It seemed like it only just began, but Season Four has been over for a whole week. The fourth season of Lost was undoubtedly the show's best year, and that's not easy praise; season 1-3 were all phenomenal. I love Lost so much that I've posted a column about the show every Thursday since January 29 th. I won't lie; it hasn't been easy, going for 19 weeks straight once a week. I wrote my reviews/analysis right after each episode aired, and posted them the same night. That's a lot of late nights, but I love Lost, and if the show represents one thing, its discussion. This show demands discussion, and I love sharing my theories with my readers. Thanks for listening.

So now it's time for the season finale of my Lost column, and I've packed this post chock full of goodies. So read on...I've written mini-reviews of each episode this season, picked the best new character, compiled a list of all the deaths this year (confirmed and un-confirmed), and most interesting, written what we should expect from season Five. Enjoy...

REVIEWING THE EPISODES:

1. The Beginning of the End
The premieres to seasons two and three were lackluster and boring, but the season four premiere kept all the adrenaline and pacing going strong from the season three finale. The entire cast is utilized, there's plenty of action, and the flash-forwards are great, culminating in a classic scene between Hurley and ghost-Charlie. This episode is everything we've come to expect from Lost.
Episode Rating: A

2. Confirmed Dead
This episode was a race; both Locke and Jack were searching for the people from the helicopter, and the situation was tense, to put it lightly. Never before has Lost introduced new characters so well; the awesome flashbacks coupled with the on-island introductions made Daniel, Charlotte, Miles and Frank into awesome new characters. The scene where Locke decides to kill Ben, but stops when Ben tells him he has a spy on the freighter, is classic and chilling. The Ben/Locke partnership/rivalry was interesting in season three, and this episode re-introduced it with force.
Episode Rating: A

3. The Economist
Sadly, Sayid was put on the sidelines in season 3 and made few appearances, but he got his chance to shine in season four, starting with this episode. The flash-forward, revealing that Sayid is Ben's hit-man, is great and shocking. The on-island story is fast-paced and exciting, and moves characters around all over the place.
Episode Rating: A-

4. Eggtown
Kate's flash-forward was interesting, and this flash-forward had more plot than the ones that came before. The revelation that she was raising Aaron was extremely shocking. The on-island story was a tad less interesting, but seeing Locke shove a grenade in Miles' mouth was awesome. This was a bit of an exposition episode, setting up things to come, which makes it a bit weaker than the first three episodes.
Episode Rating: B+

5. The Constant
The episode that needs no introduction...it aired at 8:00 pm, and by 10:00 pm was generally regarded as one of the best episodes of the series, many proclaiming it to be the best ever. While I wouldn't go that far, this is definitely one of my top five Lost episodes of all time. It tells the story of an un-stuck in time Desmond as he flashes between 10 years ago and the present time on the freighter. The amount of story packed into these forty minutes is astonishing, and the scene when Desmond and Penny talk on the phone, for the first time in over three years, is one of the series' best moments.
Episode Rating: A+

6. The Other Woman
This isn't a terrible episode, but after five weeks of nonstop storytelling, this was certainly a disappointment. The on-island story, about Jack and Juliet chasing Charlotte and Daniel through the jungle, did nothing to move the overall plot of the season along. The good part about this was the flashback, which detailed Ben and Juliet's relationship. This episode was supposed to be about Juliet, but Michael Emerson stole the show in his flashback appearances. It's the only real clunker of season four, and following on the heals of "The Constant" did this episode no favors.
Episode Rating: B-

7. Ji Yeon
The plot isn't advanced much in this episode either, but there's more than enough character moments to make up for it. The Sun and Jin flash-forward/flashback was great, and learning that Jin would die (maybe) was heartbreaking. The best moment of the episode was Jin apologizing to Sun for the man he used to be. Bernard also gets his first moment in the sun since the season three finale.
Episode Rating: B+

8. Meet Kevin Johnson
Michael's back! His elongated flashback is full of mind-blowing and creepy moments; seeing Tom (Mr. Friendly) again was great, and Harold Perrineau turned the previously unlikeable Michael back into a great character. My complaint here lies with the fact that none of the cast is really utilized besides Michael, and flashbacks don't work as well when they are in one continuous strand.
Episode Rating: A-

9. The Shape of Things to Come
Ben is my favorite character, and this was his first centric-episode since season 3's "The Man Behind the Curtain." His flash-forwards are directly in line with what we see on-island; namely, the attack on the barracks. Keamy, a great villain, is introduced, and the scene when Ben's daughter dies will tear you up; if not for the girl, then for Michael Emerson's reaction. Another heart-breaking moments comes when Jack learns the freighter isn't there to rescue them. Poor Jack...and poor Ben...what a great episode.
Episode Rating: A+

10. Something Nice Back Home
I wasn't a huge fan of the on-island story. Jack's appendicitis was exciting, but didn't do anything to move the plot forward, and after such a fast paced episode like "Shape of Things," this episode felt slow. I loved Jack's flash-forward, which revealed his descent into alcoholism and drug usage; the creepy scene where Christian Shepherd comes and takes Claire was creepy as possible.
Episode Rating: B+

11. Cabin Fever
This is a great mystery episode; the quest for the cabin. This is the most mythologically rich episode of the season, with a moment open for analyzing coming every few seconds. Locke and Ben's relationship is further analyzed, and the scenes on the freighter are scary and exciting.
Episode Rating: A

12. There's No Place Like Home
This episode aired in two parts (one lasted one hour and the other lasted two) but they tell one story; the rescue of the Oceanic Six. This is, simply put, the best episode of the entire series. Every single second is perfect. There's a twist and turn around every corner, and the pacing is so fast it could give you a heart attack. The last two hours of this three hour episode are full of so many mind-blowing moments that it becomes hard to swallow. This episode brings one chapter of the series to a close, and completely re-invents the show. Nothing will be the same next year.
Episode Rating: A+

THE BEST NEW CHARACTER:

This year gave us a handful of newcomers, all of which were great. Here are the notable new characters introduced this year. I think its safe to say that all six of them were great additions to the show, and picking one to be the best is hard.

Daniel Faradayportrayed by Jeremy Davies
Of all the new characters, Daniel was featured the most prominantely, especially in "The Constant" when he helped save Desmond. Davies' performance is awesome, and the character is mysterious.

Charlotte Lewisportrayed byRebecca Mader
We didn't really learn much about Charlotte, except that she's been to the island before; my theory? She's Ben's childhood sweetheart Annie. Welcome to the cast, Charlotte.

Miles Straumeportrayed byKen Leung
What a creep; but a cool creep. Ken Leung was great in the role, and like his two companions, stayed mysterious throughout the season.

Frank Lapidus portrayed byJeff Fahey
Frank was essential in the rescue of the Oceanic Six, but even before that, he was always the most friendly and fun to watch of the newcomers. Jeff Fahey is great in the role, and a welcome addition to the series.

Matthew Abbadon portrayed by Lance Reddick
This guy is very mysterious. We have no idea who he's working for; his visit with Locke in the flashbacks of "Cabin Fever" very nearly confirmed my (and many others') theory that Matt is a grown-up, time-traveling Walt.

Martin Keamy portrayed by Kevin Durand
Keamy was only on the show for a few episodes, but what a great villain. Durand portrayed him as a totally unredeemable scum bag, and when Ben finally killed him, I, for one, cheered. Keamy was the villain we loved to hate.

AND THE WINNER IS....

Daniel Faradayportrayed by Jeremy Davies
Frank is my favorite new character to watch, but I doubt he'll make any more significant appearances. The mystery surrounding Daniel's character, and the future potential for plots involving him, makes him the best addition to the cast this year, and it was a close race.

IN MEMORIUM....THE DEAD ZONE

Death was around nearly every corner this year, and plenty of beloved fan favorite were put six feet under. Though not every death was definite; I've split the death list into confirmed and unconfirmed; and of course, I didn't list any of the numerous 'red shirts' that were offed throughout the year.

CONFIRMED DEAD:

Karl killed by Keamy's mercenaries in "Meet Kevin Johnson"

Danielle Rousseau killed by Keamy's mercenaries in "Meet Kevin Johnson"

Alex Rousseau killed by Martin Keamy in "The Shape of Things to Come"

Michael Dawson killed by the explosion on the freighter in "There's No Place Like Home"(Michael was right next to the bomb, and if Christian telling him "You Can Go Now" isn't proof enough, Harold Perinneau, the man who plays Michael, confirmed that Michael was dead).

UNCONFIRMED:

Claire Littleton possibly died when her house exploded in "The Shape of Things to Come," appearing as an apparition afterwards. This is just a theory; she also could have died when Christian Shepherd took her into the jungle.

Jin Soo-Kwon possibly died in the explosion in "There's No Place Like Home." Since the explosion did not reach the back of the boat, and the island transported the surrounding water away when it moved (thus moving Jin) it's possible that he lived.

John Locke is in a coffin as of the finale. Does this mean he's dead? A man with such a deep connection to the island couldn't be killed easily. If he is dead, I suspect taking him back to the island will revive him.

WHAT TO EXPECT IN SEASON FIVE:

Here are seven things you should expect to see next season, and beyond. Of course, most of this is theory, but solid theory nonetheless. When the show returns, we'll keep this checklist handy to see if it matches up.

1. The season premiere will begin with a close-up on eyes.
That's how the pilot started, and season five will, in a sense, be a new beginning for the show. Season One was about exploration, and the season four finale put everything back to square one, meaning season five will be about exploration. There's no better way to start than with eyes; I'll go a step further and predict that the eyes will be Jack's.

2. The main plot of Season Five will be about getting back to the island.
At least half the season---if not the whole season---will be about reuniting the Oceanic Six and getting them back to the island. It seems simple, but there will be a lot of persuading to do. Kate sure doesn't want to return, and I don't think Sun would be too hot on the idea either. Of course, with this scenario, how would we see the people on the island...like Locke or Sawyer? Well, that brings me to my next point...

3. The Season Five story will be intercut with flashbacks to what happened on the island in the three years between the departure of the Oceanic Six and Jack's decision to return.
There are no more flashback stories to be told about the characters pre-island, and there's no point in flash-forwards. But there's a big chunk of story missing, and that's the three year gap on the island. We might not see Sawyer or the others in the present time until Season Six.

4. Locke will be revived when they take his corpse back to the island.
When Christian Shepherd's coffin landed on the island, his body disappeared and...he was walking around again. Anyone buried on the island seems to reappear as well, and with Locke being the leader of the island, there's no reason not to assume that he won't be revived as well.

5.We won't see Claire next year.
Well, she won't be part of the main cast anyway. This isn't theory, this is true; the creators have resolved for Emile DeRavin (the actress who portrays Claire) to have a holding contract until season six; that is, she's obliged to be a main cast member in season six, but will only make guest appearances in season five, if that. This strengthens my theory that we won't see the island in the present next year...or at least for very long.

6. One episode between now and the end of the series will be titled "Somewhere Over the Rainbow."
It's the ultimate "Wizard of Oz" reference, and Lost loves "Wizard of Oz." Which episode though...I'm banking on either the Season Five or Six finale, probably the six finale; it'll be the last episode of the entire series, after all, and will sum up the thrust of the series very well indeed.

7. Season Five won't be as good as Season Four.
That's not a bad thing, though. For one, Season Four will be extremely hard to top. Plus, all signs point to Season Five being a transitional season-the bridge between years four and six. Transitional exposition is never as fun as the real meat of the plot, but its very important, and I expect Season Five to be very mythologically rich. There will be plenty to dissect next year in terms of theory.

Well then...that's all for this year. I've got to give my geek of a brain a rest for next year...analyzing Lost is always a brain-bender. This post marks the nineteenth straight week of me writing about Lost on Thursday. It's fun, and I'll miss it. But my Lost Column will return next year; I'm planning to get going on a weekly basis four weeks before the season premiere so we can all get excited for Lost again. I'll announce the return date for the show and my column whenever I have the information.

It's been so fun having Lost around these past few months, but as soon as it settles in it seems to leave again, just like Hurley's dad (obscure reference only a hardcore Lost fan would understand). It's been great fun writing this column, and I hope everyone has enjoyed it. So keep chanting the numbers to yourself (4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42) and remember...everything happens for a reason.