"The Economist"

Written by Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis
Directed by Jack Bender


In which Sayid brokers a deal with Frank to return to the "rescue" boat, which puts him at odds with Locke, who finds himself without the guidance he was expecting...

Status Report - Final Analysis




Status Report
Now that the writers' strike is over, there's less concern that the fourth season will be chopped in half. It will be shorter than intended, but the producers will tell the same season arc as originally planned. That will mean compressing the story in the second half of the season. If the first few episodes are any indication, that will be quite a difficult task. The story is already progressing at an unexpectedly accelerated rate.

Of course, that was the promise made by the producers in the first place. Now that the endpoint for the series has been set in stone, they no longer have to stretch out the story. The current plans allow them to maintain forward momentum while taking the time to continue the strong character exploration at the heart of the series.

In this case, Sayid is the center of attention, and this is easily one of his best episodes. In particular, the flashforward takes Sayid in an unexpected direction, giving the audience a reason to anticipate his character progression in the future. While it's unclear how much time has passed, or where this flashforward fits in relation to Hurley's experience in "The Beginning of the End" and Jack's meltdown in "Through the Looking Glass", the circumstances continue to flesh out the impending conflict.

Sayid has the skill and experience necessary to be a competent assassin, so as surprising as his alliance with Ben might be, it makes a certain amount of sense. Thus far, it appears that the theory regarding the "Oceanic 6" is correct. They seem to have kept the existence of the remaining survivors a secret on purpose, pretending to be the only survivors themselves, to protect them from Matthew Abaddon's organization. Now we learn that Ben also escaped the island, presumably independent of the "Oceanic 6", and that he has been waging war against his enemies.

Sayid's experience with Elsa indicates that the war is escalating, and Ben is more than happy about it. The implication is that at least some of the "Oceanic 6" were chosen to help mitigate or eliminate Abaddon's organization, because until that happens, the rest of the survivors and the island will be in jeopardy. In any such arrangement, one would expect Ben to have the upper hand. It's certainly not clear why Sayid feels beholden to Ben, enough so to kill, but that's part of the fun.

Back on the island, Sayid asserts some of his leadership ability by imposing his will upon Jack, who knows enough to trust Sayid's instincts. Sayid's strategy regarding the "rescue party" is quite intelligent, and while Jack seems more eager for rescue, he's not stupid enough to trust them. Sayid knows that Team Shepherd is more exposed at this point, and his tactics are developed accordingly.

It's good to see Jack learning to trust Kate, because in the past, he's been unable to accept the possibility of her competence. Of course, he's also recognized that she'll do what she wants to do, as the eternal wild card, so he uses that to his apparent advantage. This puts her in the position for a reunion with Sawyer, who displays quite a bit of growth since the events of "The Brig". Sawyer was once the leader of the faction unwilling to let go of the past; now he is embracing the possibilities of the island nearly as much as Locke, though for different reasons.

Speaking of Locke, his inability to find Jacob again puts him in a bad psychological space. Ben is quick to recognize that Locke claims his leadership role through the mechanism of mysticism and visions, something he knows about all too well. (Perhaps this is the beginning of Ben's slow return to power, with Team Locke as his new "Others".) Hurley tries to assert more influence over Locke, but in this instance, it doesn't quite work. Still, the stage is set for Hurley's eventual break from Team Locke.

Sayid's swap, substituting Miles for Charlotte, puts Miles into an interesting position. While he was staying with Team Shepherd, his unique skills might have been wasted. By throwing him in with Team Locke, there's a much higher chance of running into Jacob. It would be interesting to see Miles interact with Ben, and it would definitely be interesting to see his reactions around the barracks, where so many of the Dharma Initiative died.

For that matter, it looks like the rest of the "rescue party" is sliding into the right place at the right time. Sayid would be able to direct Charlotte to the location of the "four-toed statue", for example, which is likely connected to her expertise. Daniel is already running some interesting experiments, shedding light on the unusual properties of the island, and since the remnants of the Swan Station are on the way to the beach, he's not far from the motherlode (from his perspective).

While this is still the introductory phase of the season arc, and the pieces are still moving into position on the board, the use of flashforwards has given the writing staff the ability to tell the "Lost" story on more than one level. That breaks the series out of any sense of monotony, and allows for revelation in unexpected places. It certainly appears that the patience of "Lost" fans is being rewarded.


Final Analysis
Overall, this episode continues to shed light on future events, while placing the characters in the perfect position for an explosive conflict on the island itself. The character study in this episode is surprising, and there is a palpable sense of foreboding. The momentum is building, and the anticipating is growing with it.

Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 2/4

Final Rating: 8/10





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