KOA Reviews LOST: Season One, Episode Four - WALKABOUT

The Losties are beginning to settle in on the island and attempting to forge relationships with one another. The U.S. Marshall is now dead, after Sawyer shot him to relieve him from his pain. However, something is going on with this Locke character? Something is going on with him.

Season One - Episode Four- WALKABOUT

SYNOPSIS

Flashback to Locke's life before Flight 815: his job, time in Australia, the crash...and a major secret is revealed. The camp is invaded and Sawyer's scavenging falls under scrutiny. Food runs out and Locke comes up with a solution. Jack organizes the handling of the dead and a memorial service is arranged. Rose has everyone concerned. When Boone and Shannon end up at odds, Shannon enlists Charlie's help just to spite Boone. Sun strikes up a friendship with Walt. Michael and Kate escape something in the jungle.

MY TAKE (88/100)

This just might be one of my favorite episodes. It has everything you could possibly ask for in a LOST episode. It has mystery, a great flashback, drama, and a handful of humor thrown in as well. When I was watching LOST for the first time, this episode stood out, and had me more than intrigued as what was going on. In season one, it is obvious, stuff goes down when John Locke is involved.

FLASHBACK STORY LINE (15/15)

Good flashbacks have a connection to what is going on with the island. Great flashbacks do more. They tell a separate story, but then transition it to the island, typically seamlessly. This is what happens in Walkabout with Locke. We see him working at a dead-end job (it appears) and taking crap from his boss. Locke continually mentions this walkabout deal, and it all leads up to the end when he is finally told he cannot go by the head walkabout guy. The big surprise will be discussed later, but the transition occurs with Locke's line, "Don't tell me what I can't do."

ACTING (15/15)

It's all about John Locke (Terry O'Quinn), and even though he did not win any awards for this performance, he most certainly should have. O'Quinn does not give away his secret throughout the episode, and the passionate way he talks about the walkabout, you begin to emphasize with him. You feel bad that he believes some girl on the phone he pays to talk to, doesn't like him the way he likes her. He is mysterious yet strangely reliable. Top notch performance.

ADVANCE OF STORY (13/15)

Had lots of stuff going down in this episode. There is the fuselage being burnt. Sayid trying to triangulate the signal he heard from the transceiver. We have Kate, Locke and Michael going out on a boar hunt, and Locke coming back with the goods. We see that Jack has some issues with leadership as well. The LOST story is officially in motion.

KEY MOMENT (10/10)

There is no question as to what the key moment here was. It was the big surprise that was revealed at the end. More to come.

SHOCK VALUE (10/10)

Plenty to talk about here as well. There are the boar's at the very beginning that come out of the fuselage. We hear the monster again, and this time it is coming right at Locke and appears to get right in his face, but does not hurt him at all. And then there is the ending to consider. Bonus points would have been allotted, if allowed here.

ISLAND MYSTERY (7/10)

Any time the monster comes out, this category gets some points. The rest come from Jack seeing a strange figure out in the distance. It appears to be someone he is familiar with as he goes chasing after it the second time he sees it. And another mysterious element to the island is added.

LOSTIES UNITED (7/10)

Everyone gathers to hear the noise from the fuselage at the beginning, but it doesn't have much to do with unity of the Losties. However, the scene that sticks out is when Locke throws the knife right next to Sawyer. Jack turns and says, "You either have great aim, or lousy aim." On the flip side, Hurley and Charlie get together for the first time, as they begin a long series of comical moments. This one involved them trying to catch some fish.

THE END (5/5)

Okay, the ending. The big shocker. Here we go. Locke was in a wheel-chair before the crash. Before the crash he was paralyzed. He couldn't walk. But, after the plane crashes he can now miraculously walk. Incredible. You get the sense that this is truly a special place. Walkabout ends with Locke smiling while looking at the wheel-chair off in the distance. Did I say incredible already?

HUMOR (3/5)

Sawyer comes up with a great line at the beginning. When Jack assumes that Sawyer is the one in the fuselage causing the disturbance, Sawyer comes behind Jack and says, "Right behind ya Doc ... jack-ass." The entire Charlie-Hurley sequence of catching fish was great as well.

OTHER INTANGIBLES (3/5)

The entire Locke-wheel-chair-can walk revelation had outstanding music behind it. Besides that, there was Charlie getting used by Shannon to catch fish, which really didn't serve a purpose. Rose believes her husband is still alive, but it seems like a pipe-dream at this point in time.

- BEST QUOTE - Locke (telling the others how they will solve the food problem, right after throwing a knife towards Sawyer), "We hunt."

We have White Rabbit coming up next.

"See ya in another life brotha."