Across the Sea

Forget "What Kate Does" this, my friends, is THE episode that contains all the marks of BAD television; redundant twists, stale acting, terrible child actors, wretched dialogue. Without a doubt Lost has seen its moments of teetering on lame, but this goes over the line and falls down flat on its face.

Incredibly lazy writing on the part of Lindelof and Cuse, as if they're saying "can this be over now?" Patton Oswalt has a bit where he lambastes George Lucas for the prequels, and I'd like to steal a line from his bit: "I don't care where the stuff I love COMES FROM I just love the stuff I love."

I sit on the beach looking out to the ocean, reflecting on six seasons of Lost and the wonderful memories it has given me. I sit waiting for the Jacob/MiB centric episode to arrive and blow me away with mythology, story-telling, and the tightest script of the Lost canon. However, what arrives is soggy with forced scenes, soaked with poor dialogue, and falling apart at the seams.

Allison Janney, a usually dependable actress struggled with the foreign dialectic that resulted it some of the worst dialogue exchanges in the entire season. A season in which the writers have spoilt us with some of the very best scenes and dialogue in the history of television, and yet when it comes to the MOST IMPORTANT episode of all, they resort to the skills of an incompetent writer that has only watched a few episodes of Lost.

What has always made Lost better than any other show is the subtleties and nuances that elevate scenes into memories that will linger.

The writers and creators of this show are very intelligent people which makes their half hearted approach to this critical episode all the more baffling.

They have come out in defence of the criticisms stating that we may not have had the answers we want. But they are again missing the point. It is their show, they have every right to give us whatever answers they want. It's not the answers...it is HOW you give you them. Through tightly structured scenes laced with dialogue that portrays a deeper subtext. Something they brilliantly did in 'The Constant', and more recently in 'The Candidate.' The fans of this show deserved better and so did the hugely talented actors Mark Pellegrino and Titus Welliver. Similar in tone, clichés, and ratings to 'What Kate Does' does not bode well. In the space of 6 seasons there are always going to be episodes of 'filler' quality, but to deliver one at this stage of the story is inexcusable.

The script for this should have been worked on during the hiatus from Season 5 to ensure the glue that binds has no cracks. Unfortunately it clearly wasn't. Instead it has left a bad taste in the mouth that only a stunning finale can remove.

As I cork the wasted pages and toss them back into the ocean, I long for the next instalment and know that across the sea there is a better episode...

"Across the Sea," directed by Tucker Gates, is one of the most polarizing episodes of Lost, as it delves deep into the mythology of the island, revealing the origin stories of Jacob and the Man in Black. This episode shifts the focus away from the main cast, instead offering a mythic, almost biblical narrative that explores the themes of fate, free will, and the nature of good and evil. It's an episode that challenges viewers' expectations and provides answers to some of the series' longest-standing mysteries, but it also raises new questions about the nature of the island and its enigmatic powers.

The performances of Mark Pellegrino as Jacob and Titus Welliver as the Man in Black are central to the episode's impact. Pellegrino portrays Jacob with a mix of innocence and solemnity, capturing the character's sense of duty and the heavy burden of his responsibilities. Welliver, on the other hand, brings a darker, more complex energy to the Man in Black, whose motivations and desires are revealed to be far more human than previously thought. Their interactions provide the backbone of the episode, offering a nuanced exploration of the characters' divergent philosophies and the tragic consequences of their conflict.

The script, written by Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof, is dense with symbolism and thematic exploration. The episode's narrative is structured like a fable, with a timeless quality that sets it apart from the rest of the series. The dialogue is sparse but loaded with meaning, reflecting the grand, archetypal nature of the story being told. While the episode provides crucial backstory for the island's mythology, it also delves into universal themes such as the nature of power, the struggle between light and darkness, and the human desire for freedom and control. The writing challenges viewers to reconsider the series' central conflicts in a new light, making it a thought-provoking and intellectually engaging episode.

Visually, "Across the Sea" is rich and evocative, with Tucker Gates' direction emphasizing the episode's mythic qualities. The island is depicted as a place of both beauty and danger, with lush landscapes juxtaposed against the dark, foreboding cave that symbolizes the heart of the island's mysteries. The cinematography makes use of natural lighting and earthy tones, giving the episode a grounded, almost primal feel. Gates' direction ensures that the episode's visual style complements its narrative, creating an immersive and atmospheric viewing experience.

In conclusion, "Across the Sea" is a bold and ambitious episode that deepens the mythology of Lost while exploring profound philosophical themes. While it may not satisfy all viewers, particularly those looking for more concrete answers, it offers a rich, symbolic narrative that adds layers of complexity to the series' overarching story. The strong performances from Mark Pellegrino and Titus Welliver, combined with a thematically dense script and visually striking direction, make "Across the Sea" a standout episode that continues to spark discussion and debate among fans of the series.

This was an episode with massive info which made it worth crawling for 6 years as a viewer who is given bits and pieces and tries to get them together.

This was also an episode filled with abstract symbolism that puts everything in its place.

This is the final for me which contains the core message. I don't think any more word can be said upon this one.

And of course it might be a good idea to conclude the story for viewers with linear logic. Possibly last 2 episodes will do that, but will be insignificant compared to 6.14.

For a season in which answers were promised, the series' antepenultimate episode poses three questions for every one it answers. And if it ''weren't'' the series' third-from-last outing, that'd be just fine. But it is, and the answers we get in this episode aren't really even answers (Jacob and the Man in Black can't kill each because their fake mother said so....um, what?). The genesis of the Smoke Monster is no clearer now than before we actually saw it took place.

Mark Pellegrino and Titus Welliver did a great job with what they were given, and Allison Janney was pretty delightfully creepy in an important one-off role. Definitely the high point of the episode.

I have confidence that the series will go out with a bang and leave everyone mostly satisfied, but this episode was a pretty big dud all in all.