Eko's first "own" episode is a solid character piece that benefits from outstanding writing: not only in the way it paints an almost complete portrait of the man in about 40 minutes, but also in the way the flashbacks are so tightly tied to the events that are happening - or have already happened - on the island. The dialogue between Eko and his brother is particularly well-written, and the Eko-Smoke Monster staredown is a standout sequence. "The 23rd Psalm" wonders how much of our life is determined by choice or circumstances, what is the nature of sin, and if redemption is possible. Typically for this series, there are no easy answers. *** out of 4.
7 Reviews
The Dark Past of Mr. Eko in Nigeria
claudio_carvalho15 May 2006
When Claire comments with Mr. Eko about the Virgin Mary statue that belongs to Charlie, he asks to see it, breaks it and exposes the secret of Charlie to Claire. Mr. Eko obliges Charlie to show the place where he found the crashed plane, while his past in Nigeria is presented in flashback. John Locke teaches Michael how to shoot with a rifle, and Michael uses the computer to contact Walt. Claire does not want Michael to live close to her son and her any longer.
This episode is about the dark past of Mr. Eko in Nigeria, since his adolescence with his brother in a catholic church until his adulthood as a very dangerous drug lord. The episode discloses also surprises about his connections with the crashed plane, and shows a weird creature with the shape of black smoke coming toward Mr. Eko, but no attacking him. There are nice moments, like when Kate gives a haircut to Sawyer, telling him that people like him, or when Mr. Eko and Charlie pray. My vote is nine.
Title (Brazil): Not Available
Note: On 29 March 2013, I saw this episode again.
This episode is about the dark past of Mr. Eko in Nigeria, since his adolescence with his brother in a catholic church until his adulthood as a very dangerous drug lord. The episode discloses also surprises about his connections with the crashed plane, and shows a weird creature with the shape of black smoke coming toward Mr. Eko, but no attacking him. There are nice moments, like when Kate gives a haircut to Sawyer, telling him that people like him, or when Mr. Eko and Charlie pray. My vote is nine.
Title (Brazil): Not Available
Note: On 29 March 2013, I saw this episode again.
A Key Episode
faincut1 February 2006
SPOILER: This episode is all about Ekko - the background of his arrival to the island. We find out that he is responsible and related to the Nigerian Drug Airplane that crashed on the Island. We are exposed to one of the island's secret creatures - a black smoke cloaked creature that approaches Ekko - but does not harm him. Which raises more questions as to why didn't it attack Ekko - what is so special about him? Overall this episode was very good. I have a problem with Jack's character - he just seems to get less screen time - compared to Season 1. Is it because of script or Matthew Fox's busy timetable? I liked the idea that the characters have to take shifts in the Hatch with the computer - it reminds me of my job - which is to sit next to a computer and do nothing :) 8 Out of 10
Mr. Eko
ametaphysicalshark19 September 2008
"The 23rd Psalm" is very much in the tradition of the great introductory "Lost" flashback episode, much like "Walkabout" or "Confidence Man" in its structure and purpose. It doesn't quite match the quality of those two episodes, as it is prone to mild slips in quality when not dealing with Eko, and it doesn't quite pack the same sort of punch those two episodes did, but it is still a great episode with a lot worth discussing.
I believe "The 23rd Psalm" to be one of the key appearances of the monster. During its encounter with Eko we see flashes, images in the smoke itself, and on the commentary track for the DVD release Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof note that having discussed the nature of the monster and exactly what it was with Kevin Blank, the visual effects supervisor, the images were put in based on that discussion. I'm not going to offer any theories but I have a feeling that when we do get an answer on the smoke monster we will come back to this episode and wonder why we didn't figure it out.
The episode does look very good, although the production design is lacking towards the end during the showdown scene, but in any case the main pleasures of "The 23rd Psalm" are found in the writing and acting in the scenes focusing entirely on Eko and/or his interaction with Charlie. This is some outstanding character writing here, even if I don't care for the specifics of the plot itself in the flashback, as Eko is well-developed enough as a character that we focus on him as opposed to the story surrounding him. My complaints about some of the plot aside, the very first scene with Eko being forced to commit murder as an adolescent is one of the most brutally effective scenes on the show.
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje's performance is tremendously effective, particularly when he burns the plane late in the episode, and Giacchino's score here is one of his more inspired moments. This is a great episode with some minor but nagging faults.
9/10
I believe "The 23rd Psalm" to be one of the key appearances of the monster. During its encounter with Eko we see flashes, images in the smoke itself, and on the commentary track for the DVD release Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof note that having discussed the nature of the monster and exactly what it was with Kevin Blank, the visual effects supervisor, the images were put in based on that discussion. I'm not going to offer any theories but I have a feeling that when we do get an answer on the smoke monster we will come back to this episode and wonder why we didn't figure it out.
The episode does look very good, although the production design is lacking towards the end during the showdown scene, but in any case the main pleasures of "The 23rd Psalm" are found in the writing and acting in the scenes focusing entirely on Eko and/or his interaction with Charlie. This is some outstanding character writing here, even if I don't care for the specifics of the plot itself in the flashback, as Eko is well-developed enough as a character that we focus on him as opposed to the story surrounding him. My complaints about some of the plot aside, the very first scene with Eko being forced to commit murder as an adolescent is one of the most brutally effective scenes on the show.
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje's performance is tremendously effective, particularly when he burns the plane late in the episode, and Giacchino's score here is one of his more inspired moments. This is a great episode with some minor but nagging faults.
9/10
Eko time
MaxBorg894 December 2010
SPOILER: Due to his cryptic behavior, as well as the fact that Oz veteran Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje plays him, Mr. Eko was, from the start, the most interesting addition to the castaway group in the second season of Lost. And now, thanks to Lindelof and Cuse, he finally gets his own episode, the religiously themed The 23rd Psalm.
Religion plays a significant role in the present day events, since Claire notices Eko's Biblical leanings and mentions the Virgin Mary statue Charlie retrieved in the previous season. Upon hearing of this, Eko takes the statue and reveals that it contains heroin, thus deteriorating Charlie's relationship with Claire. He then asks the former rock star to take him to the plane, of which he appears to have intimate knowledge. Meanwhile, Michael, unaware of the warning about misuse of the hatch computer, asks if he can take Kate's shift, allowing him to continue communicating in secret with Walt.
The plane's origin is explained in the flashbacks, which are set in guerrilla-torn Nigeria. Eko, having shown a predisposition for violence since childhood (similarly to the actor's Oz character, Simon Adebisi), has become a powerful warlord, a position that puts him at odds with his brother, a priest. The latter is selling Virgin Mary statues to raise money for polio vaccines, but Eko thinks they would be better used to smuggle drugs out of the country. And thus begins a series of events that will end with a crashed plane and two dead bodies, as established in Season One.
The episode, which takes its title from a piece of scripture that has been used many times in movies and television (the one about the Valley of the Shadow of Death), sheds some necessary light on Eko, giving him a back-story that also paves the way for some social commentary (much like Sayid's past as a Saddam-employed torturer), and defines him as a person already deeply tied to the series' mythology (case in point: his encounter with the Smoke Monster). Also notable, in terms of ongoing arcs, the Michael/Walt subplot which keeps suggesting a dark payoff, and a reminder of Charlie's troubled past, with one revelatory scene in particular serving as a warm-up for future installments. Good thing he didn't want anyone to get the wrong idea of the situation...
Religion plays a significant role in the present day events, since Claire notices Eko's Biblical leanings and mentions the Virgin Mary statue Charlie retrieved in the previous season. Upon hearing of this, Eko takes the statue and reveals that it contains heroin, thus deteriorating Charlie's relationship with Claire. He then asks the former rock star to take him to the plane, of which he appears to have intimate knowledge. Meanwhile, Michael, unaware of the warning about misuse of the hatch computer, asks if he can take Kate's shift, allowing him to continue communicating in secret with Walt.
The plane's origin is explained in the flashbacks, which are set in guerrilla-torn Nigeria. Eko, having shown a predisposition for violence since childhood (similarly to the actor's Oz character, Simon Adebisi), has become a powerful warlord, a position that puts him at odds with his brother, a priest. The latter is selling Virgin Mary statues to raise money for polio vaccines, but Eko thinks they would be better used to smuggle drugs out of the country. And thus begins a series of events that will end with a crashed plane and two dead bodies, as established in Season One.
The episode, which takes its title from a piece of scripture that has been used many times in movies and television (the one about the Valley of the Shadow of Death), sheds some necessary light on Eko, giving him a back-story that also paves the way for some social commentary (much like Sayid's past as a Saddam-employed torturer), and defines him as a person already deeply tied to the series' mythology (case in point: his encounter with the Smoke Monster). Also notable, in terms of ongoing arcs, the Michael/Walt subplot which keeps suggesting a dark payoff, and a reminder of Charlie's troubled past, with one revelatory scene in particular serving as a warm-up for future installments. Good thing he didn't want anyone to get the wrong idea of the situation...
The Best episode so far (of all seasons) !!!!
arda_ata2 June 2007
SPOILER: Yes, after watching the final episodes of season 3 now i'm sure, that this is the best episode of lost ever (very very close followed by the final episode of season 3) ! The 23rd palm moment (Mr. Eko praying with Charlie next to him) for his dead brother is one if not the most touching moment in television history. And the soundtrack fits perfectly. The rest of the episode is equally brilliant, telling why young innocent Eko turned into a coldblooded murderer : protecting his younger brother Yemi Eko was forced to kill. Then he became Mr. Eko, a drug dealer and murderer without soul (see memorable quotes). He even isn't scared of smokey and doesn't even bother running away when confrontend with the monster on the island.
'Lost' goes religious
TheLittleSongbird9 February 2018
SPOILER: 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.
For me, "The 23rd Psalm" is one of my favourite episodes of Season 2 and also one of my favourite 'Lost' episodes up to this point and perhaps ever. Religion plays a big part here, but it is handled intriguingly, with taste and in a way that adds to and advances the story rather than distract from it (a very easy trap to fall into and would have done most likely in lesser hands), in no way does it feel heavy-handed.
Mr Eko from the minute he was introduced always was one of the most interesting characters introduced in Season 2. Centring an episode around him was more than welcome and gave him some background after being prior to this episode an intriguingly mysterious character with great interactions with the fellow castaways.
"The 23rd Psalm" is a fine example to all 'Lost' episodes as to how to centre an episode around a character and how to have a flashback that is relevant to the island events and advances them. Mr Eko's backstory is so succinctly written and balanced with the rest of the episode and makes an already interesting character even more so.
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje's charismatic and gravitas-filled performances helps hugely. The rest of the acting is just as effective, with Dominic Monaghan's performance and interaction with Akinnuoye-Agbaje being especially striking. Another standout is the appearance and showdown with the monster (indeed one of its key appearances on the show). The story is compelling in its themes and how it's told and at times wonderfully strange.
A great job is done with the writing and development of the characters thanks to a taut, smart, passionate and complex script that has a lot happening while not feeling over-stuffed.
On a visual level, "The 23rd Psalm" is beautifully photographed, as always making the most of the island setting. The music is as always chilling and understated and some of the show's best direction is present here.
In conclusion, wonderful and a season and show high-point. 10/10 Bethany Cox
For me, "The 23rd Psalm" is one of my favourite episodes of Season 2 and also one of my favourite 'Lost' episodes up to this point and perhaps ever. Religion plays a big part here, but it is handled intriguingly, with taste and in a way that adds to and advances the story rather than distract from it (a very easy trap to fall into and would have done most likely in lesser hands), in no way does it feel heavy-handed.
Mr Eko from the minute he was introduced always was one of the most interesting characters introduced in Season 2. Centring an episode around him was more than welcome and gave him some background after being prior to this episode an intriguingly mysterious character with great interactions with the fellow castaways.
"The 23rd Psalm" is a fine example to all 'Lost' episodes as to how to centre an episode around a character and how to have a flashback that is relevant to the island events and advances them. Mr Eko's backstory is so succinctly written and balanced with the rest of the episode and makes an already interesting character even more so.
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje's charismatic and gravitas-filled performances helps hugely. The rest of the acting is just as effective, with Dominic Monaghan's performance and interaction with Akinnuoye-Agbaje being especially striking. Another standout is the appearance and showdown with the monster (indeed one of its key appearances on the show). The story is compelling in its themes and how it's told and at times wonderfully strange.
A great job is done with the writing and development of the characters thanks to a taut, smart, passionate and complex script that has a lot happening while not feeling over-stuffed.
On a visual level, "The 23rd Psalm" is beautifully photographed, as always making the most of the island setting. The music is as always chilling and understated and some of the show's best direction is present here.
In conclusion, wonderful and a season and show high-point. 10/10 Bethany Cox
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