Lost: Congratulations Namaste Class of 1977!

Posted by ScuzzBuster

March 19, 2009

I love happy reunions. We’ve been working all season for this moment and when we finally get there everybody hugs, tears well up, and for a brief moment everything was wine and roses. Of course, panic ensues and it seems like Sawyer is going above and beyond to make things smooth and safe for the second round plane crash survivors. Yes, there’s panic and concern but everyone’s on the same side now, right?

JJ Abrams’ bastard writing staff couldn’t even give us a full sixty minutes to breathe easy and feel comfortable before slowly yanking the rug out from under us. First, we saw them reaching for that rug under our feet for a while now knowing that we are going to face the inevitable uncomfortable disclosures that James “Sawyer” LaLeur and Juliette are cohabitating and doing the nasty. The only question there is who’s this worse news for, Jack who still has feeling for Juliette or Kate who still has feelings for Sawyer? So that poop has started filtering through the fan.

The next yank on the rug: Sun and Linus. Everything’s under control until we finally have to start knocking people unconscious and stealing boats with my current second favorite fictional character on television, Frank Lapidus. Go Frank! And for the love of God, am I the only one losing patience with this ongoing baloney with Jack’s father? Currently, amidst all the paranormal mumbo jumbo on the program this is the one piece that I am I holding to an extremely high standard of resolution. Considering the long term exposition and established background with Jack’s tragically flawed and human father over the first 4 seasons, having that dead man walk around with the air and authority he is showing yet still professing himself to be Christian Shepherd, Jack’s father is borderline silly. In any case, the resolution on this better be more entertaining than mystical or silly.

Ahh, crap, things are starting to go to hell already, the Dharmites already want to execute Sayid. In season 1 or 2 having your only and best hope of survival being James “Sawyer” Ford wouldn’t have been very comforting, especially if you were the one responsible for torturing Mr. Ford with the hideous bamboo under the fingernails technique. Funny how suddenly Sawyer is the one that cool, mature and in control.

Then, of course, the rug is officially yanked when we finally get to what we expect is going to be a relaxed and rational conversation between Jack and James at the humble Lafleur homestead and it turns into an uneasy and tense confrontation between the two. The most interesting thing for me in this situation—and again one of the awesome things about the Lost character drama over the seasons—is that I am 180 full degrees from the side on which I would have fallen 4 seasons ago. From an authority and intelligent decision making perspective, Jack trumps Sawyer every time, doesn’t he? This time, we are (at least I am) completely in Sawyer’s corner now. Even as much of an asshole as he is to Jack in this scene, he’s damn near 100% right. Even though it’s hard to tell whether Jack is sincere or sarcastic when he tensely tells Sawyer that his secure that he is in control of the situation, I’m convinced Sawyer does know what he’s doing.

By the end of the episode, as much as we are at ease with the fact that Sawyer and Juliette have found some sort of peace, stability and happiness, it still doesn’t change the fact that we all know that the Dharma Initiative is doomed to a deadly fate. So this means what? Sawyer and Juliette are content to spend a couple happy years before having their bodies piled in the pit with the rest of Dharma? They’ve obviously remained very aware of what’s to come.

Well, that’s Lost for you. The Namaste Dharma class of 1977 has an interesting time in store. Fortunately for the guy paying for the TV set, Namaste turns out to be one of the most intriguing and entertaining episodes of season 5 so far. I’m the first to admit it played deliberately into the vulnerable emotions of the fans by utilizing the happy reunions to make us feel warm and fuzzy for the first half or so, but at least they didn’t waste too much time reminding us that it is the destiny of the Oceanic Six to live through even more miserable times.
Let’s hope next week get to see some detailed and extensive scenes of Jack performing his janitorial duties.

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