Tricia Tanaka is Dead

No big answers, no real mysteries, and more clever lines and chuckles than you can shake a skeletal arm at. It was just a fun episode… and that’s probably exactly what we needed. You know that brief moment in “Flashes Before Your Eyes,” when your heart soared just seeing Sayid and Locke and Sun? Well, […]

No big answers, no real mysteries, and more clever lines and chuckles than you can shake a skeletal arm at. It was just a fun episode… and that’s probably exactly what we needed. You know that brief moment in “Flashes Before Your Eyes,” when your heart soared just seeing Sayid and Locke and Sun? Well, “Tricia Tanaka Is Dead” was all about that feeling. Sawyer cracking wise while sabotaging his own happiness, Hurley on a mission with Charlie riding shotgun. And just enough exposition to prove that these people sometimes talk to each other, and ask reasonable questions. It was nice to be back with our old friends (Danielle included), and for this week at least, the answers and mysteries can wait.

Really, how much can be said in the way of analysis for “Tricia Tanaka is Dead”? If “Stranger in a Strange Land” was a segue from the Alcatraz miniseries (bringing us back to the beach), then this week’s episode brought us back to basics. Characters interacting with each other, and refreshingly, having a good time. Did it feel weird to have Sawyer, coming out of the ordeal he had, to suddenly obsess about his stuff and teach Jin ways to impress women in English? Sure. But I didn’t really mind.

Indeed, the one serious moment of the episode, Kate’s “and her name was Alex” line to Danielle, seemed a bit flat. After all, it’s a mystery fans figured out months ago. But Danielle’s return is significant, because she remains one of the primary untapped sources of answers on the island.

Hurley’s flashback was great, too. Given the title of the episode, it was good that they got the whole meteorite business out of the way early. And Cheech Marin? I dare say he was well cast. He played it close to the vest, and let Jorge Garcia’s comedic talents shine. Even on the island, lines that could have been (and perhaps were) incredibly corny were delivered perfectly. Halfway through the episode, I stopped writing them down, and just enjoyed them.

The more I realize how much I miss our “old friends” (including Danielle), the more I wonder if the Alcatraz miniseries that started off this season might have fit better somewhere else… no matter how great Ben and Juliet have turned out to be. “Tricia Tanaka Is Dead” seems to have grounded the series again, from which we’ll no doubt push off into the next big adventure.

Notes and Notions:

The song that opened the episode, which later turned up on the van’s eight-track player, was “Shambala,” by Three Dog Night. And Michael Giacchino’s orchestral take on it for the warm and fuzzy musical montage was a nice touch. Note that Shambala is a mystical kingdom in Tibetian Buddhism said to be hidden in the Himalayas, with which parallels to our island could be made.
Speaking of old friends, Vincent returns. Jen’s convinced that pooch means bad news. “Yeah, chase the dog with the skeletal arm into the creepy jungle. You be my guest!”
Another map turns up, this one with a road with some serious switchbacks. A road to a radio transmission tower, perhaps?
We’re having a hard time figuring out the timeline, especially given where and how Randy has turned up between Hurley and Locke’s flashbacks. I don’t think anything’s contradicted, but it sure seems tight.
So, anyone else warming up to Nikki and Paolo yet? Thought not. “Have you checked behind the powdered milk?” Gah.
Hurley’s visit to Libby’s grave was sweet. As was his reaction to seeing Sawyer again. Jorge is one awesome dude.
The wacky scene with the pushing and the yelling and the uncooperative Volkswagen van reminded us of “Little Miss Sunshine.” Though apparently scenes like that are pretty common with that particular model.
I loved that Randy’s last name was Nations. As in, Gregg Nations?
“I UNDERSTAND!”
Jen loves that Sawyer had mono as a kid and watched too much TV. Would explain “Little House” and “The Brady Bunch,” and perhaps the next several TV references.
The eagle-eyed folks at Sledgeweb’s LOST Stuff spotted a scrap of paper among the junk in Hurley’s van bearing what appears to be the letterhead for “Ho’oulu Lahui,” which translates to “nation building” and seems to be connected to a Native Hawaiian program. Either way, it seems an odd find on The Island!
“NO! NO! NO!”
Interesting how Jorge’s food and weight issues were tied to his father walking out when he was a kid. Seems a reasonable but not overplayed explanation for something the show hasn’t always handled well.
Lynn Karnoff, the fake psychic, was Suzanne Krull, who probably looks familiar because she’s been in… well, plenty of things.
“Tricia Tanaka is Dead” discussions at TheFuselage.com, Lost-Forum.com, and Pop Candy.