"Abandoned" is a potentially great character episode but is brought down by some heavy-handed writing and cheap storytelling. The final result is not bad, and provides some closure for Shannon, at least, but suffers the typical weaknesses of an Elizabeth Sarnoff script: delusions of grandeur and depth, a lack of focus, and shallow, lackluster handling of character.
It's a shame, then, that Shannon would die at the hands of Elizabeth Sarnoff. Most writers could have given her character proper closure, but Sarnoff goes for a really cheap and obvious idea here and barely develops her character's core before giving her some really cheap (and as is typical of Sarnoff, embarrassingly soap opera-romantic) closure at the end of the episode, before the character is shot by Ana-Lucia.
I actually liked "Hearts and Minds", the Boone and Shannon episode from season 1 a lot more than this, and I find that it has a lot more to say about the characters. That shows the gulf in quality between Sarnoff and Carlton Cuse. Instead what we get here are a series of obvious and unnecessary and rather stupid flashbacks where we see that Shannon is trying to prove herself but not being allowed the chance, while she does the same on the island with Sayid. The rest of the episode is devoted to the obnoxious Claire not quite trusting Charlie who has access to heroin again, oh and watch out: Locke is suspicious storyline, and even more of the tailies and raft folk walking back (seriously, how many episodes of that is it now?).
"Abandoned" is shallow and perfunctory, and barely accomplishes what it sets out to do. It is somewhat entertaining, but is tremendously disappointing given the potential.
6/10
It's a shame, then, that Shannon would die at the hands of Elizabeth Sarnoff. Most writers could have given her character proper closure, but Sarnoff goes for a really cheap and obvious idea here and barely develops her character's core before giving her some really cheap (and as is typical of Sarnoff, embarrassingly soap opera-romantic) closure at the end of the episode, before the character is shot by Ana-Lucia.
I actually liked "Hearts and Minds", the Boone and Shannon episode from season 1 a lot more than this, and I find that it has a lot more to say about the characters. That shows the gulf in quality between Sarnoff and Carlton Cuse. Instead what we get here are a series of obvious and unnecessary and rather stupid flashbacks where we see that Shannon is trying to prove herself but not being allowed the chance, while she does the same on the island with Sayid. The rest of the episode is devoted to the obnoxious Claire not quite trusting Charlie who has access to heroin again, oh and watch out: Locke is suspicious storyline, and even more of the tailies and raft folk walking back (seriously, how many episodes of that is it now?).
"Abandoned" is shallow and perfunctory, and barely accomplishes what it sets out to do. It is somewhat entertaining, but is tremendously disappointing given the potential.
6/10