While Ben and Locke might be the best, most nuanced characters, Sawyer is my favorite one to watch. In between the lying, and the nicknames, and the assholiness, and the charisma, Sawyer is just fun when he is on screen. Besides Hurley and Miles, he's the only one with an actual sense of humor (Juliet and Ben are pretty funny too, but in a different way). And like I've mentioned before, he's had quite the character arc. At this point, he's giving Ben and Locke a run for their money in the most compelling character sweepstakes. And Josh Holloway's acting has been terrific.
Somehow, the guy who was introduced to us as the redneck accusing Sayid of blowing up the plane has become the show's last genuine hero. Now ain't that something?
Sawyer. I loved today's sideways opening. Hey, lookie! Sawyer is going to have morning sex with some broad then pull off the old Pigeon Drop con again! OR IS HE?
No, in this world, Sawyer is a cop, working for the LAPD, partnering with Miles in a classic attempt to remake the Lethal Weapon movies. If they spun off a Sawyer & Miles buddy cop comedy off the show, I would totally watch it.
So in this world, our old buddy Sawyer is a cop. But he still has to deal with all those issues. We learned today that Anthony Cooper was still perpetrating his conning ways (what this means for Locke is anyone's guess. Either he is really forgiving or he became a paraplegic somewhere else).
In fact, we learned that Sawyer never became Sawyer. At some point he had to choose between becoming a criminal or becoming a cop, and he chose cop. When did the decision come about? When Jacob didn't intervene and give little Sawyer a pen so he could finish his revenge letter. Thus, the sideways world lacks Jacob's influence. Is that a good thing?
Well, you tell me. Yes, except for his vow to murder Cooper, Sawyer renounced a life of crime. So he's got that going for him, which is nice.
On the other hand, this Sawyer is a sad and lonely man, living alone in a small apartment, microwaving his dinner and crying when he watches Little House on the Prairie. Yes, he seems to bed plenty of girls, but he's lacking that connection. And, as we all know, perpetual bachelors are the saddest creatures of all.
Nowhere was this more evident than with Charlotte --
I am going to pause the recap for a second to say, HOLY CRAP. That was Charlotte?? Good Lord. In those five minutes she vaulted into the Top Five for most attractive Lost women. Well played, Charlotte. Well played, indeed.
-- because when Sawyer realized that he pulled a Jack and freaked out for no reason when he threw Charlotte out, something clicked. There he goes, sad eyes and big sunflower in hand (shout-out to Juliet) to beg forgiveness and drive away the loneliness.
But dude? A six pack? Really? Isn't wine produced in California? You seem to get laid a lot for a guy who thinks showing up to apologize holding a six-pack of beer is OK. I mean, really?
To no avail. Charlotte sends him packing. And so Sawyer turns to Miles -- the most believable friendship on the show since Charlie and Hurley -- and 'fesses up as to wanting to murder the original Sawyer. And then wouldn't you know it? The world's worst fugitive strikes again.
Over on the island, it's anybody's guess as to who Sawyer is going to betray. Anyone who thinks Sawyer is playing for Team Smokey or Team Widmore or Team Jacob or Team Edward is insane. Sawyer is on Team Sawyer. My guess is Team Sawyer includes his Oceanic buddies -- he displayed genuine concern as to Miles' well-being -- but after the Juliet thing, God only knows.
In fact, for someone who's conning at least one person, probably two, and perhaps everybody, Sawyer sure is telling the truth a lot. Everything he told Widmore was the truth. Everything he told Smocke was the truth too. And while it is always wise to lie to an ex, it seems that he told Kate the truth as well.
So what's Sawyer playing at? Since there is nothing left for him there, he clearly wants to leave the island. My guess is he'd
The real question, I guess, is who's conning who in the Widmore-Smocke-Sawyer triangle. Since we haven't really seen much of him, I would say Widmore hasn't shown great conning ability. But Smocke and Sawyer? There's a ripper for you. The world's best liar vs. the island's devil. Should be a doozy.
And if you're counting, Sawyer has now slept with three of the top five most attractive Lost women. High five.
Miles. In any reality, it seems Miles has been conscripted as Junior Deputy to Sawyer. Being Barney Fife has its drawbacks -- Miles sometimes came off as a bit needy and emotional. He delivered the "You know what, we're not partners anymore" line in a melodramatic way that would have made Kate proud. And no, that's not a compliment.
But perhaps I am a tad cynical. All Miles wants to do is help out his buddy, maybe even hook him up. "Be nice to her," he pleaded, knowing that Sawyer can be a real asshole most of all the time. And Miles begging Sawyer to talk to him, to not lie -- that was nice. They're buddies. It's good to see people looking out for each other on this show.
By the way, can Sideways Miles also speak to dead people? I had a real bad moment when I thought the sideways story was going to turn into an episode of Medium. I'm very happy I was wrong.
Claire. Crazy is trapped in a glass case of emotion. First she tenderly held Kate's hand (YES!). Then she tried to kill Kate in a fit of blind rage. Then she was all upset and cried on Kate's shoulder.
Unfortunately, I've had experience with women like this, who might as well have their emotions patterned as a roulette wheel. And I never know quite what to do. I just kind of pat them on the head and look confused, just as Kate did.
Huh. I never thought I'd identify with Kate, but then again, I never thought this show would have a 50 year-old man slap the crap out of a 22-year old girl.
I mean, Jeeee-zus. Did anyone see that coming? Yes, it was a "get a hold of yourself, woman!" slap and not a "where's my dinner, woman?" kind of slap. But still. Not OK.
Also, Claire tucking in the squirrel bone baby was terrifying.
Kate. As I mentioned above, I actually had some sympathy for Kate this episode, as I am wont to do for anyone who is the attempted murderee of a crazy woman. Kate is clearly out of her element in Smokey's camp.
I have to say, if this is going to be the sole catfight between Kate and Claire, I'm sorely disappointed.
I do have to give Evangeline Lilly some credit, though. I totally bought Kate's reaction to the attack as being so upset and bewildered that she retreated to the mangroves to cry. That made a lot of sense. I've never stolen someone's baby and then had them almost kill me because of it, but if I did, that might be how I'd react too. In any case, I believed it.
But, Kate. Listen. If you are trying to fit in with the team, it's probably unwise to go up to everyone and ask them if they're really with the coach. It kind of draws unwanted attention.
Locke. Given the total absence of Jacob (those scenes where he manipulates Hurley don't really do it for me), the Locke-ness Monster is getting so much screen time that it is difficult not to sympathize with his side. After all, Jacob's only purpose, I think, is to protect the Island. But why? And from who? The motivation for Jacob is so hazy that his character and his plan are not really that compelling.
Especially when compared to Smocke, who is leading his team with a real sense of purpose. Why, Coach Smocke even took the opportunity to gather his team around him and have them take a knee.
He still deals in half-truths, however. Having him say, "the Smoke Monster killed them" sounds very much like when I pass off the previous night's destruction by saying, "Charlie was drinking." True enough, yes. Completely true, not quite.
This episode also revealed that, like all monsters, the Man in Black had a mother. That whole soliloquy concerning crazy mothers and unavoidable fates oh and, by the way, Aaron has a crazy mother came completely out of left field. What purpose did it serve? Is he trying to prompt Kate into stealing the baby again? Is this his way of getting rid of her? Does he think it'll be easier if Kate and Claire just killed each other?
Also, Smocke, if you want to fly the plane off the island, you should have really recruited Lapidus to your side. Because if this show ends with the pilot-less plane crashing on another island, people will be pissed.
Widmore. New drinking rule. Every time we see Widmore sitting at a table writing or examining some document, take a drink. Seriously, every time he appears on screen he is sitting at a table. It's his version of Richard Alpert's "I'm coming out of the jungle with my hands up" shtick.
Is Widmore on Team Jacob? He seems to be itching to fight Smokey. But didn't Widmore try to kill everyone on the island, while at the same time authorizing Keamy to kill a fourteen-year old girl? Moreover, wasn't he banished from the island by Ben Linus? And wasn't Linus working under the auspices of Jacob? How can both of them be on Team Jacob? Who's being lied to? Does Julie Cooper have a hand in all of this?
Gar. I'm so confused. Let me retreat to a place that I understand.
...
Is it just me or did that chick Zoe have a really good "sexy librarian" thing going?
Jin. Broken dragon had one line this episode. With it, he reached the allotted fifteen words per week granted to the SunandJin combo, and thus dutifully bowed out for the remaining 59 minutes left in the hour.
I would like to ask what his splint is made out of, though. Another one of Claire's bay-bees?
Sayid. Perhaps he is just shell-shocked, but his "conversation" with Kate screamed "ZOMBIE!" If this was the zombie apocalypse, he would have been shot in the head forthwith.
Next week we discover the origin of
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