"The 23rd Psalm"

NOVEMBER 3, 2010

FOCUS: EKO
EPISODE: 2.10
AIRED: JANUARY 11, 2006

Longest in-season Lost break ever? The last episode aired 6 weeks ago, which again made things kind of jarring when “The 23rd Psalm” aired, because it was only a day to the folks on the show. 24 is the only other major show I can think of that didn’t more or less match the time it aired – something like Desperate Housewives or House takes place over the same 9 months that the shows air (it allows for holiday themed episodes!). Luckily this one isn’t AS “connected” as the last time there was a big break; in fact some things DO seem like time has passed, such as Michael using the computer – it feels like this isn’t the first time he’s gone down there hoping to talk to Walt again.

But the bulk of the episode is about our favorite new character, Mr. Eko. In hindsight it’s kind of a sore spot of an episode, because they were poising him to be a major player and now we know he’ll be dead less than 20 episodes later. Goddamn you, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, for not liking Hawaii enough to see your character through. However, it’s such a good episode that it doesn’t bother me much. I loved the revelation of the plane’s origins; it continues to be one of the better fitting “jigsaw pieces” of the series as a whole (unlike, say, Claire being Jack’s sister). I don’t know enough about geography or beechcrafts to judge the validity of the plane getting from Nigeria to the South Pacific on one tank of gas, but otherwise it works perfectly.

It’s also a sort of last hurrah for Charlie, who’d become an insufferable bastard starting with the next episode and pretty much continuing through the rest of the season. He’s in his element here though; being the comic relief and tagging along with someone on a personal quest of some sort, and coining a good term (“Jesus stick”) while he’s at it. He’d regain our sympathies in season 3, thanks to his death “curse” and reconciliation with Claire, resulting in one of the all time best episodes (“Greatest Hits”), but man, I am not looking forward to sitting through the “baptism” and “let’s whack Sun over the head so Sawyer can steal the guns” portions of the show again.

This episode offers our first real “look” at the smoke monster, looking very little like Titus Welliver. There’s a cool moment where it flashes images of Eko’s life, something that I wish they had done more with (or even, again? I can’t recall it ever being brought back). It’s a total badass moment for Eko, who just stands there like “Yeah, WHAT?” (I also dig the Peter Jackson-esque camerawork as it races toward him). Also, I noticed that the three who had the closest encounters with Smokey are also the three men who have been at odds with Charlie – Eko, Jack, and Locke. Not really anything to it, just sort of interesting. I’m not confusing coincidence for fate.

And it’s another happy ending episode! Sawyer and Kate are flirting, Jack’s seemingly OK with it, or at least pretending to be (been there dude, shit sucks), Hurley and Libby have their first little moment, Ana Lucia gets a fish... good times in Lostville. Well, except for Charlie, who gets kicked out of the “house” for lying about carrying heroin around and not using it (in fact, does he ever actually use again? I don’t think he does). Tough break, dude.

Where are we?