The Children’s Hour

Tags

1960's, Audrey Hepburn, Drama, Fay Bainter, James Garner, Karen Balkin, Miriam Hopkins, Shirley MacLaine, The Children's Hour, Veronica Cartwright, William Wyler

Film Title

The Children’s Hour

Director

William Wyler

Starring

• Audrey Hepburn as Karen Wright
• Shirley MacLaine as Martha Dobie
• James Garner as Joe Cardin
• Karen Balkin as Mary Tilford
• Fay Bainter as Amelia Tilford
• Miriam Hopkins as Lily Mortar
• Veronica Cartwright as Rosalie

William Wyler directs this powerful and daring adaptation of Lillian Hellman’s controversial play, The Children’s Hour. Focusing on the repercussions of a spiteful lie and the emotional fallout, it provides compelling and emotionally gripping viewing.

Good friends Karen Wright and Martha Dobie are the headmistresses of a private school for girls in New England. Karen is engaged to doctor Joe Cardin, who she plans to marry soon. Martha is slightly jealous of this and doesn’t want her friend taken away from her. She has a heated conversation with her Aunt Lily, a former Broadway star and elocution teacher about her feelings of loneliness. Her aunt tells her that her relationship could be seen unnatural.  Among the girls attending the school is Mary Tilford, a spoiled and vicious bully who delights in trouble. After being reprimanded by Karen over a wrongdoing, the spiteful girl forms a lie based on fragments of gossip given to her by her friends and tells her grandmother Amelia that Karen and Martha are lovers. Mary continues to fabricate this lie making her grandmother believe her. As a prominent citizen, Amelia quickly tells the other parents of the girls. One by one, the girls are withdrawn from the school as the rumours begin to spread about Karen and Martha’s relationship. The lie soon leads to swift, unexpected and ultimately tragic consequences as the two women are ostracized and their school becomes ruined.

The first thing to praise in this powerful tale of the horrifying impact of lies is how it deals with its subject matter. Lesbianism was still very much a taboo subject in the 60’s, The Children’s Hour manages to address this in a way many people will understand and doesn’t sugarcoat the source material. It examines how the women are treated when the rumours start, one particularly horrifying scene includes a group of men gleefully staring at the women, judging them because of their alleged relationship. The scene clearly demonstrates the prejudice and stigma against gay people during this time and shows it to devastating and heartbreaking effect.William Wyler directs with immediacy and quiet power as the camera looms over the school that gradually becomes silent as the girls leave and the two women at the centre of the story are torn apart by the lie of the spiteful Mary. The music score is an evocative one, engulfing the audience in the emotional fallout with crescendos and quiet strings. The script deftly captures the atmosphere of confusion and betrayal all caused by a few words from a little girl.

What gives The Children’s Hour its powerful impact is the talented cast. Audrey Hepburn subtly and luminously portrays Karen with a solemn and quiet reserve that takes on a pained expression when the lie begins to circle and her happy life is destroyed. Shirley MacLaine works excellently against Hepburn and delivers a touching performance as the needy Martha, who begins to crumble as the lie engulfs every inch of her existence. James Garner is suitably kind as the doctor engaged to Karen, who is one of the few people to stand by the women as others judge them. Karen Balkin is wickedness personified as the mendacious Mary, whose little lie puts the swift wheels in motion that lead to the pain endured by Martha and Karen. Fay Bainter nails her supporting role as Amelia, who spreads the lie but comes to see that her granddaughter is fabricating events too late. Miriam Hopkins is a delight as the highly strung Aunt Lily, who accidentally puts her foot in it many times. A young Veronica Cartwright essays the role of Rosalie, a classmate of Mary’s who is blackmailed into cooperating with the telling of the lie.

Powerful, daring and emotionally involving, The Children’s Hour shows the swift and tragic impact that one lie can have on the people involved.

 

Lost Season 4

Tags

2000's, Daniel Dae Kim, Elizabeth Mitchell, Emilie de Ravin, Evangeline Lilly, Harold Perrineau, Henry Ian Cusick, Jeff Fahey, Jeremy Davies, Jorge Garcia, Josh Holloway, Ken Leung, Lost, Lost Season 4, Matthew Fox, Michael Emerson, Naveen Andrews, Rebecca Mader, Terry O'Quinn, Yunjin Kim

Lost Season 3 proved to be a lesser season to the two that came before it because of the story becoming a little too complicated for its own good. As season 3 went on it gathered momentum and delivered a great finale. Season 4 carries on this momentum and emerges as a superior season to the last with a twisting story. Warning, spoilers will follow in this overview.

To recap,Jack(Matthew Fox) and the rest of the survivors made contact with an alleged freighter for rescue, despite the warnings from John Locke(Terry O’Quinn) and the nefarious Ben(Michael Emerson). Before Charlie died, he managed to inform Desmond(Henry Ian Cusick) that the rescuers were not as good as they seem. This message when relayed to the survivors forges a split in camps as Jack leads those who believe in the rescue and Locke leading the camp that wants to hide. Kate(Evangeline Lilly), Juliet(Elizabeth Mitchell), who has finally chosen her side after much enigma, Desmond, Sun(Yunjin Kim) , Jin (Daniel Dae Kim) and Sayid(Naveen Andrews) side with Jack. Whereas a devastated Hurley(Jorge Garcia), Claire(Emilie de Ravin) Ben and Sawyer(Josh Holloway) choose to go with Locke. We are then introduced to the mysterious members of the alleged rescuers: the awkward physicist Daniel Faraday(Jeremy Davies), the hot-headed medium Miles(Ken Leung), secretive anthropologist Charlotte Lewis(Rebecca Mader) and pilot Frank Lapidus(Jeff Fahey) . It appears that rescue isn’t the only part of their plan as they are actually looking for Ben as well. The man behind this is Charles Widmore, the disapproving father of Penny, who wants to locate the island for his own personal greed. The series also gives us an insight into the futures of characters, in revealing and innovative flash forwards which reveal the members who left the island. Among the stories, Jack has become depressed and turned to drink before attempting to clear his act up in order to get Kate back, Hurley is haunted by visions of Charlie, Kate is caring for baby Aaron and Sayid works as a hitman for none other than Ben. These little glimpses show us how the island seems to have a hold on them despite them leaving and how it is trying to lure them back to the mysterious place. As the struggle for power continues, who will survive as mystery deepens, tensions rise and a familiar face returns? All will be revealed as Season 4, although brief in length, captures the mystery of your imagination and refuses to let go.

Season 4 may be very short, which occurred because of the Writer’s Strike at the time of airing, but it still manages to be gripping television.The animosity between the two factions is amazing to watch, especially in the scene in which they disperse in the pouring rain. Locke and Jack are very much at loggerheads again in their battle for leadership and the way that this is written proves for excellent and emotionally involving viewing.The script is tighter than some of Season 3 and manages to flesh out the conflicted emotions that begin to run high as result of the split and the various motivations for this. The flash forwards prove immensely interesting and eye-opening as we witness some of the experiences of the people who escaped the island and how the presence of their time on it have left them haunted by its spectre. We still get the occasional flashbacks to their time before the island, but the flash forwards make for more compelling viewing. Strong visuals and camerawork give this season a sense of immediacy as our characters navigate their way through uncertain motivations and divided minds. The atmosphere is heightened by the stunning and often enigmatic score that is utilised to excellent effect in this mysterious and mind-bending show. I also found the scenes with Sayid and Desmond on the boat riveting because of the mysterious bouts of cabin fever that resulted in violent consequences and the reintroduction of Michael into the series.The concept of time travel is brought into fruition with Desmond, who begins to experiences flashes of the past and is only able to return if something remains constant. His constant is his unwavering love for Penny. This culminates in an emotional phone call to his beloved that will leave you in tears and ranks as one of the most emotionally rewarding and heartfelt scenes in the series. Everything about this scene is structured so well and really adds to the emotion driven storylines that occupy Lost, especially the amazing acting by Henry Ian Cusick. Another emotional moment is the death of Danielle Rousseau and eventually her daughter Alex by the mercenaries from the boat. I really thought that their reunion in the last season was touching, which makes their respective deaths all the more tragic.

As with before, the wide ensemble cast is exemplary. Matthew Fox shows us how Jack has gone from original stabilizer of the group to driven and slightly dogmatic leader of his section of followers who is now in battle with Locke for supremacy. Terry O’Quinn is always riveting as the ever-changing Locke, who becomes more aggressive and goes full on ‘Colonel Kurtz’ as Sawyer so eloquently puts it.Speaking of Sawyer, Josh Holloway continues with his sarcastic delivery but also finds sympathy and new depths within this character. Michael Emerson impresses as the manipulative Ben, who becomes something of an unlikely ally to the survivors with his knowledge of the intentions of the supposed rescuers and who is behind it. He informs the group that he has a spy on the boat, who is later revealed to be Michael(Harold Perrineau), who we last saw betraying his friends to get Walt back. Harold Perrineau subtly shows Michael’s journey from broken man on the verge of suicide to one who wants to be redeemed for his past misdeeds. His eventual death completes his quest for redemption in spectacular fashion. Jorge Garcia provides emotional depth and humour as the ever lovable Hurley, while Naveen Andrews excels with Sayid’s arc. Yunjin Kim and Daniel Dae Kim quietly portray the love between Sun and Jin and the way they have overcome the various barriers standing in their way. Evangeline Lilly continues to be impressive as resourceful Kate and she has some excellent scenes with Elizabeth Mitchell, who portrays Juliet. Mitchell gets to show us the warmth and compassion behind Juliet’s outward appearance and her budding relationship with Jack makes for interesting viewing as we wonder how it will pan out and whether Jack will be with Juliet or Kate. The newer characters are well written and add different dimensions to the show. Jeremy Davies is suitably nervy yet highly intelligent as Daniel, while Ken Leung portrays the sarcastic and insular Miles. Rebecca Mader adds mystery and toughness as Charlotte and Jeff Fahey gets some amazing and funny one-liners as the cranky pilot Frank.

With red herrings a plenty and emotion driven stories, Lost Season 4 is an enthralling entry into this saga from unexpected beginning to exhilarating finale.

 

Lost Season 3

Tags

2000's, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Daniel Dae Kim, Dominic Monaghan, Elizabeth Mitchell, Emilie de Ravin, Evangeline Lilly, Henry Ian Cusick, Jorge Garcia, Josh Holloway, Kiele Sanchez, Lost, Lost Season 3, Matthew Fox, Michael Emerson, Naveen Andrews, Rodrigo Santoro, Terry O'Quinn, Yunjin Kim

After the explosive ending of Lost Season 2, the third season suffers from some notable weaknesses that make it a lesser season to the predecessors. That aside the series gets better as it progresses. Be warned, spoilers feature throughout this review.

Jack(Matthew Fox), Sawyer(Josh Holloway) and Kate(Evangeline Lilly) have been captured by ‘The Others’ after Michael betrayed them in order to get Walt back. The trio are taken to another island where the mysterious others live. Unlike how they initially appeared in rags, they are more efficient and sophisticated than we’ve seen. It is here that Henry is revealed to in fact be Ben Linus(Michael Emerson), the second in command. The manipulative Ben toys with Jack and the others emotions and Sawyer and Kate form a romantic relationship. We are introduced to Juliet Burke(Elizabeth Mitchell), a mysterious doctor who seems to change sides rapidly. One minute she’s being caring for Jack, next she’s on Ben’s side. The enigmatic Juliet aids Sawyer and Kate in escaping but has a few ultimatums for Jack regarding Ben, who is need of spinal surgery that could claim his life. Meanwhile, the hatch has imploded after Locke(Terry O’Quinn) lost his faith with pushing the button let it tick down causing an electromagnetic pulse to cover the Island. This is the same kind of blast that caused the plane of the survivors to crash according to Desmond(Henry Ian Cusick), who made it back to the island in the last episode of season 2. Hurley(Jorge Garcia) arrives back at camp with the news of the trio’s kidnapping. This causes Locke to rise up and encourage the other survivors to fight for the freedom of Jack. The lines between good and evil are blurred as Ben forces the survivors he captured into various strange deals in exchange for their release. Also, many of the mysteries of the island are revealed and the character flashback continue to delve into the troubled past of this group.

Firstly I want to get down to the flaws of this season. Whereas the past two seasons gave us mystery but also answers, Season 3 starts to become a little too complicated for its own good. Sure some of the mysteries intrigue, but the lack of answers can prove frustrating for the viewer. Also, the lack of appearances from crucial characters such as Locke in the first bunch of episodes is a negative as he is one of the most complex people in the show. The inclusion of two new characters, Nikki(Kiele Sanchez) and Paulo(Rodrigo Santoro), is not so great as they don’t really have a purpose and their characters aren’t that interesting. It isn’t really much of a surprise that they are both killed off during the run of the season. I have to say though the manner of their death is ghoulish to say the least. After their past as criminals is revealed and they turn on each other, they are both paralysed by a spider. The other survivors think they are dead and proceed to bury them. Just as the last bit of Earth hits her face, Nikki’s eyes snap open as she is buried alive. I do wish that Eko(Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) had continued as a character. But on one hand, his death at the hands of the smoke monster( who it is shown can take the form of the deceased) does complete his redemption story in tragic and poignant detail.

Now onto the positives, of which there are many in the later episodes of the season. The visual style is excellent, full of sweeping camera shots and strange but lethal beauty of the mysterious island. The suspense of the previous seasons may have diminished in the earlier episodes, but it comes back more intriguing than ever as the season reaches its end. The enigmatic musical score continues to generate chills and foreboding events with finicky strings, tribal percussion and melancholy piano. I liked how the relationship between Jack, Sawyer and Kate was explored as their conflicted feelings come to the forefront of the show. We see how Kate is torn between the two and how her relationship with Jack is tested by various forces. I found the history of ‘The Others’ interesting as we see how they are highly sophisticated but very territorial beings intent on preserving their island.

As always, the acting is outstanding from the ensemble cast. Matthew Fox, Josh Holloway and Evangeline Lilly continue to impress with their work as Jack, Sawyer and Kate. Michael Emerson returns as Ben and continues to portray him with malevolence and quiet manipulation that is very disquieting. He truly is an excellent villain and his various encounters with Jack are riveting. Elizabeth Mitchell portrays the mysterious Juliet with icy reserve and quiet internal strength and she truly makes an impression on this season of Lost. The way her character is written makes her such an intriguing woman of hidden depths. She drives a wedge between Jack and the camp, including Sayid(Naveen Andrews) who believes that bringing her to the camp is a bad move as no one really knows which side this complicated woman is on. And who can forget that catfight with Kate in the jungle when they are handcuffed together? Juliet’s job as a fertility specialist is crucial to the development of Sun(Yunjin Kim), who learns that all the women who have conceived on the island have died. Sun is then faced with the difficult task of keeping the secret from Jin(Daniel Dae Kim) in order to stop her from breaking down with the knowledge that her fate is sealed. The presence of fate is also prominent in the character of Desmond, who begins to experience flashes of the future. The most worrying of these is the repeated sight of Charlie(Dominic Monaghan) dying. No matter how many times he tries to save him, Charlie will eventually die. Desmond’s past involving his tenuous relationship with a woman named Penny is also movingly observed. Henry Ian Cusick and Dominic Monaghan work very well together as their characters aid each other with what they should do in this dire situation and how they should respond to the ominous warnings. For Charlie, the worst part about the knowledge of his death is that he will be parted from Claire(Emilie de Ravin). Their relationship has followed an interesting and touching course, evolving from strangers into soul mates. It is Charlie who provides Season 3 with its biggest emotional punch in the scene in which he drowns. Over the past seasons, Charlie had become one of my favourite characters and his death was really poignant to watch as he heroically accepts his fate and manages to deliver a message to Desmond. When he does appear, John Locke is still is fascinating as ever. Terry O’Quinn suggests his deep personal struggles to overcome the memory of his father and joining with ‘The Others’ to learn more of the secrets of the island.

So all in all, Lost Season 3 falls behind the past seasons because of too many unanswered questions and anomalies. But with the progression of the season, the storyline gets tighter and the series still makes for addictive viewing.

Beauty and the Beast

Tags

1990's, Angela Lansbury, Animated, Beauty and the Beast, David Ogden Stiers, Disney, Fantasy, Jerry Orbach, Musical, Paige O'Hara, Richard White, Robby Benson, Romance

Film Title

Beauty and the Beast

Directors

Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise

Voice Cast

• Paige O’Hara as Belle
• Robby Benson as Beast
• Richard White as Gaston
• Jerry Orbach as Lumière
• David Ogden Stiers as Cogsworth
• Angela Lansbury as Mrs Potts

Enchanting, magical and enjoyable, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast is a stunning achievement in animation and emotive storytelling that will appeal to all the family. No matter how old you get, the story is still an involving and touching fable.

In the prologue, we learn of a handsome but supremely selfish prince who turned away an old beggar woman offering him a rose in return for shelter. She was in fact an enchantress who transformed him into a hideous beast and turned his servants into animated objects. The curse could be broken if he gained the love of a woman before the last petal fell from the enchanted rose she offered him, if not he will remain a beast forever. Years later in 18th Century France, Belle is a smart and strong-willed young woman living with her inventor father. Belle is beautiful but a nonconformist who prefers the company of her books and yearning for adventure rather than the many advances of the self-obsessed hunter Gaston. Belle’s father Maurice travels through the forest but loses his way. He stumbles upon the Beast’s castle and is imprisoned by the master in the dungeon. Belle later comes to his rescue and bravely sacrifices her freedom so that her father can be released. She is given company by the animated house objects: the rebellious candlestick Lumière, the tightly wound and loyal clock Cogsworth and the motherly teapot Mrs Potts. Initially distant from the Beast, Belle slowly begins to understand him and the two tentatively fall in love, with Belle seeing passed the scary exterior and connecting with the wounded soul beneath. But what will happen when Gaston becomes aware of this? And can Belle’s love for the Beast break the spell? Magical animation, stunning musical numbers and splendid voice work give Beauty and the Beast a lovely elegance that can be treasured.

The animation is truly magnificent and ambitious in equal measure, really making the gloomy world of the castle come alive with colours. Stunning imagery is ever-present such as the splendid ballroom which the Beast and Belle dance in and the snow-covered entrance to the castle. The screenplay excellently shows us the romance between Belle and the Beast, yet also manages to cover the deep theme of accepting others for who they are and that beauty lies within a person. The film soars in the musical numbers that are still as catchy as they were all those years ago. The opening number ‘Belle’ provides a humorous introduction to the eponymous beauty as the villagers discuss how she doesn’t fit in with their society. ‘Gaston’ is a tongue in cheek song about the self-obsessed brute who has Belle firmly in his sights. The main show stopping number is ‘Be Our Guest’ sung by the objects of the castle in an attempt to cheer her up. Taking cues from broadway and old movies, the number is full of dancing plates, sweeping dusters and joyful love that is impossible not to sing along with. And who can forget the haunting title song sung with wise assurance by the incomparable Angela Lansbury?

The voice cast are perfectly suited to their roles and imbue them with dexterity and flair. Paige O’Hara splendidly combines strength and touching bravery as Belle. Her singing voice is a marvel as well, singing with clarity and loving kindness. Robby Benson’s deep but engaging voice is ideally suited to the Beast, and gives him depth and mournful sorrow that subsides into happiness as he develops feelings for Belle. Richard White provides arrogance and unnerving intensity as the selfish Gaston. Jerry Orbach excellently lends his vocal talents to the role of Lumière, the funny and lovable candlestick who often finds himself in trouble. David Ogden Stiers effortlessly voices the rigid and regimented Cogsworth, who clashes with Lumière over various issues. And Angela Lansbury deserves praise for her warm delivery as Mrs Potts.

Joyous, emotionally involving and full of dazzling animation, Beauty and the Beast is a film that will never get old.

Cadillac Records

Tags

2000's, Adrien Brody, Beyoncé Knowles, Biopic, Cadillac Records, Cedric the Entertainer, Columbus Short, Darnell Martin, Eamonn Walker, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Gabrielle Union, Jeffrey Wright, Mos Def, Musical

Film Title

Cadillac Records

Director

Darnell Martin

Starring

• Adrien Brody as Leonard Chess
• Jeffrey Wright as Muddy Waters
• Columbus Short as Little Walter
• Beyoncé Knowles as Etta James
• Mos Def as Chuck Berry
• Eamonn Walker as Howlin Wolf
• Gabrielle Union as Geneva Wade
• Emmanuelle Chriqui as Revetta Chess
• Cedric the Entertainer as Willie Dixon

Charting the history of Chicago based Chess Records in the 1950’s, Cadillac Records is a sometimes uneven but always interesting biopic of the man behind it, Leonard Chess and the roster of stars that signed to the label and created rock n roll and blues sounds that live on today. What it lacks in originality it more than makes up for with soulful music and some great performances.

Narrated by Willie Dixon, we see as Leonard Chess, a Polish immigrant manages to work his way up the ladder of success because of his ear for talent and non-judgemental view of people. He sees the world of blues and rock n roll as a way to make money and treats the singers like a family. He works hard to craft the record label, which got the eponymous nickname because Chess would give his artists a Cadillac when sales increased. Yet his job isn’t easy as he brings talent into the arena as booze, jealousy and drugs emerge just as much as the rock n roll and blues play. Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Etta James and Chuck Berry are just some of the artists whose tales are told in this story of rock n roll and the troubling nature of fame and the influence of Leonard Chess.

Director Darnell Martin has a keen eye for detail which takes us into the fast-moving world of booze, blues and fast cars of the 1950’s. The editing used is effortless in combining old news reels to the events onscreen. Where the film falters is how issues such as racism and the dubious accounts of the label are skated over without much thought. If these issues had been presented rather than being relegated, the film may have flowed better. The passage of time is also out of tune with years passing by without a single notice. On a positive note, the narration by Willie Dixon(portrayed with wise charm and humour by Cedric the Entertainer) makes for intriguing viewing as he dissects the rise and fall of Chess Records from an inside perspective.

Where Cadillac Records really hits its stride is in the music and the performances of the cast. The scenes of artists performing make for immensely great viewing as we watch the construction of so many influential kinds of music that still have power today. The cast performs these classic numbers with clarity, emotion and above all soul. Adrien Brody is compelling as the driven Leonard, whose label soon becomes too much for him to control as music changes and the 60’s ushers in a new sound. Jeffrey Wright emerges as one of the standout players with a robust performance as Muddy Waters. He delves into the mindset of a talented individual, ladies man and immense performer. Columbus Short provides pathos as the talented but ultimately tragic Little Water, who spiralled out of control as a result of drink addiction. Music star Beyoncé Knowles sizzles as the sexy, feisty but vulnerable Etta James. She shows us the wounded women with a stellar voice who is afraid of rejection and whose life is as eventful as a blues number as she falls into drugs and booze. Knowles should be praised for her emotive rendition of ‘At Last’, which she sings with such beautiful emotional strength. Mos Def imbues the role of Chuck Berry with humour and flair that can’t be bettered. In his small role as Howlin Wolf, Eamonn Walker provides danger and an almost combustible talent. Unfortunately, Gabrielle Union and Emmanuelle Chriqui are saddled with underwritten roles as the wives of Chess and Waters.

It might be uneven and sometimes a little distracting, but Cadillac Records soars with its musical numbers, visual style and soulful performances that keep the viewer engaged throughout.

 

Lost Season 2

Tags

2000's, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Cynthia Watros, Daniel Dae Kim, Dominic Monaghan, Emilie de Ravin, Evangeline Lilly, Harold Perrineau, Henry Ian Cusick, Jorge Garcia, Josh Holloway, Lost, Lost Season 2, Maggie Grace, Malcolm David Kelley, Matthew Fox, Michael Emerson, Michelle Rodriguez, Naveen Andrews, Terry O'Quinn, Yunjin Kim

Following on from the jaw-dropping cliffhanger of Season 1, Lost Season 2 carries on the enigmatic and character driven story of these survivors that becomes more gripping as the season progresses. Be warned, spoilers will follow in this overview.

To recap, Michael(Harold Perrineau), Sawyer(Josh Holloway), Jin(Daniel Dae Kim) and Walt(Malcolm David Kelley) had created the raft that would help them escape to find help. That is until ‘The Others’ arrived, kidnapped Walt and destroyed the raft. In the present, Michael and an injured Sawyer have managed to survive by clinging to debris and Jin has managed to swim to the shore. Meanwhile back on the Island, Locke(Terry O’Quinn)  has successfully opened the mysterious hatch and has decided to venture down with Kate(Evangeline Lilly) in tow. Jack(Matthew Fox), on the other hand, is skeptical about exploring the hatch. Upon entering the hatch, Kate and Locke see that they are not alone. A worried Jack enters the hatch and traverses the vast underground before coming face to face with the intriguing Desmond(Henry Ian Cusick), someone who he met in the past. Desmond lives in the underground where he obsessively types in the ominous numbers that Hurley(Jorge Garcia) knows of into a machine that resets, preventing disaster. The hatch is actually the Swan Station, belonging to the DHARMA initiative who were cryptically referenced in season 1 and whose history unravels over the course of season 2.After Desmond runs off, Jack and the others take it in turns to man the computer that holds a doomsday prophecy. Elsewhere, Sawyer, Jin and Michael come into contact with a bunch of survivors from the back of the plane which broke off in mid-air, who have had confrontations with the mysterious ‘Others’ who killed many of the other ‘Tailies’. The group is spearheaded by tough and paranoid cop Ana Lucia(Michelle Rodriguez), with the enigmatic Mr.Eko(Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) and Libby(Cynthia Watros), a psychologist following. Forming an awkward team, they travel through the dangerous terrain occupied by ‘The Others’ in order to reach Jack and the other survivors, whilst Michael frantically begins searching for Walt and taking great risks in the process. Further secrets are revealed about the characters, various personal dramas unfold and a slowly building animosity forms between the survivors and ‘The Others’. Mysteries abound and characters develop in the exciting season of Lost that carries on the excellent torch of the first series and introduces some interesting new characters to the intriguing mix. It only slips behind the greatness of the first series because of the slowing of pace, but this is a minor flaw in an exciting and revealing season of one addictive and mind-bending TV show.

Firstly, the opening and revealing of the hatch is very intriguing as well as the introduction to Desmond. He is really shaping up to be an interesting character in the season and the whole repeating numbers is really nail-biting. I do hope that Desmond returns to the series after his brief appearances in season 2 because he really is a riveting and complex character who is played very well by Henry Ian Cusick.This season really has suspense going for it, whether it be ‘The Others’ walking in bone chilling silence through the jungle or the visions of Walt that Shannon(Maggie Grace) begins to see in which he talks backwards. I also found the episode in which the Tailies is explored and we see how they have adapted to survival riveting to watch. I liked how the writers crafted certain episodes from one character’s point of view and then showed us another side of the  events replayed.As with the last series, the score is an eerie, mysterious and sonically intriguing listen. The territorial conflict with ‘The Others’ also makes for compulsive  viewing as the battle for leadership on the island increases rapidly and the sinister presence of the smoke monster appears again. I like how the writers through the flashbacks reveal that our characters are not strangers and how their paths have crossed before. It may be a little detail in this great season, but it’s definitely a memorable one for me.It’s only at certain times that balancing the chills with some of the stories that don’t really amount to much that the season loses some of its greatness. This is mainly embodied in Charlie’s(Dominic Monaghan) arc; I feel sympathy for him as he is tempted to do drugs again but his centric episode in which he believes he is the one to take care of baby Aaron is far from great and really jeopardises the blossoming relationship he has with Claire(Emilie de Ravin). But with that little flaw out the way, the season does expand magnificently on many of the character’s lives prior to the crash.

 The newer characters, Ana Lucia, Mr.Eko and Libby make for interesting additions to the series. Michelle Rodriguez embodies the outwardly cold and tough persona whilst letting the audience glimpse the traumas of her past when she was a cop. The main incident that affected her was when she was shot at by a criminal which caused her to lose the baby she was carrying. In flashback, Ana Lucia located the criminal and killed him by shooting, she later quit the force. Because of these traumas, she takes on an unsympathetic attitude to those around her as she can’t face the inner pain. It is Ana Lucia who provides the season with one shocking and unexpected moments, the accidental killing of Shannon. Shannon is convinced that she has seen Walt in the jungle and heads out looking for him with Sayid(Naveen Andrews). After breaking down and telling Sayid that everyone around her abandons her, she hears whispers and sees Walt again. Running into the rain-soaked jungle, Shannon is mistaken for one of ‘The Others’ by Ana Lucia who shoots her. The scene is all the more tragic because Shannon was starting to become a character you could warm to as the season progressed and she died trying to do a good deed. A cruel irony hangs over the scene because Sayid promised he would never leave Shannon and unfortunately that admission is not able to be upheld because of her death. Sayid’s devastated reaction also leaves the viewer in a state of sadness as he carries the lifeless body of his lover back to the camp to the accompaniment of a mournful score as Ana Lucia follows with guilt written all over her face. Ana Lucia later meets her end when she is shot by a desperate Michael in a scene that I didn’t see coming. Mr. Eko makes for an interesting character because of his imposing presence and silent demeanor. Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje shows us the deep regret of this character, who was a drug lord in Nigeria whose deals ultimately led to his brother dying. Since the death of his brother, he has found religion but has still never forgotten what happened to his brother. Libby(Cynthia Watros) is a good character for season 2. Cynthia Watros imbues her with a sympathetic personality that also has a glint of mystery. Libby, like Ana Lucia, is also shot by Michael and later dies from the wounds in a heartbreaking scene as Hurley cries at her bedside, mourning the loss of the woman who truly made him feel whole. Another cryptic character that appears is Henry Gale(Michael Emerson), who is captured by Danielle Rousseau, the mysterious French woman stranded on the island for sixteen years who believes that Henry is not to be trusted. Michael Emerson plays Henry with a quiet but highly manipulative streak that lulls the viewer into a false sense of security. He has this snake-like ability to drip poison in the ears of the other characters and wreak havoc with the smallest word. It is later revealed that Rousseau was right not to trust Henry as he turns out to be one of ‘The Others’.

Even though it might not reach the heights of the last season, Lost scores highly on character development and cryptic mystery. A prominent story in Season 2 is the love triangle between Jack, Kate and Sawyer. Kate finally kisses Jack but is torn between the two. The dynamic between the three is very interesting to watch as you wonder who Kate will eventually get with. Kate’s past is further explored, revealing that she killed her father because of his abuse towards her mother. The incident sets up Kate’s emotional state and how she was attempting to save her mother but in turn ended up on the run from justice. Most of the success revolving around Kate’s character is down to Evangeline Lilly, who projects a steely strength and quiet vulnerability. Also in flashbacks, Jack’s marriage crumbles after his wife admits to having an affair. As in the last season, Matthew Fox portrays Jack with subtle skill revealing the depths of this character as he continues in his position of leader. Josh Holloway also gets some great one-liners as the sarcastic but wounded Sawyer. Claire regains her memory and recalls encountering a girl who it appears is the Alex, the kidnapped daughter of Danielle. The girl helped her escape from Ethan who was attempting to take Aaron. Claire’s flashbacks are loaded with enigma and creepy symbolism that really has me interested into what will happen next in her arc. Harold Perrineau excellently portrays Michael’s descent into desperation as he attempts to locate Walt, whilst doing everything in his power to get there. He enters into a deal with ‘The Others’ to free Henry and betray his friends by bringing them to the sinister group who own the island.  Hurley, portrayed with humour and pathos by Jorge Garcia, is just as likable as he was last season. If anything the season excels at showing the serious side to Hurley and the various underlying issues he’s had to deal with. His budding relationship with Libby is also a very nice touch but the tragic loss of Libby is truly heart wrenching. Locke is still one of the most fascinating characters in the show. Played with a wise but dangerous knowledge by Terry O’Quinn he continues to test the audience into wondering what his true intentions are. And it’s great to see Sun(Yunjin Kim) and Jin(Daniel Dae Kim) back together after their breakup when it was revealed Sun could speak English, the fact that she’s pregnant brings them closer together after drifting apart.

So all I have left to say is Lost Season 2 is a worthy entry in the series. It may not be as great as season 1, but it has more than enough positives to rank it extremely high on my list of excellently crafted television. Hopefully Season 3 can carry on the success of the first and second season.