Flashes Before Your Eyes
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"Flashes Before Your Eyes" is the eighth episode of the third season of the American drama television series Lost, and the show's fifty-fifth episode overall. The episode was written by Damon Lindelof and Drew Goddard, and directed by Jack Bender. It first aired in the United States on February 14, 2007 on the American Broadcasting Company. The episode received mostly positive reviews from critics.
In this episode, Hurley and Charlie conclude that Desmond can see into the future after he saves Claire from drowning. It is revealed that after the hatch exploded, Desmond traveled back to London and relived his past before coming back to the island. Desmond also reveals to Charlie that he is destined to die.
Plot
While in the middle of a conversation with several other castaways, Desmond Hume (Henry Ian Cusick), without warning, sprints toward the ocean and dives in. No one on the beach understands what Desmond is doing, until he returns with a nearly drowned Claire Littleton (Emilie de Ravin). Charlie Pace (Dominic Monaghan) and Hugo "Hurley" Reyes (Jorge Garcia) conclude that Desmond must be able to see into the future, and they hatch a plan to get Desmond to get drunk and confess. After several drinks, Charlie asks Desmond about his future-seeing abilities. Instead of answering, Desmond gets up to leave, but after Charlie calls him a "coward", a drunken Desmond tackles Charlie, and shouts that Charlie does not know what Desmond has been through.
All of a sudden, the hatch is shown imploding again, and then Desmond (who was inside) suddenly wakes up in a London apartment with his girlfriend Penelope Widmore (Sonya Walger). Desmond is clearly puzzled, not knowing what is going on, but is relieved to finally be with Penny again. Desmond later goes to Penny's billionare father, Charles Widmore (Alan Dale) and asks for his permission to marry his daughter. Widmore rejects Desmond, who is crushed and humiliated. While shopping for a ring for Penny, Desmond runs into the shopkeeper, Ms. Hawking (Fionnula Flanagan). Ms. Hawking takes Desmond on a walk and explains that although she knew a man would die, she did not help because the universe has a way of "course correcting", and that he would die anyway. Desmond and Penny go out to lunch, where he breaks up with her after realizing that he does not have enough money to support her. He goes to a pub, and gets caught in the middle of a bar fight and is knocked out. Desmond wakes up back on the Island, completly naked, as seen in "Further Instructions".
All of a sudden he is back in present time, and is pulled off Charlie by Hurley. They help Desmond to his tent. Charlie tries to get an answer for him one last time, and Desmond tells Charlie that although Desmond has prevented his death twice, Charlie is destined to die.
Production
"Flashes Before Your Eyes" was the fifteenth episode of the series directed by Jack Bender. The episode was written by Damon Lindelof and Drew Goddard, the pair had never before collaborated on an episode.
This episode is the first to deal with the concept of time travel, the next being "The Constant" in the fourth season. Unlike other flashback sequences to this point, this is positioned as actual time travel for Desmond. However in this episode ground rules are established to prevent paradoxes in the story line as a result of time travel. Had these rules not been established, the writers feared that viewers would lose interest because the stakes of the characters would be lessened.[1] In an interview, Henry Ian Cusick, who plays Desmond, said shooting the episode was both "fun" and "tiring".[2] Cusick said that when shooting the episode "you're finishing late and starting early", but he enjoyed working with director Jack Bender because "he pushes you to, to try and go a little bit further than you think you can".[2] The London scenes were shot in Honolulu. This lead to several continuity errors, such as the word "Honour" is incorrectly spelled in the American English "Honor".[3]
Reception
"Flashes Before Your Eyes" received mostly positive reviews. IGN's Chris Carabott wrote that "if last week's "Not in Portland" didn't get you back on the "Lost" hype train then for goodness' sake the equally outstanding "Flashes Before Your Eyes" hopefully grabbed your attention." Carabott went on to praise the on-screen chemistry of Henry Ian Cusick (Desmond) and Sonya Walger (Penelope), stating that "their onscreen chemistry makes the love between the two characters real and makes their inevitable breakup that much harder to handle." He even complimented the scene between Desmond and Charles, saying that "it's hard not to feel Desmond's heart crushed when Widmore denies him Penelope's hand in marriage."[4] Josh Spiegel, a writer for CinemaBelnd.com, had similar praise. He said that for him "it was a nice change of pace to not see Jack, Kate or Sawyer on the show and focus more on some of the lesser-known castaways." Spiegel went on to say that the episode was "fantastic".[5] Mania.com's Stephen Lackey wrote that "Flashes Before Your Eyes" was an "episode has everything die hard LOST fans expect, riveting plot twists, foreshadowing, and as many questions as answers"[6]
Critics did note that the episode did not provide many answers.[4][7] Mac Slocum of FilmFodder.com wrote that he was "beginning to think the Lost producers have a different definition for the word 'answer'."[7] Charlie's behavior was not well liked. Mac Slocum thought that he acted "immature" and that his plan to get Desmond drunk was "ridiculous".[7] Daniel of TMZ.com called Charlie "annoying" and "an idiot".[8]
Henry Ian Cusick and Dominic Monaghan submitted this episode for consideration on their own behalves in the category of "Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series" respectively at the 2007 Emmy Awards.[9]
References
- ^ Jensen, Jeff "Doc", (February 20, 2007) "Lost: Mind-Blowing Scoop From Its Producers", Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved on March 1, 2008.
- ^ a b "Official Lost Podcast transcript/February 20, 2007". Lostpedia.com. 2007-02-20. Retrieved 2008-07-23.
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- ^ a b Carabott, Chris (2007-02-15). "Lost: Flashes Before Your Eyes Review". IGN. Retrieved 2008-07-23.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ Spiegel, Josh (2007-02-15). "TV Recap: Lost - Flashes Before Your Eyes". CinemaBlend.com. Retrieved 2008-07-23.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ Lackey, Stephen (2007-02-17). ""Lost: Flashes Before Your Eyes"". Mania.com. Retrieved 2008-07-23.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ a b c Slocum, Mac (2007-02-15). "Key Points from "Flashes Before Your Eyes"". FilmFodder.com. Retrieved 2008-07-23.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ ""Lost" Diary -- Flashes Before Your Eyes". TMZ.com. 2007-02-15. Retrieved 2008-07-23.
{{cite web}}:|first=missing|last=(help); Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ "2007 Emmys CONFIRMED Episode Submissions". The Envelope Forum, Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2007-06-18.
