After all the talk of delays and disappointments, tonight brings a
startling reminder of why expectations still soar around Lost (* * * *
out of four, 10 ET/PT, ABC). At its best, as it is tonight, this
astonishing series risks and accomplishes at a level few others even try
to reach.
We are, thankfully, back on the beach and back with Charlie and Hurley,
who are determined to find out what happened to Desmond when he turned
that key. He won't tell them, but he does tell us - via a stunning
flashback that spins the show off into totally new territory. Eerie and
yet amusing, confounding and yet completely controlled, this hour is the
season's best and likely to be one of the series' most dissected and
discussed. On a basic viewership level, it's great to see Lost move
beyond the fall's cages and cells and be visually compelling again. But
the episode may also alter the view of those who have focused so tightly
on the little mysteries that they've lost sight of Lost's ability to
tackle bigger issues. The question so brilliantly posed tonight is,
"What is fate?" Is it possible to change our paths, or does the universe
want what it wants without input from us? The answer is of critical
importance to at least one character; make sure you're there tonight to
discover which one.