Synopsis: Hurley tries to persuade Jack to go with him on an unspecified mission; Jin has an encounter with an old friend.
Written by: Damon Lindelof & Carlton Cuse.
Directed by: Jack Bender.

What did you think of LOST’s 108th episode? Tell us in comments below!

Please, do NOT post any info about upcoming episodes in comments. This includes the preview shown at the end of this episode, episode titles, etc. If you post a spoiler, you’ll be permanently banned. If you see a spoiler, please flag it. Thanks!

Related posts:

1. LOST Episode 6.04 “The Substitute” [Open Thread]
2. LOST Episode 6.03 “What Kate Does” [Open Thread]
3. Episode 5.06 “316″ – Open Thread

Last season we used to show the title of the next episode to air on ABC on our posts (promos, sneak peeks, etc). We’re aware that some of you consider episode titles as spoilers, so this year we wanted to ask you to give your opinion about this before it’s too late.

Should we continue posting the name of the next immediate episode to air on ABC? Please vote:

Related posts:

1. In Preparation for Season 6, Poll #1
2. In Preparation for Season 6, Poll #2: Best LOST Poster?
3. Poll: What LOST Reunion Are You Looking Forward To?

Related posts:

1. In Preparation for Season 6, Poll #2: Best LOST Poster?
2. In Preparation for Season 6, Poll #1
3. Is a Full-On Flight 815 Reunion Headed Our Way?

We invite you to join us every Sunday here at SL-LOST.com to rewatch and debate about the show’s top 10 episodes. The rewatch will begin next Sunday and will end on January 31, 2010:

Sunday, November 29: Episode #1
Sunday, December 6: Episode #2
Sunday, December 13: Episode #3
Sunday, December 20: Episode #4
Sunday, December 27: Episode #5
Sunday, January 3: Episode #6
Sunday, January 10: Episode #7
Sunday, January 17: Episode #8
Sunday, January 24: Episode #9
Sunday, January 31: Episode #10
Tuesday, February 2: LOST Season 6 Premiere

You can vote for your 10 favorite episodes after the jump.

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Related posts:

1. SL-LOST.com Awards
2. SL-LOST.com Awards: Last Day To Vote
3. Update on the SL-LOST.com Awards

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Related posts:

1. In Preparation for Season 6, Poll #1
2. Poll: Do You Like the Season 5 Cast Promo Photos?
3. Interactive, Globe-Spanning LOST Timeline

Via Sky1.com:

Readers of Totalscifionline.com and Lost Magazine have voted Ben Linus as the show’s top Bad Guy.

The shadowy character, played by the Emmy award-winning Michael Emerson, was first introduced in season two, when he initially pretended to have been stranded on the island after his hot air balloon crashed.

However, Ben was soon revealed to be the leader of the Others, and his later evil deeds included kidnapping Jack, Sawyer and Kate, attempting to kill Penelope, and killing Locke. But, of course, the distinction between heroes and villains is never clear-cut on Lost, and there are times when Ben seems almost sympathetic, particularly when we see his childhood in season five.

Ethan and Charles Widmore received the second and third amount of votes, while there were also votes for Juliet, Sawyer, Locke, Jack and er, Vincent the dog.

The new villains-themed issue of Titan Publishing’s official Lost Magazine is released on 13 October 2009 (US) and 29 October 2009 (UK).

Get more information on the Official Lost Magazine villains-theme issue.

Related posts:

1. From Lost to the Oval Office: Ben Linus for President!
2. Video: Ben Linus Turntable
3. More “ABC House” Promos Featuring Ben Linus & Sawyer

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Related posts:

1. Poll: Do You Like the Season 5 Cast Promo Photos?
2. In Preparation for Season 6, Episode 4: “The Others”
3. “In Preparation For Season 5″, Episode 5: Lovers

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Which new ABC sci-fi show are you more excited for, “Flash Forward” or “V” ? Check out the promos and additional info below and don’t forget to leave your vote and comment!

“Flash Forward”

• Plot: A mysterious global event causes everyone to black out simultaneously for two minutes and seventeen seconds, and each person sees a glimpse of their lives six months from now. When they wake up, everyone is left wondering if what they saw will actually happen.
• The ensemble cast includes Dominic Monaghan (Charlie) and Sonya Walger (Penny).
• Series Premiere: Thursday September 24th 8/7c.

“V”

• Plot: In this daring re-imagining of the ‘80s sci-fi classic, humanity takes on a greater threat than any it has ever faced before.
• Elizabeth Mitchell (Juliet on LOST) plays Erica Evans, a top agent with the FBI’s Counter Terrorist Division. She’s also a single mom doing the best she can raising a troubled teenaged son. After the Visitors arrive, Erica gets caught up in the greatest conspiracy and toughest fight of her life, to save humanity and to keep her son safe.
• Series Premiere: Tuesday November 3rd 8/7c.

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Related posts:

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2. Elizabeth Mitchell: “V” Promo Trailers
3. Penny’s “Flash Forward”

The Most Addictive TV series were as follows:

1. 24 – 19 per cent

2. Lost – 17 per cent

3. Friends – 10 per cent

4. Heroes – 9 per cent

5. The Wire – 7 per cent

6. Dr Who – 6 per cent

7. CSI – 5 per cent

8. Prison Break – 4 per cent

9. The Sopranos – 3 per cent

10. Sex and the City – 2 per cent

[Via Telegraph.co.uk]

No related posts.

Official synopsis: Jack’s decision to set things right on the island is met with some strong resistance by those close to him, and Locke assigns Ben a difficult task.

Written by: Damon Lindelof & Carlton Cuse.
Directed by: Jack Bender.

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Related posts:

1. Episode 5.06 “316″ – Open Thread
2. Episode 5.09 – “Namaste” – Open Thread
3. Episode 5.08 “LaFleur” – Open Thread

Episode 5.15 “Follow The Leader”

Official synopsis: Jack and Kate are at odds over the direction to take to save their fellow island survivors, and Locke further solidifies his stance as leader of “The Others.”

Written by: Paul Zbyszewski & Elizabeth Sarnoff.
Directed by: Stephen Williams.
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NOTE: Please, DO NOT talk about the trailer for the Season 5 Finale on this open thread. We will publish the promo tomorrow morning so you can talk about it, but no spoilers here!

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1. Episode 5.06 “316″ – Open Thread
2. Episode 5.04 “The Little Prince” – Open Thread
3. Episode 5.03 “Jughead” – Open Thread

Episode 5.14 “The Variable”

Official synopsis: On the 100th episode milestone for the series, the time of reckoning has begun when Daniel Faraday comes clean regarding what he knows about the island.

Written by: Edward Kitsis & Adam Horowitz.
Directed by: Paul A. Edwards.
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NOTE: Please, DO NOT talk about the preview for next week’s episode on this open thread. We will publish the promo tomorrow morning so you can discuss it, but no spoilers here!

Related posts:

1. Episode 5.06 “316″ – Open Thread
2. Episode 5.09 – “Namaste” – Open Thread
3. Episode 5.08 “LaFleur” – Open Thread

Episode 5.13 “Some Like It Hoth”

Official synopsis: Suspicions about a possible breach intensify after Ben is taken from the infirmary, and a reluctant Miles is forced to work with Hurley.

Written by: Greggory Nations & Melinda Hsu.
Directed by: Jack Bender.

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Related posts:

1. Episode 5.06 “316″ – Open Thread
2. Episode 5.09 – “Namaste” – Open Thread
3. Episode 5.08 “LaFleur” – Open Thread

Episode 5.12 “Dead is Dead”

Official synopsis: To atone for sins of the past, Ben must attempt to summon the smoke monster in order to be judged.

Written by: Brian K. Vaughan & Elizabeth Sarnoff.
Directed by: Stephen Williams.
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What did you think of the episode? Leave your opinion and theories in comments!

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1. Episode 5.06 “316″ – Open Thread
2. Episode 5.04 “The Little Prince” – Open Thread
3. Episode 5.03 “Jughead” – Open Thread

Episode 5.11 “Whatever Happened, Happened”

Official synopsis: Kate goes to extreme measures to save Ben’s life when Jack refuses to help. Meanwhile, Kate begins to tell the truth about the lie in order to protect Aaron.

Written by: Damon Lindelof & Carlton Cuse.
Directed by: Bobby Roth.
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What did you think of the episode? Leave your opinion and theories in comments!

Related posts:

1. Episode 5.06 “316″ – Open Thread
2. Episode 5.04 “The Little Prince” – Open Thread
3. Episode 5.03 “Jughead” – Open Thread

What did you think of the episode? Leave your opinion and theories in comments!

Episode 5.09 “Namaste”

Official synopsis: When some old friends drop in unannounced, Sawyer is forced to further perpetuate his lie in order to protect them.

Written by: Paul Zbyszewski & Brian K. Vaughan.
Directed by: Jack Bender.
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1. Episode 5.06 “316″ – Open Thread
2. Episode 5.08 “LaFleur” – Open Thread
3. Episode 5.03 “Jughead” – Open Thread

As you can see on the table above, we’ve compared your votes left on the Episode Threads‘ polls to IMDB and TV.com users’ ratings. Do you personally agree with the results? Sound off in comments!

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The episode has aired in Canada, so let’s get the discussion started! What did you think of the episode? Sound off in comments!

Episode 5.08 “La Fleur”

Written by Elizabeth Sarnoff & Kyle Pennington.
Directed by Mark Goldman.

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The first time I watched this episode I was sort of underwhelmed. There didn’t seem to be a whole lot of new information. I mean, we knew John went to the Oceanic 6, asked them to come back, and they said, “Go to hell, Jeremy Bentham.” Did we really need to see it? When I watched it a second time, though, I realized at least half of it was the third act. The entirety of Jeremy Bentham’s life and death could have taken place in that hotel room. And, as it was largely the extended scene between John and Ben, it was well done. Still, I’m not sure why the Suicide Showdown wasn’t the “present” in the episode. I think it might have felt a little less disjointed if John had spoken to the O6 in flashbacks.

On the island, the survivors of 316 have landed on Hydra Isle. It seems like all that rock breaking paid off. The plane is intact, it just skidded off a runway. The Ajirans have found a Dharma station with standard issue maps – Ben’s from season 3 – and weapons. There was a Life magazine with a full color picture of a “hydrogen test”. Inside was a quick glimpse of Julie Adams being carried by Gill-man in Creature from the Black Lagoon. She also played Amelia, the old lady at Juliet’s book club meeting.

We were formally introduced to Caesar and Ilana, the leaders of the Ajirans. I get a very Jack/Sayid vibe from Caesar and a Kate/Anna Lucia one from Ilana. They lie to each other about guns, seem confused, and find a “survivor” they can’t account for. Par for the course, island-style. Their Ethan Rom is John Locke, dressed like Jack Shephard and enrobed like Brother Campbell. Ilana asks him where he came from and what he remembered. He told her he remembered dying.

He spoke to Caesar, too. Something’s fishy with him. He looks far too comfortable behind that desk to have just crashed landed a day or so earlier. John told him that he’d been to the island before. Caesar told John that a big guy with curly hair disappeared in a flash of light right before the crash. John told him that he thinks he just figured out how he got to the island. Then Caesar took him to see the wounded. John found Ben among the injured. Looks like no Jacobian super healing for him this time around. John told Caesar he thinks he’s the man who killed him.

There was no triage the first time, save Edward. It’s like Widmore is trying to replicate the original flight or that like the Others are. Are we even sure that Widmore and Richard aren’t on the same side? If they were once his people, maybe they still are.

Off island, John landed in Tunisia, as expected. There were cameras set up around the drop zone. After night fell, he was picked up by Bedouins and taken to a field hospital. His leg was reset and he woke up hours later by Widmore. Charles said that he had been exiled by Ben and told John that he wanted him to be the new leader of the Others. John protested, saying that he had sent mercs to take out everybody on the island. Widmore told him that he was only after Ben. He asked John how long ago it was for him that he met Widmore on the island. John said four days. Charles was amazed. He said that John hasn’t aged a bit since 1954. He said that it has been three years since the O6 left and that he can get him in contact with each of them. This was really all John needed to hear and he set off with Abaddon, his chauffeur.

I know you’ll argue with me but this scene seemed to say that the past can be changed. Locke obviously didn’t speak to Widmore in the “first” 1954. He wasn’t born yet. They didn’t meet on the island for another 50 years. It also heavily implied that Richard is from the future rather than immortal.

He met up with Sayid in Santo Domingo where he was building housing. He said no to going back and suggested that John join him if he wanted to do some “real good”. He didn’t fare any better with Hurley who thought he was dead for the first minute they spoke. He seemed to be a little more receptive to what John had to say after a nurse confirmed that he was talking to a guy in a wheelchair. When he learned that he was with Abaddon, though, his mind changed. He told John that he shouldn’t be trusting that guy, stuck his fingers in his ears, and ran off.

John checked in on Walt while he was back in the world. The kid seemed a little standoffish. I’m pretty certain that he knew Locke was lying about his dad. Kate told him that he only wanted to go back because he never loved someone. John said that wasn’t true. He loved Helen. He has asked Abaddon to find her, but Matthew said that he couldn’t. John pressed him about it after speaking to Kate. Abaddon took him to her grave. He said that she died of a brain anyeurism. Very temporal displacement-y. John wondered if maybe it didn’t have to be that way. Matthew assured him it did.

As they were leaving, Abaddon was shot. A very freaked out John climbed into the front seat and sped away. A far cry from the island Locke who would run toward the sound of gunfire. He crashed a short distance away and woke up in, wouldn’t you know it, Jack’s hospital. John said it was fate and Jack said he just wrecked his car nearby. When John couldn’t convince him to come back he told Jack that his father sent him. This sent Jack into a rage and he stormed out.

That night John decided to hang himself, after having only spoken to the O6 once. Ben interrupted him and talked him out of it. He told him that Jack had booked a ticket for Sydney. Ben said that if he had Jack then he had all of them.  Coincidently, Ben overheard John say the same thing when he was spying on him and Walt. John told him that he was supposed to find Ms. Hawking. Ben flipped and choked him to death. It seemed sort of fitting, considering how John had his daddy taken out. Ben cleaned up the place and hung John’s body from the rafters.

This scene was slathered with Christian imagery. John’s arms outstretched, Ben at his feet reaching up to him, the giant cross on the ceiling. It feels like the show is taking the side of faith in this, its’ most scientific, season. It may be asking the fans who are turned off by the whole time-travel business to do the same. It’s too bad the producers’ didn’t have the same confidence with the classic present/flashback construct. This was not a bad episode but it could have been pretty good if it had had a better flow.

Three out of five.

- Jeremiah

wearelost.wordpress.com

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