LOST Episode 5×07 “The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham” - Screencaps, Easter Eggs, and Analysis
February 26, 2009 by Eric
Overall, this was one of the weakest episodes this season. The beginning and end of the episode were cool, but the middle seemed a bit hollow. Thoughts:
- Call in your thoughts on this episode to 920-626-6086.
- Here’s to hoping that Caesar and Illana don’t end up being another Nikki and Paolo. The jury’s still out.
- Loved the scene with Widmore. We started to fill in a few more details around Widmore’s history on the island (he was the leader, Ben tricked him off the island and exiled him, etc.). I also loved his comment about the impending war that’s going to take place. It seems it’ll be an epic struggle of good vs. evil and Ben vs. Widmore, but who’s the good and who’s evil?
- Great to see Abaddon again, albeit his stay will apparently be short lived, literally. So, as it turns out, he did work for Widmore and he did steer John towards Flight 815, something that may have been consistent with any number of our Losties. So who has the keys to the future and knows what all is going to happen and to whom? Who knew that our Losties had to be on Flight 815 and how did they know? Similar question applies to Desmond and how Hawking knew that the island wasn’t done with him. Are we going to have a similar jump from some future time to some past time where the folks from the future can tell the folks in the past what needs to happen?
- Most of Locke’s visits with the O6 were boring and uneventful. The best part was watching Abaddon heckle Locke after each unsuccessful recruiting attempt.
- Are we done with Walt’s story? I got the vibe that Locke was basically letting him go (”he’s been through enough” or something like that). I’m holding onto a glimmer of hope that Walt is still relevant based on his premonitions of Locke, but it just appeared that Locke was content to wish Walt a happy life. After the amount of focus on Walt for the first 2 seasons (he’s special, we got more than we bargained for, etc.), it’d be a shame for his story to just fade away. Hell, I can’t believe it’s that tough to drag Malcolm David Kelley away from Chicken Nugget commercials.
- It appears our hunch will be correct that the O6 or other members of Flight 316 will be the ones chasing Sawyer and crew in the outriggers.
- What about Ms. Hawking caused Ben to turn on a dime and go from saving Locke to killing him? Apparently Ben could not allow that meeting to take place. That twist at the end of the episode was a nice one.
Our favorite Easter Eggs from the episode:
If that wasn’t enough to satisfy your appetite, here are over 200 HQ screencaps in chronological order (use the arrow keys to go from image to image quickly):
One of the weakest episode? Done listening to you guys Bye Bye!
Seriously…… one of the weakest????? That is ridiculous. This was by far the best episode of the season, if not the past few seasons. What are you guys watching for??
This certainly wasn’t one of the weakest episodes. It was one of the better. After the debacle from last week, I was happy they cam back with this. This episode should turn out to be a turning point like the previous time traveling episodes with Desmond.
“What about Ms. Hawking caused Ben to turn on a dime and go from saving Locke to killing him? Apparently Ben could not allow that meeting to take place. That twist at the end of the episode was a nice one.”
Are you kidding? Uh…. Ben didn’t know how to get back to the Island, so he saved Locke…. Locke, like an idiot, immediately spit out the only information Ben needed from him, how to get back…. get all of the O6 and then go see Ms. Hawking. Once Ben knew this, he kills Locke because he knows Locke doesn’t have the guts to do what really needs to be done to get O6 to go back (use Jin’s ring on Sun, make Kate afraid for her child, etc).
Also, were DEFINITELY NOT done with Walt. Walt’s scene with Hurley in the mental institution is incongruous with what we saw last night. He told Hurley Bentham told him the O6 was lying to protect everyone still on the island. Obviously, Locke said no such thing… so someone will….. BEN… when he returns to Michael to try and get him to go with them.
I was wondering if the Westerfield Hotel sign was some kind of anagram? Only some of the letters are lit- what do you think?
On the Westerfield sign, I looked it up, and got a few hits that I thought were interesting (note, I only used letters that were lit, using all the letters gave me nothing):
A fellow theist
Fellow atheist
Fate while lost
I don’t know that any of those sounds great, but that’s all that sounded close to me. Any thoughts?
I have to say, I kinda agree with the weakness of this episode. The beginning up to when Locke starts visiting the O6 was great. The end starting where Abaddon was shot was epic. But the rest.. weak! I mean, seriously, we all knew what was going to happen. “Hey member of O6, come back”… “No John, you’re crazy”… blah blah blah. I did, though, enjoy the visit with Hugo, but I always enjoy JG on screen.
I may call you guys up sometime. First time here, even though I have heard of you. Didn’t know you were in Wisconsin. I serously thought I was the only person in WI that watches Lost!
This was my favorite episode this season!
this episode sucked. and was chopped full of filler and only had a few minutes of meat.
however take a closer look at the hydra notebook, looks like faraday’s notes.
I agree that this episode was weak. No drama, no real suspense, terrible writing (as has been the norm lately), and the best revelation (Locke, alive, back on the island) at the very start of the episode. Ben killing Locke was pretty startling, but it didn’t make up for 50 minutes of “blah”.
Wow… how anyone can say this episode “sucked” is wildly beyond my scope of understanding or capacity to reason. I cannot relate. I mean… this episode was so fucking incredible I almost wept, just from how incredible it was. Are you FUCKING KIDDING me? I never thought I’d offer the following sentiment: if you think this episode “sucked”, your opinion is W R O N G. This was truly one of the great episodes, and I mean GREAT. I’m really at a loss. You complete morons. You’re just stupid, you’ve made that blazingly evident. This is one of the best acted and most dynamic episodes in the history of the show. It’s top ten, without any question. Without. Any. Question. You are not equipped to talk about this show. Again: your opinion is wrong. Your opinion is derived from the dream of a fart drifting through the sunless tunnels of no tomorrow. Thank you for playing. Die.
whoah, clueless, calm down. everyone is entitled to their opinion, go read a different website if you don’t like it.
i thought it was okay. nothing great or unexpected. it was totally necessary to set up a new part of the show… like a new pilot. it’s clear now that the whole time it’s been ben v. widmore, and our losties are just pawns that might have changed the game.
the bit about faraday’s notes in the hydra file threw me for a loop… wtf is up with that?!
I love the scene with Locke about to hang himself and Ben Linus kneeling before him in the shadows. Certainly a biblical reference, almost like Christ on the cross. Probaly the best two actors and best performance of this season. The war is coming and its good vs evil. I hope Locke can finally stand up (no pun intented) for himself and fight for the right side.
am i crazy or is Ben wearing the same shirt after the plane crash that he was wearing when he called Jack from the marina? i think he’s also carrying the same jacket from the marina pay phone scene onto the plane with him… wouldn’t these items have been all bloody from the marina, so that he would have gotten new ones to wear on a flight?
one other thing keeps bothering me. there has to be a relatively easy way to get on/off the island - remember they were using a submarine before? no one had to turn a wheel. and didn’t Tom show up in NY with Michael,saying something like he came and went all the time? why must they all crash again??
Because Ben “moved” the Island and has caused it to jump through time they no long have a “bearing” to follow, also it is possible that there was a period of time when the “window” was open for an extended period. We know that somehow Widmore found the Island previously, so it is obviously not completely impossible to find just extremely difficult on a good day. In the past there have been “relatively easy” ways to move from/to the Island, this appears to no longer be the case for many reasons, some of which are probably not apparent at the moment.
Yeah I don’t know why people think this was a weak episode. I thought it was great, but I’m just one of those people that enjoys the show. My approach isn’t that of a food critic. I thought “Note for the clueless”s comment was hilarious, but a little over the top.
This episode was great because of the scene with Widmore and Locke, and the one with Jack and locke in the hospital, and the one with Locke about to kill himself. Some people seem to have a bias against episodes that don’t happen on the island.
Well, since you all have certainly taken enough heat on the whole “worst episode” thing, I won’t add to the fire, despite saying that I respectfully disagree. Although I can see your point that parts of this episode were a bit of a letdown, but there were also parts that were downright amazing. Another f–ing plane has crashed on the island!!! Locke rose from the dead. Thats enough to keep my attention. The only part I thought was really dull were his visits to the O6, since we’ve heard about them since season three in every other flashforward/back and around via all six characters and Ben before getting it from Locke’s perspective. I think the writers did well in getting us back to the island sooner rather than later. We’re all ready for that!
One of the things I love about your podcast is the disclaimer you always offer when disliking an episode that there is no bad episode of Lost…the worst being far better than any other show on television. I wish that the fans of Lost did more of that for Darelton’s sake anyway because they do pay a lot of attention to the boards and what not and from their podcasts it seems its a little disillusioning for them at times. Lost is like that intense love affair that you always fight with, but only because its that intense and because you actually care that much. I like Scott’s food critic comparison, that is a great way to put it and exactly how I feel about the Lost.
Regardless of whether I agree or disagree with your review of this week’s episode I applaud you for having an opinion in the first place and providing a forum for us to discuss the best show on television. Unlike many of the other podcasts I think you guys give your opinion in a very mature and professional non-shock jockish style—that so many other podcasts and review shows feel compelled to adopt. Thanks for your hard work.
I agree w/ this article
The episode in the middle was dull…
However, i do agree that Locke coming back to life was HUGE, plane crash HUGE, abaddon dying HUGE, Walt? GINORMOUS!!!!!!
lol
but you know what, even though it’s a dull episode in my opinion, amazing scenes occured which makes this the best television show ever