5x09, "Namaste"

*There was a moment watching the episode tonight and K. turned to me and went, "You know this season has been REALLY good." And I can't put my finger on it but I have to agree. In terms of coherence and overall quality Season 1 is still the best. Season 2 has a fond place in my heart for The Button metaphor that everyone hated. Season 3 had some bright spots and a great run at the end. And Season 4 had some of my very favorite episodes ever. I can't really say any of that about this season -- it's been all about relentless momentum toward something HUGE, tying up as many loose ends as possible along the way. All the pieces seem to be falling to place: Jughead, the building of the Swan, the Losties there to witness it, DHARMA at its height and the constant references to a truce it seems everyone can't wait to break.

This episode was really interesting in that we really got to see the tables turned here: Sawyer is THE MAN and he's not playing. Over the last three years he's learned to be the leader Jack has always wanted to be. What sets him apart is he seems to have conquered his demons while Jack is still chasing his. How is Jack going to deal with that? And how does that impact what Kate feels about the two of them, now that one seems hapless and the other is more self-assured than ever?

*This has been brought up on The Fuselage, but the Othersville Lapidus and Sun retruend to appeared subtly different than the one last seen. For one thing there's still DHAMRA signs hanging that clearly should not have been, unless I'm mistaken. Supposedly there's no alternate timeline shenanigans going on with LOST, so I don't know if it's just that those signs were never taken down even after DI was destroyed. Or it could be a sign that, yes, the past has been changed and DHARMA lasted longer than it did before.

*Is it safe to assume one of the big questions in the coming weeks is whether or not to kill Ben the Kid? Obviously it won't happen, but does that mean that a coruse correction of some sort will get in the way of anyone who tries? (My money's on Sayid.)

*So where is Farraday? Has he figured out a way to travel out of 1977? Remember this video that aired at Comic-Con? You can hear the camera man speak and it sounds like Farraday.

*And believe it or not the fake band Geronimo Jackson that's been popping up constantly throughout the show's run has put out a single available on ITunes titled "Dharma Lady." It played in the DHARMA van Jin was driving when he first found Jack and company. They also played it again during the welcome picnic tonight at DHARMAville.



It's almost exactly based off a song by The Donkeys titled "Excelsior Lady" and apparently is played by The Donkeys, too.

*Next week: "He's Our You"