Greatest Hits

Season 3, Episode 21, Aired
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Episode Summary

When Desmond has another one of his flashes, Charlie is forced to come to terms with the notion that he may have to die to ensure everyone else's rescue. Meanwhile, Jack formulates a plan to combat the Others when they arrive the next day, but complications arise.moreless
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Fan Episode Reviews (110)

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  • The redemption of Charlie.

    10
    "Perfect"
    By Hexsins, Aug 28, 2010 Report Abuse
    Charlie had become so annoying for his insecure, envious, basically loser behavior. Trying to save Aaron by scaring Claire to death and assaulting Sun just to help him get back at Locke. Not to mention just acting sullen and sulky, one of my favorite characters from the beginning had become an eyesore. Well, there's nothing like sacrificial death to help get you on the audience's good side again, and the episode Greatest Hits a is a moving prologue to what will be Charlie's greatest moment in the season finale, willingly giving his life for the rescue of Claire and the other survivors.

    This episode moved me primarily because it's powerful to see someone quietly accepting their fate, their death. In fact, the hero in Charlie finally comes out as we see that dying for the ones he loves is something profound for him -- he has finally found his role in life.

    It's powerful to see someone who had once been a good person destined for greatness, who then became something of a fool, find themselves again.moreless

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    0 0

  • My personal favorite.

    10
    "Perfect"
    By LetItBe1317, Aug 27, 2010 Report Abuse
    What can I say... no matter how many times I watch this episode the tears keep coming. "Greatest Hits" really just tugs at the heart strings for those that love Charlie. As you all know this episode is Charlie's "last" episode featuring his flash backs. The flashbacks are the top five best moments of his life. The sweetest thing about these memories are that they are real, they are humbling and they have such special connections with other characters on the show. Numbers 3-1 are when the emotions really start running and don't stop.

    "#3.The Christmas Liam gave me the ring." Charlie leaves the DS ring to Aaron because it was meant to go to his son.

    "#2.The woman outside Covent Garden calls me a hero" He rescues a woman in the alley who turns out to be Sayid's Nadia and she tells him that he is a true hero. The final and best moment (I cried for a good 20 minutes after this one) "#1.The night I met you." From the second the chemistry between Charlie and Claire started you just wanted them together and each bump they would hit in their relationship, you felt like you wanted to crawl into that TV and help them work it out. They had such a sweet, pure and genuine love for one another without screaming it all over the TV. It was the love that didn't even get its chance. I am a hopeless romantic at heart, and being that Charlie was/is my favorite character, this makes "Greatest Hits" my all time favorite episode. I wonder... did Aaron ever get the ring?moreless

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    3 1

  • Charlie's "Greatest Hits" revealed!!

    9.0
    "Superb"
    By TheOCfan, May 16, 2010 Report Abuse
    "Greatest Hits" provides a good segway into the season finale. However, I felt this episode was a tad messy. The overall story was captivating, and the end was heart-attack inducing (as per usual), but something was just odd. It mostly has to do with the flashbacks. Once they got going, I understood that each of these flashbacks is one of Charlie's "greatest hits". However, like I said, it felt messy going back and fourth so many time periods of Charlie's life. Plus, the "6 hours ago" (I think it was six) flashback to the Others felt very out of place. Interesting, but out of place. In no way do I doubt Stephen Williams's direction; he's proved himself over and over again. I guess he was just taking a new route for this episode?

    Also, I hate to say it, but at times I questioned the relevance of the flashbacks. I certainly didn't want another "Stranger in a Strange Land" for Charlie. However, the heart-wrenching "hits" they each revealed totally makes up for any kind of "SIASL" similarities.

    I never pegged Charlie as the "greatest hits" type, but his list just makes me love him even more. I knew the #1 hit was going to have something to do with Claire; I just wasn't sure exactly what. I thought possibly their first kiss, but the moment Charlie picked is simply adorable and truly meaningful.

    I laughed at the DS ring. I can't remember the name it stands for, but it's cool that it originally had nothing to do with Drive Shaft. And Liam talking about how he'll never get married and have kids was humorously ironic.

    The (re-)flashback to the Wonderwall scene made me think. I'm sure other people will notice this, but Desmond did not appear. I know that that has to do with his time travel, of course but I got to thinking about how each event leads to another, and the whole space-time continuum craziness. Was Desmond really there the first time? Would Charlie remember seeing him (as some drugged-up guy on the street, of course)? Could Desmond's interference have caused Charlie to be a second too late to help the woman in the ally? If TPTB ever decide to delve into the topic of time travel again, it will be interesting to see if this particular scene is readdressed. And I know most of this is rambling, but I really am fascinated by the concept of time travel!

    I was whole-heartedly expecting Charlie to die. I was sooo happy when LOST appeared and he was still alive! Of course I want him to live, but let's save any drama for the season finale. I couldn't go into the final episode knowing Charlie is dead. Anyway, here's hoping for the best.

    Back on the main beach, I still don't know where to stand when it comes to Juliet. She didn't have much character development this episode, but I'm still on the fence about exactly how truthful she's being. I liked seeing Karl. For some reason he just make me laugh. Plus, if he saves the Losties, he gets major points.

    I'm happy Sayid stood up to Jack and told him to take the camp the tower instead of staying on the beach. The group scenes, especially when Kate said, "Here we go again" strongly reminded me first season glory. It's so strange that THREE years ago the raft was launched and the hatch was opened. Those were the days

    Speaking of the hatch, where is Locke?! Is he alive?! The writers sure know how to reel us in for the season finale! And what an explosive finale it looks like it will be no pun intended.moreless

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    1 3

  • Not what we expected, in either the flashback or the ending

    8.5
    "Great"
    By DavidB226Morris, Jan 31, 2010 Report Abuse
    Well, we're almost at the end of the season, and as is the custom we expect some huge revelations. We get more than a few in 'Greatest Hits', but after everything we've seen it might seem as a disappointment that the focus of the flashback is not someone more central but rather Charlie, who's been on the cusp of things all season, but never been in focus. But there's more to it than that.

    First of all, we found out what the hell Jack has been planning ever since he learned Juliet was the mole, which he's known since 'D.O.C.' His plan is to wait for when the Others come to their campground, and have their tents set up with the dynamite from the 'Black Rock' When the Others arrive, he plans to blow them to bits. But Jack is so focused on his vision of vengeance, he seems to have forgotten Naomi and hopes of rescue. This is understandable, because when she became public knowledge, rather than celebrate their eminent rescue, they all started bickering about why Desmond and Hurley kept this a secret, and why no one told Jack. At one point Naomi actually says "Don't you people want to be rescued?" and it's a fair question, given the way people have been behaving. When Sayid raises the question, it finally seems to rouse Jack, and they focus us on a project that no one's followed up on since Day 2--- finding the radio tower where Rousseau's message was being broadcast from. Now we learn something even more tangent--- the signal is also being jammed by another Dharma station called the Looking Glass. According to Juliet, it's underwater and has been unmanned for years. But Sayid (who must have liberated the schematics when he was searching the Flame station in 'Enter 77') thinks he can find. But in order to turn it off, someone has to go underwater and do it manually.
    Once again, Jack dillies and dallies, but not for long. Minutes later, Karl (who has been persona non grata since Sawyer turned him loose in 'Stranger in a Strange Land') turns up with another warning ---- the Others are coming right now. This leads to a fascinating side route. Ben returns to the Others camps and, rather than answer anyone's question about Locke, he instead tells the Other that he's moving up the timetable. When Richard asks why, he says Jacob ordered it. This was the first time I suspected that Ben really hadn't been talking to anyone, cause I'm damn sure Jacob didn't tell him that. He also gives a gun back to Alex which he says she gave to Locke, but we will soon know that, too, was a lie. Ben is trying to regroup but things are spinning out of control. And Alex is the one who betrays him by telling Karl to warn the passengers. This proves that she was never really an Other, and that she clearly doesn't think Ben was ever her father. We won't see the true ramifications of this for another episode.

    So when Karl comes, they have to drastically alter their plans, which leads to them leaving three behind ---- Sayid, Jin and Bernard (Yes, Rose and Bernard are back after having been gone all season. Nothing good can come from this) But what does any of this have to do with Charlie? Desmond has another of his visions in this episode, one that would seem to lead to rescue. (Given what we will later learn, I question the veracity of this, too, but let's let it go for now.) In order for this to happen, Charlie has to die (which may have been the reason Desmond had to save him all those times in the first place.) So, without knowing the details, he volunteers to go on a suicide mission underwater. (Now we have a glitch: on Day 6, a woman died when she went out swimming, and Charlie said he didn't swim.. Not he can't swim; he doesn't. Now possibly Charlie was still going through the bad part of his heroin addiction so he was afraid of dying, but why wouldn't Jack remember this? Maybe he was too focus on the drowning woman.) Anyway, Charlie says he can go.

    Up until now, all of the flashbacks have been pretty unhappy moments for everybody, with little joy. When Jack got married or performed a miracle surgery on a woman, or when Locke found love with Helen, subsequent flashbacks would destroy them, so they would be very painful moments. Even Hurley's flashbacks which have been funny were painful moments to him as well. Charlie has been no different; has flashbacks have shown how he gave upo his religion to become a rock star, watched his band fall apart, while his brother got clean, and he was unable to accept that he was a has been.

    But now, Charlie knows he's about to die, and he's decided that if the last 90 days have been a gift from some kind of benevolent entity, he's going to take only positive memories with him. We've seen Charlie's father as a cruel man, but now he's a proud papa. Liam has been seen as an enabler who destroyed his brother even as he cleaned himself back up; now we see two flashbacks where he showed them moment of pure happiness, where they showed him a gift. We've seen Charlie act cowardly in the face of adversity; now we see him save a woman's life in an alleyway (Interestingly, the woman was Nadia, Sayid's beloved who he's still searching from. Ironically, this took place in London, and we know that 'The Greater Good' Sayid spent time there. They may have just missed each other.) And the greatest moment of his life? The moment he met Claire. And we know right away he thought she was special. He was wearing his hood, meaning he was on drugs, but when he saw her, he took the hood off. He makes his final goodbyes. He leaves his Driveshaft ring (which we know has great significance to him in flashback #3) in Aaron's cradle, passing it down to his adopted son. Then it is lost (but it will turn up again, and I have no doubt there is still significance to it) He has a clingy moment with Hurley, even though there's a hint of malice in it. And when Desmond offers to take his place one last time, he makes sure that can't happen, and bravely jumps in.

    Except he doesn't. Despite everything we've learned, he find a gap, and pulls himself to freedom. But his elation is short lived, as two Others emerge from the Looking Glass armed and really upset. Looks like Ben has been lying again. As I am a sentimental sap, I can't help but cheer to find him alive, wondering what will happen next

    'Greatest Hits' isn't a perfect episode (it tries to cram in a lot of information in one hour, and does leave some gaps) and there area few holes that the series hasn't tried to explain for another season. But it does set things up for the season finale, which will be a total game changer for everybody.moreless

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    0 0

  • Maybe the Best Drama Produced in Lost!!!

    9.5
    "Superb"
    By Dante_Edy, Jul 13, 2009 Report Abuse
    Objective - Very simple, with only 3 episodes left, who would be the better person to focus? Exactly, Charlie and it is time for him to die like a hero. The focus are his situation, his flashbacks in form of highlights (his greatest 5 moments) and Jack and Co, which already was in setup for the Complication Phase. Flashbacks - Charlie flashbacks dont follow the normal plot (presentation, set up the complication, development of the complication, climax and ending.). The writers had come with a better idea, present the 5 best moments in his life, and in a long time, this flashbacks are welcome. Great Scenes There, every one of the last 3 scenes have a meaning in different context.

    Charlie Event on The Island - The beginning was ironic when Naomi made that comment, then the complication is set when Charlie has to die, or there will not be any rescue, poor guy. Others scenes is meant to be very sad, the last one with Desmond is very touching. The last scene is unexpected.

    Jack and Co Vs The Others - With the setup already in play, was time for us to hear Jack plan. His plan was beautiful(this was the presentation), however, things got more complicated when he learn that they will come in this night (setup of the complication Phase). Now the plan is reformulated and things will be more dangerous, which is exactly the objective for the season finale.

    Overall:

    1 - Plot Holes: Silver. Ben Is so Stupid or the Writers want he to be, Saying his plan in front of her to her, is very logical that she would prevent that to happen. Not only that, was totally out of character when Ben wanted to kill any Man that would appear in their way, this was weird, since they dont kill, unless is necessary. But since is about sacrificing logic for emotions, I will accept that.

    2 - Time and Scenes Management: Gold *. If you are a sensible person, you may cry.

    3 - Surprises/Twist/Shocks/Cliffhangers: Gold. The ending of this episode is unexpected.

    4 - Action: None. Wasnt necessary.

    5 - Funny: Wasnt necessary but I didnt notice.

    6 - Drama: Gold*Very touching and you can cry if you are more sensible.

    7 - Tension/Fear: Very little.

    8 - Excitement Level (curiosity/Mystery/Doubt/Revelations: Bronze/low. Not that type of excitement, since one of the character have a death sentence and for sure, will die. This is a setup.

    This episode continue to make setups for the season finale, Charlie death sentence, Sayid, Jin and Bernard will have to risk their Lifes. Jack have to lead his people to the Radio Tower and the Other are coming. However, what makes this episodes special, is all Charlie touching Scenes.moreless

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    0 0
 

Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

    ADD TRIVIA
    • In season 1 Charlie says he can't swim,yet in this episode he swims and says he can hold his breath under water for 4 minutes. Edit
    • Black and white: -The Others are looking for tents marked with white rocks, so Jack has them filled with dynamite from the ship Black Rock. -When Charlie jumps into the water, one of his black and white shoes floats toward the surface. Edit
    • Goof: Charlie is in London, but road markings are not typical UK/London markings. For example, he crosses the street on a zebra crossing at a traffic light. However, in the UK these markings are used only with flashing yellow lights, not where there are regular red/amber/green traffic lights and are rarely used at crossroads. Edit

  • Notes

    ADD NOTES
    • This is the first episode of season 3 in which Bernard and Rose appear. Edit
    • This episode was nominated for a 2008 Golden Reel Award for Best Sound Editing in Television: Short Form – Dialogue and Automated Dialogue Replacement. Edit
    • International Air Dates: Belgium: November 12, 2007 on VT4 The Netherlands: November 16, 2007 on Net 5 Spain: Monday December 3, 2007 on FOX TV Spain Finland: Thursday January 3, 2008 on Nelonen Macedonia: Thursday January 17, 2008 on A1 The Czech Republic: Sunday January 27, 2008 on TV Nova Germany: Monday, February 4, 2008 on Pro7 Denmark: June 6, 2007 on Kanal 5 Edit

  • Quotes

    ADD QUOTES
    • Hurley: So, what are we gonna do? Sun: We have to leave now. Hide. Bernard: Where? It's their island. If they want to kill us, they'll find us. Edit
    • Jack: Look, for ninety days I've been asked to make decisions for this entire camp. There you go, I just made one. Edit
    • Charlie: We're gonna be okay, you know. Claire: Are we? Charlie: We're alive on a beautiful island! We'll sleep under the stars and, before you know it, the helicopters will come and take us home. Claire: You really think they'll find us? Charlie: Well, yeah, why wouldn't they? Claire: Thanks. Charlie: I'm Charlie. Claire: I'm Claire. Nice to meet you, Charlie. Edit

  • Allusions

    ADD ALLUSIONS
    • Charlie: Never disrespect a fellow Mancunian.
      Naomi: You're from Manchester then?
      Charlie: I am. The band got its start at the Night and Day Bar on Oldham Street.

      The Night & Day Café is a real bar in downtown Manchester at 26 Oldham Street, and it does feature up and coming bands.
      Both Charlie and Naomi do have local Manchester accents. Edit
    • Extras Naomi: "You havin' a laugh?" Naomi says this in response to Charlie's reluctance to talk about the Others. This is the catch-phrase from Ricky Gervais's HBO comedy Extras, in which he plays the star of a critically-panned sitcom on the BBC. As was noted in the Allusions for the season 1 episode, Homecoming, Ricky Gervais is a good friend of Lost co-creator, J.J. Abrams. Edit
    • Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass The name of the "Looking Glass" Dharma station and its symbol are a reference to these two books by Lewis Caroll. Edit

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