Trans 2009-09-06: Season Three – Episodes 1-3

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This episode of “The Transmission” looks back at the first three episodes of Season 3 of “LOST”: “A Tale of Two Cities,” “The Glass Ballerina,” and “Further Instructions.” We recap the episodes in under eight minutes, then share our take. Next, listener feedback in “You All Everybody.” We announce a new prize for our Season 3 review giveaway, and share a song by The Others LOST Band. Finally, we report on the first two weeks of production here on The Island.

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Segments:

  • 0:00:28 Introduction
  • 0:01:30 “LOST” in 8 Minutes
  • 0:09:14 Sponsored by Audible.com
  • 0:10:27 Discussion
  • 0:40:07 You All Everybody
  • 1:02:49 “Jacob Loves You” by The Others LOST Band
  • 1:07:13 The Forward Cabin
  • 1:13:06 Closing

Next: We’ll cover Episode 4, “Every Man for Himself” (Sawyer), Episode 5, “The Cost of Living” (Mr. Eko), and Episode 6, “I Do” (Kate). We’d love your feedback! Email us at lost@hawaiiup.com, call the LOSTLine at (815) 310-0808, or leave a comment below by Friday, Sept. 18.

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http://media.libsyn.com/media/hawaii/lostcast20090906.mp3

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28 Responses to Trans 2009-09-06: Season Three – Episodes 1-3

  1. cat says:

    Ryan and Jen,
    Thanks for the podcast. It was great. I wasn’t able to get to the 1st three episodes this past 2 weeks so your recap was helpful. Hopefully I’ll get to the next three by the deadline! I really enjoyed your podcasts last year during the hiatis – they helped the time go by and the perspective several seasons later is always fun. Keep up the great work!

  2. Rich in Cleveland says:

    Great podcast as always.

    I should clear up one misconception though. The writers’ strike didn’t occur in S3, but rather S4. If you recall S2, there was a great deal of complaining about the interruptions every couple of weeks, so in a move of programming genius (?), they decided to show 6 epis in September, break for 3 months, and run straight through the schedule upon resuming the season in January. A lot of viewers never came back.

    In S4 we actually lost episodes to the strike which is it’s only 14 hours long.

  3. Matt says:

    Hey Ryan & Jen,

    Ryan mixed up S3 & 4. S4 had the writer’s strike. S3 was split as a way of finding middle ground for those upset over the weird scheduling of the first two seasons. They’d give a taste for a few break less weeks, then come back for a non stop shot.

    On a note about E1-3, one thing about the opening of S3 that always bugged me is that the CD Juliet picked was a Talking Heads one and judging by the album, the most fitting song choice would’ve been “This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)” It totally fit Juliet’s mood down to the opening seven words “Home is where I want to be”. “Downtown” is a fine song, but “This Must Be The Place” just hits me so profoundly that I wish that song was used instead.

    Anyway, enjoy the show and look forward to the 4-6 episode.

  4. Knives Monroe says:

    YAY!

  5. Bonita in Atlanta says:

    off topic – suggestions for your post LOST casting:

    podcast a Transmisison Book club with Books seen/quoted on Lost
    or Movies that connect to LOST by theme, tone or just connected through actors/directos, etc

    btw I am about to read FLASHFORWARD (book upon which the “next LOST” is based

  6. Rich in Cleveland says:

    Hey Matt: I wrote this in an e-mail.

    A Tale of Two Cities contains one of the most important easter eggs in the entire history of Lost. Juliet pulls out a CD and shortly afterward we see her seeking solace in music from the failure of her life’s work and from her status as a de facto prisoner bargaining her soul away to Ben in hopes of escape. The music she hears is “Downtown,” but she pulls the disc from the case of a Talking Heads record entitled “Speaking in Tongues.” The multiplicity of languages and the confusion inherent in almost all forms of communication has been a consistent theme on Lost. Ultimately, this could be an attempt by AJ to thwart the ”progress” of those called to the island (as in the tower of Babel story) or it could be messages of the divine, encrypted because they so far surpass our ability to comprehend or properly perceive them. Just note that language studies have been identified as a point of emphasis for Lost University.

  7. Rich in Cleveland says:

    There are many instances of characters perceiving one thing when something else entirely is being communicated. The gibberish on the swan computer screen when Michael tries to communicate w/ Walt, apparitions speaking backwards, Regina reading a book upside down, “that’s what they say, not what they mean….” Sorry for jumping the gun on that last one.

  8. Great Podcast… Enjoyed listening to the recaps and the you all everybody sections. Last night I watched the Premier movie you plugged at the end of the podcast on Netflix. Awesome, neat and quirky just like I like em, will have to watch again, and think about how that time travel quandry fits in with Lost.

    The two Locke in the same time line is itching in the back of my mind, we assume Smokie apparition, but with Yemi, his body disappeared, as did Christian. So maybe it’s time travel related.

    Don’t forget a #WFTB tonight for #S3E6 I Do… it’s taco night.

  9. Bonita in Atlanta says:

    episodes 4-6 pair up pretty well with a theme of Appearances Can be Deceiving:

    E4 Sawyer pretends not to care for Cassidy/Clementine but donates the proceeds of is Prison Con to her. The title “Everyman for himself” is how he likes to appear, even saying this to Kate, yet his actions repeatedly prove he would sacrifice for her.

    E5 Eko takes over as Priest and even tells the thugs: “You do not know who I am.” Locke says in the episode> “I’m not Jack” (Can’t help but think of how Sara said, “He’s not you”). Ben tells Jack that Juliet looks like his wife. (which fails to persuade him). Most interesting to me on looking back is that when Eko dies he is having a happy vision, so while it may “appear” he was judged and punished for his misdeeds maybe he was actually rewarded with death for standing by his decisions. This may foreshadow the shift in LOST that death is a blessing or a redemption as we see with Michael and others later. Is this then the “Cost of Living” = dying? Since afterall, we all die eventually.

    E6 “I do”. The obvious duplicity of Kate pretending she is Monica, playing house with a Cop of all things. Later she “loves” Sawyer after saying she only said that to stop his beating and refuses to answer his question about that.

  10. Bonita in Atlanta says:

    Now my lingering questions and other observations for Episodes 4-6:

    E4: Love how Sawyer grows in this episode, seeds of how he becomes a leader. Love the Con Sawyer vs Con Ben. Leads me to suspect Sawyer will yet be Ben’s most Formidable opponent in season 6.

    E5 Want to know what exactly did it mean when Locke says that Eko’s last words were, “We’re next” to Sayid.

    Favorite quotes: Kate to Sawyer, “I don’t know what they did to you but I know you’re scared enough to lie about it and that scares me more than anything they’ve done before.”

    Juliet to Jack: “I’m a fertility doctor. I’m not used to death” (which may be the reason she was so upset in the season opener)

    E6 Did Eko die for a reason as Locke assumes?
    What is Jacob’s list? Pickett’s argument with Juliet about two weeks and Shephard not on Jacob’s list.
    Favorite quotes: Juliet to Jack, “You may not believe this but I’ve always been good at following orders”
    Jack, “Kate, damn it, Run!”

  11. Yann From France says:

    Episode 5: I already stated my opinion but I guess now the time to expend it a bit.
    The monster is AJ. He is looking for a fear induced person, he appointed the Island leaders by controlling the Cabin and choose Ben at this place. Why?
    Two reasons: First, he was brought to the Temple when he was young… and what is in the basement? The monster! Second, because only the leader can ask and apointenement with Jacob and only a leader can kill him. Then he needed someone to anger Ben, some kind of hero who looked liked an ordinary guy helped by an higher power. He had two choices: Eko and John. John was the first plan and he worked for some time to make it happened (but I will talk about that on the John’s episode). The other one was Eko. Stronger, more charismatic and with past life issues even bigger than John (and so more easily manipulable), if used well he could have really driven Ben mad.
    The monster tried to catch Locke at the end of season1 to bring him to the Others as a leader… but failed. Now he has moved his attention to Eko, that is why during season2 John is so lost, nobody tells him what to do next. And Eko who needs forgiveness from his dead brother has all the dreams telling him what to do next.
    Now what happens during episode 5 of season3: Eko tells his dead brother. “I don’t need your forgiveness”. Then the monster knows he won’t be able to use him anymore: “You speak to me as if I was your brother” and kills him. John arrives and Eko tells him: “You’re next”. Meaning? You are the next one that will be used to do the monster bidding… and eventually killed.

  12. Yann From France says:

    Episode 4: Shows how much better Ben is a con and a bookworm than Sawyer is… And how much Sawyer is a loving person with a shell of a lone wolf.
    Yet we see that usually Sawyer succeed on most of his con. (the only mistake he made (killing the wrong Sawyer) was a big one but well… other than that his con usually works.) And the strange question his, how come he is not more in charge of the group??? He finally had his chance after Jack and Locke departures… but to little to late! How many have died?
    I love the rabbits! We need more rabbits!
    And I love the watch that beeps when Sawyer watch!

  13. Yann From France says:

    Episode 6: Kate centric… and we all know about those! Truce is, after this episode and a hiatus… lots of people had left!
    The cages were fun! Everyone blame it on those….
    True: it was the beggining of a stuggling Jack, but yet at the end he is the one in charge!
    Sawyer gets conned… but still he looks cool!
    Off small Island we have Desmond becoming special, Eko dismissed, John talking bisness, Sun Jin and Sayid having fun.
    Ok ok… there is also Paolo going to the toilets. But the rest of it is great.
    On small Island: the cages are fun, Ben is twisted, Juliet is a great addition, Pickett is unidimentional but a good antagonist, Alex looks for Karl…
    But what is the purpose of Kate? A plot devise!?! And you start the hiatus on the flashback of a plot devise? Well… At least we know how the next two episodes are going to be and that’s a cheer up! (but don’t get me wrong, I liked all those episodes)

  14. bluedog1121 says:

    Who is on Jacob’s list? Is it really Jacob’s list? Or is it AntiJacob’s list? Has AJ appeared to Richard as Jacob? We know Jacob hasn’t appeared as anyone but himself, but what about AJ?

    Also, I really, really wish we knew more about Karl? Who are his parents? Where are his parents? Was he conceived/born on-island?

  15. Rich in Cleveland says:

    It’s not just a single list of candidates vs. rejects. Remember when Ben meets Jacob in the shadow of the statue, he refers to “all those lists.” In the podacst for S5 in review, I should have placed the process and purpose of Jacob’s lists as one of the great mysteries of the universe that I would like to see resolved.

    There is a bit of a contradiction in them though because Tom at one point says Shepherd “isn’t even on the list,” yet we know Jacob touched him and called him to the island. Unless AJ uses commands issued in Jacob’s name while Jacob trusts in free will?

    @Yann & especially @Bonita
    Sawyer left Kate behind when he chose survival over love to escape the freighter threat. He did it again last season when he was willing to abandon them all and use the power derived from the island for personal gain and the good life, much like Charles Widmore. Only Juliet brought him back. As the menacing warden said, “Congratulations, Sawyer. You just lied and cheated your way out of prison.” A little metaphorical I think in that it won’t be Sawyer’s last opportunity to make that decision again–or not. Although he has shown growth, he still regresses to the “every man for himself” code too often. To vindicate Jacob, he’ll have to overcome this.

  16. Rich in Cleveland says:

    In “The Cost of Living,” the part that really took on new meaning this time around involved Eko and the smoke monster. The smoke monster followed Eko and at one point hovered above him, perhaps preparing to execute judgement. But the party searching for the Pearl come upon Eko. The party is led by Locke and he is the subject of the only close-up. Upon seeing him, the smoke monster instantly retreats. Is it indeed AJ and did he flee because he needed to preserve Locke’s faith? Seeing the monster kill Eko might somehow spoil the elaborate game of mouse trap AJ had set up for Jacob. It definitely would not have been what John saw in the eye of the island to paraphrase Eko.

  17. Rich in Cleveland says:

    Also on Sawyer, don’t forget Cassidy’s suggestion that Sawyer’s heroic leap from the helicopter was just an act of cowardice in disguise. I don’t buy it either, but TPTB put the idea out there.

  18. Bonita in Atlanta says:

    @ Rich
    Interesting how you see Sawyer’s Freighter choice. I saw it as Love over Survival – a sacrifice for those he loved. I think most of us believe he whispered to Kate to take care of Clementine. So he offered love of Kate’s survival and his daughter’s.

  19. Rich in Cleveland says:

    Kate asked Sawyer what he was doing when he left her behind to go to Dharmaville with Locke. He replied, “Same thing I’ve always done–surviving.”

  20. Seth says:

    Hey guys, I watched the episodes in time this time! Hooray!

    I haven’t rewatched season three since it aired since it’s the show’s weakest season for me but, while there are still things that jump out at me as lazy, I enjoyed the episodes more this time around.

    There were a few amazing moments though; the ‘Yemi’ apparition saying “you speak to me as though I were your brother” to Eko, which still gives me chills; the Others funeral for Colleen which was bizarre at the time but now might make a strange kind of sense (maybe they send their dead out to sea so anti-Locke can’t use their likeness to haunt people?); Ben’s reveal to Sawyer that they’re on Hydra Island, which is really beautifully shot; the very sweet “I love you, too” post-coital scene in the cages.

    There’s something off about these episodes for me, though, and I think it might be the score. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge Giacchino fan and own all the Lost soundtrack albums (as well as the one for Ratatouille), but his music in these episodes seems to be leading the viewer (me) in a direction I wasn’t going already. In particular the Sawyer/Kate sex scene, which should be desperate and sad and oddly lonely (they’re having sex for comfort because they both think they’re going to die, right?) but instead the music is swelling and romantic. I usually find Giacchino’s music perfect, but not so much in these episodes.

    Also, I can’t post here without mentioning Alex’s slingshot of doom. What were they thinking??

  21. Yann From France says:

    I have to agree with Rich about Sawyer…
    Could he be a good leader for other sakes rather than his own?
    This is really not sure and at the begging of season 3 clearly not (and season 4 neither). But after season 5, has he been a leader for his surviving or has he been a leader for the group because no other could take care of it? Who knows yet?

  22. Yann From France says:

    @Seth: we have seen them use bollas and other old weapon… so a slingshot why not!

    You don’t like the idea of romance between Kate and Sawyer… funny I must have missed A LOT of episodes then! Several kisses, a horse, sex and helicopter jump… all done because they were desperate, sad and lonely.
    When I think about it… how come people form couples?

    Collene funeral… we know that some of the Others are also part of the Dharma Initiative. Induist cult have the corpses being burned (and in the old days they asked for the women to be burned alive with their husband!). Dharma is a hippie group and so must love all that is Indie (Beatles like).
    So we are not sure yet why they did send her corpse burning to the sea.

  23. Yann From France says:

    A last minute question: Christian corpse diseapered, Yemi corpse diseapered… How come Locke corpse didn’t? The monster did not have the time to find it?
    I think I ultimately agrees with the burial and the reason is Richard who asked young Ben if her mother had died on Island just after Ben told him he had seen her!

  24. Mike.in.VA says:

    My favorite line in episode 4 is “Congratulations, Ford. You just lied and cheated your way out of prison.” (or something to that effect). If anyone could con their way out of prison, it’s Sawyer!

    I’m enjoying reviewing Season 3 with you guys and am looking forward to the next set of episodes, which in my opinion, are stronger than these first 6.

    Thanks again for all your efforts. Your podcast is still the best!

    Best Regards,
    Mike

  25. soko says:

    I had forgotten about, what I thought to be, Kate’s – escaping abilities- . she would seem to be able to escape from anyone and from anywhere. I noticed that pattern through the first season and through the early “hatch” episodes. So, when she practically “walked out” of the polar bear cage I was laughing and cheering at the same time the first time around. this time I just wondered” what happened to Kate’s knack for escape?” and has she still got it and I haven’t been paying attention?

  26. soko says:

    oh oh and
    ECHO’S brother…
    was that the Anti-Jacob
    in his body?
    they made a ponit to mention
    that the body was gone from the plane
    they burned the body of the woman that got shot
    and Echo’s brother says something angrily about talking to him as if he were his brother
    there it was and we payed no attention the first time around

  27. Yann From France says:

    @Soko:
    yes but it raises the last question I asked: how come John Locke body is still there then, at the end of season 5?

  28. v says:

    as far as Jack not knowing Christians phone number. ..

    Think about it – since EVERYONE nowadays has a cell phone with programmable numbers, there’s no need to memorize numbers any longer. I don’t know the numbers to any of my friends or family for this very reason. someone gives you their number, you save it in your phone, and you have them saved by name whenever you wish to dial them.

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