Looking Back at Season 1 of Lost
After twenty-five episodes and several Sundays spent re-watching, I still think Season 1 of Lost is top-tier television. Each episode feels like a character study, with island adventures/misadventures as a backdrop. Each character learns the depth of their strengths and weaknesses. The island gave Locke the ability to walk again, in turn he learned he was capable of doing anything despite others doubting him. Sun and Jin explored the bounds of their freedom from her father and learned to trust in each other. Walt and Michael finally stopped bickering, learning to listen to each other. Shannon opened her eyes enough to see the world doesn’t revolve around her. Jack is a work in progress, but even he sees he doesn’t need to fix everyone.
Season 1 was not perfect, there are things I liked and didn’t like.
Best quotes
“As if I’m going to start eating chocolate.” – Shannon when Boone offers her a candy bar
“You don’t look free to me.” – the injured marshal to Kate
“Remember when all you had to give me was a flower.” – Sun to Jin
“Don’t stop now, I think my sinuses are clearing.” –Sawyer to Sayid while he’s torturing him
“I became the man I was hunting. I became Sawyer.” –Sawyer
“Doctor playing golf? Whew! Boy, Howdy! Now I’ve heard everything. What’s next cop eating a doughnut?” – Sawyer
“And why am I getting the evening news from a six-year-old?” “I’m 10!” – conversation between Sawyer and Walt
“Dude, these aren’t for eating.” Hurley talking to Jack about leaves
“You look a man in the eye, and you point a gun at him, you find who you really are, mate. And should you find you’re not a killer, there’s no refund.” – A man who sold Sawyer a gun
“We’re not the only people on this island, and we all know it.” –Locke
“You want to keep a secret don’t tell the fat guy.” –Arzt on Jack’s plan to blow the hatch
“I’m sorry that I’m not cool enough to be part of your merry little band of adventurers. I know a clique when I see it!” –Arzt
“Everyone wants me to be a leader until I make a decision they don’t like.” –Jack
Best episodes
Walkabout: Locke discovers how strong he really is.
House of the Rising Sun: Once determined to leave Jin, Sun finds a glimpse of the man she fell in love with, choosing to fight for her marriage rather than give up.
The Moth: Charlie begins to see life is possible without drugs.
Solitary: Disgusted with himself for torturing Sawyer, Sayid leaves the group to find the man he used to be.
Homecoming: Claire returns to the camp, but the danger that led to her disappearance isn’t over.
In Translation: Sun and Jin drift further apart, leading to a big reveal.
Best nicknames from Sawyer
“Freckles” for Kate | “Metro” is Sawyer’s nickname for Jack | “Sassafras” for Kate
Best little moments
Claire organizing a memorial service | Charlie and Claire eating the invisible peanut butter | Walt and Sawyer having a conversation | Jin putting the flower in Sun’s hair during their wedding | Hurley hugging Danielle | Jin holding back Charlie while Claire is in labor | Sawyer telling Jack about his conversation with his dad | Walt leaves his dog with Shannon | Sun and Jin reconcile
Worst storylines
Deux Ex Machina: Flashbacks reveal how John Locke met his birth parents. The episode overall is very good, but the casting of Locke’s parents, actors Swoosie Kurtz and Kevin Tighe, did not make sense to me. Actor Terry O’Quinn, aka John Locke, is only eight years younger than Kurtz and Tighe. I just didn’t find it believable that O’Quinn could pass as their spawn. The bad wig the powers that be put on O’Quinn didn’t help. A small thing, but a plot hole and distraction in my opinion.
Walt being kidnapped: Walt is taken by the Others in the Season 1 finale, which should have been a big setup for next season. Picture it! Michael was desperate to get his son off the island before the kidnapping, now that Walt has been taken what lengths will he go to get him back? Will the survivors go to war with the Others to get Walt? Why did the Others want Walt in the first place?
There was so much potential—ultimately unfulfilled potential. The entire first season dropped hints that Walt was special, that he possessed special powers but that was not explored with any depth. Why? Because the creators cast a young actor who had yet to go through puberty or his growth spurt. Timewise, the first season takes place over a couple of weeks. So, when Season 2 drops how do you explain a growth spurt and eventually a deeper voice on a character that’s only supposed to be ten? Even on an island that possesses magical powers, it’s difficult. So, what’s the solution? Have the character kidnapped and reduced to an off-screen mention every other episode.
In my opinion, the creators didn’t know how to fix a major plot point, so it was dropped. Spoiler alert, father and son do reunite at the end of Season 2 but thanks to camera trickery you can barely see the youngster. The conclusion to Walt’s storyline just felt like a cop-out to me.
Season 2
Looking ahead to Season 2, the hatch and the survivors of the tail section will play big roles. Jack leans more into his leadership role. And…like Season 1 there will be some heartache for Season 2. My tissues are on standby. Please come back in two weeks for my recaps of Season 2 episodes one and two.