Now that was some Lost, my friends. Also, notably, the first Kate-centric ep that didn't completely irritate me and make me wish they'd just shut up already. And I'm moved almost to tears that they didn't drag out the stupid "What did Kate do?" plotline for another five frickin' seasons. In terms of balls, too, you definitely have to admire the fact that when it came down to it, the big answer wasn't that she euthanized someone who needed euthanizing, or took the heat for a crime she didn't commit because she was protecting someone she loved. Nope, Kate blew a dude up. A lot.

And then with the hot frenching. Mmm... frenching.

The whole episode had a generally better flavour to it than just about anything they've done this season. It felt like oldschool Lost, when the island was actually mysterious and you didn't know what the fuck was going on half the time. We kinda got away from that when the show took its inexcusable five-episode detour with Ana Lucia Crazyface (boy is the gay community gonna be glad to have her aboard when she finally comes out), but from its very first frames, tonight's show was right back in the style that made this show so freakin' great in the first place.

This Year's Sayid continues to prove himself invaluable, as he and Michael demonstrated rather keenly that in their absence, the entire frickin' island somehow stopped noticing that pushing the button in the bunker is quantifiably insane. Having two people who have not yet been brainwashed by the Hanso-jumbo, just reacting to what's been going on, was actually fairly delightful. When Eko was all quiet and contemplative after seeing the film, I wanted nothing more than for him to stand up, go into the other room, and kick the processor until it was a mess of sparks and wires. But, no such luck... at least, not yet.

Most importantly of all, though, this was the first episode of the whole entire darn series (I think) that actually managed to find a way to use every single character in the already bloated-past-ludicriousness principal cast in an interesting, organic way. That alone should be worth an Emmy, right? I mean there's fifteen of them for cryin' out loud!

"Dad?" [cursor flashes till January 11 2006]