Another week, another Lost episode to recap. This week we relive Episode 4.06 - The Other Woman, a Juliet centric episode. I had high hopes for this one seeing that I found both of Juliet's episodes last season to be outstanding. However, it fell short of my expectations...and I'd have to say it was probably my least favorite episode of the season so far. That being said, it still beats the hell out of any other show on TV right now ("Don't Forget the Lyrics"...are you kidding me?!).  I felt like the flashback (which is the first traditional flashback we've had this season) didn't really offer much in the way of new information besides introducing Harper.  We knew Goodwin and Juliet were an item.  We knew Ben has the hots for Juliet.  We knew how Goodwin died.  The only thing new I took out of it was how psycho Ben's obsession with Juliet is.  Even though it was Juliet's episode, and I enjoyed her character in it, I thought Ben really stole the show.  All of his scenes were top notch.  As he often does, he managed to bring some humor to the show in an odd, creepy way that only he can.

Make sure to vote for our Lost COW (the Clip Of the Week). We'll announce our selection on our podcast. Here are the nominees...

Nominee #1: Juliet: "It's very stressful being an other, Jack"
Nominee #2: Juliet: "These people base jumped out of a helicopter, Jack..."
Nominee #3: Ben: "This didn't have a number on it, did it?"
Nominee #4: Ben: "I always have a plan"
Nominee #5: Daniel: "That...that was a close one"

We begin the episode with classic Lost misdirection as Juliet meets a therapist named Harper Stanhope (potential anagram: "perhaps an other") for a session of "talking". Juliet explains that she feels like a celebrity and feels isolated when she's the center of attention. This leads us to believe that possibly Juliet is off the island in the future, as we have seen members of the Oceanic 6 refer to their celebrity status. We then realize Juliet is new to the island and this is a flashback.




Harper seems like she is threatened by Juliet and basically acts like a bitch until Mr. Friendly (in a useless cameo, other than to rock that classic 70's porn 'stache) interrupts because Ben wants to see Juliet. He gives her a house and appears a bit psycho-creepy.


<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<Current Island Time>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Vincent makes his brief appearance in the episode.  Don't blink or you'll miss him.


Jack is looking for Charlotte and Dan, but can't find them. Jin explains that they went into the jungle, so Jin, Sun, Jack, and Juliet go after them.  Juliet, and later Jack, run into Harper (accompanied by the daunted "whispers" ), where she tells them that Charlotte and Dan are headed for the Tempest and that if they deploy the gas, everyone will die. So...is Harper alive? Is she some sort of half alive spirit a la Charlie when he visits Hurley in "The Beginning of the End"? Also, how did Ben get word to her?

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<Flashback>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Juliet is mourning the loss of an expectant mother.

She is joined in the medical lab by none other than Goodwin, who has a nasty burn on his arm (it turns out to be a chemical burn). We find out that Harper is Goodwin's wife. Despite that, we feel a bit of chemistry between them.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<Current Island Time>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Juliet wants Jack's help in getting to the Tempest. Charlotte and Dan peruse a map in an effort to get there first (notice the Dharma logo?).


Kate walks up on Charlotte and Dan. She is suspicious and ultimately gets knocked out by Charlotte.

Juliet explains to Jack that it's stressful being an other.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<Flashback>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Ben gazes a creepy stare at Juliet while she looks through a microscope. Goodwin stops in with lunch, but didn't realize Ben was there. Ben is no fool and picks up on things...


Nor is Harper, as she has also honed in on the fact that Juliet and Goodwin, her husband, are an item. She warns Juliet that Ben is dangerous.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<Current Island Time>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Locke prepares a rabbit while Claire fusses about wanting to talk to Miles in a different manner than Locke.



 
Locke goes to Ben (who is reading Valis by Philip K. Dick, which we saw in "Eggtown") with the rabbit for lunch. Ben teases Locke for still not having a plan and explains that he always has a plan. He also explains that they have a common enemy in whomever is in charge of the freighter. Ben offers up the name of who's in charge of the freighter in exchange for freedom.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<Flashback>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Reminiscent of Bo Derek in "10", Juliet pops up out of the water looking, shall we say, pretty fine. She cuddles with Goodwin and is fearful of their relationship going public because of Ben's potential wrath.


We re-live the plane crash where Ben sends Goodwin to his death, this time with a look at Harper, Goodwin, and Juliet as they each make eye contact.

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Jacket find Kate knocked out. Juliet splits.

Ben reveals to Locke that none other than...Charles Widmore is in charge of the freighter (Jeremy predicted last week that Widmore may end up being the Emperor role a la Star Wars) and shows him a tape of Widmore stomping one of Ben's minions who'd been caught. To me, this further solidifies that Widmore is clearly using Penelope and Desmond to find the island. I also suspect Widmore is tied to Ms. Hawking and Brother Campbell (and I believe Libby as well) in an attempt to make sure Desmond gets to the island. We also get teased when Ben is ready to reveal who his mole is on the freighter, but apparently that will have to wait until next week.






Kate tells Jack she stayed with Team Locke to find out if the freighter folks knew about her past.

Juliet arrives at the Tempest station (be sure to check out our  exclusive behind the scenes photos that we took on vacation in Hawaii on a Kos Hummer Tour ).

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<Flashback>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Under the guise of a dinner party, Ben concocts an intimate dinner date with Juliet, who brings enough dinner rolls to feed an army. Ben is absolutely priceless working the oven mits. I couldn't get enough of the affable persona he gives off. This scene just further walks us down the path that Ben is obsessed with Juliet. One other detail of note in this scene was the reference to Zack and Emma being on "the list", and "who are we to argue with who's on the list?" Juliet then pries for Goodwin's undercover assignment to reach its end. Of course, Ben has already laid his plan that will result in Goodwin's untimely demise.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<Current Island Time>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Juliet arrives at the Tempest station.  Some more whispers can be heard.


Juliet enters the Tempest station.


She finds an elaborate chemical facility where Daniel is going to town trying to manipulate something on the computer (check out the Dharma Tempest logo that Juliet walks by in the second picture down from here).  She confronts Daniel.








Juliet is then accosted by Charlotte, where a nice cat fight ensues.


Charlotte explained that they know Ben has used the gas before, so they wanted to make a preemptive strike against that. So this got me thinking: Does this indicate that Widmore, who's in charge of the freigher folks (unless Ben lied), has ties to Dharma, since presumably these gases are the same gases used in the Dharma purge featured in Ep. 3.20 "The Man Behind the Curtain"?


Dan explains he's trying to render deadly gases inert, not release them as Juliet anticipated. Dan just makes it. Whew!

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<Flashback>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Juliet is reading Jack's file and realizes he's a spinal surgeon. She tells Ben, expecting him to be ecstatic, but she's greeted with a lukewarm response. He says he needs to take her somewhere.


He takes her to see Goodwin's dead body (that is one nasty looking corpse).


Juliet wonders why Ben brought her there, to which Ben replies, "What? You mean instead of his wife?" Juliet states that Ben knew this would happen. Ben goes off the handle and says, "You're mine!" I suspect that this will have to do with the fact that Juliet reminds Ben of Annie (who may be the woman we see in the picture at Ben's holding the rodent) or his mom.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<Current Island Time>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Juliet and Charlotte exit the Tempest, where they are greeted by Jate. Charlotte offers to show Kate how they saved her. Kate obliges, leaving Jacket alone. Juliet tells Jack that Ben will win this war and when he does, Jack should be nowhere near Juliet since Ben thinks she's his. Jack and Juliet share a tender kiss, and Jack says, "He knows where to find me." They hug.




Sawyer and Hurley are embroiled in a friendly game of horseshoes. Sawyer's not bad, but Hurley's better, which prompts a patented "SOB" from Sawyer. Hurley's even convinced that he's "just lucky", quite the turnabout for someone who previously insisted he was cursed.


The icing on the cake for this episode was Ben acting spry and marching out of his house with fresh clothes and a smile on his face. "See you at dinner," he quipped playfully (boy is Michael Emerson good).




Cut to L O S T

If you haven't checked it out yet, don't miss our "The Other Woman" Easter Eggs / Whispers Audio entry . Lastly, make sure you take time to see our exclusive behind the scenes photos of the Tempest station that we took last November on Oahu.