When 'Lost' was in its prime, it was must-watch television. Remember first watching it, found it remarkably easy to get into, was hooked from the start and was on Season 3 by the end of one week. The general consensus is that the final season is a disappointment and cannot disagree.
"LA X", both parts, was having said that was a very good start, not as good as Season 5's (for me a very solid season with all the episodes decent to wonderful) season finale and not one of 'Lost's' best season openers, but promising enough. Definitely one of the exceptions to the above. Wish the same can be said for the following episode "What Kate Does", but sadly that is not the case, while better than "Fire + Water" and especially "Stranger in a Strange Land" as far as previous episodes go, this really isn't 'Lost' at its A-game or indicative of the show being in its prime.
A large part of the problem is that too much of the story did not grip me. The alternate LA storyline didn't serve much point, distracted too much from what was happening on the island and didn't say an awful lot interesting about Kate or her motivations. Didn't feel she advanced much and she was not rootable either, some of her decision making frustrates and as silly as the writing. That is a big problem for a character that featured quite prominently (Kate-centric actually) and who is not one of 'Lost's' most interesting characters anyway. The dialogue tended to be quite soapy and bordering on silly rather than taut and it was on the dull side in terms of pace.
Similarly, the Sayid storyline took up too much of the episode and tended to lack tension or suspense with not enough surprises. Other episodes do much better when it comes to progressing storytelling and developing characters and the whole episode just felt too subdued when there were scenes calling for tension.
It is a shame because there are a fair amount of good points. In terms of little character moments, storytelling and characterisation, the best assets are the truly emotional dock scene, Hurley providing some welcome and well-timed comic relief and some nice development for Jack. The character of Dogen has mystery and gravitas and it was interesting to see a different side to Sayid, more tortured than usual.
Of the acting, Josh Holloway is especially fantastic, very deeply felt acting and a large part of why the scene on the dock works so well. Evangeline Lilly plays Kate with subtlety, Naveen Andrews' portrays Sayid's pain and confusion with intensity and pathos and Hiroyuki Sanada is suitably mysterious. "What Kate Does" looks great throughout, very stylishly shot and the beauty and mystery of the island as ever is captured well. The music is understated and chilling and the direction shows signs of control.
Concluding, not bad but a disappointment, up to this point it was the most disappointing 'Lost' episode for me since "Expose", "Eggtown" and "The Other Woman" disappointed too but not as much. 6/10 Bethany Cox
"LA X", both parts, was having said that was a very good start, not as good as Season 5's (for me a very solid season with all the episodes decent to wonderful) season finale and not one of 'Lost's' best season openers, but promising enough. Definitely one of the exceptions to the above. Wish the same can be said for the following episode "What Kate Does", but sadly that is not the case, while better than "Fire + Water" and especially "Stranger in a Strange Land" as far as previous episodes go, this really isn't 'Lost' at its A-game or indicative of the show being in its prime.
A large part of the problem is that too much of the story did not grip me. The alternate LA storyline didn't serve much point, distracted too much from what was happening on the island and didn't say an awful lot interesting about Kate or her motivations. Didn't feel she advanced much and she was not rootable either, some of her decision making frustrates and as silly as the writing. That is a big problem for a character that featured quite prominently (Kate-centric actually) and who is not one of 'Lost's' most interesting characters anyway. The dialogue tended to be quite soapy and bordering on silly rather than taut and it was on the dull side in terms of pace.
Similarly, the Sayid storyline took up too much of the episode and tended to lack tension or suspense with not enough surprises. Other episodes do much better when it comes to progressing storytelling and developing characters and the whole episode just felt too subdued when there were scenes calling for tension.
It is a shame because there are a fair amount of good points. In terms of little character moments, storytelling and characterisation, the best assets are the truly emotional dock scene, Hurley providing some welcome and well-timed comic relief and some nice development for Jack. The character of Dogen has mystery and gravitas and it was interesting to see a different side to Sayid, more tortured than usual.
Of the acting, Josh Holloway is especially fantastic, very deeply felt acting and a large part of why the scene on the dock works so well. Evangeline Lilly plays Kate with subtlety, Naveen Andrews' portrays Sayid's pain and confusion with intensity and pathos and Hiroyuki Sanada is suitably mysterious. "What Kate Does" looks great throughout, very stylishly shot and the beauty and mystery of the island as ever is captured well. The music is understated and chilling and the direction shows signs of control.
Concluding, not bad but a disappointment, up to this point it was the most disappointing 'Lost' episode for me since "Expose", "Eggtown" and "The Other Woman" disappointed too but not as much. 6/10 Bethany Cox