Kate and Juliet in Lost
Lost has a complicated legacy, but the quality of its strongest episodes is difficult to dismiss. The controversial Lost series finale divided viewers and caused some confusion about the survivors' fate and the island's mythology.
Yet even the force of this divisive conversation goes to show just how many people had been significantly emotionally invested in Lost's journey. Lost came out of the gate with a captivating pilot, and quickly went on to establish itself as both a grounded character study and a surreal mystery. The show was at its best when those elements climaxed in concert with one another, cementing the intrigue of real people in strange situations. Lost's strongest episodes are a reminder that old-school network TV can stand tall among modern streaming hits. "Pilot" Season 1, Episodes 1 & 2 Say what you will about what happens next, Lost has one of the strongest openings in TV history. The plane crash that catalyzes everything is neither underwhelming nor overblown. It's frighteningly realistic, tangibly projecting the chaos and terror of such a moment onto the viewer. While Lost will later do its fair share of forays into backstory, the pilot smartly throws viewers right into the action. Pilot episodes play by different rules than the rest of a series. Lost knows it has to earn familiarity with its characters and interest in their histories, and its pilot gets right to work doing that. In the midst of a frenzied emergency, Lost plants seeds as to who these people are without slowing down the event that instantly has viewers leaning in. From Charlie's rock star persona and drug habit to Jack's savior complex, Lost confidently demonstrates that it knows these characters inside and out, but folks at home will just have to keep watching if they want to get to know them too. "Deus Ex Machina" Season 1, Episode 19 "Deus Ex Machina" is a perfect example of an episode that blends character and plot progression in a single tense, important hour that sets things in motion for the episodes to come. On the island, Locke has been the picture of confidence, competence, and faith. This episode's flashbacks turn that perception on its head with huge consequences. Before the plane crash and before he was a wheelchair user, a strange, seemingly chance encounter reunites Locke with his estranged parents. He develops an instant bond with his father, only to fall victim to a long con in which Locke gives his father his kidney, after which he's promptly abandoned. At the same time that we see this sadder, needier side of Locke's trusting personality, chinks begin to appear in the armor of his confident island persona. His complete and utter obedience to what he believes is the island's guidance culminates in the critical injury of Boone and the loss of function in his legs. Locke's trust has been taken advantage of once again. Meanwhile,"Deus Ex Machina" also enjoys the comparably lighthearted and fun storyline of Jack diagnosing Sawyer with farsightedness and making him a pair of reading glasses. "Man Of Science, Man Of Faith" Season 2, Episode 1 "Man of Science, Man of Faith" is an episode title that encapsulates the driving force of all of Lost, but particularly season 2. The season premiere finally broaches the hatch that had become Locke's obsession for the back half of season 1. It also introduces Desmond, a fan-favorite character whose significance to the island will stretch farther than could even be imagined at this point. This episode's flashback reiterates Jack's need to be a savior with the miraculous spinal surgery he performed on a car crash victim who would later become his wife. Before learning of her full recovery, Jack also meets Desmond. They have a meaningful, pleasant conversation before Desmond delivers his signature,"See you in another life, brother." The flicker of recognition between Desmond and Jack in the hatch underscores the implausibility of their circumstances, finally bringing to the forefront the idea that each of the survivors was fated to be there. "Orientation" Season 2, Episode 3 Visually depicting characters making decisions or wrestling with internal dilemmas is notably difficult to do, and perhaps none do it better than"Orientation." This episode introduces the DHARMA Initiative and the real narrative driving force behind the hatch: the button. True to their roles as a man of science and a man of faith, Jack dismisses the need to push the button, while Locke is immediately on board. Whether you will do something to save the world with nothing but faith to confirm its impact is ultimately the question that all of Lost is asking. The thought exercise of whether to push the button is essentially a teaser of the task Jacob is preparing his candidates to do, which is to protect the islands'"light" out of the pure faith that doing so will protect humanity. "Orientation" also references the"incident" that has made pushing the button necessary, planting a seed that will be sown years down the line. "Everybody Hates Hugo" Season 2, Episode 4 Hurley is perhaps Lost's most important character, and"Everybody Hates Hugo" demonstrates all the qualities that make him the right choice for the island's protector. The reasoning for his reluctance to manage the hatch's newly discovered food supply is unexpected, but ultimately, like many experiences on the island, a perfect recreation of his biggest struggle before the crash. Similarly unexpected is Hurley's final decision to put all the food up for grabs. At first glance, it seems rash, but in practice, it's truly the best decision for peace amongst the survivors, treating them to a feast that boosts morale and sparing them from infighting and tense oversight. Right now,"Everybody Hates Hugo" feels like nothing more than a nice character moment, but it's where Hurley cements his empathy and ability to be in tune with those around him. "Live Together, Die Alone" Season 2, Episodes 23 & 24 The mind games of the hatch and the button crescendo in this season finale. Locke's faith had previously been shattered after the discovery of another DHARMA Initiative safe house where people had been stationed to monitor the button pushers — who they had been told were asked to push the button for no other reason than a social experiment. In a complete 180, he's now dead set on not pushing it. But moments away from the critical moment, signs begin to point towards the button being real, highlighting Locke's biggest character flaw. At his best, Locke is a man of faith. At his worst, Locke is a pathetic man who simply needs to be a part of something bigger than himself, giving himself up completely to one cause or another, getting burned repeatedly, and never learning from his mistakes. "Tricia Tanaka Is Dead" Season 3, Episode 10 Filler episodes are a casualty of today's streaming era. Shorter seasons and skyrocketed production costs have left little room for side quests, for moments that don't necessarily advance the main plot but are simply entertaining. But for an immersive experience, Lost's filler episodes, like"Tricia Tanaka Is Dead," allow viewers to enjoy the ride, and that's a key part of what the show is all about. This episode has a notable levity to it, focusing primarily on fun stories like Hurley's attempt to repair a van, the subsequent discovery of beer, and Sawyer's friendly romantic advice to Jin. That said, it's not a complete detour — the episode is punctuated with the emotional significance of Charlie giving himself up to fate after Desmond foretold his impending death. All in all,"Tricia Tanaka Is Dead" is just good fun, and it's a reminder that contemporary TV should find time to stop and smell the roses. "Through The Looking Glass" Season 3, Episodes 22 & 23 "Through the Looking Glass" is home to two of Lost's most iconic lines: Jack's"We have to go back!" and the"NOT PENNY'S BOAT" scrawled on Charlie's hand. These moments also represent two of the biggest plot twists and emotional climaxes, respectively. Charlie, never the most important, take-charge, or helpful guy on or off the island, is a true hero in his last living moments. Subscribe to the Newsletter for Lost Deep Dives Dig into Lost's greatest episodes by subscribing to our newsletter — get thoughtful episode analysis, character-focused breakdowns, and context that deepens your appreciation of the show's biggest moments and themes, alongside other TV storytelling gems. Get Updates By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime. Meanwhile,"Through the Looking Glass" deviates from the show's established flashback structure with the reveal that its depiction of a suicidal and depressed Jack is, in fact, a flash-forward to a time when both he and Kate have left the island. It's perhaps Lost's most controversial narrative move as it breaks what was largely perceived as the show's unspoken rule that they would never leave the island. Nonetheless,"We have to go back!" lives on as one of Lost's most famous cliffhangers, and the moment also serves to introduce a new level of instability to Lost's treatment of time and space. "The Constant" Season 4, Episode 5 "The Constant" makes a strong case for Desmond being Lost's most important character, placing him at the center of nearly everything that has happened, is happening, and will happen on the island. As a result of turning the fail-safe key in season 2's"Live Together, Die Alone," Desmond finds himself"unstuck" in time, with his consciousness shifting between 1996 and 2004. While"The Constant" broaches heady sci-fi topics like electromagnetic energy and time travel, it's also an episode that cements Lost's focus on emotional significance. Desmond is able to re-establish himself in the present after connecting with Penny, his love and"constant", in both timelines. The idea of a constant doesn't get an ultra-scientific explanation, but it feels emotionally sound and satisfying. The episode then capitalizes on this and establishes a weighty connection between Desmond and the relatively new but key player, Daniel Faraday, with the reveal that Desmond is Faraday's constant. "The Incident" Season 5, Episodes 16 & 17 The Jack-Kate-Sawyer love triangle loses much of its steam once romance brews between Sawyer and Juliet, who are a much better match. And nowhere is that scene more profoundly, or tragically, than"The Incident." Despite the constant refrain that"whatever happened, happened," Jack believes that he can prevent"the Incident" that started the domino effect leading to the crash of Oceanic 815. Ultimately, it's Juliet, out of the belief that she and Sawyer aren't truly meant to be together, who allows this to happen. In Lost's 1977 timeline, she sacrifices herself to detonate the bomb that Jack believed would prevent the Incident, but in actuality proves to be its cause. The devastating final moments between her and Sawyer leave no doubt that they were, in fact, meant to be.
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