S04E09: 'The Shape Of Things To Come'

Towards the end of 'The Shape of Things To Come', Sawyer snarls to Locke and Linus: "You know what? I'm done with this. I never should have followed you wackoes in the first place". There have been several times over the past two seasons when this view has been echoed by frustrated viewers of Lost, fed up with the teasing meandering plot. Yet the sheer genius of this latest episode makes the devotion worthwhile.

Michael Emerson delivers a fantastic performance as the supposed villain Benjamin Linus, adding so many layers of intrigue and humanity to the character. Could he really have been the good guy all along, doing bad things for a greater purpose? The execution of Alex is particularly well handled, as Emerson brings out the contrasting ruthless and humane streaks in close succession during his attempts to bluff his way out of trouble by belittling his daughter.

As ever with Lost, for every question answered there's two new questions thrown into the mix. But at least the narrative is progressing at a satisfying rate, enabling us to know that Linus can summon the terrifying Black Smoke Monster and that the polar bear's random Sahara Desert excursion is linked to Linus. Interestingly, Sayid eagerly volunteers to become Ben's assassin, thus subverting the presumptions derived from a previous flashforward episode.

With such hugh levels of intrigue and the greatness of Emerson, these island-dwelling wackoes are certainly worth following.


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