"LOST" IN THOUGHT: "CATCH-22"

I'm the godfather to the daughter of a fellow member of the Idiot's Delight Digest, an "Iddiot" named Sean whom I consider to be like the son I never wanted....

On Wednesday, after 'Lost', I was at my keyboard trying to find the proper way to phrase a joke I came up with regarding the final scene of this week's episode. And then suddenly an email arrived from Sean:

Subj: the parachute jumper on LOST is...
Sanjaya Malakar.
Sorry to ruin it for you.....

Damned if that wasn't the same thing I had come up with for the joke!

In the IDD, that's what we call Iddiosynchronicity.

"Catch-22" focused on Desmond, one of my favorite characters on the island. He's a late addition to the cast whose introduction was handled right, as opposed to Nikki and Paolo.

Do certain numbers have more of a connection to particular castaways than others? It's something I found myself pondering after seeing "Catch-22" - the only number I can remember popping up in the episode was the whole enchilada, the total of 108 (as in 108 cases of Moriah wine). And it seemed to me that of all the numbers, that one best suited Desmond, whose flashbacks were the centerpiece of the episode.

For Nikki, it seemed the number 8 was most prevalent (the diamonds were worth 8 million dollars; the Medusa spider's venom caused a paralysis lasting 8 hours). 8 might be the key number for Locke as well; at the very least, it was the number of stories he fell when his own father pushed him out the window.

It's pozz'ble; it's pozz'ble, as Mushrat would say. But it would also mean going through the whole series of number references throughout the series and tallying up who's connected to which number.

And although there are sites where I can find that info, I deal with numbers enough at work as hotel night auditor. That's the last type of TV trivial detail I'd want to research!

Being somewhat addicted to spoilers, I had no worries that this would have been the episode in which Charlie died. I know one of the last ones this season will be featuring his flashbacks, so he's safe until then.

However, the circumstances surrounding his "death" in this episode (which was no more than one of Desmond's future visions) might have been the way to go for Charlie's demise. Not the way he died - that was too grisly and he deserves a better fate! - but when: right at the top of the episode for the full shock value. Previously, we've seen characters die off at the end of an episode in which they were given the chance to have their flashback stories.

Charlie would be the perfect case in which he died and then all of the other castaways - including those in the background about whom we know nothing, - would have the flashbacks to what they knew of this one-hit wonder musical "superstar". Some of the flashbacks would be pre-crash; others from the time spent on the island.

The show has experimented with the types of flashbacks before, but I'm not sure there's anybody left for whom this version could be applied......

Did you notice Ms. Hawking, the curio shop owner from Desmond's previous flashback ("Flashes Before Your Eyes") in the photo on the desk of the head monk? It was almost as if it was there just for the purpose of keeping track of Desmond, as she's not crossed the path of any other character from the show yet.

And it reinforced my private Toobworld theory that she's the embodiment of the White Guardian of Time from 'Doctor Who'. Especially as she's still dressed in white in that photo.....

It took the whole episode for the payoff, but one of the best things the producers of 'Lost' ever did was to hire Sonia Walger to play Desmond's love, Penelope Widmore. It's nice to find that in a show full of biblical allusions (from this episode alone: Ruth, Naomi, Moriah) and references to philosophers (Desmond's full name is Desmond David Hume), there's such a great tip of the hat to classic Greek mythology - Penelope was the wife of Odysseus, who was feared lost during his ocean journey around the known world.

I've put the word out to a friend of mine to contact a mutual friend who's from Korea. Knowing that she's a 'Lost' fan, I want her to clue me in on what was the subject of Jin's ghost story. (I'm thinking it was the classic one about the guy with the hook.)

But in the meantime, if anybody else knows, let me know!

Just a few more eps to go for this season, and then it'll be an agonizing wait for Season Four that will almost rival 'The Sopranos' for its interminable length!

Enjoy these while you can!

BCnU, Brothah!
Toby OB