Lost: Episode 4.1 "The Beginning of the End"

"You got yourself good and lost out here," Locke to Hurley after finding him in the jungle.

Lost is back and I am pleased. The first episode of the fourth season "The Beginning of the End" was exciting, surprising, and advanced the series' story arc. No episode will probably ever match the suspense of the first season finale, but the fourth season opener was better than 98% of series TV.

Of all the tragedies that have fallen on the survivors of Oceanic Flight 815, the greatest is that any real joy or pleasure happens only for a moment. It ends as easily as it starts.

This was never clearer than when Hurley "cannon balls" into the surf. After running to the beach and grinning from ear to ear like a child, he comes out of the water to see Desmond coming back to the beach without Charlie (who is now dead). From there, we go immediately to the drama that sees the survivors divide over whether Jack contacting Naomi's ship has saved or doomed them. This, finally, is the Jack/Locke schism that has been three seasons coming. The Jack-ites vs. the Locke-ites... Tribe 1, Tribe 2... No one, Sayid, Claire, Jack... is allowed to be happy for long.

What I want to see this season:
1) An explanation of what Naomi's people really want,
2) Some freaking answers about the real properties of the island,
3) More Libby,
4) An answer to whether Jacob is a future Locke,
5) More about the four-toes statue and the temple,
6) Desmond's back story in the British Army in Iraq and tied to Sayid's story, and
7) An episode told entirely from Vincent's perspective.

What I don't want to see this season:
1) Nicky and Paulo back from the dead,
2) The monster (its soooo 2005),
3) Writing that isn't focussed dramatic and well, twisty!

One last thought: was anyone else surprised that Kate was prepared to leave the Island? She knows she's going to be hunted. Is wanting to leave about wanting to be with Jack?

B.