6 Underrated Lost Episodes That People Should Talk About More

Lost has many episodes that continue to be celebrated, but there are also underrated episodes that deserve to be talked about more. “The Constant” is widely considered to not only be one of Lost‘s best episodes, but is also hailed as one of the best episodes of television that has ever been made. It features a brilliant use of time travel for the deeply emotional love story between Desmond Hume (Henry Ian Cusick) and Penny Widmore (Sonya Walger).

The second part of the season 3 finale, “Through the Looking Glass,” is another beloved episode that includes two ofLost‘s biggest moments, between “Not Penny’s Boat” and “We have to go back!” Other episodes that are still frequently discussed include the pilot, which is still among the best in television history, and Lost‘s series finale, which is generally viewed much more favorably than it used to be. The most underrated Lost episodes are those that are not talked about enough and those that deserve to be appreciated more for their contributions to the show.

6

S.O.S

Season 2, Episode 19

“S.O.S.” focuses on married Oceanic Flight 815 survivors Rose (L. Scott Caldwell) and Bernard Nadler (Sam Anderson). Bernard tries to enlist other survivors to help build an S.O.S. sign on the beach, which Rose is against. As the only Rose and Bernard-centric episode in the series, the flashbacks reveal the couple’s love story, why they were in Australia, and why Rose does not want to leave the island, which Bernard eventually comes to accept in the present.

Rose and Bernard are fantastic supporting characters, but they deserve to have their own episode, and “S.O.S.” does a wonderful job showing how the love between them feels genuine and real. At times, they will argue and have their disagreements, but ultimately, they will do anything for each other and will do what is necessary to stay together. It is a beautiful and largely standalone episode that cements Rose and Bernard as Lost‘s best couple, and it makes all their future appearances even more satisfying.

5

Exposé

Season 3, Episode 14

In the past, “Exposé” has been seen as one of Lost‘s weaker episodes due to its focus on Oceanic Flight 815 castaways Nikki Fernandez (Kiele Sanchez) and Paulo (Rodrigo Santoro). Despite not appearing in seasons 1 and 2, season 3 makes it seem as though Nikki and Paulo have been among the group the entire time. The flashbacks in “Exposé” do a clever job of addressing Nikki and Paulo’s story and what was happening to them in seasons 1 and 2.

The episode is unafraid to poke fun at their absence for the majority of the series, with James “Sawyer” Ford (Josh Holloway) even asking who Nikki is at one point. Nikki and Paulo’s love story is surprisingly tragic and culminates in the haunting and unforgettable ending of them being buried alive. Beyond Nikki and Paulo, the episode sets up Sawyer becoming more of a leader as others look to him for answers. These events also allow Sun-Hwa Kwon (Yunjin Kim) to finally learn what Sawyer and Charlie did to her in the season 2 episode “The Long Con.”

4

Ji Yeon

Season 4, Episode 7

For most of the episode, the off-island scenes with Sun and Jin-Soo Kwon (Daniel Dae Kim) seem to take place in the future as she gives birth and as he tries to make it to the hospital in time with a panda stuffed animal. By the end of the episode, it is confirmed that the off-island Sun scenes are flash-forwards that occur after she gets off the island, while Jin’s scenes are flashbacks of him rushing to the hospital due to a birth in the family of someone Sun’s father, Mr. Paik (Byron Chung), wants to do business with.

“Ji Yeon” is a clever subversion of Lost‘s narrative structure by combining flashbacks and flash-forwards. Hugo “Hurley” Reyes (Jorge Garcia) showing up in the flash-forwards to go to Jin’s grave with Sun and Ji Yeon is moving and highlights Hurley and Sun’s underrated friendship. On the island, there is a touching scene between Jin and Bernard as they fish together and bond. This episode also features the shocking return of Michael Dawson (Harold Perrineau) and provides essential setup for “The Constant.”

3

Some Like It Hoth

Season 5, Episode 13

“Some Like It Hoth” uses Lost‘s time travel in a surprisingly heartwarming way. After time travel lands him in the 1970s on the island, Miles Straume (Ken Leung) joins the Dharma Initiative, where his father, Dr. Pierre Chang (François Chau) is a prominent member. Dr. Chang does not realize that Miles is an adult version of his son, who is a baby in 1977. Thanks to some helpful advice from Hurley, Miles becomes open to the possibility of forgiving his father, who he has spent his life resenting for abandoning him and his mother.

It is sweet to see Miles and Dr. Chang connect, especially since this progress is built on the foundation of Hurley’s story with his own dad. Hurley and Miles are one of the show’s funniest duos, and they provide plenty of memorable humor in this episode, much of which is filled with delightful Star Wars references. Miles’ ability to speak with the dead and his general cynicism also receive more weight through the flashbacks of his life before coming to the island and because of the unresolved feelings he has regarding his father.

2

Recon

Season 6, Episode 8

While Lost fans often celebrate Sawyer-centric episodes like “The Long Con” and “LaFleur,” season 6, episode 8, “Recon” also deserves recognition. The flash-sideways timeline features Sawyer and Miles working together as police detectives. While Sawyer initially seems to have taken a very different path in life, it is revealed to not be that different after all, as he is still obsessed with finding the con man, Anthony Cooper (Kevin Tighe), whose con led to the deaths of Sawyer’s parents. In the present, Sawyer does recon regarding Ajira Flight 316 and crosses paths with Charles Widmore (Alan Dale).

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The flash-sideways storyline is a fascinating exploration of how all the characters in this timeline are still wrestling with the same core issues despite the surface-level differences of their situation. Sawyer and Miles’ chemistry works so well that it almost led to a Lost spinoff of them solving cases together. The return of Charlotte Lewis (Rebecca Ferguson) as a short-lived love interest in the flash-sideways is a pleasant surprise, and while the present-day storyline isn’t as compelling, it does provide important setup for Widmore’s role in the show’s final episodes.

1

Across The Sea

Season 6, Episode 15

“Across the Sea” is a divisive episode, with some fans left satisfied by the answers it provides, while others continue to be frustrated by it. The episode takes place almost entirely in the past, revealing the origins of Jacob (Mark Pellegrino), the Man in Black (Titus Welliver), and Mother (Allison Janney), who raised them on the island. Beyond exploring the history of these characters, the episode gives answers to some of the show’s biggest mysteries while leaving others ambiguous.

The episode is ultimately successful because it answers major mysteries through a character-driven approach. The focus remains on the tragic story of Jacob, the Man in Black, and the Mother, treating all of them as flawed characters making misguided choices despite the power they wield. The consequences of their choices provide crucial context to the Man in Black’s present-day conflict with the survivors and heightens the stakes for the end of Lost.

Lost

9/10

Release Date

2004 – 2010-00-00

Showrunner

Damon Lindelof, Carlton Cuse

Directors

Jack Bender, Stephen Williams

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