Gee, I think I'm really in the minority here--I liked the ep! Sure, nothing advanced the story arc, but I thought it was more of a character study of Charlie, who I didn't mind for his whining this time around (I hated the last Charlie-centric ep, with him ripping off the copier guy's daughter).

If Charlie went off the deep end and kind of evil, then that could be better than his constant whining.

I'm hoping that this is exactly where they're going with him. I've thought all along that his utter neediness gives him great potential as a character, potential that so far the writers have ignored by shunting him off into potential fatherhood with Claire. I'd really like it if now he's burned that bridge and can chart some new territory elsewhere.

I did love the dream imagery, especially Hurley in Jesus robes--hee!

If Charlie went off the deep end and kind of evil, then that could be better than his constant whining.

Hopefully he'll be more the Gary Oldman Dr. Smith, rather than the Jonathan Harris portrayal.

Hopefully he'll be more the Gary Oldman Dr. Smith, rather than the Jonathan Harris portrayal.

If he goes evil, I doubt it will be in a leadership capacity. I see him in more of a weasely sidekick role. Charlie & the Brain, perhaps?

Of course, he's kind of screwed now that Locke has so visibly kicked him to the curb. The boy needs someone's boots to lick, pronto.

I wonder why Locke kicked him to the curb with such violence? I could have easily seen him zone Charlie out or use C's slipping mind to his advantage.

Perhaps to get back in good with the other Lostaways? Climbing on Charlie's back to increase his own social status, and giving him a good kick down , for good measure, a la the strata/conflicts of European immigration to the US in the 19th-early 20th centuries?

This just in from the brilliant Phil Nugent:

BTW, it just this minute hit me that naming a married couple "Bernard" and "Rose" might be an obvious reference to the British filmmaker Bernard Rose, who made one of the better scare pictures of the '90s, Candyman, in which lily-white Virginia Madsen discovered a mythic avenging black phantom (Tony Todd) lurking in the Cabrina Green housing project, as well as Immortal Beloved, starring Gary Oldman as Beethoven, a slightly tonier endeavour that is hilarious if you watch it in the wrong spirit. (Its Beethoven does everything short of trashing a dressing room because they haven't separated out the brown M & Ms.) He also made Paperhouse, a 1988 cult movie about a little girl who may have reality-shaping imaginative powers much like the ones that some have attributed to young Walt. Is this old news to those who've been paying attention, or am I the first person to mention it on-line? Do I get a no-prize?

Ooh, Paperhouse, that's a creepy movie. In a low-budget, British kind of way.

I think Charlie is turning into Gollum.

I think Charlie is turning into Gollum.

He's lost his preciouses.

I could see him go all Grima Wormtongue too.

I could see him go all Grima Wormtongue too.

Except Saurman punched him in the face and left him bleeding on the beach. He doesn't even have anyone to suck up to anymore.

I wonder why Locke kicked him to the curb with such violence? I could have easily seen him zone Charlie out or use C's slipping mind to his advantage.

Except Saurman punched him in the face and left him bleeding on the beach.

Hmm. Maybe he's breaking Charlie down so that if he ever decides he wants to use him, Charlie will be so greatful he won't ask any questions. Sort of how he broke Boone down and got more control over him, but in a very different fashion.

Certainly the very public meltdown pretty much took away any other possible "mentor" to whom Charlie might have switched his allegiance.

Heh, from the the TWOP recaplet:

"Maybe this is as good a measure as any as to how dissatisfied I was with this episode: when Locke punches Charlie at the end, I didn't even enjoy it. You know where I stand on punching Charlie vs. not punching Charlie. What you might not know is that I've pitched to ABC a Lost spin-off called Punching Charlie: The Series (I'm waiting to hear back)."