Lostthe famous sci-fi series which aired on ABC from 2004 to 2010, is remembered above all for its controversial ending, which is still capable of sparking heated discussions among fans of television products today. Yet, there is another moment that is considered absolute the lowest point of the serieswhich aired nearly 19 years ago.
It is, of course, about Stranger in a strange landthe ninth episode of the third season, generally considered the worst of the whole opera signed by JJ Abrams and Damon Lindelof. At the time, Lost was in the midst of its success, but was already starting to show the first signs of slowing down with the introduction of not particularly loved characters (Nikki and Paulo) and above all with an increasingly disorienting narrative, in which there never seemed to be room for fixed points and answers.
In this context, the episode incentrato su Jack Shephard it immediately turned out to be out of tune. While the action on the island proceeds regularly, with Juliet’s rescue and Kate, Sawyer and Karl’s return to camp, the authors have chosen to dedicate an entire episode… toorigin of Jack’s tattoos. In flashbacks, in fact, we see the character on holiday in Thailand, where he falls in love with a woman named Achara, a “spiritual” tattoo artist who claims to be able to see people for who they really are. The man asks her to give him a tattoo, a request to which she agrees, albeit reluctantly, explaining that there will be consequences. The next day, Jack is beaten by a group of men who admonish him for breaking a local cultural rule.
What’s worse, it seems that the episode was conceived solely for justify the presence of Matthew Fox’s tattoos. In fact, in an interview in the special features of the DVD of Lostthe actor explained that Jack wasn’t supposed to have tattoos; however, the authors were forced to incorporate this aspect into his storyline, since the actor was tattooed and it was necessary to avoid wasting costs and energy to cover them with make-up and special effects.
However, the idea of dedicate an entire episode to the issue – especially when there were very urgent questions still unanswered – ended up displeasing or even infuriating the spectators of the time, who accused the production of to be running out of ideas and to “scrape the bottom of the barrel”. And for once, even the critics supported the fandom, pointing the finger at the “uninspired story” and the«lowest level execution».
Years later, in acknowledging its status as the worst episode of the series, author Damon Lindelof revealed that it was this negative moment that mark a turning point for Lost. After the criticism received, in fact, the ABC broadcaster accepted the creators’ proposal to set an end date for the project, allowing the series to find a direction again and counteract the slow decline that was beginning. However merciless the critical judgment is on Stranger in a strange landtherefore, it is undeniable that it is an episode of vital importanceafter which Lost it was never the same again.
Fonte: Screen Rant
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