Words fail to adequately describe the brilliance of "Flashes Before Your Eyes". It was a bold move to temporarily drop all the Others-related story lines and focus on Desmond (with the strongest supporting parts going to Charlie and, of course, Penny) and the aftermath of his turning of the fail-safe key, but it paid off in what is easily the best LOST episode since "Live Together, Die Alone" (not coincidentally, another Desmond-centric episode). So when he turned that key, Desmond traveled back to the 1990s - or did he? Is it possible to live through something for the first AND the second time simultaneously? And if prediction of the future is really, as this episode suggests, a form of deja vu by someone who has already experienced the future, and Desmond can now see the future on the island, does that mean he has been there before?!?! The possibilities/theories are mind-blowing. But this is not a dryly intellectual episode: it is also highly emotional, and sometimes moving to the point of tears. Desmond gets to relive his life and repeat his mistakes, even while he knows them and wants to avoid them. Henry Ian Cusick gives an incredible performance, pulling you along for the ride all the way. But no review can really do enough justice to FBYE, you have to experience it for yourself. If I could keep only one LOST episode, this would be a serious consideration. **** out of 4.
Review of Flashes Before Your Eyes
"Please let me go back one more time. I'll do it right, I'll do it right this time"
14 March 2009
Warning: Spoilers