The same scene can only be rehashed so many times before it loses its fire, but that didn’t deter executive producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse from employing the pigeon drop con a third time. And thank goodness, because the latest iteration of Sawyer’s go-to get rich quick scheme boasts the biggest shock of the trinity – Detective James Ford. And what’s more, the beloved Sawyer finds himself on the bright side of the law standing next to partner (and former on-island “deputy”) Miles Straume. Backdoor pilot?
The Office’s John Krasinski and Lost’s Josh Holloway share a common acting ability – when hot and bothered, both become very visibly frazzled. Part of Lost’s beauty is familiarity with its characters, as it often allows additional insight when people give vague answers to ambiguous questions. When dealing with Sawyer, a glimpse at his facial expressions are all that’s necessary to get a full read on his emotions. And damn does he have variety! Arresting criminals by day, swooning mavericks by night, and conning two opposing parties on two separate islands in a sideways reality. You’d think he’d be downright exhausted after all that, not to mention being shot, stabbed, shocked, and forced to live in the 70s for 3 years. Don’t call him a man; Sawyer is some kind of bad ass, task-dominating machine. One last bit of advice for any smoking hot redheads entering his bedroom: don’t go rummaging around in the dresser drawers of Sawyer’s dark and dreaded past. It will frazzle him.
Sawyer and his police escapades were probably the most entertaining sideways story thus far, so how does the on-island action fare? Just as well, if not better. The Man In Black is more heavily featured and actually sheds an infinitesimally small amount of light on his own past with his disturbed mother. Hearing Terry O’Quinn vocalize the Smoke Monster’s thoughts is always a fantastic treat, and it only gets better when Michael Giacchino flawlessly wraps the scene with delicate melodic accents and eerie piano trills. Lucky for Kate, she couldn’t hear these notes, much less become entranced by them, lest she take the Man In Black’s hand. Emotions are running high on all fronts for Austen during “Recon”. Momma Claire takes a raging knife to Kate’s throat as Sayid sits idly by, perhaps waiting for her demise. The real show stopper, however, is the Man In Black lifting up and heave-ho tossing Claire aside before backhand whapping her across the face. Kate is very clearly disturbed by the transpiring events, as is made obvious by her incessant weeping, but in all seriousness, Evangeline delivered her strongest performance so far this season. I wouldn’t be surprised if one or two people actually sympathize with her character.
“Recon” is a mixed bag affair, and not so much a story driving episode as its predecessors. Instead, foundational information is being offered alongside character introductions and meetings. Top everything off with a nice look into Sawyer’s life sans an Oceanic plane crash and you’d be a fool for calling it filler. “Recon” dishes on some long-awaited Sawyer action and further paints the Man In Black into a fuzzy corner. His actions are vicious, malevolent, and extreme whereas his words and general demeanor are serene, gentle, and dare I say nurturing. Some of our favorite characters are taking drastic personality turns under his influence, and their performances have been everything from extraordinary to extraordinarily creepy. It’s both too bad and too good we’ll be waving goodbye to these scenarios for a brief period, as next week’s “Ab Aeterno” takes a dive into timeless Alpert’s history. Stay tuned!
