Lost - Flashes Before Your Eyes

I absolutely adore this episode, when we got Desmond's first flashback episodes in the season finale it felt pretty special. But "Flashes Before Your Eyes" comes after one of my favourite episodes and arguably knocks it out of the park. Even more impressively it does it with a different set of characters and little to do with the previous episode. This is where Lost is at its strongest - throwing story lines, characters and twists at you that leave you wanting more.

I'm going on record with this statement, Desmond has the strongest collection of flashback episodes in the show. There's the odd unique one here or there like "The Other 48 Day" but no other regular has so many classic episodes. There are so many nice touches in this episode from the whiskey to Charlie turning up around the same time of the man in red shoes. Where seriously into time travel territory at this stage of the show when the network famously made the producers take references to time travel out of season one episodes. Its not done in a sci-fi way, its done in a scary yet fully character manner. 

We see other characters who we don't see much of this episode such as Eloise Hawking (for the first time) someone full of mystery, Charles Widmore played by the wonderful Alan Dale and Penelope Widmore whose chemistry with Desmond helps create one of the most important relationships of the show. Its all about Desmond though and giving him a mission that has been very well set up in previous episodes. He's come a long way since that entrance as a mad man in a hatch. 10/10 

My First Days Work of 2021

Before yesterday my last day of work was at Cheltenham 2020 and since then I've barely left Port Talbot apart from job interviews and getting my Covid jabs. Since then Stadium Hospitality has nearly opened back up a few times but been postponed at the last minute. So anyway yesterday I had my first days work of 2021, Golf firmly remains as something enjoyable is unappealing to play and not at all interesting to watch, plus at £167.00 for a round it has become laughable. It was the first time I'd been on a long distance train journey for a year and given that it was just after 06:00 I didn't notice much difference. Newport looked rather nice - truth be known I've always had a soft spot for Newport, the most polite way of summing up Newport is that its the South Easts equivalent of Neath but more friendly. So getting into Newport at 07:30 I headed out of the city centre heading for Celtic Manor hotel / golf course. Newport was just waking up, the sun hadn't made it over the hills yet and a 3.6 uphill walk was enriched by a lovely view.

Reaching The Coldra was the sign I was rapidly approaching the edge of town and my destination. A left turn took me up a sharp climb - seriously sharp as despite being below the M4 for all of the walk I suddenly had to get above and cross it. All I knew about Celtic Manor was that it was a bit posh so I was mildly surprised to find that its so close to one of the busiest sections of the M4. I arrived at the entrance which is the rear of the hotel (the hotel faces away from the M4 in a rather bizarre if we ignore the noise and pollution it isn't really there kind of way) and it was time for the major challenge of the day, navigating the site.

I had been told to head to car park 2 to pick up my accreditation and there were shuttle buses from there to the rest of the site. I found car park 2 and it was empty of cars, buses and check in sites. Realising this was not the place I was meant to be I headed in to the hotel for directions. Alas I was at the rear of the hotel and headed into the trade entrance hoping to find a reception or security office to ask directions. Apparently it was too early for security and I couldn't find a check in area for casual workers so I opted to head back out and go in the front of the hotel to try for directions at reception. There was no direct way from the back to front entrance by foot and I had to travel by narrow road via two car parks (none of which was car park 2) and a kiddies play area. When I reached the front I entered reception and was given directions but also told it was inaccessible via foot.

For anyone whose never been on a golf course, one of the main key features of one is that its designed to be traversed on foot. I headed off armed with directions and passed a few golfers on the minor courses. When I could get no further I commandeered a golf cart that was laying around with the key in the ignition. I reached car park 2 and left the cart at the security desk advising it had been left unattended and keeping quiet about my lack of drivers license. After picking up my staff pass I jumped aboard the shuttle bus to my workplace for the day which was in hospitality at the clubhouse overlooking the 18th green.

Most of the workforce were from the same company as me and I recognised one or two faces from working Cardiff City matches. Sadly it was a bit of a tame day, we were a restaurant of twenty tables and we never had more than six tables full at the same time all day. Plus we only had two tables at all for the duration of afternoon tea - I know afternoon tea, I was unaware this had been a thing since 1910. We were let go at 19:00 as it was dead, in the hospitality area on the 18th hole of a European Tour event.

I got a lift to the front gates and headed back into Newport as the sun still shone in the summer evening. The view of Newport was better on the way back as you could see more of the bridges and gentle glow. The night life was getting into gear at this point as I passed many a pub and people heading into town. A few elderly revellers were out and had donned headshields. Newport's pubs had their outside drinking areas packed as I reached the station with ten minutes until the next train. The way home I saw how public transport had really changed as passengers were asked to sit in the window seats so staff could traverse the train. Strangely on a Great Western Train on a Friday evening there were barely ten people to a carriage.

Hopefully this day is the first of many as the hospitality industry reopens however to prove some things never change on checking my emails I had received the offer of a few shifts at the football IN NORTH ****ING LONDON.

Deep Space Nine - A Man Alone

After the extended opening episode Emissary its time to jump full throttle into the show with the second episode, which isn't the second episode as Netflix have the episodes in the wrong order! Hopefully this is a one off or things are going to get confusing. Right that's the admin done where was I? Oh yeah, A Man Alone! Whereas the opener was concerned with setting up a number of things this episode is concerned about life aboard DS9 while at the same time there's a good little mystery.

This episode makes very good use of the ensemble cast, its an Odo episode but he's not to far at the front of proceedings. Its also about the other characters relationship with him, most of them have only just met him, he seemingly has only one ally in Kira and supposedly an enemy in Quark. We have to talk about this relationship between Quark and Odo as already its one of the best things about the show. The scene in Odo's office as Quark arrives and tells him he hasn't found any information on the murdered Bajoran is the best of the episode.

Moving on to Jadzia, this episode examines the Trill and their relationships with other races after changing host. We're in transgender territory and largely the subject is treated well, in particular Bens reaction and later acceptance that their relationship is going to have to change. Julian however is written as a chaser and comes across as creepy every time he's in a scene with Jadzia. This is an aspect of transgender life that the show doesn't really need to be going into as the majority of viewers today don't understand what a "chaser" is let alone when it was broadcast.

The plotline with the school is perhaps the most satisfying it brings together a group of the supporting characters in Keiko, Jake, Nog and Rom. I'm watching this with my sister whose viewing it for the first time and it is so satisfying watching these characters start out while she has no idea how they'll grow.

Summing up this is a 9/10 episode from me as the establishment of daily life on the station combined with the setting up of the Odo / Quark relationship is completely my kind of jam. It loses a point for the Julian Bashir is a chaser stuff and an odd scene where Rene Auberjones genuinely looks like he's not aware the camera is rolling, he's saying his lines not acting them and looks like he's trying to block his movements out for when the camera starts rolling.

A good start to the series proper.

Lost - Not in Portland

This episode is no filler all killer as we get the conclusion to last episodes story, Kate & Sawyer are on the run on Alcatraz hunted by The Others while Jack sabotages surgery on Ben in an attempt to hold The Others at bay while the viewer is unaware about whose side Juliet is one. Blimey that was a long sentence! This is a culmination of so many plots as the mysterious girl Alex is revealed to be Bens daughter and tries to help the Losties escape in the hope they rescue her boyfriend and take him with them. Juliets motivation is revealed through her flashback - she's like a different person in the flashback and the performance shows how much life on the island and empty promises has broken her.

As the episode moves on it has a breathless energy, combined with the plot throwing multiple swerve balls at us this episode feels big. On top of feeling big we have Nestor Carbonell making his debut as Richard, it comes as a bit of a shock in that they sneak him in via Juliets flashback and I was sat there sitting gobsmacked as I forgot this was where he turned up. There is no clue what so ever about the character he will become and its a very satisfying performance in hindsight.

To sum up just when you think this episode can't get any better Rob McElhenney off of Its Only Sunny in Philadelphia turns up.

The Empire Strikes Back - Review

The Empire Strikes Back 9.5/10

As a child this was the Star Wars film that wasn't as much fun as the other two, its improved with age. The sexual tension between the characters is fun, there is more overt comedy than the other early films - in particular Chewy, Yoda, R2 and 3PO, there are loads of cool bits I remember with the ships, effects and everything. In particular I loved the snow speeders as a kid and they still press my fan buttons. 

I'd forgot how tight this film was, from the sets to the plot its possibly the slickest production of the entire franchise. Hoth feels dangerous before the Empire turn up, the Rebellion are battling conditions, the conditions and at times even their technology. Harrison Ford has turned into a meme in recent times over how laid back and dry he is in real life but on screen he's carrying the sass and its up to everyone else to keep up. You take him out of this film and you take away the heart of the film.

I can't give this a full 10/10 due to the Dagobah stuff - it belongs in a series in a film format it doesn't work or at least needs a montage. Also some of the action sequences are a bit "Michael Bay" and the physical geography is a bit bonkers. Bar that it still stands up and I like it better than in my youth.

Oooh, those new effects though, I proper dig seeing more of Cloud City than just the corridors.

Lost - I Do

This is a very unusual episode in that essentially its the opening episode of a two part storyline. Its all about the set up to cliff hanger and how we get there. Theres some stuff happing on the main island at the camp however its rubbish and only exists to give us something to cut away to from the main action. 

Kates flashback is a good character piece, it feels like this is the closest we'll get to see Kate settle down since going on the run. Nathan Fillion makes a good guest character appearance, he needs to have the acting chops to go up against Matthew Fox and Josh Holloway the male members of the cast who we know Kate is interested in. We know Kate won't stay with him but it shows how good he is that he convinced me for a few seconds that I could ship them as a couple.

The main action on Hydra Island is absorbing as Ben tries to manipulate Jack despite not having much time to do so and appearing to achieve his goal. It all ends as Jack during surgery cuts Ben and holds him hostage unless Kate and Sawyer are released. Meanwhile Pickett is set up as a low level villain in that he wants revenge for Colleen murder, originally when aired the wait for the next episode was unbearable but the ending was fantastic. Its a 9/10 from me being a near perfect set up episode with the only negative being the disrespect given to Mr Eko in not giving him a funeral.