COWBOY PETE–“LOST” AND “ALIAS”

Catching up, let’s take a look at the JJ Abrams hour on Wednesday nights.

LOST: Maybe this is the wrong approach to take, but I wouldn’t be the least bit bothered if we NEVER found out what was going on, because the mystery is not, in the least bit, getting in the way of telling intriguing stories. And really, that’s what it’s all about.

There’s certainly been some bizarre developments. The kinda sorta but not really incestuous brother/sister relationship. The compelling kidnapping storyline. The various flirtations, and the sense that Ricardo Montalban could still step out from behind a tree at any time to welcome them all. But for my money, the most intriguing duo remain Jin and Sun. I loved the deft switch in POV in which events that were witnessed by Sun now are fully revealed as Jin’s POV is presented (although what the HÊLL was Hurley doing on the TV that the little girl was watching, climbing into a car?) And really, how can you not love an episode that ends with a sexy woman in a bikini standing on the surf.

I understand that some folks are supposedly griping because the answers to mysteries are slow in coming. Screw ’em. I’m along for the ride for as long as they go.

ALIAS: Although there’s a superficial sense that this season has been a massive reset to the show’s first seasons, it’s not really. In those days, Sydney was a double agent. Now, all cards are on the table, with the hostilities out on the table. I agreed with those who felt it questionable that Syd would climb into bed (so to speak) with the guy who ordered the hit on her fiance, but I believe last week’s episode addressed the question thoroughly, and I”m satisfied with it for the time being. And personally, if I never heard the name “Rimbaldi” again, I’d be happy, because that really WAS a mystery that I felt was being made up as they went (as opposed to “Lost” where I have a sense that they know where they’re going.) Unfortunately the good ship Rimbaldi is cruising back at us, but on the other hand, Gina Torres is back, so you gotta take the bad with the good.

I still haven’t entirely made up my mind about Nadia. Having two people who can more or less do what Syd does not only dilutes Sydney, but makes me feel less like it’s an interesting plot development and more a hedged bet should Jennifer Garner want out to pursue a movie career. And I mourn the loss of Syd’s mother if for no other reason was that one of my absolute favorite “Alias” moments was when the Bristow clan went undercover, complete with Syd as a bored gum-chewing daughter.

Highlight of the season was the episode set in the fake city being used by Russian spies to study up on being Americans. I know it’s been done before, but still, it was nicely done. And I’m pleased to see Dixon back out in the field since he was absolutely wasted the previous season. Basically I’m still assessing what I think overall, but if nothing else, it’s good to see the series being run over an unbroken period of 22 weeks rather than breaks of a couple of months so that whatever urgency the series builds up dissipates.

PAD