The LOST Chronicles: Season 3

This is a post that could've (and should've) been done a month ago but I got busy with holiday season and all. That and I tend to get lazy about things that aren't mandatory. Just ask me about my college career.

(NOTE: As I write this, I am halfway through Season 4. But I will write this as if I have not seen any episodes from Season 4 yet. I think I did a fairly good job. I finish Season 4 and will be caught up on the show completely by Thursday.)

So anyways, LOST: Season 3 did not disappoint me in the end. Just like Seasons 1 and 2, I was confused every episode but also entertained in most. Here are my thoughts.

Season 2 ended with way too many storylines for my liking. Had Jack and his crew caught by the Others, Sayid and his crew stationed somewhere. And Locke and his crew blown away by the hatch. Thankfully, the first few shows answered the questions fairly quickly.

Now, I had a friend tell me that the first few episodes of Season 3 didn't really provide much of a direction because the creators didn't know when the show would end. But once they agreed on ending in Season 6, it would pick up. That friends was right.

For about 8-10 episodes, the story was moving really slow. There were way too many Jack-Juliet encounters that just kept me frustrated. Ben, who is a compelling character, was stuck on a bed thanks to surgery. Characters were spread all over so if an episode was about Jack, Kate, and Sawyer, there was little about the island crew and vice versa. One of the things I like about the show is that it kept things moving in every locale. But it was moving really, really slow.

Desmond would save Charlie's life. And I love Charlie and all, but I mean, either kill him off or stop with this whole teasing thing. Just wasting my time. Same goes for Jack's decision to finally do Ben's surgery. It took 6 episodes! Episodes such as Tricia Tanaka is dead (Hurley finding the van) were funny but didn't advance the story. Stranger in a Strange Land (Jack's Thailand trip) was just downright boring.

It wasn't until about episode 13, The Man From Tallahassee, when I really got into Season 13. And no surprise, it's because it was a story revolving around Locke. His flashbacks are still the best and his actions on the island are the most intriguing. By time we got to One of Us (Juliet coming to the camp), the season was going full speed. That's because Ben was healthy, Kate was not trying to save Jack (he came back to camp), and Locke's position in the whole thing was in question.

Next thing you know, we have Juliet trying to win over the camp by saving Claire's life and helping Sun's pregnancy, Sawyer killing Locke's "father" (great episode - maybe the best), and Naomi crashing onto the island telling them that Flight 815 was found with no survivors. It was non-stop information and action every minute, unlike the worthless (yet amusing) sex scenes between Sawyer and Kate. I mean, this is LOST, not Big Brother.

Learning about Ben's childhood and the Dharma initiative was helpful in answering some questions while also confusing me more. And the following episode with Charlie's Greatest Hits just kept me wanting more. Unfortunately, there was only the two-part finale left and like the 6 or so episodes before, the action never stopped. Charlie and Desmond work to block the signal while also not getting killed, though we know Charlie will die somehow. Locke is still unable to figure out. And Jack and the rest of the peeps are dragging Ben in the jungle to be "saved" thanks to Naomi's folks.

And right when I think I have the show figured out, the flashbacks turn into flash-forwards. YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING ME! As if I couldn't be any more lost, they are now going to make me have to figure out from now on if we are talking about the future or the past. And by the way the season ends, it left me with a headache and a real urge to know what the heck happened to not only Jack and Kate, but the people who didn't leave the island with them. But let me digress...

You see, I didn't want to get that excited about this show but the final 8-10 episodes that just that. It really hooked me in like no other scripted drama has. I've tried with others but this is the first one where it really keeps getting better instead of running out of ideas and becoming dull. That's really refreshing for TV these days, where the life of a good show seems to be 2-3 seasons, if that (ex. Arrested Development, Love Monkey, The Mole).

As far as come quick character analyisis, sad to see Mr. Eko die. Like Locke, he made people think, something many of these people fail to do before they act (Kate, in particular). Also, saddens me to know Charlie is going. Desmond is still the man, as is Sayid, who stays my favorite person on the show. Locke is still the most interesting and I say the more flashbacks/forwards with him, the better.

Kate still bugs the hell outta me. Seriously, she doesn't listen or think. And her flashbacks prove that even more. Sawyer is still hilarious and in fact, more bearable to watch now cause he's a bit less brash around everyone. Juliet really complicates things and that's fine with me. Not 100% sold on her yet. Hurley is Hurley.

Jack is still a terrible leader. Wears his heart on his sleeve which works great in football. Not so much on an island with people who look to you to be rational and not so emotional. And Ben, talk about a con-man. I feel like he's lying every time he talks but so far, he's been pretty darn truthful. I hate the way he looks (bug-eyes creep me out) but he is a great character and I'm glad to see they didn't kill him off for some reason. He keeps me guessing and Jack, Locke, and pretty much everyone on their toes.

So all in all, Season 3 had its downs and then ups. But by the way Season 3 ended, I know Season 4 is gonna be really, really good.