3.01 - A Tale of Two Cities

Title’s significance: Referencing another Dickens novel, the title refers to the two cities on the island – the survivors’ beach camp and the Otherville we see at the start of this episode.

Recap: In flashbacks (Jackbacks?), Jack gets upset about Sarah’s new lover and follows her, demanding to know her lover’s name; he began to suspect his father. But a brilliant opening sequence shows us that The Others live in their own little village on the island. As the leader of The Others, Ben (“Henry Gale”) has Jack, Kate, and Sawyer in captivity. In Jack’s cage, he’s visited by Juliet, but he attacks her when she opens the cell door; he opens a door in the prison, which floods with water. Fellow prisoner Karl makes an escape and frees Sawyer, but the two are quickly recaptured. Kate is treated to a beachside breakfast with Ben before being thrown in a cage opposite Sawyer.

Thoughts: Pretty solid episode, even if almost nothing happened and we got next-to-zero answers. With a main cast of only five characters – count ’em (Jack, Kate, Sawyer, Juliet, and Ben) – the episode establishes quite clearly that The Others are going to be the focus of this season. What’s discomforting about this episode is knowing in hindsight that there won’t be any answers in sight for a very long while.

Favorite moment: Sawyer successfully activates the gadget in his cell, does a little victory dance, and is rewarded with a fish biscuit for his troubles.

Characters introduced (in order):

• JULIET BURKE, a doctor and one of The Others
• KARL, a prisoner of The Others

What we learned:

• Juliet’s favorite book is Stephen King’s “Carrie.”
• The Others have their own civilized village on the island.
• Ben is the so-called Henry Gale’s real name.
• Ben is the leader of The Others.
• Sarah’s new lover is nobody we know.
• Juliet is a doctor.
• Jack’s being held prisoner in The Hydra, an underwater station doing animal research (sharks, dolphins, and bears, among others).
• Juliet says that The Dharma Initiative “was a long time ago.”
• The Others have a dossier on Jack and probably on the other survivors, too.

Questions:

• Why isn’t Kate Tom Friendly’s “type”?
• Why did The Others draw blood from their captives?
• Why does Ben treat Kate so differently?
• What’s going to happen in the next two weeks that Ben says will be unpleasant?
• Were Sarah and Christian having an affair?
• What hatch is Jack imprisoned in, and what was its original function?
• Why is Karl being held captive?
• What’s The Others’ endgame?
• Are the bears that Tom mentions the island’s polar bears?
• How did Juliet get a dossier on Jack?
• What happened to The Dharma Initiative if The Others are controlling their stations now?

Things that are going to be important in Season Six:

• Juliet suggests that free will doesn’t exist on the island. Does it?