Review: Lost 5.3: Jughead

Ellie holds the Science Team hostage.

Often, I find myself judging Lost based on content rather than quality. Jughead is a perfect example, in that it soley features areas of Lost's plot that I find interesting. No Kate/Jack shenanigans, no Hurley clumsiness. Jughead is a mixture of pure sci-fi and really entertaining mythos. That's probably because it's in part a Desmond episode, a breed of Lost episodes that are always good no matter the subject.
      In 1954, the Science Team were led back to the Others' camp by Ellie, an Other. Daniel talks to Richard, who believes that they are part of a US army exhibition that stored a Hydrogen Bomb on the island. Discovering that the bomb's casing is broken, Daniel offers to secure the bomb in return for their safety. At the bomb, he is forced to reveal to Ellie (who, unbeknownst to him, is his Mother) that they are time-travellers. Juliet's team arrive, and Locke goes bursting into camp, demanding to see Richard Alpert. He explains to Richard what he must do to complete the time-loop, but Richard is unable to tell him how to leave the Island as Ben did. They begin to head to The Orchid, but Charlotte collapses with a bloody nose, due to her becoming displaced in time.
     Daniel and Charlotte didn't get much character work in Season Four, and so this was a welcome addition to their characters; Daniel's understanding of science was shaken and his love for Charlotte confirmed. Charlotte herself showed a more human side, although her character is still on the irritating side. She dies in two episodes though, so that's fine.

Desmond talks to Widmore

     A few months before the present, we saw Desmond help deliver he and Penny's son Charlie. After Desmond has remembered Daniel's temporal message, he heads to Oxford and finds that Faraday's research into temporal mechanics had been rejected by the college after he permenantly left his girlfriend in a displaced state. Desmond goes to Widmore and demands information; reluctantly, Widmore gives him the address of Eloise Hawking.
     Desmond doesn't actually get much done in this episode, but Henry Ian Cusick's charm is inescapable. Yet again the episode shed light on Daniel Faraday, exploring a very different side of his character than the main story. I also love the variety that this part of the storyline sheds on the series; it's a lot more interesting to see these beautiful locations in England (or at least a mock of Enlgand) instead of America and the island.
     The first episode not to feature any of the Oceanic Six, Jughead is a great examination of characters that didn't get enough time, as well as characters that did. It had a lot of fun sci-fi, and the time-flashes concpt is one that has the potential to work beautifully for this type of show. It's unfortunate that we only have three more episodes of flashes left, but it'll have to do for now.

Thanks.

NEXT WEEK: Getting further into things with The Little Prince.