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Today’s Topic: The Pink Dipper
Mood Music: Ice Cream Man by Van Halen
Anyone know what the Pink Dipper is? Maybe I should say was. Any of you from Aiken, SC (well, lets say anyone that was around Aiken in the 80’s) should know. Small window of time, I know. Too small to forge a lasting memory of monumental proportions? Absolutely not. You know what’s funny? I think I probably went to the Pink Dipper….4…maybe 5 times when I was little…..and to think….I still remember the place like it was yesterday (if yesterday happened to be 25 or so years ago…YOWSA!!!)
For those that don’t give a shit (and by that I mean…your answer to the first sentence and every one since has been no), the Pink Dipper was a place that served ice cream, it existed in a part of Aiken that is now overrun by….well to be honest….I believe that it was near what’s now the Aiken Mall (if that’s still around)…I have to say…it’s been awhile since I’ve been to that part of town. At the time (remember how far it seemed to ride in a car just a few blocks when you were young), the Pink Dipper was the equivalent of driving to California…holy shit was it worth the wait (probably a 15 minute drive give or take 5 minutes…ok…give) It was a small retail building, it stood alone as a shining beacon of hope to young children that craved ice cream and …….stuffed animals? Yep. That’s right. Stuffed animals. I specifically remember a massive (and by massive I mean probably 3 feet or so…we were little) Pink Panther that I’m assuming was kinda like the Pink Dippers’ mascot of choice (talk about originality….by the way, am I the only one that was confused as a child as to who the Pink Panther actually represented? I mean…throw in the Pink Dipper, then you’ve got the actual Pink Panther cartoons that came on TBS right before the original live action Spider Man…anyone else remember that one….
oh God, how awful….anyway, there was also the original Pink Panther movies starring Peter Sellers, that if caught at the right moment, screened the cartoon character briefly, and let’s not forget Owens Corning….or the “pink insulation”) Shit….no wonder I couldn’t figure out where in the hell that damn panther came from. He was everywhere growing up. You know what accompanied him every time too….and I don’t care if it was seeing him on TV, in a magazine ad, or blessing the 40 foot long table that graced the Pink Dipper’s party room:
Duh-Duh-Duh-Duh………Duh-Duh-Duh-Duh
There’s not a single person alive that doesn’t hum or at least think of that melody when they see the Pink Panther. It’s impossible. Try it and you’ll see. (I’m also willing to go out on a limb and say that anyone…and that should be all of you…that has ever sat down at a piano has tried to play that tune)
Where was I?
Oh…..the Pink Dipper.
Like a child’s idea of heaven (and really a savvy business person’s idea of heaven too….I mean think about it….the overhead had to be ridiculously low….rent the building…which was 10 miles past anything resembling society…so I’m guessing that was cheap….buy 50 or so stuffed animals of varying sizes, colors, animal types….1 extremely long table…..and serve ice cream……and then watch children show up in droves.) Unbelievable.
Our fleeting glimpse of heaven was just that. Just a one story brick building that housed oversized panthers and bubble gum ice cream (you know, the kind with the pieces of round gum actually in it…that in all honesty should have never been served to kids that were just getting teeth. The frozen gumballs in that shit would crack an elephant’s tusk). In fact, I couldn’t tell you what it looked like inside anymore really. It’s as if it almost never existed……but just when I think I might have dreamed the whole thing up……
Duh-Duh-Duh-Duh
I realize that the picture in my head of a large pink ice cream scooper signifying the entrance to one of the great haunts of my childhood is just too vivid to be imagined….and I can still see that silly ass Pink Panther smiling.
I’ll talk at you all again later.
“i’m your ice cream man, stop me when I’m passin’ by”
Today’s Topic: Some Like It Hoth
Mood Music: Changes by David Bowie
Folks….sorry about the nonexistent Lost blog last week. Hopefully, everyone enjoyed “Dead is Dead”, which was the Ben centric episode a few weeks back. this week we had an amazing Miles centric episode that gave quite a few answers while continuing to string us along…..unfortunately, due to time contstraints, most of my synopsis is pulled directly from lostpedia…so enjoy….
but before I get into Lost, for those of you that don’t know Paul E. (a frequent WOW contributor) or haven’t read it yet…….I highly recommend checking out the below link for an unbelievably entertaining and well-written article chronicling Sunday at the Masters, from an “insider’s” perspective:
http://www.fans25.com/post.cfm?ArticleID=148
Nice work Paul.
And now…..Season 5, Episode 13….”Some Like it Hoth”:
On the Island
Kate and Sawyer return from dropping off young Ben to Richard, and Sawyer contacts Miles at the Security office to erase the surveillance tape. Kate is worried that Sawyer could get in trouble, but he’s confident he can smooth things over. Miles pops out the tape, but before he can erase it, Horace arrives with a package, asking after LaFleur. Miles tells him that he’s tried to contact LaFleur on the radio, but he’s out of contact. Horace gives Miles a package to bring to Radzinsky, and to get a package in return, “no questions asked”. Horace tells Miles that he’s letting him in the circle of trust.
Miles drives to the location Horace specified, and delivers the package, which turns out to be a body bag. Radzinsky puts a body in it, and tells him to transport it back to Horace. Miles, curious as to why a person who apparently fell in a ditch had a head wound, unzips the body bag and uses his ability to find out what really happened. He learns that the dead man, Alvarez, had a filling which ripped from his mouth and exited through his brain.
***Damn that shit that’s surrounding the Swan hatch must be some powerful electromagnetism….well I guess we knew that considering it was strong enough to pull down a plane….but then how, if that’s why the original flight was pulled down….did the Ajira flight crash on the island? Makes me wonder what in the world the whole “try and recreate the original flight” has to do with anything. I mean, I could go on for hours, but if the Swan hatch had something to do with the original crash (played some part, mind you) wouldn’t the destruction of that hatch play an integral part in future island voyages? I mean, if all the research that the “Lamppost” station did somewhat took into account the electromagnetic power surrounding the Swan, wouldn’t all their calculations be skewed once the Swan imploded? Just a thought…oh yeah….one more that’s closer to the point….where does all that electromagnetic energy come from?
Roger discovers that Ben is missing from the hospital. Juliet lies about not knowing the reason for his disappearance. Kate later attempts to comfort Roger, who becomes irrationally angry and suspicious. Roger has some beer, and goes to the classroom, discovering that Jack is covering his work for him, assuming Roger would want the time off because Ben was injured. Roger brushes off Jack’s help, confronting him about his suspicions about Kate, saying he’s going to report it to Horace. Jack attempts to dispel his paranoia, but Roger seems unconvinced as he stalks away. Jack then goes to Juliet and Sawyer’s house to inform them of Roger’s behavior. Sawyer arrives home, tired from trekking around the jungle, and is confronted by Phil, who has the tape that Miles failed to erase. Sawyer punches Phil, knocking him out, and tells Juliet to get some rope.
***Phil had it coming, yeah?
Horace, after a consultation with Dr. Pierre Chang, tells Miles to bring the body to the Orchid so it can be determined if the accident was caused by electromagnetism. Miles walks back to his van to complete the assignment, but finds Hurley loading coolers of food for the Orchid construction team into the vehicle. After he insists they carpool, they set off, only to have Hurley notice an unpleasant odor. Concerned his food was contaminated, Hurley discovers the body. Confronted, Miles tells him what really happened to the body. To his bewilderment, Hurley completely accepts Miles’ story, noting he also talks with the dead, and sometimes plays chess with them. Miles says that isn’t how it works, at which point Hurley responds that Miles admitted to his ability. Miles explains that he is able to get a “feeling” about who the deceased was and whatever they knew before they died.
At the Orchid, Dr. Chang isn’t happy that Miles brought Hurley along, and less happy that Hurley knew about the body. He threatens Hurley with the task of weighing polar bear dung on Hydra Island if he talks, but Hurley is happy working in the kitchens and agrees to keep the secret. While privately talking to Hurley about the attitude of Dr. Chang, Miles confesses to Hurley that Chang is his father. Dr. Chang wants to hitch a ride back to Radzinsky, and Miles and Hurley take him there, where a fake jungle wall masks the construction of the Swan station. Along the way, Hurley keeps dropping hints about the relationship between Miles and Pierre, which upsets Miles.
On the way back, Miles and Hurley get into another disagreement. Miles steals Hurley’s notebook, in which he has written the script for The Empire Strikes Back with a few changes. Hurley notes that it’s 1977, and Star Wars was just released. He figured he was doing George Lucas a favor by writing the sequel. Hurley also tells Miles about his own troubled relationship with his father, and how he forgave him. He suggests Miles try to gain a relationship with his own father.
At night, Miles sees his mother, father, and his three-month-old self in a window, with his father lovingly reading him a story in an armchair. After Dr. Chang gets a phone call and gets up from the chair, Miles attempts to walk away. Dr. Chang comes out and asks Miles to take him to the dock to get a new group of scientists, and an emotional Miles agrees. Miles goes to the dock where the submarine has arrived with a team of scientists from Ann Arbor, and Miles is surprised to find out that Daniel Faraday is one of them.
FLASHBACK
A woman, Lara, is looking at an apartment with the landlord. She tells the landlord that her husband is “out of the picture,” though she has a little boy, Miles. The landlord at first objects to Miles because the neighbors dislike noise, but Lara assures him that Miles is quiet. She gives Miles a quarter for the vending machine. Miles reaches the vending machine, and appears to hear something, causing him to walk toward apartment 4. Taking a hidden key from underneath a stone rabbit (which has the number 8 on its ear), he opens the door and looks inside. Several apartments down, Lara is writing a check (dated 3/16/1985) when she hears her son calling for her. She follows his voice to apartment 4, and finds him inside, standing near a man’s corpse. Miles claims to hear the corpse talking, saying he is calling for “Kimberly”. Trevor recognizes the name as that of Mr. Vonner’s wife, who is deceased. Lara backs away, concern and astonishment warring on her face. Miles cries out that he told her that he could hear “them” talking.
Years later, a heavily pierced Miles visits his mother, who is staying in an apartment with a caregiver. His mother is extremely sick, bedridden and is losing her hair. While his mother is happy to see him, she asks why he has come to visit her. Miles replies that he wants answers, mostly about his father. She replies that his father kicked them out when Miles was just a baby, and forced them to leave. She tells Miles that his father has been dead for a very long time and his corpse is buried in a place he can never go.
Some time later, an adult Miles speaks with Howard Gray, who wants Miles to use his powers to contact his son, who died in a car accident, and make sure that the son knew that Gray loved him. Miles is apprehensive when he discovers that the son has been cremated, and asks for a larger sum of money, which Gray readily gives. Miles then appears to contact the spirit of the son, and assures Gray that the son was aware of his love. Gray thanks Miles, and Miles leaves. After leaving, Miles is approached by Naomi Dorrit, who invites Miles to come with her to a restaurant to hear a business offer. After being offered a large sum of money, Miles readily agrees.
Naomi takes Miles to the kitchen of a restaurant, and shows him the body of Felix, telling Miles to use his ability to determine details about Felix. Miles is able to tell the man’s name, as well as the fact that he was attempting to deliver cemetery photos of empty graves and a purchase order for an old airplane to Charles Widmore, both of which involved the fake wreckage of Flight 815. Miles leaves, at first not interested and scared. Naomi offers Miles $1.6 million to come to the Island on the Kahana, to which Miles agrees instantly.
Soon afterward, Miles orders a fish taco from a taco stand. As he walks down the street, eating it, a van pulls up. Bram is in the passenger side, and he greets Miles. When Miles asks who Bram is, he is suddenly grabbed by several masked men and forced into the van. Bram attempts to persuade Miles not to go to the Island, determining he is not ready by asking Miles “what lies in the shadow of the statue?” to which Miles does not know the answer. Bram offers Miles answers about his ability and his father, but Miles doesn’t care; he instead wants $3.2 million dollars, twice the amount offered to him by Naomi. Bram refuses to pay, and dumps Miles out of the van. Bram tells Miles he is “playing for the wrong team.” When asked by Miles what team Bram is on, he replies that he’s on “the team that’s going to win.”
Later, Miles visits Howard Gray, and returns to him the money which he had been paid. When asked why he is doing so, Miles reveals that he lied to Gray; he had been unable to make contact with Gray’s son. The incredulous Gray asks why Miles couldn’t have just continued the lie, and Miles responds that it wouldn’t have been fair to the son, to whom the father should have professed his love before the son’s death. Miles then leaves.
Tidbits and Questions
- What’s up with the food drops?
- Where are Rose and Bernard?
Quotes
”and Allen’s still on Hoth…..”
That’s it for today folks.
I’ll talk at you all again later.
“Ch-ch-changes….don’t tell them to grow up and out of it”
Today’s Topic: The incomparable Olin Browne (ok, maybe all too comparable)
Mood Music: The CBS Masters Theme
Being that it’s Masters week….I decided to do a little golf piece. Of course, the honoree is not actually playing in the Masters this week, but why don’t we start by taking a look at the picture below…………
so what’s the first thing that comes to your mind when looking at the picture? (other than the fact that it appears he lost a bet)
If you guessed…..that guy looks like a dick……we’re on the same page.
And you know what…….we’re right.
The aforementioned dick is Olin Browne, a professional golfer since 1984, (although the exact years he was on the Nationwide and PGA Tour are sketchy at best…or at least not worth hunting down) and chances are, a lifelong asshole.
Welcome to Masters Week Ass…I mean Olin….I bet you’ll have the same view I will…actually, I’m gonna be there on Thursday….you?
Hey, I’ve only had one experience in even the remote vicinity of the man, so who am I to make comments as to his character. Well, that one experience (in my opinion) validates my comments above……it was last year….and it went something like this (oh yeah, and before I start, if anyone can vouche for the admirable qualities in Mr. Browne’s character that I might have missed, please feel free to comment):
It was the Wachovia Championship (for those that don’t know, that’s the PGA event here in Charlotte, now called the Quail Hollow Championship), and we were heading out from the course after a long, grueling day of watching golf, drinking beer, watching golf, drinking beer, and listening to complete idiots talk about what they would’ve done and how they would’ve done it better than the pro that’s out there making millions, while they’re struggling to afford their 5th 24 oz beer (that last part is completely exhausting and a main reason for us being ready to get the hell outta there at that point).
Let me pause from the Olin story for one second to reflect on that point. Why is it (and I’m sure I’ve been guilty of it at some point in my life…only once I’m sure…but hopefully not within earshot of anyone other than the person listening) that some people feel it’s their duty to give an effin’ running commentary while watching golf… (or really any sport for that matter…I love being at a baseball game when the Mets fan beside you says that if he were Pedro Martinez, he would’ve thrown a slider….really? Guess what, Pedro doesn’t really throw a slider….more of a circle change, but hey…who’s really listening to you besides me, cause I’ve drawn the honor of the seat right next to you and am thrilled that you’ve at least moved on from your hour-long- tirade on the art of stealing bases….wow.) but let’s admit….golf fans are the worst….I mean the worst….maybe it’s because the odds of actually making the pro tour are stacked astronomically against even the best golfers, so most guys only get to watch and comment as opposed to actually playing. I think what annoys me most is that you hear so many guys that, unless you knew better, talk as if they are on a first name basis with the players. Tiger’s doing this, Phil looks like that, Ernie (that’s one you hear a lot for some reason…as in Ernie Els…not sure why). How about the guys that take it one step further and actually use nicknames….for example…and I quote…from some jackasses that will be using this term in Augusta this week:
Boom-Boom for Fred Couples. My God. Please stop. At least go with Freddie (also a nickname but much less grating).
And so…that’s how it goes and that’s what finally drives normal guys like us towards the gates at the end of the day….we’re not necessarily ready to leave, but we just can’t take any more of that crap.
So we’re making our way off the course in Charlotte, NC and weaving from hole to hole, pausing to wait on a shot or 2, and continuing on fairly swiftly. As the end is in sight, and the long day of drinking/walking/drinking/and being aurally raped is close to conclusion….we pause one last time on hole #3 (I believe) to wait on a dude to putt out. You see, when golfers are about to finish a hole, the Tourney employees hold up ropes so that the walkway from the green to the next tee box is clear for the Pros to walk. So, we waited. The guy had about a 3 foot putt left for par, or bogey, or double….it didn’t matter…it was 3 feet. He looked at it, backed off, looked at it, backed off, looked at it….you get the point. We’re about to just duck under the ropes when the employee makes sure to point out that “the golfer’s about done”.
It won’t be long right? Somewhat. Well, since it looked like we’d be there for awhile….I decided to at least find out who the indecisive golfer was…..and I’m sure you all can guess who it was at this point. Browne….Olin Browne. Discovered by the use of a tourney guide and the name on the back of a caddy, I was now interested to see how he finished.
Well, it wasn’t good….which meant a longer wait for us….and at this point, the last 20+ oz beer was beginning to work its way out and I was feeling the urge to hit a bathroom. Great. So we watch, and Olin proceeds to miss the 3 footer and go semi-apeshit. He taps in and tosses (or slams) his putter towards his caddy, and makes his way towards us. (well, actually he was heading towards the next tee, we just happened to be in the line of fire)
At this point, Olin looks something like this:
He ain’t happy, and I’m pretty much tired of his antics. He took 10 minutes to miss a 3 foot putt and is now skulking like someone stole his lunch money. I’ve gotta piss like an effin’ racehorse at this point and have a long-ass walk in front of me….not to mention, the guy plays golf for a living…can you really be that pissed about a putt? Needless to say, my respect for Browne would’ve been gone at that point anyway, so what happens next just sent me over the edge.
Browne proceeds to yell something at the aforementioned “tourney employee” and although I have no idea what he said….I didn’t need to….the tourney employee had also been holding up that damn rope for 10 minutes while Browne was contemplating yanking a 3 foot putt…so he deserved a little thanks (at worst) for keeping fans out of Browne’s way.
I lost it. It’s the only time in my life something like that had ever happened (ok, not really, but it makes it more interesting) and the words I uttered still live on infamously within our family….10 or so feet from Olin…I heard myself yelling:
“Blow it out your ass, Dick!!!!!!”
Huh? What does that even mean?
Either way, my family was shocked….I don’t know if Olin even acknowledged it (which shows that he probably hears similar crap all the time…and that alone verifies my theory that he IS actually a dick), but it was one of those times where you hear yourself saying something that you immediately wish you could take back because you know you’re about to get in trouble.
Well, luckily I didn’t. We made it home…cracked a few more beers….and still laugh about ole’ Olin to this day.
So, on Masters Thursday, as you all sit down to enjoy checking the ticker at work…or watching it on TV at home….or even if you don’t give a shit about golf…..remember those infamous words when you get angry (because so many people get angry watching golf)…and do everything you can to absolutely avoid uttering:
BLOW IT OUT YOUR ASS DICK!!!
I’ll talk at you all again later.
Today’s Topic: Whatever Happened, Happened
Mood Music: Long Road to Ruin by the Foo Fighters
Another great character-centric episode last week. Man are these guys good. The writing’s been spot-on all season and based on the preview for tonight’s episode, it’s only gonna get better. So, without further ado……Season 5, Episode 11…..Whatever Happened, Happened:
ON-ISLAND
1977
Jin wakes up from being knocked out by Sayid as Phil is trying to reach him on the radio. Phil says the hostile escaped and Jin tells him that he’s heading North because he attacked him. Jin discovers Ben’s body, puts him in the van, and heads back to the barracks.
Horace is rallying the troops at Camp Dharma. He’s prepping them for the possibility of another attack. Meanwhile, Jack and Hurley are carrying out furniture from the house that was hit by the burning van. They overhear Horace telling the group that the “Hostile” (Sayid) must have used the van as a diversion so he could escape. Jack questions this…(knowing that Sayid wouldn’t do that) and wonders how a prisoner could manage to light a van on fire if he was behind bars. Horace ask who Jack is….and then explains that he had help. He says one of them let the prisoner out since the security cam didn’t pick up any hostiles crossing the perimeter.
In one of the creepier introductions I’ve seen in awhile (just really kinda sick to be honest), Roger Linus, in a flirty kind of way, helps Kate use a winch to pull the torched van out of the house. After introducing themselves, Jin pulls up in the van and carries Ben’s body out to the strains of Roger Linus yelling, “that’s my kid…that’s my kid”
***Please God tell me that they’re not setting up the possibility of romance between Kate and Roger….did anyone else get that feeling? Yuck.
Sawyer is examining the computer monitors as Kate walks in to ask what happened to Ben. Horace enters and suspiciously asks what Kate is doing there. Sawyer calmly replies that he was questioning her as to what she saw during the escape.
Horace, Phil, Miles, Sawyer, and Jin go to examine the cell where Sayid was being held. They find a set of janitor’s keys in the lock and Horace says that there are only 3 janitors. Roger, Willie (yeah, now we just need a Willo), and “that new guy”, Jack. Sawyer is obviously concerned with Kate and Jack being noticed so quickly by Horace and he gets Miles to round them up, along with Hurley and put them on “house arrest”.
***anybody else notice Phil’s mind working overtime before they cut away from the jail cell scene? That guy’s starting to bother me….something’s definitely up with him. I’ve got a feeling that he’s gonna be a problem for “the Losties”.
Sawyer runs into Roger Linus on his way into the infirmary. Roger asks if Sawyer knows who did it and Sawyer says that he’s working on it. In a brilliant move by “LaFleur”, he asks Linus if he has his keys on him. Nice, James….very nice. Obviously, since Ben stole the keys, Roger can’t find them and tells him that he must’ve left them at the house. uh-oh.
In the infirmary, Juliet is operating on Ben, but says that she can’t stop the bleeding. She tells Sawyer that a surgeon is required that can find the bullet. The Dharma doctor, she tells him, is at the Looking Glass station.
Meanwhile, under house arrest, Jack, Hurley, and Kate question Miles about what’s going on. He says that they aren’t under “arrest” but that he’ll shoot them in the leg if they try to leave. Jack asks whose idea it was, and Miles tells him that it was Sawyer’s. Kate stands up for Sawyer….saying that he’s just doing his job. Hurley is sitting over at a table staring at his hand. Miles asks him what he’s doing and Hurley explains to him that he’s watching to see if his hand will disappear. He brings up (brilliantly I might add) “Back to the Future” and says that if “little Ben” dies then “Big Ben” wouldn’t have convinced them to come back to the island, so they wouldn’t exist in that time.
***I thought it was interesting that Hurley mentioned Ben as the one that convinced them to come back…does that mean that somehow Ben convinced Hurley? We’ll see. Also, what a great nod by the writers (again) to the fans by bringing up the “Back to the Future” time travel theory. Now, if they can somehow work in “The Terminator” theory this season as well…then we’re getting somewhere.
Miles tells him that it doesn’t work like that. He says that basically ”whatever happened, happened”. He tells them that the good news is that Linus didn’t die, so “little Ben” can’t either. (Kate says that it doesn’t looks so good for Ben though)
Sawyer busts in and asks Jack to come help them save Ben or he’ll die. Jack says no.
***I have to say that I was starting to get a little annoyed with Jack last season, but Hi-Yo….he’s back to being a bad-ace. Finally, someone with some nuts in 1977…..the one thing that bothered me about this episode is everyones’ willingness to want to save Ben. Wha-wha-whatttt? Are you effin’ kidding me? Do they remember what he did to them? Jeez. That’s why Jack’s stone cold remark to Sawyer about letting Ben die is so great. Eff Ben is how I’d look at it. Who cares if he’s a little kid?……which brings me to another parallel in the show…..is it just me or did someone ask at some point this season or last if they could time travel, why not go back and kill Hitler as a child? And someone, Faraday or Ben, replied that it doesn’t work that way. You can’t change what’s happened. Interesting comparison…Ben…Hitler….Hitler….Ben (then again, maybe I made that up…does anyone know if Hitler had Daddy issues? too soon?)
and so we’ve come to one of the great scenes of this episode (and further evidence of Jack’s bad-aceness)…in fact….instead of me paraphrasing it…here’s the dialogue between Kate and Jack:
Kate: “what are you doing?”
Jack: “making some sandwiches…figured everybody would be getting hungry by now”
Kate: “he’s just a boy Jack, you can’t just let him die”
Jack: “you heard Miles, we can’t change what’s already happened…this has nothing to do with me”
Kate: “unless you’re the one that’s supposed to save him”
Jack: “30 years from now that boy’s gonna be a man that locks me in a cage because he needs surgery…and you’re gonna beg me to operate on him…cause he’s threatening to murder Sawyer. I’ve already done this once…I’ve already saved Benjamin Linus….and I did it for you, Kate…I don’t need to do it again.”
Kate: “this is our fault…we brought Sayid back, we caused this”
Jack: “when we were here before I spent all of my time trying to fix things…did you ever think that maybe the island just wants to fix things itself? and maybe I was just getting in the way”
Kate: “you know, I don’t like the new you…I liked the old you, who wouldn’t just sit around and wait for things to happen”
Jack: “you didn’t like the old me Kate”
HI-YO!!!!!
Kate storms out and goes to see Juliet. She’s a universal donor and wants to give blood for Ben (again…what the eff?) She tells Juliet that she was engaged to Jack off island and then…
creepy himself, Roger Linus pops in to check on his son….Kate says that he can sit with her to make sure she doesn’t pass out, cause Juliet doesn’t think he should be in there
***ok, I have to say that there are 2 things that bother me about this scene….1) stop with the “wayyyy too disgusting” relationship set up between Roger and Kate…..I don’t know if y’all are getting that vibe but again, it’s sick…and 2) I just find it really hard to believe that Linus gives a shit about his son….sorry
He tells Kate that Ben stole his keys and helped “bust that animal out of jail” and he knows that Sawyer realizes this. Roger then proceeds to blow smoke up Kate’s ass about how he was gonna be the best father ever…and that Ben’s Mom died the day he was born. “I guess a boy just needs his mother”
***what a crock-0-shit, really
Then Ben goes into convulsions and they kick Roger out
Back to….
Hurley and Miles discussing time travel. Miles’ theory is that time isn’t a straight line. He says that their experiences in the past and the future occured before their experiences right now. Then he asks Hurley to shoot him, sarcastically. He says that any of them CAN die…because this is their present. Hurley then questions why Ben can’t die. Miles says that Ben can’t die because this is his past.
and just as we were about to come to grips with the way time travel works on the show…
Hurley asks Miles why Ben wouldn’t remember Sayid shooting him later in his life when Sayid was torturing him…..to that, Miles has no anwer…and alas….neither do we….yet
Juliet comes out of the infirmary and tells Roger to go get some supplies. He thanks her. She tells Kate that Ben’s gonna die. She can’t fix him and the sub’s gone for a couple months. Kate wonders who can help and Juliet answers, “maybe there’s something they can do”….”the Others”. They sneak Ben out into a Dharma van and Kate tells Juliet not to come with her. Sawyer would kill her if he knew she got Juliet involved. Juliet says that she’ll have to tell Sawyer when he asks.
As Kate stops the van at the perimeter, Sawyer pulls up. He tells her he’s there to help.
Juliet storms into the house where Miles and Hurley are sitting on the couch. They tell her that Jack’s in the shower and she asks them to leave. She goes into the bathroom and tells Jack that she needed him. She thinks Jack should’ve helped save Ben because he’s “just a kid”. She lets him know (fighting back tears, huh) that Kate is trying to save Ben, and she sent Sawyer after her because they “actually care”. Jack tells her that he came back to save them and she gets angry, yelling that they didn’t need saving. She tells Jack that he came back there for “him”, and asks him why. He says that he came back because he was “supposed to”. He doesn’t know what he was supposed to do though.
***again, has everyone lost their effin’ minds? (other than Jack of course) I don’t understand Juliet’s concept of Ben not being “Ben” yet. He’s just a kid….sure…but they all know who he becomes….for 2 people, Kate and Juliet, that are such strong female characters….2 women that really don’t have any children of their own…..how in the world are we supposed to believe that this is the angle they would take? In my opinion, it’s totally opposite of what we’ve become accustomed to with their characters.
P.S. As Brien mentioned, there was definitely a little sexual tension between Juliet and Jack
Sawyer and Kate are carrying Ben through the jungle. Kate brings up Clementine and tells Sawyer that she took care of her. He asks about her and she tells him she’s beautiful. Kate brings up Cassidy’s theory that Sawyer jumped off the chopper because he didn’t want to return to normal life with her. He agrees saying that he wasn’t fit to be her boyfriend then. The others show up with guns. Sawyer asks to be taken to Alpert.
As they’re walking, Alpert suddenly comes out of the jungle. He asks if the boy is Benjamin Linus and Sawyer’s shocked that they know each other. He tells Alpert what happened and that he needs help. Alpert tells them that if he helps Ben, then Ben will never be the same. He’ll forget what happened and lose his innocence and always be “one of them”. They agree to let him take Ben. As Alpert takes him, one of the Others says that he shouldn’t do it without asking Ellie…cause if Charles finds out. Alpert tells the man that he doesn’t answer to either of them. and then…
Alpert carries Ben to the Temple…..and backs his way through a stone door and enters.
2008
Locke is sitting beside Ben and as Ben wakes up, he welcomes him back to the land of the living.
FLASHBACK
Kate carries Aaron to the door of Cassidy’s house. Cassidy is surprised to see her and comments about telling her friends that she knew one of the survivors of Flight 815. Inside, she tells Cassidy about what Sawyer whispered to her and hands her an envelope with cash inside. Cassidy informs Kate that Sawyer never gave a crap about Clementine and that he jumped off that helicopter to escape from a possible future with Kate. She later figures out that Aaron isn’t Kate’s baby and Kate tells her that she did what she had to do to protect Aaron. Cassidy tells her that she did what she did to help heal her broken heart.
***by the way, I really thought they were leading us towards the fact that Kate would give Aaron to Cassidy….well played, Lost
After the marina scene, Kate leaves and goes to a grocery store with Aaron. All of a sudden he’s gone and just before she completely freaks out….she finds him holding the hand of a woman that looks eerily like a cross between Claire and Carole Littleton.
Finally, Kate shows up at the hotel where Carole Littleton is staying. She tells her everything much to her surprise. She tells her that she is returning to the island to save her daughter (Claire, for those that might not know). She lets her know that Aaron is in the room next door and that he’s ready when she is. She goes next door and as the “Emotion Theme” plays (which is my 2nd favorite lost score…so I’ve included a slightly different version from the scene at Jin’s grave…just click on the title below), Kate shares a tearful goodbye and leaves the Motel Room.
***by the way, my favorite Lost score is:
Here’s a little taste of that one. Enjoy.
Questions and Tidbits
- what do you think happens to Ben? Will he now live forever? Is he like Alpert, or is it just a kind of initiation for all new members of “the Others”?
- are you as perturbed by Juliet and Kate’s actions regarding Ben as I am?
- it’s good to see how Kate ended up on Flight 316….I like the fact that she gave Aaron to Claire’s Mom…but I did think she was going to give him to Cassidy
- i loved the time travel conversations between Miles and Hurley…hopefully, we’ll get some more of that…so do y’all have any theories regarding the time travel stuff?
- what’s up with the food drops?
- where the eff are Rose and Bernard?
- this episode shares the same basic storyline of the story, March has 32 Days from Mystery Tales #40, the comic book that Alpert showed Locke when he was young: In the 1956 story, a time traveler tries to alter history when he relives a day in his own past after struggling with the question of whether it would be possible to do anything differently if he had the opportunity to go back in time, just as Hurley and Miles struggled over the question.
Quotes
“Dammit freckles, I ain’t here to stop you” – Sawyer
“no matter what he’s gonna grow up to be, it’s wrong to let a kid die” – Sawyer to Kate on behalf of Juliet
“I’m doing it for her” – Sawyer to Kate about Juliet
“hey, ask me more questions about time travel” – Miles to Hurley
“that kid is Ben” – Jack to Juliet
“he’s not Ben yet, he’s just a kid” – Juliet to Jack
“unless you wanna go to war, you’re gonna take us to Richard Alpert” – Sawyer
“if I take him, he’s not ever gonna be the same again…what I mean is that….he’ll forget this ever happened…and his innocence will be gone….he will always be one of us….you still want me to take him” – Alpert
Great Episode!!! Can’t wait for tonight.
I’ll talk at you all again later.
“for every piece to fall in place…forever gone without a trace”
Today’s Topic: He’s Our You
Mood Music: Disarm by the Smashing Pumpkins
Dudes. Here’s your recap for the week. Again, it’s ripped right from the pages of Lostpedia, but this week it ain’t for lack of trying. I typed up a fairly introspective review (with plenty of quotes and tidbits) earlier this morning (spent 2 hours doing it in fact) and right when I tried to save it…..you guessed it…..nothing but the first paragraph remained. So, maybe next week you’ll get a little more in-depth recap from yours truly, but for today enjoy…Season 5, episode 10…..He’s Our You:
ON-ISLAND
Sayid is in the DHARMA Initiative’s jail. Young Ben brings Sayid a sandwich and a book, asks if Richard sent him, and says he will help Sayid. Sayid is later questioned by Horace Goodspeed and Radzinsky, but does not reveal anything. When Sawyer learns of this, he goes to Sayid one-on-one and tries to convince him to give a false confession of being a defector from the Island’s native population, the Others, yet Sayid refuses.
***I love how the scene plays out when Horace comes in to question Sayid. He carries in a pair of garden shears and you can sense the tension and possible fear as Sayid (and the audience) believes that he might be using those to try and get a confession….maybe cut off a finger or 2. It’s interesting to see the script flipped on Sayid and I have to believe (from previous island occurences) that this is the island’s way of almost punishing Sayid for his past transgressions. Also interesting is the way Sawyer mentions to Sayid that he would ruin everything that they’ve built there if he just lets him go. Sawyer finally has some semblance of a REAL life….he’s got the house, the girl, the job, and he’s trusted….and we all can only sit and wait, knowing that at any moment the rug will be pulled out from under him.
Young Ben brings Sayid another sandwich, but finds his father, Roger, already in the room. Ben tells Roger he has brought the sandwich for him. Roger assaults Ben and forces him to admit the sandwich was actually for Sayid. Sayid is subsequently taken to Oldham, DHARMA’s resident interrogation expert. When Sayid asks Sawyer about him, Sawyer regretfully tells Sayid “He’s our you”. Oldham gives Sayid a few drops of a drug on a sugar cube which forces him to tell the truth. Sayid reveals his knowledge of DHARMA stations: the Flame, the Pearl and the future yet-to-be-built Swan Station. This causes Radzinsky to get nervous and asks how Sayid could possibly know how they were going to name the Swan, as they haven´t even built it yet. Sayid tells them that he had previously been on the Island for 100 days and that all the members of DHARMA Initiative are going to die. Finally, he reveals that he is from the future, which causes Oldham to exclaim that he must have given Sayid an overdose of the drug. Sayid laughs hysterically and replies, “You gave me exactly enough.”
***again…another great scene that demonstrates the island’s ability to force people to almost relive their worst moments from the past…except on the other side. this time, Sayid is the one being tortured. It’s amazing to see the fear in his eyes when he realizes that Oldham is going to have him strapped to a tree and force him to take some kinda drug. Man, very creepy scene and it’s great seeing Sawyer pacing in the background, unsure as to what Sayid might tell them
That evening, several members of the DHARMA Initiative take a vote to decide whether to execute Sayid. Radzinsky mentions that they can ask Ann Arbour what to do if they don’t do the right thing now. After an impassioned speech from new mother Amy, holding newborn Ethan (creepy still), about being unable to sleep, worrying about their children’s fate while that man is here, they all vote in favor of execution. After the vote, Sawyer attempts to let Sayid escape one last time, but Sayid refuses again, stating he has found his purpose for returning to the Island.
***interesting about Ann Arbour….there is an overall power that IS running all this stuff from somewhere else…very interesting
The next morning, Juliet expresses her concern to Sawyer that their life with the DHARMA Initiative will be jeopardized because of Kate, Jack, and Hurley’s return to the Island. During breakfast at DHARMA cafeteria, Kate asks about Sayid’s fate, to which Jack has no answer. When she says she’s going to ask Juliet about it, Hurley mentions the fact that Juliet and Sawyer are in a relationship. Kate is shocked at this, and learns that Jack knew about it. Later, Juliet shows Kate around the motorpool where she will be working. Kate reveals she knows about Juliet and Sawyer because Hurley told her. Juliet says it’s a relief because she didn’t know how to say it without making it sound like she was telling Kate “to stay away”. Both women still appear uncomfortable, but they are interrupted from further conversation by Sawyer walking by the motorpool holding a captivated Sayid.
Later in the evening, Sawyer goes to Kate’s house and asks her why they came back to the Island. She tells him that she doesn’t know why the others came back, only why she did. Before she can delve into that, a flaming DHARMA van runs through the barracks and crashes into one of the houses. While everyone is distracted by the fire, Ben helps Sayid escape from the holding cell, and they flee into the jungle. Sayid is spotted by Jin, who drives by their location in a van. Sayid approaches Jin and tells him that Sawyer allowed his escape, but when Jin radios for confirmation, Sayid knocks him unconscious and takes his gun. Ben is impressed with Sayid’s combat skill and suggests that they keep moving. While still crouched over Jin’s body, Sayid quietly says “You were right about me. I am a killer.” After a moment of reflection, he shoots Ben in the chest.
FLASHBACK
Tikrit, Iraq
Sayid’s father drags Sayid’s older brother outside to kill a chicken, telling him that it is about time he became a man. When the brother argues, the father asserts his authority, telling him that he will remain outside until the chicken is dead. A young Sayid steps in to help after the father leaves, and without hesitation, he wrings the chicken’s neck. When their father returns and discovers the chicken is dead, he congratulates the brother, who admits Sayid is the one who killed the chicken. Their father responds that he is glad at least one of them will be a man.
Moscow, Russia
Sayid pursues a man called Andropov into an apartment in Moscow, Russia. As Sayid trains the gun upon him, Andropov offers a bribe in exchange for his life, only to be gunned down instead. Sayid leaves the building that appears to have a sign reading 32 Oldham Pharmaceuticals in Russian. Sayid walks at a brisk clip down a street with Saint Basil’s Cathedral in the background. He turns and enters through a double gate, where he meets Ben. Ben informs Sayid that he has killed the last of Widmore’s people that were a danger to the Oceanic 6 and that Sayid is free to go live his life. Sayid expresses confusion that this is the end.
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Sayid is seen helping to construct a school as part of a charity called Build Our World. Ben appears to inform Sayid of Locke’s death, attributing it to murder by one of Widmore’s men in retribution for their activities, including Sayid’s murders. Ben forewarns the danger Sayid is in, of being found as easily as Ben found him. He also apprises Sayid of a man perched outside the Santa Rosa Mental Health Institute watching Hurley for a week.
Sayid determines that Ben’s true mission is to prod Sayid into killing that man. Ben reasons Sayid’s capabilty of accomplishing things most other men can’t, and how killing is in Sayid’s nature. Sayid tells Ben that he is mistaken, as he does not like killing.
Los Angeles, USA
Leaving the marina following the events of “This Place Is Death“, Sayid is drinking MacCutcheon whisky at a bar when he is approached by Ilana. They flirt, and end up going to a hotel room. As they kiss and lie back on the bed, Sayid starts to take off her boot, only to receive a kick to the head. Ilana holds him at gunpoint and reveals she has been employed to take Sayid to Guam by the family of Peter Avellino, whom Sayid previously had killed for Ben. (The Economist)
The next day, Ilana escorts Sayid to the airport. After noticing some of the Oceanic Six (Kate, Hurley, and Jack) about to board Ajira Airways Flight 316 to Guam, he asks to be put on a different flight, but Ilana sarcastically suggests that Sayid buy a rabbit’s foot, and will not yield. On the plane, Sayid sees Ben Linus board and accuses Ilana of working for him, which she denies. He describes Ben as a liar, a manipulator and a monster. When Ilana asks Sayid why anyone would work for a man like Ben, Sayid replies “I did.”
Tidbits and Questions
- what’s up with the food drops?
- where are Rose and Bernard?
- I love the little things that these guys seem to put into every single episode….the MacCutcheon whiskey is a great example in this one…so is the poster of Geronimo Jackson on the wall of cafeteria
- how great is William Sanderson (the actor playing Oldham)…he’s perfect as the slightly insane dude that would be Dharma’s resident “mad scientist”…he also make us believe that he’s a man that Sayid might actually fear, from not being able to interpret his intentions…..great job William…or my other brother Daryl….or E.B. Farnum
- the book Ben gives Sayid, “A Separate Reality” by Carlos Castaneda is an allegedly non-fiction book about a man’s experience working with a self-proclaimed sorcerer (Don Juan Matus). The authenticity of this book has been a topic of debate since it was published. Part of the story is about the effects of plants that caused mind alterations, like mushrooms, that can help people “see”. Don Juan talks about “allies” in the book that can take on many forms including one he calls ”little smoke”.
- the writing on building “32″ in Moscow when Sayid exits translates into “Oldham’s Pharmaceuticals”……hmmmmm.
- interesting how the “Daddy issues” theme continues to surface over and over in the show….we now know that Sayid can be added to the list (as well as Ben) of Losties that had problems with their father at some point in their life
- nice to see how Sayid got onto the plane….I like the way the show is giving us answers this season without smashing us over the head with them (other than the Jeremy Bentham ep.). So, is Ilana telling the truth, is she working for Ben, or maybe Widmore?
and finally…..
- is Ben actually dead?
Quotes
“how you doing?” – Sawyer to Sayid
“a 12 year old Ben Linus brought me a chicken salad sandwich, how do you think I’m doing?” – Sayid to Sawyer
“sweet kid huh?” – Sawyer to Sayid
“what do mean they’re TOGETHER?” – Kate to Hurley
“you know, together like you guys were…I thought it was kinda obvious, I mean, who couldn’t see that coming?” – Hurley to Kate
“how dumb are you that you got captured by these idiots?” – Roger Linus to Sayid
“and yet you’re the one that mops up after them” – Sayid to Roger
“don’t be afraid, just turn your mind off, let it take effect….it’s beyond your control, so fighting it is a poor use of your energies….you see, whether you struggle or not, one thing’s for sure friend….you WILL tell us the truth” – Oldham to Sayid
“maybe I should’ve used half a dropper….oops” – Oldham
“you used exactly enough” – Sayid
“you’re going to answer for what you’ve done” – Ilana to Sayid
“even a new Mom wants you dead” – Sawyer to Sayid
“I know exactly why I’m here” – Sayid to Sawyer
Finally….I’m gonna get a little deep on you all for a second, so bare with me…..
Lost has always been a show that’s based on the characters that we have all come to know and love. Yes, there are mysterious things occuring (smoke monster, time travel, etc…) but ultimately (I know I’m kinda repeating something from a previous post, but hang on) it’s about the characters. The main point that the show seems to try and make with all of these characters is that they are trying to atone for past sins…..Charlie and his drug use, Eko and his drug smuggling/betrayal of his brother, Michael and his decision to leave the Losties behind by taking the Other’s offer/the abandonment of his son….you get the point. In this episode, we learn that Sayid has been fighting the notion that he’s basically a cold-blooded killer his entire life. He desperately wants to shake that feeling that it’s inescapable, but I believe we see him come to terms with it at the end of this episode…almost as if he realizes that his whole life has led him to this point (killing young Ben without remorse). The show is just so great when it comes to character-centric episodes…..Sayid talks about wanting to get out of his line of work to Ilana….Ilana tells him that he will have to answer for what he’s done….the torturer becomes the tortured….and finally, the reluctant killer becomes simply…..the killer he was supposed to be. Well played Lost.
***one note on this…..notice that the list of 3 people that I mentioned above all ended up dying after they came to grips with their own fate….does that mean that Sayid might be kicking the bucket soon…..hmmmm.
That’s it for today folks. Sorry a little late. Enjoy. I’ll talk at you all again later.
“the killer in me is the killer in you”
