I am – Hercules!!

They have Jack Shephard’s permanent record. They know Sawyer’s real name. They have CD players and CDs to stick in those CD players. They seem connected to the world beyond Dharma Island.

So what are "The Others" up to??

With last week’s season premiere, my “like” needle on the “Lost” meter got seriously buried in the “love” field. 3.1 is my favorite episode since the pilot.

I feel obliged to point out that "Lost” is three for three in the season-premiere department. That episode kicked my ass. Very hard. There is a soreness in my hinder region. 3.1 was so much fun I didn't miss Eko or Locke or Hurley at all. Which is saying something.

Thanks to the producers for the superior writing, and for hiring Elizabeth Mitchell. Who remains hot enough to turn Kerry Weaver gay. She's even worth giving up Cynthia Watros.

And I liked that Jack’s flashbacks were nice and short. The way I like them when they don’t seem to have much to say about what’s going on with Dharma Island. The long flashbacks I liked – and I suspect most viewers liked - last season belonged to 1) the all-flashback episode with the tail-section survivors, 2) Claire in the medical station, 3) Michael in the faux Others camp, and 4) Desmond’s tale of Kelvin and the Swan Station.

Now they need to hire Charisma Carpenter to replace Michelle Rodriguez. They know they want to! They’re thinking about it right now, aren't they? Cheeky monkeys! Veronica doesn't need her anymore; make it so!

Damon Lindelof, who co-scripted last week’s episode with J.J. Abrams, wrote me a few hours after the premiere and suggested I’d find special value, perhaps, in tonight’s final scene.

The second of six new “Lost” episodes in a row (before the show disappears for the rest of the year), "The Glass Ballarina" is Kwon-centric. Television Without Pity’s “Lost” insider, “secretagentman” says Sun will dream a dream set eight years in the future. ABC says:

Sayid's plan to locate Jack places Sun and Jin's lives in grave danger. Meanwhile, Kate and Sawyer are forced to work in harsh conditions by their captors, and Henry makes a very tempting offer to Jack that may prove difficult to refuse. Guest starring are M.C. Gainey as Mr. Friendly, Tania Raymonde as Alex, Paula Malcolmson as Colleen, Michael Bowen as Pickett, Byron Chung as Mr. Paik, Tony Lee as Jae Lee, Sophie Kim as young Sun, Joah Buley as Luke, Tomiko Okhee Lee as Mrs. Lee and Teddy Wells as other.

9 p.m. Wednesday. ABC.

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