Finally, Javier Grillo-Marxuach takes on a centric that doesn't belong to Jin and Sun!
First thing I liked about the episode: a reveal in the first three minutes. Ana Lucia was a cop... whoa! That does put an interesting spin on things now doesn't it. Not enough to make her any less annoying in my opinion, but at least we're getting somewhere.
Objectively speaking, the flashbacks were actually somewhat interesting with Ana Lucia coming back to the force after nearly being murdered by Jason McCormack. Seeing her fly off the handle at a simple domestic dispute was at least consistent with the sociopath we were witnessing on the island, except now we had more understanding of the methods behind her madness.
I give credit to Javier and Leonard Dick for seizing the opportunity for dialogue between Ana Lucia and Sayid. Talk about two lost souls who were hopelessly mired in darkness and despair. Had it been anyone else but Sayid tied to the tree she likely wouldn't have seen another day.
The big reveal for Ana, which was hinted at based on her facial expressions at key moments earlier in the episode, was that she was pregnant when she was shot. I have no idea if the writers thought that was going to redeem her somehow as we watched her murder Jason in cold blood, but it certainly didn't for me. I never support vigilante justice whether it's Kate, Ana Lucia, Sawyer, or anyone else. After watching her pump about six bullets into Jason, all I could think was, "Great, we have another Kate... without the charm."
Best moment for me was one that didn't require a whole lot of writing: the reunions between Rose/Bernard and Jin/Sun.
This would be the last episode to focus so heavily on Ana Lucia until "Two for the Road" — a very good thing since I'm not a fan of Michelle Rodriguez's annoying enunciation habits and perpetual scowl.
Sam Anderson (Bernard) and L. Scott Caldwell (Rose) nailed the big reunion scene. I know this because it turned me into a blubbering idiot the first time around. Jin and Sun's reunion was the icing on the cake, though obviously it wasn't quite the same given all the screen time they'd shared.
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (Eko) was fine as far as stone-faced leviathan type characters go. It'd be nearly impossible to judge his acting capabilities until The 23rd Psalm.
Rachel Ticotin (Ana Lucia's mother, Teresa) is a very familiar face in television and thus it was no surprise that she put in a solid performance.
Two scenes stand out as directorial highlights:
1. The domestic dispute in the flashbacks. Stephen Williams did a great job of capturing the frenetic energy one might expect at such a scene.
2. The reunions on the beach. What can I say, I'm a sucker for slow-mos and dramatic music, especially when both Bernard and Jin had to part the crowds just to find their respective wives.
I was a little puzzed by the shot selection in the scene where Kate and Jack play golf. Presumably they'd play the same hole at the same time, yet it seems they shot in completely opposite directions (Jack's shot was bad, but not THAT bad). We see nothing but sky and a flag where Kate shot, then a vast stretch of trees and fields where Jack was aiming. Unless I'm missing something obvious here I think the visual continuity (or lack thereof) was a little perplexing.
Bear in mind that my score isn't to suggest there's a whole lot wrong with the episode in terms of directing and visuals. I'm factoring in the level of difficulty as well.
In all honesty, now that I've seen Collision a handful of times I think the replay value has leveled off quite a bit. Whenever I see the episode title I immediately think of Rose and Bernard's reunion, but I often forget that it was an Ana Lucia-centric — something that just doesn't float my boat.
However, since the episode takes us back into the Swan for the first time in what seems like an eternity, that does count for something.
Other than the reunions on the beach, the importance of the episode is debatable. We all know what happens to Ana Lucia later on in the season, and there aren't many aspects of this episode which affect anything beyond the scope of her character arc. One can surmise that Bernard and Libby would've eventually reached the beach camp on their own, perhaps even sooner if it weren't for Ana Lucia's insistence that they stay put.
Look no further than Collision's final ten minutes to figure out why my Intangibles rating is even as high as it is. Also, despite my qualms with Ana Lucia it was a very nice setup to have her in a staredown with Jack to end the episode.
