Mar

21

Lost Episode “Meet Kevin Johnson” Review and Comment

Posted by lostfan

March 21, 2008 |

I have to be honest, this episode left me a bit flat. Kevin / Michael is not my favorite character, I am more interested in the Island than I am Michael’s life off the island, and there was just some weird bits that didn’t flow exactly right for me.

If you haven’t seen the episode yet, please do not read on past the break. It will contain spoilers if your TiVo is in control of your lost watching. If you have seen it, I would love to know what you thought about it so please sound off in the comments or on the episode poll.

This episode, when backed up to last week’s “Ji Yeon” makes for a pretty week mid-season finale in my opinion. I would have thought that there would be more answers and a new question or two that really keeps people hooked until Lost returns in a few weeks. Don’t get me wrong, there were a few interested tidbits, but when “Meet Kevin Johnson” is compared to “The Constant” or “The Economist,” I think it falls flat.

The post-strike episodes have a lot to live up to if they want to match the pace of the begining of season four. In light of the ratings slide that Lost has been experiencing, and with the addition of a new time slot, there will have to be something very special about the end of the season.

Bit, I digress…

As I said, there were a few moments that did make me stop and think, here they are in no particular order.

The Island won’t let you die. In the finale of season 3, we see a suicidal Jack attempt to jump off of a bridge, he fails. In “Meet Kevin Johnson” we have Michael trying to shoot himself or pummel himself in a car accident to no avail. Then, Tom says those famous words “You have work to do.” Walt said the same thing to Locke when he lived through getting shot, and Christian Shepherd said those words to Vincent when Jack was doing on the beach (via ABC’s Missing Pieces).

What is the power the island truly has on a person? Is it just a matter of fate and destiny or is there something truly godlike about the island. If the island is truly powerful and can go so far as to altering the chemical reaction necessary to fire a gun, then there is something more than a scientific, electro-magnetic explanation for time travel. This would be counter to what the writers have said up to this point, but then again, they lie.

One other small island note. It would seem that the island and Ben are on different sides at this point. It was the smoke monster / island that visited Michael as Libby. The island didn’t want Michael to push the button; Ben did. This reminds me of when Harper came to Juliet in “The Other Woman.” Harper / the island says Ben is right where he wants to be - she doesn’t say Ben is where I want him to be. I think the island is ticked at Ben.

How did Tom get off and on the island? I am a bit confused about the continuity and the timeline of events at this point. Michael’s mother mentions a 2 month time period. That is when Tom shows up. At some point, Locke blows up the sub. I do not know the timeline here as clearly because season 3 was lacking a time-line. Tom does come back to the island to be killed on the beach. Does this imply there is alternate transportation?

If there is another way off the island, is it physical or metaphysical? I hope this is answered later on in the season or show. To me, this seams like a potential continuity hole or completely contrived unless it can be answered.

Sayid turns Michael in and then Turns into Michael. To me, this was the most interesting plot twist. I do not know why (besides betrayal) that Sayid turned Michael into the captain. I would have thought Sayid would hold onto that card as long as he could and play it only when desperate. Instead, he runs straight to the captain and turns him in.

I almost expected the captain to say “I know.” If the captain is working for Widmore, then he has the flight manifest and would know the Oceanic passengers. I do suspect that in a later episode, the captain does admit that he knew it all along.

It makes Sayid’s situation in “The Economist” that much more interesting though. I am trying to imagine what it takes to take such a ticked off Sayid and turn him into Ben’s plaything. It has to be BIG!

Carl and Rousseau get shot. Ok, I admit it. In my predictions of who would die, I never even considered these two. Some might argue that it was great writing because I didn’t see it coming. I would disagree. I didn’t see it coming because I think it is lame and cheap that it is one / both of these characters.

Carl has had no real purpose in this show, but he has been even more worthless in this season. Rousseau is a more intriguing character, but barley. Having these two die was as cheap and useless as having Nikki and Paulo die last season (I hated that too). It is obvious, and disappointing, that the whole “someone dies” angle was a ratings push and nothing more. Unfortunately, those kind of bait and switch tactics work well with used cars, but not with building a loyal audience.


Comments

2 Comments so far

  1. Joe on March 21, 2008 10:52 am

    I think it fell flat only in the ending, it seemed so sudden that it made me think it was forced. Due to the strike and the layoff I think this was never meant to be the end of an episode and certainly not the mid-season hiatus ending.

    That being said, Tom is gay? I never saw that one coming…..

  2. Jood on March 22, 2008 1:44 am

    Tom being gay was obvious back when he was getting Kate cleaned up on the other island back in season 3… she didn’t want to shower in front of him and he said “you’re not my type.”

    That being said, the episode didn’t do anything for me. I thought keeping Walt out was contrived and jarring. I know that they can’t have a 14 year-old playing a 10 year-old,but come on, that’s just a crazy way to do it.

    Now we have the question of who planted that plane underwater… Tom told Michael that Mr. Widmore did it, but the captain told (or implied) Sayid and Desmond that Ben did it. So, I think the big question we’re supposed to be pondering is “Who dunnit?” My guess is that Ben planted the plane because he doesn’t want people finding the island. Mr. Widmore is not innocent though, I think he wants to use the island some way, and I still think he’s dangerous, but I don’t think he planted that plane.

    Sorry, I know this is long… but there’s a lot to say…

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