Lost: Season Four Finale

A suitably thrilling and tense finale rounded off the vastly improved fourth season of Lost. Loyal viewers were rewarded with plenty of answers to previous events on the island, while the flashforwards have left us gasping for more blanks to be filled.

The revelation that Locke's dead body lies in the coffin doesn't quite pack the expected dramatic punch, given our knowledge that death in Lost is not necessarily a permanent disposition. However, the farewell scene between Locke and Linus in the Orchid is surprisingly touching and highlights the unique bond formed between the pair. "I'm sorry I made your life so miserable," Linus tells his comrade, his voice cracking with emotion.

Before long though, Linus returned to his ruthless ways by telling Jack that all the Oceanic Six must return to the island. One wonders if Linus has been watching the legendary 'Blink' episode of Doctor Who, for his eyes constantly gape open without the merest batter of an eyelid.

The visual scale of the finale was also a pleasure to behold, with the secret chambers of The Orchid providing a sense of wonder and the helicopter crash also serving as a fine spectacle. As for the time travelling bunnies, perhaps they can compare notes with the polar bear and Daniel Faraday's rat Eloise?

Matthew Fox has slipped below the radar on the acting front recently, as present day Jack is fairly bland in contrast to his surrounding characters. Yet Fox shows his class by really excelling as future Jack, consumed by bitterness, futility and plenty of facial fuzz.

On the subject of characterisation, it's a shame that some of the crash survivors on board the Freighter were so notably ignored. We saw Daniel sail over plenty of these faceless 'extras' from the island, yet only Jin's fate seems to matter to those on board Frank's chopper.

Elsewhere, some cleverly contrived plot devices ramped up the suspense and thrills. Keamy's heart rate monitor meant that we were desperate for the swine to stay alive, and later both the liquid nitrogen levels on the boat and the fuel levels on the helicopter were - shock horror - running perilously low.

The need to shift some excess weight on board the helicopter prompted Hurley to keep quiet and Sawyer to selflessly plunge to safety, but not before a tantalising whisper to Kate. Women (and many guys) across the globe were undoubtedly to see Sawyer have his own Ursula Andress 'Dr No' moment, emerging topless from the sea after swimming ashore.

The agonising wait for the fifth season now begins, with so many posers to contemplate in the meantime. Is Claire dead? Is Jack's old man still alive? What bad things happen on the island after it is moved? What is Sun's agenda with Widmore? Why does Locke adopt the Jeremy Bentham guise? And is Jacob really crackers?

Is anyone's head starting to hurt just thinking about all the possibilities? Our best advice is to relax and challenge Mr Eko to a game of chess on Facebook...


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