Let’s recap: Eight episodes into the strangest season yet, Lost fans now have a month to wait before the final five episodes of the shortened fourth stanza.  Oh, and the show’s on at a different time when it returns in April.  The tagline for season four should be:

Lost: Bet we can make you stop caring!

In any case, here’s what you’ve missed if you’ve been unable to find the channel:

-  The Oceanic Six have been identified as Jack, Kate, Hurley, Sun, Aaron and Sayid.  Apparently the baby counts.
-  The island does indeed exist in some type of time warp (contradicting numerous early claims from the producers), and Desmond can time travel.
-  Michael came back, and he can’t kill himself even if he wants to.  The island won’t let him.
-  Sawyer is doing the same thing he’s always done: survivin’.

What we don’t know is when the show will be taking place for the remaining two and a half seasons.  The show finds itself in the curious position of now having showed the past, present and future of its main characters.  Which leaves us asking:

-  Will Jack return to the island? Will season five focus on the story post-return?
-  If so, will that be the end of the flash forwards?
-  If the island is a time warp, were the flashbacks actually happening in another reality in real time?
-  Is there any possible way in existence that this is actually all going to pay off?

To ward off any Lost fatigue you may be experiencing, here’s the trailer for episode nine, which actually looks pretty amazing.  I also came across a pretty mind-boggling new theory yesterday that attempts to explain the entire Lost universe based on the premise of a time-machine.  It provides some pretty compelling ideas about the dying babies, the ship in the middle of the island, Locke’s ability to walk, the button from season two and an explanation of the chart above.  You can find it here if you have a good 20 minutes to kill.

Reggie Out!
Reggie.