When 'Lost' was in its prime, it was must-watch television. Remember first watching it, found it remarkably easy to get into, was hooked from the start and was on Season 3 by the end of one week. The general consensus is that the final season is a disappointment and cannot disagree.
Season 4 was a solid season, with high points such as "The Beginning of the End", the three part finale and particularly "The Constant" and the only disappointments (though they were still decent) being "The Other Woman" and "Eggtown". "Because You Left" couldn't be a better way to start Season 5, definitely among the stronger 'Lost' season openers and one of the most confident and most settled. The episodes between that and this were also good to great, with the weakest "Jughead" still having a lot of great values.
"Namaste" is a very good episode, albeit not one of the show's or season's best. It's taut and thought-provoking, providing new mysteries and questions if not always resolutions or answers here, but what could have been a problem in this regard was not annoying at all because everything else was so exceptional. Everything here grips, past and present.
On top of all that, it advances characters, shows plot progression rather than repeating itself or being filler. There are surprising moments and also illuminating ones.
Also found "Namaste" to be an episode with enough entertainment value, tension and emotional moments to satisfy, though other 'Lost' episodes do all three better. The more dialogue-driven parts is a case of it being thought-probing, relevant and adding a lot rather than slowing things down and rambling.
Can't fault the performances, which are superb all round. Michael Emerson has yet to put a foot wrong.
Nor the stylishness and atmosphere of the visuals, nor the effectively understated and chilling use of music, taut writing and the tightly controlled direction.
It is agreed though that the absences of Locke and Desmond are noticed and felt and at times it does feel a little too exposition-heavy.
Otherwise, as already indicated, very good. 8/10 Bethany Cox