Ranking Season 4 So Far
As we patiently wait for Lost to return with new episodes on April 24, many people are looking back and ranking the first eight episodes of the season. For example:
Jeff Jensen of EW.com grades the episodes here.
Oscar Dahl of BuddyTV ranks the episodes here.
Since ranking these episodes seems to be the hip and happening thing to do these days, I might as well throw in my two cents. Here’s how I would rank the beginning of season 4, from the least impressive to the most mind blowing:
# 8 - Episode 6, "The Other Woman"
Most people seem to agree that this was a slight dud in an otherwise stellar season. Juliet’s flashback was intriguing and showed us a new side of Ben, but the race to stop the deadly gas seemed to come out of nowhere.
# 7 - Episode 4, "Eggtown"
The big reveal at the end of this installment was fantastic, and I also liked that it answered some questions from the season 3 finale. Other than that, it wasn’t quite as exciting as the other episodes this season, even if it did feature a Xanadu shout out.
# 6 - Episode 7, "Ji Yeon"
I loved the way this episode screwed with Lost’s usual structure, but I wasn’t able to become emotionally invested in Jin’s "death" since I didn’t believe it for an instant. I’m positive that he’s still on the island waiting for rescue, so the emotional payoff didn’t quite hit me.
# 5 - Episode 1, "The Beginning of the End"
This was a great season premiere, but for my money the season didn’t really kick off until the freighter folk arrived on the island. This did a good job at picking up where the season 3 finale left off, and any Hurley episode is always welcome.
# 4 - Episode 3, "The Economist"
Sayid’s Hitchcock meets Alias flash forward was amazing, and it all paid off with a fantastic twist involving an off-island Ben.
# 3 - Episode 8, "Meet Kevin Johnson"
This seems to have been a pretty divisive episode among the fans, but I loved it. No, we didn’t see how Michael got rescued, or exactly what happened with Walt, but it was fascinating to see Michael dealing with the guilt of his double homicide. Plus we learned that the island can influence people from thousands of miles away, which is one intriguing piece of mythology.
# 2 - Episode 2, "Confirmed Dead"
I love seeing the flashbacks of new characters. This episode did a perfect job of introducing us to the freighter folk, and it gave us just enough information about them to keep us all talking. And, need I remind you that it had a polar bear in the freakin’ desert?
# 1 - Episode 5, "The Constant"
This episode has its detractors, but I think those people are completely bonkers. This was a phenomenal hour of television. It was emotional, romantic, trippy, and kind of insane. It inspired me to finally read Slaughterhouse-Five and left me reeling for days. This was Lost at its best.
Feel free to agree or disagree with me if you like. How would you rank these Lost episodes?
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well i totally agree the constant was probably THEbest lost episode EVER in my opinion, it explained a lot to us but the storytelling of this episode was simply phenomenal, was it jack bender that done this episode because personally i think that he is by far the best at what he does. LOST YOU WONT FIND ANOTHER SHOW LIKE IT
Comment by craig — April 4, 2008 @ 8:01 am
I agree with it all… I just think that Meet Kevin Johnson needs to be the last one… just take it out and put it in spot 8, and I think the order will be perfect. I hated that episode (for a lost episode). It just posed so many contradictions in the timeline of LOST, and the ending felt so whipped together, like they were just trying to shock us with something, so we wouldn’t feel like the rest of the episode was a complete waste of time. As far as the ridiculously and inappropriately long Michael flashback, they focused on all the things we didn’t care to know about, and avoided many of issues we were hoping to find out more about… like where their little boat docked, and HOW they worked their way back into the world so quickly after being gone for 2 or 3 months…
The whole episode just felt like a mess… I just hope it was because it was the last episode before the strike… And that it won’t happen again.
Comment by Matt — April 4, 2008 @ 9:18 am
#1- Contstant- Best episode ever. Resolution, love, great story. First time in Lost I have had any feelings of closure.
2- Meet Kevin Johnson- Wow, more resolution and answered questions! We all wanted to know what happened to Michael and we found out. We also got to learn about how powerful the island is, how powerful Widmore is, by default who the Oceanic 6 were, and they raised more questions. When the writers give us information to answer old questions and add more questions this show is at its finest.
3-Confirmed Dead- The introduction of Farraday alone would have made any episode great. Introduce 3 more solid people, each with their own mysterious twists and you have gold.
4 The beginning of the end- it had the feel of an old Lost episode, just the Losties figuring out what to do next. The flashback of Hurly and the appearance of Charlie was a great surprise and a mystery that still needs to be solved or at least rehashed lest we forget about such a great gift.
5- the economist- ohhh, I liked this one. For a guy who has been repeatedly tortured throughout his life, you would expect to learn that inflicting pain isn’t very nice. Yet here he is killing people for Ben. Great twist at the end, mystery throughout.
6- The other woman- In comparison to Eggtown and Ji Yeon this episode is one of the best ever, but in comparison to the above episodes it was saved only by focusing on Juliet. The guy Juliet had an affair with and his wife aren’t very interesting people, no reason to bring them back unless they were going to be a significant part of the future of the show. If that was the case they should have had their own flashback and not included Juliet. There were better ways, and more intersting Others that the writers could have used to show Ben’s ruthlessness and love for Juliet. The Farraday/Charlotte trip was the most random event yet in Lost. They had better show Ben or the others trying to activate this device only to find out it has been defused, otherwise this was just filler.
7- Eggtown- Yawn. Nice to see that Jack has feelings for Kate and that Aaron lives with her, but this is just setting up things for the future and was not interesting to watch now. I have no desire to watch people talk about grocery shopping in 5 months, I’d rather just see them grocery shop. Until we see how and why Aaron is with Kate, this set-up didn’t have to happen and probably this episode.
8- Ji Yeon- Which I believe is Korean for “the suck.” This is right up their with the Nicki and Paulo episode. If it was removed from the series it would have little or no impact on the series as a whole. It resolved and introduced nothing. The great thing about the coffin in Los Angeles is we don’t know who is in it. There are 6+ possibilities for who is in it. With Jin’s grave site he is either dead or not. Two possibilities, neither of which has any bearing on the show until he actually dies, assuming he may.
Comment by blutoschmooto — April 4, 2008 @ 11:02 am
OK… totally off topic, kinda, but was just reading Doc Jensens article and suddenly i had a terminator brainwave, or flashforward if you will… it probably sounds silly, but i’m in that kinda mood where silly sounds cool, but take it in and think about it for a second… here is what Doc J wrote…
I assumed we would learn Michael and his son returned to the Island together. Wrong! And I’m glad I’m wrong, because it makes the whole business of Tall Island Walt even more provocative. If you recall, we saw in last year’s finale how an adolescent Walt beckoned left-for-dead Locke out of the Dharma mass grave. Was he a ghost? Was he corporeal? How did he get so big? Here’s my prediction: Ultimately, some or all of the Oceanic 6 will try returning to the Island in the flash-forward future, and they’re going to bring Walt with them. But when they pass through the electromagnetic anomaly, they’re going to arrive at a point in the Island’s past, perhaps even prior to the crash of Oceanic 815. Yes, folks, I am suggesting that here in the Island present, while Jack and the castaways are clashing with the freighter folk, flash-forward Jack and company are also on the Island, too. They could be hiding; after all, they can’t interact with their past selves, as that could screw up the timeline or create some kind of time-space catastrophe (although Walt would be exempt, as his past self is no longer on the Island). Then again, maybe Island magic precludes them from interacting with their castaway lives. Perhaps they share a separate, parallel existence with their old Island selves. Could this explain The Whispers? Could these voices belong to the flash-forward characters returned to the Island, watching and commenting on past drama? If my theory is correct, then here’s my prediction for the season finale: In the last scene, exactly one minute after the Oceanic 6 departs from the Island, the flash-forward Oceanic 6, released from the restrictions of Island magic, will step out of the jungle and greet the remaining castaways.
What if… (i still feel kinda silly saying this cos its so mad) what if Christian Shepard is future Jack?
Please don’t throw eggs at me…
Comment by signify — April 4, 2008 @ 2:27 pm
Completely agree with the list.
Comment by mike — April 4, 2008 @ 8:45 pm
My top four and bottom four are the same, but i have a different order. I liked the Other Woman so moved it to the top of the line of the truly inferior episodes. My top four were pretty well different from the rankings you gave, though.
#1 E8 — Meet Kevin J.
All around sweetness and delight. Seems the expectation of a long strike
got their juices running to produce a heck of an episode.
#2 E3 — The Econ.
Spectacular-nice WTF moment seeing Sayid at Ben’s mercy.
#3 E2 — The Const.
Great fun even if time travel introduces too many paradoxes for the
overall story to sustain.
#4 E5 — Conf. Dead
Intriguing to learn about the new folks headed to the island.
#5 E6 — The Other Wom.
Kind of a big fizzle, but man did I relish Ben’s meltdown.
#6 E1 — The Beg.
No future season openers should ever again be so friggin’ slooooow
#7 E7 — Ji Y.
Sweet story and though I’ve loved Sun and Jin’s characters this one
didn’t match the intensity of previous Korean-centric episodes.
#8 E4 — Eggt.
It still hurts to think about it.
Comment by locke_look_alike — April 4, 2008 @ 11:19 pm
8. Ji Yeon
7. The Other Woman
6. Meet Kevin Johnson
5. The Beginning of the End
4. Confirmed Dead
3. Eggtown
2. The Constant
1. The Economist
And to think I hated ‘The Economist’ when I first watched it…!
Comment by Jacob_lost — April 5, 2008 @ 5:49 am
I agree with 95% of that signify. I’ve been thinking about something to tie it all together… but i hadn’t considered them popping out of the woods after they leave… that would be pretty interesting. Anyway, I think it would explain a lot of the direction of the show.
Comment by hurleybird — April 5, 2008 @ 11:18 am
but probably not christian shepherd is jack. i don’t think so.
Comment by hurleybird — April 5, 2008 @ 11:19 am
I agree with a lot of your list but I’ll be the dissenting opinion that really liked “Ji Yeon”. I’d move it up to #2 behind “The constant”
Comment by Mr. Steve — April 5, 2008 @ 1:18 pm
I am so dissapointed with Lost since season 1, season 2 was o.k but season 3 and so far season 4 are rubbish. the writers have lost the plot, too many new characters are introudeced and its almost as if, there starting a story and then dont know how to finish it and so they just leave it in mid-air. its to far fetched now, i feel so dissapointed because at the end of season 1, lost had high hopes but now i dont know what to think. no wonder there constantly losing fans.
Comment by Joanne — April 5, 2008 @ 1:38 pm
Joanne… ‘losing fans’… eh?
Yeah, i know Jack couldn’t possibly be his father, but, its a pretty crazy idea. I am convinced that time will play a huge part of this story and have thought it ever since Des travelled after he turned that key. But, it kinda makes a little bit of sense that maybe, and i am purly speculating, i don’t so much believe in it, but kinda like it, Jack could be his father. the whole snake eating its tail thing. christian is there in the last mobisode, saying that he has work to do, that there is some kind of chain that has to be set in motion. i don’t know… i think that christian’s shoes play an important part though, i am becoming obsessed with those white trainers.
Comment by signify — April 5, 2008 @ 1:58 pm
#1-The Constant. I love any Desmond episode but this one blew my mind. Most creative, well written, well acted episode ever. And it wasn’t just a flashback/flashfoward type centric.
#2-Meet Kevin Johnson. It answered a lot of questions, posed a few more and brought back Michael.
#3-The Economist.Twist at the end, fantastic.
#4-The Other Woman.What can I say? I’m a Jacket fan.Plus creepy Ben is always a fave.
#5-Confirmed Dead.Love Daniel and this was an interesting way to introduce new characters.
#6-The Beginning of the End.Great season opener. Nice to see a Hurley episode introducing a season. To me, like any season opener, concludes the previous season rather than start a new one.
#7-Ji Yeon. Not a Sun/Jin fan. This episode included the same things all their episodes does-fighting and angst. And the use of both flashes confused me.
#8-Eggtown-Sucked till the end. Too much Skate, too much fugitive Kate drama, not enough island action.
Comment by Nea — April 5, 2008 @ 4:34 pm
Definitely agree with The Constant- LOVED IT!!!!!!!!!! Also, Eggtown was my least favorite… just painful to watch the ‘clean Kate.’
Comment by Melanie — April 6, 2008 @ 5:49 pm
All I know is I think I turned my mom onto the show after she saw The Constant. Unfortunately, she saw all of the season 4 episodes, but hadn’t seen ONE previous episode period. As you can imagine I had to explain A WHOLE LOT while I myself was following the show’s storyline… BUT FEAR NOT! She now has seasons 1 and 2 (which I loaned her) and is starting from the beginning… my third convert YES!!!!!!!!
Comment by Derek — April 6, 2008 @ 7:11 pm
here’s my pick…
8 - The Other Woman (Ben owns Juliet)
7 - Ji Yeon
6 - Confirmed Dead
5 - Eggtown
4 - The Beginnning of The End
3 - The Constant
2 - Meet Kevin Johnson
1 - The Economist (Seen it several times - Love it)
Comment by Derek — April 6, 2008 @ 7:37 pm
8 - Ji Yeon (boring)
7 - Beginning of the End (not a fan of the supernatural stuff)
6 - The Economist (great flashforward but island story seemed kina redundant)
5 - Confirmed Dead
4 - The Other Woman (Im a sucker for a Juliet episode)
3 - The Constant (fantastic Desmond Penny renunion)
2 - Meet Kevin Johnson (tied up the Michael story nicely)
1 - Eggtown
Now I know a lot of people didnt like Eggtown, but I loved it. I thought it was about time for a slower, more character based episode and Kate’s off island story was fantastic.
Comment by J — April 7, 2008 @ 4:44 am