retsuko | Lost: Season Premiere

I can't think of a witty introduction, so let's go right to the spoiler-rific OMGWTFBBQ fuss!

My thoughts, roughly in order of the storyline on the episode:

* Awesome narration from Ben during the clips show. Too bad they left out Rousseau as an important character. (She's someone who I think the characters need to ask more questions of in order to get to the bottom of the mysteries, but...)

* Hurley! Oh, wow. Where to start? It is hard watching a character who you feel very fond of getting "beat up" by the plot, whether it's in the future or the present. To know that he doesn't escape his past when he goes back, that he just throws himself back into the mental institution... oh, man. That's so difficult to watch.

* Shut up, Jack. I wish so fervently that he wasn't the "leader". He just drives me crazy, and this episode, with his fists flying, reminded me of why I dislike him so intensely. @_@;; Yeesh.

* OK, we get it: Charlie died a HEROIC DEATH. FOR THE GOOD OF EVERYONE. HE DIED. WE. GET. IT. Was it really necessary to show us the clip of him drowning for the millionth time? And can we please stop hearing the violins of sadness every. frikkin'. time.?!

* Jacob. Why/how did Hurley find his cabin? And did he say anything when Hurley looked in the window?

* So what did Hurley and Jack and the other "Oceanic 6" lie about when they came back? They might have lied about the true body count, but why would that be so necessary? (That presumes a whole bunch more people die.) They might have lied about the Island's (for lack of a better word) magical powers. I bet the writers will do the universal cop-out of lying about "what really happened", which is irritatingly vague.

* And, for that matter, who are the Oceanic 6? We know for sure now that it's Kate, Jack, and Hurley, and that's 3. Given Kate's conversation at the end of last season's finale, I think we can reasonably assume that Sawyer might be #4, so that leaves two spots. I think almost certainly that one other would be Sun, because of the pregnancy, and probably Claire/baby Aaron. However, this being "Lost", I stake no claims on this list.

*No naked or topless Sayid, but lots of intense-looking Sayid. So, yay! :D

* When the Locke and Jack factions split up, I suddenly thought that the people who I would actually want with me on any desert Island were all heading off with Locke. This leads me to the following list of 'Lost' characters who I would actually want with me on the Island:

Locke (resourceful, brave, in tune with the Island and its crazy)
Sayid (besides the drool factor, strong, tough, and... oh, who am I kidding? Major droolish goodness, plus he's a great character)
Rousseau (if she weren't so quite so unstable. Possibly pre-island Rousseau?)
Hurley (moral support)
Bernard and Rose (Not just because they're such a great couple, but also because I get the feeling they're the kind of people who've been contributing tons behind the scenes and never getting credit for it. Backbones.)

* I know Michael and Walt are supposed to be making appearances soon and I can't help wondering if Michael's joined forces with the as-yet-unnamed people on the boat.

* Overall, it didn't feel like the greatest episode ever, but they had a lot of hype to deal with, and it looks like the story's heading in interesting directions. I'll definitely stick around for the next seven episodes. :)