LOST - Breaking down Dr. Linus

Was "Dr. Linus" the best episode yet of LOST's final season? Perhaps.

"Dr Linus" was not dissimilar to a set of nesting dolls - there's a lot in there, but it all fits together nicely. I'm not sure what else I could have wanted out of this episode. We got some incredible acting from Michael Emerson, a Richard Alpert/Jack/Hurley "class of 1977" reunion, Jack embracing his "destiny", and the return of an old "friend"... and no, I'm not talking about Dr. Leslie Arzt.

So let's break down "Dr. Linus"...

Fringe Renewed for Third Season

Fringe fans rejoice - despite less than stellar ratings this season in the highly competitive Thursday night timeslot, Fox has picked up everyone's favorite FBI/Parallel Universe Sci-Fi Drama for a third season according to EW!

The show returns with all new episodes April 1st, leading up to what promises to be a climactic season finale on May 20 - a finale that excutive producer J.J. Abrams recently claimed will top last season. According to Abrams: "Without giving anything away, I think that the ending of this second season is richer and better and deeper than what we did last year."

Color us psyched!

LOST- Breaking down 'Sundown'

It looks like the lines are being drawn and sides are being taken on Lost. The "war" that Charles Widmore said was coming looks to be right around the corner... the only problem? There seems to be only one side (more on that later).

With the final season of Lost now more than a third of the way over, I'm getting the impression that the writers now have all the pieces in place the way they want them and dominoes are going to start falling soon. So lets break down the latest episode in the table setting portion of the season, Sundown.

Terry O'Quinn Shopping Project that would Reteam Him with Lost co-star Michael Emerson

How great has the interaction between Terry O'Quinn's Locke/SmokeMonster and Michael Emerson's Ben Linus become over the last few seasons of Lost? In most viewers eyes, it has become one of the most riveting relationships on the show. And it seems the two co-stars have become off camera friends as well, with both commenting recently about how they would love to work together again after Lost closes its doors this May.

Seems O'Quinn is hoping that is sooner rather than later as he has allegedly been shopping a new project that would star he and Emerson.

According to TVGuide:

Though the show’s executive producers, Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse, insist they are opposed to any continuation of the series past May’s finale, that hasn’t stopped one Lostie from penning his own spin-off of sorts. Terry O’Quinn, who plays Locke/Smoke Monster, tells me he is shopping around a bible for a TNT-type show that would pair him back up with his real-life chum and on-screen foe, Michael Emerson (Ben) - as suburban hit men juggling family issues. Though Terry asked me not to spill show specifics, he has spoken with Lost creator J.J. Abrams about the project and says, “I really hope this works out because Michael would be in his prime in this. We’d play kind of awkward partners.”

“It’s very sweet of him,” says Michael. “I’m all in favor of it. Any reason to work with Terry again.”

Source: TV Guide

LOST - Breaking down the Lighthouse (Plus Another Crazy Vonnegut Comparison)

This week's episode of Lost was not nearly as revelatory as I'd anticipated - I was expecting a lot more "answers" from the Jack-centric 5th hour of the series final season. That being said, "Lighthouse" was perhaps the strongest episode yet this season and easily contained the best dialog in an episode of Lost in quite some time.

In fact, anticipating how revelatory a particular episode might be is, at this point, probably a foolish endeavor. I'm increasingly getting the feeling that Lindelof, Cuse, and co. will be peppering the season with small bridges between puzzle pieces wherein the end result is larger than the sum of its parts. Put simply - I'd be shocked if we get more than 1 or 2 "big reveals" and aren't instead given dozens of "aha!" moments that we still must connect with other dots to get the big picture.

So let's breakdown 'Lighthouse' and see how many dots there are to connect. And if you're lucky, we just might make another Lost/Vonnegut connection before we're through.

Lost- Breaking down 'The Substitute' and the Parallel Between Lost and Cat's Cradle

Lost's 4th hour of it's final season was a lot to digest. In fact, I'm still chewing and have only some half-formed thoughts to share at this point.

To me - 'The Substitute' was one of those great Lost episodes that left you with a lot to think about in its wake, only to realize the next day that there was a hell of lot more to ponder then you had originally thought.

Let's break it down....

Pop Culture Savant Graduates from Lost University

When we logged into Lost University lastnight to "attend" the commencement ceremony, we were pleasantly surprised to see that we were one of the first 108 people to qualify for graduation - a goal we had when we purchased the Lost Season 5 Blu-Ray specifically for LU. As such, the first 108 graduates will be receiving a signed diploma by Lost executive producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse!

While I have no idea when to expect that, here is an image of the normal "print your own" diploma. More images after the break...