How do you top the final scene from the first season finale,
showing Jack (Matthew Fox) and Locke (Terry O'Quinn) peering down the long dark vertical shaft--which was
what they found after they’d blown the mysterious hatch off--into yet another
enigmatic puzzle? Fortunately, the answer is
provided within the first five minutes of the opening episode of the second
season, "Man Of Science, Man Of Faith", when we witness a man waking up one fine
morning. He does his exercises and then has breakfast, all to the
creepily-cheerful tune of Mama Cass’ "Make Your Own Kind Of Music". Life is just
hunky-dory for this unknown dude--whose face is never initially shown--in his
retro-70s bachelor pad…until an explosion literally rocks his world. It’s the
very same explosion that Jack, Locke and Kate (Evangeline Lilly) have set off to blow the hatch off
above ground. It’s a brilliant opening, which at first makes the viewer think
they’re watching yet another flashback, only to reveal that they’ve been watching
the big answer all along--while also raising even more fascinating questions.
The second season of Lost is all about answering questions, such as what exactly
happened to Claire (Emilie de Ravin) when she was abducted by the Others ("Maternity Leave"), and
what was the crime that Kate committed that set her off on her life as a
fugitive ("What Kate Did"). Yet the series has also wisely deepened it’s overall
storyline by introducing another group of survivors from the same plane wreck
that brought our heroes to this mysterious island. Known as the Tailies, because
they rode in the tail section of the plane, this second group brings an added
dimension to Lost, especially in the episode "The Other 48 Days" which is
devoted exclusively to their trials and tribulations on the island before they
met the rest of the survivors. Michelle Rodriguez, who briefly appeared in a
flashback as a girl Jack meets at the airport in the final episode of the first
season, joins the regular cast this season as Ana-Lucia, the tough as nails
leader of the Tailies.
Jack’s prior meeting with Ana-Lucia creates a bond between them that apparently
makes Kate a little jealous at times--even though she’s been making goo-goo eyes
at Sawyer (Josh Holloway). While the whole Jack/Kate/Sawyer/Ana-Lucia romantic
entanglements might leave some cold, making the series feel like
a soap opera, I don't really mind, for the budding romance is handled very subtly
and often in a humorous manner. Lost's saving grace is always its sharp,
smart writing, which often pulls the rug out from under an unsuspecting viewer who's
being lulled into thinking that Lost is about to turn into just another
predictable TV series. A great example of this are the episodes "Abandoned",
"The Long Con", and "Two For The Road", with their shocking endings that catches one completely
off guard.
And still more is discovered this season about the Others, those mysterious and dangerous
island dwellers who, like everybody else on this show, may not be exactly
who they appear to be. New alliances are forged, and stunning betrayals are revealed as
the second season races towards its enjoyable, nail-biting climax. The entire
cast--including Fox as Jack; O’Quinn as Locke; Lilly as Kate; Naveen Andrews as Sayid;
Jorge Garcia as Hurley; Dominic Monaghan as Charlie, and so on--all turn in marvelous performances that
more than meet the challenges that the superior scripts set for them. And in
addition to a superb collection of episodes, the special edition DVD set also
boasts some fine special features, as well. Lost has been described as a riddle
wrapped in an enigma folded into a mystery--and sometimes this was meant as a
derogatory comment. But for those who enjoy the journey more than reaching the
destination, as well as those who enjoy delving into a great mystery, then this Lost
Second Season DVD set is a perfect way to spend some time on a rainy day…or on the deserted
tropical island of your choice.
--SF
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