Well, it finally happened. It only took five rewatches but I finally came around to appreciating and enjoying "The 23rd Psalm." I think the reason boils down to this: I wasn't preoccupied with the Hatch or any other storylines and I kept myself focused on the story at hand.
After an intense opening where Eko spares his brother Yemi from shooting an old man, Eko adopts the harsh life of a drug kingpin while Yemi eventually becomes a priest. Eko would eventually return to seek a favor from his brother.
The interesting part lies in the details. Planes used by Catholic missionaries are one of only two types of aircraft allowed out of Nigeria, so after Eko scores a boatload (ok, planeload) of heroin he knows there's only one thing left to do — become a priest. His brother Yemi would be the shortcut, all he'd have to do is sign ordination papers.
In the episode commentary Cuse and Lindelof claim that they'd known about this plot for some time and that Deus Ex Machina was indeed the setup for it. I have no reason to believe they're lying so I really appreciate the work put into constructing this storyline arc. If I were writing a series about survivors on a whacky island, I'm pretty sure drug-smuggling Nigerian priests would've never been on my radar. I don't know how they come up with this stuff.
Wrapped into the story are two subplots: 1) Charlie falls out of favor with Claire and seems to be on a collision course with heroin use, and 2) Michael's getting messages from Walt on the Swan computer and he's gearing up for war.
Minor deductions for Claire's tattle-tale routine. Seems a bit forced to have her telling both Locke and Eko about Charlie's virgin Mary statue.
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje didn't miss his opportunity to flex some acting muscle. With AAA it's usually a matter of appreciating the subtleties in his facial expressions (see the "dining nook" scene with Locke in "What Kate Did"). But this time around we got to see an approachable version (sitting with Claire on the beach) and a heartbroken version (finding Yemi in the beechcraft).
Even though he partially flubbed the recitation of the 23rd Psalm, I still think he nailed the scene. He was no longer just a priest in title but also in spirit; there was a certain level of reverence in his recitation that reinforced this coming of age.
Dominic Monaghan's performance was also very strong, slowly becoming Eko's protégé over the course of the episode. This is another example where writers couldn't possibly plan for the kind of chemistry between Eko and Charlie.
Very nice work by guest star Adetokumboh M'Cormack (Yemi), who was completely convincing as Eko's younger brother.
Even during those times when I initially didn't think much of this episode, I was always very impressed with the photography/visuals and directing. It's pretty amazing how they transformed a location in Oahu to look like a Nigerian neighborhood. A filter provides a slight yellow-orange hue to those scenes and it's very effective in transporting us into that region of the world.
Eko's encounter with the Smoke Monster is an achievement unto itself, giving us our first extended look at the murky presence in the jungle. It begins with one of my favorite shots of the entire series, a first-person view from the Smoke Monster as it races up to Eko and stops within a few inches of him. The camera pans around Eko and places us in the midst of the smoke, where we see brief flashes of Eko's past and future. Eko stands his ground and never flinches during his "assessment" by the Monster. The Monster scurries back into the jungle, and Charlie's reaction mirros that of the audience — silent awe.
The psalm recitation montage was beautifully executed, thanks not only to the visuals but Giacchino's score as well.
The more I watch (and rewatch) LOST the more I appreciate the various angles it takes on spirituality. Though there are definitely parallels between Locke and Eko in terms of being men of faith, their pasts are obviously quite different. But even their walks of faith are different. Eko seems to place far more significance in process, such as recitation of scripture, while Locke's faith seems to be more visceral in nature.
The more I find these subtle nuances in episodes like The 23rd Psalm the more I warm up to them. I could easily go back and watch this one again, which is something I never would've expected to say about a year ago.
In terms of importance, well, the episode does set up an arc for Charlie in Season 2 (some might argue that's not necessarily a good thing). But more importantly it marks a big turn for Eko, elevating him to a true spiritual presence on the island instead of just some behemoth with a big stick.
The brilliant use of visual filters in the flashback scenes provided a unique atmosphere that we hadn't yet seen on the series. I'm not going to lie and say I prefer that atmosphere over the Swan or even the jungle, but it's a nice change of pace nevertheless.
In terms of emotional impact, Eko discovering Yemi was the "payoff" scene. Unfortunately I can't say it moved me all that much, mostly because we only had one episode's worth of Yemi to draw from. Had there been a longer arc and gotten to know Yemi better I'm sure it would've been a different story.
