not so gentle ben

Hopefully, you’ve been watching your Season Four DVDs, because tonight, Lost returns. (I guess you could watch that clipshow episode that’s on at 8 pm before the season premiere.)

This preview is SEASON FIVE SPOILER FREE, but everything else old is fair game to be discussed here, since this will be your quick primer to get you up to speed.

So, when last we left our intrepid castaways, here’s where everyone was, literally or figuratively:

The Oceanic Six (Jack, Kate, Sun, Hurley, Sayid and Aaron) had been rescued and were back on the mainland.

Juliet and Sawyer (who emerged from the water like Ursula Andress in DR NO) were on the beach. Somewhere nearby, presumably, were Miles (the Ghost Buster guy) and Charlotte (who possibly has been to the island before).

Daniel Faraday (the nerd with the tie) was on the inflatable boat, with some of the Red Shirts.

Locke is apparently now leading The Others and (possibly immortal) Richard is there too. And don’t forget Cindy the stewardess and the Kids. They must be around some place.

Desmond and Penelope had been reunited, about 2 seasons earlier than most people expected.

Claire may or may not dead. But she’s hanging in the creepy cabin in the woods with Jacob, who often times looks like Jack’s dad, Christian Shephard.

Michael and Jin are presumed dead, after being blown up on the freighter. Michael is probably dead, since Jacob said his job was finished, or something like that. Jin? Well, we’re all comics fans and we know the rule that if there’s no body, don’t be too sure they’re dead.

And Ben. Ben turned the “frozen donkey wheel” and moved the island. Where? When? Maybe we’ll find out tonight.

That all happened in “the present” (which was early 2005, being not soon after the Red Sox won the 2004 World Series). As for what happened in the future:

Locke (aka Jeremy Bentham) is apparently dead and found by Ben and Bearded Jack in a shabby funeral parlor.

Kate has been visited by a ghost or astral projection or something of Claire, who was watching over Aaron.

Sayid has broken Hurley out of an institution.

Sun had a confrontation on the street in London with Charles Widmore.

Whew. We’re probably forgetting some stuff (Who can remember it all besides that guy from Entertainment Weekly and he must get screener copies ahead of time?). But that’s hopefully enough of a refresher course for the start of Season Five in a few short hours.

Come back tomorrow afternoon for a spoiler-filled discussion of tonight’s episode. Don’t Worry. If you’re one of THOSE PEOPLE who don’t do spoilers, everything will be safely hidden after the jump.

Until then, keep wondering if we will finally see the four-toed statue tonight…

Posted by Mark Coale

1 COMMENT

  1. Richard could be immortal, possibly one of the original crew of the Black Rock, but given The Island’s temporal…um…flexibility, it could be that Richard traveled through time to various points in Ben’s life.

    And wouldn’t it be interesting if Jacob does indeed turn out to be Jack’s dad, possibly unstuck in time? Or perhaps he’s an older Jack from the future that simply resembles his father at that age?

    In any case, it’s all wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey fun. Can’t wait for tonight…

  2. I don’t think Jack’s dad is Jacob. He specifically said he was speaking for him. Not that he couldn’t have been lying but I don’t think we’ve seen Jacob yet.

  3. Libby’s dead. She was buried, although she did show up all ghost like, but not with kids. Were you talking about the flight attendant (I forget her name)?

    Well all that, plus Hurley happens to also spend his evenings playing chess with Mr. Eko, and I assume pictionary with Shannon. He’s still trying to convince Libby to play strip twister.

    I just heard someone in my office shout “but LOST premieres tonight!” while I write this. It takes hold. Obama and LOST all in one week, it’s almost too much, but I refrained from celebratory libations last night that tonight the drinking game could be drink every time someone does something weird. Work will suck tomorrow.

  4. Ariing from my sickbed I see Mark has brought us all up to speed! Yay now looking forward to sitting around in my PJs all afternoon waiting for Lost to begin!