Preview of 2nd half of Season 4

I spent my morning in the dentist’s office waiting room, but all was not in vain: the office had the latest issue of Entertainment Weekly and included in it’s pages was a tasty little Lost article, which I sum up hence forth:

The next episode is called “The Shape of Things to Come” It is a flash forward for Ben. The Sayid/Nadia love story is explored further. We learn more about the Smoke Monster. And a major story line begins for Claire—according to the article “Mysterious things are happening” to Claire.

The episode after that is a Jack flash forward in which Jack’s transition from Island hero to Mainland loser is explained.

There will be one more flashback this season which is “mythically significant”. Smart money says it’s about Locke.

We will explore the Orchid Station (all three levels) and it’s attendant time warping properties. We will see Penny, Richard Eyeliner, and Matthew Abbadan but we will not learn much more about newcomers Miles and Daniel until next season.

The finale complicates the Sawyer – Jack – Kate love triangle with a “spectacular kiss.” It also elaborates on Jack’s flash forward obsession for getting back to the island and why this may be harder than everyone thinks.

We may learn the the occupant of the coffin (though the smart money says it’s Hurley!!!)

I understand from this article that the first eight episodes were intended to set up the last eight. Given the quality of the first eight, and the fact that we now need to condense the final eight into five, the next five weeks are going to rock.
Countdown: T minus 9 days.