Link Dump 2/23/2010

Lots of LOST stuff around the web right now, not surprising given it's the final season and all, but cool just the same considering the long drought we went through at the end of last year.

- This CNN article talks about science on screen and how LOST seems to get it "right," though I'm kinda dubious of that (granted, I can't comment on much physics-wise and this article also gives LOST some science-props). One of the things I have been disappointed by is that I believe a long time ago (first or second season - can't find a link here, anyone know where), the writers said something along the lines of "there will be nothing in the show that can't be explained by science or pseudoscience," with pseudoscience being more along the lines of science-fiction type devices (like the transporter on "Star Trek"). But with the revelation that Jacob and Smokey are some sort of deities, LOST has clearly entered into a metaphysical realm that it can't escape.

Clearly, this makes explaining everything on the show a lot easier. Jacob is now a huge deus ex machina, seemingly capable of doing just about anything (despite the fact there do seem to be rules imposing limits on what he can and can't do). I was kinda hoping for a more science-oriented end to the show, despite the fact I'm greatly enjoying the current narrative as it stands. Eh, what can you do?

- Lost is killing on the ratings so far, which is kinda cool. Very interested to see how the grand finale does on a Sunday night. :)

- Yeah, I think Sawyer is pulling a Long Con on Smokey.

- This list of the Top 25 Lost moments contains a lot of head scratchers. Kate telling Claire's mom why she's returning to the Island? Hurley's joy ride in the DHARMA van with Charlie? Ben confronting Charles in London? Richard giving Locke the test? Wha? Really? Some of these are okay scenes, but not when you think about what's been omitted:

1) Seeing inside the Hatch for the first time with "Make Your Own Kind Of Music" playing
2) Eloise telling a time-traveling Desmond to give her her "sodding ring" back
3) Shannon translating Danielle's message in the Pilot
4) Desmond turning the failsafe key
5) Ben coldly shooting Locke and leaving him in the DHARMA pit
6) Seeing the Barracks for the first time, with Flight 815 breaking up overhead
7) Seeing the Black Rock for the first time
8) Locke sees the Blast Door Map
9) Rose and Bernard reuniting on the Island
10) "We're gonna have to take the boy"

That's just off the top of my head. I might have to work on this list a bit. Ben's "got milk" is pretty good too, but I might replace it with Sayid confronting Ben at the end of Lockdown with Henry Gale's driver's licence.

- Everyone should be reading Bigmouth's episode recaps. I especially liked this point from this week:

The Man in Black implies that Jacob lived in the cave and wrote all those names. But if you believe that, I've got a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you, because it was clearly the Man in Black's pad and graffiti. The cave's complete isolation contrasted perfectly with Jacob's prominent home in the foot of a statue that presumably once greeted visitors to the Island. The location by the sea evoked the cave lairs of mythical sea monsters like Grendel in Beowulf and Scylla in The Odyssey. And the black and white stones on the scale brought to mind Claire's dream from Season 1 of Locke with one black and one white eye, a vision I believe was sent by the Man in Black.

Yeah, Jacob lived in the statue, right? Perhaps it was Smokey living in the cave, writing the names, trying to figure out who was going to become the next Jacob so he could kill him ahead of time. I also like the idea that Smokey = Randall Flagg. Not necessarily a god, just evil incarnate.

- This week's title, "Lighthouse," brings to mind the Lighthouse of Alexandria, ostensibly the most famous lighthouse ever built. So what does the title refer to? We've supposedly got a lot of Jack/Claire this episode, which is kinda cool. Is Jack the one beacon of hope left on the Island? Is the lighthouse referring to something on the Island itself, something which serves to warn ships away from danger? Can't wait for tonight! Review up tomorrow morning! :)