TBG TV: Lost - "Whatever Happened, Happened"

The Good:

Jon Gries' turn as Ben Linus' father has been one of the best things to watch this season. He's made the character so much more nuanced than the usual formulaic abusive father. He's hit the right notes of creepiness (his awkward small-talk with Kate in the infirmary) and sympathy (his "I wanted to be the best father in the world" line) while ensuring that he maintains a greater than 50% a-hole persona.

Now, THAT'S the Juliet I've grown to know and begrudgingly tolerate! Free from the ridiculous domestication of her character, she returned to her take charge ways in confronting Jack, defying Sawyer and fighting to save he who would grow up to be a monster.

The Sawyer-Juliet-Kate-Jack love rectangle appears to have run its course, with Sawyer's "I did it for her (Juliet)" exposition and his weird reveal to Kate that they were never meant to be. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining…but, I had a hard time swallowing the idea that Sawyer somehow broke Kate's heart. That jezebel bounced between Jack and Sawyer depending on which way the wind blew.

Carole Littleton (Susan Duerden) = GMILF

Adult Ben's slow return back to consciousness and his reaction to Locke was gold. The last few weeks have been a welcome reprieve from Locke's pathetic naiveté. Here's hoping death has smartened him up some.

"No, you're all free to leave whenever you want. I'll just shoot you in the leg."


The Bad:

OK…I get what the Hurley/Miles time travel conversation was supposed to be: a wink-n-nudge characterization of the casual fan (Hurley) and know-it-all obsessive message board poster (Miles) discussing the increasingly confusing past-present-future storyline(s). That didn't make it any less annoying to sit through.

I really don't want to turn into "that guy", but come on. Boy Ben's been shot. He's teetering between life and death. The only way to save him is to take him to The Others. So, Kate and Juliet toss Ben's unconscious body into the back of a Volkswagen bus, without any straps or harness, to be transported (by a woman driver) over several miles of unpaved road?

The whole sequence of flashbacks bugged me. The "Cassidy" character has barely been explored beyond one or two previous Sawyer storylines. But, now, she's this insightful font of relationship wisdom who, seven or eight years later, still hasn't gotten over the guy? That she was so vital in determining the fate of Aaron just seemed contrived. I mean, Jack gave Kate the "Aaron's not yours" speech last season, but NOW Kate's listening? Boo.

There are now two more people who know the truth about the Oceanic castaways. I'm not sure I'm willing to believe that these two people would keep this fantastic information to themselves for long. It's a minor nitpick, sure, but one I hope the writers don't gloss over.


Verdict: Well, I hate Kate, but I'm OK with several scenes of Evangeline Lilly traipsing around in three-inch heels and a knee-length skinny dress. Solid, solid episode, otherwise that provided a reasonable explanation for Kate giving up Aaron, choosing to return to the island and an especially satisfying response to why everyone was so gung-ho to save Boy Ben.