American Idol 9 - Live show 2 - The boys

1. Todrick Hall - Since U Been Gone.
Hated the unrecognisable arrangement, but good voice, great stage presence.
Ellen liked the performance, not the chorus. Randy said he obliterated the song, in a bad way. Kara agreed, but called him a performer that took a risk. Simon called him a dancer trying to sing, murdering the song, calling what he did stupid.

2. Aaron Kelly - Here Comes Goodbye.
Competently sung, if a bit dull. He's safe.
Simon thought it lacked confidence but 100% here next week. Kara looks forward to seeing him grow. Randy loved his voice. Ellen loved his humility.

3. Jermaine Sellers - Get Here.
Started off okay, but got very screechy. Shame, there's a good voice there somewhere.
Ellen loved his look and the song, but felt the performance lost the emotion of the song. Randy wanted him to be current and just sing the melody. Kara understood what he was trying to do, but the runs weren't meaningful. Simon said he'd blown his opportunity.

4. Tim Urban - Apologise.
The song was way too big for him- he was very breathy and struggled on the high and low notes.
Simon said there was nothing to take from it, calling it weak. Kara said the music swallowed him up. Randy said it was the wrong song, he doesn't have the falsetto. Ellen said he was adorable to look at, but not listen to.

5. Joe Muñoz - You And I Both
Very generic, nothing particularly notable. Forgettable, but not terrible.
Ellen liked it, great stage presence. Randy didn't like the song choice but thought he did a good job. Kara thought his singing was the best so far. Simon called it okay, safe, forgettable.

6. Tyler Grady - American Woman
Owned the stage. Not the best voice, but authentic mix of song, look and performance.
Simon called it memorable for the wrong reasons, saying it was predictable. Kara agreed, calling it a Jim Morrison schtick. Randy called it style over substance. Ellen says he had the motions without the charisma.

7. Lee Dewyze - Chasing Cars.
Shouty, off-key, off-melody. Excruciating.
Ellen said it was a good song choice but went off when he started shouting. Randy disagreed, saying it was too pop for him. Kara agreed with Randy, saying he made the song unrecognizable. Simon thought it was the best by a mile. He is fucking insane. Or deaf.

8. John Park - God Bless The Child.
Hands down the best so far. Great tone, though I could have done with fewer runs.
Simon said he doesn't have the incredible voice it takes to sing this song. Kara and Randy agreed it lacked emotion. Ellen didn't like the song, but loved his performance and voice. Go girl!

9. Michael Lynche - This Love.
Bored me rigid, and I love this song. Hated the over-confident jazzy nature of the whole thing. Yuck. His story will get him through.
Ellen and Randy liked it, and him. Kara thought it lightened the mood. Simon called him a support act, saying he delivered very little.

10. Alex Lambert - Wonderful World.
Struggled in his low register. Sounds exactly like James Morrisson. Bad mullett. Looked out of his depth but sounded okay once he got going.
Simon called him uncomfortable, but said that he has a very good voice. Kara said his soundalike is a compliment and a problem. Randy loved his tone. Ellen loves the mullett and feels he's not quite ripe enough yet.

11. Casey James - Heaven.
A nicely vulnerable performance. Nothing spectacular, but likeable.
Kara liked it, calling him eye candy and ear candy. Ellen and Randy liked him and the song choice. Simon found it sincere and likeable.

12. Andrew Garcia - Sugar, We're Going Down.
Nothing memorable, but far from terrible.
Simon was disappointed that it was forgettable, despite a fantastic recording voice. Kara said it was a risk, but hopes he's through. Randy said it was strange but try hard. Ellen liked him, but not this performance.

Best of the night for me- Tyler, John and Casey.

My bottom two- Jermaine and Lee.

Results show:
Joe out first- a surprise, he had the voice to last a while longer. Poor, forgettable song choice though.
Tyler out next. A big surprise, I thought he added credibility to the show.

American Idol 9 - Live show 1 - The girls

1. Paige Miles - All Right Now.
Not off to a great start. Her voice is okay, but something about it didn't work.
Simon liked her, not the song. Kara and Randy liked both. Ellen thought she pulled it off.

2. Ashley Rodriguez - Happy.
Ouch. Wrong key, too warbly. Leona Lewis she is not.
Kara said it was brave, but didn't always work. Randy agreed the comparison wasn't good. Ellen agreed it wasn't a risky choice. Simon thought it was clumsy.

3. Janell Wheeler - What About Love?
Great song choice, but not for her voice. She lacked stage presence and showed the limitations of her voice.
Randy didn't like the song choice, Ellen did, Simon gave it 65% saying there were moments, Kara thought the song was too big.

4. Lilly Scott - Fixing a Hole.
Started way too deep for her voice, got a little bit shrill but she at least stood out. Not my cup of tea though.
Ellen said that's exactly what people should be doing. Simon said the best so far, but no star power. Kara called it believable. Randy loved the unaffected honesty.

5. Katelyn Epperly - Oh Darling.
Looked like early Madonna, very odd mix with a jazzy oldie. Quite a nice voice, but boring song. Best so far for me.
Simon called it messy, but liked her. Kara disliked the look, Randy liked that she stuck to the melody, Ellen felt it was pushed, but said she had an amazing voice.

6. Haeley Vaughn - I Wanna Hold Your Hand.
She tried to put her own spin on it, but it was just screechy and off-melody.
Kara said there were issues, but it was fun. Randy said the high notes weren't pleasing, but liked the approach. Ellen liked her shining presence. Simon thought it was verging on terrible. A mess.

7. Lacey Brown - Landslide.
A bit boring, but quite nicely sung. Far from flawless though.
Randy thought it was pitchy and wrong song choice. Ellen said she's better than that. Simon thought it was depressing and indulgent. Kara thought it was the wrong choice.

8. Michelle Delamor - Falling.
Very good. Liked the look too. Easily the best so far.
Ellen said fantastic- but safe. Simon said it was good, but lacked an Oh My God moment. Kara said there were problems, but good. Randy wanted more risks.

9. Didi Benami - The Way I Am.
Don't know the song, but thought this version was nicely done, and was a standout from the rest so far.
Simon said it was indulgent, and missing a spark, but a good voice. Kara liked the song and noticed the risky changes. Randy missed the oomph, it was just sleepy. Ellen thought it was a low-key first impression.

10. Siobhan Magnus - Wicked Game.
I loved it. Surely best of the night overall?
Kara liked it, though found it nasal. Randy wanted a bigger song. Ellen loved it. Simon liked it, but (like Randy) preferred her audition.

11. Crystal Bowersox - Hand In My Pocket.
Didn't like the folksy arrangement, and the harmonica solo wasn't wise. There's a good voice in there though.
Randy called her one of his favourites, saying it was honest. Ellen called her fresh. Simon's heard it all before outside thousands of subways, but likes her. Kara said she was good, but should- and can- be great.

12. Katie Stevens - Feeling Good.
Big voice, but immature stage presence. Quite good though.
Ellen said great voice, but very conservative when she should be 17, fresh and modern. Simon agreed, calling it annoying. Kara thought she couldn't hear herself, but has ridiculous props. Which is good. Randy reiterated the age thing.

Best for me were Siobhan, Michelle and Didi.
My bottom two are Ashley and Haeley.

Results show:
Janell first out. A shame, there was potential there... but fair play, she wouldn't have lasted much longer.
Ashley next. No surprise there. Even worse second time.

Lost - Season 2 - Episodes 5-8

Disc 2
5. ...And Found
Flashbacks: Jin and Sun both have matchmakers, but Jin concentrates on getting a job, and succeeds. Sun is set up with a wealthy hotel manager, Mr. Lee, at Jin's new place of work. They get on well and decide to continue their relationship on their own terms. However, she is upset to hear he has a secret fiancé in America. Jin quits after his boss warns him about letting "you people" in. He literally bumps into Sun on a city riverbank.

The rear passengers decide to head for the fronts' camp, but gather supplies first. Mike runs off to find Walt. Jin and Mr Eko look for him, and find the body of Goodwin. Eko suggests they hide, and see several pairs of feet pass by, including one of a child with a teddy bear. They haven't got Michael. They find him by a waterfall and Eko convinces him they won't be found if they don't want to be. He goes with Eko and Jin.
Sawyer, Ana-Lucia, Libby, Cindy and Bernard head for camp. Sawyer starts to slow them down, but flirts with Ana-Lucia.
Sun panics when she loses her wedding ring. Hurley suspects the dog ate it. She destroys her garden in frustration. Locke sees her and tells her the only way to find something lost is to stop looking. Kate comforts her, and Sun tells her about the bottle. They dig it up and Kate confesses she didn't say goodbye to Sawyer. They find the ring right there.

6. Abandoned
Flashbacks: Shannon teaches ballet when she gets a call that her father had been in an accident. At the hospital with her stepmother, they hear he has died. Boone returns for the funeral. She tells him his mother hates her. She gets a scholarship to NY but her stepmother cuts her off financially. Boone tries to get money, but she refuses him too, offering him a job away from NY instead. He offers her his own money but she thinks he's implying she can't make it alone and refuses.

Charlie chastises Claire for waking Aaron. He won't then sleep during the day. Locke tucks him in tightly and he calms. Claire worries everyone knows how to parent better than her. She mentions to Locke about his Mary statue. Whilst playing backgammon, Charlie mentions to Locke that Claire has a lot to learn. Locke says that's an interesting thing for a heroin addict to say. Charlie corrects him, adding "recovering".
Sawyer suggests Ana-Lucia has got them lost when Eko, Jin and Michael arrive. When Eko mentions he saw "them", the rears become anxious, asking if the children were there. They head out immediately. Libby tells Sawyer she's a clinical psychologist, and his bullet wound is not serious. Ana works out that Eko is trying to get Sawyer help asap. She says she preferred him when he didn't speak. Michael, tired of being sushed, asks what happened to them. Ana tells them that the first night they came and took three of them. The next time, nine. Michael says that they took his son. Ana tells him they took a lot of things. Sawyer collapses, telling Michael he would have left him behind, before passing out. Libby says he's fevered and dehydrated. Ana wants to move on, but Michael asks Eko and Bernard to help him make a stretcher. When they climb up a cliff, they notice Cindy has disappeared. Ana blames Eko then they hear the whispers and run.
Sayid builds Shannon a tent. He pops out for water and wet Walt appears again. She screams, he disappears, but she gets upset when Sayid suggests she dreamt it. She asks where Michael and Walt's things are. She gets Vincent to sniff his things to find Walt. They arrive at Boone's grave. Sayid arrives, but Shannon leaves to find Walt again. Sayid tries to stop her again so she tells him about the bottle. She asks why Sayid doesn't believe her, saying no-one thinks she can do anything, and that he'll leave her. He says he loves her and believes her. The hear the whispers and both see Walt. Shannon follows into the bushes, Sayid hears a gunshot and follows- Ana-Lucia had shot her.

7. The Other 48 Days
We see the tail of the plane crash into the sea near the island. Ana-Lucia, Cindy and Eko are seen amongst the many scrambling to the beach. Eko is carrying a boy with a teddy bear, calling for his sister Emma. They find her face down in the water. Ana revives her. Eko leaves them with Cindy and pulls other bodies out of the water. Ana sees Libby fix a man's leg, then Goodwin calls for help. Ana goes to see Bernard in a tree, seat belted into a plane seat. She talks him down. Bernard asks Eko if an African-American woman was among the dead. He says no. Bernard explains it's his wife, and he can't find her. Eko says he'll pray for her and the rescue planes. That night, they are awoken by screams and find a bloody Eko holding a rock near two bodies.
The next morning, Nathan notices three men missing. Ana searches the two bodies, realising they weren't on the plane. She suggests they move off the beach, Nathan and Goodwin object in fear of missing rescue. Ana mentions satellites and the black box, but Cindy points out they were off course, and they don't know where to look. Libby mentions Donald's leg is infected, and he dies.
They kill and eat a chicken. Libby approaches Eko, saying he hasn't spoken in a week. It's not his fault, he was just defending himself.
By day 12, they go to the toilet in pairs, though Nathan comes back alone. That night, people are taken, including the children. Ana kills one of the attackers with a rock, finding a knife in her pocket, and a list of nine of them, including names, clothing and appearance. Ana and Nathan argue, she is suspicious of him. They decide to put the signal fire out. They head inland near a spring and decide to stop. Libby tells Ana that Nathan creeps her out, and they both suspect he's one of "them". Ana builds the pit cage and throws him in there. Cindy, the stewardess, says she doesn't remember him on the flight. Libby says he avoids questions about himself. Ana asks him over several days where the kids are. He stays silent. She finds a banana skin in the pit and accuses Bernard of feeding him. He denies it, but says he doesn't think there's a spy. It appears to have been Eko. Goodwin tells Ana he's worried about her, she says she promised Emma she'd get her home, and tomorrow Nathan loses a finger. That night, Goodwin lets Nathan out, then kills him. When Cindy discovers he's gone, Ana says they've been found, it's time to move. On day 27 they find a door. They open it and see the Dharma arrow logo on the wall of a sizeable bunker. They find a chest with a bible (Eko takes it), clothing, a glass eye and a radio. Goodwin and Ana head for higher ground to try it out. She asks him why he thinks they're doing it. He says they took the strongest first. Ana wonders how they got hold of a 20-year-old US army knife when they don't even wear shoes. She then asks Goodwin how he discovered Bernard, realising he was dry after the crash. He confesses to killing Nathan for fear of being found out, and that only good people were on the list, and they're now safe. They fight and Ana impales him. She returns to the others, saying they're safe now.
Day 41, Bernard gets a signal and hears a mayday from the 815 survivors. He tells them they're the survivors and Ana switches it off, saying it's "them", trying to draw them out. She says there ate no survivors, and that thus the life they have to get used to. Eko finds her breaking down. He tells her it's okay, and that she's taken 49 days to cry.
Day 45, Cindy and Libby notice a body in the water. It's Jin. Ana's suspicious of his handcuffed wrist and he escapes, finding Michael and Sawyer on the beach. We see the pit, Ana asks Eko to hit her before being thrown in, and we know the rest.
Day 48. They hear the whispers, in the confusion, Ana turns and shoots Shannon.

8. Collision
Flashbacks: Ana-Lucia returns to the police force after a four-month absence for a shooting. Her captain is her mother. Ana draws her weapon at a domestic disturbance. Back at the precinct, she is told they have her man. She says it's not the man who tried to kill her. She follows him to a bar and shoots him, after revealing to him that she was pregnant. He doesn't recognise her.

Eko stops Sayid attacking Ana, knocking him out. They stop taking her orders. He wakes and demands to be untied. Eko takes Sawyer to his camp. He says he's doing it for himself. Sayid asks who the people are, and about Walt. Michael fills him in. Bernard tells Ana he just wants to get back to his wife. Libby asks for her plan, Sayid says she has only guilt. She asks for ammo and clothes in return for Sayid's freedom. Michael leaves to get them and runs into Sun. He tells her Jin is okay, but he needs Jack immediately. Bernard thanks Ana for keeping him alive, but can't be part of this, and has to leave. Libby and Jin join him, with Sayid's blessing.
Charlie, Hugo and Kate are playing golf on the beach. Jack joins them, Kate challenges him. During their game, Eko appears with Sawyer on his shoulders, asking for the doctor. Jack takes him to the hatch. Locke introduces himself to Eko and learns about Shannon, and asks where the other tailies are. Kate persuades Sawyer to take his medication. Jack asks Eko where the others are. He replies that anything he says will make him angry. Michael appears and Jack takes a gun. Eko asks him what he wants, he says his friends' safe return. Jack recognises Ana-Lucia's name and agrees to go there with just Eko and no guns.
Sayid and Ana talk about their pasts. She was shot by a burglar, and thought she was dead. She sets him free and gives him her weapons. He walks away, saying they're both dead. He goes to Shannon.
Kate tells Sawyer he's going to be alright. Michael is reunited with Vincent. The tailies arrive at the beach with Jin. Rose and Betrard are reunited, as are Sun and Jin, and Jack and Ana-Lucia.

--------------

The biggest unsolved mystery is... Why was Bernard seat-belted into a plane seat if he was in the toilet?

Lost - Season 2 - Episodes 1-4

Disc 1
1. Man of Science, Man of Faith
Flashbacks: Jack treats a female, blonde accident victim in the hospital. She says she wants to dance at her wedding. She had caused the accident, and killed the other driver. He tells her it's highly unlikely she'll ever walk again. Christian overhears and tells him he needs to give patients hope. Her fiancé asks how she'll be in time for the wedding, but Jack tells him she may need professional help for the rest of her life. She tells him she'll roll at her wedding if she can't dance, he says he'll fix her. When Jack is out running, he meets a Scottish man, Desmond, who addresses him as "brother". They talk about Sarah, the girl, and he says he couldn't fix her. Desmond asks what if he did? As they part, Desmond tells Jack "see you in another life". Jack tells Sarah he couldn't repair her, but she shows him she can wiggle her toes and feel her legs.

We see a man typing then exercising after being woken by a beeping computer. He hears a bang from above and grabs guns. Through a periscope, we see John and Jack peering down. They see the ladder is broken, so Jack and Hurley want to leave. John and Kate aren't so sure. Hurley asks John why he went ahead after he warned him. John says it's the reason they're there, Jack corrects him by adding "to help everyone else", sarcastically suggesting it's their destiny. They then find the hatch door on the floor, it is marked "quarantine". Kate confirms to Locke she saw that he'd been dragged by black smoke. Locke wonders what Jack saw. Jack asks Hurley what he meant by "the numbers are bad". He tells him about Leonard, the lottery, the accidents and the numbers on the hatch. Jack asks him about being in a psych ward, saying they're only numbers. Hurley tells him his bedside manner sucks.
Charlie tells everyone at the beach Rousseau set the pillar of smoke fire. Shannon goes looking for Vincent, saying it's the only thing anyone's asked her to do. Sayid goes with her, but encourages her to rest. They find him but he runs. Shannon runs ahead and sees a wet Walt telling her to be quiet, then speaking silently. Sayid catches up, Walt is gone. When they return to the beach, she tells them the story, but they seem skeptical. Jack returns and they all hush. He tells them about the hatch, that they won't get down, and Arzt died. Shannon asks if they saw the others, Charlie says there's no such thing. Jack promises they're all well-protected and that they'll all see sunrise in three hours. Locke says he's tired of waiting, grabs a rope and heads off. Kate asks Jack if he believed what he said. He says he did. Kate tells him she's joining Locke. When she gets there, he says he was waiting for her. He lowers her down the hole. A tree breaks, Kate drops her flashlight and sees the floor is close. When noticing the periscope mirror, she starts to get scared, and a light shoots out of the hatch. There's a pull on the rope and the light goes out. Jack gets to the hatch, sees the rope, but no Locke or Kate. He climbs down. He finds an underground, metallic bunker, with a painted mural featuring 108. He notices a magnetic force. Suddenly, music plays, a light comes on, a security mirror moves and he finds a room with old-fashioned computers. As he goes to type, John warns him not to. He is being held at gunpoint. Jack asks if this was their destiny, but recognises the word "brother" and sees it's Desmond holding Locke hostage, saying "you!"

2. Adrift
Flashbacks: Michael learns from a lawyer that he needs to give up his paternal rights for Brian to adopt Walt. Despite warnings of the cost, he wants to fight for his son. At the hearing, Michael makes it clear he doesn't know anything about his son. Susan asks him why he's doing it. If he wants what's best for Walt, he should let go. Before they leave, a young Walt meets Michael, who gives Walt a cuddly polar bear before saying he'll always love him and goodbye.

Locke climbs down the rope once Kate disappears. In the bunker, he sees the Dharma Swan logo and finds Kate on the floor. Desmond appears with a shotgun, asking John "are you him?" He replies that he is, and that Kate is with her. Desmond asks him "what did one snowman say to the other snowman?" Locke doesn't know, so Desmond says "you're not him" and asks him to drop his knife. Locke says they're not there to hurt him, they're from a plane that crashed 44 days ago. They see tallies scratched over an entire wall, and John asks how long he's been there. Desmond asks Kate to tie Locke up, but Locke persuades him to tie her instead, as she's the fugitive. He slips her something as he shoves her into a cupboard. It's a knife, and she cuts herself free. She finds a light switch and discovers a store room like a grocer's, full of Dharma products. She takes some Apollo candy bars (eating one) and escapes through a vent. Locke fills Desmond in on the plane crash and they exchange names. Desmond asks how many if them have become sick. Locke asks if that's what "quarantine" meant, and says that nobody has. When beeping starts, Desmond leads Locke to a computer in front of a countdown and asks Locke to type 4 8 15 16 23 42 and press execute. The countdown resets to 108. They hear Jack calling for Kate, whose calls from the vent can't be heard over the music. Jack recognises Desmond, saying "you".
Claire finds Charlie's Mary statue. He says he's not religious but it might come in handy.
Sawyer rescues Michael from the water after the raft is destroyed. He revives him with CPR. He asks where Walt is. Michael blames Sawyer for lighting the flare when they notice sharks in the water. Sawyer removes the bullet from his shoulder and passes out. Later, Sawyer says that the boat was sort-range, and must have come from the island. He thinks they were The Others, and had come for Walt. As the raft breaks up, they see a pontoon. Sawyer gives Michael the gun and swims for the pontoon. We see the shark has a Dharma logo on its tail as it heads for Sawyer. Michael shoots it and they both make it to the pontoon. At daylight, Michael regrets bringing Walt on the raft, and vows to get him back. The current returns them to the island, where they meet a frantic, tied-up Jin, shouting "Others". Several strangers brandishing sticks appear.

3. Orientation
Flashbacks: Locke loses patience at a therapy group, telling the story of his patents and his kidney. Afterwards, he meets the group leader, Helen. They sleep together, but Locke leaves, promising he likes her and will call her. When he's in the car outside Anthony's house, Anthony suddenly gets in an confronts him about hanging around. Locke says he just wants to know why. He's told he's not the first to get conned, to get over it and that he's not wanted. At their six-month anniversary Helen gives Locke a key to her place, saying she'd followed him to his father's house. He needs to let go, and he promises to never go there again. He does, and Helen catches him. She tells him he has to choose. He says he can't. She tells him it's a leap of faith, but he doesn't have to choose.

Jin, Michael and Sawyer are thrown into a caged pit. Michael asks for his son. Jin communicates that he was blindfolded so saw nothing. As Sawyer tries to escape, a girl is thrown in with them. It's Ana-Lucia, from the tail section of the plane. She says she was on her own till they found her yesterday. Sawyer shows her his gun, saying they'll escape next time the others come. She asks too many questions, but as Sawyer gets suspicious, she takes the gun and calls to be let out, and she is.
Kate comes out of the vent at an arsenal, grabs a gun and knocks Desmond to the floor. He shoots the computer as he falls, saying "what did you do? We're all going to die". He points out the countdown, they have 96 minutes to fix it. Kate leaves to get Sayid through a different exit and Jack forces Desmond to tell his story. Three years ago, he was sailing around the world when his boat crashed on the island. Kelvin runs out of the jungle, asking for help and they push the button together for a while. Since Kelvin died, he's been doing it alone. Locke believes him, Jack doesn't. Desmond tells him to see for himself, directing him to a cine film, "Orientation". From 1980, it is 3 of 6, Orientation - Station 3 - The Swan. It is quite badly spliced, and features Dr Marvin Candle, who says that the Dharma Initiative was created in 1970 by Gerald and Karen DeGroot from Michigan. A large scale, communo-reasearch compound to study meteorology, psychology, parapsychology, zoology, electromagnetism, and utopia, funded by Alvar Hanso. The Swan was designed to understand the unique electromagnetic fluctuations emanating from this sector. Shortly after experiments began, there was an incident, prompting the button-pushing protocol to begin. It is specified that the computer is not to be used for anything else. John watches it again, Jack leaves. Jack asks Desmond if it's just an experiment to see if he'll do it. He replies, "every day", saying that Kelvin died waiting for his replacement. Desmond tries to fix the computer, but when it switches on, it causes a power cut. He says "it's over" and is leaving, as far as he can run. Jack leaves, John days that this wasn't supposed to happen. When alone, he asks aloud what he's supposed to do. With 24 minutes to go, Kate returns with Sayid and Hurley. Looking for the breaker box, Hurley finds the pantry.Kate finds the breaker box as the beeping starts at the 4 minute countdown. Jack finds Desmond running through the jungle and pulls a gun on him. Desmond repeats the instructions, but Jack says nothing will happen and he doesn't know what he's running from. Desmond then recognises him, asking if he failed her. He says he married her. Desmond observes that they're not married anymore, and leaves, saying "see you in another life". Sayid fixes it and John enters the code. Hurley tries to stop him, but stops objecting when he types 32. Jack appears, telling him it's 42. John wants Jack to press execute, but Jack says it's meaningless. John asks Jack why he finds it hard to believe, but Jack him why he finds it so easy. John says it's never been easy. The beeping changes at 60 seconds and again at 10. With 1 to go, Jack pushes it. Locke says he'll take the first shift.

4. Everybody Hates Hugo
Flashbacks: Hurley faints at the lottery draw, his mother wakes him and has a go at him about being stuck in a rut. At work, Hurley quits after getting a row from Randy (previously seen as Locke's asshole boss) for eating chicken. His friend Johnny quits too. At a record shop, they see Drive Shaft CDs and mock the song. He asks Starla on a date, she accepts. Johnny and Hugo leave Randy's garden gnomes to read "cluck you" and Hurley asks Johnny to promise things will never change between them, but when they arrive atvtje petrol station, there's a camera crew and Hurley's secret is blown. Johnny looks gutted.

Hurley dreams he stuffs his face in the pantry. Jin appears, speaking English, but says that Hurley's speaking Korean, and that everything's going to change, whilst standing next to a man in a chicken suit.
Hurley wakes up as the beeping starts. Kate mentions that it's great having jobs again. At the beach, Charlie asks him about the hatch, but gets frustrated when Hurley doesn't give much away. Hurley approaches Rose, who is doing laundry, relieved at someone who isn't asking about the hatch. She says it won't help with the laundry and he says it will. He takes her to the hatch. Jack asks him who else he's told, he says nobody. They go to the pantry, Rose helps Hurley inventory, but nobody is to take anything. He says everyone will hate him. Kate takes a bottle of shampoo. Rose says it's just one, he replies that's how it starts.
Jin and Mike are let out of the pit at the threat of Sawyer getting shot. He is left behind for a while, then let out. The supposed others are also survivors of flight 815. Ana-Lucia demands authority from Sawyer, but he is a reluctant subject. Libby introduces herself to Michael, saying 23 of them survived. Ana-Lucia leads them to a hidden door, opened by Bernard from the inside. Once inside, there's fewer than 10 of them.
Claire finds their messages in the bottle, washed ashore. She and Shannon give it to Sun, saying it's up to her what they do. She secretly buries it.
Locke collects fruit from the jungle, then calls Charlie out, asking why he's been following him. He says he feels left out since rescuing Aaron, and wants answers. Locke fills him in about Desmond, and, when asked, tells him Hurley's in charge of the food. Charlie finds him and is upset again when he's refused peanut butter for Claire. Hurley confronts Locke for telling Charlie, but he says Charlue asked, change is good, and they all have their jobs to do. Hurley accepts he can't quit this job, and goes to the hidden stash of dynamite. Rose catches him before he blows up the pantry.
Jack and Sayid investigate the station, including the magnetism, thick concrete and underground ducts. Sayid thinks they're covering their power source, a geothermal generator. He likens the place to Chernobyl. Jack resurfaces where Kate is having a shower.
Hurley asks Jack if he can just give everyone what they want, and is given the ok to do so. Charlie has peanut butter for Claire and Rose takes a chocolate bar for Bernard- who we see introduce himself to Michael, Sawyer and Jin. They tell him Rose is okay.

Lost - Season 1 - Deleted Scenes

Flashbacks:
Claire meets the pilot and tells him about her psychic. He tells her a story about a relative dumping her boyfriend on a psychic's advice, only for the ex to become rich, and that there's always a choice.
Sayid buys a tie but ends up being taken away by security for leaving his bag unattended.

Charlie warns Sawyer about smoking near the plane, but then gets a cigarette off him.
Hurley offers Locke food from the plane, but he doesn't respond.
Sayid observes that Kate dislikes being on the island even more than he does.
Charlie, Kate, Sawyer, Boone, Shannon and Sayid climb to the high point. Charlie asks Shannon if she's heard of Drive Shaft, she says she hates them. Charlie lets the conversation drift off.
Locke tells Walt about tells. The implications are that Charlie gets tense, Shannon gets defensive, Sayid distracts, Sawyer isolates himself to avoid contact, but Kate can't be read.
Walt runs into Jin, who is carrying loo roll.
Shannon tells Boone that Sun is with Jin for the same reason she's with Boone... Because they have to be. Sun tries to treat handcuffed Jin's wrists but he complains too much.
Charlie sees Jack alone in the woods, but it appears to be an hallucination.
Sawyer and Kate get suspicious as they watch Jack, Sayid and Locke talking.
Jack gives Claire a checkup, and asks if her memory is coming back. She feels ostracised as Amnesia Girl. He says to give them time.
Kate asks Sawyer for guns, he suspects Jack put her up to it.
Sawyer leads a handcuffed Jin through a field.
Jack and Kate compare Sun's outing as an English speaker to the island's soap opera. Kate says it's only a soap when an evil twin shows up. Jack suspects that Locke burned the raft. Kate says it could've been her. He says he knows it wasn't.
Michael and Hurley voice concerns to Sayid over Jack losing it in his attack of Locke.
Claire voices concerns to Charlie that Rousseau and/or the others will return for the baby. Charlie asks if that's why she hasn't named him.

Lost - Season 1 - Episodes 24-25

Disc 7
24. Exodus (Part 2)
Flashbacks: Sun spills a drink over Jin, he leaves for the restroom, where he bumps into another employee of Mr. Paik. Jin is warned to do his job, as he'll lose Sun if he doesn't. They know of his plans to run away. Sayid returns with security, and his bag, free to go. Charlie is seen with a junkie groupie in a hotel before the flight. Walt ignores Michael at the airport, playing a hunting game on his portable console. Michael calls his mother from a pay phone to ask her to take him. Walt is standing behind him.

Claire doesn't want to move the baby to the caves because he's crying. Charlie creates a Bjorn, a baby carrier, for him.
At the Black Rock, Rousseau tells them where the dynamite is, and leaves. Inside, they find chained skeletons. Locke thinks it's a mining ship that left from Mozambique. They find the explosives and take them outside. Arzt wraps a stick in Kate's shirt and blows up. Hurley blames his curse. Locke compares removing the dynamite to a game of Operation. Jack asks if he likes playing games. Locke replies "absolutely". They need 3 sticks for the hatch, so decide to take 6- two lots of 3. Kate wants to carry one lot, Jack disagrees. They draw straws- Kate and Locke get the short straws, Jack gets the long one. He tells them to drop the packs and run if there's any trouble. They contemplate what's inside the hatch. Hurley suggests gadgets and food, Locke says hope.
Shannon struggles to carry all of her things off the beach, with Vincent. Sayid helps her and finds Boone's things too. She says she needs them.
Rousseau turns up asking for Sayid. Charlie goes to get him, and Rousseau asks to hold Claire's baby. Claire suddenly remembers scratching Rousseau's arm. Charlie returns with Sayid to find Claire lying on the floor with a bloody wound on the back of her head. Rousseau has taken the baby. Sayid suggests they follow her to the black smoke, suspecting she'll trade the baby for Alex. Claire asks Charlie to "get Aaron back". They find the plane and Charlie sees the heroin.
Jin and Michael try their transmitter for the first time, while Walt catches Sawyer reading the bottle messages. Sawyer mentions that the only letter he's ever written is to the man he is going to kill. Michael lets Walt steer for a while. Walt asks his father why he never saw him, growing up. Michael tells him his mother thought it would be best for him. Walt says she was wrong. The rudder falls off and Sawyer dives in to get it. Michael finds Sawyer's gun and gives it back to him.
At the caves, Sun tells Shannon that Boone died bravely, and asks if they're being punished by fate for secrets and lies. Claire says there's no such thing as fate.

25. Exodus (Part 3)
Flashbacks: Hurley is running late for his flight, various obstacles get in his way but he makes it... Just. Locke has to be carried onto the plane. We see Claire, Kate, Sawyer, Locke, Jack, Charlie, Sayid, Jin, Sun, Michael, Walt, Shannon, Boone, Hurley and Arzt on the plane.

In the Dark Territory, Jack and Kate catch a glimpse of flying black smoke, hearing its emitting clicks and rattles. As the trees uproot, they run away, except for Locke who heads for the growling, crashing noise. When it stands over him, he looks terrified and runs. It grabs him and drags him towards a hole. Jack chases and catches him. Jack reveals to Kate that he has her dynamite, and asks for her to throw it down the hole. Locke says no, that Jack must let go, that he'll be fine... but she lights a stick and drops it down the hole. It explodes, Locke is released, and the smoke clears. Jack asks Locke what that was all about. He says he was being tested. He's a man of faith, but Jack's a man of science. He says the island brought each of them there for a reason. It's destiny, and Jack will believe one day.
Sun comforts Claire, reassuring her that Charlie will bring Aaron back. Sun asks what his name means, Claire doesn't know.
Charlie gets caught in a Rousseau trap, cutting his head. Sayid cauterises the wound with gunpowder from a bullet. They get to the source of the pillar of black smoke, but there are no footprints. They hear Aaron cry, and call Danielle out. She comes out, carrying the baby, crying that the others weren't there. Charlie takes Aaron, and says Rousseau had imagined the others. She insists she heard them whisper that they'd take the baby. They leave her.
On the raft, Michael and Sawyer discuss whether Sawyer is a hero or wants to die. Then they pick up a signal. It starts to move away from them so they fire a flare. It comes back for them. It's a small boat with a crew of about four or five men. Michael excitedly tells them the story of the crash, but the bearded man on the boat says he's sorry, but they have to take the boy. They refuse. Sawyer is shot in the shoulder and falls overboard. Jin dives in after him. Michael is punched and knocked overboard as Walt is taken onto the boat. The raft explodes and the boat drives away, leaving the raft crew in the water.
Aaron, Charlie and Sayid return. Shannon hugs Sayid, Claire takes Aaron from Charlie, and we see he has taken a Mary statuette.
At the hatch, Kate confronts Jack about the dynamite. He says he's been nominated as the leader, and made a judgement call. He needs to know if she's got his back, as they'll have "a Locke problem" if they survive this. She says she does. Hurley sees his numbers engraved on the hatch and urges them to stop, but Locke lights the fuse and the dynamite explodes. Jack and Locke remove the hatch and look down a deep, dark hole with a ladder.

----------------------

A great season. Interesting to note how much now feels like filler, especially the characters that die, and yet it never feels like a moment is wasted. All of those moments are essential for all of the characters to feel real. I can't wait to follow the story again, and yet remember how much I disliked season two. I am particularly dreading the appearance of Ana-Lucia and Ekko, and the repetitive reveal of station after station. But at the same time, looking forward to the little details and character moments that shape the future. Given the answers we have started getting in season 6, it is clear that they really have planned this all along.

Interesting footnote: Damon Lindeloff states in one of the season one featurettes that they see the show as a video game... You need to do so-and-so before you can progress. An interesting theme to follow in the lead-up to the finale, Game Over.

Lost - Season 1 - Episodes 21-23

Disc 6
21. The Greater Good/Sides
Flashbacks: Sayid is blackmailed to spy on an Australian sleeper cell containing an old friend, Essam, so that he can learn Nadia's whereabouts. He has to persude Essam into his suicide mission, citing that they both lost someone. He agrees to honour them both by joining his friend in the mission. As they're about to leave, Sayid confesses and Essam shoots himself. Sayid is given a ticket to an Oceanic flight to LA in 2 hours, but he asks them to change the day so he can bury his friend.

Boone is buried, Locke appears and blames himself, telling them about the plane, and that Boone was a hero. He says it's his fault and gives Shannon his backpack, apologising. She asks Sayid to take revenge for her.
Jack is angry at Locke, disbelieving his story, but Kate slips him sleeping pills as he's still recovering from the transfusion.
Claire is afraid to sleep, so Charlie persuades her to get some sleep while he looks after the as yet unnamed baby (Charlie calls him Turnip-Head), reassuring her noone will take him from her. In Charlie's care, the baby doesn't stop crying. When Sawyer speaks, he stops crying, so Sawyer reluctantly reads to him.
Walt tells Michael he's worried about the safety of the raft.
Locke takes Sayid to the plane. Sayid asks Locke about his back scar. He replies that it's a war wound. The find the drugs and Sayid confirms it's heroin. Locke asks why he isn't trusted. Sayid points out his concealed gun. Locke reveals it was taken from the Nigerian priest, gives it to Sayid and admits that it was he that knocked Sayid out when they tried to triangulate. Sayid points the gun at him, but Locke says it was unwise to lead people to a place where people were dying. When asked about the hatch, Locke tells Sayid he doesn't know what Boone meant.
Sayid tells Shannon he thinks Boone's death was a genuine accident, but she gets upset and says he doesn't understand. She steals the key from a sleeping Jack, and gets a gun from the case. As Kate, Jack and Sayid appear to stop her, she shoots Locke, telling Jack that he said Locke was a liar. But Sayid had jumped toward her so the bullet just grazed Locke. But when it's just the two of them, Sayid asks Locke to take him to the hatch, saying "no more lies."

22. Born To Run
Flashbacks: Kate changes her identity and collects a letter that makes her cry. She visits Diane, who's dying of cancer, and surprises Tom, a doctor, in his car. She says she needs his help. They go to Tom's house, where we learn he has a wife and baby who are visiting relatives. With a few hours to kill before Diane's MRI, they drive out to a tree in the middle of the night. They dig up a NKOTB lunchbox with various childhood items from 1989, including Tom's toy plane and an audio cassette, predicting they'd be married in 20 years. Back at the hospital, Diane is Kate's mother, but she calls for help when she sees Kate. Security come after het and she asks for Tom's car to escape, but he gets in. She crashes the car, he's unconscious and bleeding so she runs away as the police arrive.

Charlie tells Kate they'll be famous when they get back. She doesn't look happy at the idea.
Schoolteacher Arzt tells the raft gang they can't sail for several months, as they should've gone yesterday; monsoon season will send them south, to Antartica. Kate wants on the raft too, but Michael says it's full. She says she has sailing experience, but Sawyer doesn't.
Sayid leads Jack to Locke, and the hatch, now quite substantially uncovered. Jack wants to open it, Sayid doesn't. Jack is angry that he wasn't told, Locke points out Jack kept the guns a secret.
Sun asks Jin to speak to her, asking if he's really going on the raft. He says he is. She walks away.
Sawyer confronts Kate about the raft, letting lets her know he's worked out that she was a fugitive, and that it's her only chance of avoiding a high-profile rescue. He says she's not taking his spot on the raft, but she says if she wants his place, she'll get it.
Michael falls ill, Jack tells him to rest. He thinks there was something in his water. Michael suspects Sawyer. Hurley lets slip about Kate's past in front of Locke. He asks why he didn't think everyone had a right to know who they were living with.
Jack asks Kate if she poisoned Michael. She's offended, but he says he has no idea what she's capable of.
Walt tells Locke he didn't poison Michael. Locke tells him he didn't suspect him, and holds his hand. Walt flinches and suddenly tells John not to open the "thing".
Michael tells Sawyer he's off the raft for poisoning him, as he's the criminal amongst them. Sawyer loses it, and reveals Kate as the crminal. He grabs her backpack and shows that she has stolen Joanna (the drowned woman)'s passport. He says she just wants off the island before the press arrive, and doesn't care about anyone else. She confesses she was heading for jail, but didn't poison Michael. Everyone walks away from her in disgust. When they're alone, Kate asks Sawyer why he's so desperate to leave. He says there's nothing to stay for. She doesn't respond.
Jack asks Sun if she was trying to poison Jin. She confesses she just wanted him to stay. He tells her to accept that he's going.
Walt confesses to Michael that he burned the first raft, as he didn't want to leave. But when Michael suggests they stay, Walt says they have to leave.
Sun tells Kate that Jack knows it was her who poisoned Michael... But not that it was Kate's idea.

23. Exodus (Part 1)
Flashbacks: Walt is disobedient to Michael in a Sydney hotel. Jack meets Ana-Lucia at the airport bar. We learn Christian died of a heart attack. Sawyer- James Ford- is deported from Australia after headbutting a government minister at a bar. Kate is taunted by the marshal with the toy plane at airport security. We learn Tom died and she only stole the plane from the bank, to atone for his death. The marshal had put it there. Sayid leaves a bag with Shannon at the airport, but she leaves when Boone arrives. They argue about an upgrade and she tells a security guard that an Arab left a bag on her seat. Sun spills a hot drink over Jin's lap and overhears an American woman bitch about her, assuming she can't speak English.

Rousseau shows up at camp to warn them of a pillar of black smoke inland, which means the others are coming. Last time it appeared, they took her baby, and will come for all of them. Their three options are to run, hide or die. Jack prioritises the raft, but they see the smoke for themselves. She points out she can hide alone, but they need to hide 40 people. They show her the hatch, but she doesn't recognise it. She promises to take them to the black rock, The Dark Territory, to get dynamite to blow the hatch open.
Jack gives Sawyer a gun for the raft and they say their goodbyes, as the raft is readied for departure. Sawyer passes on Christian's message from the bar in Australia.
Jack, Locke, Kate, Arzt and Hurley go with Rousseau, after saying goodbye to the raft crew. Kate misses her chance to see Sawyer. Locke notices scratches on Rousseau's arm. She says they're from a bush. As they enter "Le Territoire Foncé", she says that this is where people got infected and Montand lost his arm. Arzt turns back.
After being made to feel that he's of no use to the raft builders, Sawyer returns with a suitable mast.
Arzt returns, chased by the monster. They all hide, except Locke and Hurley, as Locke calmly points out that it's going the other way. Rousseau calls it a security system to protect the island.
Walt gives Vincent to Shannon, saying he helped him when his mother died.
Sayid gives Michael a transmitter and flare gun.
They arrive at Black Rock- a galleon, very deep inland.
Sun gives Jin a list of English words in phonetic Chinese. They both apologise, and he says he's being punished so is leaving to get them both help. They kiss.
Charlie collects messages in a bottle from those staying behind. They say goodbyes as the raft leaves. Sawyer, Michael, Walt and Jin are on board. Vincent swims out to follow, but Walt sends him back.
The pillar of black smoke is still visible.

Lost - Season 1 - Episodes 17-20

Disc 5
17. In Translation
Flashbacks: Jin asks Sun's father for her hand in marriage. He asks Jin to work for him. Jin says his own father is dead. At the wedding, Sun says she wishes Jin's father could be there, but wants to go on honeymoon. Jin's too busy with work, saying they'll go in 6 months' time. Jin is promoted. His new duties include warning people that Mr Paik is displeased. He is offered a dog as an apology. As he and Sun sit down for a meal, her father rings- Jin must drive a hitman to the same house, but Jin beats the victim up instead, to save the victim's life. He comes home with blood on him. Sun sees this. She asks what he's doing for her father. He says whatever her father tells him to. He then visits a humble fisherman- his father. He aplogises for being ashamed of him. They discuss Sun, and he says he wants to start over with her. His father suggests the next job is his last, and to start a new life in America.

Michael gets into a fight with Jin when Jin drags a bathing Sun to cover herself up. She slaps Michael. Jin asks Sun what's going on between them. She says nothing, then finds Michael to apologise, saying she was protecting Michael from Jin. He says it's her problem, he just wants to get Walt out of there.
Hurley tries to befriend Jin but is ignored.
Sayid and Shannon bond some more.
Michael wants to take Walt to see the Flatiron building in NYC. He doesn't seem interested. Jack discovers Sawyer is going on the raft with Michael.
Kate asks Sun why she doesn't stand up to Jin. She says he used to be tender.
The raft is found ablaze and Michael blames Jin. Sun finds him with a cut hand and asks if he started the fire, but Jin runs off at the mention of Michael's name.
Sayid tells Boone he and Shannon may become more than friends, but Boone warns him he'll be dumped when he's no longer useful to her. When Shannon finds out, she looks for Boone and finds Locke. He tells her they all have a new life and instead of giving Boone the attention he craves, she should start a new life with Sayid, if it's him she wants.
Sawyer finds Jin and knocks him out for destroying his way off the island. Sawyer brings Jin to the beach where Michael punches him. Sun shouts for him to stop-in English, in front of everyone, including Jin. She says it was already on fire when Jin got there, but he hurt himself trying to put it out. Locke suggests the others did it. Walt asks Michael if he can help his father build the new raft. He says yes.
Sun asks Jin if they can start over again. He says it's too late.
Shannon and Sayid kiss.
Walt and Locke play backgammon. Locke says his own father is not "cool". Locke asks him why he burned the raft, and won't tell anyone. Walt replies he doesn't want to move anymore, and likes it there. Locke agrees.
Jin helps Michael with the new raft.

18. Numbers
Flashbacks: Hurley wins the lottery. He says he wants to give his grandfather a well-earned break... Grandpa drops dead. Hurley thinks the money is cursed as more bad things happen. He surprises his mother with a new house, but she breaks her ankle and the house catches fire. The police arrive and Hurley is arrested. His accountant tells him his money has doubled. Hurley realises it is the numbers that are cursed, not the money. He goes to a psychiatric hospital to visit a patient, Leonard, who just recites the numbers over and over. Hurley asks what they mean and mentions the lottery. Leonard goes nuts, saying Hurley shouldn't gave, and must get away from the numbers. He says he heard them from a Sam in Australia. He visits Sam's wife (Worst. Accent. Ever.) Sam died four years ago, but 16 years ago he'd heard a voice repeating those numbers, and used them to win a prize. His wife then lost his leg, but he was fine. They kept track of those hurt around him, moving to the middle of nowhere to make it stop, but it only stopped when he committed suicide. Hurley blamed the numbers, wifey calls them an excuse.

Sun tells Kate Jin will never speak to her again after she humiliated him.
Locke asks Claire to help him saw wood. Claire thanks Locke for getting her mind off her abduction. Claire reveals it's her birthday and Locke reveals they'd been building a cradle.
Hurley finds his lottery numbers in the notes Sayid took from Rousseau. He and Jack want to find her. Charlie sees Hurley acting suspiciously with bottles of water and says he's acting crazy. Sayid notices a missing map, and confronts Jack. Charlie says he saw Hurley and they realise he's gone to find Rousseau. They follow him. Hurley finds the cable and follows it to a trap. Sayid, Charlie and Jack arrive, but Hurley avoids the trap. They find a rope bridge, Hurley crosses it, but it collapses when Charlie tries, but just as he gets across. Jack and Sayid find a way around the bridge, just as Sayid recognises the place, Jack steps on a mine and an explosion reveals the now-abandoned cabin. Just as Hurley is about to tell Charlie something, they are shot at. They run in different directions, and Hurley runs into Rousseau. He shows her the numbers, but she doesn't know what they mean. Her team had heard the numbers on a transmission, but got shipwrecked when they changed course to investigate. She found the radio tower by the black rock and changed the recording to hers when her team had succumbed to the sickness. She says the numbers brought her here, and she's lost everything, agreeing the numbers are cursed. He then turns up at the cabin with a battery, saying "she said hey".
Hurley tells Charlie he thinks the crash was his fault, but Charlie tells him about his addiction and that can't be his fault. Hurley says his biggest secret is that he's worth $156 million, but Charlie thinks he's joking. We see the hatch has the numbers engraved on it. 4 8 15 16 23 42.

19. Deus Ex Machina
Flashbacks: Locke shows a child the game of Mouse Trap in a toy shop. Swoozie Kurtz asks him where the footballs are but behaves suspiciously. He sees her in the car park, she says she's his mother. He was raised in a foster home. She tells him he is special, part of a design, and was immaculately conceived. A detective confirms it's his mother, and she's schizophrenic. His father, Anthony Cooper, is rich, and when they meet they get on very well and go hunting together. Locke finds out his father needs a kidney transplant. He offers one of his. When he wakes, his father has checked out, with no message. His mother turns up and explains it was all a set-up. Locke tries to see Anthony, but can't get past the gates.

Sawyer is getting headaches, Sun's medicine and aspirin aren't helping. Kate asks Jack to help. Sawyer is a reluctant patient. Jack discovers Sawyer needs glasses. He finds some from the salvage and Sayid creates a new pair from appropriate lenses. Kate thanks Jack, but he says he didn't do it for Sawyer.
Locke and Boone build a trebuchet to smash the hatch's glass. It doesn't work and Locke loses composure, saying it was meant to work. He doesn't feel it when some shrapnel shoots into his leg. He later tries pins and fire, but feels no pain in his leg. Locke dreams that Boone says he's giving up on the hatch. Locke says it's a test of faith and the island will give them a sign. They then see a small plane crash nearby, but Locke had visions of his mother pointing and a blood-soaked Boone repeating "Theresa fell down/up the stairs", and Locke is back in his wheelchair. He wakes up, then wakes Boone up. He tells him about the dream and the chant, and Boone goes with him to find the plane. They find a rosary and a dead Nigerian priest. Locke starts having trouble walking and confesses to Boone that he used to be in a wheelchair. He thinks the island is punishing him for not following its signs. Boone helps him and says Theresa was his nanny, who broke her neck on the stairs when he was six. They find the plane in a tree. Locke asks Boone to climb the tree to see what's inside the plane. It's carrying heroin via Mary statues, and there's another body. Boone tries the radio. He says they're the survivors of flight 815, he gets a reply that they are from the same flight. Locke carries a very injured Boone to Jack, saying that he fell off a cliff. But when Jack turns around to ask what happened, Locke disappears. We find him banging on the hatch asking "why did you do this to me?" A light comes on in the hatch window.

20. Do No Harm
Flashbacks: It's Jack's wedding rehearsal. Sarah (Julie Bowen) reveals Jack fixed her back after a car crash, and fell in love with him. He's struggling with his vows and hoping "he" turns up. That evening, Christian arrives and they talk about the vows and Jack's cold feet. Christian tells Jack he's good at commitment, but not letting go. The wedding goes ahead. Jack goes for honesty over vows. It goes down well.

Claire asks when the raft will be ready. Sawyer thinks she likes him.
Boone's lung collapses while Jack tries to heal him. Kate is sent to Sawyer for alcohol. The pressure starts to get to Jack. Kate falls and smashes some of the alcohol bottles, but finds a wandering Claire in labour. She cries for help and Jin hears. Kate gives him the alcohol and sends him to Jack. Boone needs a transfusion so Jack sends Sun to find everyone's blood type. She returns with a sea plant suitable for use as a needle, while Charlie discovers there's no match. Jack gives his blood to Boone. Jin arrives and Sun translates. Awkward. Jack sends Charlie to them with instructions. Kate will have to deliver the baby. Boone tells Jack about the plane and hatch then calls for Shannon, who's on a secret date with Sayid. She tells Sayid the truth of her relationship with Boone, but that it's not mutual.
Claire's contractions stop, but her waters break. The contactions start again. Kate gets the news that she's to be midwife and delivery begins. Claire is worried the baby will know she didn't want it. Kate points out that Claire wants the baby now, and that's what matters.
Jack realises something crushed Boone's leg and Sun stops the transfusion. Jack sends Hurley to get Michael. Jack decides to amputate Boone's injured leg. Sun tells Jack he can't save Boone, due to his internal injuries. As he's about to do amputate, Boone wakes and "lets him off the hook'".
Claire gives birth to a boy.
Boone says "tell Shannon..." and dies. As everyone celebrates the baby's birth, Sayid and Shannon return. Jack breaks the news. Kate watches from a distance. Shannon cries over Boone's body.
Jack tells Kate that Boone was murdered, and sets off to find John Locke.

Unsolved mysteries:
1. Having watched today's episode 3 (or 4) of Season 6, the numbers are explained... But not the signal that was broadcast.
2. Jacob has told Hurley he's not mad, so what gives? Surely it's more than being a medium?

Lost - Season 1 - Episodes 13-16

Disc 4
13. Hearts And Minds.
Boone flashbacks: Boone flies to Sydney to rescue Shannon from an abusive boyfriend. We discover Boone and Shannon are siblings by marriage, not blood. The police won't help so Boone offers to pay the boyfriend off. When Boone goes to take Shannon home, he finds she had set the whole thing up... But she then gets played herself, as the boyfriend runs off with the money. She finds Boone at the hotel and tells him she knows he's always been in love with her. She kisses him and they spend the night together. The next morning she wants them to be just siblings again.

Boone warns Sayid to stay away from his sister. Sayid is completely impassive.
Locke and Boone have uncovered more of the metal object, a hatch in the floor with a tiny window. When Boone decides he's going to tell Shannon about it, Locke knocks him out.
Hurley's digestion is suffering, so Jack suggests he needs protein and should learn to fish from Jin. Hurley then steps on an urchin in the sea, but Jin won't pee on him, giving him a remedy instead, but it makes him vomit. Jin then gives Hurley an already-gutted fish.
Kate discovers Sun speaks English while they're creating a garden. Sun begs her to keep it a secret, saying only Michael knows, but Jin mustn't.
Sayid tells Jack he thinks Locke's compass is defective, as it says north is somewhere it can't be.
Charlie tells Jack that John Locke would be the one, of any of them, to save them all.
Boone awakes tied up, Locke medicates his wound and leaves him a knife. He hears Shannon cry for help and the monster approaches. He frees himself, then finds Shannon tied to a tree. He frees her and they hide in a tree while the monster tries to get in. They escape, only to be chased again when he tells her about the hatch. She falls behind and gets picked up by the monster. Boone follows a blood trail to her dead body. He gets back to the camp and attacks Locke for causing this, only to find Shannon alive and well, with Sayid. Locke tells Boone he gave him the island experience he needed. Boone suspects the medication Locke put on his head wound. Boone says he felt relieved when he thought Shannon was dead. Locke tells him it means it was "time to let go".

14. Special.
Michael flashbacks: We see Michael and Susan, Walt's mother, happily shopping for baby things. Next thing, Walt's a baby and she's off to a job in Amsterdam. They're not married, and he's unemployed. She then starts seeing her boss, Brian, so Michael decides he's coming for Walt, but gets run over by a car. Susan comes to visit him in hospital. She'll pay for his bills but is moving to Italy to marry Brian, who wants to adopt Walt. We then see them in Australia. Walt is reading about birds and wants attention, but Brian and Susan are too distracted by her illness to notice. Walt gets angry, and one of the birds he's Reading about crashes into the window and dies. Later, Brian turns up at Michael's house to announce Susan has died and that he's in too much of a mess to look after Walt anymore. He then confesses that strange things happen around Walt, and he wants Michael to raise him now. Susan has left a small wooden box for Michael to give Walt. Walt refuses to go with Michael, but he eventually persuades him, taking Brian's dog, Vincent, with them.

Michael is looking for Walt, and finds him taking target practice with Locke and his knives. He's a natural, but Michael is not happy. Boone comes to Locke's defence. Michael warns Locke to stay away from them both. He decides to build a raft to get Walt off the island. Shannon decides to help, but Boone's not interested, even when Shannon turns on the flirts.
Charlie reads Claire's diary, in which she has written that he makes her feel safe. He finds mention of a dream about a "black rock"- something Rousseau had also mentioned to Sayid.
Walt wanders off to see John, but as he warns him away, Michael turns up. They argue and Michael burns Walt's comic. Walt goes missing, but he's not with Locke.
Walt is walking Vincent, who runs off. As he looks for him he gets chased by a polar bear into a tree, but Locke and Michael rescue him. Michael gives Walt the box, containing all the letters he ever wrote him.
Boone and Locke look for Vincent, but find a wandering Claire.

15. Homecoming.
Charlie flashbacks: Charlie is encouraged by his dealer to pick up a rich girl, Lucy, in a pub. She takes him to her father's home. Over dinner, he tells him Charlie and Liam haven't spoken in over a year, so Drive Shaft looks over. He accepts a job with Lucy's father's paper company, but the drug dealer gets impatient, saying he just wants Charlie to bring him valuables to sell. He'll withold drugs until then. Charlie steals a silver cigarette case that used to belong to Churchill. The first day does not go well as withdrawal kicks in. Charlie is sick, and is hospitalised. He tries to apologise to Lucy, but she has now discovered his addiction and theft. She refuses to accept his apology, and says he'll never take care of anyone.

Locke carries a now unconscious Claire to the camp. She wakes up and screams; she has amnesia, remembering nothing since getting on the plane.
Charlie and Jin are attacked by Ethan in the jungle- Jin is knocked unconscious by a stone, Charlie is held against a tree and threatened. Ethan tells Charlie that he wants Claire and will kill someone each day till he gets her; Charlie last. Jack and Locke decide to tell everyone and security measures are put into place. Boone falls asleep on his shift, and Scott is found dead on the beach. Claire becomes a pariah, Shannon fills her in as to what Ethan told Charlie. Claire is angry at Charlie for not telling her. Jack shows Locke Kate's case of guns. They take one each, as do Sayid, Sawyer and Kate. Using Claire as bait, they successfully ambush Ethan. Charlie suddenly appears, and shoots Ethan before they can question him.
Claire tells Charlie she remembers peanut butter.

16. Outlaws.
Sawyer flashbacks: As a child, Sawyer hides under the bed as his mother is shot by his father, who then sits on the bed and shoots himself. Years later, a former friend, Hibbs, turns up to tell Sawyer he knows the whereabouts of the man responsible, the real Sawyer. He heads to Australia and buys a black market gun, with bullets designed specifically to kill. Sawyer- named James- meets the real Sawyer, now called Frank. He pulls out his gun, but chickens out and heads for a bar, where he meets an American man we know to be Christian Shepherd. He says he's proud and grateful of what his son did, but is too weak to tell him. He persuades Sawyer/James to go back, and he kills Frank- except it turns out he's not the real Sawyer, he simply owes Hibbs money. His dying words are "it'll come back around".

Jack returns the guns to the case and hides it. Kate offers to get Sawyer's gun too, but Jack doesn't want Kate owing Sawyer.
Sawyer is woken by a boar in his tent. It runs off with his tarpaulin so he chases it into the jungle, but stops when he hears the whispers say "it'll come back around". He asks Sayid what he heard them say at Rousseau's cabin, but denies hearing anything himself. He finds his tarp but the boar attacks him again. Sawyer swears revenge. Kate helps him. They bond over the drinking game, "I never". We learn that Kate was married and they've both killed a man. They wake up to find Sawyer's stuff all over the place. Kate's hasn't been touched. Locke turns up at their camp and tells them a story about how his dead sister was replaced by a dog. When Sawyer catches up with the boar, he points a gun at it, then backs down.
Hurley tells Sayid that he is worried about Charlie, wondering if he has post-traumatic stress from killing someone. Sayid later empathises with Charlie, telling him "you're not alone, so don't pretend to be".
Claire says she has started dreaming her memories back. She watches Michael build his raft and goes for a walk with Charlie.
Sawyer returns his gun to Jack, and recognises something Jack says. He realised the man at the bar in Australia was talking about Jack.

-----------------

More unanswered mysteries:
1. Was Ethan authorised to kill, or did he go rogue?
2. What's the deal with Walt's specialness?
3. Why do they want Claire? We know about their fertility research, but why this approach? And why is there a fertility problem?
4. How does Locke know how to give Boone his "experience"?
5. What happened to Claire? Why the amnesia?
6. Again with the whispers... Are they people's own conscience?
7. Was the boar after Sawyer? Was the island sending him a message?

Lost - Season 1 - Episodes 9-12

Disc 3
9. Solitary.
Sayid Flashbacks: Sayid helped childhood friend Nadia escape from the Republic Guard, instead of sending her to her execution.

John & Ethan find a bag while hunting, containing golf clubs. Hurley starts a big game.
Sayid follows a cable into a trap set by the French woman, Danielle Rousseau. At first, she disbelieves Sayid's story, and asks him where Alex is. She reveals she was part of a shipwrecked science team including her husband Robert, whom she killed when he succumbed to "the sickness". She refers to "others" as "carriers", and she can hear them whisper in the forest. When they hear a loud roar outside her cabin, she says there's no such thing as monsters. She lets Sayid leave, warning him to watch his people carefully and that Alex is her child. Once he's alone Sayid hears the whispers all around him.

10. Raised By Another.
Claire Flashbacks: Claire is dumped by boyfriend Thomas once she's pregnant, but a psychic, Richard Malkin, warns her she must be the one to raise the baby, as danger surrounds him. She backs out of an adoption, then Malkin tells her he's arranged an adoption in LA, but she must get a specific flight.

Jack is dubious when Claire claims to have been attacked in her sleep. The attack prompts Hurley to create a census. Boone suggests comparing that list to the plane manifest, and Hurley discovers that someone on the island wasn't on the plane.
Jack tries to sedate Claire so she leaves and Charlie goes after her. When Claire goes into labour, Charlie goes to get Jack, but then sees Ethan and sends him instead. After a while, Ethan returns... alone.

11. All The Best Cowboys Have Daddy Issues.
Jack Flashbacks: Jack reports his father's drinking problem when his drunken surgery causes the death of a patient.

Search parties set out to find Claire and Charlie once they discover Ethan wasn't on the plane. Jack gets impatient with Locke, but confesses to Kate he feels bad that he didn't believe Claire's stories of attack.
Walt proves to be very lucky (mentioning his "other dad", Brian) in a game of backgammon against Hurley.
Jack catches up to Ethan who warns him to stop following him. They fight, Jack is knocked unconscious. He and Kate discover Charlie's body hanging from a tree, but eventually revive him. Charlie says "all they wanted was Claire".
Boone and Locke discover something metal buried in the ground.

12. Whatever The Case May Be.
Kate flashbacks: Kate helps rob a bank to get to a safety deposit box containing a small green envelope.

The tide is coming in further each day, forcing them all to move off the beach into the jungle. Rose befriends Charlie, snapping him out of his silent guilt over Claire. She still has faith her husband Bernard is alive.
Sayid gets Shannon to help him translate some maps and papers he took from Rousseau. The notations are the lyrics to the French version of Beyond The Sea.
Sawyer and Kate discover a waterfall with dead bodies from the crash under the water. Kate recognises a briefcase but Sawyer takes it, trying (and failing) to open it. Jack and Kate exhume the marshal's body for the case's key. Despite her suspicious behaviour, the case only contains money, guns and a toy plane. Kate says it belonged to the man she loved. When Jack says he doesn't believe her, she corrects "loved" to "killed".

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A few more unanswered mysteries here.
1. How can Locke predict the weather?
2. What's the deal with Walt's luck?
3. What/who are the whispers?
4. Why did Jack hear screams Kate didn't?
5. Why do Ethan/the others want Claire/Alex?
6. What is the sickness?
7. Why doesn't Rousseau believe in monsters? Hasn't she seen Smokey?
8. The black & white thing appeared again in Claire's nightmare when Locke had one black eyeball and one white eyeball.

Lost Season 6 - LA X

What a fantastic couple of hours of television! Didn't think the rumours of alternate timelines- sorry, "flash-sideways"- would work, but they do, giving us the intriguing question of whose life is better off-island than on, and how these two timelines will converge, if at all.

Some new mysteries...
Why are there differences between the mythology we've seen? Shannen stayed in Australia? Rose is calm, Jack isn't? Was Desmond on the plane? If so, how/why? Hurley is lucky now? He won the lottery because of the Numbers... Did he use the same ones by chance?
Is the revived Sayid Sayid?
How did Jack get his scratch?
Why did Juliet say it worked, then that it didn't after she died?
What's the deal with the flight attendant in the temple? Did she crash and join the templers, or was she planted on that plane too? Or both?

But at least we got a few answers... Sort of.
The smoke monster is the guy who took Locke's appearance... So what the hell are he and Jacob?
Hurley isn't mad, he's a medium. (And an extra-extra large. Ho ho.)
Hurley's guitar case held a message from Jacob... Could this be the answer to the whole series?

Some will surely be answered immediately, but I'm enjoying the ride while it lasts!

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Lost season 1 - episodes 1-8

N.B. This purely intended as a memory reference for those who've watched the show to the end of season 5. Spoilers abound, unrequired explanations not given!

Disc 1
Episode 1 - Pilot (part 1)
A plane crashes, leaving several survivors stranded on a tropical island.
Jack saves Rose's life, Kate stitches up Jack's wounds and takes a dead man's shoes.
We see Jack talk to Rose when the plane broke apart, her husband Bernard was in the toilet at the back of the plane.
The rain stops and starts suddenly.
Something that sounds like a dinosaur is knocking down trees. Jack, Kate and Charlie search the crashed fuselage for a trasceiver to send an SOS and find the pilot is alive. However, he is soon pulled out of the fuselage and killed by the unseen monster. It chases Jack, Kate and Charlie into the forest. They all reappear okay, but find the pilot's dead body in a tree.

Episode 2 - Pilot (part 2)
We see Charlie on the plane, taking drugs in the toilet while suspicious cabin staff try to get in.
Jin appears jealous of Michael around Sun.
Walt is looking for his dog, Vincent. He finds handcuffs. Sawyer thinks they're Sayid's, they fight.
Sayid repairs the transceiver the trio found in the plane, but there's no signal and the battery is low.
A pregnant Claire can't feel her baby move until Jin gives her fresh sushi.
John teaches Walt backgammon and tells him a secret.
Sawyer shoots a polar bear in the forest.
Hurley and Jack find a dying man with shrapnel. We see the handcuffs are Kate's, the shrapnel man is the US marshal who arrested her.
In an attempt to radio for help, some of them travel up high and discover a woman's distress signal that's been broadcasting in French from the island for over 16 years.

Episode 3 - Tabula Rasa
Kate flashbacks: On the run in Australia, Kate calls herself Annie and a farmer offers her board and work, but turns her in to the US marshal for the reward money. She tries to crash the car to escape, but rescues the farmer and is caught.

The US marshal is dying, but warns Jack about Kate. Jack and Hurley find her mugshot.
The gang decide to keep the heard transmission secret, but Kate tells Jack.
Jack strips the plane to hunt for medicine. Sawyer is caught looting for cigarettes and alcohol.
Michael sees Sun undressed while looking for Vincent.
After failing to persuade Kate, Sawyer tries to put the marshal out of his misery, but Jack has to finish the job.
Locke finds Vincent, but lets Michael take the credit after finding out Walt's mother died recently.

Episode 4 - Walkabout
Locke flashbacks: John, a loner and loser, was denied an Australian Walkabout experience because he's in a wheelchair.

The camp, including Charlie, is attacked by three boars.
Boone challenges Shannon to fish but she persuades Charlie to do it for her.
John takes Michael and Kate hunting boar as the food is running out. Michael is injured, Kate takes him away. John faces the mysterious unseen monster, and is assumed dead.
Claire and Jack decide to burn the fuselage as a beacon and hold a service for the dead.
Rose is keeping to herself, but is convinced her husband Bernard is alive.
Jack thinks he's hallucinating when he sees his father, who then disappears.
John denies seeing the monster to Michael.

Disc 2
Episode 5 - White Rabbit
Jack flashbacks: He goes to Australia to bring his disgraced father, Christian, back home. He ends up flying Christian's dead body home, but the plane crashes.

Jack saves Boone from drowning, when both fail to save a girl they didn't know.
Drinkable water supplies are running out. They assume Sawyer has hoarded it.
Encouraged by Locke who tells him he has "seen into the eyes of the island, and it was beautiful", Jack follows his dead father around the jungle. This leads to some more of the plane wreck. Jack finds his father's empty coffin and smashes it up.
There is also a fresh water waterfall and caves.
Kate finds Sawyer's looting stash, but he has no water.
Jack returns with water.

Episode 6 - House of the Rising Sun
Sun flashbacks: Jin is given permission to marry Sun, on condition he works for her father. As a result, she rarely sees him and he comes home covered in blood. She plans to leave him at the airport, but chickens out.

Jin beats up Michael, no-one seems to know why. He is handcuffed by Sayid and Jack.
Jack tries to move everyone to the caves, but most stay on the beach for fear of missing rescue. Jack and Kate find a properly-laid out couple in the caves who have been dead for around 40 years. Locke calls them their Adam and Eve, and they find a bag of shiny pebbles on their bodies; one black pebble, one white.
Sun secretly tells Michael that Jin saw him wearing her father's watch, and thought he stole it- thus revealing that she speaks English- something no-one, not even Jin, knows. Michael tells her that he found the watch in the wreck, then returns it to Jin and uncuffs him. He tells no-one that Sun can speak English.
After observing his suspicious behaviour, Locke finds Charlie's guitar in the wreckage and swaps it for his drugs.

Episode 7 - The Moth
Charlie flashbacks: His brother Liam stole the limelight in their band, Drive Shaft. They turn to Heroin- Liam moves to Australia and cleans up, Charlie doesn't.

Jack gets trapped in a cave. Kate gets distressed at the news and dashes off to help. Several others come to his aid but he is ultimately rescued by Charlie, needing to feel worthwhile and after a distraction from his withdrawal. Charlie asks Locke for his drugs three times and when given them, he burns them.
Sayid creates a triangulation to find the distress signal's source, but is knocked unconscious before he sets off.

Episode 8 - Confidence Man
Sawyer flashbacks: Sawyer is a con man who woos a woman, then gets her and her husband to give him money. However, he walks away from the deal at the last minute when he sees that they have a child, even though he needs the money for another deal he's made.

Sayid tries to work out who knocked him out. Sawyer is suspect #1.
Sawyer gets Kate to read a letter addressed to him. It is written by a child whose parents are dead as the result of a con perpetrated by Sawyer.
Shannon has an asthma attack, everyone thinks Sawyer is hiding the medication. Boone and Jack fight him over it. Jack agrees to let Sayid torture him, but Sawyer says he will only tell Kate. He tricks her into a kiss but then says he never had the medication. Sun helps Shannon with eucalyptus.
Kate realises Sawyer wrote the letter as a child and took on the name of the man whose cons led to his own parents' death. He comments that he became the man he was chasing, and privately burns the letter.
Charlie and Claire bond over imaginary peanut butter, and move to the caves.
Sayid, ashamed for resorting to torture again, leaves to explore the jungle.

------------

Okay, so that's the first third of series 1 done, and a lot of filler so far. Knowing Shannon and Boone don't last much longer makes their scenes less important. (Dreading AnaLucia and Ekko's scenes in season 2, and I hated them first time round.)

Unexplained so far (up to end of season 5):
1. The sudden, predictable rain.
2. The origins of the monster.
3. Adam & Eve.
4. Light vs dark. Pebbles, backgammon...
5. The island appearance of Christian Shepherd.
6. The disappearance of Christian Shepherd's body.

The last episode of season 5 certainly makes point 6 very relevant. Fake John was walking around whilst the real John was in his coffin. What are the implications of just one Christian if "Dead is Dead"?

I can't remember the Sun/Michael thing going anywhere, though it's heavily hinted at so far. Plus there's no sign of Sayid/Shannon attraction yet. At least the Jack/ Kate/ Sawyer thing has finally started since that kiss in episode 8, as she's been all about Jack until then.

Other than that, nothing unanswered is leaping out as yet, though I know of more to come over the next few episodes, especially concerning the children.

Lost

Tomorrow sees the return to UK TV of Lost. And it's the start of the sixth and final season, the end of the series, the last chance to get those unanswered questions answered.

Given the Season Five cliffhanger, all bets are off. Anything can happen from here. Does the story reset? Continue? We've had flashbacks, flash forwards, random time travel, smoke monsters, hallucinations and seemingly immortal beings. Where is this all leading, and how will we get there?

I can't remember being this excited about the return of a TV show, mainly for these very reasons. Not to mention a great cast, an inventive script, an unpredictable plot and a great deal of mystery.

So, then... The perfect time to revisit the past. I know many have done this in the intervening months, but I've decided to re-open my Blockbuster online subscription and get each season on Blu Ray, disc by disc.

The idea of continuing the stories and mythology whilst concentrating on one particular character each episode was a master stroke, and there is still so much to learn.

I have now decided to use this blog to help myself keep track of each episode- in particular, unanswered mysteries I'd like to see resolved and intersting notes about deviated/ abandoned storylines (Michael and Sun immediately springs to mind).

Anyway, on with the show. See you in 40 minutes or so..

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