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Lost Season 6 Episode 8

Recon

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AIRED: Mar 16, 2010

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9.0

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EPISODE REVIEWS
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Episode Summary

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Locke trusts Sawyer with a mission.

FAN RECAP

Fan Episode Reviews (24)

Ben Linus should not even exist in the flashsideways, They also keep mixing in boring eps. like this one w/ more interesting ones like Sundown. But my biggest gripe is that in this late game they keep messing up the timeline!moreless

1.5

By HTEflseGODS, Mar 07, 2011

So they no longer do recaps, they obviousely have given up on getting new viewers. But the Tv.com is right on the money w/ these lazy missteps by the producers. I noticed them and was a bit distracted, but after four missteps in the final season of one of the greatest shows ever produced its a bit frustrating. The producers put so much energy in putting little tid bits of info. or mystery in the backdrop of almost every ep. why they would'ntc the windows 2007, Alex being 15, or the school season being off. Thats nitpicking and I can forgive this or even defend it. But the fact that Ben Linus is even alive in the flash sideways and wasnt destroyed in the blast when the main Lostees set off Jughead before coming back to 2007 baffles me?

Since the Locke centrick ep. we have steadily not gotten any answers to what happend to the folks left on the island, nor why there showing the alt. reality to begin with, and am losing my patience with these storylines. I see Josh holloway LOST a few lbs. since last seen 4 eps. back. Guess he had to get in shape for the dramatic chops he had show off by being in bed w/ those hotties. (Charlotte you, and fans deserved better i.e. Dan. Faraday:( But I thought the Kate/ Sawyer love thing was over, now after a few days in the jungle cryin over JJJUULIEEEETT he now wants freckles back. Thats my only gripe about Lost. the obssesion with Kate and Sawyer (Jack is cool in my book) They are not that hot, and thier stories are even less interesting. At this late stage I dont wanna see Katwyer go all gooey for one another nor do I wanna see some built up mystery only to be something really forgettable, or minor i.e. Kate giving up Aaron, Sawyer whispering to Kate about his daughter. I mean did they really have to go through all that to keep Jack out of thier little club for 2. Speaking of which, my final thought is Jack deserves better than Kate and her stupid mind games and once again at this late stage in the game noone should be safe from the reaper, not even the treasured 3, give us a surprise and have Kate step on some dynamite in front of Sawyer. You can still always have her laying in his bed in the sidewaysverse.moreless
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James Ford .

10

By Yasser-24, Mar 07, 2011

Sawyer should be consider on best Actors in any T.V show ! , imagine that he have a show Called F.B.I it's will be so great ! . i just love his angry face no matter what you will be afraid . as always we admire Locke and his AMAZING performance , when he slap Clarie you just amaze how is he so Cold . and his scene with Kate and his story was really speechless. and sawyer is really one hell of good lair !!! . he can play it in both side without any damn Fear . 10/10 .moreless
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Filler filler filler

5.0

By Lccf, May 26, 2010

Don't get me wrong : I'm not expecting big reveals every week, not even in this last season. As long as the script is funny or touching, I'm fine. Sadly, this week, the flash-sideways were just pointless ( you could have told Detective Ford was looking for "Sawyer" from the moment Cooper's name was mentioned, really ) , and the island storyline was just positioning the pawns for the endgame. Nothing as touching as Jack's talk with his son, or Ben's confession to Ilana. Sawyer's one of my favorite characters on Lost, and I didn't care for any version of him this time. Some little moments were worth the watch ( Sawyer not buying Zoey's con, memories from the bear cages,the Little House on the Prairie scene ) , but not much. My first big disappointment of the season ...moreless
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*** Spoiler-free *** Intriguing island arc, twisted and inspiring urban story, convincing acting, surprising relationships and wicked dialogs

8.0

By goa103, May 26, 2010

Widmore was obviously doing a little recon in his submarine at the end of Dr. Linus so this episode was obviously about that new arc. It was really unexpected and when I heard his name I instantly thought that his daughter Penny or even Desmond would be around. But Recon featured Sawyer and it's definitely a good thing considering how interesting the character is and how Josh Holloway performance has been convincing so far. Moreover there was something intriguing and ironic about an ex-con doing recon for Locke and his team. With Jack on the other side and now Widmore things are really getting intense. A good and evil battle already sounded epic but now there're three opponents to bet on. Show time !

One arc logically took place on the island with Sawyer, Black Locke, Kate and the others. The scenes between our two ex-lover birds were delightful because they brought many sweet and sad memories. One of them was well filmed and the smooth editing really contributed to make these moments memorable. One minute Swayer thinks about Kate, the next you see her musing in the jungle. These are the little details you have to pay attention to if you want to comprehend how great this 6th and last season actually is. As for the story itself it was excellent and we even got to learn more about the relationship between Locke, Kate and Claire. These women shared some very emotional moments and I hope the young mother will meet her daughter again one day. For the moment it sounds like an impossible mission but with Kate everything is possible. As for Sawyer I enjoyed his unpredictable behavior as always and wonder if the characters he lied to know it or not.

The other arc occurred in the city with the Sawyer we all know but with a twist. The beginning was very surprising and the WOW Factor™ of the scenes was really high. In fact I instantly jaw dropped when what was going on was revealed. However now that I think about it the writers could have imagined many other ways to amaze the audience. It's peace of cake when you have the best con in your show. As for the story itself it was quite inspiring, as much as Ben or Kate one. Think and act. Take the right decision, or wrong direction. It's like if these urban legends were metaphoras of what the island characters want. Like John in he Substitute, Sawyer collided with other characters. These encounters and relationships greatly contributed to make him grow on us even more.

Recon was a unique episode with an irresistible LaFleur flavor and dozens of elements to explore. When it ended I instantly wanted to watch it again because I knew I missed some things. Indeed many dialogs were very powerful and you never really know if the characters tell the truth or not. Last but not least the last scenes were quite intriguing so waiting for the upcoming episode will definitely test your patience.moreless
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It's been four long, arduous weeks since last we spent some quality time with one Mr. James Ford and frankly, it's shown.

9.0

By screenagedkicks, May 26, 2010

It's been four long, arduous weeks since last we spent some quality time with one Mr. James Ford and frankly, it's shown. For all 'Dr. Linus' and 'Sundown' prove to be strong, capable episodes in their own right, pushing the arc plot along nicely and unloading a whackload of tension on us to boot, there has been something missing from the scripts, a minor hole where Josh Holloway's furrowed, insult-spouting brow should be. It's something of an understatement to say that his episodes are generally some of the best that Lost has to offer; you only have to look at last season's superlative 'LaFleur' for evidence of that. The character is so inherently intriguing, so pleasingly rich and complex, that he's effectively overflowing with possibility. And of course, Holloway's portrayal is always perfectly pitched, expertly marrying ruthlessness with heart to create someone truly human. It should come as little surprise, then, that 'Recon' is an effortlessly solid episode, managing to maintain considerable momentum through the integration of a captivating flash-sideways with the ever-expanding on-Island soiree.

Thankfully, once again, our latest glimpse into life without the plane crash proves to be laden with contradictory tidbits and interesting dramatic decisions. For all the character beats essentially remain the same, as we Sawyer in the throes of trying desperately to locate that sorry SOB Anthony Cooper, 'Recon' manages to disguise its potential redundancy by turning the minutiae on their collective head. This is an altogether fresh approach to the Sawyer storyline, as we see Ford living a life, not of crime, but of law and order, working to bust those duplicitous con artists and protect those that might be hurt as a result of their activities. It's certainly a fascinating and entirely logical notion that James would essentially be faced with a choice, that the dark secrets of his past would pull him one way or the other. What's crucial, however, is that his father's homicide/suicide informs the very fibre of his being, that it transforms him into the person we see struggling to make up for the event, to do something about it, to make himself feel like he can, in some way, eke out his revenge. And for all it may seem like he is living a better life in this reality, that whatever changed the course of events has led him to a more law-abiding and therefore fulfilling existence, the script still makes a point of highlighting the melancholy of his plight. He may be living a more moral life, but it's certainly no less troubled. It's a parallel that may be central to every flash-sideways; in fact, it may be their central motif. Are Lindelof and Cuse trying to demonstrate that the Losties' lives are better together, better for the tragic nature of their collective encounter?

Whatever the allegory, there's no doubt that this is all particularly powerful stuff. Our opening flash-sideways sequence is an absolute treat, playing off beats that effectively form the backbone of this character's plot arc (the money falling out of the case, the 'you weren't supposed to see that', even the rebuke form guest star Jodi Lynn O'Keefe, a.k.a. Psycho Gretchen from Prison Break) and then side-swiping the viewer with that deliciously unexpected reveal. As we lapse so easily into the comfortability offered by these minutiae, the twist has an even greater impact, which, in turn, enriches the quality of the story. Then, we have the inclusion of Miles; by this point, I've learned to stop questioning the presence of all of these ancillary characters and simply embrace them for the serendipitous opportunities that they provide. Plus, these guys work so well together that it's a joy to see them given more screen time; their chemistry is so damn palpable, it's hard to know whether Straum is going to punch or kiss Sawyer when he throws him up against a wall. Of course, the latter would probably put something of a spanner in the works vis a vis the development of Sawyer's potential relationship with good ol' Charlotte - it's very nice to see Rebecca Mader again - who provides an interesting contrast to the other women in Ford's life and, refreshingly, rebukes him after his unwarranted outburst. You need to do a damn sight better than a crate of beer and a sunflower to impress this gal, mister. However this develops, the coupling is an intriguing one and works well, though how this will play with Farraday (who you know is just around the corner) is anybody's guess...

On-Island, dramatic developments continue apace as Sawyer becomes the first of our candidates to interact with the newly-arrived Widmore Sub Crew. Ford's visit to Hydra Island is a nice little nostalgia trip, allowing the production crew to linger lovingly on those bloody cages from season three, and that horrible dress that Kate was once forced to wear too. It seems the suggestion is being made that there may still be something between Austen and Sawyer, particularly given that they feature prominently at hour's end, with Holloway promising to set Smokey against Charles to allow the two of them to escape, and quite literally running into her on the mean streets of LA in his flash-sideways. Still, this isn't the most interesting aspect of this narrative component, oh no. That honour goes to the presence of Alan Dale, who manages to turn a scene in which he has a minimal amount of dialogue into one of the most meaningful sequences in the episode. This guy really is brilliant, knowing exactly when and where to pitch his most crucial emotional beats. The essential substance of all of this is fascinating too: is Widmore's purpose here to eradicate Smokey? Does he wish to control the Island in Jacob's absence? What, essentially, is his plan?

Undoubtedly, these are questions that will be answered in the weeks to come, along with the

all-important issue of unLocke's potential existence in the outside world and exactly what in the holy Hell is going on with Claire and Sayid. The former appears to be the dictionary definition of schizophrenic, holding Kate's hand one minute and attempting to stab her in the neck the next, while Jarrah's eerie calmness and reticence while Austen is under peril is just plain weird. Kudos to Naveen Andrews for successfully putting the proverbial willies (so to speak) up every single member of the viewing audience. Oh, and speaking of creepy, just what is up with the idea that Smokey has a mother? All this talk of deranged women is patently bizarre... are we going to be subjected to some sort of Black Smoke flashback/sideways/semi-circle at some point?

'Recon' is very much a transitionary episode, setting the wheels in motion for the implementation of a number of saliant narrative points: Widmore's return to the Island, Smokey's attempts to escape, Claire and Sayid's bats**t craziness. All of this is wonderfully intriguing and pointedly structured so that, when coupled with a thematically familiar but intricately different 'what if...?' storyline, it creates a deliciously filling and rewarding whole. It also contains an absolute whackload of Josh Holloway which, frankly, can only be a bloody good thing. Another triumphmoreless
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Cast & Crew: STARS

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Naveen Andrews	Sayid Jarrah
Emilie de Ravin	Claire Littleton (Seasons 1-4 & 6)
Josh Holloway	James "Sawyer" Ford
Daniel Dae Kim	Jin Kwon
Ken Leung	Miles Straume (Seasons 4+)
Evangeline Lilly	Kate Austen

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Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

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Jodi Lyn O'Keefe	Ava	Guest Star
Allen Cole	duty sergeant	Guest Star
Christopher D. Johnson	police officer	Guest Star
Alan Dale	Charles Widmore	Recurring Role
Rebecca Mader	Charlotte Lewis	Recurring Role
Kimberley Joseph	Cindy	Recurring Role

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Emilie de Ravin as Claire in Lost's 'Rec...

© 2010 American Broadcasting Companies, Inc.
Naveen Andrews as Sayid in Lost's 'Recon'.

© 2010 American Broadcasting Companies, Inc.
Evangeline Lily as Kate in Lost's 'Recon'.

© 2010 American Broadcasting Companies, Inc.
Evangeline Lily as Kate in Lost's 'Recon'.

© 2010 American Broadcasting Companies, Inc.

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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TRIVIA (10)
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- In LA X (2), Miles tells Sawyer he is not his deputy anymore. This has a double meaning, as he worked under/with Sawyer during their years as security with the DHARMA Initiative, but it is also a glimpse into the alternate timeline where Miles is Sawyer's partner on the police force.
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- Jin doesn't use his crutch at all to support his foot, even though it is badly damaged.
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- When Sawyer refers to Charlotte as "Indiana Jones," this is an inside joke to Rebecca Mader's audition where "she was supposed to be like a female version of Indiana Jones."
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- According to the March 11, 2010 podcast, this episode's title was intended as a double meaning. On the one hand, the Man in Black sends Sawyer on a recon (reconnaissance) mission to Hydra Island. On the other hand, the title can also be viewed as a pun ("to con again") based on Sawyer's past as a con man, referring to his alternate timeline counterpart's occupation as a police officer specialized in busting con men.
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- In the last scene where Kate is talking to Sawyer the position of her left hand changes between shots.
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- Through the entire scene where Sawyer is undercover with Ava, the clock never moves from 8:42.
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- At the police station, Sawyer uses Microsoft Word 2007 in the flash-sideways timeline set in 2004.
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- The clock on the night stand read 8:42. 8 and 42 are two of The Numbers.
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- The tail number for Ajira flight 316 was N25705 when it originally appeared in the episode "316". However, in this episode the same plane bears the designation N9748C.
  
  N25705 is the tail number of a Boeing 737 currently in use by Continental Airlines. N9748C is a tail number reserved by the FAA for film use, and has been used in many other TV and film productions.
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- This episode marks the first time that the name of Oceanic Flight 815 was specifically mentioned in the flash-sideways timeline.
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NOTES (6)
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- Neil Hopkins makes his first appearance as Liam Pace since "Greatest Hits" after a 41-episode span. This also marks his first appearance outside a Charlie-centric episode.
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- For the first time in Season Six, this episode does not contain a Previously on Lost.
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- Though credited, Nestor Carbonell (Richard), Henry Ian Cusick (Desmond), Michael Emerson (Ben), Jeff Fahey (Frank), Matthew Fox (Jack), Jorge Garcia (Hurley), Yunjin Kim (Sun), and Zuleikha Robinson (Ilana) do not appear in this episode.
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- Charlotte makes her first appearance since "Follow the Leader", a gap of 10 episodes, and Rebecca Mader makes her first appearance since "This Place Is Death", a gap of 19 episodes.
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- Original International Air Dates:
  Canada: March 16, 2010 on CTV
  United Kingdom: March 19, 2010 on Sky1/Sky1 HD
  Portugal: March 23, 2010 on FOX
  Spain: March 23, 2010 on FOX
  Australia: March 24, 2010 on 7TWO
  Latin America: March 30, 2010 on AXN
  New Zealand: March 31, 2010 on TV2
  Finland: April 8, 2010 on Nelonen
  Norway: April 21, 2010 on TVNorge
  Germany: May 5, 2010 on FOX
  Sweden: May 19, 2010 on TV4
  Czech Republic: May 24, 2010 on AXN
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- A Sawyer-centric episode.
  
  This episode resumes the pattern of mirroring character-centricism in episodes from Season 1.
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ALLUSIONS (4)
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- Some Like It Hot: John Locke replies "Well, nobody's perfect" to Kate when she says that he is dead. This expression is famous for being the memorable last line of the Billy Wilder's famous film "Some Like it Hot" featuring Marilyn Monroe.
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- A Wrinkle in Time: is on Sawyer's chest of drawers. Written by Madeleine L'Engle A Wrinkle in Time is a sci fi children's novel by Madeleine L'Engle (1962.) The story follows Meg Merry - a teenager who travels in time and space with her younger brother Charles Wallace and friend Calvin O'Keefe to rescue their father - who is a scientist being held prisoner by an evil force. Sawyer read it on the Island in the original timeline.
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- Watership Down: this 1972 Richard Adams book is on Sawyer's chest of drawers. The novel is a spoof of humans searching for a new home using a society of rabbits as characters. The rabbits find what they think is utopia - but discover that it is a farm with traps and snares and they have to live together or die alone while establishing new rules to live. Sawyer told Kate in the original timeline that is was a "Hell of a book. It's about bunnies."
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- Indiana Jones: Sawyer compares Charlotte to the globe-trotting archaeologist.
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