Good Riddance!

Worst. Episode. EVAH!

The good, the bad and the ugly of "Stranger In A Strange Land".

I think it's best to change up the order here, because after something this ugly and this bad, I feel so icky, I need a little (and God knows there's only a little) good to help wash away some of the stench.

The Bad -

There is so frakking much to wade through, I'm not sure where to begin. The beginning, I suppose. The kite.

What the Phuket was up with that? Are we expected to believe that after five seconds reflection, SuperJack can assemble angel hair pasta spinal nerves in a single bound, but is stupefied by a plaything managed every day by children the world over? Riiiight. I am loathe to give credit to Jack for anything, but even I wouldn't stoop to questioning his command of simple toys. Maybe his next episode will deal with his tragic inability to make a Slinky walk down stairs?

I guess I shouldn't be surprised that in this same episode we discover that a highly respected fertility doctor isn't competent enough to recognize infected stitches. This is intelligence insulting on so many levels I'd crash the server if I tried go into them all.

The glorification of misogynistic Jack. Is there another "hero", lead male character anywhere on television who physically and emotionally abuses women more? If so, he's on some show I don't watch. Watching Jack throw a tiny woman up against a wall then force her to "mark" him, was at best cringeworthy and at least repugnant. How some people can call this heroic is just beyond me.

Oh, and the stalking. We can't forget the stalking, since we saw Jack yet again showing his prowess in that area.

The Ugly -



Another Jackback? Is this some sort of Orwellian punishment of the masses by way of our TV screens? Have we not appeased the island gods enough by tolerating the fact that Jack is on the show at all? Oh, the humanity!

And apparently Saint is not an exalted enough job description for the weeping one. "Although he walks among us, he is not one of us" All righty then, it seems he will soon be elevated to the position of Messiah. Is anybody buying into this? I know there are lots of cults in the USofA, but come on. I wonder if he'll grow a white beard and spit lightening bolts from his fingertips?

Altogether now, can we say, Skank Ho? Holy mother of vestals! Where in the name of Bubbles did they find her? The place where pole dancers go to die? Maybe this episode should have been called "Strange-HER In A Strange Land". I was on line for hours, fighting off crowds of people tainted by that scene, trying to buy antibiotics. I also have it good authority that at least two exorcisms were required by unfortunate viewers desecrated by unclean spirits.

Actually this should technically be the 'meh', but that's not a category in this format so since it was neither particularly good or bad, it lands here. The SkAngst. It was alright, but left something to be desired. Sawyer was rather mean, if overwhelmingly vulnerable and insecure, but his little accusation cut. And cut deep. That was Kate's best hurt face in the history of Lost. It screamed "I can't believe you think so little of me as to think I'd do that", and she withdrew. Which we know is her usual MO. Hurt or anger Kate, she shuts you out. It'll be nice when Kate drops the last shred of her guilt-laced Jack-baggage off in the jungle, so she can get back to Sawyer and they can start hammering out their relationship issues. I'm all for some good Skate angst, but will it ALWAYS have to revolve around Jack?

Methinks not. Enter, Jacket.

The Good -







Yeah, baby! Jacket, Jacket, JACKET. He's literally got her back. Elizabeth Mitchell steals every damn scene she's in, and she makes Foxeeee a better actor, just as Juliet makes Jack bearable...hell, I found myself even LIKING the guy when he oh, so gently (and oh, so UN-Jack-like) asked her "Please. Please do it", sending her for the aloe to tenderly dress her wounds. And the light touching of the fingers? I hesitate to say it - but be still my heart!

A cursory glance around the web reveals Bubbles everywhere donning lifeJACKETs. Gotta give kudos to TPTB for finding EM, and for discovering & rolling with Jacket. It has crushed Jate spectacularly under its wheels, and it's barely even boarding yet!

All ashore who's going ashore!

Life in Fishbiscuitland is good.