Welcome to Lost for the forseeable future - stuck in the Dharma days as we get to know the mystery of the Dharma Inititive, a mystery that we have always wanted to know for the past couple of seasons. I was so happy in the beginning of the episode when we saw a full version of the statue, but then I laughed when I realized we weren't really going to see the full statue in this episode - only the backside of it. I have thought for a long time that the statue was going to be Richard Alpert - because it makes sense. However, I have recently read a theory regarding Daniel Faraday which seems like it could be pretty good. Very happy to see them show the full statue and even happier (now) not knowing what it is because the rest of the episode turned out to be fantastic, pulling in right behind "316" as number one for the season for me.
I loved the Richard Alpert / Sawyer scene. Sawyer kind of takes his "Head of Security" role in this episode. I'm not sure if we will get more flashbacks to 1971 - 1974 or if that was kind of it. These are the kinds of things that the writers can decide and I'll be fine with either way. They could show some stories during the past three years or they could just go from here and use Kate and Hurley as the primary flashback devices in this time era.
Another big scene that I predicted (and enjoyed) was the Juliet Sawyer being together three years into the future. Everyone kind of saw it coming as soon as Jack and Kate hooked up off the island. It made sense that Sawyer and Juliet would do something on the island, making it interesting when Jack and Kate get back. I loved Sawyer's "I don't even remember her face" line. He seems like he could be over her, but I expect a dark future for Juliet and Sawyer. It's really hard to imagine the time difference here. Sawyer knew Kate for 110 days before she left the island, which took up 4 seasons of show and its hard to make the connection that Juliet / Sawyer have been going at each other now for over 1000 days because we have only seen it in one episode. I do hope that Sawyer stays with Juliet, but I sense some fighting on the horizon over the return of Kate.
Loved the explainations in the beginning by a very "out of it" Daniel Faraday. The island has stopped moving through time thanks to whatever Locke did down in the Donkey wheel area. Again - explained very well and acted out very well. Overall, blockbuster episode that I think really symbolizes the return of the season for me. I have a felling the second half is going to be far stronger then the first half as its more my LOST "style".
1. 316 - 9.8
2. Lafluer - 9.6 (For Now)
3. Because You Left - 9.3
4. This Place Is Death - 9.1
5. Jughead - 9.0
6. The Life and Death of Jeremey Bentham - 8.9
7. The Little Prince - 8.8
8. The Lie - 8.7