# Lost 3.1: "A Tale of Two Cities"
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-3-1-a-tale-of-two-cities/375142
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [October 3, 2006, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-3-1-a-tale-of-two-cities/375142 "2006-10-03T19:17:41Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2006, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-3-1-a-tale-of-two-cities/375142/1 "2006-10-03T19:17:41Z")
Anyone else ready for Season 3 of “Lost” tomorrow night? Set your VCRs, your DVRs, or your alarm clocks, because we’re ready to rock ‘n roll at 9PM Wednesday (8PM Central)! Note the continuation of Dickens references in this week’s episode title.
Desmond used the failsafe option to shut off the magnet, and who knows if he’ll be around any more. Ecko blew the lid off the hatch (literally), and what happened to Locke is anybody’s guess. Meanwhile, our hero has been taken captive by The Others (aka, The Good Guys) along with Kate and Sawyer. Hurley, who was originally captured with them, has been let go to warn the rest of the Losties never to come to the dock area. Michael and WAAAALT! are off to find “rescue” in the boat that Fake Henry Gale gave them, and Sayid, Jin and Sun are left to contemplate the “Collosus of Lost” statue and it’s mysterious 4-toed foot. Other than that, it’s business as usual on The Island…
Thread rules:
> [@](#):
>
> Information about all episodes aired to this point – including the current week – will be unboxed.
> Information about this week’s episode’s “next week” teasers will be unboxed.
> Information about future episodes taken from spoiler sites/inside sources will be boxed. This includes links to promo photos and screencaps from future episodes.
> Speculation based on events in episodes aired up to this point (including teasers) will be unboxed.
> Speculation based on spoilers for upcoming episodes will be boxed.
>
> Please remember, links inside spoiler boxes are readable even to those who don’t highlight.
From the ABC “Lost” website:
“A Tale of Two Cities” SEASON PREMIERE
In the season premiere episode, Jack, Kate and Sawyer begin to discover what they are up against as prisoners of “The Others.”
Some useful Café Society links are given below:
Thread index for Season 1 Episodes: [1](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=277083) [2](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=278382) [3](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=279542) [4](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=280792) [5](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=281998) [6](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=283328) [7](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=284665) [8](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=285925) [9](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=287237) [10](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=289514) [11](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=290718) [12](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=295320) [13](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=296591) [14](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=297760) [15](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=301602) [16](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=302710) [17](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=303909) [18](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=304986) [19](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=309511) [20](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=310613) [21](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=315048) [22](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=316088) [23](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=317139) [24](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=318051)
Thread index for Season 2 Episodes: [1](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=335991) [2](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=337167) [3](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=338307) [4](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=339366) [5](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=340432) [6](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=343878) [7](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=345144) [8](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=346239) [9](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=347177) [10](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=353542) [11](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=354691) [12](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=355716) [13](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=357834) [14](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=359015) [15](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=361048) [16](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=363982) [17](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=365010) [18](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=366081) [19](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=367064) [20](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=370033) [21](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=371010) [22](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=371991) [23](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=372943)
[The Official Lost Jargon Thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=286221)
[Official “Lost” Questions Thread, Season 1](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=284542)
[Official “Lost” Questions Thread, Season 2](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=336040)
[Official “Lost” Question Thread, Season 3](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=390739)
Here are some interesting external links:
[The Lost Report](http://hometown.aol.com/qcotms/myhomepage/index.html): A very well written summary of the most current episode often containing interesting insights. I don’t think you’ll find spoilers.
[The Tail Section](http://www.thetailsection.com/): Excellent site for still frame photos of key scenes, along with some good analysis. But… beware of spoilers!
[Sledgeweb’s Lost… Stuff](http://lost.cubit.net/): Pretty good site, but again beware of spoilers. I use it mainly for the Timeline section, which is an incredibly detailed breakdown of “how long since…?” for almost anything you can think of (pre- and post-plane crash).
[Door Map from Episode 2.17](http://www.thetailsection.com/uploaded_images/cleanwall-707484.jpg). A nicely cleaned up version of the diagram Locke saw while pinned under the lockdown doors. No spoilers.
[Lostpedia](http://www.lostpedia.com/wiki/Main_Page): The wikipedia of Lost information. Quite a comprehensive site, but beware of spoilers!
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### Author:  [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2006, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-3-1-a-tale-of-two-cities/375142/2 "2006-10-03T22:28:20Z")
Are there any bars/lounges that are having some sort of “Lost party”? (In NYC.) We usually watch only on DVD (we don’t have broadcast TV), but it would be cool to go out and see this one when it airs. Especially because I know we’ll be in position to see episode 2 the following week, so to miss ep 1 would be dumb.
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### Author:  [@ladybug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladybug)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2006, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-3-1-a-tale-of-two-cities/375142/3 "2006-10-03T22:41:12Z")
:eek: _Lost_ starts tomorrow?! For some reason I thought Season 3 wasn’t starting until January.
Many thanks, **John**. What would I do without the SDMB?
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### Author:  [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2006, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-3-1-a-tale-of-two-cities/375142/4 "2006-10-03T22:49:46Z")
> [@ladybug](#):
>
> :eek: _Lost_ starts tomorrow?! For some reason I thought Season 3 wasn’t starting until January.
>
> Many thanks, **John**. What would I do without the SDMB?
This season they’re trying something new; instead of two new episodes, a repeat, one new episode, two repeats, ad nauseum like they did last season, they’re going to run half the season now, take a hiatus, then start it back up sometime in January (I think) to finish the other half. That might be what caused the confusion.
I’m so glad Lost is starting again, especially since Eureka is finishing up this week. I missed these threads. 😛
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### Author:  [@ladybug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladybug)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2006, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-3-1-a-tale-of-two-cities/375142/5 "2006-10-03T23:29:05Z")
> [@BayleDomon](#):
>
> This season they’re trying something new; instead of two new episodes, a repeat, one new episode, two repeats, ad nauseum like they did last season, they’re going to run half the season now, take a hiatus, then start it back up sometime in January (I think) to finish the other half. That might be what caused the confusion.
Yep, that’s probably it. I thought ABC was starting the new season in January so that it would run uninterrupted. But this way is just as good.
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### Author:  [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2006, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-3-1-a-tale-of-two-cities/375142/6 "2006-10-03T23:37:41Z")
Not quite half. They’re running 6 or 7 episodes in the fall, and they pick up the rest of the season starting (I think) in February, running straight thru to the end w/o a repeat.
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### Author:  [@Just\_Some\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Some_Guy)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2006, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-3-1-a-tale-of-two-cities/375142/7 "2006-10-03T23:55:16Z")
Hopefully tomorrow night will be like the opener for season 2: immediately resolve a couple of the big questions we have, then set up a few big overarcing mysteries that will play out over the season.
And I’ve got my fingers crossed that the mini-season idea will make them build to a climax at the end of November and then do it again when the show starts up. I think that the biggest problem with the show right now is the pacing. Toward the end of season 2 there were a lot of plot threads that felt to me like they were there to kill time (Henry Gale, for example). So a little new mystery that gets built up until the end of november followed by a bigger twist that follows the second half of the season could work better for the pacing.
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### Author:  [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2006, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-3-1-a-tale-of-two-cities/375142/8 "2006-10-03T23:58:13Z")
Okay, let’s see if we can get this thread to three pages before the episode _even airs_!!! 😉
I always come into the Lost threads so late that by the time I jump in they’re fourteen pages long and I can’t offer any insight.
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### Author:  [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2006, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-3-1-a-tale-of-two-cities/375142/9 "2006-10-04T00:03:13Z")
I’m dying to find out whether anybody survived Desmond’s “making it all go away.”
Well, that and the fate of the prisoners, but mainly the Hatch issue.
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### Author:  [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2006, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-3-1-a-tale-of-two-cities/375142/10 "2006-10-04T00:38:58Z")
> [@vivalostwages](#):
>
> I’m dying to find out whether anybody survived Desmond’s “making it all go away.”
Me, too. You figure that they can’t kill off Locke, right? He’s just too important a character. Desmond, maybe. That might make the whole Penny-searching-for-her-“lost”-love even more tragic. I’m also dying to see if Michael ends up back on the island where a hand painted sign says “Rescue”.
I wonder if the “Two Cities” in the title refers to the fake “city” that The Others took Michael to vs. the real “city” where they live, and where they presumably took Jack, Kate and Sawyer.
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### Author:  [@Just\_Some\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Some_Guy)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2006, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-3-1-a-tale-of-two-cities/375142/11 "2006-10-04T00:47:46Z")
> [@vivalostwages](#):
>
> I’m dying to find out whether anybody survived Desmond’s “making it all go away.”
> Well, that and the fate of the prisoners, but mainly the Hatch issue.
I don’t know that Desmond really “made it all go away”. His former partner who seemed to have more information referred to the bunker as the finger in the dam. My guess is that Dharma was harnessing something there (which necessitated discharging it every 108 minutes) and now while it may not build up and take the island out in one cataclysmic burst, I think that whatever was contained by the bunker is going to be running wild…
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### Author:  [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2006, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-3-1-a-tale-of-two-cities/375142/12 "2006-10-04T01:04:47Z")
I confess that I had to distance myself from Lost over the summer to avoid going nuts with all the speculation and no new shows. I bought the Season 2 dvd’s but I haven’t even watched the extras yet. I may have to wait until it starts again to get my interest back up, then the dvd extras will give me something to watch between episodes.
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### Author:  [@Foldup\_Rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foldup_Rabbit)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2006, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-3-1-a-tale-of-two-cities/375142/13 "2006-10-04T01:14:43Z")
I am twitching with anticipation. Last season I read these threads pretty obsessively, but never got to participate. I didn’t actually shell out the bucks until August.
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### Author:  [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2006, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-3-1-a-tale-of-two-cities/375142/14 "2006-10-04T01:15:35Z")
> [@Wile E](#):
>
> I bought the Season 2 dvd’s but I haven’t even watched the extras yet.
Same here. I bought them as soon as they came out, and haven’t even opened them yet! But I psyched about the season opener. My “Lost” group is planning a special dinner and some good wine and we’re going to re-watch the last season’s finale before the show.
Did anyone watch the recap last week? It was actually pretty good, especially since Fake Henry Gale was the narrator. In a zen-like way, the most interesting part was what the writers chose not to show. Nothing about Aaron, nothing about CFL, nothing about Libby…
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### Author:  [@Mama\_Tiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Tiger)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2006, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-3-1-a-tale-of-two-cities/375142/15 "2006-10-04T04:14:00Z")
A friend of mine went to the premiere screening on Waikiki this weekend. Unfortunately, along with everyone else there, she has promised not to say anything about the actual episode before it airs for the rest of us. ☹ (Although actually, I’m glad – this is one show I much prefer not to be spoilered for, it makes the surprises so much more surprising!)
Spoiler-tagging even though it’s not giving away anything whatsoever about what happens the episode, just something about a cast member: She did mention seeing and briefly talking to one new female cast member, Elizabeth Mitchell, who’s playing a character named Juliet, but wouldn’t say where or how her character comes into play. So I have no idea if she’s a Lostie who finally got a speaking part, some variety or other of Other, or what..
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### Author:  [@running\_piglet\_cheese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_piglet_cheese)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2006, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-3-1-a-tale-of-two-cities/375142/16 "2006-10-04T04:22:33Z")
Looking forward to another season of endless speculation and unanswered questions. What does that say about me? Like the fact that they’re adding to the gene pool. Can sexual intrigue be far behind? A new interest for Hurley would be nice.
Could someone please explain to me exactly what the key did? If it could stop the countdown and world annihylation, why didn’t they just use it before now and to hell with the numbers?
Also, is the guy with the beard with the others the same guy that Desmond took over for in the hatch, the one he supposedly killed?
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### Author:  [@Monstre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstre)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2006, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-3-1-a-tale-of-two-cities/375142/17 "2006-10-04T05:46:27Z")
> [@running piglet cheese](#):
>
> Also, is the guy with the beard with the others the same guy that Desmond took over for in the hatch, the one he supposedly killed?
No – different guy.
Bluebeard of the Others is the actor M.C. Gainey. And the beard is a glue-on.
“Kelvin”, who was Desmond’s hatch companion, was played by [Clancy Brown](http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0000317/) – who also appeared in a Sayid flashback earlier in season 2, which took place in Iraq, I believe during Desert Storm.
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### Author:  [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2006, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-3-1-a-tale-of-two-cities/375142/18 "2006-10-04T11:07:20Z")
> [@running piglet cheese](#):
>
> Could someone please explain to me exactly what the key did? If it could stop the countdown and world annihylation, why didn’t they just use it before now and to hell with the numbers?
My theory? The island was a prison for something ancient, alien and possibly sentient; it was so powerful that it released huge amounts of eletromagnetic energy that needed to be vented on a regular basis. The key released this being from its gaol.
It has now been set loose upon the island.
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### Author:  [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2006, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-3-1-a-tale-of-two-cities/375142/19 "2006-10-04T12:27:04Z")
> [@Monstre](#):
>
> No – different guy.
>
> Bluebeard of the Others is the actor M.C. Gainey. And the beard is a glue-on.
>
> “Kelvin”, who was Desmond’s hatch companion, was played by [Clancy Brown](http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0000317/) – who also appeared in a Sayid flashback earlier in season 2, which took place in Iraq, I believe during Desert Storm.
Clancy Brown, one of my favorite actors. Who else could be both Mr Krabs from Spongebob Squarepants and the Kurgan from Highlander?
> [@vivalostwages](#):
>
> I’m dying to find out whether anybody survived Desmond’s “making it all go away.”
> Well, that and the fate of the prisoners, but mainly the Hatch issue.
Well… [Desmond](http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0193738/) is going to be a regular this year so I think it wasn’t fatal. From the last episode it seems like he is going to be very important this year.
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### Author:  [@Scoundrel\_Swanswater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scoundrel_Swanswater)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2006, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-3-1-a-tale-of-two-cities/375142/20 "2006-10-04T12:48:28Z")
I loved _Lost_ but the season 2 finale left me… well, severely unimpressed.
I hope this season shapes up, because I am about to lose interest.
Just a few more hours for you guys. :mad:
[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-3-1-a-tale-of-two-cities/375142.md?page=2)