Episode Report Card Daniel: A | 4 USERS: A YOU GRADE IT Arzt and rafts
By Daniel | Season 1 | Episode 23 | Aired on May 17, 2005
So Jack has grabbed a group of the extras, and instructs them to get a bunch of palm tree logs, even though Mercutio's instructions weren't that specific, and take them over to the raft. And as the five extras peel off, we hear an "Okay!" and a "Let's get at 'er!" and you just know that those two extras are delivering those lines with as much gusto as they can muster in the hopes that they'll get noticed by J.J. and get an actual speaking part, like Art.
So then immediately, everyone (or at least enough of everyone to circle the raft) is using the logs as levers to lift the raft onto the rails. Even Shannon is helping, and I'd like to know how that little miracle occurred. Mercutio counts everyone in. Much grunting and straining, and good progress is made, at least until the raft gains a little momentum and goes off the rails, and I guess parts of it break. Mercutio starts yelling at Sawyer because he missed a lever or something, and Sawyer yells that it's not his fault Mercutio couldn't keep the thing straight, and you'd think both of them do this sort of thing all the time, the way they're acting like experts. Fortunately, Walt interrupts the festivities to point into the jungle, and everyone looks. Claire squints, and when she does so, she looks uncannily like Leonardo DiCaprio. I mean it. If you taped the episode, have a look, you'll see what I'm talking about. Got any ideas what they see? Yep: a long plume of black smoke. Jack stomps off in search of Rousseau.
She's shining and loading her rifle, like, what a ray of sunshine she adds to the camp, and Jack asks her how many of them are there. She says she's told them everything she knows already. Sayid says she must know more. Translation: all you've said is "the others are coming," you stupid bint. She says there's a bigger problem: she can vanish into the jungle, but she's just one person (that person being, apparently, a French ninja). "You're forty people. Where will you hide?" Locke looks at Jack.
We're at the hatch, so get set for another scintillating discussion on what's inside, and whether they should try to open it, and how they would do that, although it never ever happens. I never get tired of that. Hurley's let in on the secret now, and he gives the hatch his best "Dude. Whoa." I guess he doesn't see his magic numbers etched on the hatch's surface, though, hey? And what's the story with it lighting up while Locke was there? Rousseau, examining the structure close up, asks what it is. Jack says they were hoping she'd be able to tell them. Reasonable hope, considering what a friggin' encyclopedia's worth of information she's provided so far. This is why Hurley was brought along, apparently: to bring up concerns particular to his girth. He wants to know how they know everyone will fit in that thing. Locke says that there's no handle on the hatch, which means there's another entrance, and another entrance means there's space. Uh, what? I allow you neither premise, Locke. Now please shut up. Sayid objects again to the thought of opening the thing. "This hatch might even be theirs!" He starts to say that the black smoke doesn't necessarily mean anything, but she interrupts him to reiterate that it means they're coming, and I'm not sure where he was going with that anyway. I mean, someone is producing the smoke. Maybe orcs! Locke reminds Rousseau that she boobytrapped her shelter, and asks if she has any more dynamite. Jack gets a look on his face like maybe they'd all agreed not to bring up the overwhelming evidence of craziness. "Dynamite. By the Black Rock. The dark territory." Hurley quietly says, "Well, that's three reasons to go right there." Heh. Line reading of the night. At least it was for an hour or so, until "Yes, you're still on comms." Rousseau says that if they're to make it back by sunset, they have to leave within the hour. Jack and Locke look at each other, each of them seemingly saying, "Don't look at me, I didn't bring her here." Commercials.