Last Lost: Thoughts on the finale and a rundown on STILL Unanswered questions

As a guy going into if filled with dread, I admit I was often moved and greatly entertained by the last episode of "Lost" last night.

But, as self-predicted, I also was disappointed.

Jack's sacrifice, the showdown with Smokey, the thrilling escape from Hydra Island, the touching reunions (particularly the one between Sawyer and Juliet) and the open-to-multiple-interpretations ending: I was good with all of it.

But I still feel cheated. Not because the producers failed to answer every tiny question I had about the show's myriad tiny mysteries. But because they failed to even touch on the big ones. To end this series without even an attempt to explain:

The mysterious numbers. What do they mean? Where do they come from?
The significance of the island? Why is it's survival so crucial to humanity? After all, it seems most of what it did was bring people misery?

Is a cheat and give the impression that the writers just couldn't come up with good answers for these, or the many other lingering questions from the series.

So, while greatly entertaining over the years, I have to say I find "Lost" ultimately a let down.

A year or two back, I imagined I'd want to re-watch the entire series once it ended, so I could see how -- "The Usual Suspects"-style -- the puzzle all fits together. But I now realize that wouldn't work. There are still too many missing pieces.

Fun characters aside, these unique mysteries are what made "Lost" truly special. But, in the last season, the producers dropped any intention of addressing them in a satisfying way. In other words, they failed the story.

So, that's that. I doubt I'll re-watch any of it. But, just out of curiosity, I'll likely rent the final season bonus disk that promised to address unanswered questions. Not holding up too many hopes that will be satisfying either.

Here's my list of STILL unanswered questions -- big and small:


*  What is the history  of the Others? Where did they come from?  Why did they kill off the  Dharma Initiative?

* What's  up with Walt's powers? How did  the Others know  about them?

* How did Cindy  the stewardess and the two  children from the Oceanic flight come  to be among the Others?

* Why exactly did Jacob pick these particular folks as his candidates? He tells them because they are "flawed." Seriously, this is the best the show's producers can do? By that standard, any random human fits the bill! Six years and all we get is, "they're flawed." Criminy.

* Jack is now Jacob's successor and it's his job to protect the magic golden light at the center of the island. But why? What has this light ever done for anyone apart from turn them into smoke monsters. What's so danged good about the island. Everyone on the danged thing has been threatened, beat up and killed, it seems like. Sure, it has healing properties. But, to what purpose? Locke was made able to walk again so he could get killed by an evil entity that wants to destroy the self-same healing island. This makes NO SENSE people. And if the point is that it's not supposed to make sense, that's not coming through clear either. It's all random and tossed together.

* Why was Ben selected the leader of the Others? And why, ostensibly in the name of Jacob, do such horrible things to people? Did Jacob intend this? Why did the Others go along with it? Why did Richard go along with it?

* Why did Jacob exclude Kate from being a candidate because she's a mother? Wasn't Sun a mother also? Wasn't Jin a dad? Aren't Jack and Sawyer also dads? Is Jacob a sexist pig?

*  What was Ben's breakfast on the beach with  Kate in season 3 all  about? We didn't see any of their discussion. [I'm still a bit  baffled by this scene. We've not been given any insight into what was  discussed. Was Ben merely trying to persuade Jack to operate on Ben's  spine? Or was there something more going on.]

*  Why does the smoke monster kill some people and not others?

* Why did the smoke  monster kill Eko, in particular? What did the monster see/sense  in him?

* Why did the magic light turn the man in black into a smoke monster? If the light is such a good thing, why did it create an entity that goes around killing essentially innocent people?

* Why did the Others initially disguise  themselves as shipwrecked  pirate types complete with fake beards? [What  was the point? To make the crash survivors think that the Others were  merely fellow castaways, not an organized faction on the island with a  secret history? What?]

* What's up  with the sickness  that killed off Danielle's team? [Were they killed by Smokey or  turned evil by him? Or both?]

* Is  the Dharma  Initiative still active at all?

* Who  was behind  the air drop of Dharma  supplies  that has benefited the Oceanic survivors? [There was  a drop after the Oceanic survivors arrived, wasn't there? Or was this  an old drop that Hurley discovered? I may be misremembering.]

*  Why do  women on the island die instead of giving birth?

*  Why did the Others steal children?

*  What's behind the apparent healing properties of the island?

* What's responsible for the visions   of animals and dead people the crash surivors sometimes see on the   island?

* What's the deal with Libby, killed in   season 2, who evidently gave Desmond the sailboat that landed him on  the  island and who once was in a mental ward with Hurley? [Despite  Libby's recent appearance this season, these questions were not  answered.]

*  What's up with the giant statue?  Who built it? What is its significance?

* Is there   any explanation for why the man in the Dharma Initiative videos is at   different times identified as Dr. Marvin Candle, Dr. Mark Wickmund,  Dr. Pierre Change and   other names and why the CIA agent who identifies himself as Joe Inman   to Sayid tells Desmond that his name is Kelvin Inman?

*   Why did the psychic in Australia encourage Claire to take the  doomed  flight?

* Who is the man Sarah left Jack for? Why is she so   reluctant to reveal his identity? Is he somehow associated with the   Dharma Initiative and/or the Others?

* What's up with that polar bear in Tunisia? Was Charlotte   part of Dharma when she found it, or was she snooping into what Dharma   is all about? [Pretty much answered, I guess. We know Charlotte was  investigating her Dharma past? The polar bear likely transported from  the island ala Ben and Locke.]

* Who is Penelope's  mother?

*  Why did Alpert want the body of Amy's  husband? [Was it merely as proof of retribution to the Others?  Or did they do something creepy with it?]

*  Who  created the ancient temple  on  the island?

* How did the Others save young Ben after he was shot? [They put him  in the dark pool, most likely. But we weren't shown that this is the  case.]

*  What is Ilana's history with  Jacob? Why was  her face bandaged?

* Is Locke really dead? Will he return?

Additional  unanswered questions from Lostpedia:

• Why did  Desmond tell Charlie he saw a vision of Claire and Aaron getting  on a  helicopter that could only come true if he died?
• Why did Claire abandon Aaron?
• What caused the bad luck surrounding Hurley?
• What does Juliet's mark mean?

Questions from last week's episode

These aren't so much questions as writing that is bad and just doesn't make any sense:

• Smokey gets Ben to do his bidding by promising Ben that, once everybody is dead and gone, Ben will have control of the island. But at episode's end, Smokey tell Ben that he's going to destroy the island. And Ben seems ok with that. WTH?!!!
• In a previous episode, Ben confronts Charles Widmore. Widmore asks "Have you come to kill me" and Ben says "You know I can't do that." Yet, in the penultimate episode, Ben kills Widmore. So, it's suddenly ok now?
• Likewise, Smokey and Jacob's crazy mother says that neither can harm one another. Yet Jacob beats the snot out of Smokey and throws him into the magic light. I'm unclear on the definition of not hurting here.

STILL unanswered questions on Lost, or "why this show sucks"

As a guy going into if filled with dread, I admit I was often moved and greatly entertained by the last episode of "Lost" last night.

But, as self-predicted, I also was disappointed.

Jack's sacrifice, the showdown with Smokey, the thrilling escape from Hydra Island, the touching reunions (particularly the one between Sawyer and Juliet) and the open-to-multiple-interpretations ending: I was good with all of it.

But I still feel cheated. Not because the producers failed to answer every tiny question I had about the show's myriad tiny mysteries. But because they failed to even touch on the big ones. To end this series without even an attempt to explain:

The mysterious numbers. What do they mean? Where do they come from?
The significance of the island? Why is it's survival so crucial to humanity? After all, it seems most of what it did was bring people misery?

Is a cheat and give the impression that the writers just couldn't come up with good answers for these, or the many other lingering questions from the series.

So, while greatly entertaining over the years, I have to say I find "Lost" ultimately a let down.

A year or two back, I imagined I'd want to re-watch the entire series once it ended, so I could see how -- "The Usual Suspects"-style -- the puzzle all fits together. But I now realize that wouldn't work. There are still too many missing pieces.

Fun characters aside, these unique mysteries are what made "Lost" truly special. But, in the last season, the producers dropped any intention of addressing them in a satisfying way. In other words, they failed the story.

So, that's that. I doubt I'll re-watch any of it. But, just out of curiosity, I'll likely rent the final season bonus disk that promised to address unanswered questions. Not holding up too many hopes that will be satisfying either.

Here's my list of STILL unanswered questions -- big and small:



*  What is the history  of the Others? Where did they come from?  Why did they kill off the  Dharma Initiative?

* What's  up with Walt's powers? How did  the Others know  about them?

* How did Cindy  the stewardess and the two  children from the Oceanic flight come  to be among the Others?

* Why exactly did Jacob pick these particular folks as his candidates? He tells them because they are "flawed." Seriously, this is the best the show's producers can do? By that standard, any random human fits the bill! Six years and all we get is, "they're flawed." Criminy.

* Jack is now Jacob's successor and it's his job to protect the magic golden light at the center of the island. But why? What has this light ever done for anyone apart from turn them into smoke monsters. What's so danged good about the island. Everyone on the danged thing has been threatened, beat up and killed, it seems like. Sure, it has healing properties. But, to what purpose? Locke was made able to walk again so he could get killed by an evil entity that wants to destroy the self-same healing island. This makes NO SENSE people. And if the point is that it's not supposed to make sense, that's not coming through clear either. It's all random and tossed together.

* Why was Ben selected the leader of the Others? And why, ostensibly in the name of Jacob, do such horrible things to people? Did Jacob intend this? Why did the Others go along with it? Why did Richard go along with it?

* Why did Jacob exclude Kate from being a candidate because she's a mother? Wasn't Sun a mother also? Wasn't Jin a dad? Aren't Jack and Sawyer also dads? Is Jacob a sexist pig?

*  What was Ben's breakfast on the beach with  Kate in season 3 all  about? We didn't see any of their discussion. [I'm still a bit  baffled by this scene. We've not been given any insight into what was  discussed. Was Ben merely trying to persuade Jack to operate on Ben's  spine? Or was there something more going on.]

*  Why does the smoke monster kill some people and not others?

* Why did the smoke  monster kill Eko, in particular? What did the monster see/sense  in him?

* Why did the magic light turn the man in black into a smoke monster? If the light is such a good thing, why did it create an entity that goes around killing essentially innocent people?

* Why did the Others initially disguise  themselves as shipwrecked  pirate types complete with fake beards? [What  was the point? To make the crash survivors think that the Others were  merely fellow castaways, not an organized faction on the island with a  secret history? What?]

* What's up  with the sickness  that killed off Danielle's team? [Were they killed by Smokey or  turned evil by him? Or both?]

* Is  the Dharma  Initiative still active at all?

* Who  was behind  the air drop of Dharma  supplies  that has benefited the Oceanic survivors? [There was  a drop after the Oceanic survivors arrived, wasn't there? Or was this  an old drop that Hurley discovered? I may be misremembering.]

*  Why do  women on the island die instead of giving birth?

*  Why did the Others steal children?

*  What's behind the apparent healing properties of the island?

* What's responsible for the visions   of animals and dead people the crash surivors sometimes see on the   island?

* What's the deal with Libby, killed in   season 2, who evidently gave Desmond the sailboat that landed him on  the  island and who once was in a mental ward with Hurley? [Despite  Libby's recent appearance this season, these questions were not  answered.]

*  What's up with the giant statue?  Who built it? What is its significance?

* Is there   any explanation for why the man in the Dharma Initiative videos is at   different times identified as Dr. Marvin Candle, Dr. Mark Wickmund,  Dr. Pierre Change and   other names and why the CIA agent who identifies himself as Joe Inman   to Sayid tells Desmond that his name is Kelvin Inman?

*   Why did the psychic in Australia encourage Claire to take the  doomed  flight?

* Who is the man Sarah left Jack for? Why is she so   reluctant to reveal his identity? Is he somehow associated with the   Dharma Initiative and/or the Others?

* What's up with that polar bear in Tunisia? Was Charlotte   part of Dharma when she found it, or was she snooping into what Dharma   is all about? [Pretty much answered, I guess. We know Charlotte was  investigating her Dharma past? The polar bear likely transported from  the island ala Ben and Locke.]

* Who is Penelope's  mother?

*  Why did Alpert want the body of Amy's  husband? [Was it merely as proof of retribution to the Others?  Or did they do something creepy with it?]

*  Who  created the ancient temple  on  the island?

* How did the Others save young Ben after he was shot? [They put him  in the dark pool, most likely. But we weren't shown that this is the  case.]

*  What is Ilana's history with  Jacob? Why was  her face bandaged?

* Is Locke really dead? Will he return?

Additional  unanswered questions from Lostpedia:

• Why did  Desmond tell Charlie he saw a vision of Claire and Aaron getting  on a  helicopter that could only come true if he died?
• Why did Claire abandon Aaron?
• What caused the bad luck surrounding Hurley?
• What does Juliet's mark mean?

Questions from last week's episode

These aren't so much questions as writing that is bad and just doesn't make any sense:

• Smokey gets Ben to do his bidding by promising Ben that, once everybody is dead and gone, Ben will have control of the island. But at episode's end, Smokey tell Ben that he's going to destroy the island. And Ben seems ok with that. WTH?!!!
• In a previous episode, Ben confronts Charles Widmore. Widmore asks "Have you come to kill me" and Ben says "You know I can't do that." Yet, in the penultimate episode, Ben kills Widmore. So, it's suddenly ok now?
• Likewise, Smokey and Jacob's crazy mother says that neither can harm one another. Yet Jacob beats the snot out of Smokey and throws him into the magic light. I'm unclear on the definition of not hurting here.

Details on "Lost finale weekend"

From ABC:

The ABC "Lost" Series Finale event is set to kick off with the airing of "Pilot, Parts 1 & 2," an enhanced version of the two-hour pilot of the series that changed the way viewers watch television. The enhanced pilot will feature exclusive insight with the cast saying goodbye to the groundbreaking series and talking about what "Lost" has meant to them over the years. The enhanced pilot airs SATURDAY, MAY 22 (8:00-10:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network. (Rebroadcast. OAD: 9/22&29/04).

ABC and Verizon recently announced a unique opportunity for fans to participate in and say goodbye to this critically acclaimed series. Fans were asked to watch yesterday's episode of "Lost" in order to get a special short code to text in their farewell messages. Only Verizon customers were eligible to submit, and all texts had to be received within 30 minutes after the special short code was aired on ABC. Selected messages will be used on-air on Sunday, May 23 during the retrospective special, "Lost: The Final Journey," from 7:00-9:00 p.m., ET.

Also, ABC aired the winning promo on-air during last night's episode of "Lost" from passionate fans who entered the Ultimate Fan Promo Contest online at ABC.com

The series finale will air SUNDAY, MAY 23 (9:00-11:30 p.m., ET).

Following the finale episode, Jimmy Kimmel will host a one-hour post-show discussion and celebration of the beloved series in "Jimmy Kimmel Live: Aloha to Lost," SUNDAY, MAY 23 (12:05-1:05 a.m., ET). Kimmel will be joined in studio by Naveen Andrews, Nestor Carbonell, Alan Dale, Jeremy Davies, Emilie de Ravin, Michael Emerson, Matthew Fox, Daniel Dae Kim, Terry O'Quinn and Harold Perrineau, with special appearances by Jorge Garcia, Josh Holloway and Evangeline Lilly and an exclusive look at THREE ALTERNATIVE FINAL SCENES from the minds of executive producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse.

Lost is shaping up to be a big disappointment

With only a few episodes left, I have to admit I'm anticipating a very lackluster, unsatisfying conclusion to "Lost."

To date, this final season has seemed very much random and tossed together and short on revelations.

For five years-plus, the show's producers have been stringing us along with myriad mysteries with the promise of eventual answers. But, at this point, what do we really know?

I have a whole list of unanswered questions (some major, others minor) here. I get the sense many of them will go unanswered, and that just doesn't seem fair.

Even more frustrating, I think many will go unanswered because the show's producers have dropped threads they don't know how to pick up. For example, they briefly brought back the character of Lilly this season. But they didn't address key questions concerning her. For example, she played a role in getting Desmond to sail to the island. Why? And she was in the mental ward with Hurley. Again, why?

Click the link for many more frustratingly unanswered questions.

Early on, the producers promised this series wouldn't flake out ala "Twin Peaks" or "The X-Files." They had the whole story pretty much worked out, including the end. But I'm doubting more and more that that is true.

In the end will "Lost" just be the story of Jacob and Smokey -- two characters we barely know and who were really only dropped into the mix at the end of last season -- with the series' regular characters functioning merely as props?

Is it gonna be some lame story about a cosmic/existential chess game played between these two? Is that the best the producers can possibly come up with at this juncture?

I'm watching until the end, of course, because I've followed the story thus far. But I certainly haven't been excited by any of the episodes this season and I'm somewhat dreading the expected disappointment of the series conclusion.

Is it too late at this juncture for the show to get it together and go out with a bang? I hope not.

Lost preview May 11, 2010 episode

Highlight the hidden text for possible spoilers:

LOCKE'S MOTIVES ARE FINALLY EXPLAINED, ON ABC'S "LOST"

"Across the Sea" - The motives of John Locke are finally explained, on "Lost," TUESDAY,

MAY 11 (9:00-10:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

"Lost" stars Naveen Andrews as Sayid, Nestor Carbonell as Richard Alpert, Emilie de Ravin as Claire, Michael Emerson as Ben, Jeff Fahey as Frank Lapidus, Matthew Fox as Jack, Jorge Garcia as Hurley, Josh Holloway as Sawyer, Daniel Dae Kim as Jin, Yunjin Kim as Sun, Ken Leung as Miles, Evangeline Lilly as Kate, Terry O'Quinn as Locke and Zuleikha Robinson as Ilana.

Guest starring are Mark Pellegrino as Jacob, Titus Welliver as man in black, Allison Janney as woman, Kenton Duty as teenage boy, Ryan Bradford as boy, Lela Loren as Claudia and Ivo Nandi as oldest hunter.

"Across the Sea" was written by Carlton Cuse & Damon Lindelof and directed by Tucker Gates.

Tonight on Lost May 5, 2010

Highlight the hidden text for possible spoilers:

JACK IS SUSPICIOUS OF LOCKE'S INTENTIONS WHEN HE'S ASKED TO FOLLOW THROUGH ON A DIFFICULT TASK, ON ABC'S "LOST"

"The Candidate" - Jack must decide whether or not to trust Locke after he is asked to follow through on a difficult task, on "Lost," TUESDAY, MAY 4 (9:00-10:02 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

"Lost" stars Naveen Andrews as Sayid, Nestor Carbonell as Richard Alpert, Emilie de Ravin as Claire, Michael Emerson as Ben, Jeff Fahey as Frank Lapidus, Matthew Fox as Jack, Jorge Garcia as Hurley, Josh Holloway as Sawyer, Daniel Dae Kim as Jin, Yunjin Kim as Sun, Ken Leung as Miles, Evangeline Lilly as Kate, Terry O'Quinn as Locke and Zuleikha Robinson as Ilana.

Guest starring are Alan Dale as Charles Widmore, Kevin Tighe as Anthony Cooper, Sam Anderson as Bernard, Katey Sagal as Helen, Fred Koehler as Seamus, Maile Holck as nurse, Casey Adams as Wheeler, Ken Elliott as orderly, Christopher McGahan as Paul and Alan Seabock as sub captain.

"The Candidate" was written by Elizabeth Sarnoff & Jim Galasso and directed by Jack Bender.

Still unanswered questions on Lost

As a guy going into if filled with dread, I admit I was often moved and greatly entertained by the last episode of "Lost" last night.

But, as self-predicted, I also was disappointed.

Jack's sacrifice, the showdown with Smokey, the thrilling escape from Hydra Island, the touching reunions (particularly the one between Sawyer and Juliet) and the open-to-multiple-interpretations ending: I was good with all of it.

But I still feel cheated. Not because the producers failed to answer every tiny question I had about the show's myriad tiny mysteries. But because they failed to even touch on the big ones. To end this series without even an attempt to explain:

The mysterious numbers. What do they mean? Where do they come from?
The significance of the island? Why is it's survival so crucial to humanity? After all, it seems most of what it did was bring people misery?

Is a cheat and give the impression that the writers just couldn't come up with good answers for these, or the many other lingering questions from the series.

So, while greatly entertaining over the years, I have to say I find "Lost" ultimately a let down.

A year or two back, I imagined I'd want to re-watch the entire series once it ended, so I could see how -- "The Usual Suspects"-style -- the puzzle all fits together. But I now realize that wouldn't work. There are still too many missing pieces.

Fun characters aside, these unique mysteries are what made "Lost" truly special. But, in the last season, the producers dropped any intention of addressing them in a satisfying way. In other words, they failed the story.

So, that's that. I doubt I'll re-watch any of it. But, just out of curiosity, I'll likely rent the final season bonus disk that promised to address unanswered questions. Not holding up too many hopes that will be satisfying either.

Here's my list of STILL unanswered questions -- big and small:



*  What is the history  of the Others? Where did they come from?  Why did they kill off the  Dharma Initiative?

* What's  up with Walt's powers? How did  the Others know  about them?

* How did Cindy  the stewardess and the two  children from the Oceanic flight come  to be among the Others?

* Why exactly did Jacob pick these particular folks as his candidates? He tells them because they are "flawed." Seriously, this is the best the show's producers can do? By that standard, any random human fits the bill! Six years and all we get is, "they're flawed." Criminy.

* Jack is now Jacob's successor and it's his job to protect the magic golden light at the center of the island. But why? What has this light ever done for anyone apart from turn them into smoke monsters. What's so danged good about the island. Everyone on the danged thing has been threatened, beat up and killed, it seems like. Sure, it has healing properties. But, to what purpose? Locke was made able to walk again so he could get killed by an evil entity that wants to destroy the self-same healing island. This makes NO SENSE people. And if the point is that it's not supposed to make sense, that's not coming through clear either. It's all random and tossed together.

* Why was Ben selected the leader of the Others? And why, ostensibly in the name of Jacob, do such horrible things to people? Did Jacob intend this? Why did the Others go along with it? Why did Richard go along with it?

* Why did Jacob exclude Kate from being a candidate because she's a mother? Wasn't Sun a mother also? Wasn't Jin a dad? Aren't Jack and Sawyer also dads? Is Jacob a sexist pig?

*  What was Ben's breakfast on the beach with  Kate in season 3 all  about? We didn't see any of their discussion. [I'm still a bit  baffled by this scene. We've not been given any insight into what was  discussed. Was Ben merely trying to persuade Jack to operate on Ben's  spine? Or was there something more going on.]

*  Why does the smoke monster kill some people and not others?

* Why did the smoke  monster kill Eko, in particular? What did the monster see/sense  in him?

* Why did the magic light turn the man in black into a smoke monster? If the light is such a good thing, why did it create an entity that goes around killing essentially innocent people?

* Why did the Others initially disguise  themselves as shipwrecked  pirate types complete with fake beards? [What  was the point? To make the crash survivors think that the Others were  merely fellow castaways, not an organized faction on the island with a  secret history? What?]

* What's up  with the sickness  that killed off Danielle's team? [Were they killed by Smokey or  turned evil by him? Or both?]

* Is  the Dharma  Initiative still active at all?

* Who  was behind  the air drop of Dharma  supplies  that has benefited the Oceanic survivors? [There was  a drop after the Oceanic survivors arrived, wasn't there? Or was this  an old drop that Hurley discovered? I may be misremembering.]

*  Why do  women on the island die instead of giving birth?

*  Why did the Others steal children?

*  What's behind the apparent healing properties of the island?

* What's responsible for the visions   of animals and dead people the crash surivors sometimes see on the   island?

* What's the deal with Libby, killed in   season 2, who evidently gave Desmond the sailboat that landed him on  the  island and who once was in a mental ward with Hurley? [Despite  Libby's recent appearance this season, these questions were not  answered.]

*  What's up with the giant statue?  Who built it? What is its significance?

* Is there   any explanation for why the man in the Dharma Initiative videos is at   different times identified as Dr. Marvin Candle, Dr. Mark Wickmund,  Dr. Pierre Change and   other names and why the CIA agent who identifies himself as Joe Inman   to Sayid tells Desmond that his name is Kelvin Inman?

*   Why did the psychic in Australia encourage Claire to take the  doomed  flight?

* Who is the man Sarah left Jack for? Why is she so   reluctant to reveal his identity? Is he somehow associated with the   Dharma Initiative and/or the Others?

* What's up with that polar bear in Tunisia? Was Charlotte   part of Dharma when she found it, or was she snooping into what Dharma   is all about? [Pretty much answered, I guess. We know Charlotte was  investigating her Dharma past? The polar bear likely transported from  the island ala Ben and Locke.]

* Who is Penelope's  mother?

*  Why did Alpert want the body of Amy's  husband? [Was it merely as proof of retribution to the Others?  Or did they do something creepy with it?]

*  Who  created the ancient temple  on  the island?

* How did the Others save young Ben after he was shot? [They put him  in the dark pool, most likely. But we weren't shown that this is the  case.]

*  What is Ilana's history with  Jacob? Why was  her face bandaged?

* Is Locke really dead? Will he return?

Additional  unanswered questions from Lostpedia:

• Why did  Desmond tell Charlie he saw a vision of Claire and Aaron getting  on a  helicopter that could only come true if he died?
• Why did Claire abandon Aaron?
• What caused the bad luck surrounding Hurley?
• What does Juliet's mark mean?

Questions from last week's episode

These aren't so much questions as writing that is bad and just doesn't make any sense:

• Smokey gets Ben to do his bidding by promising Ben that, once everybody is dead and gone, Ben will have control of the island. But at episode's end, Smokey tell Ben that he's going to destroy the island. And Ben seems ok with that. WTH?!!!
• In a previous episode, Ben confronts Charles Widmore. Widmore asks "Have you come to kill me" and Ben says "You know I can't do that." Yet, in the penultimate episode, Ben kills Widmore. So, it's suddenly ok now?
• Likewise, Smokey and Jacob's crazy mother says that neither can harm one another. Yet Jacob beats the snot out of Smokey and throws him into the magic light. I'm unclear on the definition of not hurting here.

Lost April 20 details

Highlight the hidden text for possible spoilers:

ALLIANCES ARE FORGED AND BROKEN, ON ABC'S "LOST"

"The Last Recruit" - Alliances are forged and broken as the Locke and Jack camps merge, on "Lost," TUESDAY, APRIL 20 (9:00-10:02 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

"Lost" stars Naveen Andrews as Sayid, Nestor Carbonell as Richard Alpert, Emilie de Ravin as Claire, Michael Emerson as Ben, Jeff Fahey as Frank Lapidus, Matthew Fox as Jack, Jorge Garcia as Hurley, Josh Holloway as Sawyer, Daniel Dae Kim as Jin, Yunjin Kim as Sun, Ken Leung as Miles, Evangeline Lilly as Kate, Terry O'Quinn as Locke and Zuleikha Robinson as Ilana.

Guest starring are Andrea Gabriel as Noor "Nadia" Abed Jaseem, Sheila Kelley as Zoe, Kimberley Joseph as Cindy, Dylan Minnette as David, Teresa Huang as surgeon, Skyler Stone as EMT #1, Todd Coolidge as EMT #2, Yvonne Midkiff as receptionist, Christopher Amitrano as Burditt, Kasim Saul as guard, Steve Boatright as Mike, Mickey Graue as Zack and Kiersten Havelock as Emma.

"The Last Recruit" was written by Paul Zbyszewski & Graham Roland and directed by Steve Semel.

Lost April 6 episode preview: Happily Ever After

Highlight the hidden text for spoilers:

DESMOND WAKES UP TO DISCOVER HE'S BACK ON THE ISLAND, ON ABC'S "LOST"

Dominic Monaghan Guest Stars as Charlie

Jeremy Davies Guest Stars as Daniel Faraday

"Happily Ever After" - Desmond wakes up to discover he's back on the island, on "Lost," TUESDAY, APRIL 6 (9:00-10:02 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

"Lost" stars Naveen Andrews as Sayid, Nestor Carbonell as Richard Alpert, Emilie de Ravin as Claire, Michael Emerson as Ben, Jeff Fahey as Frank Lapidus, Matthew Fox as Jack, Jorge Garcia as Hurley, Josh Holloway as Sawyer, Daniel Dae Kim as Jin, Yunjin Kim as Sun, Ken Leung as Miles, Evangeline Lilly as Kate, Terry O'Quinn as Locke and Zuleikha Robinson as Ilana.

Guest starring are Dominic Monaghan as Charlie, Henry Ian Cusick as Desmond, Jeremy Davies as Daniel Faraday, Alan Dale as Charles Widmore, Fionnula Flanagan as Eloise Hawking, Sonya Walger as Penelope "Penny" Widmore, Fisher Stevens as George Minkowski, Sheila Kelley as Zoe, Fred Koehler as Seamus, Kayren Butler as doctor, Ben Cain as MRI tech, Grisel Toledo as Nurse Tyra, Sundra Oakley as lawyer, Haley Williams as assistant, Jonathan Arthur as Simmons, Gerard Elmore as clipboard guy, Hannah Bell as nurse, Christopher McGahan as techie #1 and Steve Boatright as goon #1.

"Happily Ever After" was written by Carlton Cuse & Damon Lindelof and directed by Jack Bender.

Lost March 30, 2010, preview

Highlight the hidden text for spoilers:

SUN AND JIN CONTINUE THEIR SEARCH FOR ONE ANOTHER,

AND LOCKE CONFRONTS HIS ENEMY, ON ABC'S "LOST"

"The Package" - Sun and Jin desperately continue their search for one another, and Locke confronts his enemy, on "Lost," TUESDAY, MARCH 30 (9:00-10:02 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

"Lost" stars Naveen Andrews as Sayid, Nestor Carbonell as Richard Alpert, Emilie de Ravin as Claire, Michael Emerson as Ben, Jeff Fahey as Frank Lapidus, Matthew Fox as Jack, Jorge Garcia as Hurley, Josh Holloway as Sawyer, Daniel Dae Kim as Jin, Yunjin Kim as Sun, Ken Leung as Miles, Evangeline Lilly as Kate, Terry O'Quinn as Locke and Zuleikha Robinson as Ilana.

Guest starring are Alan Dale as Charles Widmore, Kevin Durand as Keamy, Anthony Azizi as Omar, Andrew Divoff as Mikhail Bakunin, Sheila Kelley as Zoe, Fred Koehler as Seamus, Chad Donella as desk clerk, Natalie Garcia Fryman as Ms. Kendall and Larry Joshua as Burditt.

"The Package" was written by Paul Zbyszewski & Graham Roland and directed by Paul Edwards.

Is Lost the story about a genie, or genies?

This is a fascinating theory my wife came up with. Sounds like it's gaining some traction among other fans, too:


I think the island functions as Smokey's "bottle." That's why MIB breaks Jacob's decanter.
More evidence:
In Islam, according to Wikipedia, genies are made from "smokeless fire," occupy a parallel world and can travel huge distances really fast--just like Smokey. Some Muslims believe everyone's assigned a jinn (Jin???!!!) who whispers to them their evil desires (the whispers on the island?) and can take both human and animal form (the boar, Kate's horse, maybe Vincent?) Also, in recent times, scientists and activists have referred to the detonation of nuclear bombs as "letting the genie out of the bottle," which would explain the whole Jughead incident.

As a side note, and possibly a huge stretch, I found it interesting that Richard asked Jacob for three things, or three wishes, if you will: To bring his wife back (Robin Williams established that genies can't reanimate people), to absolve his sins (hard for an essentially evil being) and to never die. Is Jacob a kind of genie too?

Lost episode teaser March 16, 2010

Highlight hidden text for spoilers:

LOCKE TASKS SAWYER WITH A MISSION, ON ABC'S "LOST" Rebecca Mader Guest Stars as Charlotte

"Recon" - Locke tasks Sawyer with a mission, on "Lost," TUESDAY, MARCH 16 (9:00-10:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network. "Lost" stars Naveen Andrews as Sayid, Nestor Carbonell as Richard Alpert, Emilie de Ravin as Claire, Michael Emerson as Ben, Jeff Fahey as Frank Lapidus, Matthew Fox as Jack, Jorge Garcia as Hurley, Josh Holloway as Sawyer, Daniel Dae Kim as Jin, Yunjin Kim as Sun, Ken Leung as Miles, Evangeline Lilly as Kate, Terry O'Quinn as Locke and Zuleikha Robinson as Ilana. Guest starring are Alan Dale as Charles Widmore, Rebecca Mader as Charlotte Lewis, Kimberley Joseph as Cindy, Neil Hopkins as Liam Pace, Sheila Kelley as Zoe, Jodi Lyn O'Keefe as Ava, Fred Koehler as Seamus, Allen Cole as duty sergeant, Mickey Graue as Zack, Kiersten Havelock as Emma, Christopher Johnson as police officer and Michael Green as lawyer.

Lost March 9, 2010 teaser

Highlight the hidden text for details about tonight's ep:

BEN DEALS WITH THE CONSEQUENCES OF

AN UNCOVERED LIE, ON ABC'S "LOST"

"Dr. Linus" - Ben deals with the consequences of an uncovered lie, on "Lost," TUESDAY, MARCH 9 (9:00-10:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

"Lost" stars Naveen Andrews as Sayid, Nestor Carbonell as Richard Alpert, Emilie de Ravin as Claire, Michael Emerson as Ben, Jeff Fahey as Frank Lapidus, Matthew Fox as Jack, Jorge Garcia as Hurley, Josh Holloway as Sawyer, Daniel Dae Kim as Jin, Yunjin Kim as Sun, Ken Leung as Miles, Evangeline Lilly as Kate, Terry O'Quinn as Locke and Zuleikha Robinson as Ilana.

Guest starring are Alan Dale as Charles Widmore, Tania Raymonde as Alex, Daniel Roebuck as Dr. Leslie Arzt, Jon Gries as Roger Linus, William Atherton as Principal Don Reynolds and Steve Boatright as officer.

"Dr. Linus" was written by Edward Kitsis & Adam Horowitz and directed by Mario Van Peebles.

Lost season 6 episode guide: Episode 6.4 "The Lighthouse"

Synopsis:

In island time: Hurley's talking to dead Jacob again. Jacob instructs him to bring a suspicious Jack to an ancient lighthouse high up on one of the island's rocky shores and to direct the mirrored lights at the top of the lighthouse to a particular set of coordinates. Somebody is coming to the island, Jacob says, and they need help finding the way.

Jack tags along because he wants to see Jacob: No longer the skeptical man of science, Jack is now convinced there's some weird mumbo jumbo afoot that's taken him to the island--twice. When Hurley tells Jack that he must come with him because Jacob said Jack "has what it takes," that seals the deal. Jack's dad once told him that Jack didn't have what it took. Jack is convinced Jacob, whoever the heck he may be, knows more than is normal about his life and he wants to confront him.

When they get up in the lighthouse, Jack demands to see Jacob. But Hurley can't deliver him. Only Hurley, it seems, can see Jacob. Around the mirrors on the light, Jack sees hundreds of scrawled names next to numbers, including his own, next to the number 23. When he aligns the mirrors to his name and number, he see his own childhood home in the mirrors. He becomes angry, convinced that Jacob has been watching and manipulating him for many years and he wants to know what Jacob is after. He becomes so angry, in fact, that he smashes all the mirrors.

Later, Jacob turns up to visit Hurley, as Jack seethes and ponders, staring out at the sea. Jacob is surprisingly calm about the smashed mirrors, telling Hurley that Jack has a purpose on the island, but is having trouble determining what it is. He'll come around.

Jacob also tells Hurley that he and Jack must stay away from the Temple, because danger is coming there. Hurley wants to go back and warn those at the Temple, but Jacob calmly tells him that it's too late.

Elsewhere on the island, Jin and the Other Justin are taken by the new, mentally-disturbed jungle version of Clair to her camp. She's convinced that the Others took her child three years ago when the other Oceanic survivors left the island. Jin trieds to calm her down, but to no success. When Justin insists that they don't have Aaron, she kills him. She also tells Jin that she hasn't been on her own over the past three years. She was with her dad, Christian Shephard, for a while and an unnamed "friend."

Right around this time John Locke/Smokey turns up at Clair's tent. Startled, Jin says "John!" Claire, amused, says, "That's not John. That's my friend."

In sideways time: It turns out Jack is divorced (we don't know from who) and has a surly teen-aged son. As with earlier in the season, this version of Jack seems mystified by certain things, though. Earlier, it was a wound on his neck. This time its a scar from having his appendix out. He talks to his mother, asking when he had his appendix removed. When he was a child, she says. But we know that he had this surgery performed, under primitive conditions, as an adult on the island. Through the course of the episode Jack and his son make amends. Jack realizes that, like his own dad, he's been hard on his son and difficult to deal with. He shows his gentler side and apologizes, hoping to be a better dad.

Questions/observations/speculation:

• Who is the mother of Jack's son?
• Does/did he have a child in the regular timeline too?
• Who is coming to the island? Is Jacob telling the truth about this?
• What's the secret behind Jacob's lighthouse and Jacob in general?
• Did Smokey inhabit the body of Christian Shephard before that of Locke? Or did Jacob? It seemed like, in the past, Jacob was the one speaking through Christian?
• The song that David, Jack's son, performs on piano is Chopin's Fantaisie Impromptu, the same piece we hear a young Daniel Faraday playing last season.
• On their way to the lighthouse, Hurley and Jack pass the caves the survivors lived in shortly after the crash. And they again see the bodies of two previous plane crash survivors. Who were they people? Hurley wonders if its the Oceanic survivors themselves, displaced in time.
• Jack also see his father's coffin and tells Hurley that the body was missing after the crash, and that he follows his father's ghost, or something, to the caves, which is how he found them in the first place.

Read what happened on last week's episode!

Teaser for Lost Feb. 23, 2010: Episode 6.4 "Lighthouse"

Highlight the hidden text for spoilers:

HURLEY MUST CONVINCE JACK TO GO WITH HIM ON AN UNSPECIFIED MISSION, ON ABC'S "LOST"

"Lighthouse" - Hurley must convince Jack to accompany him on an unspecified mission, and Jin stumbles across an old friend, on "Lost," TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23 (9:00-10:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network. "Lost" stars Naveen Andrews as Sayid, Nestor Carbonell as Richard Alpert, Emilie de Ravin as Claire, Michael Emerson as Ben, Jeff Fahey as Frank Lapidus, Matthew Fox as Jack, Jorge Garcia as Hurley, Josh Holloway as Sawyer, Daniel Dae Kim as Jin, Yunjin Kim as Sun, Ken Leung as Miles, Evangeline Lilly as Kate, Terry O'Quinn as Locke and Zuleikha Robinson as Ilana. Guest starring are Veronica Hamel as Margo Shephard, Mark Pellegrino as Jacob, Hiroyuki Sanada as Dogen, Dayo Ade as Justin, Dylan Minnette as David and Sean Kinerney as Japanese boy. "Lighthouse" was written by Damon Lindelof & Carlton Cuse and directed by Jack Bender.

Lost season 6 episode guide: Episode 6.3 "The Substitute"

Synopsis:

In sideways time we see a Locke who never gets stuck on the island, but who returns to Los Angeles from Australia not having gone on his walkabout. He wasn't allowed to go, he tells his supportive wife (yes, Helen), because he's confined to a wheelchair.

This Locke also gets fired from his box factory job because his boss, the irksome Randy, learns he also didn't attend a business conference while in Australia, the reason he got his ticket to the Land Down Under in the first place.

Dejected, Locke heads to the parking lot to head home, where he encounters Hurley, the Hummer-driving owner of the box outfit. Hurley expresses sympathy and gives Locke a business card for a temp agency that he runs. There, Locke meets Rose, manager of the agency, who helps him get a job as a substitute teacher. One day, on the job, Locke strikes up a conversation with another educator in a high school teachers' lounge--none other than Benjamin Linus.

In island time: Smokey, in the guise of Locke, has been holding Richard prisoner in hopes of getting Richard to join his cause. Richard won't go for it, and Smokey lets him go.

Later, Smokey finds Sawyer in the Dharma barracks. For some reason, as yet unrevealed, Smokey needs help to attain his goal--leaving the island. He tries to recruit Sawyer to the cause.

Although drunk out of his gourd (he's still mourning Juliette and the overall suckiness of his time-shifted life), Sawyer somehow recognizes that this Locke isn't Locke. He says "what are you?"

Smokey tells Sawyer that if he follows him, Sawyer will learn why he ended up on the island in the first place. Sawyer agrees and follows Smokey down a perilous cliff face to a hidden sea cave. The roof of the cave is inscribed with many names, most of them crossed out. But among those not crossed off are those of the still-living Oceanic crash survivors, including Sawyer.

This is evidently Jacob's list. And we see in flashbacks how Jacob had encountered most (not all, see the section below) of the Oceanic survivors back in civilization. Smokey says each of those named was selected by Jacob to come to the island and protect it.

"Protect it from what?," asks Sawyer. "From nothing," says Smokey. He says the island is safe, it doesn't need protecting and that what he wants most is what Sawyer wants, to get the hell off. Sawyer says he'll help.

Questions/observations/speculation:

• Once with Richard and another time with Sawyer, Smokey glimpses a vision of a young boy. The second time, this boy tells Smokey he can't kill Sawyer, it's "against the rules." This makes Smokey angry and he says, as the real Locke often did, "Don't tell me what I can't do!"
• Richard can't see the boy, but Sawyer can. How come?
• Is the boy a younger version of Jacob? Sure looks like it.
• Smokey describes Locke to Richard as a "candidate," which mystifies Richard. A candidate for what, he asks. Later, Smokey tells Sawyer that all the people on Jacob's list are candidates for Jacob's job of protecting the island.
• Why are the candidates candidates? Why did Jacob select these particular people?
• Is Smokey telling the truth when he says there is no threat against the island? Probably not. But what is a threat to the island? Smokey himself, or some outside source?
• Again, why is Smokey trapped on the island?
• At one point on island time, Ilana tells Ben that Smokey is trapped in the form of Locke. Why?
• Smokey tells Sawyer that "Of Mice and Men" was written a little "after" his time. This indicates that he's been on the island for many years. Of course, we've already been shown that in the flashback to Jacob and Smokey (in his original form) talking at the foot of the statue last season.
• We don't see Kate's name amongst those scrawled on the cave ceiling. Is she not a candidate? And we only see the name Kwon. Does this refer to Jin or Sun or both?

Also, each of the "candidates" has a number that corresponds with the show's much-pondered mystery digits:

4: Locke
8: Hurley
15: Sawyer
16: Sayid
23: Jack (or maybe Jack's dad, Christian? The cave writing just says "Shepherd")
42: Kwon (Sun, Jin or both?)

Read what happened on last week's episode!

New Entertainment Weekly focuses on the mysteries of Lost

The mag has a new cover story on the show:

As the series heads towards its May 23 finale, some of the cast members are taking a more “ignorance is bliss” approach, preferring to let the story unfold rather than guessing what will become of their character in the final episodes. Emilie de Ravin — whose Claire is back with a vengeance (and a wild-woman-of-the-jungle makeover) after being absent since season 4 — spent her time away from Lost shooting movies (including Public Enemies) and, well, not watching Lost.

Lost: details for Feb. 10, 2010 episode: The Substitute

Highlight the hidden text for spoilers:

LOCKE SEARCHES FOR HELP TO FURTHER HIS CAUSE,

ON ABC'S "LOST"

"The Substitute" - Locke goes in search of help to further his cause, on "Lost," TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16 (9:00-10:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

"Lost" stars Naveen Andrews as Sayid, Nestor Carbonell as Richard Alpert, Emilie de Ravin as Claire, Michael Emerson as Ben, Jeff Fahey as Frank Lapidus, Matthew Fox as Jack, Jorge Garcia as Hurley, Josh Holloway as Sawyer, Daniel Dae Kim as Jin, Yunjin Kim as Sun, Ken Leung as Miles, Evangeline Lilly as Kate, Terry O'Quinn as Locke and Zuleikha Robinson as Ilana.

Guest starring are L. Scott Caldwell as Rose, Katey Sagal as Helen, Billy Ray Gallion as Randy, Suzanne Krull as Lynn Karnoff, Kenton Duty as teenage boy, Eddie L. Cavett as courier and Joshua Smith as school kid.

"The Substitute" was written by Elizabeth Sarnoff & Melinda Hsu Taylor and directed by Tucker Gates.

Lost season 6 episode guide: Episode 6.2: "What Kate Does"

Synopsis:
In island time: Sayid has sprung back to life, but the Others are suspicious. Mr. Dogen subjects Sayid to tests (torture, more like) and finds that he's been "infected." Dogen tries to persuade Jack to give Sayid some medicine, which is actually poison. Jack refuses. Dogen says that the infection is spreading with Sayid. When it reaches the heart, Sayid will lose his soul. This same thing, Dogen tells Jack, happened to Jack's sister: Claire.

Meanwhile, Sawyer decides he's not going to be a prisoner of the Others again and leaves the Temple, despite the Others telling him he's safer inside. Kate and Jin soon follow, accompanied by two Others as guards, who Kate manages to knock out and ditch. Jin wants to look for Sun and he and Kate go their separate ways.

Kate catches up with Sawyer in the Dharma village, where Sawyer recovers the engagement ring he'd planned to give the now-dead Juliette. Sawyer blames himself for Juliette's death and Kate is very sad.

Back in the jungle, Jin is recaptured by the Others is about to be shot when--the Others get shot! By a perplexed and homicidal-looking Claire!

In sideways time: Kate makes a break for it at the airport, seizing control of a taxi cab containing...Claire! This time it's sweet, normal, pregnant Claire. Kate dumps Claire but later goes back to here, after realizing that the suitcase left behind contains a stuff killer whale doll, presumably for yet-to-be-born Aaron. Kate learns that Claire plans to give up the baby and they go to the home of the adoptive parents. However, the dad isn't there. He's split and abandoned the would-be mother. Claire is shocked and goes into labor (don't you love TV?) and Kate and she end up going to the hospital. Some cops arrive, but Claire plays dumb, allowing Kate to escape.

Questions/observations/speculation:

• One of the Others who leaves with Kate and Sayid is named Aldo and was Kate's guard on the smaller island when she was locked up in the polar bear cage.
• What is the infection and how will it harm Sayid?
• How was Claire infected and when? What exactly happened to her?
• Was Ben also infected as a child when he was taken to the Temple? 
• There was an episode titled "What Kate Did" in season 2 of "Lost."

Read what happened on last week's episode.

Tonight on Lost!

Read a teaser for tonight's episode here!

Book 'em, Danno: Daniel Dae Kim headed to Hawaii Five-O

Daniel Dae King, who plays Jin on "Lost," will head the cast in a new remake of "Hawaii Five-O," according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Lost season 6 finale date announced

It's all over May 23, says ABC.

"LOST" SERIES FINALE EVENT SET FOR SUNDAY, MAY 23 ON ABC
Finale to Air on a Special Night, Sunday, May 23 from 9:00-11:00 p.m., ET,
Preceded by a Recap Special from 8:00-9:00 p.m., ET

Stephen McPherson, president, ABC Entertainment Group, today announced the "Lost" series finale date, airing as a primetime event on a special night on Sunday, May 23 from 9:00-11:00 p.m., ET. Preceding the finale will be a recap special from 8:00-9:00 p.m., ET.

"Lost is an example of what happens when you put creativity above everything else, trust the creative vision, and take the risks required to be truly original," said McPherson. "It's a testament to staying true to the creative vision of one of the most iconic shows ever on television, and we're giving the producers an unprecedented opportunity to respect the fans and really satisfy the viewers with a spectacular conclusion."

The critically acclaimed, hit drama premiered on September 22, 2004. The series was nominated for numerous awards and was a 2008 recipient of the prestigious Peabody Award, and awarded the 2005 Emmy and 2006 Golden Globe for Best Drama Series. At the end of its sixth and final season, "Lost" will have aired 114 episodes (121 episodic hours).

Executive producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse appeared on ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" after "Lost's" season premiere on Tuesday, February 2 (12:05 a.m., ET) to discuss the upcoming season.

Oceanic Air flight 815 tore apart in mid-air and crashed on a Pacific island, leaving 48 passengers alive and stranded on a remote island in the South Pacific. The survivors include a diverse group of people from different walks of life -- a doctor, an escaped fugitive, a con man, an Iraqi interrogator, a married Korean couple and a man formerly confined to a wheelchair who is now inexplicably healed. As the castaways attempt to get home, flashbacks (and forwards) illuminate their troubled lives before and after the crash, as the island that they find themselves stranded on begins to slowly reveal its mysterious nature. Faith, reason, destiny and free will all clash as the island offers opportunities for both corruption and redemption... but as to its true purpose? That's the greatest mystery of all.

Episode teaser for Lost episode 6.2 on 2/9/2010

Highlight the hidden text for spoilers:

KATE'S ON THE RUN, ON ABC'S "LOST"

"What Kate Does" - Kate finds herself on the run, while Jack is tasked with something that could endanger a friend's life, on "Lost," TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 9 (9:00-10:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

"Lost" stars Naveen Andrews as Sayid, Nestor Carbonell as Richard Alpert, Emilie de Ravin as Claire, Michael Emerson as Ben, Jeff Fahey as Frank Lapidus, Matthew Fox as Jack, Jorge Garcia as Hurley, Josh Holloway as Sawyer, Daniel Dae Kim as Jin, Yunjin Kim as Sun, Ken Leung as Miles, Evangeline Lilly as Kate, Terry O'Quinn as Locke and Zuleikha Robinson as Ilana.

"What Kate Does" was written by Edward Kitsis & Adam Horowitz and directed by Paul Edwards.

"Lost" is broadcast in 720 Progressive (720P), ABC's selected HDTV format, with 5.1-channel surround sound and Spanish subtitles via secondary closed captioning. A TV parental guideline will be assigned closer to airdate.

Lost season 6 episode guide: Episode 6.1: LA X

Synopsis:

Well, evidently the bomb went off. But it didn't entirely do the trick of re-setting our heroes into a pre-Oceanic crash setting. Instead, we now have two time streams in play.

On the island: Jack, Sawyer, Hurley, Kate, Miles, Jin and Sayid all regain post-explosion consciousness on the, well, island. But it's now the present (or whenever) day. The Hatch is there, blown up. But the explosion didn't prevent its construction.

Elsewhere on the island: We see that whoever's been marching around in the guise of Locke is the man in black we saw at the end of last season. And, as speculated, this man in black is also the smoke monster we've been wondering about since season 1.

Richard Alpert and the Others on the beach have figured out something's not quite right. When Ben comes stumbling out of the statue alone, Richard demands to know what happened inside. Ben lies (how unusual) that Locke and Jacob are still inside. But Richard knows he's being duped. He forces Ben to look at the real Locke, lying dead on the beach in his nice funeral suit.

Ilana's people--evidently Jacob's bodyguards--decide to bring Ben back into the statue to confront the fake Locke. Fake Locke, however, turns into a smoke monster and kills them all. Smokey tells Ben "I'm sorry you had to see me like that." He also says that, unlike the real Locke, he wants nothing more than to get off the island and go "home."

Then he marches out onto the beach and beats up Richard, tossing him over his shoulder and marches into the jungle after telling the assembed Others that he's "very disappointed" in them.

Back with Jack and the rest: The group hears Juliet's voice from inside the Hatch wreckage and go to work, furiously, to get her out. Ultimately, Sawyer makes it to her side. She's in bad shape. Before she dies, she manages to say "I need to tell you something important..." but doesn't finish. Later, via Miles' "I hear dead people" power, we learn she want to say "it worked."

Meanwhile, "I talk with dead people guy" Hurley is visited by the ghost of Jacob who tells him to bring Sayid to the Others' temple so he can be saved. Sayid is on the verge of death from his gunshot wound. The rest of the group minus Sawyer and Miles who are burying Juliet, go to the temple and are soon captured by a new, mysterious group of Others led by a Japanese man, Mr. Dogen, and his hippie-ish assistant Lennon.

These Others also eventually capture Sawyer and Miles and bring them to the Temple too. We learn that all our heroes are on a list provided to Hurley, hidden inside an ankh inside Charlie's old guitar case (this is such a weird show).

These Others place Sayid in a pool of clouded water (apparently it's normally supposed to be clear) and try to revive him. But this doesn't work. Sayid dies and his body is placed on the ground near Jack and his group.

The Japanese man demands to learn more of Hurley's association with Jacob and is freaked out when he learns that Jacob is dead. The temple crew goes on full alert, spreading sand (or something) all over the place to keep out Smokey. In the midst of all the action Sayid comes back to life.

Meanwhile in the other new/old time stream: Most of the folks we know from the Oceanic crash are back on the plane, which doesn't crash. It lands in L.A. and none of the characters remembers or knows anything about the island. They move forward as if none of that happened. Some of them meet and talk, but have no memories of their previous relationships. Also, the body of Jack's dad has gone missing and Jack has a mysterious cut on his neck.

The show's producers say these sections are "flash sideways," allowing them to depict what might happen had the characters never landed on the island. Will it all somehow fit together in the end? I don't know.

And, there's a wild scene where we see that the island, complete with food statue, is leagues and leagues below the sea.

Questions/observations/speculation:

• Why is the island underwater in the sideways time frame?
• Is the sideways time stream actually a flash forward to later in the season? I mean, perhaps what happens on the island in future episodes will ultimately lead to a re-set, which our characters placed back aboard the plane, never realizing any of this stuff happened?
• In the temple, Lennon demands to talk privately with Jack, who refuses, but they are both interuppted by Sayid's sudden resurrection.
• Is Sayid still really Sayid? Or is he a new vehicle for Jacob?
• Why the deliberate space between "LA" and "X" is the episode title?
• Where is Smokey's home and why are/were he and Jacob on the island? They seem to be playing parts and locked into them. They can't leave the island. They can't kill each other. They have been there for centuries but haven't aged past their 30s or 40s.
• Will the real Locke remain dead?
• Where did Smokey go with Richard? What is their past history?
• What's up with Jack's cut?
• What's up with Desmond being on the Oceanic flight and suddenly going missing? Is he keeping his promise to Jack to "see you in another life, brother."
• On the plane, Desmond is reading Salman Rushdie's "Haroun And The Sea of Stories."

Take a peek at Entertainment Weekly's new Lost cover

The ish includes a roundup of theories and speculation to get ready for season 6.

First promo for Lost season 6!

Lost season 6 premiere details: LAX

From ABC (highlight hidden text for spoilers):

LOST: LAX - SEASON PREMIERE

THE AFTERMATH FROM JULIET'S DETONATION OF THE HYDROGEN BOMB IS REVEALED, ON THE SEASON PREMIERE OF ABC'S "LOST"

A 2008 recipient of the prestigious Peabody Award and awarded the 2005 Emmy and 2006 Golden Globe for Best Drama Series, "Lost" returns for its final season of action-packed mystery and adventure - that will continue to bring out the very best and the very worst in the people who are lost - on the season premiere of "Lost," TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2 (9:00-11:00 p.m., ET) on ABC.

Oceanic Air flight 815 tore apart in mid-air and crashed on a Pacific island, leaving 48 passengers alive and stranded on a remote island in the South Pacific. The survivors include a diverse group of people from different walks of life - a doctor, an escaped fugitive, a con man, an Iraqi interrogator, a married Korean couple and a man formerly confined to a wheelchair who is now inexplicably healed. As the castaways attempt to get home, flashbacks (and forwards) illuminate their troubled lives before and after the crash, when the island they find themselves stranded on begins to slowly reveal its mysterious nature. Faith, reason, destiny and free will all clash as the island offers opportunities for both corruption and redemption... but as to its true purpose? That's the greatest mystery of all.

With only 18 original hours left until the final episode airs, the island's violent shifts through time were ended by Locke when he traveled off-island in an attempt to persuade the Oceanic 6 to return. Back on the island, the survivors' stay in late ‘70s Dharmaville was over when their covers were blown and they were accused of aiding "The Others," and Sayid was gravely wounded during their flight. In addition, Ben killed Jacob at Locke's request. But since Locke's body was found to still be inside the coffin, exactly who – or what – is John Locke? And if Juliet was successful in detonating the hydrogen bomb, was she able to reset time, allowing Oceanic Air 815 to land safely in Los Angeles, or was the island destroyed along with all of its inhabitants?

On the season premiere episode, "LA X" Parts 1 & 2, the aftermath from Juliet's detonation of the hydrogen bomb is revealed.

"Lost" stars Naveen Andrews as Sayid, Nestor Carbonell as Richard Alpert, Emilie de Ravin as Claire, Michael Emerson as Ben, Jeff Fahey as Frank Lapidus, Matthew Fox as Jack, Jorge Garcia as Hurley, Josh Holloway as Sawyer, Daniel Dae Kim as Jin, Yunjin Kim as Sun, Ken Leung as Miles, Evangeline Lilly as Kate, Terry O'Quinn as Locke and Zuleikha Robinson as Ilana.

"LA X" Parts 1 & 2 written by Damon Lindelof & Carlton Cuse and directed by Jack Bender.

Lost: Beginning of the End special brings viewers up to speed

From ABC:

LOST: Beginning of the End

A LOOK OVER THE PAST FIVE SEASONS WILL SHED SOME LIGHT ON THE SURVIVORS BEFORE AND AFTER THE CRASH OF OCEANIC FLIGHT 815, THE MYSTERIES OF THE ISLAND, THE OCEANIC 6, THE VIOLENT SHIFTS THROUGH TIME AND THE DETONATION OF THE HYDROGEN BOMB, IN ANTICIPATION OF THE EXCITING SIXTH AND FINAL SEASON PREMIERE, IN THE NEW SPECIAL, "LOST: BEGINNING OF THE END," TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2 ON ABC

ABC once again invites new and avid "Lost" viewers to take another look at one of the most talked about and critically acclaimed shows. "Lost: Beginning of the End" will explore the series in a way that will bring new viewers up to date - but which current viewers will also find illuminating – in anticipation of the two-hour final season premiere. The special will take a look at the crash of Oceanic Flight 815, the mysteries of the island, its inhabitants, the Oceanic 6, the violent shifts through time on the island and the detonation of the hydrogen bomb.  It will also delve into some of the questions that have been answered, and those that still remain a mystery. "Lost: Beginning of the End" airs TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network. Oceanic Flight 815 tore apart in mid-air and crashed, leaving 48 passengers alive and stranded on a remote island in the South Pacific. The survivors include a diverse group of people from different walks of life - a doctor, an escaped fugitive, a con man, an Iraqi interrogator, a married Korean couple and a man formerly confined to a wheelchair who is now inexplicably healed. "Lost: Beginning of the End" will take an in-depth look at the original survivors before and after the crash, their struggle to stay alive and their attempts to get off the island, which led to the Oceanic 6's escape back to civilization. The special will also delve into Ben moving the island, which thrust the remaining survivors into violent shifts through time, Locke being tasked with leaving the island and convincing the Oceanic 6 to return, the survivors being stranded in the 1970s during the Dharma Initiative, and Faraday's game-changing plan which convinced Jack that, if the Swan Station were blown up, it could reset time and prevent the plane from ever crashing.

ABC repeats Lost season 5 conclusion on Jan. 26

Get ready for the season 6 debut by watching the season 5 ender:

JACK WANTS TO SET THINGS RIGHT ON THE ISLAND BUT IS MET
WITH STRONG RESISTANCE BY THOSE CLOSE TO HIM, AND LOCKE
ASSIGNS BEN A DIFFICULT TASK, ON ABC'S "LOST"

"The Incident," Parts 1 & 2 - Jack's decision to put a plan in action in order to set things right on the island is met with some strong resistance by those close to him, and Locke assigns Ben a difficult task, on the season finale of "Lost," TUESDAY, JANUARY 26 (9:00-11:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

"Lost" stars Naveen Andrews as Sayid, Henry Ian Cusick as Desmond, Jeremy Davies as Daniel Faraday, Michael Emerson as Ben, Matthew Fox as Jack, Jorge Garcia as Hurley, Josh Holloway as Sawyer, Yunjin Kim as Sun, Ken Leung as Miles, Evangeline Lilly as Kate, Elizabeth Mitchell as Juliet and Terry O'Quinn as Locke.

Guest starring are L. Scott Caldwell as Rose, Sam Anderson as Bernard, John Terry as Christian Shephard, Nestor Carbonell as Richard Alpert, Jeff Fahey as Frank Lapidus, Francois Chau as Dr. Pierre Chang, Patrick Fischler as Phil, Eric Lange as Radzinsky, Zuleikha Robinson as Ilana, Brad William Henke as Bram, Jon Gries as Roger Linus, Alice Evans as younger Eloise Hawking, Andrea Gabriel as Noor "Nadia" Abed Jaseem, Kevin Chapman as Mitch, Mark Pellegrino as man #1, Titus Welliver as man #2, Emily Rae Argenti as young Kate, Tanner Maguire as young Tom, George Gerdes as Mr. Springer, Agnes Kwak as Aunt Soo, Amy Stewart as mother, Rylee Fansler as young Juliet, Savannah Lathem as young Rachel, William Makozak as Captain Bird, Daniel James Kunkel as anesthesiologist, Sonya Masinovsky as Russian nurse, Keegan Boos as young Sawyer, Colby French as Uncle Doug, John Pete as prison clerk, Michael Trisler as father, Sally Davis as woman and Adam Bazzi as cab driver.

"The Incident," Parts 1 & 2 were written by Damon Lindelof & Carlton Cuse and directed by Jack Bender.

"Lost" is broadcast in 720 Progressive (720P), ABC's selected HDTV format, with 5.1-channel surround sound and Spanish subtitles via secondary closed captioning. This program carries a TV-14,L,V parental guideline.

This episode of "Lost" will be available on ABC.com the day after airing on the network for users to watch online.

Will this season really be the end of Lost?

Not necessarily:

In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, exec producers Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof acknowledged that it was entirely possible that The Walt Disney Co., which owns Lost, could sooner or later produce more of Lost in some form or multiple forms—a movie, a new TV series, books. Said Cuse: “It’s a franchise that’s conservatively worth billions of dollars. It’s hard to imagine Lost will rest on the shelves and nothing will ever be made with Lost. Eventually somebody will make something under the moniker of Lost — whether we do it or not. We just made a commitment to this group of characters whose stories are coming to a conclusion this May.”

Two new Lost season 6 promo pics

The "Lost" supper?