Good episode. Good backstory which adds to the intrigue of the show. Hurley's character is well used again as well as Charlie.
When Claire was having her future 'read' by the psychic, it almost felt as if this were an episode of the X-Files. Rather nasty of him to intentionally send Claire on a plane that would crash.
I thought Hurley taking up the role of investigative reporter was amusing, but he sure didn't ask very thorough questions. Then again, if he did, the appropriate response would be, "It's none of your business"! Some upcoming surprises were promised about him. It seems he's more than just a nice guy. There's a bit of mystery about him. He revealed his name isn't really Hurley, it's Hugo!
I was wondering why that other passenger, unseen till now, was so prominent in this ep. We found out why at the end. The teaser for next week shows him 'kidnapping' Claire and Charlie. I'm no psychic, but I predict Sayid will rescue them.
From the teaser it looks like Sayid will be have problems with Sawyer. My guess is that it will be Jack and Locke.
The great things about the previews is that they don't give everything away, so it's hard to predict what will really happen (and rightfully so). I remember being pissed when they showed Kate kissing Sawyer in a preview, but then the episode showed that it was a condition of Sawyer's for revealing his knowledge of Shannon's asthma breather.
Yeah, Sayid is going to have problems with Sawyer, who will want revenge for being tortured. But for all we know, Sayid the ex-soldier will dispatch Sawyer. I agree, though, that Sayid will probably not be the one to come to Claire and Charlie's rescue, given his wounded leg.
Since, events on the island are presented in terms of days (rather than weeks or monthes), Jack should still be sore from that dislocated shoulder. Sawyer should be taking it easy for a while for his sore fingertips and stab wound to heal. Or do wounds heal quickly on the island?
... He revealed his name isn't really Hurley, it's Hugo!
I really hope they don't make him out to be a sci-fi geek, especially given his "Jedi" comment a couple weeks ago.
And I don't mind speculation, but could you maybe talk about the previews for next week on that show's board? I like going in with no foreknowledge whatsoever.
However -- (from the speculation board)
I think it would be neat if they found out that one of the party was not actually on the plane, but was on the island already, and is making like they were a passenger. This pretty much rules out everyone that has had a flashbackstory...
Maybe I won't speculate too much more, for fear of being accused of "spoilers" myself. (No, I didn't know!!)
Black & White Watch: Claire has a nightmare in which Locke has one black eyeball and one white eyeball.
According to Wikipedia, the name "Ethan Rom" suggests Edith Wharton's character Ethan Frome, who steals away with his loved one so that they both might kill themselves. Wikipedia also points out that "Rom" is the singular term for a member of the Roma people (also known as Gypsies), and that Ethan Rom is an anagram of "other man".
Wikipedia?
The online encyclopedia.
Thoughts, comments, nits:
During Claires nightmare, I was a bit distracted thinking about her hair ... I mean, they live on a humid island, so they would sweat a lot, and I don't know how much shampoo and soap they have. But her hair doesn't look as if it's been almost two weeks without proper care...
For that matter, wouldn't it be a good idea if Locke gave everybody a crew cut? (You wouldn't get tangled in the branches, either).
And related to that question, what about Jack's stubble? Shouldn't he have about 10 to 14 days worth of beard growth by now? But it looks as if only 3 days old.
It's good to see the survivors do the daily survival chores - Ethan collects fruits, Jack says he brings fish back from the beach...
Why do both Charlie and Claire react so violently at Jacks suggestion that the attack might not have been real? Sometimes, a nightmare feels so real that a person is disoriented in the first minutes after waking up. That isn't the same as making things up.
I thought that psychic was strange from his first performance. And I don't believe he knew about the crash - that would've been incredibly brutal to give Claire no hint at all to prepare for. (If he really could see into the future, like in the X-Files Ep., that would've raised the question if we can change our future or if it's fixed. Would you want to know your future if you can't change it?)
But when he revealed his "plan" was an adoption for money... I believe he had a little side business.
The meeting with the attorney and the couple confused me. Is that how things are done in Australia? (And with payment for the mother?) I thought this would be arranged through the youth services (or whatever the proper term is), who carefully select the adoptive parents (checking takes months) if they are good parents, and no fee is paid.
Charlie is really sweet trying to help Claire...
Jack's worry about the birth happening on the island without equipment ... he does know that women have managed without machines for thousands of years? (As long as there's clean water, and no germs are entered by ignorant doctors...)
Jakc is a modenr HMO doctor. If he doesnt have the machine that goes ping he feels so out of place.
Regarding Jack's stubble, in a later episode, we see him shaving with a straight razor.
And while delivering babies has been accomplished without modern widgetry for a long time, the chances of the baby's (and the mother's) survival were also much lower.
Good they have the machine that goes ping.
constanze: Why do both Charlie and Claire react so violently at Jacks suggestion that the attack might not have been real? Sometimes, a nightmare feels so real that a person is disoriented in the first minutes after waking up. That isn't the same as making things up.
Luigi Novi: Because it requires both an understanding of the facts and a bit of dispassion to accept this point, which neither Claire nor Charlie have. Claire is agitated over the incidents, and Charlie is biased by his feelings for Claire.
Yeah most midevil and even up into the twentieth century births where not exactly safe for the mother or child, especially if there where problems or issues. If we hadn't been able to have medical care for my wife's second pregnancy with me she and our son would not be here now.
And So only one other python fan?
A lot of those deaths were due to "childbirth fever", caused by improper sanitation.
R,
I couldn't post my response to your "machine that goes ping", though I immediately thought of the "expensive machine, and the machine that frightens the baby".
ScottN, yes, the childbirth fever was what I was referring to. With modern understanding of medicine, I'm sure a doctor can do much better than medieval people even without equipment.
BTW, almost ditto on the pregnancy thing. Without advanced medical care, I would only have one child instead of two.
yeha knowing the basics of sanitation and medical conditions etc... would help raise the chances of a successful birth to about even instead of a wild (dice game) shot.
Glad thigns worked out for you ScottN.
The Meaning of Life definately one of the Python's more interesting works.
This episode takes place during their "second week on the island,” as Claire tells Libby in the third scene of Act 1 of Maternity Leave.