Un'Locke'd in time: A look at the 'Lost' premiere

Why do you think Sawyer and Juliet will hook up? Sawyer just lost Kate. Why would you think he's going to be jumping Juliet? Could you explain? Please?

Sure. There was nothing in the episode (at least the first hour) that showed it one way or the other except they were spending a lot of time together, taking on the leadership roles that opened up when most of the major players left the island. I don't think it will happen right away, but I think they really might end up together this season. Juliet had feelings for Jack, but realized that he would always love Kate, and Sawyer loves Kate, but he realizes that part of her will always love Jack. So Sawyer and Juliet are the two left behind. Plus, it will end up being three years in real time that the Oceanic 6 are gone from the island -- we don't know how long that will seem to the people on the island, but it will still be awhile that Sawyer and Kate are apart.

Oh I see just your own feelings based on nothing in the episode. I guessed as much. A lot of people thought the sight of them together drinking from the same bottle meant they'd become a couple LOL. I get the feeling you don't follow the story too closely, no offense. Did you realize Jin was never part of the O6? You talk about Lost like it's a soap opera. Do you follow the show for real?

There was nothing overt in the episode (sorry if that was confusing), but I think it's the natural evolution. You asked me why I thought the two might get together, so I was just answering your question. I have seen every Lost episode, so I do follow the show for real. No, Jin was not part of the Oceanic 6, but he technically made it off the island and the clip in the premiere is at a point where he is still around. Plus, there's a lot of speculation that Jin is not really dead.

You think it's a natural evolution to throw in a random new love interest for Sawyer when his whole story has been about loving Kate? Why would that be natural? Just because every one has to hook up at some point before the series ends? What about story integrity? This isn't Desperate Housewives, correct? No offense, I mean it, but I don't get why so many people keep expecting this show to be another Grays Anatomy.

It's a good thing it's not Grey's Anatomy or Desperate Housewives. I could be wrong that this will happen, but I think a lot is going to happen on the island and Sawyer and Juliet will become the two new leaders with Jack and Kate gone. Yes, Sawyer loves Kate, but if she's gone for a long time, and he realizes it's hopeless, sometimes people in extreme circumstances turn to each other. Isn't that what happened with Jack and Juliet? I'm glad Lost isn't focused on soap opera romances, but it also relies on relationships/friendships to give the stories meaning. Charlie and Hurley's friendship was one example.

Your speculation is based on thinking we're going back to a linear story told the way Lost used to be told. I think you're in for a big surprise. They aren't going to rehash the whole leadership thing and go through three years on the island. It's all going to be flashing around in different time zones and there won't be any of that straight linear stuff any more. I don't think you realize how radically the show has been changed by all the time stuff. That's ok though. We love Lost for the surprises, even though we keep making predictions based on predictability LOL. You're right about the relationships giving the story meaning. That's why throwing together something random at this late point in the story would really undermine the relationships they've worked so hard to build.

I can't see a Sawyer/Juliet happening for different reasons. Sawyer has just lost the first love of his life and if his story has told us one thing, he's not good at moving on. He will be grieving for a very long time. Also, Juliet knows that Sawyer loves Kate. She is not going to get involved with that again because otherwise, she could have just as easily continued her pretense of a relationship with Jack. Not to mention that Sawyer is not her type. Even the producers have said so.

Thanks so much for the review!! Hilarious about Hurley and Sayid. Sounds like fun. I completely get the feeling that Juliet and Sawyer will get together. The parallel nature of them running hand-in-hand across the beach was almost the exact scene of Jack and Kate running hand-in-hand to the helicopter. The producers say they like changing things up (and permutations) of the Love quadrangle so it would totally make sense to pair Suliet. They look great together too! TPTB didn't say that Sawyer wasn't Juliet's type: Elizabeth Mitchell was gushing in an audiocommentary about how Juliet isn't very charmed by Sawyer. Agree with the author that 3 years is a very long time. Sawyer needed to grow through Kate to find who he is really meant to be with. He saw the writing on the wall in the Finale (just as Josh Holloway said in Lost magazine!) that he and Kate weren't going to be together. You've made me SO excited to see the premiere now!! Thanks again for the recap!

Well if a scene mirrors a Jack and Kate scene, then it must mean romance and while we're at it if Josh Holloway says something it must be totally 100%. The way they have set up Sawyer's story is he's with Kate or no one. Sawyer will not end up with Juliet. And its complete foolishness to say Sawyer and Juliet hook up because Sawyer and her are spending time together, um, probably trying to survive and because he is dragging her to safety. I mean, wow the romance. Damon doesn't have to say Sawyer isn't her type. Watch the characterization to know that. Its not hard.

Thanks for the review. It sounds really exciting.

The parallel nature of them running hand-in-hand across the beach was almost the exact scene of Jack and Kate running hand-in-hand to the helicopter.

Yes, it was. Jack was saving Kate from the freighter blowing up, and Sawyer was saving Juliet from the flaming arrows. It's not romantic in either case.

I see no reason for Sawyer and Juliet to get romantically involved. Kate is the only one for Sawyer, and Juliet knows it.

Thanks for the review, I hope ABC doesn't find you. Yikes. I think for anyone that reads spoilers, knows very well that Sawyer won't be without Kate for 3 years, so sad for Suliet(Jate) shippers.

Thanks so much for the review! :D I'm so excited!

Can I ask if they list Nestor Carbonell and Daniel Dae Kim in the opening main cast credits?

I can't f****** believe you shippers. Get lost. Do you have to turn everything into high school drama. Show some respect. Jennifer thank you for the information. Lost fans especially shippers are hardly examples of maturity and unbiasedness. All they can talk about is how they are right. Is anyone actually trying to learn something from Faraday? You say Faraday is walking around as if he knows what's happening. Will we get anything out of him? How did you find the pace?

I just read a review of this episode by someone else who saw it and she's very straight that there's no hint of romance of any kind in it. This Sawyer + Juliet stuff is just the wishful thinking of the obnoxious Jate shippers, of which this reviewer sounds like one. Ugh. Give it up people. They aren't rewriting Lost to fit your soap opera level of understanding. Natural evolution? Destroying Sawyer's four year character development for some stupid meaningless fling isn't natural evolution. It's the garbage writing you find on nighttime soaps like Gray's Anatomy. I wish people would just be honest that they don't understand Lost rather than cover it up with phrases like natural evolution. There's nothing natural about it and it has nothing to do with this kind of show.

Wow the crazy skaters are out and about, attacking people for even DARING to imagine the idea that Sawyer might not be pining away over Kate while she's been shacking up with Jack.
Do you people even watch the show for anything other than that horrid triangle? Because based on the comments, you wouldn't think so.

Jennifer thank you for this. It is very much appreciated. From the promos, I got the feeling Locke was separate from everyone else...which would also explain why Sawyer and Juliet become the main leaders of the left behinders.

Ana Lucia appearing to Hurley? Very interesting. I wonder what she says to him...

Damon Lindelof himself said that Sawyer's powers do not work on Juliet and that he's not interesting to her. Maybe you should rewatch that commentary again Katgirl.

LMAO! Wow Skate fans really need to calm down a bit. I get that Season 4 didn't exactly go the way you wanted it to. It's been the Kate and Jack story from the beginning. Anyone who thinks otherwise must have missed Season's 1, 2, 4 and the latter portion of S3. Suliet is going to happen even if it's just UST. There is a reason the promos are showing Sawyer and Juliet specifically together. There is a reason they are writing scenes of them together. There is a reason they show them holding hands running together. If you folks stubbornly refuse to see that then why even watch the show in reality: just write fan fics and imagine it.

Sad that the author is doing something really cool and gets attacked by bitter Skaters. It's just a show people and believe it or not...there are many who don't like Skate and/or don't think the story makes a bit of sense for them to be together in the end.

Thanks for all the comments. Had no idea what a hornet's nest this would be. Haha. This is just guessing on my part, no one is saying Sawyer and Juliet will be walking down the aisle together. As for your question, Brett, because of the screener version I'm watching, they don't have the credit names added. But neither Nestor Carbonell or Daniel Dae Kim appear in the Lost cast photo if that means anything. http://blogs.pioneerlocal.com/entertainment/2008/12/lost_season_5_clip_someones_as.html Although Carbonell does appear in the premiere and Jin is shown in a scene that aired last season. I ended up watching the second half of the premiere, so I'll be writing more later today.

Faraday doesn't seem to be the key to fixing all the problems, but he does have the information they need and he'll start sharing some of it. I think the pace was great, a lot happened in the premiere and it seems like they've really put a lot of thought into how this season will turn out.

Jennifer, are you able to say who is the person in the hood? Also anything about how they come up with the lie?

Also Katgirl, LOST has never been and never will be the Jack and Kate story. That just shows how arrogant shippers are. You'll also be disappointed waiting for UST between Suliet. Go back to DarkUFO and pimp your "facts" oh and while you're there check out his spoilers that put an end to your Suliet dreams

I think all shippers are clearly crazy, but Katgirl I wouldn't throw stones ya know. Its seems that you are pushing the Suliet thing real hard just so you can get your imaginary Jack and Kate show, and I don't see that at all.

Please tell me if there were some nice Jack/Kate scenes on Penny's boat? Or any other place?
Jate fan over here)))

Sorry, not much interaction between the two, even on Penny's boat. As for the question from you, Kate, as to who's in the hood, I don't know if you sent through your real e-mail or not, but I can tell you by e-mail if you want to know.

According to several other sites who have viewed and reviewed the first two episodes there is NO Suliet, no Skate and no Jate. There is a picture up of a scene between Jack and Kate on Penny's boat and it looks anything BUT romantic. Take off the shipper glasses and look at the story; Kate and Jack fizzled and Kate and Sawyer have a reunion waiting. Juliet doesn't need to be the other woman again and the speculation that Sawyer and she might hook up was based on...........nothing.

Thanks!
So, they don't speak at all? :(
And does Kate mentions Sawyer in any way?

Sorry for such question... "Ignorant" shipper here... :)

I thought Sawyer didn't know that they made it of the island 'cause he saw the boat explode but didn't see the helicopter flying (or crashing)!

Thank you very much for doing this! I'm going to try and stay away from the rabid shippers and ask about Charlotte. In one of the teaser trailers, we saw her looking rather...dead. Do you have any other information on Charlotte that you could share?

Thanks again!

Thank you for the review Jennifer...
And i'm really sorry for reading how some Skaters are accusing you of being a Jater just because you expressed your opinion on a subject.

So there wont be any nice Jack and Kate interactions in the first 2 episodes? That's too bad. I love them.

Could you tell us how Kate mentions Sawyer? Is it a scene with romantic connotations?

And have you just seen the first hour or both episodes?

Hah, It's funny to hear Jack\Kate fans to ask is there is any Sawyer\Kate mention!. You are scared or what?.

Anyway nice review!. Hope that Juliet\Sawyer thing isn't going to happen.

I've just posted my thoughts on the second hour of the premiere.
http://blogs.pioneerlocal.com/entertainment/2008/12/look_at_season_5_lost_premiere.html
Kate actually does not talk about Sawyer, but he mentions her. Kate does think at one point about contacting Jack, but decides not to. Charlotte is OK in the premiere, but she's starting to exhibit some troublesome symptoms.

Thank you Jennifer for taking your time to answer all the (even pointless shipper) questions.
Happy New Year!

The Jack and Kate Show? ROFLMAO! If one thing is clear from all these premiere spoilers it's that we are getting ZERO Jack/Kate interaction in these episodes. HOORAY! That alone makes the season look better than last year. I think you Jaters have had your day, better get used to the reality that the couple with NO chemistry never ends up together. I love how this season is being set up as far as all the Sawyer and all the Sawyer/Kate stuff we have to look forward to.

And LOL at all the silly Suliet spec. Jaters don't care who they hook poor Sawyer up with - if it's not Juliet, it's Cassidy and if it's not Cassidy, it's Clare. They're so desperate! But I'd be scared too if I was them. Sucks to be a jater LOL!

Actually there's a lot more hints of Juliet and Jack in these episodes than there is of Juliet and Sawyer. I'm still trying to figure out where this reviewer was coming from with that random comment. It totally doesn't fit these episodes.

In response to Katgirl, I also want to mention that Josh Holloway obviously hadn't seen the script for this premiere when he said that Sawyer and Kate got closure with their big helicopter kiss. Hardly! From the looks of this episode, it's anything but that. Sawyer will continue to be motivated by his love for Kate. If anything's a given on Lost, I think that is.

Bitter? Check.
Threatened? Check.
Jealous? You betcha!

Skaters need to chill. One reviewer (who has seen the ep, btw, which is more than I can say for you people) posts her personal speculation for these characters, and you people jump all over it in predictable fashion with knocking Jack/Kate. Seriously. You people make the rest of us look bad. I'm not a shipper, but after seeing the comments here and elsewhere by Skaters time and time again, I'm looking at Jate in a whole new light.

GO JATE.

"I'm not a shipper, but after seeing the comments here and elsewhere by Skaters time and time again, I'm looking at Jate in a whole new light."

LOL, how many times have we heard this? Bitter, threatened and jealous about WHAT? Jate gets no play in the first two episodes. Zero. Nada. Nothing. Skate gets a couple of very touching mentions. Jack is being pushed into the background, Sawyer is coming to the front. Who exactly is bitter, threatened and jealous? LOL at Colin the instant Jater! Because ppl become shippers because they disapprove of the online chatter of other fans! Pull the other one, Colin. Jaters are having a meltdown today, because all their ridiculous pipe dreams are going up in smoke and the season's still three weeks away.

Geez, what's wrong with skaters? Jennifer was kind enough to give us this info about the firts episodes... Sawyer has a storyline of his own for once and you keep him hanging in this triangle from hell?? It's the death of his character because everyone knows Jack and Kate are the couple...

I wonder how Faraday is gonna change the past... something to do with the Comic Con video? Preventing the purge? What else was written in that notebook of his?
I'm so glad he's playing a bigger part in S5.
Aaargh, I CAN'T WAIT ANYMORE TO FIND OUT!

Thanks Jennifer!

Jesus Christ all the spoilers in this review and all any fo the damn shippers can do is talk about is the fact that the reviewer speculates that Sawyer and Juliet might, might be headed for a romance. Then it explodes into a high school shouting match. Just let the story unfold. The carousel of relationships is the standard for network TV. Just as long as this show doesn't end as the dream of an autistic kid staring into a snowglobe I'll be fine.

As far as the Kate giving a blood sample storyline, you asked, "So who would care enough to prove that Aaron isn't Kate's son?" I think it is Ben or Jack staging the whole thing to get Kate and Aaron on the run. Otherwise they may never have gotten her to leave LA and return to the Island. Remember her plea bargain last season? She agreed not to leave the state (?) for ten years.

The only thing that fizzled was Sawyer and Kate when she jacked him upside the jaw and immediately ran to Jack - - - - like she always does! (oh hat's right, it's Christmas break and they are allowed to stay up late). Anyway, the only reunion will, of course be Jack and Kate - as stated sooooo many times; it's been "their" story from Episode 1! So no need to worry about us Jack/Kate fans. Our glasses are working just fine, in fact, maybe you all should get a pair! And whoever wrote this article should have known that whenever there is mention of Jack and Kate, the Skaters all PM each other and come out in full force (the same 5 of them) - worried much? Not us!! Take care.

I like your theory, DelMar, about it being Ben or Jack who tricked Kate into thinking someone was going to take a blood sample so that she'd go on the run. Ben definitely would do it, and Jack might if he thought it was the right thing in the end and it would save them all.

I could see Ben using the lawyer to trick Kate into running to get her to return to the island. But I could also see Sun or Widmore sending the lawyer, Sun knows the truth and wants revenge and could use the lawyer as a method of revenge and she is working with Widmore.

"Anyway, the only reunion will, of course be Jack and Kate - as stated sooooo many times; it's been "their" story from Episode 1! "

Are all the shippers this stupid? Is it a requirement? Do they really think Lost is about Jack and Kate? Rather strange then for the first two hours of a 17 hour season to have NONE of them in it. They barely seem to know one another, except for Kate NOT calling Jack when she's in trouble and making a rotten face when Sun asks how he is. Jack meanwhile is almost a robot in the premiere. Very little feeling, even blander than usual, and if someone didn't know the backstory they'd never in a million years suspect that Kate was anyone special to him.

"Jack might if he thought it was the right thing in the end and it would save them all."

This version of Jack is on the trash heap. Lost requires flexibility of interpretation. People fixated on season one versions of Jack will probably have a hard time following this story to its conclusion. Jack is no hero. That's becoming THE point.

Ah HA! I guessed about the time jumping island. I've always thought the island existed in it's own time bubble, and Ben moving the island plus the flash of light/sky turning purple cracked that bubble to varying degrees. I also guessed that Sawyer and Juliet would hook up. They have more chemistry than Sawyer/Kate and Jack/Juliet for sure, and neither has ever come first with Kate and Jack respectively.

"This version of Jack is on the trash heap."

Naah, not really. Jack more than anyone else kept trying to do right by all of the people over the course of the first three seasons who had put their faith in him, and things just kept getting more twisted and complicated. There was no right and wrong, just rocks and hard places. Finally, he just said, "What the hell. If I can't save everyone, at least I can save the woman I love." But the guilt and the heaviness of abandoning his "live together, die alone" ideal weighed on him, made him question his own morality, and caused his eventual break down. Locke reappearing and telling him what HAD to be done was a relief. He had to go back and save the people he left behind, and I think he kind of knew that it would come to that all along. Locke just gave him the kick in the pants. He's still a hero, albeit a flawed, tragic one.

I agree, Linda, Jack is not on the trash heap, he is the tragic hero. That's really one of the major points of "Lost" -- the island has been a salvation for most of the people on it. If most of their lives were better off when they were home, it wouldn't be half as good. Kate was a fugitive; Sawyer was a con man who killed an innocent man; Hurley was cursed; Jack was depressed and suffering from his failed marriage; Locke was in wheel chair and reeling from being betrayed by his father; Sun and Jin's marriage was a sham; Rose had cancer; Charlie was a drug addict. On the island, they've all gotten to become heroes and if any of them end up off the island permanently, their lives will only really work once they've finished whatever mission they're supposed to on the island.

That's one possible interpretation, Jennifer Thomas, although it's a very shallow one. True, their lives pre crash were bad, but it's not accurate to say the island was salvation. The island made a lot of people dead and has put the rest of them through hell. Characters like Juliet, Desmond and Ben, who didn't exist in SEason one, are now dominant characters. There's so much more to Lost than there seemed to be in Season One and the prepackaged ideas from that season don't really hold water anymore.

I think those who sympathize with Jack are missing the point. He's not a tragic hero. He's the guy who got off and spent three years acting like a jerk, shunning Aaron, treating Kate like crap, using drugs, not showing Hurley any compassion, etc. Why should anyone care what happens to poor Jack, who always feels so sorry for himself, when the other characters are so much more deserving and compelling?

Jack will probably end up tragically but he's going to have to do something major to be worthy of being called a hero. There are so many other heroes now, better heroes than Jack, the self pitying drug addict. Plus, all indications are that this season's storyline will focus much less on Jack than previous years. The truly compelling character arcs belong to Sun, Locke, Sawyer, Sayid, Desmond, Ben, Daniel. Jack is pretty much run of the mill, middle of the pack right now. Things are very different this year.

I'm definitely not saying it's been all sunshine and rainbows for people on the island. It's been their salvation in terms of the chance to make a difference and let their flaws work for them. Jack did that at first -- his need to fix everything worked when the island was in chaos. Off the island now, he's having a meltdown, he's selfish, weak, an addict, because he can't accept that not everything can be fixed. Jack isn't my absolute favorite character, I'm just saying he shouldn't be counted out. The great thing about "Lost" is that it's an ensemble show and various people have stepped up into the center, some to become the "heroes." I think the whole point is that none of the characters are either perfect or completely flawed.

But there's no symmetry. Kate has improved off island. She's stronger, independent of hero worshipping Jack, taking care of a child, doing the right things. Sun also looks really strong off island. They don't seem less heroic off the island.

I agree with you that the great thing about Lost is that the ensemble. They need to keep Jack in the background so all the other stars in the Lost galaxy can shine. He's just not interesting enough or unique enough to carry the show. I like how this season he looks less important. I don't really care if he gets better. I don't sympathize him because of how badly he treated Kate, Aaron and Hurley. If he gets well, fine, but I'll never root for him the way I do the other characters. I always get annoyed when people still talk about him like he's this selfless hero who only does what's best for others. That's not Jack. It really wasn't true in the past but its definitely not true now.

After season 4, it has become impossible for me to sympathize with Jack in any way, shape or form. The off-island period in season 4 covers a much longer time frame than the 3 seasons on the island and everything we have seen from Jack there was despicable. From cooking up a lie that leads to his friends being stranded on the island with no chance of ever getting rescued, to basking in the light and celebritiy of being an O6er (signing autographs and talking to the press), committing perjury without flinching, abandoning Aaron twice, using Kate as his ego prop and then dumping her for alcohol and drugs, sh?#**&! all over Sawyer's sacrifice and forgetting about Juliet, the woman who saved his life and has been kept prisoner on the island for several years, as soon as he got his own ass off the island. Not to mention that he used her on the island, lusted after Kate although he knew she was with Sawyer and tried to blow Locke's head off. Sure, he has done a noble thing here and there, but so have all the other characters on Lost. But in terms of pure unlikability, there's absolutely no competition for Jack.

Yes, Jack is an imperious, arrogant jack***. But that is his character trajectory, his flaws really came to the forefront in season 4 when he refused to listen to anyone else to everyone's detriment. And he paid the price it weighed heavily on him as shown by his drug and alcohol addiction. As for Kate, I'm glad they've given her a storyline independent of the dreaded love triangle. They took her from strong, independent woman to a character whose sole function was to be the love interest and when that happened she became grating and annoying.