The Televangelist: ‘Lost’ episode 9

Namaste, recruits!  After a long two weeks “Lost” was back last night in an episode lacking in focus but full of small, fan-pleasing moments. To begin at the beginning: We returned to the plane crash, this time from the point of view of the other Others (Planies?), who mysteriously include Sun. After not quite crash-landing on the island, Lapidus gives a half-hearted attempt to organize the passengers, but allows Caesar to play that role as he follows Sun who’s following a shifty Ben.

Turns out, the plane landed on one of the satellite islands — one where our Losties were held hostage in season three. Ben, Lapidus and a newly badass Sun take a boat to the island proper, which is not in 1977 where the Oceanic Four landed, but in present day. After a cameo appearance by Old Smokey, Christian Shepherd emerges from the shadows to reveal that the folks they seek are actually in the past.

One plot down, several to go. As mentioned, last night’s episode didn’t set its sights on one character arc in particular, instead keeping a wide scope on all the new groupings.  Whereas the Sun-Ben-Lapidus plot might have taken up an entire episode of its own in seasons past, last night it was barely a footnote in this filler-sode. I say filler not in a “Jack’s Tattoos” way, but in that it literally filled in some gaps in island mythology (specifically Dharma-related). In doing so, it also uncovered the further significance of characters from the past (including Radinsky and, holy horrors, Ethan!), tying it in with our main characters’ present.  As the cinematography showcased the island’s dramatic and varied scenery, so too did the plot take us to all all the hills and valleys of our characters new situations.