When 'Lost' was in its prime, it was must-watch television. Remember first watching it, found it remarkably easy to get into, was hooked from the start and was on Season 3 by the end of one week. The general consensus is that the final season is a disappointment and cannot disagree.
Season 4 was a solid season, with high points such as "The Beginning of the End", the three part finale and particularly "The Constant" and the only disappointments (though they were still decent) being "The Other Woman" and "Eggtown". "Because You Left" couldn't be a better way to start Season 5, definitely among the stronger 'Lost' season openers and one of the most confident and most settled. The episodes between that and this were also good to great, with the weakest "Jughead" still having a lot of great values.
"The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham" is a great episode, albeit not one of the show's best. It's taut and thought-provoking, providing new mysteries and questions if not exactly resolutions or answers here, but what could have been a problem in this regard was not annoying at all because everything else was so exceptional. The on-island events are tense, emotional and above all gripping.
On top of all that, it advances characters, shows plot progression rather than repeating itself or being filler. There are surprising moments and also illuminating ones. The edge-of-your-seat and unsettling climax is a Season 5 highlight, there is great development for Locke and the writing for Kate is some of her best.
Also found "The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham" to be an episode full of entertainment value, edge of your seat tension and emotional moments. The more dialogue-driven parts is a case of it being thought-probing, relevant and adding a lot rather than slowing things down and rambling.
Can't fault the performances, particularly from Michael Emerson and Terry O'Quinn, the latter giving some of his best acting of the show.
Nor the stylishness and atmosphere of the visuals, nor the effectively understated and chilling use of music, taut writing and the tightly controlled direction (one of the best of the season and perhaps of the show).
It is agreed though that the episode is a bit rushed and the writing for Walt especially is not as interesting or as focused. Other episodes do better in not reiterating what is already known too.
Otherwise, as already indicated, a great episode. 9/10 Bethany Cox
Season 4 was a solid season, with high points such as "The Beginning of the End", the three part finale and particularly "The Constant" and the only disappointments (though they were still decent) being "The Other Woman" and "Eggtown". "Because You Left" couldn't be a better way to start Season 5, definitely among the stronger 'Lost' season openers and one of the most confident and most settled. The episodes between that and this were also good to great, with the weakest "Jughead" still having a lot of great values.
"The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham" is a great episode, albeit not one of the show's best. It's taut and thought-provoking, providing new mysteries and questions if not exactly resolutions or answers here, but what could have been a problem in this regard was not annoying at all because everything else was so exceptional. The on-island events are tense, emotional and above all gripping.
On top of all that, it advances characters, shows plot progression rather than repeating itself or being filler. There are surprising moments and also illuminating ones. The edge-of-your-seat and unsettling climax is a Season 5 highlight, there is great development for Locke and the writing for Kate is some of her best.
Also found "The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham" to be an episode full of entertainment value, edge of your seat tension and emotional moments. The more dialogue-driven parts is a case of it being thought-probing, relevant and adding a lot rather than slowing things down and rambling.
Can't fault the performances, particularly from Michael Emerson and Terry O'Quinn, the latter giving some of his best acting of the show.
Nor the stylishness and atmosphere of the visuals, nor the effectively understated and chilling use of music, taut writing and the tightly controlled direction (one of the best of the season and perhaps of the show).
It is agreed though that the episode is a bit rushed and the writing for Walt especially is not as interesting or as focused. Other episodes do better in not reiterating what is already known too.
Otherwise, as already indicated, a great episode. 9/10 Bethany Cox
