Official ABC 4.12 Discussion Thread

[D-Roc]

SEASON 4 EPISODE 12:
"THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME"

This is the official discussion thread for Episode 4.12. This episode was shown on ABC on 15th May 2008.

Writers:
Damon Lindelof
Carlton Cuse

Director:
Stephen Williams

Centric:
Ensemble

Synopsis

"There's No Place Like Home, Part 1" is the twelfth episode of Season 4 of Lost and the first part of its multi-part, 3-hour season finale.

This thread has been created so that you can post and discuss all of your reviews, observations and general thoughts and opinions on this episode. However, please feel free to start a NEW thread in this 4.12 forum if you have something specfic from this episode that you would like to discuss or raise - This is encouraged..you are not limited to only posting in this thread - this thread is simply a general port of call for general episode opinions or reviews. Go out there and post threads on aspects or thoughts which you want to raise independetly of this thead!

If you have a theory based on this episode or events within it, you can head over to the Theories & Speculation section to post it - we'd love to thrash out ideas with you!

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Thread Status: Opens right after ABC airing!

Enjoy watching/discussing the episode!

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[D-Roc]

There's No Place Like Home. Not exactly the mot original episode title ever, I guess the writers saved their creativity for the actual narrative, which I must say reminded me of last seasons "Greatest Hits", without the impending sense of death from a lead character. Sorry, Jack's 'surgery' just lacks any sense of jeopardy, and the island seems to be cleaning out that wound already. Looks like he's back in the loop.

However I really enjoyed this episode..it went to some new directions and some familiar ones. The new being the Oceanic Six' voyage home, the Orchid and Paik senior getting owned by a woman scorned..the familiar being Jack's stubborness, Jack and Kate going off into the jungle and some Jate/Skate angst..

I loved the Ben/Locke and Hurley scenes, even if Hugo spent too much time playing the role of the 'viewer'. Seriously guys, I can speak for myself. Ben was back to his 2-steps ahead best in this episode, somehow gaining pulling leverage over on dear old Locke from out of a tin box..no, seriously. The mirror signal thing to Alpert (I assume) was magic - typical Ben, just when you think he's beat, he's already onto his next plan. What I love though is that the Losties (hate referring to King Locke as a "Lostie", but meh) and Ben/The Others are working together. As predicted Locke was right back in season 2 - "we're ALL Others".

How brave was Ben though? His heart still bleeding from the loss of his only child, yet he was able to help John in his missio to 'move the island'. I appreciated confirmation of my speculation in that some things are just not done until it is absolutely necessary. Widmore has protocol, and you can bet your bottom dollar that Ben has last resort protocols. The idea that moving the island is not an exact science, is unpredictable and relies upon variables is one which really satisfies me, as it could also offer more insight into the nature of 'time-travel' and why somethings cannot be undone (i.e Alex' death etc).

I loved the montagey thing that they did, which built up to brave Ben strolling into the Orchid with his hands aloft, just as his daughter was a few episodes back - that was a stunning and heart pounding 2 or minutes. Well played all round. Very Season Onesque.

There were some Jack/Kate scenes..more Juliet worrying over Jack's blasted stitches..yadada. Darlton are REALLY invested in these 3 aren't they. I did, however, enjoy Sawyer in this episode..he hit the nail on the head when he called Jack "stubborn", and I also appreciate the fact that he went after Jack - aw, reminds me of their Season 1 love-in when Sawyer told Jack that his father was proud of him. Well, Ford, i'm proud of YOU. Oh, and we now know how Kate came to be left holding the baby - even if Sun currently has him. What I still don't know is how Jin dies..

The boat packed with C4 is interesting - Keamy the face of evil really does have some evi bones in his body doesn't he. The device on his arm now makes total sense..selfish man..if anything happens to him then he's dead anyways..but what about the other lovely folks on Team Keam..not to mention the frieghties and our dear old Losties..?

So yeah, a good episode..they managed to meld the 4 or 5 different 'stories' together with great execution. I wouldn't say it was the best episode ever, but it's certainly building to what is sur to be a mind-blowing finale.

[Kiowa Warrior]

Yeah this was a decent episode, but you clearly get the feeling that it is, more than anything, a build up to the finale.

We've got the Oceanic 6 flying back and then doing a press conference but we still need to see just how they got on the helicopter, especially since they're scattered all over the place at the moment. And then on the Island we've got Ben and Locke and Hurley vs. Keamy for the prize of the Orchid, Kate and Sayid being escorted somewhere by Richard and co. and all the drama associated with the Freighter.

I loved the montage bit at the end as well, and when Lost does those they do them brilliantly. I think the music throughout S4 has been fantastic: only beaten by S1 really. I just loved that montage bit!

And the flashforwards to the Oceanic 6 were nicely done as well: nice to see them working at sticking together and seemingly enjoying (well yes to an extent) what real world life has to offer them. Apart from the need to keep up a constant story of deception and repeat a pack of lies that is.

On its own I can't really consider it as an episode worthy of repeated re-watches just on its own, but I think when we see the finale this episode will have a lot more meaning and greater re-watch value to it.

So yeah, not brilliant but not terrible by a long shot either!

[D-Roc]

Yeah, it felt like a set-up episode - albeit a very enjoyable one for me..much like 'Hit's' last season.

The manner of their 'escape' will be interesting..as you said 'how' do they get on the helicopter, and how does this reconcile with Desmond's vision of Claire getting onboard the chopper? Did he merely see a 'vision/manifestation' of Claire lifting up off the island on the chopper, and thought it was a 'living' Claire?

[Murg]

I'd forgotten about Desmond's vision - what complicates it further is that he saw Claire *and* Aaron getting onto the copter, and we know one makes it off the island while the other doesn't, so it probably can't be anything as simple as the copter crashing with Claire on board. I just hope they haven't forgotten it or felt they can explain it away as a mistake made by Desmond. Charlie gave his life for that vision.

[D-Roc]

Funny how the first thing someone (Sun) says to Sayid when he pulls up on shore is "where's Desmond", yet in TBoTE when Desmond pulled up on shore no-one even noticed or mentioned that Charlie was missing..except Hugo, of course.

Just thought it was funny..I know the writers have to make room for their own scene developments though so I wont bash them over that one.

[Murg]

I think when Charlie died people were so focussed on getting off the island and in quite a celebratory mood, so it took them all, even Hurley, a moment to notice who was missing. Whereas people have been wondering for days specifically what's happened to Sayid and Desmond, what will all the weird signals and dead bodies and the like from the boat.