If you told me that an episode would not feature Jack, Kate, Sawyer, Ben, and Juliet — with very little of Locke and Sayid — I would've prepared for an abomination of an episode. If you then insisted the episode was one of the strongest efforts of Season 3 I would've asked if you were usin' again, brotha.
My reactions aside, you would've been right. Flashes Before Your Eyes (FBYE) is the first true example of Season 3 excellence.
In the opening scene Desmond runs to the beach and saves Claire from drowning. Charlie's had enough. He and Hurley want to know what makes Desmond tick — luckily, so does the audience and FBYE is about to delve into it all.
The Swan implosion transports Desmond back to 1996 and in his flat, where Penny has just recently moved in. After a variety of sights and sounds remind of the Swan, the light bulb goes on. Desmond realizes he has some sort of precognitive ability and it's starting to challenge his grip on sanity.
A brilliant tapestry of events unfold before Desmond, yet he senses he's been through it all before. He asks Charles Widmore for his blessing to marry Penny, and gets the same crushing answer. He crosses paths with Charlie Pace on a London street, further convincing him that he's experience these moments for a second time.
Finally he attempts to buy an engagment ring, but Eloise Hawking sends him into a mental tailspin. She slowly chips away at his understanding of things, insisting he won't live happily ever after with Penny as he'd hoped. Just as Desmond is on the brink of defeat, events unfold in a pub in the exact manner he "remembered." A triumph moment is interrupted by a cricket bat to his face and he is transported back to the Swan site.
This episode is so well-written and directed it's a wonder they got so much mileage out of 42 minutes. There's enough material to satisfy almost every type of audience, not just with sci-fi elements but also the warm relationship between Desmond and Penny. Minds and hearts are equally stimulated throughout this journey; while you're busying trying to discern whether Desmond's time-jumping or simply having dreams, you're also developing a personal attachment to both Desmond and Penny.
Even the smallest details mattered, such as Charlie singing "You're gonna be the one that saves me" to Desmond in the London flashback scene. Given the last few lines of the episode even this makes complete sense.
I'm just gonna come out and say it: LOST would not be the same without Henry Ian Cusick and Sonya Walger. Not only do they get my vote for the warmest, most genuine couple on the series, they're simply two phenomenal actors that were able to come onto an established show and immediately make their mark.
There's no emotion that sits outside the realm of Cusick's acting ability, FBYE proves that much. There's consternation at waking up in his flat, contentment achieved through a simple kiss from Penny, crushing disappointment as Charles Widmore delivers a harsh verbal smackdown, and the list goes on and on.
The other half of that equation is Sonya Walger, who I swear belongs with Cusick in all worlds real and imaginary. Her best scene in FBYE occurs in the breakup scene along the river. It's a sight to behold, watching the expression on her face change from confusion to a mixture of absolute heartbreak and defiance.
I'm not a fan of Alan Dale personally but he certainly nails the role of a pretentious bastard. His speech about Admiral MacCutcheon was well-executed even in all its cruelty.
Deductions for Fionnula Flanagan (Eloise), who in my view rivals William Mapother for one of the worst recurring actors on the series. Her voice inflection and facial expressions are downright cartoonish in certain situations, so bad sometimes that it almost rips me out of the "reality" of the scene. Luckily her dialogue was somewhat limited in FBYE, nothing near the extent of the exposition scenes in "316."
Another deduction for Jorge Garcia who just wasn't on his game. Two scenes stand out: ransacking Sawyer's stash with Charlie (terrible delivery of "Yeah, that sounds exactly like Sawyer") and the "farmer's daughter" scene where he tries too hard to sell his inebriation.
I really wish Jack Bender had provided commentary for FBYE, for I think it's the episode where he elevated LOST to the next level in directing and pacing.
There are truly too many visuals and highlights to mention, but I'll rattle off a few from the top of my head:
1. Desmond waking up in a pool of red paint. Bender and the DOP both deserve credit for this image.
2. Widmore's office, complete with paintings from — you guessed it — Jack Bender.
3. The conversion of Hawaii locations to London streets and pubs. Yes, there are some minor "errors" throughout these scenes but the point is you FEEL like you're in London.
4. The overhead shot of Desmond and Charlie as it begins to rain. Love, love, love this shot.
5. Desmond booking it through the jungle toward the beach.
6. Desmond throwing the engagement ring into the river, placing the audience just under the surface of the water. Absolutely brilliant.
Even with all of these achievements, it's still mostly in the context of one very long flashback. It's hard to believe but Bender outdoes his own efforts in FBYE later on in the series.
The narrative in FBYE is so smooth and riveting I could easily watch it several times in a row, picking up subtle nuances each and every time. So many seeds are planted for future episodes as well, like Desmond passing a recruitment office for the Royal Scots.
There's plenty of significance in both chronological directions. Desmond and Penny take their famous "marina photo," which is a beautiful tie-in to what we've seen in the past yet crucial in Desmond's future.
The arrival of Eloise Hawking sets the stage for Seasons 4 and 5, where issues of time and space come to the forefront of the narrative. And speaking of stage-setting, Desmond's declaration at the end of FBYE kicks off a critical arc for Season 3 — Charlie's journey toward fate.
When I built this site and defined the Intangibles category, FBYE was one of the episodes that prompted me to specify "overall atmosphere" as a defining property.
That atmosphere is established in all sorts of ways big and small. The conversion of Hawaii locations to London sets would qualify as one of the big ways. Playing Mama Cass' "Make Your Own Kind of Music" in the pub was a less challenging task from a technical perspective, but it's all that was needed to help us experience Deja Vu right along with Desmond.
I don't mention Giacchino enough, but I absolutely MUST mention his score "Distraught Desmond" here. This piece captivates me every single time and if it's played over a somber scene there's an excellent chance that tears will flow. Sure enough it's the score you hear during the breakup scene at the River Thames. By far the most emotional moment so far in Season 3.
