Lost- There's No Place Like Home, parts 2 and 3

WOW! That was the best season finale they've ever done. Lots of action and great character moments. All kinds of plots are put together, and they answer plenty of questions (as well as add new ones).

Part one had Ben and Locke at the Orchid Station, where they plan to move the island. They are followed by Keame, the Boatie who killed Alex. Ben tries to kill him, but Keame mentions that the boat will explode if he dies (he's the timer). Ben kills him anyway, to Locke's horror. Ben informs Locke that whoever moves the island can never return to it.

Meanwhile, Hurley, Jack, Kate, Sawyer, Sayid, and baby Aaron are in the helicopter with Frank the pilot. Jin, Desmond, and Michael try to keep the explosives from detonating, but they can't do it. The helicopter runs out of fuel and lands on the boat just as time runs out. The boat explodes with Jin and Michael still on it.

Ben leaves Locke in charge of the island. He uses the station controls to move the island. It disappears just as Frank is getting ready to land the chopper. They crash...but hours later, they are picked up by a boat. It's Penny Widmore, the daughter of Ben's enemy and Desmond's true love. They have a happy reunion, and Jack begins to plan the story of the Oceanic Six- so that those left on the island will be safe.

The very end is another flash forward. Jack sneaks into the funeral parlor from last season...and opens the coffin. Ben suddenly appears, and tells him that they have to go back. All of them, including the man in the casket. The camera pulls back to reveal the body of John Locke!

That was just amazing! I never would have guessed that it was Locke in the coffin. That was a surprise, and asks new questions to be answered next season. How did he get off of the island, and what happened after the Oceanic Six left?

There were so many great character bits. When the helicopter needs to drop weight in order to stay in the air, Sawyer volunteers himself. To everyone's horror (especially the audience's!), he jumps into the ocean. Amazingly, he is able to swim to shore...It was so great to see Sawyer get to be the hero (instead of Jack- yawn...)! The look on Kate's face had me feeling sorry for her for a second. Just a second...:p

Walt appears- he's grown quite a bit, and he is somewhat annoyed that none of the Oceanic Six has visited him, or told him what happened to his father, Michael. Hurley tells him that their rescue story was a lie. Later, Sayid comes and breaks Hurley out of the hospital.

Michael and Jin desperately try to save the boat. At the end, they can do nothing. Michael begs Jin to leave and go with Sun...but it's too late, and Sun gets hysterical when the boat explodes. In another flash forward, she is shown meeting with Mr. Widmore...to tell him that Ben is off the island too. So that's another set up for next season...Sun avenging Jin.

My favorite T.V. love story gets a happy ending (for now)- Desmond and Penny have a lovely reunion. "I'll never leave you again..." Next season, he's going to have to protect her from Ben.

Finally, in a dream, Kate is visited by Claire, who tells her not to bring Aaron back to the island. That will bring some Jack/Kate conflict next season for sure...

At least now we know why Jack went a little nuts in the future- Locke visited him, and Kate, too- to tell them all of the terrible things that happened after they left- and that Jack is responsible. So there will be some interesting questions for next season- What happened? How and why did Locke leave the island, and how did he die?

Despite the new questions, I think Lost is really coming together. All the little bits and pieces are making more sense as the show goes on. I'm definitely sticking with it until the end!

Quotes-

Locke: You just killed everyone on the boat!
Ben: So?

The way he delivered that one word...*shudders* Ben really is one of the best T.V. bad guys.

Desmond (to Jack): I'll see you in another life, brother.

Hurley: Checkmate, Mr. Eko. (he had apparently playing with Eko's ghost!)

Can't wait for next season. I hate having to wait until January!

Of the season finales I saw this year, that was probably the best- then Torchwood and House. All three had me sniffling...pretty big death count this year. Jin, Michael, and Locke on Lost (and likely Claire, too, from earlier); Owen and Tosh on Torchwood; Amber on House. So that's pretty much it for my shows this year (except for Doctor Who).

T.V. for me this year: Good, but because of the Writer's Guild strike, I didn't get enough of my favorites, especially House. I've lost all faith that Law and Order: Special Victims Unit can be great again. Lost continues to amaze, and I became a Torchwood fan with just a few episodes. Because BBC America got the show late last fall, it was like a full U.S. television season- 26 episode of Torchy goodness! I'm really worried about next year. Also, I got hooked on Doctor Who. Not a bad thing!