"Greatest Hits"

Was the penultimate episode of season 3 of LOST as good as the last few? I liked it but it was certainly a catch-your-breath-before-the-end kind of episode. What it lacked in action, it made up for in emotional resonance.

STOP READING NOW TO AVOID SPOILERS!!!!!

Knowing that this would be a Charlie-centric episode, the big question going into it was weather or not this would be the end of the bassist for Drive Shaft. For much of season 3 his character has been little more than comic relief mixed in with his impending death that Desmond keeps "seeing." The talk of the blogosphere is that it seemed like it would be too obvious for Charlie to die because it follows the pattern set up by the show too closely. On the other hand, it would really throw the audience off to change the pattern with a character that so many people love. In the end, Charlie of course didn't die, but he's definitely not out of the woods yet.

In a way this episode was filler with a few points thrown in to set up the events of the season finale. The flashbacks were pretty pointless, but I really liked how they showed us the "greatest hits" of Charlie's life and how they made this a much more emotional episode than usual. I'm not sure how well it would have worked if we all weren't thinking that Charlie would be dead by the end of the episode, but because of that tension, I liked it.

We learned about the Looking Glass Station, the underwater station that is located at the end of the cable on the beach. Finally! Now I'm just worried that we won't find out what's really going on there until next season (not until February 2008!!!!). I wonder if Desmond's premonition told him more or if he was not telling Charlie everything. Only time will tell.

Ben has gone off the deep end. You could tell he was always a little crazy in the head, but after Locke saw and heard Jacob last week, Ben must have just snapped. He is being irrational by raiding the Losties' camp early and it will probably end up biting him in the end. On the other hand, he always seems to find a way to come out on top.

Most important of all, Rose and Bernard are finally back!!! It has been too damned long since they've been seen on the beach. It looks like Bernard will play a big role in the season finale. Here's to hoping that nothing bad happens to either half of that spunky couple!

Well that about wraps things up. Now, we just have to wait and see what the producers have in store for the big finale. If what they have been saying is true, our world is about to be rocked!

Next Week on LOST:

US Preview


Canadian Preview