Television Review: Through the Looking Glas, Part I (Lost, S3X22, 2007)

Through the Looking Glass, Part I (S03E22)

Airdate: 23 May 2007

Written by: Carlton Cuse & Damond Lindelof
Directed by: Jack Bender

Running Time: 43 minutes

Before the final curtain falls on Season 3, with the producers having already announced that the series will ultimately conclude in 2010, one might reasonably expect a shift in narrative momentum. The show had been building towards its endgame for three years, and the looming deadline suggested a departure from the sprawling, multi-episode mysteries that had characterised the earlier seasons. However, looking back at Through the Looking Glass, Part I, it becomes clear that, even before the actual end of the season, Lost remained stubbornly chained to its narrative formula and an antiquated format that frustrated many viewers. The grand feature-length season finale, despite being originally aired as a whole, had to be artificially divided into two parts, resulting in annoying mini-cliffhangers at the halfway point that disrupted the flow of the narrative. While Part I sets the stage for the climax, it is inevitably weighed down by the expectations of the finale format and the lingering sense that the show was still adhering to rigid structures rather than taking the narrative risks fans were hoping for.

The central plot of this episode, as suggested by the title, focuses on the journey towards resolving the main cliffhanger: Charlie’s willingness to dive into the abandoned Looking Glass undersea facility, accepting his death to switch off the Others’ jamming signal. Charlie’s confidence in his mission is palpable, a testament to the character’s growth and his understanding of the island’s mechanics. However, the narrative treats this moment with the requisite tension, as Charlie finds himself captive of two women, Bonnie (Tracy Mindendorf) and Greta (Lana Parrilla), who promptly inform Ben of the new development. The situation escalates further when two more figures arrive at the facility: Desmond, desperate to help his friend but forced into hiding from armed guards, and Mikhail, a man sent by Ben to eliminate Charlie and the entire Looking Glass crew. A crucial element of the plot here is the revelation that Ben was not entirely forthcoming with his people about the operational status of the facility and the actual jamming of the signal. This deception would fatally undermine his authority, a political intrigue that adds a layer of subtext to the physical action.

Simultaneously, a separate crisis unfolds on the beach, where neither the Losties’ nor the Others’ plans are realised as anticipated. The Others’ raid on the marked tents leads to a disastrous ambush. Sayid and Bernard, armed with rifles, manage to blow up the dynamite, a move that kills seven out of ten raiders but leaves the survivors in disarray. Jin proves less efficient with his handgun, allowing the remainder of the raider party to capture him and his two comrades. It does not take much for Bernard, with Jin’s life being threatened, to crack and give up the Losties’ location of the radio tower. Upon hearing this, Ben orders the prisoners to be kept alive for the time being, but he, accompanied by Alex, rushes towards the radio tower, confident that he can talk the Losties out of using it. In the meantime, Sawyer, oblivious to the fate of his friends, decides to abandon Jack’s party entirely and gets accompanied by Juliet. They respectfully refuse Hurley’s offer to help them in their mission, highlighting the fractured alliances and the growing independence of the survivors.

The episode concludes with a dramatic cliffhanger involving a character whose fate had been left in limbo. John Locke lies in a ditch, surrounded by the remains of Dharma Initiative employees. He has been shot and is apparently unable to move his leg. In a moment of pure desperation, he manages to obtain a revolver belonging to one of the skeletons and decides to turn it on himself. In that very moment, Walt suddenly appears and tells him that he has to climb out of the ditch and that he has “work to do.” This ending is theatrical and mystically convenient, leaving viewers to question whether Walt is a real manifestation or a vision, similar to those experienced by previous characters on the island.

The episode also treats us with an obligatory flashback, again dealing with Jack, a character whose story has dominated the series. The time period covered is immediately after his divorce, a period Jack took so hard that he began to drink and even went to the bridge to contemplate leaping to his death. Just as he is about to do it, a horrific car accident happens, and he has to rescue an eight-year-old boy and his mother from a burning car. He is subsequently considered a hero, and is briefly visited by visibly pregnant Sarah, who expresses concern for his wellbeing. This flashback, which initially looked so prefunctory and pointless—almost another Jack-centric flashback in Stranger in a Strange Land, an episode widely considered to be the series’ nadir—becomes something completely different due to the incredible twist producers have delivered in the episode’s second part. In retrospect, the flashback served as a crucial setup for the finale’s revelation, but in isolation, it felt like a distraction from the main action.

Written by the reliable duo of Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof, and directed by the steady hand of Jack Bender, the episode is solid in a strictly technical sense. It provides some answers about the Others and Ben’s leadership, revealing to Alex that Ben’s mistreatment of her boyfriend Karl was motivated by fear of her getting pregnant, a death sentence on the Island. However, it also starts new questions, making the ultimate loyalty of Ben’s people more complex. While the script offers character depth, it also shows some features that have frustrated fans during Season 3, particularly the reliance on flashbacks that often feel disconnected from the present-day action.

There are some interesting, although not entirely successful, attempts to make connections between various segments of the episode. One such connection is the juxtaposition of both Jack and Locke—two major opposites in terms of worldviews and rivals for the survivors' leadership—showing suicidal tendencies. Jack contemplates suicide on a bridge, while Locke contemplates it in a ditch. While this suggests a thematic link between the characters, it looks more gimmicky than effective or insightful, serving as a visual callback rather than a profound character study.

The script is somewhat more successful in handling the love square involving Jack, Kate, Sawyer, and Juliet. Jack shares the kiss with Juliet, apparently admitting at least some of the attraction. At the same time, he makes the tactical decision to send Juliet with Sawyer because he did not want Kate to get hurt while following him. Later, he explains that he did this because “he loved her,” a line that attempts to clarify his feelings and his motivations. This interaction fleshes out the romantic dynamics, providing a moment of genuine tension and character development amidst the chaos.

Furthermore, the episode handles the night shootout in the Looking Glass facility in a simple, effective, and relatively realistic manner, with no clear victors. The practical effects and the choreography convey the chaos of the situation without relying on excessive CGI or melodramatic slow-motion. This grounded approach to the action grounds the episode in reality, even as the supernatural elements of the island begin to encroach.

Despite the actual mini-cliffhanger that ends the episode looking a little bit theatrical and mystically convenient—whether Walt is real or the vision—Part I of Through the Looking Glass is a satisfactory introduction to the actual finale. It moves the plot forward with the requisite urgency, sets the stakes for the final act, and delivers the necessary emotional beats for the characters. While it suffers from the lingering issues of the show's formulaic structure, it effectively builds tension and leaves the audience desperate for the resolution that follows.

RATING: 6/10 (++)

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