"The Cost of Living"

OOOOH, ironic title!

Well, it's ironic only if you believe that people can actually die on Lostaway Island, Voodoo Island, or whatever Sawyer is calling it now . . . Heartbreak Island?

Me? I don't think anyone can die. Did Charlie die when he was strung up by Ethan Rom --back when we cared about Charlie? Oh sure, you'll say that Boone is dead and that Shannon is dead and that Ana Lucia and Libby are both dead. You'll say that Steve/Stan is dead or that someone else I'm forgetting . . . oh yeah! . . . Bounty Hunter Dude is dead or that Poor Slob Sucked Into Engine in Pilot Episode is dead and that even the pilot himself is dead (and now . . . we even know HOW he died) . . .

. . . but I say

ZOMBIES!!

They'll all be back eventually. Heck Boone was back two weeks ago! Sayid is probably getting nocturnal visits from Zombie Shannon all the time.

So, uh, where was I?

Right--"The Cost of Living."

It's pretty steep, on either Island. The Lostaways are constantly facing death and the return of Smokey Lostzilla doesn't make that any less likely. Plus they are always being visited by dead spectres with messages from the beyond, as evidenced by the return of Mister Eko's brother Yemi, who is definitely dead and is intent on hearin' some confessin'.

Over on the secretly cloaked Island of Dr. Henry Gale, we learn that the Other's bury their dead Viking style--on a raft, pushed out to sea, set on fire. (Vikings did that, right?) We also learn that the Other's purchased their burial outfits from the same costumery that provided the robes for the baptism scene in O Brother Where Art Thou?

Sticking with the economic theme of the title, we further learn that Juliette (besides being a Bob Dylan fan) likes Jack enough to render animal fat for him to cook him french fries. Is that love I smell brewing or has Sawyer shocked himself on the food dispenser again?

And in the end, it is further reinforced that no one is safe on LOST. And Mister Eko reinforced that with what he whispered to Locke at the end of the episode:

"You're next!"

Do you hear that Paulo and Nikki?! Don't get too comfortable, okay? Don't buy a house and don't, for the love of God, get picked up by Hawaii PD for DUI!

You're Next!!