Terry O'Quinn as John Locke and Dominic Monaghan as Charlie Pace on LOST - Everybody Hates Hugo.
© ABC
Reviewed Format: TV Show
Network: ABC
Original Airdate: 12th October 2005
Cast: Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Naveen Andrews, Emilie de Ravin, Matthew Fox, Jorge Garcia, Maggie Grace, Josh Holloway, Malcolm David Kelley, Daniel Dae Kim, Yoon-jin Kim, Evangeline Lilly, Dominic Monoghan, Terry O'Quinn, Harold Perrineau Jr., Michelle Rodriguez, Cynthia Watros
Creators: Jeffrey Lieber and J.J. Abrams & Damon Lindelof
Writers: Adam Horowitz & Edward Kitsis
Director: Alan Taylor
LOST - Everybody Hates Hugo
By: Jason DavisDate: Monday, October 17, 2005
It seems that the quality of a LOST episode is oftentimes tied to the uniqueness of the character whose backstory appears in that installment. While TV audiences have had any number of Jack Shepards over the years, John Locke and Hugo Reyes are the sorts of characters not often offered up in a medium obsessed with cops, lawyers, and doctors. As a result, insights into the workings of these two everymen make for compelling tales of the human condition. With a strong emphasis on theme, and a marvelous performance by the always dependable Jorge Garcia, "Everyone Hates Hugo" is LOST at its best.
Speaking of Locke and Hurley, it's interesting to note that the latter's manager, Randy, is played by the same actor who played Locke's co-worker Randy in "Walkabout." Clearly, the creators are having fun layering these strange coincidences into their world and, if the audience is lucky, these bits and pieces will eventually evolve into something more substantial. In other casting, Sam Anderson makes a welcome appearance as one of the tail-section survivors, though his omission from the regular cast makes it likely that he won't be prominently featured on a weekly basis. Writer/producers Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis provide a welcome return to the airwaves for Marguerite Moreau, an alum of their previous ABC series life as we know it. Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje and Cynthia Watros join the regulars alongside Michelle Rodriguez in a move that will add yet another wrinkle to the cast chemistry should the tail section meet up with the other survivors. On that note, Charlie's comment that he wasn't part of "the A-Team" that went to the Black Rock echoes the final sentiments of Dr. Artz, who accused Shepard and company of being the island's elite. The stratification of survivors, originally between regular cast members and extras is now developing a third level with acolytes of the Dharma Initiative creating a new social group of secret keepers above and beyond their former cohorts.
The notion of jobs becoming important again to those maintaining the Dharma facility is nicely counterpointed by Hurley's flashbacks that have him abandoning work in the aftermath of his success. His friend, well assayed by DJ Qualls, does a stunning job of bringing home the sense of betrayal evoked by the revelation that he's quit his job without a net, but that Hurley is a millionaire. Charlie, similarly, hammers home the sentiment that Hurley's status as keeper of the comestibles has alienated him like his wealth did in his previous life. Both stories, built from the same material coalesce into a fine climax that sees Hurley evolve in a fashion that both completes this story while serving the overall arc of the series.
Interestingly enough, the editors of the TWIN PEAKS magazine Wrapped in Plastic included an article in the recently published issue 74 comparing LOST to that show much as I did a week or so ago. Their conclusions are well worth a perusal and make a number of excellent points about areas in which LOST is better set up for success that TWIN PEAKS ever was--a conclusion that's being born out as this season increases in quality week to week.
