Episode Report Card Cindy McLennan: A | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Namaste Or Nama-Go Now?
By Cindy McLennan | Season 5 | Episode 9 | Aired on 03.18.2009
The canary is sitting in his chair, reading a book and says, "Good evening, Doc." Jack nods, looks around and doesn't say anything. That silence was a little too awkward for me. I would have liked some awkward words. Juliet takes ten minutes to shut the door behind her, turns, blushes and says, "Well, I'm sure you two have a lot to talk about." My husband says, "I don't think she can pull off that whole 'I'll just get out of you menfolk's way' shtick." I'm with him. What do you think? Once she's left the room, Sawyer eases up a tick and invites Jack to take a load off. He asks him if he wants a beer, but Jack laughs and says, "No, I'm fine." He doesn't sit, either, which is probably some cock-of-the-walk posturing, and a mistake. They're both strutting around here, even though they're not actually strutting. Sawyer asks Jack what he can do for him. Jack says he doesn't even know where to start, then, "How about with Sayid?" Sawyer says he had no choice. "He was running around the jungle, got caught by my people. And seein' as how he can't tell the truth about how he got here, I had to improvise."
Jack catches him on that last word, but Sawyer just "uh-huhs" him, and reminds him that for now, Sayid is safe, which is what matters. Jacks asks where they go from there. When Sawyer only says that he's working on it, Jack gets a little shirty. "Really? Because it looked to me like you were reading a book." Sawyer blathers on about how Churchill read a book every day, even during the Blitz -- that it made him think better. Then he turns on Jack. "That's how I like to run things. I think. I'm sure that doesn't mean that much to you, 'cause back when you were calling the shots, you pretty much just reacted. See, you didn't think, Jack. And as I recall, a lot of people ended up dead." Well, that was a fine how-do-you-do. Jack thinks so, too. He nods to the point where I wonder if the island has turned him into a bobble-head, then says, "I got us off the island." Na na. [You got six people off the island! And Sawyer wasn't one of them! - Z] Sawyer says, "But here you are -- right back where you started. So I'm gonna go back to reading my book, and I'm gonna think." Na na. He lays his book down and stands. "'Cause that's how I saved your ass today. And that's how I'm gonna save Sayid's tomorrow." He walks past Jack to his door, and puts his hand on the knob. "All you gotta do is go home, get a good night's rest." He opens the door. Here's your hat; what's your hurry? "Let me do what I do." Jack walks out, stops on the porch, then turns toward Sawyer, who nearly snarls, "Now ain't that a relief?" Jack's jaw is clenched, but his face relaxes into a smile. He raises his eyebrows and says, "Yeah," and walks off. Sawyer seems pissy that he didn't get Jack to yell at him, and follows him out to the porch to watch him go. Kate watches the scene from the porch right next door to Sawyer's. He sees her and offers a pathetic little wave. She stares at him, and raises her left hand without uncrossing her arms. If she's smiling, it seems it might be a sad smile of regret. Sawyer finally turns away, and returns to his house -- to his home -- to Juliet.