Top Five Favorite "LOST" Season One (2004-2005) Episodes

 

Below is a list of my top five favorite episodes from Season One of "LOST" (2004-2010). The series was created by Jeffrey Lieber, J. J. Abrams and Damon Lindelof; and produced by the latter and Carlton Cuse.

TOP FIVE FAVORITE "LOST" SEASON ONE (2004-2005) Episodes



1. (1.23-1.25) "Exodus" - This season finale served as a transition in the series' narrative, as an expedition sets out to find dynamite to open the hatch recently discovered by castaway John Locke. And the raft planned by Michael Dawson finally leaves the island with him, his son Walt, Jin Kwon and James "Sawyer" Ford, resulting in unexpected circumstances.





2. (1.17) ". . . In Translation" - This episode featured Jin Kwon's backstory in flashbacks and the further disintegration of his marriage, when he discovers that his wife Sun had learned English behind his back.





3. (1.04) "Walkabout" - While Locke and a few others set on a hunting expedition to find boar for the other castaways, his flashbacks reveal his reason for being in Australia.





4. (1.11) "All the Best Cowboys Have Daddy Issues" - Jack Shephard leads an expedition to find two castaways that had been kidnapped in the previous episode. The episode's flashbacks reveal the events that led to Jack being responsible for his father's dismissal from the hospital they worked at.





5. (1.19) "Deus Ex Machina" - In their search for a means to open a hatch they had found; Locke and Boone Carlyle find a Nigerian small plane. And their discovery leads to tragic circumstances. In the flashbacks, Locke meets his parents for the first time, who prove to be major disappointments.

"Dear Billy II" [G] - 1/1

 

"DEAR BILLY II"

RATING: [G]
SUMMARY: A view of Charles Main's life as an Army officer on the Texas frontier during the summer of 1858, via a letter written to his best friend and fellow officer, Billy Hazard.
FEEDBACK: Be my guest. But please, be kind.
DISCLAIMER: Charles Main, Billy Hazard, Orry Main, Elkhannah Bent and all other characters related to the "NORTH AND SOUTH Trilogy" belong to John Jakes, Wolper Productions, and Warner Brothers Television.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This story is a continuation of Charles Main’s experiences in Texas, first started in the story, "Dear Orry", and continued with "Dear Billy" and "Dear Orry II". The story is a combination of canon from the trilogies of both John Jakes’ novels and the television adaptations.

------------

"DEAR BILLY II"

August 16, 1858
Camp Cooper, TX

Dear Billy,

I had received your letter, written last March, along with two letters from Cousin Orry. Did you ever receive any letters from Cousin Brett recently? I realize that Orry remains reluctant to give you permission to ask for her hand in marriage. But don't lose hope. As long as you remain faithful in your intentions, he may soon realize that you are more than capable of taking care of Brett during these troubled times.

Speaking of troubled times, I hear that the country's political tensions have become tenfold, due to the upcoming elections in Congress. I . . . I'm sorry Billy, but I just can't keep this to myself any longer. Do you recall my writing to you about my new company commander? Captain Elkhannah Bent? That was over a year ago. I noticed in your last letter that your brother George had not mentioned him. Have you written to him about Captain Bent? I had written to Orry, asking if he knew the man at West Point or in Mexico. You see . . . I believe I have made a serious enemy and I don't understand why.  In my last letter to Orry, I had informed him that Captain Bent had ordered me to lead a detachment to rescue passengers from a wrecked stagecoach during a winter storm. That was child's play in compared to what recently happened between me and the Captain.

Two days ago, a farmer had arrived at the post to inform us that a local farmer named Lantzman and his family were beseiged by a band of Penateka Commanches near Phantom Hill. For once, Captain Bent had decided to lead a detachment that included myself, our first officer Lieutenant O'Dell, our Indian tracker and 20 troopers. I suspect he wanted to appear competent in the eyes of the commandant after being criticized for sending me out into that storm last winter. Upon our arrival at the Lantzmans' farm, we discovered that more Commanches had joined the siege around the house, leaving our detachment outnumbered 2 to 1. For a brief second, I wondered if Bent wanted to turn around and leave the Lantzmans to their fate. Only a second. I had suggested we dismount before we approach the house through the cornfield. However, Captain Bent insisted upon sticking to Army regulations. We rode through the cornfield and successfully reached the Lantzmans' homestead. Poor Mr. Lantzman had died from his wounds. And since we had remained mounted, our detachment lost four men, including Lafe O'Dell. This left me as the company's new first officer.

Billy, I hope that no one within the Army command will read or hear what I am about to reveal. Once our detachment ended up trapped inside the house with the Lantzmans, I realized that we needed to make our escape as soon as possible. However . . . Captain Bent expressed reluctance to leave, especially after we discovered that the Commanches had killed the two troopers he had sent to inform Camp Cooper of our situation. I am not accusing the Captain of cowardice. After all, the man was a veteran of the war in Mexico. But I suspect that for a brief moment, our situation nearly overwhelmed him. I was forced to assume temporary command and ordered the detachment and the Lantzmans to get the hell out. I can imagine your reaction to what I had just revealed. However, I had no choice. With the messengers dead and twice the number of Commanches encircling us, there is no way in hell we would have survived if we had remained inside that house. We finally made our escape, galloping through the cornfield. A Commanche warrior managed to wound my shoulder and I would have been left behind if a trooper named Tannen had not come back for me.

The Commanches chased us for at least an hour before we finally managed to evade them. Captain Bent complimented for getting the men and the Lantzmans away from the Commanches. He also informed me that he planned to charge me with disobeying his orders to remain at the farmhouse. Needless to say, I found myself in a fix.

Billy, you would be surprised to learn what saved me and my Army career. Our detachment and the Lantzmans stopped for a rest after finally evading the Commanches. During that period, the Captain . . . how can I put this on paper? Captain Bent became attracted to young Martha Lantzman. She is 12 years old. Worse, the Captain tried to make his feelings known to her. Who knows what would have happened if I had not appeared? He had already had his hands on her. Mrs. Lantzman and her sons threatened to charge Bent with attempted sexual assault. I convinced them to allow the matter to pass, considering no harm came to young Martha. A part of me feels ashamed of what I did next. Another part felt a sense of satisfaction. The Captain thanked me for saving him from possible criminal charges. I received his thanks . . . and suggested that he drop the charges of disobeying his orders at the Lantzman farm. I also added that if he persists in pressing charges against me, I will summon Mrs. Lantzman to testify on my character and "the characters of others". Needless to say, I will not be facing a court-martial for disobeying the Captain.

Captain Bent, me and Lafe received commendations for the Lantzmans' rescue. Poor Lafe's commendation was posthumous. I have submitted a letter to the Department, suggesting a promotion for Private Tannen for saving my life. Orry would be pleased to learn of my commendation. I must admit that I feel a slight sense of satisfaction. But this satisfaction feels slightly tainted by what had transpired between the Captain and me. Not long after our return, he requested for medical leave in San Antonio. This has left me as the temporary commanding officer of Company K. And this has left me with the task to write letters to the relations of Lafe O'Dell and the other men who had denied. A very unpleasant task.

I realize that I have betrayed my promise to maintain discretion over what happened between Captain Bent, the Lantzmans and myself. However, as my closest friend, I felt you should have a clear understanding on what kind of man you might be dealing with, should you ever find yourself under Captain Bent's command. And never did I imagine I would find myself resorting to blackmail to save my hide, but I do believe Captain Bent did not deserve any restraint on my part. He is not an honorable man. No honor at all. And I am not quite certain if he is truly sane.

Billy, I am certain you will be discreet over what was written in this letter. And be patient with Cousin Orry. I am certain that sooner or later, he will give you permission to propose marriage to Cousin Brett. Take care Billy. I hope to hear from you soon.


Your friend always,


Charles Main

"THE TENANT OF WILDFELL HALL" (1996) Photo Gallery

 

Below is a gallery featuring images from "THE TENANT OF WILDFELL HALL", the BBC 1996 adaptation of Anne Brontë's 1848 novel. Directed by Mike Barker, the three-part miniseries starred Tara Fitzgerald, Toby Stephens and Rupert Graves:




"THE TENANT OF WILDFELL HALL" (1996) Photo Gallery

"SPIDER-MAN" (2002) Review

 

"SPIDER-MAN" (2002) Review

I have been a major fan of the Marvel Comics character, Spider-Man, for a long time.  When I was a kid, I used to read "The Amazing Spider-Man" comic strip from my local newspaper on a daily basis. I was also a regular viewer of the reruns from the 1967-70 animated series "SPIDER-MAN" and the 1978-79 television series, "THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN", which starred Nicholas Hammond. So when Columbia Pictures released a movie version of the comic book web crawler twenty years ago, I was a happy camper.

Ironically, I have no memories of any particular episode from either the animated series or the live-action series. All I know is that I used to watch both. But there is no way I could ever forget director Sam Rami's 2002 film adaptation, which starred Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker aka Spider-Man. How could I? I own a DVD copy of the movie.

"SPIDER-MAN" is basically Rami and screenwriter David Koepp's take on the web slinger's origins. The movie begins with teenager Peter Parker living with his Uncle Ben and Aunt May in Forest Hills, a suburb in Queens, New York. Peter is in love with next door neighbor Mary Jane Watson and is best friends with Harry Osborn, the son of millionaire/scientist and Oscorp CEO, Dr. Norman Osborn; who seems to regard Peter more as a son than Harry.  Peter attends a field trip with Mary Jane, Harry and other fellow students to a genetics lab. when he is bitten by a genetically engineered spider. He wakes up the following morning with perfect vision, fast reflexes, superhuman strength and the ability to emit web strings. His school fight with Mary Jane's bullying boyfriend, Flash Thompson, attracts Uncle Ben's attention, who has become concerned with Peter's recently distant behavior.

Meanwhile, Norman Osborn's company is in danger of losing its bid for a contract with the U.S. Army for weapons. Osborn tests his company's new performance-enhancing drug and becomes stronger. He also acquires a maniacal alter ego and murders his assistant. And Peter decides to use his new abilities to raise money. He enters a wrestling match to win $300 dollars. But the promoter scams him out of his full reward and Peter retaliates by refusing to help stop a thief from stealing the box office returns. The same thief ends up killing Uncle Ben during a carjacking. When Peter realizes that the thief and his uncle's killer are one and the same, he becomes guilt-ridden and decides to use his powers to become a masked vigilante following graduation from high school. In time, Peter aka Spider-Man and Osborn aka the Green Goblin battle it out for the safety of New York.

As much as I enjoyed "SPIDER-MAN", I must admit that it had its flaws. All of those flaws centered around Koepp's screenplay. One, I thought the story was a bit episodic, especially the first half that revealed both Spider-Man and the Green Goblin's origins. In fact, the movie could be easily divided into two halves - from the beginning to Peter's graduation from high school, and his activities and battles with the Green Goblin. Another major problem that stemmed from Koepp's screenplay was the dialogue. "SPIDER-MAN" turned out to be one of the two top movies that were released during the summer of 2002. The other was "STAR WARS: EPISODE II - ATTACK OF THE CLONES". While fans and critics criticized some of the dialogue in the latter film, they easily overlooked the cheesy dialogue that tainted "SPIDER-MAN", especially the smart-ass comments that poured from Spider-Man's mouth. And I found the Green Goblin's early attempt to convince Spider-Man to become an ally a bit contrived.

Fortunately, "SPIDER-MAN" possessed virtues that outnumbered its flaws. One, the movie was fortunate to have Danny Elfman as its composer. I thought he did a top-notch job that contributed greatly to not only the movie's, but the entire trilogy's atmosphere. Neil Spisak and his team did a superb job with the movie's production designs that gave it a colorful, comic-book style without going over-the-top.  I was especially impressed by Spisak's designs for the genetic lab sequence and the Oscorp-sponsored fair sequence that featured the murders of the Oscorp directors. Spisak's production work was ably assisted by Don Burgess' photography. In fact, I would say that Burgess' work more than Spisak's gave the movie its colorful comic-book style.

Although I found Koepp's screenplay a bit episodic, I must admit that it featured some very exciting scenes that I will never forget. My favorites include Peter's wrestling match with Bonesaw McGraw, the murder of the Oscorp directors, and Spider-Man's rescue of Mary Jane from a bunch of thugs. But the two scenes that truly stood out for me and struck me as well directed by Rami were the Thanksgiving dinner at Peter and Harry's Manhattan apartment; and the final showdown between Spider-Man and the Green Goblin. The Thanksgiving dinner not only led to Osborn's discovery of Peter's identity as Spider-Man, it provided a deliciously subtle interaction between the millionaire and Aunt May, due to wonderful performances by Willem Dafoe and Rosemary Harris.  Spider-Man and the Green Goblin's final confrontation led to a nail-biting moment in which the latter forced Spider-Man to choose between saving Mary Jane and the underage passengers of a Roosevelt Island Tramway car.  The sequence also led to a brutal fight between the adversaries and one of the best lines ever to be uttered by a Marvel villain:

"This is why only fools are heroes - because you never know when some lunatic will come along with a sadistic choice."

I will also add that when I criticized Koepp's screenplay for being episodic, I really meant that it seemed to be somewhat divided between two complete stories. Once Peter assumed the role of Spider-Man, became a photographer for The Daily Bugle and engaged in his conflict with the Green Goblin, the movie picked up to become a force of nature.

Tobey Maguire nearly failed to become Peter Parker aka Spider-Man.  Although Rami wanted him for the role, Columbia Pictures executives were hesitant to cast someone who did not seem to fit the ranks of "adrenaline-pumping, tail-kicking titans".  Apparently, these guys never read any of the comic books.  Without his Spider-Man outfit, Peter Parker was supposed to be a quiet, nerdy science student with a slight built.  Not only did Maguire physically and emotionally fulfilled Peter's character with perfection, he also worked with a physical trainer to improve his physique for the Spider-Man scenes.  His performances as Spider-Man really took me by surprise.  I did not realize that he would be so effective as both an action hero and quiet nerd.  And I like being surprised.

Koepp's portrayal of the Mary Jane Watson character differed from the comic books in many ways.  One, Peter and Mary Jane never met until both were students at Empire State University in the comic books.  Two, the comic book Mary Jane was a little more extroverted than the cinematic Mary Jane portrayed by Kirsten Dunst.  And she seemed quite taken by Spider-Man, after he saved her during the Goblin's murder of the Oscorp directors.  Despite these changes, Dunst gave an excellent performance with the character she was given and she had a very strong screen chemistry with Maguire, which culminated in the famous screen kiss that is still considered iconic.  Also, Dunst's Mary Jane proved that friendship was a more valuable component than mere muscles, when she revealed at the end that Peter meant more to her than Spider-Man.  Dunst also had a strong screen chemistry with actor James Franco, who gave an excellent performance as the insecure Harry Osborn, who longed for his father's attention and especially respect.  Come to think of it, Franco also had strong chemistry with both Maguire and Willem Dafoe.  Cliff Robertson was wonderful as Peter's Uncle Ben.  He and Maguire were excellent in the Peter/Uncle Ben scenes that would end up reverberating in the next two movies.  And Rosemary Harris was a delight as the warm-hearted Aunt May, especially in the Thanksgiving dinner scene and the hospital scene that featured her own heartwarming conversation with Peter.  Despite being forced to utter some very cheesy dialogue, Willem Dafoe overcame this defect and gave a truly scary and fascinating performance as Norman Osborn aka the Green Goblin.  Some of his best moments featured those scenes in which Osborn had conversations with his alter ego - the Goblin.  No wonder his Green Goblin is still considered to be the best on-screen Spider-Man villain.

Stan Lee was ecstatic over J.K. Simmons' portrayal of The Daily Bugle editor-in-chief, J. Jonah Jameson.  And I can see why.  In some ways, it is a rather one-dimensional performance.  Then again, I have always remembered Jameson as a one-dimensional character.  But Simmons breathed life and humor into the role and ended up giving one of the best performances in the movie. It is too bad that the Betty Brant character was regulated as a supporting one.  In the comic books, she was Peter's high school girlfriend and his first love.  In "SPIDER-MAN", she is Jameson's friendly secretary, who was always coming to Peter's aid.  Yet, Elizabeth Banks effused a great deal of warmth into the character that made her very likeable.  I can also say the same about Bill Nunn's performance as editor Joseph "Robbie" Robertson.  Bruce Campbell and Octavia Spencer provided some humorous moments as a wrestling announcer and a clerk who signs Peter up for a match.

Unlike many other fans of the "SPIDER-MAN" movie franchise, I never considered the 2002 movie to be the second best of those directed by Sam Rami.  David Koepp's screenplay seemed a bit episodic to me.  And it was filled with too many cheesy dialogue.  But the screenplay did provide a strong and action-packed second half for the story.  And I am one who cannot deny that Rami's direction, along with the production crew and an excellent cast led by Tobey Maguire overcame the screenplay's flaws and provided a first-rate comic book movie that I will never forget.

Movie and Television Productions About the WATERGATE Scandal

 

June 17 marks the 50th anniversary of WATERGATE, probably the most famous political scandal in U.S. history. Below is a list of movie and television productions about Watergate (in chronological order):



MOVIE AND TELEVISION PRODUCTIONS ABOUT THE WATERGATE SCANDAL



1. "All the President’s Men" (1976) - Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman starred in this adaptation of Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward’s 1974 bestselling book about their investigation and exposure of the Watergate scandal for The Washington Post. Alan J. Pakula directed.





2. "Washington: Behind Closed Doors" (1977) - Cliff Robertson and Jason Robards starred in this ABC six-part television adaptation of White House aide John Ehrlichman’s 1976 novel, "The Company". Gary Nelson directed.





3. "Blind Ambition" (1979) - Martin Sheen starred in this CBS four-part television adaptation of White House counsel John Dean’s 1976 memoirs, "Blind Ambition: The White House Years". George Schaefer directed.





4. "Will: G. Gordon Liddy" (1982) - Robert Conrad starred in this television movie adaptation of Watergate burglar/conspirator G. Gordon Liddy’s 1980 memoirs about the Watergate scandal. Robert Liberman directed.





5. "The Final Days" (1989) - Lane Smith starred as President Richard Nixon in this ABC television adaptation of Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward’s 1976 book about the Nixon Administration following the revelation of the Watergate scandal. Richard Pearce directed.





6. "Nixon" (1995) - Oscar nominees Anthony Hopkins and Joan Allen starred in this biopic about Nixon’s political and personal life. Oliver Stone co-wrote and directed this film.





7. "Dick" (1999) - Kirsten Dunst and Michelle Williams starred in this comedic reimagining of the Watergate scandal as two Washington D.C. teenagers who exposes the scandal and brings down the Nixon administration. Andrew Fleming co-wrote and directed the film.





8. "Frost/Nixon" (2008) - Michael Sheen and Frank Langella starred in this adaptation of Peter Morgan’s 2006 play about the behind-the-scenes details of David Frost’s 1977 television interview with Nixon. Ron Howard directed.





9. "Mark Felt: The Man Who Brought Down the White House" (2017) - Liam Neeson starred as adaptation of FBI agent Mark Felt’s 2006 autobiography about how he became "Deep Throat" for Bernstein and Woodward. Peter Landesman directed.





10. "Gaslit" (2022) - Julia Roberts starred in STARZ’s eight-part television adaptation of Slow Burn’s 2017 podcast about the Watergate scandal. Created by Robbie Pickering, Matt Ross directed.





11. "The White House Plumbers" (2022) - Woody Harrelson and Justin Theroux star in HBO’s upcoming television adaptation of Egil Krogh and Matthew Krogh’s book about the Watergate scandal. Created by Alex Gregory and Peter Huyck, David Manel directed.