The Return Of Mechasmack

Last night's episode of Lost - The Brig - was very satisfying. It's been a while since I've felt that with this show. Having become engrossed last season by watching the entire first season and the first half of the second season in the span of two weeks (thanks Netflix and Tivo), I have been driving myself crazy with theories and combing the web for discussion and clues and then this season I'd had enough of that. From what I've been reading online lately, it seems that the writers are butting heads with the network. Lost is still a popular show, even if the ratings aren't where they used to be. And ratings = money, so the network wants to keep it going as long as they can, even beyond the point of logic. Apparently the writers have a definite ending for this story, but keep having to create filler to keep the show going. And it hasn't really been going lately, more like meandering. There have been too many episodes where nothing really happens But last night something happened, something we've been anticipating for quite a while. Don't read any further if you haven't seen The Brig.

We found out through flashbacks and the super detective work by the others that Sawyer is not Sawyer, but James Ford. And he's been looking for the man that ruined his family many years ago. That man's name is Sawyer. After seeing enough flashbacks of the Losties, the connections between them start to grow and as a viewer you start to make connections that they haven't yet. One of those connections was Locke - Sawyer - James. After seeing the con-man in action, I started to suspect that Locke's father was the real Sawyer and somehow this would be revealed. And once he showed up on the island I knew it for sure. And last night, that was resolved. And to me, that was a satisfaction I had not received from the show in a while.

So of course the preview for next week is probably more exciting than the episode really will be. But there's still hope. And my biggest hope is that the network will let the writers end the show next season. It can't keep going on like this. And last night's episode made me think about the questions I need to have answered to be satisfied with the resolution of this show.

1. What is the island?
2. Why is the island invisible?
3. Why did the numbers have to be entered every 108 minutes?
4. What happened when they weren't entered?
5. What happened to Michael and Walt?
6. Who are The Others and who are Dharma People?
7. Why was the wreckage of Oceanic Flight 815 faked?
8. How did Penny know to look for the electromagnetic phenomenom in regards to finding Desmond?
9. What's up with Jack's father?
10. What is that smoke monster?
11. What was that 4-toed foot statue?
12. Will Danielle and Alex be reunited?
13. What is the "Magic Box"?
14. Who is Jacob?
15. Why are The Others such pricks?

You could probably list at least one hundered questions to be answered. But I think this list covers my main questions. I hope to get the answers before the end. And I hope they can keep me interested until then.