A desperate Claire, along with Kate and Rousseau, attempts a return to the scene of her kidnapping where she believes she might find the cure for Baby Aaron’s mysterious illness. Meanwhile, Jack and Locke must keep their prisoner a secret from the rest of the survivors. Comment here, via e-mail to lost@hawaiiup.com, or by calling the LostLine at (808) 356-0127, by Friday, Sept. 12.
-
Archives
- October 2011
- May 2011
- August 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
- October 2008
- September 2008
- August 2008
- July 2008
- June 2008
- May 2008
- April 2008
- March 2008
- February 2008
- January 2008
- November 2007
- September 2007
- July 2007
- June 2007
- May 2007
- April 2007
- March 2007
- February 2007
- November 2006
- October 2006
- September 2006
- July 2006
- May 2006
- April 2006
- March 2006
- February 2006
- January 2006
- December 2005
- November 2005
- October 2005
- September 2005
- May 2005
-
Meta
This is an amazing episode, which follows another great episode – I’d say, the Golden Era for season 2.
Claire’s episodes are usually centered on her relationship with Charlie on-island, and off-island around her family members – but not this one, which centers mostly on Aaron and her absence from season 1.
Mythology is usually never featured in Claire’s episodes, while in 2×15, it brings the story to a new level, especially when we find the Others’ costumes, and of course, Tom’s beard.
This is also Rousseau’s second (and last) episode in season 2, which sets up her story arc for season 3.
It’s always nice to see Ethan again, and this might be the longest screen time Libby got (except for 2×18, “Dave”).
Overall, amazing episodes!
Thanks for the great podcast. I’ve enjoyed going back through season 2 with all of the knowledge of Season 3 and 4. For the podcast on “One of Them” you discussed who would have been the leaders of the others if it hadn’t been Ben. During one of the official Lost Podcasts, Damon and Carlton discussed talked about how Henry Gale and Ben were both planned characters. The cast Michael Emerson as Henry and then decided, because he’s so incredible, to meld the characters together. So it sounds like the character of Ben was always meant to be the leader but they saw an opportunity. They did a similar thing with Desmond, hired him for a set of episodes but decided to keep him around.
I was going to watch Maternity Leave last night but got sidetracked with Fringe. What did you guys think? It seemed like they used similar sets, specifically the walkway at Harvard was similar to the walkway at Daniel Faraday’s Cambridge. Maybe those gothic campus-like buildings all have similar walkways?
This was a great episode that helped us start to explore the others backstory of why they were doing what they were doing and who they really were. Also, it finally showed what happened to claire becuase I know they was so much quaetioning of what happened to her during that block of time.
Seeing Ethan was a highlight. Whenever I see Ethan or Richard in a backstory udring those seasons it was like dude what is thier story and how did they get connected to the others. Was Ethan someone that they recruited off island like Juliet, was he part of the dharma iniative that was left over, or maybe Richard recruited him when he was young child like he did for young boy locke in the program for gifted children. Why would Ben send him off being the only doctor to a dangerous mission? Did Ben know he was going to die and Jack would save him anyway so he didn’t need him. Or there was question how sometimes Ethan was acting on his own so maybe he was a spy and Ben wanted to get rid of him anyway. Would love your feedback on Ethan?
I was pretty disappointed with ‘Maternity Leave’. It was good to finally find out what had happened to Claire when she was abducted, but what was the reason we found it out when we did? The writers decided it was time. There was absolutely no plot reason why either Claire got amnesia in the first place (other than being bonked on the head, which is sitcom worthy, really) or why she remembered when she did (other than she closed her eyes and thought about it real hard). I liked that Claire got more screentime. Even then I was a champion of that underused character. But this episode left me wholly unsatisfied. I remember thinking, had I have known the way this mystery would be solved, would I have been so into it? Just like the mystery of Danielle and Alex, which is moved along in this episode. That mystery got an extremely weak resolution too.
I must say I really look forward to your podcast and I listen to it while walking or doing housework.
Regarding Marternity Leave: It was an okay episode. I couldn’t really buy the Libby/Hurley pairing, nor Alex’s rescue of Claire.
But I loved the reveal of the costumes of the others, which brings up a big question of why all the subterfuge and the “This is our Island” bluster of the previous epi, in light of what we learn in Season 4?
Ryan and Jen,
This is so interesting to go back like this. All the unanswered questions, the vaccines and sickness – what was all that and why was Ethan going to rip Claire’s baby out? One thing sticks out for me in this episode and that is when Libby suggested to Claire that she might be combining experiences. Since these flashbacks were in the present, might Claire be combining experiences in different times? When Darleton was asked whether all the previous seasons were only flashbacks, he wouldn’t answer…hum…
Also, somehow Echo seems to know that the men he killed work for Ben and his knife pulling seems to be a threat to Ben who seems to know that Echo knows. I only wish that the Echo character could have been played out.
I thought that this was a pretty good episode for season 2. I loved the cinematography and sound effects for Claire’s flash-backs to her time in the Staff station.
I think the most interesting part of the episode involves the mobile. I am curious as to the significance of the Oceanic airplanes on the baby mobile. For them to have an Oceanic mobile, the Others would have had to have known ahead of time that Oceanic 815 would crash. At the very least there is a deeper connection between the Others and Oceanic that we still don’t know about. It is also interesting that the mobile plays “Catch a Falling Star”-the same song that Claire requested that the people who were going to adopt her baby sing. That mobile means that the Others knew a lot more about the crash of Oceanic 815 as well as the passengers than we have been shown yet.
I also loved the final scene where Henry is eating and he gets Locke so worked up by questioning his leadership ability. It bears a remarkable similarity to a scene in season 4 when Locke is again feeding Henry-now Ben-and Ben just completely manipulates Locke, again by questioning his leadership ability. Both scenes end up with Locke throwing something in frustration. Locke is obviously very sensitive to any judgments about his capabilities as a leader!
This is my first time posting, but I’ve been listening to your podcasts for awhile and it’s one of my favorites. “Maternity Leave” is one of my favorite episodes because you get to find out what happened to Claire when she disappeared the season before. There was one thing that caught attention, inside The Staff station, Rousseau had a puzzling look when she and Claire entered the OR. It seemed to me that she recognized the place and couldn’t place why she did. Perhaps she was there before, just something to think about.
I barely remember this episode. But if memory serves, I did really like the ending. Call me sappy, but I loved how Claire tells Aaron how much she loves him and wants to keep him.
I agree with the other posters who said they didn’t buy into Hurley and Libby’s friendmance. I think we should have gotten Libby’s background story before she was killed. Maybe her motives with Hurley were honest and good-hearted. But this being Lost, I don’t think it was.
I also thought it was forced that Alex would rescue Claire. I never really understood why Alex would do that. Aaaahhh, Alex…..another character that was killed too soon, IMO.
Something which has been interesting me since we first encounter Rousseau’s, in the first the series, is when she says to Sayid – and this is despite living on the island for 16 years and having her child kidnapped – that she has never seen the others – apparently she has only heard the whisspers.
I can’t make mind up wether or not this signifies and change in direction from the writers or perhaps suggests that she has seen Ben’s group but not Alpert’s. I’d be interested in knowing what people think, especially when taking into consideration what happen in this episode.
Hey guys Great Podcast for One of Them cant get enough of ye Maternity leave makes so much more sense now we know the extent of the pregnancy issues o island also scanning Rousseau for clues about anything Now she is dead i miss her She better be back in S5 I have a theory about the statement that was made on the trailer for the episode when Claire disappears Something nice back home The voiceover says The Island claims someone for its own I think it is using Claire to store or hide vital information maybe even the very essence of the island itself Maybe we will see her in S5 as an apparition Im rambling Anyhow Slan from Dublin Keep up the good work Cheers Jody
Hi guys,
This episode opens a lot of doors and it marks another turning point when we see The Others and the fact that they are not as primitive as they seemed to be. As a whole I did not like this episode, it may be because I really do not care for Claire but I also believe that it is because this episode just has too many holes for me.
Why would Claire go with the crazy french woman to the jungle? Wasn’t it this woman that tried to steal her baby?
What are all the injections? I understand that some of the injections Ethan gave Claire maybe for the health of the baby since there have been many complications with pregnant women on the island but what about the injections that Desmond was taking, Charlie gave some to Claire and Aaron, are they placebos? It seems that this matter has long been forgotten.
Now we see the medical station in this episode, why do they abandon it? I mean it seems that they have different stations around the island but why would they empty it and move away? Wouldn’t they use it again?
We have Tom a.k.a Mr. Friendly mentioning The List and Him. Does he mean Jacob? About the list who is on it and why?
Rousseau must really be desperate or she know that Kate wont pull the trigger!
Why would Claire have to leave? I mean they took people away (incl. children) from the Tailies, why would they have to let her go? Here again Ethan mentions the vaccine but why would they not give some to Claire when they seemingly have given it to the tailies.
Why would they dress up like that, I mean who/why were they doing all that for?
So Alex and Rousseau have been on the same island wondering around the jungle and they have not seen each other? Yet, Sayid stumbles on her within two weeks from arriving on the island. I maybe reading too much into this but it seems that there is something more to the relationship btwn Rousseau, Ben, Alex and The Others.
Why does Eko confess to Henry? It was an awesome scene, I really enjoyed Eko and his intense spiritual connection to the island but was he drawn to Henry for some reason or did he just want to confess to a stranger?
It has been some time since I last wrote but I am flying around a lot so I sometimes have difficulties keeping up. My travels take me sometimes to very uncomfortable places. So on my iPod I have lost and I also listen to you after I watch a particular episode and in a way you are my constant :-). So keep up the good work, your podcasts are always interesting.
Have a good one and until next time.
I’ve always had a hard believing Rousseau never ran across new Otherton, let alone not seeing the others and only hearing the whispers. She had 16 years to crisscross and map the island. She knew of the medical hatch, but never saw anyone in it?
But what if they weren’t there? Maybe they can hide in the past.
The medical hatch looked like no one had been their for years, even though it had only been months, but maybe it HAD been years. Maybe Claire was take to the hatch in the past.
Ok, Ryan. I am as jealous as Jen about your recent lost filming encounter with Henry Ian Cusick. Did you at least get some pictures on your i-phone for her when they weren’t actually filming?! If so, please share!
Anyway, thanks for doing these season 2 podcasts. They do help to make the hiatus more bearable. I love your podcast.
yup – too true. Here’s more info about watch lost seasons
As I’ve said before, I love going through these episodes with the knowledge we have through season 4. I enjoyed this episode the first time around, but more so this time.
The rocking chair in the room that Ethan brought Claire to immediately made me think of the chair she was in when Locke saw her in the cabin with Christian Shepard.
I also liked seeing Tom sans hillbilly makeup for the first time. I remember when I saw that the first time thinking “what the ???”.
Very interesting indeed….
Looking forward to the podcast. Take care and thanks again for the great work!
Best,
Mike