Posted on March 13, 2008 @ 10:06 pm
Welcome to Lost-vivor — all the mystery and adventure of Lost with an added dash of Survivor-style competition! Please note that the section ahead contains spoilers for last night’s episode of Lost. Proceed at your own risk.
Michael’s return? Even without the benefit of spoilers, I kinda saw that coming. After all, Harold Perrineau has been listed in the opening credits all season long. The fact that Jin’s story was a flashback intercut with Sun’s flash forward, however, took me totally by surprise. In fact, I’d say it’s one of the bigger curveballs Lost has thrown this season, and it just goes to show how many intriguing storytelling avenues have been opened up by tinkering with the series’ flashback formula.
Overall, I felt that “Ji Yeon” continued to build upon a string of solid episodes for Lost, and I have to admit that I find Sun and Jin’s story rather touching at this point. Of course, now I’m curious if next week’s episode (”Meet Kevin Johnson”) will fill in a few blanks about how Michael ended up working for Ben — not to mention how he got posted on the freighter. And why shouldn’t we trust the captain?
Okay, let’s take a look at this week’s scores:
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Jin:
“Let’s talk about baby names.” “Can you pass the cereal?” Is it just me, or did Jin’s English skills improve dramatically sometime between Seasons Three and Four?: +3
He’s one of the Oceanic Six: +5
Bought a pretty awesome stuffed panda for his kid: +3
Cell phone knocked out of his hand, run over: -2
Cab stolen: -2
Along with his giant stuffed panda: -2
Dropped what appeared to be an obscene amount of money on a replacement panda. Let’s see, if a single South Korean won is worth .001031 US dollars, and Jin laid out at least a few 10,000-won bills…aw, screw it. If there’s anything I’ve proven during the course of Lost-vivor, it’s that math isn’t my strong suit. Let’s just say he overpaid: -1
Found out Sun cheated on him. I’m granting an official Lost-vivor Sympathy Point: +1
Caught a fish (despite Bernard’s endless yapping): +1
Forgave Sun. It’s a testament to just how much Jin has grown as a character when you compare him to the abusive jerk who wouldn’t let his wife take off her sweater in front of the other Losties back in Season One: +6
Missed his daughter’s birth: -4
Hold the phone…Jin was actually rushing to make it to someone else’s birth? And he’s only been married for two months? So, Jin was having a flashback while Sun was having a flash forward? I didn’t see that coming. On the bright side, I guess he hasn’t missed his daughter’s birth…at least not yet: +4
Jin’s dead?! Say what?: -100
His tombstone says he died on September 22, 2004…meaning he supposedly perished in the crash of Flight 815. So you’re telling me he’s not even one of the Oceanic Six anymore?: -5
But he’s still alive on the Island. So, I guess I shouldn’t deduct that 100 points yet: +100
Thanks a lot, Jin. Your future death officially broke Lost-vivor. I hope you’re happy: -2
Net gain/loss: +5
Current score: DOES NOT COMPUTE! DOES NOT COMPUTE! <bzzt!> <pop!> |
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Desmond:
“Ye can toss me in the brig, brotha, but ye canna make me eat lima beans”: -2
Took notice of Regina’s impending suicide: +2
Demanded some answers from the captain. As always, I’m here to provide positive reinforcement on those rare occasions when Losties ask intelligent, relevant questions: +5
Downgraded to cabin with cockroaches, bloodstain: -2
Net gain/loss: +3
Current score: 116 |
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Juliet:
Caught Sun rifling through her tent: +1
Exposed Sun’s affair to Jin. Man, that’s cold: -7
To Juliet’s credit, however, she seems to genuinely care about Sun…in a “I’m more than happy to wreck your marriage” kind of way: +1
Net gain/loss: -5
Current score: 109 |
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Kate:
Talked trash about Juliet to Sun. Jealous much, Kate?: -1
Drew Sun a map of the Island. Okay, that’s fairly impressive: +4
Net gain/loss: +3
Current score: 102 |
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Sun:
She’s one of the Oceanic Six: +5
Uh-oh…looks like she’s encountered some complications with her pregnancy: -3
Demanded answers from Daniel (”Are you here to rescue us?”). Way to go, Sun!: +4
Doesn’t trust Juliet. I honestly can’t blame her: +1
Considered defecting to Team Locke. I know Team Jack looks a little shaky right now, but trust me — Team Locke is going downhill fast: -3
Caught rifling through Juliet’s tent: -2
Fell prey to the familiar “your usual obstetrician is out of town” television birth cliché: -1
Ratted out by Juliet concerning her affair: -5
Decided against Team Locke after all. A wise choice: +3
Delivered a healthy baby girl: +8
Net gain/loss: +7
Current score: 108 |
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Jack:
Actually acted like a doctor, asked Sun about her pregnancy: +1
Net gain/loss: +1
Current score: 109 |
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Michael:
Hey, Michael’s back: +5
Oh, and since Lost-vivor wasn’t around back in Season Two, here’s a little something from me to you — just my way of saying thanks for all those times you ran around screaming “THEY TOOK MY BOY!!!” back in the day: -3
Oops! Almost forgot…Kevin Johnson? You’ve had all this time to think up an alias, and the best you could do is steal one from a former Phoenix Suns point guard?: -3
Net gain/loss: -1
Current score: 99 |
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Bernard:
Butted in on Sun and Jin’s argument. Way to go, Captain Awkward: -1
Dispensed a few of his patented words of wisdom for Jin. At least I assume they were words of wisdom; I stopped paying attention when he started talking: +2
Net gain/loss: +1
Current score: 102 |
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Regina:
Hey, Regina is being played by Death Proof’s Zoe Bell: +2
Who’s apparently illiterate or something: -3
Oh, wait. It doesn’t matter. She committed suicide: -99
Net gain/loss: -100
Current score: NA |
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Sayid:
Thrown in brig with Desmond: -2
Accepted the lima beans. Yes…protein will be essential for the escape plan I assume you’re hatching: +1
Sought answers from the captain. Yet again, it’s encouraging when these people bother asking the right questions: +5
Recognized flight data recorder. Well, of course he did: +2
Downgraded to the bloodstained, cockroach-infested accommodations. Short of an outbreak of the Norwalk virus, I’d say the H.M.S. Penny’s Father’s Boat is in the running for crappiest cruise line ever: -2
Resisted the urge to kill Michael on the spot. ‘Cause you know Sayid wanted to: +1
Net gain/loss: +5
Current score: 132 |
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Frank:
Pointed out that Regina was reading her book upside down. This is one wacky boat: +1
Net gain/loss: +1
Current score: 116 |
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Hurley:
The only member of the Oceanic Six to visit Sun. He looked pretty sharp in that suit, too: +2
Net gain/loss: +2
Current score: 115 |
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After seven weeks of Lost-vivor 2, here are your updated standings:
- Daniel (138)
- Sayid (132) (+5)
- Locke (123)
- Ben (122)
- Sawyer (118)
- Desmond (116) (+3)
- Frank (116) (+1)
- Hurley (115) (+2)
- Jack (109) (+1)
- Juliet (109) (-5)
- Sun (108) (+7)
- Vincent (106)
- Jin (104) (+5)
- Kate (102) (+2)
- Bernard (102) (+1)
- Charlotte (100)
- Michael (99) (-1)
- Claire (98)
- Rose (97)
- Miles (93)
No major shakeups this week. Michael entered the rankings in seventeenth place (I’m really keeping track of twenty Lost-vivors?!), and Sayid closed in on Daniel’s lead. Sun posted the largest gains of the week, but she remains stuck near the middle of the pack for now.
So, that does it for this week’s installment of Lost-vivor. As always, I appreciate any feedback in the comments section. Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you next time.
At first, I was sad to see that Jin was dead in the future. Then I realized: He might not actually be dead. He might just be stuck on the island in the future and Sun just wanted to visit him in spirit or something.
The writers could be throwing us for a loop… not that they’ve ever done that before.
I’m hoping that Desmonds cry about Lima Beans was supposed to be screamed in my mind a la William Wallace.
Great job again, although I thought Kate was going to take a hit for taking too much Vitamin Bitch.
Seriously I didn’t realize it’s a flashback for Jin…when he said he’s only been married for 2 months I thought he divorced Sun because of her affair and remarried. Even seeing his name on the tombstone I assumed the cover-up is still on at first, but after a while it does make sense that his was a flashback.
Nice job on Lost vivor. As always, keep up with the good work!
great as usual… personally, i was waiting for the customary “WAAAAAALT!!” that seems to happen whenever michael is around. also, this means we’re still waiting for the final of the oceanic 6.. or does Aaron count as one of them?
Poor Captain Awkward LOL!!!
Hey, have you heard the theory being tossed around that Bernard may be, in fact, Walt’s granddad or step granddad? Interesting evidence points to Rose being Walt’s maternal grandmother…*spoils*
Thanks for the great posts Jess!!
You may be giving Juliet a hard shake. While she did rat out the affair, she did it in order to save Sun’s life and it seems to have worked. Maybe I’m just sentimental, but I trust Mrs. Clause more than most I guess.
I was pretty impressed with Desmond and Sayid not giving Michael away. Typically in TV shows they make some comment about already knowing them and then suddenly pretend it was a mistake. “Oh, I’m sorry. You just look so familiar. Let me speak more awkwardly so as not to give us away…”
Another great write-up - I had to double-check the date on the tombstone to make sure Jin wasn’t dead.
As always, I enjoyed reading through the point allocations for this week.
One question though: Shouldn’t Farraday have taken a hit or two on the point scale for wimping out when Sun asked him about the rescue? Just my thoughts.
Sounds like you’ll only have to keep track of 19 after next weeks.
@Jeff: I dunno…surely if Jin was still on the island, Sun and Hurley would know about it. Then again, I suppose Sun could be mourning his absence and not his actual death.
Thanks to everyone for the comments. I’d enjoy doing Lost-vivor no matter what, but it’s certainly more fun to hear positive feedback along the way.
You forgot to give Desmond points for being the only one who noticed that Regina was about to commit suicide and the only one who tried to do something about it.
@Jess: Right, that’s what I meant with my awkwardly phrased “Sun just wanted to visit him in spirit or something”. My hope at this point is that the Oceanic Six knows he’s alive and on the island and Sun was just mourning his absence…
Oceanic Six: Jack, Kate, Sayid, Hurley, Sun, Aaron
Just a short note to say this blog is outstanding! I’ve been reading it for quite a while, and it’s always entertaining! But only two points for Hurley traveling a great distance to South Korea to be with Sun after she delivered? I’d give him 5 for that one, brotha!
Oh, you poor bastard. Lost-vivor has been broken, indeed. Dammit! What the heck DO you do at this point? I have no idea.
Hero-vivor is so going to do this to me sometime, I know it. Like having the winner of season 1 “possibly dead” wasn’t bad enough?
Another awesome LOST-vivor. I had to run in here and read this right after I watched b/c I was so sad over Jin. Thanks for the perk-up!
Excellent blog, always entertaining.
I would give points to Frank for the mystery *errand.*
Points to Hurley for braving the flight to see Sun and the baby. He’s not as nuts as future Jack who appears to enjoy flying and wants to crash back on the island.
Not sure how points would play into this and not sure how to say this gently. But, er, after eating beans a certain biological function comes to play. Sayid is getting down on those beans. I’m just saying…. I feel sorry for Desmond being in that small room with him.
I think Michael should be deducted some one million points for killing Ana-Lucia (she was my favorite character!) and libby, while you’re at it with the ‘THEY TOOK MY BOY!” crap. And for not managing to get off the island, because it’s obvious e didn’t. And for cooperating with the Others. BTW, how in the hell did he survive with Walt in a deep-ass-cold ocean/lake with no food? You should award points for that most goodly achievement.
You have to give Juliet some credit for the birth of Sun’s baby. Since it can be implied that she did something right in convincing Sun to leave the island and her attempts to keep Sun and the baby healthy on the island. So yes a baby can be conceived on the island and born on the island, just not both.
Just a thought, what if Juliet was her doctor that was out of town?