Lost Episode 6:06: "Sundown" Review

On Lost, dead is dead, but only in certain cases. John Locke wasn't resurrected, as we all know by now, but somehow, Sayid was. Yet since he came back, Sayid has been met with torture and suspicion, as well as claims that a "darkness' is growing in him. But Lost has made it clear that a darkness has been within him from birth, so his resurrection really shouldn't have changed that. So far, Sayid hasn't seemed different from his old self, but that's mainly because Lost has had little time for him this season. Yet at "Sundown" they found room for him to make his latest deadly choice.

The Temple returned to the spotlight, after two weeks of being largely sidelined. So far, Lost fans haven't ranked the Temple as their favorite Season Six storyline, with new cryptic Others and much more questions than answers. "Sundown" most likely raised more questions than answers about the Temple, and about it's master, Dogen. To help that go down easier, Lost turned up the action pace this time around.

Since Sayid is the best fighter on the show, his episodes usually have big showdowns and a death or two. "Sundown" continued that violent tradition, with an epic brawl between Sayid and Dogen to start things off. Yet most of the episode was a buildup, as the smoke monster/fake Locke was set to attack the Temple, with help from Claire. The journey towards that attack, however, had its ups and downs.

Before the Sayid/Dogen showdown, "Sundown" presented Sayid's sideways reality as a very different place. Sayid hasn't been separated from lost love Nadia for years - yet they still aren't together. In this world, his brother has started a family with Nadia, though he has done some dangerous things to provide for them. Once Sayid finds that out, his violent past and his still-present desire for Nadia force him into a corner - just like in the regular reality.

"Sundown" is, at its heart, a repeat of an old story. Lost has Sayid wrestle with his past and darkness once a season, as he either makes the choice to sink deeper, or try for redemption for a while. In this case, the same drama was repeated in two realities, albeit in different ways. Sayid was once a character that had more to offer, and was a born leader - but now he just repeats the same problem in each centric-episode, like so many other Lost characters.

In some cases, that formula is easy to forgive for certain characters like Locke, but not for others like Kate, and occasionally Jack. Sayid is somewhere in the middle, since Naveen Andrews is a pro at balancing Sayid's light and dark sides. But when he finally makes his latest choices, they aren't as surprising or shocking this time, since we've seen it before - and may well see it a few more times this season. At the least, Lost had his choices move things along for the future, but on a character level, it isn't as shattering as it should be.

In sideways time, Lost continued a slower pace, which may bore those frustrated with that reality. However, things do turn out a little differently when all is said and done. Kate, Locke and Jack have shown real progress in sideways time, and real potential to overcome their long held demons. But for Sayid, it isn't such an easy process, as he may have progressed in some areas, yet is still tormented in others. In both time lines, however, there is a buildup towards a showdown to make up for the slow pace. And in sideways time, that showdown involves one of Lost's most notorious, not so dearly departed psychopaths.

"Sundown" delivered the goods most in the beginning, middle and end of the episode. Sayid and Dogen's fight enhanced the beginning, while the middle featured a crucial showdown between Sayid and the fake Locke - who still makes everything better when he's around. Then the end was basically 10 minutes of action in both worlds, complete with the most ominous slow motion moments and musical cues in Lost history. But it's the moments in between those set pieces that have more problems, thanks to character repetition and even more unexplained Temple elements - which now may never be explained.

Last week's Lost episode "Lighthouse" worked more as a character piece than in clearing up mythology, and "Sundown" did more for action than mythology this time. In Season Six, "The Substitute" has been the only episode to have all Lost elements in balance, but it may not stand alone soon. "Sundown" ended the Temple plot and the first of the six-episode arcs of Season Six, and now next week will begin the next stage of the monster's grand plan. Best of all, Ben will finally be featured again as the centric character - although ABC is now trying to make us think he'll die as a result.

With Lost officially 1/3'rd of the way through the final season, things are now moving along beyond the Temple and mysterious landmarks. "Sundown" moved the plot along with action and suspense, but also with a bit of a "same old, same old" quality in certain places. Perhaps that is unfair, since every character has a "same old, same old" conflict in them by now, not just Sayid - though it's a bit sadder to see it in a character that was much more once. There is hopefully still time for Sayid to finally find redemption and peace - although at "Sundown" that might now be a long way off.