603: 'What Kate Does'
Wr: Edward Kitsis & Adam Horowitz
Dr: Paul A. Edwards
Synopsis: Kate finds herself on the run, while Jack is tasked with something that could put a friend's life at risk.
Review: So Lost, pray tell us, what does Kate do, exactly? Well, according to this fine instalment of the world's greatest televisual experience, young Ms Austen hijacks taxis, runs roughshod over the luggage of poor struggling doctors (Artz is back, ladies and gentlemen! You've been pining for him for years, haven't you?!), steals the handbags of pregnant youngsters and subsequently feels horribly guilty about it all. Well, maybe that's a bit of a stretch. She feels guilty about anything to do with the koochie-coo, cute-as-buttons wickle baby thing growing inside Emilie De Ravan. Couldn't care less about the other havoc she's wreaked. But of course, this is off-Island, flash-sideways Kate. The Kate for whom flight 815 did come hurtling down into the ocean is a little more empathetic, finding herself caring for the well-being of an understandably distraught Sawyer, while also desperate to find the aforementioned Claire in order to reunite her with Aaron.
It's an interesting dichotomy this and one that looks likely to set the trend for the remainder of the season. As predicted, Horowitz and Kitsis continue with the structure established in 'LA X (parts one and two)', juxtaposing a timeline in which 815 didn't crash with one in which Jack and his fellow Losties were unsuccessful in their attempts to change history. Few hints are given as to how these two will ultimately reconcile, preferring instead to present the duality as is and allow the viewer to draw his or her own conclusions. However, as a result, it allows us to acquire some intriguing insights into the show's central characters, to contrast their personalities and neuroses in differing sets of circumstances, drawing parallels and establishing how their problems are resolved, if it all. It's somewhat fitting that Kate's penchant to run grinds to a halt as a result of realising exactly what she was stealing from Claire; in the show's chronological timeline, it is effectively the protection of baby Aaron that allows her to finally settle. There are some well-played scenes between Lilly and Ravan, particularly in the hospital, as apprehension gives way to affection and genuine emotion shines through from both parties. The story does occasionally feel a little capricious, as its teleology becomes rather predictable from the moment that the pregnancy is revealed, and the fact that Claire's water breaks just as the prospective recipient of her child turns her back on her is more than a little convenient. Still, on the whole, this is an enjoyable retread through the damaged psyches of both characters (Kate and Claire), which reminds us of just how far they've both come.
The on-Island narrative is even better. Again, there are certain less desirable elements - Kate's sudden re-interest in Claire's well-being feels a little too well timed in terms of the narrative's inherent motifs, especially given that Sawyer's having an emotional breakdown right in front of her eyes, and those Others that transport she and Jin could do with a little more subtlety in their portrayals - but overall, Kate's storyline here is solid. Her concern for James is touching and the sequence in which he breaks down in front of her at the pier is heartwrenching. Lilly is excellent, but Holloway is astounding, never veering too far towards mawkish and selling every last ounce of emotion with the gravitas and crushing weight that it deserves. As per, Lost is stupendous at representing consequence. There are no quick fixes here; Sawyer does not cry for a bit and then forget about Juliet completely. The trauma is built into the narratives and it works wonders. Hopefully, this will continue in the weeks to come.
Putting aside Kate's story, there is a nice B-strand involving Jack and Sayid to address too. For the umpteenth time, the writers give little away, still refusing to explain exactly how our favourite torturer is in this condition, but what they do reveal proves somewhat fascinating. Sayid has been 'claimed', you say? Would that, perchance, be by Smokie? The guy 'dressed' as Locke? It certainly seems like the Natives aren't particularly fond of the guy, especially after hearing the news of Jacob's departure last week, and the concept is one that has arisen within the arc plot before: remember Rousseau's men? They were exposed to the monster/elements within the Temple and subsequently turned batshit crazy. It would therefore make logical sense that this is what these Others are referring to. Of course, whether or not Sayid is ill is another matter entirely, and one that certainly harbours much promise for forthcoming episodes.
While 'What Kate Does' does not scale the lofty heights of 'LA X', it is certainly an enjoyable, well-written episode. Kate's on and off-Island narratives work well in conjunction with one another, providing a neat assessment of the psychological ennui that torment the character, and Evangeline Lilly rises to the challenge, almost but not quite matching Josh Holloway in their beautiful scene at the dock. It's a bit of a shame that the episode relegates the mythology to C-storyline status and it perhaps could've done with an injection of Locke and Ben, but generally, this is another strong slice of television from a production crew at the very top of their game. 8.2
No comments:
Post a Comment