TV: Lost "Some Like It Hoth"

TEASER Okay, a Miles episode. Finally. It's been long enough and now that my initial distaste for the character has worn off, I'm pretty stoked for this episode. Seriously, his cranky pants attitude for most all of last season was really annoying, leaving me to hope that his neck would meet Sayid's furious feet (he killed a guy with his feet, people, a moment I should bring up at EVERY opportunity). Now Miles has chilled out a lot and is becoming a lot more likeable. We already have a thoroughly creepy flashback and some nice mysteries unfolding. Promising teaser!

The episode title is way lame though, and it's from my favorite movie of all time.

ACT ONE Miles' father is Alvar Hanso. We get it. We know, right? We've known from the season premiere, right? But it's "Lost," they have to do the cryptic big build ups for the things we already know (like Claire being Jack's half sister, Jin being alive, etc). I love new hyper aware Hurley. He's cutting through a lot of the miscommunication junk that bogged down the first years of this show. "Are you on a secret mission?" Yep, Hurley, he is, THANK YOU for figuring that out! If this was a year ago, Hurley wouldn't pick up on it until Miles was about three round deep into Taboo with the corpse. Also, pretty awesome that our gang is the security for Dharma. They seem kinda untouchable right now.

ACT TWO So Hurley is crazy, right? Like, that's how he talks to dead people. I never once thought that his convos with Charlie were anything but him being just a bit nutty. Well, I guess they could be some sorta vision quest island thing, but I was always sure that they weren't the real deal. Also, for a second I was thinking there might be some creepy Kate/Ben's Drunk Dad hookup moment but that quickly turned. For the better, mind you, Kate's become annoying but I wouldn't wish that drunkwad on anyone. And what is Hurley doing? Is he writing "The Empire Strikes Back"? End of the episode, please come soon so I know what in the world that bounty hunter bit and the title of this episode's all about. And I can't wait to see what dead person spilled the beans about Miles' parentage.

ACT THREE Finally! We now know that the island has given Jack magical chalkboard cleaning powers! That thing went from being covered in scribblins to being squeaky clean in just the blink of the camera! Wowzers! Hurley's attempt at bringing Miles and Hanso together (what's his real name? I should look that up, he's not Candle or Hanso) was priceless, as was the look Miles' shot his dad when he revealed he liked country music. Great little moments. I really enjoyed the foreboding banging of the numbers onto the hatch, too. Bring dem numbers back, yo! Such a stink has been made about them not being able to change the future, I wonder if Hurley's going to go to great lengths to stop that hatch from being built.

ACT FOUR Is it weird that I had the same reaction to hearing the year 1977 that Hurley did? My initial thought a couple episodes ago when they ended up in that time was that if I was there, I would be hightailing it on a submarine back to the US as soon as possible so I could see it in the theater. Straight up. Glad Hurley has a variation on the idea, even though he really doesn't remember how "Empire Strikes Back" begins. Also, I guess we were just introduced to some new faction of players? Some possible shadow cult, maybe obsessed with the four-toed statue and all it's mythic voodoo? We'll see. All the stuff between Miles and Hurley about Miles' father was really well done and acted. I love how this show dissects human emotion like that, all with time travel and jumpsuits. Nice to see some of dirty old Sawyer come back. Get some rope, indeed.

ACT FIVE Geez, Hurley, did you even WATCH "Empire Strikes Back"? Luke got his hand cut off BEFORE Vader told him he was his father. Der! But leave it to Hurley to rationalize things using pop culture. Probably why he's my favorite character on the show. I'm also glad that Faraday is back. He's a weird character but I'm sure that with his return comes a lotta answers. Excitement! Excitement that has to wait two weeks. Ugh...

MY SCORE: **** (out of 5)