So it looks like the people who thought Lost was about the afterlife in Season 1 were on the right track. I think that the writers changed what they were doing after the show became so popular and so many people guessed the afterlife/purgatory angle. The writers always said that they made the story they wanted to tell and I think this version of the afterlife was the story they set out to tell originally.

I thought the finale on its own worked perfectly and it provided decent resolutions to most of the characters’ arcs. But it did leave the mythology in more of a broken mess than it left Smokey.

So it looks like the people who thought Lost was about the afterlife in Season 1 were on the right track. I think that the writers changed what they were doing after the show became so popular and so many people guessed the afterlife/purgatory angle. The writers always said that they made the story they wanted to tell and I think this version of the afterlife was the story they set out to tell originally.

Just now I realized I watch all these sci-fi shows and the only ones I really enjoy are Lost and Fringe. You guys should watch Chuck though, it's a really fun show with completely geeky sensibilities.

Box office gold!

I think this episode was a C at best. I thought the acting was pretty bad except for Titus Welliver. I know everyone gives Janney a pass, but she wasn’t really that good. Did you feel anything other than puzzlement for all the crazy shit she did? And did you feel anything when Smokey stabs her? Mark Pellegrino must have got a note that said, “Past Jacob is a little slow, act confused the entire episode.” And kid Jacob and Smokey were terrible, especially Jacob.

The motivations for Jacob and Smokey, that apparently have determined the game they play for eternity, are incredibly weak. Smokey: I’m not from here so must do everything possible to leave. Jacob: Fake Mommy said I have to protect this for some reason. This completely neuters the Jacob/Smokey mythos without making it relatable enough to actual human motivations.

I would have been completely fine not knowing how Smokey was made, who Adam and Eve were, etc. if only the show could give us a reason why the Island and the people on it actually matter. And if you aren’t going to do that, at least make it entertaining like they did in Ab Aeterno.

I have really enjoyed this season so far but this episode felt unnecessary. I don’t see any reason for them placing this so near to the end of the season, especially since it completely ends the momentum built up by the crazy events of last week.

I've decided that the only way to enjoy Lost from now on is just to forget about answers and enjoy the ride. It would have been tough for Lost to wrap up everything if they used the entire season and there is absolutely no way they can do it in the last couple of episodes.

Great point on Widmore knowing about who was a candidate. I totally didn't think of that, but now it's going to bug me and I'm pretty sure it won't be explained. I'm not sure that Locke can die without some sort of Desmond magic, but isn't it possible that Ben, Miles and Richard planted the explosives on the plane?

Finally, do you guys think that Lapidus died? People are split about 50/50 from what I have read.

This episode absolutely killed it! Great review as usual.

Never said we would win, just putting a team on the court. And man do I love meth.

Here's the libertarian team: Jason Alexander, Dave Barry, Lewis Black, Drew Carey,
Tommy Chong, Paul Driscoll, Brett Erickson, Jeff Foxworthy, Chip Franklin, Kinky Friedman, Abdul Hakim-Shabazz,, Penn Jillette, Kenny Kramer ,Denis Leary, Andrew Levy , Doug Powers, Tim Slagle, Doug Stanhope, Rich "Jackie Vegas" Stein,Teller, Jimmy J.J. Walker.

We can all agree conservatives are santorum sucking black holes of humor. And we should also agree that it is self evident that neither conservatives nor liberals have ever bothered even reading the fucking constitution. Also, after The Marriage Ref, Seinfeld is really dragging your team down.

Let's not get crazy about Jack being a really good father Roth. He didn't even know his kid still played the piano!! I would say he is a well intentioned father, not a good father. Just like he is a well-intentioned leader on the Island.