Stranger In A Strange Land - Season 3x09

[Kiowa Warrior]

STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND

The ninth episode of Season 3 is Jack's flashback, where we learn about the time he spent in Tailand. Jack meets a woman called Achara after she helps him fly a kite and the two spend time together, including eating at a restaurant where her brother works, and where he gives Achara an envelope which she explains away to Jack by saying that she has a gift. Curious as to what it is that she does, Jack follows Achara one night into what seems like a tattoo parlour. But Achara tells him that she isn't a tattoo artist; she sees what people really are and she marks them. Jack demands to know what she sees about him and then makes her tattoo it onto his arm, even though she warns there will be consequences. The next day Achara's brother and his friends attack Jack on the beach after seeing his tattoo and order him to leave the country, as Achara turns away in tears.

Meanwhile on the island Tom tells Jack that he's being moved to the cage outside because Juliet is taking his place in the Hydra. A woman called Isabel questions Jack not only about his tattoos but also about if Juliet really wanted to plot Ben's death during the surgery. Jack lies and says she didn't, and Juliet is taken away for trial. After Alex tells Jack that Juliet is going to be executed for killing one of their own Jack makes a deal with Ben, so that he will treat Ben's infected stitches if Ben stops Juliet's execution. Ben agrees, but orders that she be marked instead. Later on the Others pack up to move to the other island - the island that Ben calls home - because of the risk of the Losties finding out where they are now that Sawyer and Kate have escaped. Isabel approaches Jack again and reads out loud that his tattoo says 'He walks amongst us, but he is not one of us,' to which Jack replies that while that's what it says, it's not what it means.

Kate and Sawyer reach their island and speak with Karl, who seems to have recovered from his Room 23 treatment. After Karl tells Sawyer about Alex and that he loves her and wants to go back for her, even though if captured he'd be killed, Sawyer lets him go and he and Kate walk back to camp.

Yeah this is a pretty dire episode indeed! The near enough back to back Jack is bad enough, but what was the point of monotone Isabel? Or the cheesy musical ending? And suddenly Sawyer's gone soft and allowed Karl - a prime source of information - to go free as well.

And Jack's flashback is a prime example of why I can't stand him: not only is he as dull as anything, he physically threatens a woman - after stalking her of course - to do something against her wishes and the customs and beliefs of her people just because he wants it

One decent bit though is Tom's glass houses comment to him!

[Him]

Worst. Episode. Ever.



Seriously. What were they thinking? Such irrelevant details shouldn't be covered by a flashback, never mind a whole episode, and if they decide to make them relevant in some sort of sick and contrived way, I'll be very disappointed.
Jack doesn't come off well either.

[Easily confused]

I like to think that there is an insider joke somewhere and the editors put this together with whatever they found on the cutting room floor and thought someone would notice the error before it got aired

Seriously do we need to know how Jack got his tattoo do we need a whole flashback dedicated to it. Do we need to see that woman who can’t act who gave him the tattoo. Do we need to see Isabell and all her creepyness.

In some respects I hope that there is a follow up episode to this so that it will give this episode a whole new meaning (ie something that would actually make it worth while) but then on the other hand I am not sure I could cope with any more of it

Originally Posted by Him

Worst. Episode. Ever.


.

Sums it up nicely really doesn't it

[The_abbott]

I agree - the WORST flashback EVER!!

Even worse then Kate's. I mean Jack's tattoos????????? WTF!!!!

Even the island stuff was dull although and the insight into Juliet we knew from the 3x07 anyway that she wants to go home so a pants, pointless episode.

Even the Kate scenes sucked.

All in all 0 rewatch value.

[JB Sawyer]

42 minutes of my life I will never get back.

Rewatch rating: Didn't bother re-watching.

[Murgatroyd]

Yeah, terrible episode. This is kind of why I think Lost would've been a better series had it been limited to three seasons: it wouldn't have felt it had the leeway to put in filler episodes like this. And the 'glass houses' comment was a low-point as well - that was about the most ironically hypocritical thing anyone ever said in the entire season, and Jack's an idiot if he couldn't think of a single comeback.

[The_abbott]

Breaking your neck would be less painful then watching this episode.

[The Wizard]

Yeah I was pretty bored by this episode first time around. However I found finding out about Jack's tattoos quite interesting, not all the unnecessary build up to it but the actual thing was all right, and then the end with the boat and the stuff was ok

[D-Roc]

Unlike most people, I like this episode..or rather, I don't dislike it. Never have.

It's not just because Bai Ling is a serious hottie, or because Juliet gets her cumuppance..I just think it's actually quite an interesting, if not ill-placed, episode.

The fans demanded an answer to Jack's tattoo's and they gave it to us. Careful what you wish for springs to mind - another case of TPTB having a Nikki/Paulo/knee-jerk reaction to fan pleas. Listen 'Dalton', don't listen to us, just...don't. Except for the one about Kate meeting her doom.

In saying that, I'm not sure I like anything about this episode - wait, I found the backstory interesting, if only to hear the little boy shout "Dotter Jack, dotter Jack" one more time. As mentioned, Achera (Bai Ling) was good - I found the whole 'marking' and 'definition of Jack' business extremly interesting..and potentially revealing.

I also enjoyed Isabelle's line about Jack's tatts, which was typically met with a sharp response from the good doctor:

"I know what they mean"

Jesus Jack, take a chill pill, she's only saying. Afterall Chinese IS a complicated language, as are your comminication skills.

The montage was beautiful..truely. I loved the way Jack became Ben's doctor and aid..something he should've done a long time ago, but hey Ben's a forgiving man Also loved the way Jack responsed to Isabelle's "You walk amongst us..but you're not one of us" translation was met with another typical (although so well delivered) Jack response:

"That's what it says..that's not what it means"

Yes people, this man officially has issues with others thinking they know him - I remember him beating up his father because his AA group 'knew all about him'. I can only be grateful that Jack wasn't around when Mikhail probed Locke, Kate and Sayid in "Par Avion"! Jack would have torn him a new one. New eye, that is

Sawyer shouldn't have let Karl go, but in truth I would've done the same thing had Kate whinged at me as much as she did him. One minute she's all over him and the next she's arguing for the sake of arguing. Guilty about leaving Jack, much Kate?

Also, good to see Jack the rebel, although wasn't impressed with him throttling Achera like that - he seems to have a problem when it comes to women and aggression doesn't he? I recall him holding a broken plate to Juliet's neck, and shouting something rotten at a bewildered Cindy..not to mention the kids. Don't you get it Jack, don't be mean to the kids..you seen what Walt can do!!?

Tom had, perhaps, the best line of the entire series when he gave Jack a much needed dose of perspective - the "glass houses" comment was spot on and shows that the creators are in-tune with the characters and their hypocrisies.

So yeah, a decent rewatch for me..seriously easier than "TGB" or "Everyman" to name only two.

Re-watch value: 7/10

[JB Sawyer]

Originally Posted by KoR-evo

It's not just because Bai Ling is a serious hottie, or because Juliet gets her cumuppance..

Yes because being branded like common cattle is fair cumuppence for saving four lives.

So yeah, a decent rewatch for me..seriously easier than "TGB" or "Everyman" to name only two.

Strange because I like those two episodes

[Murgatroyd]

Forgot about 'Chinese is a complicated language'. 'Cause, yeah. Non-existent languages are always pretty complicated. Research is your friend, people.

[Lost Lewis]

Originally Posted by KoR-evo

Tom had, perhaps, the best line of the entire series when he gave Jack a much needed dose of perspective - the "glass houses" comment was spot on and shows that the creators are in-tune with the characters and their hypocrisies.

Everyone found that funny but I didn't actually get it! Can someone explain for me please?

[D-Roc]

Originally Posted by Lost Lewis

Everyone found that funny but I didn't actually get it! Can someone explain for me please?

Tom's line is a reference to the term 'people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones'. Which basically means that people in a vulnerable, or equally insecure positions, shouldn't attack other people with things which can also be claimed of themselves.

Jack attacked Tom with the line about the Others apparent 'evil deeds'..yet as Tom accuratly pointed out, the Losties had committed their own fair of island crimes/murders (not to mention pre-island crimes), which made Jack's claims hypocritical - especially since the Others hadn't killed any losties at this stage.

Jack was also literally in a glass room..which made Tom's point even more painfully poignent!

And as if Tom's point needed further gloss, Jack still has those stones which he took from Adam and Eve. So Tom's metaphor literally flashed into life before Jack's eyes