Fringe: The Bishop Revival

Why did it have to be Nazi's?  They are the laziest shorthand for "evil" a television show can conjure up in the fictional world.  

For some reason the writers of Fringe wanted the lovable version of Walter (as opposed to the somewhat evil version that existed before William Bell pulled memories out of his head) to do something terrible and without remorse, yet justified.  Therefore, Walter killed a Nazi and not a modern day Nazi, an original Nazi.  

An original Nazi who somehow managed to create the fountain of youth and was hell bent on realizing Hitler's nightmare of the "master race".  If the writers were going to have one of the main characters kill someone, they don't get any more evil than an eternally young Nazi, with a grudge against the Bishops, and a burning desire to carry out the wishes of Adolf Hitler.

I am enjoying Walter pushing Peter into a relationship with Olivia.  His "Do you think you she'll call me Dad?" line was hilarious, especially considering Peter calls him Walter.

I wonder if this episode is a precursor to a Bishop family flashback.  That would most likely be an extremely illuminating story.  What type of family structure creates a Walter Bishop?  

Genetically targeted execution would certainly be a valuable tool.  I wonder if the Bishop's and Olivia are going to be able to resist the urge to assassinate enemies with this extremely evil technology.  If they do end up using it will there at least be debate over the consequences of unleashing this tech upon their dimension?

I am ready for a truly seriously heavy cannon episode.  This self contained stuff simply keeping the show in neutral. 

Supernatural: Swap Meat

My frustration with this series is growing exponentially with every self-contained storyline.  Two weeks in a row has seen Supernatural give us silly stories, with weak villains that shouldn't hold a candle to the Brothers Winchester, and yet they somehow managed to get almost killed both times.  The creative forces of this show have built Sam and Dean up to be the two most important sentient beings in all of heaven and earth but they can't best a 16 year old?

Thankfully, we did get a couple of morsels as far as canonical information is concerned.  Dean has a bounty on his head that all of hell is looking to collect on.  That bounty is more than likely to come into play at some point in the future.  Furthermore, Dean is so willing to forgive and forget with Sam that he pretended not to notice when the fake Sam was acting off because he seemed so dam happy.  Dean commenting about how nice it was for the two of them to drink together was a seriously sad moment.

That all being said, it took Dean how long to realize Sam was not Sam?  Also, it's one thing not to check your messages in a 24 hour time period, it's another not to realize that you have no cell phone at all.  Especially when you have 10 or so phones, bad form Dean.

Speaking of phone calls, if Sam couldn't reach Dean why wouldn't he try Bobby?  If for some odd reason Bobby didn't pick up why wouldn't he try to reach the family whose house they were ghost-busting?  And how many times can Sam get tranquilized by 16 year old boys?  It's embarrassing, he's supposed to be strong enough to hold the essence of Lucifer.

Kudos to the actress who played the girl in the geek trio with the Star Wars obsession (I miss Buffy).  She had a very believable turn when possessed by the unnamed demon and was legitimately creepy.  Though even the demon's motivations were suspect.  It explained that the usurper to Sam's body could give the vessel to Lucifer but then wasted a bunch of time seemingly waiting to get exorcised.

If someone in possession of Sam's body can give it to Lucifer, that would seemingly be the only way the devil gets his due. 

Lost: Preparation for the Final Season, Season 5

What We Still Don't Know

"Because You Left"

Miles was born on the island, what changed between his birth and Juliet's time on the island? Why didn't the "Others" time shift with everyone else?  

"The Lie"

How does Eloise Hawkings computer/pendulum setup predict the location of the island?  

"Jughead"

How did the US government find the island? Why did Eloise get off the island?

"316"

Who was the Dharma scientist that built the "Lamp Post" Station in LA?  Smart money is on Daniel but we don't have any confirmation. 

"LaFleur"

Who created the four toed statue and how did it fall?

"Namaste"

Why did Ilana call Caesar "Sarah"? 

How did baby Ethan of the Dharma Initiative end up a key figure player in the "Others" camp?

Why did Sun end up in 2007 with Ben and Frank while everyone else ended in up 1977?

"Whatever Happened, Happened"

What did Richard do to Ben in the temple that took away his "innocence" (sorry if that seems inappropriate but they were Richard's words). 

"Dead is Dead"

Why does the Island/Smoke Monster want Jacob dead?

"The Incident"

What's the deal with Ilana?  How did she get injured in the past? She obviously recognized Jacob which is more than anyone else can say.

What might Frank be a candidate for? 

How long has the game between Jacob and Bizarro Locke been played? Where did they come from? Are they Egyptian gods? Who's the good guy? What's Bizarro Locke's actual name (I bet it's biblical)?

What happened when Juliet set off the nuke?

Who are the "they" that are coming?  Jacob said "they are coming".  Is it Jack and company or someone else?

Inconsistencies

A section on inconsistencies in a season about time travel is like having a "peeing" section in a pool.  The very nature of time travel makes every single scene possibly inconsistent.  It also makes every scene fit nicely.  Basically we've got to wait to see what happens in season six.

Worth Noting

It's terrible to be Season 5 Jack.  He has no control over anything in his life, no one trusts him, and he's spent so much time drugged out of his mind that he can't even fathom the idea of Ben manipulating Kate to get what he wants.  Ben's matter of fact admission to that manipulation is just one of the many reasons he's such a terrific character. 

Charlotte said "I know more about ancient Carthage than Hannibal himself" in "This Place is Death".  The Orchid exit from the island releases travelers in Tunisia, the modern day location of ancient Carthage.  I'm just saying.

Juliet is so good at calming Sawyer down and keeping him centered.  Please don't let her be dead!

The smoke monster wanted Jacob dead.  Why else would it appear to Ben and tell him to listen to everything that Locke told him to do and placed Locke under its protection?

What lies in the shadow of the statue? "Ille qui nos omnes servabit" or "He/that which will save/protect us all".

Fringe: What Lies Below

Stand alone, oh stand alone, why for thou exist thee stand alone (OK, I'll stop the faux Shakespeare)?  I get it, JJ and crew are trying to build the audience of Fringe therefore the stand alone episodes are important to make new viewers feel like that they can hop into the action at any moment.  The truth is, viewers cannot hop in and out of this show like they could a "Law and Order" or "CSI".  Fringe has an ongoing story with recurring villains.  It also has an impressive habit of tying seemingly unrelated episodes together in unexpected ways.

I'm not saying this needs to be a show like "Lost" where every episode literally picks up seconds after the last left off (though I wouldn't mind it), but I would like to see more continuing threads through the course of multiple episodes.  This hour of television had a really neat concept but instead of letting that concept build from a slow burn to a raging fire, it was shot like a flare and flamed out before it had a chance to generate any real heat.

I believe this idea of a virus that infected Peter should have been told over three or four episodes.  Episode one could have been all about the other people getting sick and ended with Peters bloody nose.  Episode two should have depicted Peter fighting the influence of the virus and ended with Peter's failed escape.  Episode three could have put Walter and Astrid in the lab (or kitchen) finding their magic horseradish cure, ending in Peters recovery.  

Did the effects of the virus remind anyone else of zombies?  Especially when the infected where parading around the reception area throwing chairs at the glass doors, illuminated only by flashlights?  Seriously, how cool would a three episode arch with zombies have been? 

Alas, Peter was never in any real danger of becoming zombified because I knew that he would be cured by the hour's end.  Most of the story pieces seemed rush and predictable.  For instance, the second the courier gave the dead man mouth to mouth I knew he'd be gone by the next commercial break (if the courier remembered his training, he would have just done compressions and possibly lived).  I will admit that I was surprised when the receptionist rocketed through the window.

On an extremely positive note, Astrid knows something is up with Peter.  Walter let slip that he couldn't let Peter die again and Astrid called him on it!  I know I must sound like a broken record at this point, but it is going to be absolutely insane when Peter finds out he's from another dimension!

No Charlie... that's two episodes in a row.  Fraking stand alones!

Chuck: Wait What?

"Chuck" has been back for a couple of weeks and while I don't make the effort to discuss every single episode I did think it prudent to check in with a trend in this gem of a series.  Truthfully that's a bit misleading I wanted to check in with a trend outside the normal context of this series.

As I watched the season premier of "Chuck" on my DVR (as per usual) I found myself deceived (unusually).  I fast forwarded through commercials and hit the play button as soon as I saw Morgan, Ellie, and Awesome on my TV screen.  It seemed odd that they were all piling into a Honda and talking about Ellie and Awesome's honeymoon.  This was because they got married at the end of last season and Ellie and Awesome would never bring Morgan on their honeymoon.

Things got even more interesting when Morgan talked Ellie and Awesome into let him hang out with them through bribery.  While  it certainly is within Morgan's character to bribe, the booty was all together shocking.  Three tickets to the Winter Olympic games in Vancouver.  

After two or three more mentions of how beautiful and spacious the Honda was and how excited they were to scrap the planned honeymoon and see the Olympics with Morgan, the segment ended. I realized that "Chuck" (Sans Chuck) just duped me into watching a commercial for Honda/Winter Olympic games.

I'll be the first to admit that "Chuck" is a series that has struggled to find an audience, at least according to Nielson Ratings.  Therefore I was a bit surprised that NBC decided to renew it for a third season. The idea was tossed around at the time of the renewal that "Chuck" would come back with some interesting advertising tie ins.  I half expected Chuck to use a "Subway" sandwich as some kind of a blunt beating instrument (Subway had a significant cameo at the end of last season).  

This was a different beast altogether, a commercial in the "Chuck" universe but outside the realm of the episode.  Do I feel the need to watch them? Not really, but anything NBC does to keep "Chuck" on the air without hurting the overall quality of the show is OK by me!

Supernatural: Sam Interrupted

While I loved Sam and Dean talking openly to actual non-hunter humans about their "job", I was overall slightly disappointed with this episode.  When we last left the boys they had basically been crushed by Lucifer, who ate a bullet from the "Colt" got up, and rose "Death" from a long slumber.  We also got a super emotional moment with the sacrifice of Jo and Ellen in the previous episode.

Unfortunately this episode brings our heroes to a mental hospital to find and fight something fairly pedestrian, a Wraith.  Sam as a happy drunk was a bit too over the top to be enjoyable and the vision of the doctor that Dean was  having was pretty easy to spot as a phony.  To make matters worse the Wraith came way to close to eating their brains and ending the series.

I'm not saying I hated the episode, but it felt like the show was simply spinning it's wheels before shooting off for a big race.  Heck, this episode even made a big point of moving backwards by catching viewers up on previous events after a long break.  

From my point of view Supernatural is at its strongest when they play to the overarching storyline.  Give us Chuck, Cas, or Bobby and I'll forgive even the weakest plot points (for the most part).  I will admit that I did enjoy Roger Linus... I mean Martin as a character and would love to know what happened in Albuquerque.

The real meat and potatoes of this episode was the final scene (as it so often is with Supernatural).  Sam and Dean kill the Wraith, and escape the hospital only to have Sam admit that the Wraith had a point.  Sam is unbelievably angry, he doesn't know why and he can't control it.  Dean meaning well tells Sam to bury that feeling deep down inside.  I can't imagine repression of emotion on that level ending well for anyone, let alone Sam and Dean.  While Sam no longer seems to have his demon killing mojo I'd assume his immense power is only hibernating, waiting for a moment of intense emotion to come flooding out.  

Lost: Preparation for the Final Season, Season 4

What We Still Don't Know

"The Economist"

Who is the "Economist"?  It would make sense if the "Economist" was Widmore, but why wouldn't they just come out and say that?

"The Constant"

Why does time work differently on "The Island"?

Why was only Desmond affected by the "consequences" Faraday spoke about on the helicopter ride from "The Island" to the freighter? 

"The Other Woman"

Did Ben really send Harper to Juliet in the forest to warn her about Faraday and Charlotte, or was it Richard?

Who is the "her" that Juliet looks just like according to Harper?  Is it Annie?

"Ji Yeon" 

Seriously, what does the island have against pregnant women.

"The Shape of Things to Come"

How did Ben call the smoke monster?

What were the rules, what are the rules, and who sets the rules?  If Ben can get into Widmore's bedroom in the middle of the night why can't he kill Charles?

Did Claire survive the explosion of the house she was in or did she instantly become one of the island's walking dead?

"Something Nice Back Home"

How were dead people visiting Hurley in Santa Rosa? How does Christian Shepard hold baby Aaron? Why would Claire follow the father she hates into the forest and stay with him?  

"Cabin Fever"

Why does Ben think Horace's cabin is Jacob's?  Who does Christian Shepard work for, Jacob or Bizzaro-Locke? Claire's dead right? 

"There's No Place Like Home: Part II"

How does the froze wheel work?  Why did Christian appear to Michael before he died? What's the deal with Walt? 

Inconsistencies 

"Eggtown"

If all Kate really wanted to do was to find out if the people on the freighter knew about who she was and what she did there was absolutely no reason she should have gone about it the way she did.  Considering their were two other people from the freighter who could speak to her without any friction back at the beach.  Of course, if she truly loved Sawyer and was looking for an excuse to spend time with him, it all makes sense.

Worth Noting

We know Charlotte's, Daniel's, and Miles' connection to the island, what's Frank's?

In "The Economist" after Sayid gets off the phone with Ben, he tosses the phone and picks up snow to wash his hand.  It is as if simply talking to Ben makes Sayid feel dirty. 

Really Daniel Faraday saying he's a physicist but does not like to put himself into a box.

Desmond and Penny's conversation at the end of "The Constant" is one of the best moments in all of television.  Damn near reduced me to tears... OK one tear down my left cheek.

Even knowing the fate of Jin in season five, Sun and Hurley's trip to his gravestone was an unbelievably painful emotional scene.  

In "Something Nice Back Home" when Jin notices Charlotte can speak Korean he immediately threatens Daniel's well being.  You think he'd be thrilled to have someone else to talk to.  Also in "Something Nice Back Home" I'm fairly certain Miles is giving Claire the "I think she may be dead" eye, not the "She's pretty hot" eye that Sawyer thought Miles was giving her.

The interaction between Locke and Ben in "There's No Place Like Home" is spectacular.  They bickered like an old married couple.  Too bad the way their relationship ended.

It's amazing how Anthony Cooper's death freed Sawyer to be the hero he was always capable of becoming.

Benji Barks Back

As you may known I am the proud owner of a dog named Benji.  Benji named after Benjamin Linus not Benji the cute puppy from the movies I've never seen.  In any event what I'm about to convey in this post is proof positive that he has more than a bit of that guile, manipulation, and pluck that so defines his namesake.

The wife and I make it a point to take Benjamin on 3 to 4 walks a week because we know he's a dog with a significant amount of energy to burn.  Unfortunately since the snow storm and the subsequent freezing weather we have had of late, that's slid down to about once a week. Compounding the problem was the fact that I was sick all weekend and could not attend to my rambunctious pup at all, nor could my lovely wife because she was attending to me.

This all came to a head last night when Benjamin decided to make a stand and strongly demonstrate his concern with the amount of attention he has received as of late.

I sent Benji out the back door as per our usual nighttime routine with the expectation that he would run back in the dog door in two minutes or so after making his nightly poop (he's a dog, did you expect him to make something else?) I would then close the door behind him and tuck him into his crate (he's very cute with the little blanket over his little head).

Benji however was not in the mood for the normal routine and refused to come back in.  This scenario is not unheard of so I kicked the dog door and waved a treat near it.  Benji stuck his nose through the door, looked at me with his one blue eye, and then disappeared back into the blackness of night.

This was going to be more difficult than usual but I decided to wait him out.  I sat in the laundry room, listened to my Ipod for 10 minutes then kicked the door again.  When he poked his nose through this time he yawned in a way that said both I'm tired but you are getting what you deserve and made it look as if he was sticking his tongue out at me.

At this point I did what any self respecting man would do, I complained that my wife never puts Benji to sleep so it was her turn to deal with the problem.  Unsurprisingly, she obliged and I hopped in bed.  What I heard next can only be described as a scuffle that sounded as if nothing less than life was on the line.  When the noise quieted I assumed it meant that my wife had successful put Benjamin in his place (the crate).  

My assumption was wrong.  She executed a brilliant plan that played on puppy weakness, but she did not cover all her variables.  The wife knew that every time she knocked on the back window whilst Benji roamed the backyard, he would dart in his door (a floor below) and appear in the kitchen within 4 seconds.  After initiating her plan with a knock she swiftly moved to the steps (two floors above the dog door, off the kitchen) as Benji raced to the window on the inside of the house to see what was the matter.

Benji rounded the corner into the kitchen and the wife leaped right for him grazing his side and knocking him off balance.  This move unexpectedly had the undesired affect of unbalancing her as well and as she fell off her feet Benji managed to move his back underneath him with adaptive speed and raced back through the dog door before the wife hit the ground.  At this point, unsurprisingly, I was recalled to action.  

The pair of us figured we could outsmart our canine companion and attempted to recreate the window knocking experience only this time I would hide in the downstairs bathroom while the wife knocked on the window in the kitchen.  The pup, however, was on to our rouse and refused to come when called.

This was the last straw.  We suited up and decided to bag Benjamin on his own turf, the backyard.  Benji immediately realized that we had raised the stakes and began taunting us by whizzing all around, getting within five feet of our grasp then turning on the after burners and flying by.  We decided to try the carrot to get him closer but he would not be enticed by any of his tasty puppy treats.

The wife realizing reward was what the pup was after surmised he needed the stick.  She retreated into the house only to return with a squirt bottle that is more accurately described as a hand held fire house.  Once he was within range she attempted to soak him, but he deftly avoided the stream.  Frustrated she shoved the bottle in my face and walked away in a bit of a huff.

From this point forward, the game was on, mono a mono, man verse beast, in a fight to exhaustion.  The only way to stop him at this point was to completely break him down and I had a plan.  I approached him slowly but when the distance closed to just out of spray bottle range (SBR) he'd  take off.  Understanding that his energy must be waning I repeated the process only this time as he darted away I tracked Benji to lock him into SBR.

Direct hit! The heavy stream of water must have upset him a bit because he then began circling me like a bull.  I turned this again to my advantage and got in 3 or 4 more shots with the bottle before Benjamin retreated to the bushes in an effort to catch his breath.  That was when I went all in and sprinted at him while simultaneously spraying the water bottle dry.

He made one last attempt at fleeing and then collapsed in the corner of the yard.  I grabbed my winded puppy and threw all 55 lbs of him over my shoulder.  I walked into the house as if I had won an Olympic medal and proudly displayed my prize to the wife.  

A few minutes later I realized that this entire process had take well over 3 hours and at that moment I swear I heard my dog say, "who's the real winner?" (though it is possible my wife said it as is was hard to hear since I was well into the third verse of "Eye of the Tiger").

Fringe: Unearthed

I'm pretty sure Fringe just insulted my intelligence.  Maybe I'm missing something, I don't make a point to watch Fringe with a fine tooth comb like I would with Lost, but seriously they just insulted my intelligence right?

The actress they got to the the bad guy that just won't die was OK, the plot was passable if predictable, and the forward movement on the Olivia/Peter relationship front was acceptable.  

But, let's not even discuss the fact that the episode was mediocre.  What I will focus on is the one gaping plot hole that is currently threatening to swallow Fringe like a blue whale with a pine puppet.

What the hell was Charlie doing on the first episode aired in 2010?  Charlie is dead.  The Charlie doppleganger is dead.  Olivia has morned Charlie.  The gang has moved on.  Yet there was Charlie, all helpful, happy faced, and not the least bit zombified.  Which begs the question, "What the frak is Fringe/Fox trying to pull here?" 

The good news is that I have come up with two theories that could logically explain the problem.  Theory one is called, "Frak, my bad" (FMB) and theory two is known as the "Dude, let's Dawn them! (DLDT)"

"Frak, my bad" is pretty simple.  The network aired the episode out of order in an effort to boost ratings.  Fringe is not performing as strong as it did in its freshman year so the network decided to air what it thought was a strong episode on a special night in an effort to attract viewers.  "Unearthed" was fairly self contained so not a lot of information was needed going in or out of the episode.  The network's response to the complaining Fringe fan in this instance would simply be, "Frak, my bad, we'll make sure to air the rest in the order the show runners intended, unless that proves difficult, hey did you know American Idol is back on the air?"

"Dude, let's Dawn them" is a more attractive option.  In the DLDT scenario, the show runners have actually placed Charlie into this episode in this order on purpose.  They would be taking their inspiration from a little show known as Buffy the Vampire Slayer which in season five introduced Buffy's little sister, Dawn, who obviously did not exist in the series before but suddenly showed up completely unexplained.  It took many episodes until the true nature of Dawn was revealed, in what I thought was the best season of Buffy (though some would argue that point).  DLDT would then be a way to throw the audience off balance right before punching them in the face with something awesome.

Obviously the DLDT is preferable to the FMB.  Kirk Acevedo, the actor who plays Charlie, did have some weird Twitter posts about getting fired over the summer that led some to speculate about a possible curve ball for his character this season.  I'd argue that pitch was thrown when Charlie was "cloned" by the three pronged mouth breather, but I digress.  I guess we just need to wait until the next episode of Fringe airs and observe whether or not Charlie shows up all hunky dory again!

Lost: Preparation for the Final Season, Season 3

What We Still Don't Know

"Further Instructions"

How did Locke, Charlie, Eko, and Desmond survive the implosion of the hatch?  Why did Desmond end up with no clothing and an ability to see the future?

"The Cost of Living"

Why would the smoke monster kill Eko?  Were his last words really "You're next!" to John or was that one of Locke's many deceptions?

"Flashes Before Your Eyes"

How did Eloise Hawking end up with time traveling abilities.  I know she's a protector of the island and all, but her role in this capacity has yet to be explained.

"Stranger in a Strange Land"

Who is Isabelle?  Tom referred to her as "The Sheriff".  In this episode it seems like she's second in command but that doesn't exactly pan out later on.

"Left Behind"

Why did the monster take snapshots of Kate and Juliet when it first confronted the two of them?  Was that some kind of fail safe so it wouldn't attack an "Other" in good standing?

"One of Us"

Did Jacob really cure Juliet's sister of cancer?  If he did, why did Ben get cancer?

"Catch 22"

Why did Desmond seem to flash only on Charlie's death? Plenty of people died on that island since Desmond was introduced as a character, what's his connection to Charlie?

"The Brig"

Why does John have to kill his father?  In a society that bars entry to Sawyer and Kate for murder, it seems counter intuitive for murder to be John's ticket in.

"The Man Behind the Curtain"

What's the deal with Richard Alpert? I mean the dude doesn't age.  I'm almost positive he came to the island on the Black Rock but the show has not confirmed it yet.  Why can he leave the island and still not age?  He's more than one of the walking dead, but how much more? 

Annie is the one person that Ben seemed to make an emotional connection with (during his entire life) and I'd like to know what happened to her. 

What happened in the cabin with Locke and Ben?  Who was the entity in the cabin with them?  I think it was the Anti-Jacob from the end of season 5.

What did Alvar Hanso do for a living?  The hatches and people he brought to the island have to have been incredibly expensive (even in 1970's money), how can he afford to foot the bill for the entire Dharma Initiative?

"Greatest Hits"

Desmond's vision of Charlie's true death was wrong.  He said he saw Claire and Aaron get on a helicopter but we all know that Claire did not make it off the island.

"Through the Looking Glass (Part I)" 

Who sent "Tall Walt" to John?

Inconsistencies 

"Par Avion" 

The woman who played Claire's mom in this episode was not the woman who showed up to Christian Shepard's funeral and spoke to Jack about Claire.  I'm placing this under the inconsistencies section because I think it was a casting issue as opposed to the new version of Claire's mom being an agent for the "Others"... unless she's an agent for the "Others".

Worth Noting

I have a hard time understanding how Lost was such a compelling show without Ben, Juliet, and Richard Alpert.  

In the episode "The Cost of Living" Ben takes Jack to Colleen's funeral (Sun shot her on the sailboat) and we witnessed the burial of an "Other".  They put her on a funeral pyre floated it out to sea and then lit it on fire.  I wonder if the Norse styled burial was so Colleen would not become one of the islands walking dead.

Sad irony in "Flashes Before Your Eyes" when Desmond walks out on the street in London and sees/hears Charlie performing Wonderwall, "I said maybe, your'e gonna be the one that saves me".  Maybe not... sorry Charlie.

I think when the writers were breaking the back story for Jack's tattoos (Stranger in a Strange Land) they realized the old flashback formula needed some tweaking.  

I loved Jack's touchdown dance at the end of "Par Avion".  It was perfect for the moment.

Hurley tricking Sawyer into being a "decent" human being in "Left Behind" was a series highlight for comedic moments.

Juliet is terrific.  I really want her to end up with Jack, they are good for each other.  I seriously hope she's not dead.

The last scene in "Through the Looking Glass (Part II)" at the airport was completely game changing.  It saved Lost from a formula that would have made it completely stale if allowed to go on another year.

It seems like all of the supernatural events on this island can be explained through the prism of Jacob, Anti-Jacob, and the Smoke Monster/Island itself.  

Lost: Preparation for the Final Season, Season 2

What We Still Don't Know

"Orientation"

In the orientation film for the Swan Station, Marvin Candle/Pierre Chang/Miles' Dad mentions Alvar Hanso as the financial backer for the Dharma Initiative and the DeGroot's (Gerald and Karen) as the doctoral students whose dream created the Dharma Initiative.  We know very little about Hanso and nothing more about the DeGroot's.  Will they make appearances? Are they dead?  Does this in any way relate to Charles Widmore?

"Abandoned"

Did Shannon really see Walt in the jungle and in her tent?  If it really was Walt why was he soaking wet and speaking in tongues? Is it possible that he learned how to send his conscience places while in the custody of the others but was unable to make it work the way he wanted?  Or did the island really just want Shannon dead and used Walt as bait?

"One of Them"

What's with the Egyptian Hieroglyphs? They were on the countdown clock in the hatch and continue to show up in other unexpected places as the series continues.

"Lockdown"

What caused the lock down in the hatch? My money is on Ben, it makes the most sense but they haven't come out and said it.

"Dave"

What was Libby doing in Santa Clara Mental Hospital with Hurley and why did she not tell him she was there?

"S.O.S." 

Why does the island choose to heal some, Rose and Locke, and not others the guy with the infected broken leg and Ben (tumor)?

"?"

Why did Claire's psychic lie about his daughters miracle?  I believe he truly has the gift and she truly was dead, so why lie and destroy his business?  Does he work for Jacob? 

"Three Minutes"

How did Walt creep the "Others" out?  They wanted to get ride of him as badly as Michael wanted to get him.

"Live Together, Die Alone"

Why did Libby give Desmond the boat for his trip around the world?

What's the deal with birds on the island, why do they make such rare appearances? Why did the giant green bird screech "Hur-ley". 

The four toed statue has been seen in its full glory since this episode, but we still don't know why it has four toes, why it was created, or how it fell.  Though we do know who lives inside it!

Inconsistencies 

"Orientation"

Desmond had the fail safe key, why wouldn't he have used it when the computer was shot up.  He thought it was bad enough to run so he would have thought it was bad enough to use the key, unless he wasn't ready to make the personal sacrifice at that time.   Also, this could be explained by the fact that his boat was ready to go and he thought he could simply escape the island.

"S.O.S."

Ana Lucia was going crazy trying to find the kids and the other people who were stolen from her camp.  There is no way she should have been OK with Jack offering to trade "Henry" for Walt and not any of "her" people.

Worth Noting

Walt's Mother may have given him his powers.  It's the only explanation as to why she fought so hard to get Brian to adopt Walt and completely remove Michael.  She must have touched Michael's arm (like Walt did to Locke in "Born to Run") realized that one day Michael would murder two women and tried to completely cut him out of Walt's life.  She never seemed to be angry or vindictive with Michael, she just did not want him anywhere near her son because she saw what he was capable of.  Perfect Greek tragedy!

I love that Hurley chose Rose to share in his "job".  She was a perfect choice and her reactions to the hatch upon entering it the first time were priceless.

Rose and Bernard are truly a lovely couple.  Their reunion in "Collision" ranks near the top of emotional moments in this series.  Wonderfully, the oldest couple on the series is also the most romantic and loving (S.O.S.).

Jack chose to let Shannon's father die to save his future bride, he couldn't save Boone from dying and the gun he gave Sawyer was the one that killed Shannon.  What does Jack have against this family? 

I forgot how much I was annoyed by Charlie in the first and second season.  He may have been my least favorite character because he was so quick to mistrust and misjudge everyone around him. 

In "The Long Con" Hurley and Sayid picked up a radio transmission that seemed like it was from the 1940's.  Sayid said that radio waves bounce off the ionosphere and could be coming from anywhere.  Hurley responded "Or anytime!"  The writers teased season five's time travel all the way back in season two!  

Loved Ben as "Henry Gale" telling Jack and Locke what he would have done if he "was" an "Other". It was the first time we got a good understanding of how menacing Benjamin Linus is, and what he is capable of.  

Michael shooting Ana Lucia and Libby still ranks as one of the most shocking moments on television.  Let's not forget that Michael did that on his own accord and was not told to kill anyone by the others.

Jack made Libby over-dose in order to save her from a slow painful death.  I didn't realize it the first time but the syringe seemed pretty full of drugs to be a pain relief.