[TV] Lost 1.6 & 1.7

***1/2 (1.6) & **** (1.7)

This marked the point where I *had* to watch the next episode straight away.

1.6 has a fantastic opening, foregrounding the different issues that are developing between the survivors. It’s Sun’s episode – and shows the events surrounding her disintegrating marriage with Jin. Really nice ending with her choosing to go back to her husband in Sydney.

1.7 is Charlie’s episode. Lays on the symbolism thick and fast but I enjoyed it.

This also marks the point where I think the designers of Lost are smarter than me. I was talking about telling a linear story using non-linear means last time? Well, in Sun’s ep, we’re seeing her bad domestic life in Korea but the writers know that Jin has something equally nasty going on that will humanise him.

To come up with those 2 plot elements – presumably together – and then figure out how to present them so that we move through perceiving cultural differences to an abusive marriage to we’re not sure we want them to stay together to the split to they love each other … well, that’s more than an hour’s work sitting around the Table.

I mean, it might be that you start with the second point (how you want it to appear) and then design the backstories but even then, you’ve got to figure out how to present the flashbacks, make both sides consistent and then integrate revealing them into the ongoing plot on the Island.

That’s hard work.

In other news, there's a mystery someone who’s a bad guy on the island, stopping them from getting off.