Orientation

Season 2, Episode 3, Aired
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Episode Summary

Michael, Sawyer and Jin find themselves prisoners after they encounter what they believe to be a group of Others. At the Hatch, the group learn more about their new surroundings, but are confused at Desmond's reaction when the strange computer equipment is broken. Flashbacks reveal more of Locke's past with the introduction of Helen (guest star Katey Segal) who shakes things up even more with her revealing personality and past.moreless
9.1
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Fan Episode Reviews (87)

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  • A pivitol episode that reveals much about the mystery of the island, but with some flaws that detract from the overall enjoyability of this episode.

    8.0
    "Great"
    By bbagnall, Feb 08, 2011 Report Abuse
    This show just keeps getting better and better in terms of plot, but somehow I think this eposode missed on many levels.

    I found it powerful when Jack cried in previous episodes, but why is Jack crying all the time now? He's standing in the forest pointing a gun at a and for no reason starts crying. And why is he so crotchety about not believing in the purpose of the computer in the bunker? He seems way too angry for no reason.

    Likewise Locke acting like Jack was the only one who could press execute was dumb. It just seemed contrived to generate a supposedly powerful "Hollywood" moment.

    I cringed when they threw Rodriguez into the mix. She's stinking up the whole thing so far. As if little 5-foot nothing 100 lb Rodriguez could punch 220 lb Sawyer and knock him down. It would be like a little kid hitting you. Now we're getting a dose of that Xena/Buffy the Vampire Slayer universe where girls are as physically tough as boys. It just isn't true and it's pure PC Marxism that grew tired years ago.

    The 1980 orientation movie also didn't look too authentic. They should have watched something from the late 70's early 80's first, like "Freedom to Choose", which would have given the little film a better feel.

    Overall it just seems like something not so good happened after the first season break. Great stuff with the storyline and the bunker thing is really excellent, but some of the execution seems flawed.moreless

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  • Awesome.

    9.5
    "Superb"
    By Sarah_LOST, Oct 12, 2010 Report Abuse
    Jack and Locke discover that the hatch is a 1980's station built to control an electromagnetic anomaly on the island and learn that it was built by the Dharma Initiative, a scientific research team. Michael, Sawyer, and Jin find out that they are being held captive by the passengers of Flight 815's tail section, who have apparently survived. Flashbacks show Locke struggling with father issues and his relationship with Helen, who helps him let go of the issues with his father. Wow - I love the facy that Jin, Michael and Saywer get taken and put into a whole, I love it when Ana Lucia goes in with them. I love the hatch scene so amazing, Desmond thinks it's over because the computer crashes. Kate brings Sayid and Hurley to the hatch for the first time. Sayid fixed the computer and Desmond remembers Jack.moreless

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    1 1

  • A truly great episode that reveals more about the characters than you'd think.

    9.2
    "Superb"
    By Calibach, May 07, 2010 Report Abuse
    If you haven't figured it out already this is yet another great episode with subtle character development undertones throughout.

    First, we finally get to meet Locke's mysterious Hellen, and reveals to us how she saved him from himself and his suppressed rage against his father's betrayal. She proved to be Locke's salvation, as he was searching for hope. This explains why Locke screams at Jack that "it was never easy" having faith and why he "can't do it alone". However, this also brings up new questions. Why wasn't Locke with Hellen when he was handicapped? Was there some sort of accident that crippled him and killed her? Is that why he calls phone sex lines and speaks to another "Hellen"? Was he having problems letting go of his emotional/spiritual rock?

    Secondly we learn that Jack has SERIOUS emotional baggage when it comes to his former wife. While it was never explained what happenned to that marriage it plains to see that Jack is freaked out by the subject. Did she die? Did they divorce? If so, did Jack leave her or vice-versa? This trauma plays heavily into why Jack takes out his rage/frustration on Desmond. Does he feel that Desmond is somehow resposible for Jack marrying the girl in the first place? After all, it was Desmond who convinced Jack to go back and talk to her.

    Lastly, we learn of Anna-Lucia's fate. You remember her. The girl that Jack spoke to at the airport bar before the plane crash in last year's season finale. Yup, she's alive alright, and she (alongside with several other mystery people) have got Michael, Sawyer and Jin hostage. Is she part of the mysterious others or just another lost survivor?

    Personally, I think she and her crew are all survivors from the rear of the plane. They didn't fare as well and went all "Lord of the Flies". Why do I think this? Well to start they all look raggady as hell. Secondly, they have clubs for weapons. (The others on the boats had AK's.) Lastly, I think it would be a great plot twist of the big burly black guy Sawyer nicknamed Shaft was Rose's missing husband. That would be SWEET.

    A great show with a great plot. Keep 'em coming.moreless

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    5 0

  • 9. Our first look into the Dharma Initiative, and the end of the drawn-out introduction to what's in the hatch.

    9.1
    "Superb"
    By JaCkKbAuEr2424, Feb 01, 2010 Report Abuse
    I think Season 2 of Lost was the most anticipated season premiere of all time for me. Sure, there have probably been better television shows with better seasons, but the way the first season left its millions of viewers reeling, there was nothing but anxiety pumping and thrasing itself through our veins as we watched the final moments of Season 1 fade to black and the long summer hiatus to Season 2 begin. The first three episodes of Lost's second season all covered basically the same period of time, and while the first and second episodes were good in their own respects, it's the third one that was the most interesting. It took everything we were presented in the first two episodes and combined them into a continuation, where we not only learned who and what was in the hatch, but also a little bit about the supposed "Others" that Michael, Sawyer and Jin were dealing with. Perhaps it's not the most recognized episode by fans, but for me, this is one of the better episodes of the show.

    Up until this point, for me, the show had been primarily about survivors of a plane crash attempting to survive on an island that had macabre and eerie tendencies and mysteries surrounding it that hinted at some larger idea. The writers never really let on to what was coming up next, and the first season ended up revolving around survival. However, starting with this season, the mythology of the island came into the forefront, and the idea of other people living on the island before they crashed also became important. The connection between Jack and Desmond was an amazing reveal, and Desmond's first appearance on the show was great as well. The entire time I was watching the episode, I desperately wanted Jack or Desmond to acknowledge the fact that YES, they knew each other, and fortunately, they did so. This was also one of the first appearances of the lauded line: "See you in another life, brutha," a quote which takes on an entirely different meaning as the show progresses.

    The pinnacle of the episode has to be the Dharma initiation video, with Chang (here using a pseudonym)informing us of what the hatch was created for and the purpose of hitting the button every 108 minutes. I always thought the button was an odd introduction to the show, and I know I wasn't the only one tearing out my hair, wishing the timer would reach zero so we could see what would happen. It was a great way to keep suspense throughout the entire season, and Chang's eerie delivery of the rules and regulations of the hatch still stays with me to this day.

    Jack and Locke's relationship has always been a high point of the show for me, and Season 2 had some incredible interactions between the two characters, something that we cease to see as the show continues. The idea of destiny and free will begin to clash here, with Locke and Jack representing each side respectively, and as a result, we get scenes that glow with energy as the two actors act their hearts out. Locke's flashback about taking a leap of faith ties in perfectly to his argument with Jack, as he attempts to make Jack believe in pressing the button even though there's no proof that there's any need to.

    This was a dense episode, filled with character development and plot development that interwined to help push each other forward. That's the sign of a good episode, when the writers are able to focus on multiple levels of a show without it detracting from one.moreless

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    1 0

  • The end of the Introdution Phase!!!!!

    9.0
    "Superb"
    By Dante_Edy, Jun 30, 2009 Report Abuse
    Finally the Hatch Introdution ends in this episode, and as you can expect, this episode is very interesting.

    This episode is Locke centric episode, make sense, since Locke and Jack have different point of views and the first episode was about Jack.

    The weak part of this episode is Jack crying (is very easy for him to cry for everything), I dont know why he didnt ask more questions from desdmond (their last scene). How Sayid repair a damaged motherboard is still a mystery.

    Other than that, this episode is fine.

    The more intriguing part is the Dharma iniciative video. This video reveals very little and rise to much questions.

    EM can affect the mental state of people, but also attract metal objects like aeroplanes. This also puts open to question if our survivors are not under any experience of the Dharma, since the psychology was one of their field of study.

    The presence of the Polar Bear is at least understandable now.

    You can expect some drama in Locke flashbacks, that was good, at least the first two scenes, other than that, doesnt had too much, and was only done to explain Locke mindset.

    There is no Cliffhanger.

    Supposedly this "others" That Jin and CIA found, they perhaps are part of the flight 815.

    Overall, emotional flashback, light drama, a difficult situation to solve, a video that rise so many questions and solve so little make this episode at least deserves is 9.moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

    ADD TRIVIA
    • Numbers: The sum of 4, 8, 15, 16, 23, and 42 is 108: the number of minutes on the timer in the hatch. Edit
    • A plate on the shelf behind Karen DeGroot is similar to the Oceanic logo. Edit
    • The second time the clock is shown in this episode, it is at 84 minutes. 8 and 4 are two of "the Numbers." Edit

  • Notes

    ADD NOTES
    • International Airdates: - Denmark: January 25, 2006 on Kanal 5 Edit
    • This episode was nominated for the 2006 Excellence in Production Design Award for Television - Single Camera Television Series. Edit
    • Emilie de Ravin (Claire), Maggie Grace (Shannon), Yunjin Kim (Sun) and Dominic Monaghan (Charlie) do not appear in this episode. Edit

  • Quotes

    ADD QUOTES
    • Locke: Where are you going? Desmond: As far as I can run, brother. Edit
    • Desmond: I remember you. Running. I know you. I met you. Jack: Stop. Desmond: Los Angeles. I was training, yeah? You twisted your ankle. Jack: Stop. Desmond: You're a doctor, right? There was this girl you were worried about. You said...you said you failed her. That was you. Jack: It doesn't matter. Desmond: Is she ok? The girl. Jack: It doesn't matter. Desmond: What happened? Jack: It doesn't matter. Desmond: How can you say it doesn't... Jack: I married her! Desmond: Right. Then you're not married to her anymore then. (Jack shakes his head no) Edit
    • Jack: Don't move! Locke: Jack, he's unarmed. Jack: He just had a gun pointed at your head! Edit

  • Allusions

    ADD ALLUSIONS
    • An allusion is made to JJ Abrams' previous television series Alias in this episode. When Locke walks into the computer room and looks up at the clock, you can see it switch from 48:00 to 47:00. The number 47 was a key and critical number in the series Alias, much like 4, 8, 15, 16, 23, and 42 are in Lost. Edit
    • The reel with the Dharma Initiative movie is behind a book - The Turn of the Screw - by Henry James. This book tells a story about a governess who has to educate two orphan children in the 19th century. The children see two ghosts, two dead persons that are related to the children, and on and on. The governess sees the ghosts as well, and tries to protect the children. Edit
    • A shot of the book The Third Policeman is seen. The unnamed narrator of The Third Policeman is a student of a scientist/philosopher named De Selby. De Selby is a fictitious Irish philosopher and scientist, who has quite unorthodox theories and areas of research. This may be an allusion to the scientist involved in the DHARMA initiative. Throughout the book the narrator is also introduced to various peculiar or irrational concepts, artifacts, and locations, including a vast underground chamber called 'Eternity'. This all could be an allusion to the surreality of the island. Edit

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