After watching this episode AGAIN on Sky I have decided to give it a 9, I had forgotten just how good this episode actually is...
What can I say...
Sayids jibe at Desmond fantastic...
Ekos flashback / death scene fantastic...
The whole Jack/Ben/Juliet situation fantastic...
But...
Now to do a US fan and nitpick to the extreme...
The scene with Nikki (the 'TV' expert) in the hatch was a-little poor for me, talk about stating the obvious and Paulo with his 'toilet' humour wasn't much better. This part made 'the God of Lost' and Sayid look like morons and that cant be allowed to happen, this scene stopped it from getting a Perfect 10, but hey!, Unlike the US fans I don't expect perfection week in, week out and will let it slide.
Now to do a US fan and nitpick to the extreme...
The scene with Nikki (the 'TV' expert) in the hatch was a-little poor for me, talk about stating the obvious and Paulo with his 'toilet' humour wasn't much better. This part made 'the God of Lost' and Sayid look like morons and that cant be allowed to happen, this scene stopped it from getting a Perfect 10, but hey!, Unlike the US fans I don't expect perfection week in, week out and will let it slide.
Brilliant episode overall
C u all next week, same time, same place...
Another Good Episode. I must admit i didn't like how Nikki and Paolo were suddenly brought into the foreground like they've been there all the time and thrown into the action. Think they could have introduced them to us at a more gradual pace. Loved the scenes with Jack also. I wonder if Juliet is as sweet and innocent as she makes out, i think there something bit sinister about her.
Actually, I liked Desmond's jibe at Sayid a LOT better, Simon!
If you've been reading us Yanks' thread about this eppy, you know that we are in almost TOTAL agreement with you regarding the Paulo/Nikki scene in the Pearl. (Actually, we are pretty much disgusted that Paulo and Nikki are even on the show, but that's another topic! )
Now that you've seen this eppy, you should click on over to the Yank "Cost of Living" thread and read our stuff. Even post comments!
What'd you think of Smokey flinging Eko around like he was a feather? For lots of us, this was pretty over the top. Just showing Smokey coming at Eko, then cutting back to the Pearl, then having the gang find Eko's beaten body--without us having seen the details of what happened--would've been better. Some things are best left to the imagination. Something the LOST writers really ought to know by now.
I liked this episode, it weren't the best but still i liked it. I reckon even if Juliets lieing about saying Ben is dangerous, Jack will go through with her plan and
Personally, I would say this episode was the best (so-far) of the mini-season, despite Eko's death (which was a shame, I liked the character).
Even my mother, who's not been too impressed with recent form enjoyed the episode.
I'm still unsure how to deal with Juliet. I mean, the Others are masters of mind games, so this could be the ultimate mind game, trying to get Jack to think he's saving himself, when in reality, he's doing exactly what they want him to do. Honestly? I think Juliet's telling the truth, but that's just a hunch.
My problem with Paulo/Nikki is how they were never seen/mentioned until two episodes ago. Then they're rushing to the aid of Eko, being ordered around by Locke and so forth. That's not too big a deal.
However, they're suddenly both going on excursions to the hatch with the main characters that have seen all the action? And why exactly did they both go - they have (so far) little to offer - apart from switching on a few television screens.
I'm all for new blood, but I dislike the introduction they received.
I am in total agreement with people on the Paolo/Nikki situation. The way that Nikki was talking about the other screens in the Pearl hatch and Locke said something like 'Wow, now I feel stupid' was really clumsy and unrealistic. I realise that TPTB have to introduce more characters to try and keep things fresh (and let's face it, to try and keep the numbers up after the slaughter of most of the Tailies!) but really, they are making these two super-unlikeable at the moment
As for Eko, I was surprised that he was killed off like that as I had thought he might come to be a major player as the series progressed due to his mysterious nature but hey- shows that you can't always second guess this show!
The part of the episode where the guy with the eye patch (thought he looked familiar but it might just be me!) covered up the camera REALLY made me jump Could he be in some kind of central room where feeds from all of the cameras are pumped into?
When Juliet came to see Jack and started talking to him whilst playing that video, I swear I never breathed for that whole scene! I have had conversations with a few of my friends and we all have different ideas as to if Juliet is playing some sort of game with Jack or not. There does seem to be tension between her and Ben but again, it wouldn't be a surprise if it's an elaborate set-up to get Jack to go along with what they want him to do. My feelings so far on her is that she might be genuine but I'm hoping that a future flashback might give us some more clues, fingers crossed!
I gave it a 7. Though I felt it was a good episode, it was my least favourite of all so far this mini-series.
I'm not sure about Paolo/ Paulo and Nikki yet, but I didn't know what to make of Nikki/Locke's dialogue about the screens-was he being sarcastic? I'm not sure.
I think Juliet's testing Jack- if she really wanted Ben dead, why not just let the tumour take it's natural course? It is terminal after all, isn't it?
Poor old Eko.I knew he was leaving, so his death wasn't that much of a shock to me. Here's a theory: perhaps the smoke monster is God? When it became clear that Eko wasn't 'sorry' for his sins, maybe he was being punished by a higher power? Just an idea.....
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Poor old Eko.I knew he was leaving, so his death wasn't that much of a shock to me. Here's a theory: perhaps the smoke monster is God? When it became clear that Eko wasn't 'sorry' for his sins, maybe he was being punished by a higher power? Just an idea.....
Lots to think about.....
Bella x
You could be on the right lines here. Remember locke said he saw a beautiful white light and eko did not. Maybe its something like heaven/hell.
Omg! i thought that was a great episode, but although I accidentally found out about Eko's death I was still shocked when it happened. It must have been the black smoke thing that made it strange, since I didn't know how he died. I thought he would just die of the wounds from the imploded hatch.
Good theory, on the black smoke being God and all, but here's another - Eko's brother (Yeme? I don't know how to spell that!) could be God in a human form??
Or, alternatively, Yeme could be the angel of death! Hey, its just a theory, but people only seem to see him in dreams and when they are "between places", like Eko and the girl back in Australia who woke up on the autopsy table?!?
Nikki - Why, why?! Did she have to make Locke look dumb...like he couldn't have realised already that there would be more than one station, saying as there was more than one tv on the wall.
I really don't see what enrichment Nikki and Paulo are bring to show, other than potentially dumbing down the original characters.
Eko's back story was interesting seeing what followed on from the 23rd psalm, and I was really when smokie rose up in a big wall and just started thrashing him around, off trees and the ground.
What was the most interesting in the episode, I thought, was the patch guy, I can't wait to find out who he is.
, this scene stopped it from getting a Perfect 10, but hey!, Unlike the US fans I don't expect perfection week in, week out and will let it slide. 
Re: 3.05 - The Cost of Living
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when smokie rose up in a big wall and just started thrashing him around, off trees and the ground.
and
and 