innocence would be lost and that he'd become one of them. My theory? In being saved, Ben basically lost his free will and became a pawn of The Island's will, an extension of it. Ben is basically then exempt from good and evil; his fate is controlled by a greater intelligence/agency. The question is: Is That greater intelligence/agency good or evil? (Assuming I am correct.)

Jen Chaney: And this supports my theory that Ben deserves a little of our sympathy. Thank you, Jeff Jensen!

Recapping "Some Like it Hoth"

You already have an opinion about last night's show. Check out these recaps and reviews for insight into what happened and what it means to the larger themes of the show.

Doc Jensen at Entertainment Weekly.

Watch with Kristin at E!Online

The Washington Post.

What did you love? Hate?

Why does everyone on this show have daddy issues?

Recapping 'Dead is Dead'

Check out what EW's Doc Jensen thought of the episode.

certain to be hailed as one of the season’s best episodes (marred only by some really bad hair pieces)

And, Watch With Kristin.

Ben has a moral code, it turns out. He respects the sanctity of childhood and draws the line at killing or endangering kiddos. Baby Ben the battered child grew up to break the cycle of abuse.

And, The Washington Post.

Recapping 'Whatever Happened, Happened'

Check out what Doc Jensen at Entertainment Weekly had to say about Wednesday's episode.

... the castaways are being made to understand that their participation in past events is shaping the future that they have already experienced. They have themselves to blame for the thing that is Benjamin Linus. We are the causes of our own suffering. Think about your life. At the same time, I didn't quite know how to interpret this idea that Ben would be getting a memory wipe as part of his healing treatment. Did Richard mean that Ben would only be made to forget how Sawyer and Kate helped save his life? I hope so, because if Ben's whole childhood is about to get erased, it really makes me look stupid for insisting to the whole world that Adult Ben remembers growing up with the castaways in Dharmaville.

And, Watch With Kristin.

And, The Washington Post.

Recapping 'He's Our You'

Here's what Doc Jensen had to say.

We are mysteries unto ourselves. Are killers born or made? Are we born evil or do we become evil? Are we products of nature or nurture? ''He's Our You,'' the tenth episode of Lost's rapidly dwindling fifth season, was a brain-melting thriller filled with deep, dark thoughts, with none bigger than this: Has Sayid changed Lost history by popping a cap in Young Ben in the Dharma Initiative past?

And Watch With Kristin.

And The Washington Post. And the chat.

Reviews and theories after 'Namaste'

Namaste.

No day after a Lost epsiode is complete without Doc Jensen's theories and speculation for Entertainment Weekly.

Check out Watch with Kristin's Lost Redux at E!Online.

And here's The Washington Post analysis.

Recaps of 'Jeremy Bentham'

Here's what Doc Jensen had to say.

And E! Online's Watch with Kristin.

Kristin also reports that Malcolm David Kelley (Walt) is interested in returning for Season 6. No plans have been made. But Malcolm, like us, thinks there are some unanswered question about Walt that, well, need answering. (NO SPOILERS HERE)

Here's The Washington Post's recap and the chat.

Recap Lost 5.05: This Place is Death

Here's what Doc Jensen at Entertainment Weekly had to say. He has some pretty intense observations about what it all means and time travel. It's very compelling but you might have to think a bit more than usual as your read.

And E!Online's Watch With Kristin.

Here's what TV Guide and The Washington Post had to say.

Is Jack's dad actually Jacob?

Line of the night, uttered by Christian Shepherd (aka possibly Jacob): "Since when did listening to him get you anywhere worth a damn?" (speaking of Ben)

Thoughts?

The Little Prince analysis

Great observations in the comments section in the post below this one. (photo at right is from the book,The Little Prince. Read below for explanation)

What do others have to say?

Watch With Kristin at E!Online says the episode was "a veritable museum of Lost awesomeness" and ponders if Jack can be trusted.

Here's what The Washington Post says. The Post also had chat this afternoon to discuss the show. Happens every week at 2 p.m. Central time.

Let's talk about those Sun documents. With the help of DVR pause and the screengrabs, it would appear Sun was having a woman followed. The subject is referred to as "she." The papers also mention a person named Lee Chin, who the subject says committed suicide. And the subject apparently also accuses the tracker -- who calls the subject -- of pretending to be Melissa.

...
The only Melissa we know is John Locke's foster sister.

Doc Jensen at Entertainment Weekly praises the episode for slowing down and letting the characters talk about the weird stuff going on around them. "It was like a long sip from a canteen full of cold water offered by a kind new friend after being lost at sea for who-knows-how-long. And yes, that was a Jin is alive! reference," he says.

He also outlines each flash of the islandsers in case you were confused.

The episode was called ''The Little Prince,'' no doubt named after the novella by Antoine de Saint-Exupery. It's about an alien boy who crashes in the Sahara and meets another castaway, a French pilot, who becomes responsible for the boy's welfare as his health erodes and his angst intensifies with the realization that he was never supposed to leave his magical little meteorite home, his community, and his one true love — his constant. Like the book, last night's Lost doted on themes of friendship, loyalty, sacrifice, community, and commitment. Those values were repeated throughout the night through so many like-minded lines. ''It's about protecting the ones we love.'' ''Are you with me?'' ''I have always been with you.'' ''It's what any friend would do.'' ''This
is all happening because they left. I think it will stop if I can bring them back.'' ''We are responsible for your actions.'' ''This baby is all of us.'' ''It doesn't matter what I want.'' (By contrast, we were made to distrust Ben thanks to a line issued by Sayid that articulates the total opposite of these values: ''The only side he's on is his own.'')
In his book, Saint-Exupery articulates all of these sentiments with one classic line: ''You become responsible for what you tame.'' The word ''tame,'' we are told, simply means ''to create ties.'' For me, last night's Lost was all about the taming thing.