Going For A Ride

So last night was another Lost episode that really didn't do much of anything. However, it did feel good to have a relatively self-contained episode and a break from mythology-driven story lines and the unsmiling Others.

A few of my favorite moments: Hurley saying to Charlie, "If I'm not back in three hours, tell somebody"; bellowing, "I understand!" at Jin; trying to explain the meaning of the word "crafty"; and calling Sawyer "Redneck Man." The meanest laugh came when the scene with young Hugo forlornly nibbling a chocolate bar cut to a shot of the grown-up, very double-chinned Hurley. I'm not saying I didn't chuckle, but isn't referring to the poor dude as Snuffleupagus and the International House of Pancakes enough for one episode? When we realized Hurley was talking to Libby, however, the moment became one of the week's most poignant.

Vincent appeared carrying a human arm (make that the remains of one) and led Hurley to an overturned VW bus, the sight of which called up bittersweet memories of dear old dad (Cheech Marin) and his Camaro. Of course, finding a skeleton in the driver's seat would probably temper that reaction. Not so for Hurley, who instantly became protective of Roger (if that's his real name) and scolded Sawyer for dubbing him "Skeletor." In the last two episodes, Sawyer has referenced The Brady Bunch, Little House on the Prairie, and He-Man.

This was all very different from what I expected to happen at the beginning of the scene: I thought Vincent was taking Hurley to the expired cave dwellers whom Jack and Kate discovered in season 1. Having Hurley find a "hippie car" full of booze was definitely the better choice. Speaking of expectations, some Losties had predicted that the ill-fated Tricia Tanaka would perish in the balcony collapse that Hurley believes was part of his curse. But Ms. Tanaka met an arguably less dignified end when an asteroid demolished Mr. Cluck's Chicken Shack. But before Hurley had time to process the disaster, he got another nasty surprise — his deadbeat father returned after 17 years of, well, probably just working on that nice tan.

He may have indirectly caused the deaths of many people, but Hurley is slowly getting over his guilt. And it was nice to see the guy assert himself. I think Hurley did the right thing when he slapped Charlie and told him to buck up. Sure, the guy is preoccupied with thoughts of his possibly imminent demise, but people stranded on an island must entertain such notions regardless of what a drunk Scotsman tells them.

If you, like me, were hoping Kate and Sawyer would share a little snuggle time — or at least call a truce — this week, you were sorely disappointed. For all his charm and verbal dexterity, Sawyer says some astonishingly dumb things around Kate, e.g., "I ain't got nothin' to be sorry for." And Kate, always more of a doer than a talker, responds in kind: "So that's how it's going to be?" Use your words, people! While it's clear that Kate still has feelings for Jack, her decision to immediately turn around and rescue him seemed more a reaction to this conversation than anything else. And while Kate was smart to recruit Rousseau to help find the Others, I could see that trigger-happy woman ditching Kate once she finds her daughter.