I actually like Hugo now

(Editor's Note: Dave's column is taking a different format for this episode. Normally he treats this blog like a toilet, where he leaves his crap. But something happened during the note taking process, and he put together an admittedly good live blog. Can't guarantee it next week. In fact, he probably made a mistake by setting the bar so high. Enjoy this one, and next week he'll disappoint you again.)
• Heading into this episode I assumed it was about the people in Venezuela who love Hugo Chavez.
• With tonight’s episode I’m drinking Dharma Rum. Well technically, Bacardi Rum.
• Always nice to spend time on Boone Hill. “Whose grave is this?” Why, the most underrated babe of the show, Libby. Oh yeah, she was crazy too. If you don’t believe the mysterious footage, then trust the fact she would risk a picnic with Hugo. I mean the guy could eat her…
• SO why does Michael have to appear as Kevin Johnson? Couldn’t he get some nicer threads in the afterlife?
• Jack knows Hurley is full of crap.
• Is it a cliché that the Spanish guy takes the Spanish girl to a Spanish restaurant?
• You know how I know you’re crazy? You think Hugo is your soul mate.
• So in Libby’s little speech we get shades of what we’ve heard all season. Granted, there is a certain amount of doubt introduced as a consequence of the mental hospital aspect, but I believe her. It seems like she is conscious of her experience on the island, and maybe that’s causing her mental instability. Either that or she was committed because of her obsession with Spanish fatties.
• Ok, let’s take a second to mourn the death of Ilana. Well, once I stop laughing that is. And there it is… Wow. I was a little caught off guard by the way she perished, especially before she got to fulfill her lifelong training. Dynamite has now killed Leslie Arzt and Ilana! So broken up about this, except not at all.
Nice to see LOST is finally shedding some of its characters, albeit it in strange ways. I think it would have been more worthwhile to have her die by the hands of Man in Locke (MiL), who kills her for her loyalty to Jacob. That would have at least given her death meaning, and not forced her to red shirt status. (The guys who are brought along for the sole purpose of dying.)
Anyway, this really changes the dynamic of the Jacob-ites, who are without a leader. Her forceful demeanor put her in charge, even if they were following Richard’s lead. Now Hurley has a legitimate chance to utilize his 6th sense abilities as the leader, considering Richard is a broken man and Jack is a wuss. I guess there’s always the possibility of a Ben resurgence…
• So we need everybody to come back and everybody to leave.
• I find comfort in the fact that Sayid doesn’t endorse pointless bloodshed. Maybe there is a bit of his soul that hasn’t been corrupted by MiL. I’m holding out hope that he will have a redemption moment.
• “Maybe she died to show us to stay the hell away from dynamite.” C’mon Jack, you love dynamite. You like secretly holding it in your pack and using it to play chicken with Richard. But seriously, what’s with Hugo’s flip flop? Does he want to be a 2004 Democratic Presidential nominee? ZING!
• I love this Sideways Conscious Desmond (forever known just as conscious-character’s name). He smells that something is up, and I think he’ll be the catalyst for a lot of action in the sideways world.
• “How can you be sure what he blasted you with?” And the winner for the dirtiest line of the show goes to MiL!
• Hi, my name is Ben and I’m a killjoy. Seriously man, unless your dour attitude is part of an awesome master plan, I don’t want it. Give me light. Give me some witty repartee. Give me some knowledge bombs. Blast me with knowledge bombs in the face!
• Dy-No-Mite! I love that Hugo pulled the reverse John Locke. In season three Locke prevented their escape by destroying the submarine, and now Hugo has preserved their escape by blowing up the Black Rock. Unless, of course, they were supposed to sail away on the Black Rock…
• The ole “fajita fieldtrip.” Libby is a ridiculously sane crazy person. Maybe this is just me, but I want to see Libby in a sequel to Shutter Island. On a more serious note, why didn’t Hurley have the same flash? Was she just more open to the possibility than he was?
• So Hurley hits on a crazy person? That seems morally dubious.
• “If I didn’t know better I’d say this island has it in for you.” I think MiL knows this is the case, and probably feels it is important to negate Desmond before the island can finish with him. Seeing the mysterious kid pop up, the fact Desmond can see him, MiL’s annoyance with his presence and the kid’s smile reaffirm my belief that Desmond is key to the story. Ok, that’s not a stretch or too insightful. But if we imagine the kid is the island’s referee, it is interesting to take note of the fact he was amused by what he was seeing. As if he knew MiL’s plan for Desmond would be fruitless.
• “Are you trying to get us killed?” Thank you Ben for at least giving us a little humor. He’s become the “I’m too old for the sh*$ “ cop who has great one-liners. His rebel sidekick? Obviously ship blowing up Hugo. The guy has demons, literally. Richard is the by the book Lieutenant who just gets in their way. Maybe that doesn’t work, since Ben went with Richard… On the plus side, I love Jack’s allegiance to Hurley/Jacob.
• The important thing to note in the new divide is that the candidates are on one side and the non-candidates are on the other. I don’t think MiL will have any qualms about killing everyone on the latter side. They mean nothing and are therefore expendable. Frank Lapidus being the superstud causes a slight contradiction in my hypothesis, but that’s fine. He’s the man. Heck, he’s probably a candidate. Would explain why he keeps popping up. (Seriously, though, he is totally dreamy. As far as I’m concerned this guy invented chest hair, gravely voices and painful sexy grimaces.)
• “How do you break the ice with a smoke monster?” Funniest line of the night goes to Hugo.
• Um, wow. Jack has given up his fixing ways? Doesn’t even care that Hugo was lying. Love this version of Jack. Love that he has embraced another mentality, now characterized by letting go. It used to be man of science, then man of faith and now Man of the flow. Dude, just go with it! Unless, as Hugo points out, it gets them all killed… Hey Hugo, try smoking whatever Jack is on and calm down.
• I hear whispers! And now we’re getting answers! I’m practically a full three inches right now. They’re the voices of dead people! This is amazing! “The ones who can’t move on!” We’ve got answers and it feels so good. I feel like Libby moved on, which is why we haven’t seen her on the island. (How about a message for your son, Michael???)
• Good thing Hugo remembered the blanket for this picnic… Why does she want to be with him? Because her dream is to be crushed during sex.
• Hugo flashed! It would appear that when Castaways relive moments from the island they become conscious of their island experiences. This could become conscious-Desmond’s task on the island.
(Modern Family promo looked amazing. I haven’t really written about this show, but I love it. It’s a poor man’s version of ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT, which puts it head and shoulders above every other sitcom out there.)
• BACK AWAY FROM THE WELL DESMOND!!! Penny is not in the well. “What is the point in being afraid?” Well, you might get thrown down a f’ing well!!! (P.S. We’ll totally see Desmond again)
• Now that the gang’s back, can Claire finally kill Kate? I don’t know the answer, but I hope it’s a resounding YES!
• Random thought: Instead of blowing up the plane, why didn’t Richard just kill Frank Lapidus?
• You know, I think conscious-Desmond might be aware of Locke trying to kill him…
Well that was fun. No final thoughts except that I loved the use of Gene Wilder’s voice from Willy Wonka in the trailer for next week.
What did you think? Good transitional episode? Was it a waste? Happy with the answers?