A Tale of Two Cities (Lost)

Infobox Television episode | Title = A Tale of Two Cities
Series = Lost


Caption = Flight 815 as it crumbles out of the sky.
Season = 3
Episode = 1
Airdate = October 4, 2006
Production = 301
Writer = Story by Damon Lindelof, Teleplay by J.J. Abrams & Damon Lindelof
Director = Jack Bender
Guests = Julie Adams
Blake Bashoff
Brett Cullen
M.C. Gainey
William Mapother
John Terry
Julie Bowen
Stephen Semel
Alexandra Morgan
Julie Ow
Sonya Seng
Episode list = "Lost" (season 3)
List of "Lost" episodes
Prev = Live Together, Die Alone
Next = The Glass Ballerina"A Tale of Two Cities" is the third season premiere, and forty-eighth episode overall, of the American Broadcasting Company's serial drama television series "Lost". The episode was written by co-creators/executive producers J.J. Abrams and Damon Lindelof, based on a story by Lindelof and directed by executive producer Jack Bender.cite press release |title="Lost" Season Premiere Entertaiment Press Release |publisher="ABC Medianet" |date=2006-09-18 |url=http://abcmedianet.com/web/progcal/dispDNR.aspx?id=091806_11 |accessdate=2008-03-31] When the episode first aired on October 4, 2006 in the United States, it was watched by an average of 19 million American viewers.cite press release |title=I. T. R. S. Ranking report 01 thru 91 (out of 91 programs) Daypart: Primetime Mon-Sun |publisher="ABC Medianet" |date=2006-10-10 |url=http://abcmedianet.com/web/dnr/dispDNR.aspx?id=101006_05 |accessdate=2008-03-31]

The episode begins with the introduction of Juliet Burke (Elizabeth Mitchell) and The Baracks.

The character of Jack Shephard is featured in the episode's flashbacks. ["TV Guide", October 2-8, 2006, Vol. 54 No. 40, p. 24]

Plot summary

Introduction

A new character, Juliet, prepares for a book club meeting in a modern suburban home, but things are going wrong. She cries as she listens to a CD recording of Petula Clark's "Downtown," and burns her hand as she tries to grab burning muffins out of the oven, just as the doorbell rings. The club is in a heated discussion of Stephen King's "Carrie" [ [http://lost.cubit.net/forum/gallery/1_04_10_06_10_53_35.jpgScreenshot composite] linked from the [http://www.thefuselage.com/Threaded/showthread.php?t=58804 Fuselage] on October 4, 2006] when they are interrupted by what sounds like an earthquake. The group leaves Juliet's house and "Ben", previously known as "Henry Gale" to the survivors, appears along with Ethan, looking up to watch Oceanic Flight 815 break apart in mid-air. "Ben" quickly orders Goodwin and Ethan to join the survivors, stay undercover, and provide "lists in three days." The camera zooms out to reveal that the suburb is actually on the Island and is inhabited by The Others.

Flashbacks

In Jack's flashbacks: Jack is going through a divorce from his wife Sarah Shephard. He demands to know who she has been dating, but she refuses to tell him, so he spies on her and steals her cellphone. He proceeds to call every number in her phone, and Christian's cell phone rings. After following Christian to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, Jack accuses him of sleeping with his wife and physically attacks him. After Jack is arrested, Sarah pays his bail, and tells him Christian is no longer sober. She then leaves with an unidentified man, after telling Jack that "now he has something to fix."

Real-time events

Kate wakes up on the floor of a locker room. Tom allows her to have a shower and afterwards, by taking and burning her clothes, forces her to change into a dress, after which she is led to an elegant breakfast on the beach with Ben, who tells her to put on handcuffs before she can eat. She asks him why he is doing this, and he tells her that he wanted to give her something pleasant to remember, as the next two weeks will be "very unpleasant."

Sawyer wakes up in a cage in the jungle near the Hydra station. A teenager, Karl, in a nearby cage initially ignores Sawyer but then later expresses interest in Sawyer's camp and unlocks his cage then Sawyer's. However, they are both caught and Tom makes Karl, who is now beaten and bloody, apologize to Sawyer before taking the teen away. Sawyer figures out the mechanical puzzle in his cage, though Tom says it "only took the bears two hours." Kate is then put in Karl’s (now empty) cage.

Jack wakes up in a cell in the Hydra Station, where Juliet gently interrogates him. At one point Jack attacks her and attempts to escape, holding an improvised weapon at her throat. He orders her to open a door, but she refuses to comply, claiming that doing so would kill them both. Jack throws Juliet away, and then opens the door. Water starts rushing into the hallway. Juliet helps Jack struggle into an adjoining room, tells him to push a button which she had previously mentioned was for emergencies. He does so and she knocks him unconscious. When he awakes, she shows Jack a file which she says contains documents about his entire life. Juliet asks Jack if he has any questions about Sarah. After a pause, he asks, "Is she happy?" Juliet replies yes, and walks outside, and Ben congratulates her on a job well done.

Production

A cameo appearance was made in this episode by the elderly Julie Adams, who was the bathing beauty in the 1954 classic film "Creature from the Black Lagoon". ["Lost" Season 2 DVD notes]

Cast Notes

* This episode marks the first appearance of Juliet played by Elizabeth Mitchell.
* Henry Ian Cusick (Desmond), Michael Emerson (Ben), Elizabeth Mitchell (Juliet), Kiele Sanchez (Nikki), and Rodrigo Santoro (Paulo) are now credited with the starring cast.
* Malcolm David Kelley (Walt), Harold Perrineau (Michael), Michelle Rodriguez (Ana Lucia), and Cynthia Watros (Libby) are no longer credited with the starring cast.

Reception

The episode was watched by 1.972 million viewers in Canada on CTV, easily winning its timeslot. ["CTVglobemedia", (January 2, 2008) " [http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/show/CTVShows/20040922/Lost-special/20080102 "Lost" (HD): About the Show] ." Retrieved on January 5, 2007.]

Matthew Fox submitted this episode for consideration on his behalf in the category of "Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series" at the 2007 Emmy Awards. cite web|title = 2007 Emmys CONFIRMED Episode Submissions|url = http://goldderbyforums.latimes.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/1106078764/m/53610293|publisher = The Envelope Forum, Los Angeles Times|accessdate = 2007-06-18]

References