Season 3 - Ep. 7 - "Not In Portland"

Initial Episode Reaction:

A little aversion therapy, a sermon in Dhammapada, and a breakthrough in male mouse fertility – yes, LOST is back. And if the Others already weren’t creepy enough, the fact that one of them was brushing up on Stephen Hawking and cosmology only cements the hodgepodge of oddness that encapsulates the all-knowing, all-controlling island dwellers.

Season 3 continued on Wednesday night with “Not In Portland,” an episode that not only presented us with a game-changing perspective of Juliet, but also reconfirmed prior queries regarding DHARMA’s reach beyond Mystery Island and upon the mainland. Of course, we refer to them as DHARMA but reality tells us that the Others and the Hanso-funded group are not one in the same, at least not completely; and the parent group (whether it be Mittelos or not) off-island may be an entirely different entity, far removed from the grasp of Alvar Hanso.

The episode itself, taken as a stand-alone, was well-paced with enough action and bits of weirdness to stay engaging. But when viewed as the capper to the pod of six shown last year, “Not In Portland” works on several levels – thematically, philosophically, emotionally, and structurally from a narrative standpoint.

Perhaps “Not In Portland” is best appreciated if placed adjacent to “A Tale of Two Cities.” From the very first episode of season 3 we felt a symbolic connection between Jack and Juliet but now we have the evidence to back up how similar these two characters are in the LOST mythos. Obviously, Jack and Juliet are both successful, groundbreaking, miracle-inducing doctors but the comparisons simply begin there, not end.

In flashback, we observe a very weak and timid demeanor from Juliet, especially when contrasted with her battle-tested, more independent, on-island persona. J.J. Abrams, who was scheduled to direct the episode, dropped out due to other commitments, but in his steed, Stephen Williams did a fine job selling the psychological changes within Juliet by highlighting them physically (with an assist from Elizabeth Mitchell, of course). Notice, on multiple occasions, as the episode cuts to close-ups of Juliet’s face in the past and then how her appearance is quickly altered when shifted to close-ups in the present. In other words, from pale skin, watery eyes, emotional expressions, soft curls, and defensive smiles to tanned skin, unwavering eyes, steadfast visage, straightened hair, and smile-less confidence. This juxtaposition illustrates a woman who may be frightened at the core but has found a way to overcome, find strength, and move on (we can only imagine what tasks she has carried out and hardships she has faced over the last 3 years, 2 months, and 28 days of her life).

In many ways, Jack has a similar story. There’s no need to rehash too much, but psychopath-stalker Jack finally found resolve concerning Sarah on Hydra Island, and his progression from reluctant leader to a heroic one meshes nicely with Juliet’s found leadership (or mutinous actions). Above all, both worked with loved (or once loved) ones who were at the top of their professions while being overly controlling and negative influences. Of course, the writers still re-validate this symbolism in the episode when Kate retells the story about Jack and his mistake on the operating table with the young girl. The account paints us a pre-island Jack that is scared and overwhelmed with intense fear, but one that he will defeat. During this rather poignant scene there are numerous reaction shots of Juliet and her eyes tell us that she is impacted. Juliet and Jack mirror each other and there is bound to be friction between them or as a result of their connection.

Overall, “Not In Portland” wasn’t flawless – a few cringe-inducing cliché moments standout (for example, the shooting of the walkie-talkie) and a potential irritating plot-hole remains - but a fresh backstory filled with subtle hints toward the overall picture should leave the parched throats of thirsting-for-LOST-viewers moderately quenched. Now the writers just need to keep it up and we’ll discover soon enough if they have done their job as the storytelling has the opportunity to flow without the hindrance of rhythm-derailing, viewer-dispatching repeats.

Analysis:

Another LOST opening sequence, some further deception. The creators of the show have trained us fairly well when it comes to recognizing misdirection, but if spoiler-free, the setting at the outset of “Not In Portland” proved tough to crack. An outwardly beautiful nightly beachside where ocean waves reflect a horizon bounded by a purple twilight arch. A gloomy Juliet searches the waves for answers as she stares outwards to the salty waters; a scene that slightly reminds us of a despondent and famished Jack after consoling Rose and seeing the apparition of his dead father. The trickery is amplified with the cameo of Ethan Rom as he walks past Juliet in a hatch-like hallway. The lack of recognition between the two is a clue, but we become distracted when they cut to Juliet as she stockpiles a few Desmond-like vaccine vials and proceeds to administer a shot into a pregnant woman, a la Dr. Ethan injecting Claire in “Maternity Leave.”

But, of course, Juliet, Ethan, and the pregnant woman are not on LOST Island. Rather, they reside in Miami, Florida, and by episode’s end, we learn that Juliet is a prisoner of the Others just the same as Jack and his troupe of survivors - quite a turn of events.

From “Not In Portland” we can discern a few important aspects of the Others: one, they recruit “personnel” off-island, at least they did as far back as September 2001; and two, their desperation for a renowned fertility doctor connects with their desire to abduct and study children. The 70-year-old womb in a 26-year-old’s body is another clue towards the Others infertility. The why, per usual, is a bit hazy. It’s interesting that Juliet’s arrival on island dates back to a mere few days before 9/11, but 2001 was also a year human-cloning debates, trials, laws and studies were at an influx. Then again, the producers have ruled out even mentioning the word ‘clone’ in the show, but it fits perfectly in a pseudo-science sense.

Staying within the flashback, we are also introduced to Edmund Burke, Juliet’s ex-husband who heads the Miami Central University Medical Research Laboratory. Burke, yet another direct reference to an 18th century philosopher, is first unaware of Juliet’s underground fertility experiments on her sister, Rachel. Once discovered, Burke lets her continue but puts her in check. If her research is not shared, he promises that light will be shined on her trials and ethical questions will certainly follow. Juliet very well could be ruined. At the same time, if her experimentation finds success (which it does), Edmund, as Juliet’s superior, wants his name in the papers and, perhaps, most of the adulation. Basic blackmail. It’s also the reason why Juliet decides against joining Mittelos because she knows Edmund will be ready to blow the whistle on her “morally questionable” research.

But all is well when a Greyhound tattoos Edmund – this coming only a day after Juliet met with Richard Alpert, lead recruiter of Mittelos Bioscience, and bluntly joked that she was trapped in Miami unless Edmund came face-to-face with a two-ton bus. Got to love good black humor. How Alpert and company orchestrated Edmund’s death seems fruitless; it’s a simple narrative tool, nothing more. Unless, of course, the Others actually can twist fate with the machinations of some anomalous mathematical equation.

Another example of the Others all-knowingness is once again witnessed as Alpert is aware of Rachel’s pregnancy. Alpert says they are very “thorough” in their research of potential recruitments. One would suspect that Ethan played a pivotal role in the recon process.

(Note: Richard Alpert, much like Edmund Burke, is a direct reference to an actual person in history. Dr. Richard Alpert, otherwise known as Ram Dass, is a contemporary spiritual teacher and psychologist best known for his exploration of the human consciousness and concentrated research with LSD and other psychedelics. This leads quite nicely to Karl’s conditioning/aversion therapy to be discussed later.)

Although we do not know exactly what happens following Alpert’s re-offer to Juliet, we can obviously assume she accepted. Alpert even seemed forthcoming with information regarding the corporation he represents; only it doesn’t turn out to be a six-month operation. How many others were duped, and then imprisoned, like Juliet?

On island, once an awakened Ben overhears Jack squealing (and rightfully so, he had to play his last card) on Juliet, he holds a private conversation with her. Even opened up on an operating table, he still drives the bus. As we later learn, Ben has asked Juliet to help Kate and Sawyer escape, thus allowing Jack to finish the operation. In exchange, Ben has promised to let Juliet depart the island. Essentially, it is the same offer Ben presented Jack. But a wrinkle is added in the end as Juliet kills Pickett. Can Ben allow a murderous traitor to go home? Did he ever intend for her to leave in the first place? The ramifications from Juliet’s action are unlikely to be lenient; after all, that would not make for very good storytelling.

The B story - merely an extension of the A story - centered on Kate and Sawyer’s escape with help from renegade Alex, who, much like her mother, has a knack for traps and underground hideouts. A side-quest develops as Alex barters Kate and Sawyer into helping her rescue Karl, who is being held in a subsidiary of the Hydra station. After pulling the old Wookie gag, they find Karl seated within Room 23, which blares techno-industrial music and has a film projector rolling a medley of subliminal images and phrases. Karl, strapped into a chair with LED goggles plugged over his eyes, is being fed something (likely a drug) intravenously.

The entire scene brings to mind the Ludovico Technique in the film “A Clockwork Orange.” The technique in the film is a form of aversion therapy, in which a person is given a drug that induces extreme nausea while being forced to watch graphically violent films. The idea is that when the person even has a violent thought, he grows cripplingly nauseous and is rendered incapable of carrying out any violent action.

In this specific case, a subject may not have been receiving negative stimuli, but positive stimuli, because the images and phrases met the DHARMA doctrine. But all told, the procedure seems a bit out there even for the Others; it’s likely that Karl wasn’t being given anything outside of fluids. But it does tell us about the complete insanity that was the DHARMA Initiative, and demonstrates how the DeGroot faction became manipulative, cultish, and outright dangerous in their studies.

At the end of the episode, with Pickett shot dead, Ben stitched up, and Sawyer, Kate, and Karl sailing off to the main island, we are left with several questions: What will happen to Jack? How useful will Karl be as an information source to the Lostaways? And will Juliet be freed? Unfortunately, the answers will be delayed as we delve back into the main island castaways.

Extra Notes:

Major plot-hole watch - when Jack astutely asks Tom why Ben couldn’t have been transferred, he says that since the sky turned people communication is a no-go with the outside world; but the sky didn’t turn purple until a handful of days ago, and Ben found out about his tumor long before then. This lost communication plot device isn’t a good enough escape clause for the writers. Ben either can’t leave the island for some unknown reason or the writers have backed themselves into a corner …

When Kate retells the story of Jack and his confrontation with Fear, the direction focuses on a number of close-ups of all the characters listening in. Sawyer’s expression just about sums up the rekindled mutual feelings between Kate and Jack …

As mentioned previously on the blog, Alex is Ben’s father but not biologically. Alex would not even know of Danielle or the fact that she was abducted. Therefore, she assumes Ben is her father because, well, she was told so …

Religious references - Rachel was the second and most beloved wife of Jacob and among her sons was Benjamin. The notion that Ben is the son of Jacob should be locked away in our memory banks. Also, one of the phrases on the Room 23 film read, “God loves you as He loved Jacob," which may be a Biblical reference to Psalm 47:4 …

Dhammapada is a Buddhist scripture. The phrase “Plant a good seed and you will joyfully gather fruit,” which was shown on one of the slides in Room 23, is found in the scripture. Further phrases like “We are the causes of our own suffering” and "Think about your life” likely refer to Buddhism’s Four Noble Truths, and the phrase “Everything changes” also imitates known Buddhist text …

The Other named Aldo was reading A Brief History of Time, which was penned by Stephen Hawking. The book attempts to explain, in layman’s terms and with diagrams, subjects in cosmology such as the Big Bang theory, the creation of black holes, and Superstring theory. Seems as if the Others are interested in theories concerning the formation and evolution of the universe just as the viewers of LOST are interested in theories regarding the origins of the Others and the evolution of the island ...

And that note transitions nicely into the final and most intriguing one - by reversing the audio during the Room 23 sequence, a woman's voice is heard repeating "Only fools are enslaved by time and space" (the exact phrase is yet more DHARMA dogma that can be found in Buddhist Perspective of Time and Space). A little backmasking never hurts in the brainwashing process. But again, another time reference. Time, folks, it just might be a huge clue to the central mystery of the show. Not only is Mittelos an anagram for 'lost time' (or 'time lost'), but there is also a well-known never-to-be-shot scene between Rousseau and Sayid in "Solitary" where everyone's favorite French woman reveals that her science team's research involved time. According to rumors, the dialogue never made it beyond the original script draft because it revealed far too much.

There is, however, some question regarding the accuracy of the reversed audio (which can be found here) and whether it has been doctored, but it is evident from just the basic reversal of the audio that a woman is saying "only fools are enslaved ..." The clearer audio (which can be found here) has eliminated excess noise and altered left-right speaker volumes; despite claims to the contrary, it is accurate.