Lost (TV Series) Do No Harm (2005) User Reviews

"Let me go, Jack."

[MaxBorg89 · 10/10 · 6 November 2010]

Like most TV dramas, Lost saves the big emotional moments for the latter half of the season, and Do No Harm stands out as the episode with the most at stake, featuring a series of situations that provide plenty of build-up for the season finale.

Picking up from the end of Deus Ex Machina, Boone is seriously wounded, with a collapsed lung and a crushed leg. With Locke missing and Jack not really believing his story regarding the origin of the injuries, tensions are already high when a race against the clock to save Boone's life begins. Meanwhile, Sayid and Shannon take their relationship further, and Claire goes into labor, causing part of the survivors to help her and Charlie to freak out.

Jack's determination to fix Boone is reflected in the flashbacks, which depict the events leading up to his wedding. It is revealed that the bride, Sarah (Julie Bowen, who has previously guest starred on another show with Matthew Fox, namely Party of Five), was originally a patient who many believed to be beyond help. Jack saved her, but is now uncertain when it comes to writing his vows. Help comes from an unlikely source: his father.

Although nearly every cast member gets something to do, the episode belongs to Somerhalder and Fox: the former finally gets a really big moment in the spotlight (Hearts and Minds notwithstanding), enhancing the script's emotional power with a compelling, vulnerable performance; the latter, benefiting from another solid chunk of back-story, emerges more prominently as the show's real human anchor, while also showing a tougher side with a deliciously bad-ass closing line that qualifies as one of the program's most mouth-watering cliffhangers.

Life and Death

[FlikJedi719 · 10/10 · 8 January 2020]

This episode showcases another tool in the Lost playbook: Michael Giacchino's score. While this is not the first time we have heard the themes of the track "Life and Death" , it is by far the most powerful thus far. Boone's death and the birth of Claire's baby, with Giacchino's score playing over silent visuals, demands a powerful emotional response as we bounce back and forth from joy (Kate successfully delivered Claire's baby) to sorrow (Shannon hearing the news that Boone has passed).

Matthew Fox's (Jack) acting is again on display in this episode as well. This is a great episode all around from storytelling, to acting, to the musical score.

Do No Harm is a 10/10.

Outstanding episode

[liooizki · 10/10 · 16 June 2020]

In this episode I went through a lot of emotions in barely ten minutes. Absolutely rollercoaster between crying and smiling and laughing. Outstanding

Does no harm to the show at all

[TheLittleSongbird · 10/10 · 12 January 2018]

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.

"Do No Harm", as said in the review summary, does no harm to the show at all...quite the opposite. It may not quite advance the mysteries of the island as other Season 1, and since, episodes do, but it is a turning point character-wise for Jack, with some of the meatiest material he's had all season. It is also demonstrative that it was a real shame that Boone was gotten rid of so early when he was starting to really grow as a character.

Matthew Fox and Ian Somerhalder are exceptional here, Fox gives Jack humanity and toughness and Somerhalder is incredibly moving. Their scenes in "Do No Harm" are emotionally gut-wrenching, devastating and not an easy watch. Jack's flashbacks actually add to his character, rather than reiterating what is already known, and they don't distract from the main story either, in fact it adds to Jack's motivations.

The rest of the cast and characters are also compelling and far from wasted, especially with the labour subplot, but it's Jack and Boone's show all the way.

Visually, "Do No Harm" is slickly shot and makes the most of the beautiful but mysterious island. The direction is skilful in one of the season's better directed episodes, succeeding in getting the best out of the story's themes and bringing out the emotional power, intensity and urgency needed adeptly.

Regarding the writing, it is some of the season's best, smartest and tautest. There is not a dull spot in the story and the music is typically understated yet chilling.

Overall, a season high point. 10/10 Bethany Cox

One Life Goes and Another Arrives in the Island

[claudio_carvalho · 9/10 · 13 April 2006]

John Locke brings the wounded Boone Carlyle to the caves and Dr. Jack Shephard realizes that he has severe internal injures, his lungs are perforated and his leg has an exposed fracture. Dr. Jack tries to fix Boone without the necessary resources, and recalls his former patient and fiancée Sarah (Julie Bowen), his engagement party and their vows. Meanwhile Claire is having contractions in the woods, and Kate helps her to deliver the baby. Shannon Rutherford is spending the night with Sayid Jarrah in a remote part of the beach.

"Do not Harm" is probably one of the most dramatic episode of "Lost", exposing many emotional situations simultaneously. The conclusion of the story is very tense, with Dr. Jack ready to chase Locke. I am absolutely impressed with the beauty of the Australian actress Emilie de Ravin. My vote is nine.

Title (Brazil: "Do Not Harm"

Note: On 22 March 2013, I saw this episode again.

Life and Death

[gridoon2024 · 8/10 · 9 May 2009]

My one major reservation about "Do No Harm" is that it is a Jack-centric episode, and in my opinion it should have been a Boone-centric. Obviously Jack is a more important character in the vast scheme of things (and Matthew Fox gives an extremely convincing performance here), but he already had two Season 1 episodes devoted to him (+ arguably the most screen time in the Pilot of the show), and he would go on to have many more. On the other hand, Boone got only one episode ("Hearts And Minds"), and "Do No Harm" was his farewell to the show (not counting his guest appearances in "Exodus", "Abandoned", "Further Instructions" and "Expose"). I think there was more of his backstory to be told, maybe through early childhood flashbacks, his growing up with Shannon and slowly falling in love with her, etc. Instead, we get Jack's flashbacks, which, although they do provide new information (Jack's marriage), feel VERY loosely linked to the current events on the island. But enough complaints; "Do No Harm" is still generally compelling, and although it is probably the most tragic episode of LOST up to that point (there are barely any humorous lines), it handles the tragedy in a tasteful manner, and finds room for a ray of hope (Claire giving birth to a healthy baby). It may also be the first Season 1 episode that gives Sun and Jin a chance to shine outside of their "own" episodes: Sun becomes Jack's most useful assistant as he's trying to save Boone, while Jin finally drops the hard exterior on the island and jumps around with joy after Claire's baby is born. *** out of 4.

Life and death

[raj-bhullar · 8/10 · 8 June 2022]

This episode is powerful in the sense that it shows you both happy and sad moments. A main character dies and there's a birth of a boy at the same time. In the end Jack thinks that John Locke murdered Boone. Episode can feel a little dragged out. Flashbacks of Jacks life didn't lead to anything and felt meaningless. May be it will be fleshed out later. But overall a good episode. 8/10.

Unpleasant but solid episode

[ametaphysicalshark · 31 July 2008]

Janet Tamaro's only script for "Lost", "Do No Harm" is one of the most unpleasant episodes of the show and really quite hard to sit through, but it's a solid dramatic effort which emphasizes some of Jack's key character traits while developing his relationship with his wife. The island events deal with the aftermath of Boone's fall from the Nigerian drug plane while Claire gives birth to Aaron and Sayid takes Shannon for a romantic dinner.

The flashback scenes with Jack are the highlight of the episode, although the final five minutes feature wonderful use of montage to contrast birth and death, and Jack's mute conversation with Shannon is very tastefully-shot and acted and is quite powerful. We see Christian Shepard again, a fascinating character used well here.

I was personally sad to see Boone go as I found him quite an engaging character, but his death was handled quite well overall.

There's not really much to say about this episode. It's a straightforward drama with nothing new to add to the mythology or characters other than the two major events already covered.

7.5/10

The best

[sssssmahdisssss · 10/10 · 19 November 2023]

This series is very underrated. I love that. Very perfect and very informative. Especially this episode. I cried at last of that. I think the writer of this episode is a great man or woman( I don't know him unfortunately) after this review I'll read about this incredible person. And my question is why this series doesn't have the best rate of series. I wish at least this episode had 10.

It showed as best as somebody can how hard and complicating is what a doctor does. And what a man does when he is on the edge of life and what a man does when he really care about others. I like it. Thank you all that made this series thanks for every moment of that.

Boone

[gedikreverdi · 10 November 2021]

Jack's operating on Boone who fell off the cliffs. Jack had married to the woman he saved when she was critically injured. Jack wanted to amputate Boone's leg but Boone wanted to die. He died before he got to say he loved Shannon. Claire finally had a child. Jack thinks he didn't die but murdered by Locke.