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Lost Season 1 Episode 18

Numbers

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AIRED: 3/2/05

When Hurley becomes obsessed with the French woman and heads into the jungle to find her, Jack, Sayid and Charlie have no choice but to follow. Elsewhere, Locke asks for Claire's help in building something. Hurley flashes back to the hugely life-altering experience he had before boarding the plane.moreless

FAN RECAP

Fan Episode Reviews (50)

Awesome.

10

By Sarah_LOST, Oct 12, 2010

Hurley finds that some of Rousseau's documents contain the repeated numbers 4, 8, 15, 16, 23 and 42, the same numbers which Hurley had used to win a lottery jackpot. Hurley sets off on his own and finds Rousseau, who says that she does not know what the numbers mean: only that her party was drawn to the island by a radio transmission that was broadcasting the numbers. The numbers are revealed to be engraved on the side of the hatch. In flashbacks, Hurley wins the lottery, and over the coming weeks, everyone around him suffers increasingly bad luck. I loved this episode, getting to know Hurley, and the numbers - only a bit though. I love the scenes with, Hurley, Charlie, Jack and Sayid. I loved Sawyer in this episode too, and the way Jack mocks him really. I loved it.moreless
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4 8 15 16 23 42

10

By Jacob316, Jun 06, 2010

Hurley finds that some of Rousseau's documents contain the repeated numbers 4, 8, 15, 16, 23 and 42, the same numbers which Hurley had used to win a lottery jackpot. Hurley sets off on his own and finds Rousseau, who says that she does not know what the numbers mean: only that her party was drawn to the island by a radio transmission that was broadcasting the numbers. The numbers are revealed to be engraved on the side of the hatch. In flashbacks, Hurley wins the lottery, and over the coming weeks, everyone around him suffers increasingly bad luck. Numbers is my personal favourite episode of the season the flashbacks are brilliant, they were funny but also very important. The hike into the jungle trying to get a battery was fun. The ending was what made this episode a 10, fantastic cliffhanger.moreless
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These numbers do mean more than we think, and it's not that funny

10

By DavidB226Morris, Jun 01, 2010

This has nothing to do with Lost, but considering how TV always seems to have perfectly shaped mini-Adonis's playing the leads, it always does my heart good to see someone on television who's got a weight problem. They know they don't quite fit in the world they're in, but they plug on regardless. These characters included Bunk Moreland on The Wire, Callie Torres on Grey's Anatomy, and my all time favorite, the late Edgar Stiles on 24. Which brings us to the subject of this episode Hugo 'Hurley' Reyes.

Up until now our perception of this guy was someone who was probably a slacker in the real world, but has turned into a compassionate, shrewd thinker on the island. We've seen him make intelligent decisions, and basically keep things calm, so it's hard to imagine that he's got any painful secrets like everyone else. Turns out that he's holding some of the most painful secrets of anyone, and the biggest irony is in the real world, no one would have believed him if he told him he felt cursed. Hugo won the lottery--- probably upwards of $80 million or so, but from the moment he got the money, his life just went to seed His grandfather died, his sister-in-law discovered she was a lesbian, the new dream house he bought burned down--- and that's just the stuff we see in this episode's flashbacks.. Now a lot of lottery winners think that their winnings bring them nothing but trouble, but Hurley has a very specific reason. His winning numbers were 4, 8, 15,16 ,23, and 42, and he has come to believe that these numbers were cursed. Where did he hear these numbers? From a mentally disturbed patient in a facility he shared with a few years back. (Again we won't know why until later.) Finding out what these numbers meant and what they were led him into Sydney, which is part of his burden--- he thinks that he caused the plane crash. He then heard that the man--- Sam---- was a radio worker who picked up this transmission in the Pacific. He used these numbers to win a drawing prize, and from then on nothing but bad luck seemed to follow him. Eventually, he committed suicide.

(By the way, these numbers have been appeared in some form or other in a lot of the episodes. I have elected not to point them out, because a)that way lies a special kind of madness, and b) Hurley only seems to think they're dangerous when they're all together. Otherwise there's no way he gets on flight number 815.)

These numbers are the impetus of this episode. Going through the drawings that Rousseau used, he ran across these numbers being drawn over and over again. This leads our beloved Hurley, looking like Lawrence of Arabia really gone to seed into the jungle looking for Rousseau.

Because the information that he found is vital to the show, I'll repeat it: the team that Rousseau was on heard this transmission, leading them to crash onto the island in the first place. They spend the next few months trying to figure out where they came from, but then the crew started dying. Eventually, Rousseau found a radio tower, and recorded the transmission we heard in the Pilot over it. There's probably a very good reason why these numbers were going out, but since it's central to Season 2, I will refrain from mentioning it.

All of this is vitally important stuff to the bible of the show, but we might miss it because we're laughing so hard. Don't get me wrong, Hurley's flashbacks are very painful to him, but in the context of everything else we've seen so far it's almost hysterical to watch his fortunes unravel as his bankroll increases. Plus, let's face it, Hurley should be the type completely over matched by Rousseau's traps, but somehow he manages to outmaneuver them, leaving Sayid and Jack (who are supposedly trying to save him) looking on in wonder. (And it looks like Matthew Fox is cracking up at the sight of it, which is nice to see.)

Eventually, Hurley does find Rousseau, and what we see is remarkable. Even though he's got a gun pointed at him, he looks pissed off for the first time since we've met him. (And you have to admit, his "I want some frigging answers" is classic, because it's what everybody watching has been demanding.) He sounds a little crazy, and that may be what saves him, considering that Rousseau is already in a fragile state. And when he finally hears someone tell him what he's wanted to hear for years, it does resolve something for him. He doesn't know what the numbers mean (we're still not sure, even now) but he's gotten some confirmation. Problem is, the numbers do have another meaning-they're on the hatch.

So much of this episode is centered on Hurley that everyone else seems to fade into the background. However, there is one critical scene where Locke takes Claire aside to help make something. The scenes may seem like they don't mean anything, but think about it: Locke's had almost nothing to do with Claire up 'til now, but after she returned from her abduction, he seems to have reached a conclusion that some fans may have by now: the Others have a significant interest in Claire's baby. He doesn't know yet what this means, butt here has to be some significance that he's building a cradle for it. Pro-Locke people will think this is another one of those philosophical, compassionate act he does; anti-Locke fans will no doubt think that perhaps he thinks that this child is important to the island, and that he wants to make sure Claire trusts him. We will soon see that the costs that Locke imposed to be one with the island. (Incidentally, it turns out while Hurley invested his lottery winnings, he bought a box factory in Tustin, which we will eventually have concrete evidence is the one that Locke was working at, pre-island. This can't be a coincidence, but it's hard to know what it's significance is, even now.) 'Numbers' is one of the most enjoyable episodes we've seen, partly because it has some great individual sequences, partly because some vital parts of the mythology are intertwined in it, and partly because it shows, for the first time, what a gifted actor Jorge Garcia is. He's been the high point of many episode (he certainly has some of the funniest lines), but now he demonstrates, in case we haven't gotten beyond the laughter, that he's a very talented actor, and that he's got his own level of desperation here. What's sad is that Hurley can not escape the curse of the numbers even now. When Charlie, his closest friend on the island, tries to lighten his burden by telling him about his greatest horror, Hurley does the same thing--- and Charlie doesn't believe him. He is carrying a heavier burden than even Jack is right now, and this burden isn't something he's going to lose even when he leaves the island. We may not know what the numbers mean, but it's clear that he can't outrun them. Somehow, they are of his destiny.

Score:9.8moreless
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Pirates of Craphole Island: The Curse of the Rich Hurley

9.0

By Rufam, Dec 28, 2009

Hurley wins the lottery, which, instead of luck, brings him misfortune. While desperately trying to uncover the origin of the winning numbers, Hurley bumps into Rousseau; then hugs her. -

This was a great episode. If "...In Translation" was about emotions and character development, "Numbers" is about mystery and intrigue and of course lots of fun. It is Hurley episode, so loads of fun are predictable. So, this episode introduces the numbers, one of the key-mysteries in Lost, and one of the most interesting ones. Hurley's flashbacks are both intriguing and hilarious and the same things apply also for the action on the Island (altouhgh it is not as interesting as the flashbacks). Finally, Hurley hugging Rousseau was a terrific scene -two of my favorite characters sharing some love- and the revelation that the Numbers are also on the Hatch was creepy. Overall, superb episode.moreless
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(4 8 15 16 23 42)????????

9.5

By Dante_Edy, Jun 20, 2009

Lost have a long List of Mysteries about the Island:

-» The monster (or somenthing else)

-» Polar Bear

-» What Really Happened With The French Woman

-» Other People in the Island, besides the Crash Survivours -» What These Nunbers Mean (4 8 15 16 23 42)

-» Walt is Special?

-» Locke Couldn´t Walk Before!!

-» The Island Make You See Things

This episode is most strangest episode of the show to date.

I really didn´t expected that hugo flashbacks could be this way, not at all. He won the lottery, however the numbers he used to win, gave him bad luck, really bad luck. We also learn that hugo had psychriatic problems, since there is one part in the flashback with the doctor and hugo, that give you that clue.

This is why this episode is really strange, you really don´t know if that really happened with hugo, only time will tell.

Overral, a really strange episode, with funny, strange and mysterious moments, with another great cliffhanger.

Others events in the island were on normal mode.moreless
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Cast & Crew: STARS

EDIT

Daniel Dae Kim	Jin Kwon
Terry O'Quinn	John Locke
Harold Perrineau Jr.	Michael Dawson
Emilie de Ravin	Claire Littleton
Matthew Fox	Jack Shephard
Naveen Andrews	Sayid Jarrah

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Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

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Joy Minaai	Reporter #1	Guest Star
Archie Ahuna	Tito	Guest Star
Derrick Bulatao	Diego	Guest Star
Mira Furlan	Danielle Rousseau	Recurring Role
Lillian Hurst	Carmen Reyes	Recurring Role

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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TRIVIA (23)
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- In this episode, Claire makes a comment to John Locke that he should have one of those shows where he fixes homes. It is interesting to note that in the season two episode Lockdown, John is inspecting homes for a living.
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- Martha said that her husband heard the transmission with "The Numbers" 16 years ago. 16 is one of "The Numbers".
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- Hurley's grandpa Tito had a pacemaker 4 years before Hurley won the lottery. 4 is one of "The Numbers".
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- Earlier in the season, in the episode House of the Rising Sun, when Jin pays his first visit to the Secretary, his daughter is watching Hurley giving an interview on TV. It's safe to assume that it was the one he gave for winning the lottery as shown in this episode.
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- Numbers: 8
  
  The accountant in Hurley's flashback talks about Hurley's sneaker factory in canada was destroyed in a fire. "8 something people died."
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- The numbers are 4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42. If you combine the 2nd and 3rd number they form 815, the number of the flight.
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- Numbers: 4
  
  There can be seen a Roman four (IV) on Hurley's brother Diego's shirt, when Hurley is introducing his family to press after he won the lottery.
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- Numbers: 8
  
  Hurley is interviewed by a news station called KSVU-8, which is a reference to the Numbers. (brought up by the Lost jigsaw puzzles.)
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- Numbers: 4
  
  Sam Toomey has been dead for 4 years.
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- Numbers:
  
  When Hurley visits Lenny, he's playing "Connect Four". The game contains 42 circles, where you have to connect 4 of the same color. When Hurley walks in, Lenny has dropped 16 checkers into the game, 8 of each color.
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- This episode reveals that Hurley is Catholic.
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- Island events in this episode take place on October 26th and October 27th 2004.
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- We discover a connection exists between Hurley and Locke. During his visit to his solicitor Hurley is informed that he is now "the majority share holder in a box company." which he then asks questions about. It is safe to assume that this is the same box company for which John Locke works.
  
  Further confirmation comes in a later episode when we discover that Hurley's old boss from his fast food job is Locke's superior at the box company.
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- When the house that Hurley bought for his mom appears on fire during his flashback, the smoke coming out of the window seems to move in an unusual direction. It almost moves straight out of the window instead of up in the air.
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- Hurley's lottery numbers can be translated into latitude and longitude coordinates: 4.815 and 162.342. These coordinates are located near the Marshall Islands in the South Pacific.
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- The rap song playing in Hurley's car during one of his flashback scenes was written for the show and is not available anywhere else.
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- Lotto Official: That's right, Mary-Jo, because this is the 16th week without a winner.
  
  The person who speaks this line is Carlton Cuse, a writer and executive producer of LOST. Furthermore, 16 is one of the numbers.
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- The cursed numbers that this episode revolves around - 4, 8, 15, 16, 23 and 42 - appear on the hatch that Boone and Locke find.
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- We discover a connection exists between Hurley and Sawyer. The woman who drew Hurley's winning lottery numbers is the same woman who was in bed with Sawyer at the beginning of "Outlaws."
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- The original number of the surviving passengers of Flight 815 is 48. 4 and 8 are the first two digits of Hurley's cursed lottery numbers.
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- Towards the end of the episode, Claire tells Locke she was going to give her baby up for adoption. Locke tells her, "That must have been a difficult decision." Locke himself was put up for adoption and this reveals yet another commonality amongst characters.
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- When Hurley and his mother drive up to their new mansion, Hurley hands her the red bandana to cover her eyes. The camera switches angles as they come to a stop and shows his mom with the bandana neatly folded into a strip and tied around her head. But as Hurley is helping his mom out of the car, somehow the bandana is unfolded and draping over her nose.
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- When we see Hurley drive up to the new house in his yellow Hummer, the driver's-side chrome exterior mirror has big meaty finger prints on it, from being adjusted by the driver. After he gets out, the scenes outside the vehicle show that the mirror has been wiped clean.
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QUOTES (23)
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- Claire: It's my birthday today.
  Locke: Why haven't you told anyone?
  Claire: I'm pregnant, single, and on an island in the middle of nowhere. It doesn't really matter that it's my birthday, does it?
  Locke: I guess not. At least your birthdays will be close together, you and the baby, and that's good luck.
  Claire: Yeah, you think?
  Locke: Yeah, I do.
  Claire: You believe in that? Luck?
  Locke: I believe in a lot of things. (Locke finishes with the thing they're building) That should do it.
  Claire: Okay, I give up. What is it?
  (Locke turns it over.)
  Claire: It's a cradle.
  Locke: Happy birthday, Claire.
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- Hurley: They're cursed. You know that, right? The numbers, they're cursed.
  Rousseau: Numbers are what brought me here. As it appears they brought you. Since that time I've lost everything, everyone I cared about. So yes, I suppose you're right. They are cursed.
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- Claire: Thanks, for this...giving me something to do. I'm tired of trying to remember what happened to me out there.
  Locke: How's that coming? Your memory?
  Claire: Bits and pieces here and there. Nothing that makes any real sense.
  Locke: Well, maybe I can help. I'm good at putting bits and pieces together.
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- Reporter: Why don't you introduce your family.
  Hurley: Oh yeah, okay, um, this patch of beauty is my mom, Carmen. Come here, mom. And this is my brother, Diego and his wife, Lisa.
  Diego: Woo! We're rich!
  Hurley: Nice, dude. Ignore him, he's an idiot.
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- Locke: I'm building something and I could use an extra pair of hands.
  Claire: I'm nearly 9 months pregnant, I can barely waddle on the beach.
  Locke: Could you hold a saw?
  Claire: Um, yeah.
  Locke: Can you move your hand back and forth, like this? (he makes a sawing motion)
  Claire: Possibly.
  Locke: You're perfect.
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- (Hurley looks at the bundle of pointy sticks hanging in the trees)
  Hurley: I can make it.
  Jack: Hurley, don't move.
  Charlie: No!
  Hurley: I can get out of the way, I'm spry.
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- Locke: Pass me that cup, please.
  Claire: Ugh, what's this gunk?
  Locke: Glue.
  Claire: Where'd you find glue?
  Locke: I made it out of rendered animal fat.
  Claire: You made glue? Wow. You should have one of those shows where you, uh, fix up houses for people.
  Locke: I don't think so.
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- Martha: What is it you're looking for, Mr. Reyes?
  Hurley: I used them, the numbers, to win the lottery. And, now, I think I'm under the same curse.
  Martha: Curse? There's no curse.
  Hurley: But, you just told me -
  Martha: You think I'd still have my leg if Sam hadn't have picked the right number of beans? You think that floods wouldn't have happened? That homes wouldn't have burned down? That people wouldn't have died?
  Hurley: Well, yeah.
  Martha: You make your own luck, Mr. Reyes. Don't blame it on the damn numbers. You're looking for an excuse that doesn't exist.
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- Hurley: Did [Sam] ever find a way to make the curse stop?
  Martha: Yep, he put a shotgun in his mouth and pulled the trigger.
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- (We see a house in the middle of nowhere, and hear Hurley knock on the door)
  Martha: If this weren't the middle of nowhere, I'd say you were lost.
  Hurley: Hi, is this Sam Toomey's house?
  Martha: It is. I'm his wife.
  Hurley: Is he around? Because, I'd kind of like to talk to him.
  Martha: I'd like that, too. But Sam's been dead for four years.
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- Hurley: 52 years. 70 years old, and the closest thing he's had to a vacation is when they put a pacemaker in him four years ago. So the first thing I'm going to do with the money is, uh, finally give him the rest that he's earned. That's really what it's all about for me, to be able to do things for the people I care about. Because, I really put my family through a lot recently, and, um, well this way I can make it up to them. You know, maybe even buy my mom a new house. And, uh, maybe after my grandpa comes back from his cruise we can, you know, get to do some things that we always wanted to do. (Hurley sees his grandpa fall to the ground) Grandpa?
  EDIT SHARE
- Mary-Jo: ... with "Mega Number" 42. And, that makes tonight's Mega Lotto Jackpot: 4, 8, 15, 16, and 23. With the "Mega Number," 42. Whoever has those numbers has won, or will share, in a near record jackpot.
  Lotto Official: That's right, Mary-Jo, because this is the 16th week without a winner.
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- Carmen: Hugo, what are you doing in there?
  Hurley: Un memento, Mama. I'm just checking something out.
  Carmen: I hope you're not watching those g-string mujeres again.
  Hurley: Look, mom, we've talked about this. You want me living here, you've got to respect my privacy. And, no, I'm not.
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- Jack: All I'm asking is for you to tell me how to find her.
  Sayid: I was brought unconscious to her camp. When I escaped, I was disoriented. I don't know how to find her.
  Hurley: Don't know, dude, or don't want to?
  Jack: Sayid, look, you've got her maps and her papers. Now, you thought they were pointing to something.
  Sayid: Well, I was wrong.
  Jack: Well, maybe they're pointing to her.
  Sayid: Look, I don't even know what these papers mean! For all I know, they could be the ravings of her disturbed mind! Song lyrics mixed with equations! If this map is pointing to her, then you should know she resides here, in this area. She gave it a name: Territoire Foncé. Shannon translated it, it means Dark Territory. Does that sound like a place you'd like to visit?
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- (Jin says something to Hurley in Korean)
  Hurley: Hold on a second, dude; you want what, now?
  (Jin motions his hands)
  Hurley: You want to make snowballs?
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- Hurley: I am not crazy. I've got my reasons ...
  Charlie: I think I have a right to know.
  Hurley: Okay, all right, you want to know?
  Charlie: Yep.
  Hurley: About a year ago ...(Sound of a gunshot) Is someone shooting at us?
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- (we see Michael hammering on the raft)
  Sawyer: You want to hit that a little harder?
  Michael: I'm sorry. Is my building a raft to get us rescued bothering you?
  Sawyer: At the moment, yeah.
  Walt: Why aren't you helping?
  Sawyer: I am helping, Short Round. I'm keeping watch for arsonists.
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- Sayid: (about Hurley) We need to find something to replace his weight on the trigger.
  Charlie: Replace his weight? How are we going to do that?
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- Jack: Okay, you two stay put right there. We're going to find a way around and we'll meet you there.
  Hurley: Nah, screw that. You guys stay. There's a path right here, Charlie and me...
  Charlie: Hurley, will you shut up and listen to Jack? He said stay put. You're acting like a bloody lunatic.
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- Hurley (to Danielle): What? You don't know? Okay, that thing in the woods, maybe it's a monster, maybe it's a pissed off giraffe, I don't know. The fact that no one is even looking for us, yeah, that's weird, but I just go along with it because I'm along for the ride, good old fun time Hurley. Well guess what? Now, I want some friggin' answers!
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- Charlie: Hurley, bad things happen. Planes crash, people die.
  Hurley: Dude, you really gotta let me finish.
  Charlie: You think you're the only person with baggage? You know what I was doing when the plane went down? I was snorting heroin, in the toilet. I was such a junkie, I couldn't even take a plane trip without having a fix. I suppose that was your fault as well. So, how 'bout it?
  Hurley: What?
  Charlie: I just told you the biggest secret in my life. I thought you'd want to reciprocate.
  Hurley: Back home, I'm worth $156,000,000.
  Charlie: Fine, don't tell me.
  Hurley: Dude.
  Charlie: I bare my soul, and all I get is bloody jokes!
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- (Charlie notices Hurley holding his shirt over a fire)
  Charlie: I know food's scarce, but, your shirt?
  Hurley: When you find a laundromat, let me know.
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- Hurley: Hi, you awake?
  Sayid: I was just wondering that myself.
  Hurley: So, that French lady, she wrote this stuff, right?
  Sayid: Hurley, it's the middle of the night. What do you want?
  Hurley: Nothing. Couldn't sleep, then I got curious. You and Shannon, you guys have been trying to figure out some of this stuff and I was wondering what, you know, you guys figured out … 'bout this stuff.
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NOTES (6)
ADD NOTES
- Ian Somerhalder (Boone) didn't appear.
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- International Airdates:
  - Denmark: May 6, 2005 on Kanal 5
  - Greece: August 27, 2008 at 23.00 on ANT1
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- This is the first episode to be named after a book in The Bible.
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- An early version of Hurley's backstory had him being a world-class repo man.
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- Jorge Garcia was the first actor to be cast as one of the survivors on the island, but his character (Hurley) is the last of the fourteen primary Losties to have an episode of flashbacks focused on him.
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- A Hurley-centric episode.
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ALLUSIONS (9)
ADD ALLUSIONS
- The island's bestseller list has grown, as Sawyer is trying to read Madeline L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time. Coincidentally, ABC aired an original television movie of the novel of the same name last year on the network.
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- Number: 23
  
  23 is a prime number (indivisible except for itself and 1), and is one of the "illuminated numbers" as explained by The Illuminatus Trilogy.
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- Number: 23
  
  Actually, taking the hitchhiker's reference a little further, in "The Life, The Universe, and Everything" Prak, the man who tells the whole truth and nothing but the truth, says that the question and the answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything are both mutually exclusive, as knowledge of one precedes knowledge of the other and both can never be known for the same universe. However, if both do become known there is a likely chance that the universe would disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarrely inexplicable, and that maybe this has already happened.
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- Event: Lenny playing Connect Four
  
  Lenny is playing the game Connect Four where you drop checker-like pieces into a grid and try to get four in a row horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. As with backgammon (Walt and Locke's game), this game may have some symbolic significance.
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- Number: 42
  
  In the book "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy," by Douglas Adams, the number 42 is referred to as the answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything.
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- Sawyer: (about Walt) "Short-Round"
  
  In "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" Indy's young, Asian Sidekick is called "Short-round" by Indy.
  
  Another reference (this time to "Raiders of the Lost Ark") is the pressure trigger that Hurley steps on. In the opening scenes of the movie Indy is replacing a golden statue with a bag of sand in order to maintain the pressure trigger. When Hurley steps off of the trigger, the ball of wooden stakes that swings over head is repeated from "Raiders of the Lost Ark", as is the collapsing wooden bridge that Charlie nearly dies on.
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- Episode title: Numbers
  The episode title is a reference to one of the books of the Torah, the Pentateuch, the Hebrew Scriptures, and the Bible. The Pentateuch is made up of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Numbers centers around the laws God sets out for man and divine punishment for breaking them.
  
  The Book of Numbers is not just a book in the Hebrew Bible. There is really no such thing as the Hebrew Bible, just Hebrew Scriptures. The Hebrew Scriptures are made up of 46 books, the same 46 that make up the Old Testament in the Bible. The Bible has sub categories. One of these being the Torah, or Pentateuch; which is made of five books; Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.
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- Hurley's Lawyer: "I can't believe the police thought you were a drug dealer."
  Jorge Garcia (Hurley) played a drug dealer in a 2004 episode of the tv show Curb Your Enthusiasm.
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- Charlie: "One minute you're happy-go-lucky, good time Hurley, and the next you're Colonel bloody Kurtz!"
  
  Colonel Walter E. Kurtz was the diabolical villain of the 1979 Francis Ford Coppola movie Apocalypse Now. He was played by Marlon Brando. The movie was based on Joseph Conrad's novel Heart of Darkness, which was the story of one man's journey into the heart of "darkest Africa" to seek out the insane Kurtz, much like Hurley's journey into the "dark territory" to seek out the insane Rousseau.
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