Lost Season 1 – Episode List & Guide

Click on the links below to read the Full Reviews:

1.01 – Pilot, Part 1 : B-

Over the past couple of years, I’ve heard quite a bit about the series Lost. In many respects, Lost has been recommended to me as often and as emphatically as Firefly. And yet, for one reason or another, I just never got around to watching it. But with ABC being generous enough to stream the first three seasons in HD online, I figured it’d be an excellent opportunity to get caught up.

1.02 – Pilot, Part 2: B

Pilot, Part 2 is an important counterpoint to Part 1. After establishing the basic character traits and location for the series, Part 2 is a bit more of an adventure. And it’s easy to see that the formula of character and the exotic, mysterious location has the potential to yield quite a few successes as the series unfolds.

1.03 – Tabula Rasa: B+

Tabula Rasa is, literally, all about wiping the slate clean, starting over. As Jack says to Kate, “we all died two days ago.” It is as if the entire group of survivors has been born again following their crash. It is a thematic element that is woven through the entire episode, and has the potential for being a foundation for the entire series. Indeed, the episode seems to point to that possibility.

1.04 – Walkabout: B+

Walkabout is a fantastic episode, thematically speaking. It successfully weaves Locke’s past and present, while laying the foundation for future episodes. Part of the success is continued mystery of the island. But even more importantly, it is the character development that makes for a truly compelling installment.

1.05 – White Rabbit: A-

Where Walkabout is primarily focused on Locke, White Rabbit is primarily focused on Jack. In fact, this episode is a good example of how carefully constructed a series Lost already is because the setup for White Rabbit actually began during the closing sequences of Walkabout — when Jack sees a very strange apparition: an elderly suited man. Not only that, the writing, acting, and even irony is done on a very high level.

1.06 – House of the Rising Sun: C

House of the Rising Sun is a departure both in terms of structure, and quality, from the past two episodes. Structurally, its thematic elements, while still present, aren’t as strong. And the quality of the episode suffers not only from the more diffuse thematic structures, but also from below average characterizations as well as an actual error in writing.

1.07 – The Moth: B

The Moth is a return to form for Lost. This episode’s character focus is Charlie, who is facing the prospect of running out of drugs. Locke becomes something of a spiritual guide for Charlie and the moth symbolism works on a variety of levels. As a subplot, Jack is involved in a potentially deadly accident. But that, too, is connected to the moth imagery and, therefore, Charlie’s struggle.

1.08 – Confidence Man: C

By now Lost is settling into a recognizable pattern of combining character exploration with advancing the plot of survival on the island. There have been some successes (Walkabout and White Rabbit) and some missteps (House of the Rising Sun). Confidence Man is, unfortunately, one of those missteps. The problem, really, is that it tries to do too many things all at once. In the end, the contradictory intentions of the episode cancel each other out. And, like an overly powerful spice during a meal, these intentions overwhelm any elements that might otherwise have been enjoyable.

1.09 – Solitary: B

I have to say, Lost is gaining a lot of admiration from me. I say that because even though Solitary is hardly the best episode of the series thus far (in terms of personal enjoyment), I have a great deal of respect for what the episode was attempting to accomplish. The miscues, then, are evidence of a great deal of (intelligent) thought and effort – as opposed to the mistakes of trying to be edgy or hip or whatever.

1.10 – Raised By Another: C-

I just didn’t like Raised By Another. It unnecessarily attempted to heighten the senses of suspense and danger that were already inherent to the story. Claire’s performance grates on the nerves. And the real meat of the episode doesn’t appear until the final scene.

1.11 – All The Best Cowboys Have Daddy Issues: B

All The Best Cowboys Have Daddy Issues (say that three times fast) is actually a fairly entertaining episode. It certainly doesn’t have the focus on symbolism of, say The Moth or Walkabout or White Rabbit, and as such, it certainly feels like there is something missing. But as a primarily narrative episode, it works quite well.

1.12 – Whatever The Case May Be: C

Whatever The Case May Be is a run-of-the-mill kind of episode of Lost. With a primary focus on Kate, the episode never seems grounded – because Kate never seems grounded. There are just too many questions, not enough answers, and too many answers that turn out to be false or half-truths. The result is an episode that gives us part of Kate’s backstory, but ends up telling us very little about the character herself.

1.13 – Hearts And Minds: C

Hearts and Minds is an episode about brotherly love. It’s also an episode very much in the spirit of Tabula Rasa – wiping the slate clean. But it’s an awkward, uneven mixture of character interactions. And even the brotherly love is, well, awkward?

1.14 – Special: C-

Special is almost like two separate episodes. The first episode, focusing on just Michael and Walt’s history, is pretty decent, with some quite notable revelations. The second, involving the conflict between Michael, Locke (and Locke’s sidekick Boone), is downright horrid. And the mixture of the two severely overshadows the better elements of the episode.

1.15 – Homecoming: C-

At its heart, Homecoming is an episode that confronts Charlie’s feelings of guilt about allowing Claire to be captured by Ethan. Wrapped around that rather introspective exploration is a larger, more plot-based conflict involving Ethan and the rest of the Survivors. Neither element is particularly compelling. But the Charlie story is, at least, one of character and choice. The Ethan story is much more cliché with a “bad guy out to get the good guys so the good guys fight back” scenario.

1.16 – Outlaws: A

For Lost, Outlaws is a return to the use of symbolism — not only as an underpinning of the episode, but also to drive the narrative forward. In this case, it is Sawyer’s obsession with a rogue boar (who rampages through his tent) — as well as the boar itself — that becomes symbolic for the episode. The symbolism provides for several different interpretations and, as such, this is a highly successful episode.

1.17 – … In Translation: B

In Translation is an intriguing episode by way of its final resolution. However, as the episode unfolds, it alternates between plodding exposition and over-the-top aggression and conflict. The effect is an episode that, while it is quite touching and revealing, is also quite flawed.

1.18 – Numbers: B+

“Numbers” introduces a very intriguing plot element: a set of mysterious … numbers. But what makes the episode, and the numbers, so compelling, is that they are introduced by way of character development for Hurley. The result is not only a plot twist, but a character twist – with the themes of fate, destiny and chance playing out in the background.

1.19 – Deus Ex Machina: B

“Deus Ex Machina” is an interesting piece of work. The character focus returns to John Locke. But it is the themes of betrayal and sacrifice, along with a continuation of “destiny” that propels this episode. In terms of the overall narrative, things become even more intriguing with an important discovery — and a symbolic breakthrough.

1.20 – Do No Harm: C

“Do No Harm” is an episode about commitment. I think. Actually, it seems to imply that commitment to marriage is somehow associated with amputation. Or childbirth. Or making out on the beach. Either way, it’s an awkward mix of on-screen visuals, regardless of whether or not the themes are all interconnected. The end result is an episode that just … doesn’t … work.

1.21 – The Greater Good: B+

“The Greater Good” is an episode that is all about justice and revenge. At what point does justice tip into the dark realm of vengeance? How far can a person go to achieve justice? And just what is justice to begin with? With more revelations of Sayid’s backstory as a foundation for this episode, we explore not only the themes of justice and revenge, but also that of personal choices and how they the affect the “greater good” referenced in the title. The episode is, once again, a multi-layered story that skillfully interweaves multiple themes, plot twists and character revelations.

1.22 – Born To Run: C-

“Born To Run” is a story about Kate. The episode’s backstory provides us with another layer to her “fugitive” status by introducing us to her childhood sweetheart. The rest of the episode focuses on the imminent launch of Michael’s raft – and some last minute maneuvering about who will be joining him and his son on their voyage. On the whole, it is an episode that is severely lacking in a truly compelling story. Kate’s history was supposed to be the story that draws us in, however, because of a few fatal flaws, it isn’t nearly as impactful as it might otherwise have been.

1.23 – Exodus, Part 1: A

“Exodus, Part 1” is an episode that is all about payoff. For an entire season we’ve been treated to a close look and the histories, and mysteries, behind the main cast of survivors on the island – as well as the history and mystery of the island itself. Due to the structure of previous episodes, a lot of the story was compartmentalized. That was all for the good because it allowed us to get quality character stories for just about everybody.

1.24 – Exodus, Part 2: A-

In “Exodus, Part 2” all hell breaks loose. If Part 1 was the “feel-good” episode of the season, Part 2 throws everything into the pit – and stomps on it, mercilessly. And the fact that the episode runs nearly 90 minutes (episode should have been titled Exodus Part 2 & 3) should tell you just how much goes wrong for the survivors. The episode is filled with action, story and character – but I’d be hard pressed to call it (aside from the cinematography) cinematic. It’s more of an exercise in beating you over the head and stealing your baby.