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 3 was for me a solid if uneven season, with many brilliant episodes but a few slightly underwhelming ones, an inconsistent first part of the season and containing one of 'Lost's' low points "Stranger in a Strange Land". Season 4 had a good amount to live up, and its first episode "The Beginning of the End", was a brilliant start. The following episodes between that and this were generally strong, with "The Constant" being a season and show high-point although "Eggtown" and "The Other Woman" disappointed.
The episode has much of what 'Lost' is all about. It's taut and thought-provoking, with utterly gripping and beautifully developed events. There are a fair share of revelations, ones that are not foreseen or clumsy, and shows plot progression rather than repeating itself or being filler.
Found that the ending, while shocking, happens agreed too suddenly and out-of-the-blue.
"Meet Kevin Johnson" has a great deal of tension and that there are little present-day island events doesn't matter outside of Ben and with Locke's camp. Michael's return is handled beautifully and intriguingly and doesn't waste the potential it had at all. The flashbacks are actually illuminating and very emotionally investable and avoid falling into soap-opera territory.
Can't fault the performances, particularly Harold Perrineau and Michael Emerson.
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).
Overall, great. 9/10 Bethany Cox