Wednesday TV Time

[trancer21]

Didn't really watch much tv tonight. Had no interest in One Tree Hill Does Columbine, no Invasion and I seriously wasn't going to watch another goddamn Barbara Walters special.

I guess someone finally smacked JJ Abrams upside the head with the lack of female interaction, or he's totally taking cues from BSG. Sure, there wasn't *any* Ana-Lucia but now femmeslashers have no excuse *not* to write Lost femmeslash 'cuz, yippee, the women finally had screentime..together..without the boys!!

I like to think of this episode as 'the interesting shit that goes on during the Un-Holy Trinity eps'. Shit happened. Questions were answered. The flashbacks had a purpose other than filler. Ethan! Danielle! Claire/Kate slash! *sigh* I remember when Emilie da Ravin was on Roswell, she and Katherine Heigl had such slashy subtext. Now I know it wasn't just Katie who brings the slash!

Claire - she really is the opposite of Rousseau isn't she? Sure, she went a little overboard with the 'something's wrong with Aaron' but the others, I mean 'the men', have been a bit dismissive of Claire's concerns. And it was a nice change of pace to watch her take charge of her own destiny. While, in the end, Aaron may or may not have had a simple virus. Doesn't change the fact that now Claire, and the audience, knows something was done to her and Aaron. Something that can't be dismissed as simple motherly hysteria. The Others have a vested interest in Aaron.

Kate - I know most of fandom hates her but dammit, I like Kate (and no, it's not just the shallow viewer in me). This ep really highlights how much the character has faltered because TPTB decided to keep Jack. Narratively, Kate's still a bit lost, no pun intended, but when the character actually has shit to do, she really shines. She really does have a protective streak when it comes to Claire. If this were another show where The Penis Didn't Reign Supreme, it'd be interesting to watch this relationship develop. Although, asking Sawyer for a gun and telling him he couldn't ask why was kinda dumb. But, that's more PTB shipper bullshit, so I'm ignoring it. Whether or not Kate actually gave *back* the gun is the real question. Oh, and Kate, when you pull a gun on Rousseau, you better be fucking prepared to shoot! The woman's batshit insane, had her child stolen and killed all her friends, do you really think pulling a gun on her is going to scare her?

Jack and Locke - God, you guys *really* suck at keeping secrets don't you? And Locke, you really sucked at noticing when you're being played, don't you? I mean, COME ON, you know something squirrelly is going on with Gary in the Box and you *still* fucking fall for his manipulations! Fucking dumbass. Jack going down is expected. I'm starting to look forward to when Locke goes down.

Mr. Ecko - really highlights how much Jack and Locke suck. I loved him asking why they have to push the button. He has his morals, and his own code of ethics. But, that does not mean he won't do what needs to be done. His conversation with Gary in the Box was revelatory, heartbreaking and chilling. Plus, he really needs to ditch the shirt!

OH, and in case I haven't mentioned it before, Hawai'i is really effin' beautiful. And to think these assholes* get paid to live there.

*when I say assholes, I mean it in the I'm so totally jealous way!

Comments

[flying-peanuts.livejournal.com]

I know most of fandom hates her

What?!?! Give me names so I can go slip a pillow cover on all of them! What is wrong with people: do they just not like strong, independent women? Idiots.

I agree with everything you've said; I particularly agree with your assessment of Claire (and the Kate/Claire potential) and with your affinity for Mr. Eko, whom I adore.

So, basically, I agree and you rock.

[ripley78.livejournal.com]

What?!?! Give me names so I can go slip a pillow cover on all of them! What is wrong with people: do they just not like strong, independent women? Idiots.

*raises hand* I am one of those people. Yes I do like strong, independent women, just Kate isn't either one of those in my eyes. It's an arugment I've had in multiple groups *g*. Her biggest gift has been the ability to manipulate the men to get done what she wants to do. Instead of just saying "No I'm going with you" she goes behind their back, tags along, and almost gets herself killed. She continually lies, continually lets Jack and Sawyer tell her what to do, and all around I've never cared for the character. I would much rather have seen Sun and Claire go on this hike because I think Sun can teach Claire a hell of alot, and I love their interaction on screen.

Hell I would rather have seen more Ana, she's not likable, but at least she doesn't pretend everyone likes her and trusts her.

Her relationship with Claire is interesting, because Claire IS becoming a strong and independent woman, but she is still fairly young and naive to a point.

[flying-peanuts.livejournal.com]

I can't comment on the hike because I'm running behind: I haven't even watched last week's episode yet! But - I think it's interesting that you don't see Kate as a strong person. I think a weaker one would have accepted Jack's "no, you can't go" and not bothered to follow the group, for example. A weaker person would have, by now, told those who look down on her for being a murderer just why it is that she killed in the first place. It's all a matter of interpretation, of course, and that's why it's fascinating.

I love Sun and her quiet steeliness.

[ripley78.livejournal.com]

I'll definitely agree that a weak person would have accepted Jack's no, however in a way Kate DOES accept the no. She doesn't ever tell Jack that she's going and he really can't stop her, because he really can't. She glares at him, then chases after them putting everything and everyone in danger. Had Kate not followed them a few episodes ago (seems like more than just two or three, damn reruns) they could have gotten information from the Others because Jack DID have their bluff called, but no one was going to risk their precious Kate.

Thing is about Kate being a murderer, no one really knows why or who she murdered, and considering killing people seems to be a popular fad on the island, I doubt anyone would look down on her, especially since she isn't the one that shot useless Shannon. I think if Kate DID give her reasons for killing her stepdad/real dad, people WOULD look down on her. She didn't kill him because he was a bad man, a drunk, an abusive person (perhaps physical and sexual), no, she decided to kill him only when she found out he was her biological father. That's not strong, that's crazy.

And to be clear (since the internet can't direct tone), I'm not trying to be argumentative *g*, I get that occasionally.

I will admit perhaps a slight bias, because I truly believe Kate could have been a more fascinating character in the hands of a different actor and different writers. I feel like the writers don't really know which direction they want to go with Kate, so her backstory is all over the place. They set up that she did this supremely horrible thing, like she was a mastermind behind a mass murder or something, and all she did was set things up so her house would "tragically" explode with her dad inside. I don't fault Evangeline Lilly for her character being different places all over the map, but she plays Kate so...so...stiff. Oh well *g*.

I will DEFINITELY agree with you about Sun. She is by far my favourite character on this series. Yunjin Kim and Daniel Dae Kim have excellent chemistry and just act their hearts out when they have scenes together.

[trancer21.livejournal.com]

I still find it hard to believe that the same man who created Alias, a show with some of the best female characters on tv is also the same man who created Lost. I'm not saying the female characters on Lost all suck, but in comparison to Alias? They leave alot to be desired, except Ana-Lucia. And I say this as someone who likes *all* the female characters, even Shannon before the fandom decided that they really did love her.

As for Sun, I like the character but until they stop writing her as a) passive or b) the Magical Mystical Minority, I'm not moving her to the "lurve" category.