They can keep each other company.

In terms of a TV episode, I thought it worked really well. There was lots going on, it was well paced, we had new characters which actually had a bit of history from the beginning, the actor playing Daniel appeared to be a goodun...

In terms of Lost, though - yeah. It's the typical problem - loads of new characters, but is this actually going anywhere?

In terms of the strike, I strongly suspect the reason the producers didn't want these episodes to go to air is this: by episode 8, where it ends, I don't think we'll know anything much. Which, you know, will piss me off.

But then I'll probably still keep watching. Hoping one day they explain the Homer foot statue.

I loved that they explained that Locke survived because he didn't have a kidney on that side. Ha ha ha. Awesome.

Focusing on the new people led to a lot of intriguing confusion in the flashforwards, especially because I didn't anticipate there being so wide a future timespan to pull from. That is, I didn't expect them to actually show us the discovery of the wreckage! Not this early! It was hard to try to wrap my head around the fact that the future stuff was actually after the Island stuff, since we didn't know these people at all, and that's not normally the way you introduce new characters. And then they threw in a flashback at the end, breaking their own structure and signifying, I suppose, that all bets are off now, and they're allowed to use flashforwards and flashbacks in the same episode if they see fit (although this may just be a special case since a flashback is the only way to use Naomi and complete the raiding team).

I may be naive, but it seems pretty clear that they have a real direction for things now, especially with a defined end for the series. The Mysterious Black Dude seemed to know a bit about the crash, which we know was caused by the Hatch, which is associated with Dharma, whose symbol we know these guys recognize, etc. I think they're trying to close the loop by focusing on getting the characters off the Island, which may be the only way for them to get real answers on what the hell is up with it in the first place.

Wait... I thought they were flashbacks of the new characters? Well, flashbacks in island timeframe.

Yeah, I don't think those were flashforwards.

I thought they were flashbacks of the new characters? Well, flashbacks in island timeframe.

Me, too.

New work was just having a Lost discussion right behind me, so I joined right in (they needed Naomi's name).

I learned a new OMGWTF Polar Bear! theory though! He got caught up in Desmond's time travelling.

Wait... I thought they were flashbacks of the new characters? Well, flashbacks in island timeframe.

Oh, wait, they did find the wreckage after the plane crashed initially, didn't they? And they thought everyone had died. Right. I'm stupid. Now I need to re-align my brain, as it makes far more sense for them to be flashbacks.

I learned a new OMGWTF Polar Bear! theory though! He got caught up in Desmond's time travelling.

Ha! I forgot about Desmond's time traveling.

Oh, wait, they did find the wreckage after the plane crashed initially, didn't they? And they thought everyone had died. Right. I'm stupid. Now I need to re-align my brain, as it makes far more sense for them to be flashbacks.

Though I can't figure out why Daniel was crying in his flashback, when he saw the TV report with the "wreckage" of 815.

Yeah, the crying thing was odd. Whoever can make plane wreckage has a lot of money. So there's some big players in this.

I haven't a clue why 4 random people would be assembled as a team to track down Ben. It's not like it's a crack team.

I do think they're spinning it off in an interesting new direction, though.