Well I'm a Little Down Under But I'm Feeling OK, I Got a Little LOST Along the Way

(Bruce Springsteen, Light of Day)

So many great aspects about this episode. So many that I probably didn't notice them all, especially considering the fact that it's NCAA Tournament time, and I've been worked up into a frenzy all day. Earlier this afternoon, during the Purdue/Baylor game, I was so worked up about it that with about 10 minutes left in the game, every time the score changed, I was running it through Bill James' lead safety calculator (which is AWESOME, by the way, despite the fact that I have no idea why it is even right in the first place), just to see how it changed. I picked Baylor. Baylor lost. I was less than thrilled.

On to more pressing matters.

1. So, one of my big theories, and probably most people's theories, was shot right to hell this week, and I mean faster than Elliot Spitzer's fall from grace. During Michael's flashback, his mother tells him she thought he was dead for two months before he came back. Two months?!?! That's all?!?! I was really hoping that the time elapsing OFF the island was different from the time elapsing ON the island, but that makes me think I'm out of luck. Does anybody else have a different take on that? Any chance it was just a screwup, an oversight by the dialogue writers?? Probably not, I guess, but man. If not, and if the time is the same on the island as off the island, what an unceremonious way to let us know about it. Very disappointing.

(Actually, I just had another thought about this, because it's been bugging me. What if, by following bearing 325 exactly, Michael and Walt were able to pass through the only "portal" that keeps the passage of time between the island and the real world the same. What if the plane crash, the helicopter ride, the rocket experiment by Faraday a few weeks ago, what if all of those things did NOT pass through bearing 325, so their time is still screwed up. What if the Oceanic 6 who get off the island might not pass through it either? Is this making any sense? Basically, it could be that bearing 325 is the only way to get on and off the island without having a time jump. I'm holding onto that, because I really want this time differential thing to play a part in the story. -Updated 3/21/08, 10:55am)

2. I was excited for the return of Michael, but I was ecstatic about the return of Mr. Friendly, at least for this episode. He was a great character, and I was sad to see him get killed off after the failed ambush at the end of last season. Also, I loved the fact that he was gaying it up in his suite at the Hotel Earl. Remember when Kate didn't want to change clothes in front of him back in season 3, and he was like, "Kate, you're not exactly my type." When Michael showed up, I made a joke about having room service deliver some chocolate covered strawberries, but he already had some dude in there with him! Hilarious. (According to his wikipedia page, he only learned his character's beard was fake toward the end of season two, and he's the only Other to appear in all four seasons. Interesting.)

3. You do not want to piss off Sayid Jarrah.

4. Michael seems to be living a Groundhog Day-esque life, now that he's off the island. Nothing he does will kill him. All he needs is for Punxatawney Phil to come out and see his shadow, then things will be back to normal, right? Speaking of Punxatawney Phil, I've got to give my favorite line from Groundhog Day (and one of my favorite Bill Murray lines of all time, delivered with his perfect brand of sarcasm and smugness) right here: This is one time where television really fails to capture the true excitement of a large squirrel predicting the weather. I don't know why, but this completely cracks me up.

5. Captain Gault beats his men to save their lives. I'm no lawyer, but that seems like a violation of their rights. Personally, I think he was just upset that Purdue beat Baylor. And speaking of the Captain, he didnt' seem too surprised when Sayid tattle-taled on Michael, did he? Of course, this being the last new episode for a month, it's gonna be awhile before we find out.

6. Who shot Carl and Rousseau? Was it a setup? Was it Maggie Simpson? Did Ben lead them right there so he could eliminate any other emotional connection Alex had besides his own? And is Alex even safe? Or is she walking right into harm's way by identifying herself as Ben's daughter?? I guess we'll find out in a month.

7. Ben is the bad guy. Widmore is the bad guy. Ben is the bad guy! Widmore is the bad guy! Ben is the bad guy! Widmore is the bad guy! Ben is the bad guy! Widmore is the bad guy! It's rabbit season! It's duck season! Rabbit season! Duck Season! Rabbit season! Rabbit Season! Duck season! Rabbit season! I say it's duck season, and I say fire! What are they doing to us?? I feel like Elmer Fudd, and I'm pretty sure that's not a good thing.