In Defense of Stranger in a Strange Land

[friar]

I've always had a soft spot for that episode, both because I generally enjoy Jack episodes and also because its gets so much heat for being "the worst episode", "indicative of the doldroms of season 3" etc.
So I decided to rewatch it again tonight, in part because the upcoming episode should give us a little more insight into the Others and their organization and it was front and center in this one. I think we may also find that Juliet's marking is a much bigger deal than it originally seemed (perhaps it's worse than a death sentence because it means she can't be resurrected). However, Ben does clearly say in this episode that she'll always be one of us, and while that has already come up before (in season 3) I wouldn't be surprised if it comes up again in a big way this season.

Jack's interaction with Cindy and the kids (particularly Zach) could play a role, particularly if we do see a jump to the future of the island (grown-up Aaron and Ji-Yeon coming back as some people theorized).

But I think what struck the deepest chord for me was at the end, when Isabel reads Jack's tattoo as "He walks amongst us, but he is not one of us" and he replies, "That's what it says, but that isn't what it means." I've never fully understood his implication, if only because it feels like the kind of line foreshadowing something that's a long way off.


Anyhow, it might be that this episode really deserves most of the vitriol it gets, but before tonight episode I wanted to send a little love particularly in case it does provide some important clues for the next few episodes.

[monsterjester]

I'm with you, it wasn't that bad. But hey, I liked Expose and S.O.S., so my taste obviously doesn't align with most fans.

[spinaltumor]

Yeeeah...I still really don't like the episode.

I actually did enjoy season 3's beginning and all that, though. The Others are my favorite part of Lost with Ben and Juliet at the top of my favorite characters list. I did like the on island parts of Stranger in a Strange Land, but the flashbacks were just...blah. Jack's tattoos never interested me, so I suppose that's mostly why.

[aquaboy1976]

I didn't find this episode to be all that bad. I think it received a lot of negative criticism though because of the way ABC advertised it. They were saying how it answered 3 of LOST's biggest mysteries (or something like that) and they were way off!

[spinaltumor]

Yeah, the promos did say that, didn't they? d**n promos....

[DriveShaft Roadie]

If that episode didn't happen people would still be complaining about what Jack's tatoo's meant. So it did have some purpose. It was an average episode. Not my favorite but not the worst.

[corrwill]

YAY other people who like this episode ;D Yeah the flashback was not the best, but the on island stuff was GREAT!

The meaning of the tattoos and the conversation with Cindy and the kids...THAT is gonna be HUGE. He gets up in the cage in the morning and he sees these people and kids just standing there looking at him. Cindy tells him (in a strange uncertain way)..."we are here to WATCH" WHHHAAAAAA? That episode confirmed for me that something Big is going to happen with jack and I can't wait Plus, I almost feel that Juliet's "mark" is going to come into play at some point.

[demonique]

It wasn't all that bad, except for the fact that Bai Ling is absolutely nuts!!!

gofugyourself.celebuzz.com/go_fug_yourself/bai_ling/

I mean, I love that crazy lady to death, but it was really hard to be serious when Achara and Jack were rolling around in the sand.