Technically we did get them, they were just repurposed as "Some Like It Hoth" and "The Variable".

Mr. Eko's name could have been Mr. Umberto, and given the Foucault's Pendulum references in "316", that would've been even more apropos.

I think that was the point with season three. I know it's frowned upon to defend Stranger in a Strange Land, but the way the Others' more structured society is juxtaposed with the ramshackle life of the castaways is definitely worth discussing, perfunctory flashbacks and quote-unquote "bad" guest stars be damned.

Ms. Klugh was supposed to die in the second episode of season three, actually, but when the actress was unavailable they created Colleen Pickett instead.

The full story is that:

I'm quite liking a lot of the pastoral-ness of season three myself.

That was season four. Unless you meant chronologically?

I had a brilliant insight while watching "One of Us" recently: Juliet's work was in fertility in cancer patients. The Island, as a quasi-living organism, had a nuclear bomb detonated in its "womb" (by Juliet, no less). And Juliet does say the mother's body attacks the fetus during the second trimester like it's a…

On the season six DVD, there's a documentary where the producers discuss the book with quotes and apply them to the show. More than that, though, the book is all about how the archetypes at play when a hero arises from the communtiy, how the hero can become a ruler, his journey into the unknown, and how the hero's…

That line makes me think all this "We planned for Ana Lucia to be a one season character" stuff from the producers was balderdash.

He was recruited by DHARMA. He says as much.

"Lost usually doesn't spend a ton of time on this 'how do we build a society' stuff"

Somebody else pointed out the basic idea in last week's article. I kind of ran with it since then.

The Swan is the stronger one. I think Radzinsky says it's 10,000 times stronger.

"I’m reaching here, but they could’ve spent less time on the stuff we’ve already seen"

Especially because the point of the show was that the "questions" may just be the product of the characters' emotional baggage in the first place.

"he might have provided a fascinating counterpoint to everything going on with Locke"

==SPOILERS==

Ah, "the Gathering". Such a great moment.

Yes, it was filler….except for that plot where they steal the crucial artifact, where Fitz starts to overcome his brain damage, and where Raina is coerced into working for HYDRA.