In a generally consistent in its high standards, if unfortunately short, fourth season of LOST, "There's No Place Like Home, Part 1" is one of the high points, if not the highest so far. Who would have imagined, when the series started in 2004, that the climactic scene of the remaining survivors returning home and meeting their relatives again would be played so early, with TWO seasons still coming? And that when it came, about 90% of the issues that the series had raised would still remain unresolved? It's a very moving scene, but things soon get uneasy and mysterious again as "The Oceanic Six" lie through their teeth in the ensuing press conference. Back in the "present" time, the action is equally divided between the four or five different group of characters, and almost nobody is left out. Masterfully done episode that sets up something even bigger. ***1/2 out of 4.
5 Reviews
- "How are we going to move the island?" - "Very carefully!"
gridoon20241 February 2009
Warning: Spoilers
Back in Course
claudio_carvalho22 May 2008
In the survivors' camp, Jack and Kate decide to seek the location in the woods where the helicopter landed expecting to find Sayid and Desmond. They meet Miles and Sawyer with Aaron, and Sawyer tells what has happened with Claire and their group. Kate returns with Aaron to the camp where she meets Sayid, who tells the true objectives of Keamy and his men. Daniel offers to take groups of six to the supply vessel, while Sayid and Kate track Jake and Sawyer. Meanwhile, Ben, Locke and Hurley reach the Orchid but Keamy has taken the site. In a flash-forward, the survivors of the Oceanic 815 are called Oceanic 6 by the press and meet their relatives. Jack is informed that Claire is his sister.
In "There's No Place Like Home: Part 1", "Lost' seems to be back in course with an engaging episode based on the lives of the original characters that the fans worship. The identities of the six survivors are finally revealed, their lives go on, but there is still a great mystery about what has happened with the other survivors. Meanwhile, the situation in the island is tense, with the sub-groups in dangerous situations. My vote is ten.
Title (Brazil): Not Available
Note: On 15 April 2013, I saw this episode again on DVD.
In "There's No Place Like Home: Part 1", "Lost' seems to be back in course with an engaging episode based on the lives of the original characters that the fans worship. The identities of the six survivors are finally revealed, their lives go on, but there is still a great mystery about what has happened with the other survivors. Meanwhile, the situation in the island is tense, with the sub-groups in dangerous situations. My vote is ten.
Title (Brazil): Not Available
Note: On 15 April 2013, I saw this episode again on DVD.
In a not-so homely place
TheLittleSongbird10 June 2018
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.
Season 3 was for me a solid if uneven season, with many brilliant episodes but a few slightly underwhelming ones and containing one of 'Lost's' low points "Stranger in a Strange Land". Season 4 had a good amount to live up, and its first episode "The Beginning of the End", carrying on from where the shocking events of the previous season's finale "Through the Looking Glass", couldn't be a better way to start. The episodes between that and this all ranged from decent to brilliant, disappointing only with "Eggtown" and "The Other Woman".
Found the "There is No Place Like Home" three parter to be among the best episodes of the season, along with "The Constant".
"There's No Place Like Home: Part 1" has pretty much everything that 'Lost' is all about. It's taut and thought-provoking, with utterly gripping on-island events from the very start right up to the finish. The mystery increases and gets meatier and there are questions and mysteries concerning events and characters answered.
On top of all that, it advances characters, shows plot progression rather than repeating itself or being filler. A lot happens, a lot of characters are involved and it's all thoroughly engaging with plenty going on and plentiful material. There is a lot of tension and a real sense of danger.
Also found "There's No Place Like Home: Part 1" to be a non-stop thrill ride of insane entertainment and playful value, edge of your seat tension and suspense, constant intrigue and very emotional moments. The flashforward is one of the season's most intriguing.
Can't fault the performances, with everybody sinking their teeth with aplomb with plenty to do for all.
Nor the stylishness and atmosphere of the visuals, nor the effectively understated and chilling use of music, taut writing and the tightly controlled direction (one of the best of the season and perhaps of the show).
All in all, brilliant. 10/10 Bethany Cox
Season 3 was for me a solid if uneven season, with many brilliant episodes but a few slightly underwhelming ones and containing one of 'Lost's' low points "Stranger in a Strange Land". Season 4 had a good amount to live up, and its first episode "The Beginning of the End", carrying on from where the shocking events of the previous season's finale "Through the Looking Glass", couldn't be a better way to start. The episodes between that and this all ranged from decent to brilliant, disappointing only with "Eggtown" and "The Other Woman".
Found the "There is No Place Like Home" three parter to be among the best episodes of the season, along with "The Constant".
"There's No Place Like Home: Part 1" has pretty much everything that 'Lost' is all about. It's taut and thought-provoking, with utterly gripping on-island events from the very start right up to the finish. The mystery increases and gets meatier and there are questions and mysteries concerning events and characters answered.
On top of all that, it advances characters, shows plot progression rather than repeating itself or being filler. A lot happens, a lot of characters are involved and it's all thoroughly engaging with plenty going on and plentiful material. There is a lot of tension and a real sense of danger.
Also found "There's No Place Like Home: Part 1" to be a non-stop thrill ride of insane entertainment and playful value, edge of your seat tension and suspense, constant intrigue and very emotional moments. The flashforward is one of the season's most intriguing.
Can't fault the performances, with everybody sinking their teeth with aplomb with plenty to do for all.
Nor the stylishness and atmosphere of the visuals, nor the effectively understated and chilling use of music, taut writing and the tightly controlled direction (one of the best of the season and perhaps of the show).
All in all, brilliant. 10/10 Bethany Cox
Great set-up for the rest of the finale
ametaphysicalshark15 May 2008
I have chosen to review "There's No Place Like Home Part 1" as a different episode than the other part of the season 4 finale which aired two weeks after this because this seems to me much more like a setup episode for the events of the finale than truly part of the finale. Though it is, like "Exodus", the season one finale, an episode which is very clearly the inspiration for the season four finale, more intrinsically linked to the events of the usual two-hour "Lost" finale than "Three Minutes" or "Greatest Hits".
The press conference, which has often been criticized, was decently-written as far as I'm concerned and I'm willing to forgive its clear flaws and suspend disbelief. After all, this is TV, and compared to most TV shows "Lost" rarely puts something out there and doesn't do something with it or go somewhere with it, so I'll trust the writers here. The rest of the off-island events show us what happens in the lives of the Oceanic 6 upon their return home and shortly after. I loved Hurley's party, it was so nice to have a bit of humor in this now very depressing show. I loved Cheech asking Sayid, Nadia, and Hurley if they were thinking about making fires and hunting boar, in the midst of an island-themed party. Yep, real smart. Of course even that scene has tragic undertones thanks to what we now know.
The island events are pretty standard for this time in the season, though very well-done. Lots of running around, characters meeting others and tying up loose ends, getting all the pieces in place for the traditionally epic, explosive finale. A fantastic set-up episode really, I can't think of any major flaws.
The press conference, which has often been criticized, was decently-written as far as I'm concerned and I'm willing to forgive its clear flaws and suspend disbelief. After all, this is TV, and compared to most TV shows "Lost" rarely puts something out there and doesn't do something with it or go somewhere with it, so I'll trust the writers here. The rest of the off-island events show us what happens in the lives of the Oceanic 6 upon their return home and shortly after. I loved Hurley's party, it was so nice to have a bit of humor in this now very depressing show. I loved Cheech asking Sayid, Nadia, and Hurley if they were thinking about making fires and hunting boar, in the midst of an island-themed party. Yep, real smart. Of course even that scene has tragic undertones thanks to what we now know.
The island events are pretty standard for this time in the season, though very well-done. Lots of running around, characters meeting others and tying up loose ends, getting all the pieces in place for the traditionally epic, explosive finale. A fantastic set-up episode really, I can't think of any major flaws.
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