I am – Hercules!!

We were saving this for Wednesday, but Entertainment Weekly arrived today with its review of “Lost” 3.7 (the magazine gives it an “A”). Then a publicist for the show wrote to encourage us to post early. So …

“So you people are just … whatever’s left over of them.”
“That was a long time ago.”

LOST 3.7 FAQ

What’s it called?
“Not in Portland.”

Who’s responsible?
Teleplay is credited to Carlton Cuse (“I Do”) and Jeff Pinkner (“The Glass Ballerina”).

What does ABC say?
“Jack is in command as the fate of Ben's life literally rests in his hands. Meanwhile, Kate and Sawyer find an ally in one of "The Others," and Juliet makes a shocking decision that could endanger her standing with her people. Guest starring are Robin Weigert as Rachel, M.C. Gainey as Mr. Friendly/Tom, William Mapother as Ethan, Blake Bashoff as Karl, Tania Raymonde as Alex, Michael Bowen as Pickett, Ariston Green as Jason, Teddy Wells as Ivan, Nestor Carbonell as Richard Alpert, Steve Labrash as morgue employee, Kimberly Estrada as Sherry, Rob McElhenney as Aldo and Zeljko Ivanek as Edmund.”

Robin Weigert is Calamity Jane on “Deadwood”! Who is Rachel?
Juliet’s sister.

The big news?
This is the best episode of “Lost” since its third-season premiere. Also? We learn Juliet knocked up a male field mouse.

What else is ABC not telling us?
It’s the first Juliet-centric episode, but it also clears up a lot of the mystery surrounding Alex, the youngster who helped pregnant Claire escape The Others’ medical facility way back in the middle of season one.

I’m thinking Juliet was maybe just testing Jack when she asked him to kill Ben. Do we learn this week whether or not she was merely tricking Jack?
We do.

Do we learn this week if Juliet went to medical school on Dharma Island?
We do. And we learn precisely how long Juliet has listed Dharma Island as her home address.

Do we learn this week why The Others don’t just take Ben to a friendlier spinal surgeon back in the world?
We do.

What’s doing with Hurley?
As with 3.1, the only original cast members who appear in 3.7 are Jack, Kate and Sawyer. That means no Hurley, no Locke, no Sayid, no Jin, no Sun, no Claire, no Charlie. Also? No Desmond, no Penelope Widmore, no Charles Widmore, no Danielle Roussou, no Rose, no Bernard, no Nikki, no Paulo.

Do we learn this week why The Others asked specifically for Jack Shephard, Kate Austin, Hugo Reyes and James Ford?
No.

Do we learn why The Others decided to put Sawyer and Kate to work moving rocks around?
No.

Do we learn why The Others are so keen on kidnapping children?
No.

Do we learn what The Others were doing to Walt?
No.

Do we learn why Shannon saw Walt’s doppelganger in the woods the day she died?
No.

Do we learn why Libby pretended not to know Hurley?
No.

Do we learn why the world doesn’t blow up now that Swan Station, which somehow protected the world, has been destroyed?
No.

Do we learn how Desmond survived the destruction of Swan Station, or how he acquired clairvoyance?
No.

Are we given any clues as to how Penelope and Charles Widmore fit into what’s going on?
We are not.

Do we learn if Ben Linus built the smoke monster?
We do not.

Does the smoke monster eat anybody this week?
No. The smoke monster gets the week off.

Is the mighty Hercules telling us what’s not in the episode because he’s prohibited from revealing too much about what is in the episode?
Very likely.

What’s good?
The many surprises. All the screen time allotted Elizabeth Mitchell’s kisser. Jack and Sawyer taking care of business.

What’s not so good?
Jack gets some alone time with Friendly, but doesn’t bother to ask a lot of the questions he and the viewers have stockpiled.

How does it end, spoiler-boy?
After some prompting, Juliet reveals to Jack something Ben told her, then trots off.

Herc’s rating for “Lost” 3.7?
***1/2

10 p.m. Wednesday. ABC.

Season Sets Under $20!!

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The Story Ends Here!!

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows!!