Watching "Meet Kevin Johnson" is like like seeing missing pieces of a puzzle that someone had kicked under the couch getting found and slowly being put into their place to form the complete picture. Much of the story is told in flashbacks, but these are not the usual flashbacks: they're set AFTER the plane crash and Michael's "escape" from the island. Basically, they answer the question: what has Michael been doing during the time period of Season 3? He has been quite occupied, as you will discover. The series flirts more and more with science fiction: for some reason, Michael cannot kill himself even if he wants to. With two genuine and quite shocking cliffhangers at the end, "Meet Kevin Johnson" is the first episode of the fourth season that leaves you SO anxious to watch the next one ASAP. *** out of 4.
10 Reviews
Some great elements, but I don't totally buy it
gizmomogwai6 May 2008
Warning: Spoilers
This episode begins to answer some mysteries. Why has Oceanic 815 been discovered as a whole with all those bodies? Why is Michael on the ship working with Widmore's people, and what happened to him after he left the island? As the episode explains, Michael and Walt actually got back to the mainland, where they were separated; Walt wouldn't see Michael and he knew what Michael had done, having killed two women. Tom mysteriously appears on the mainland and has Michael go on Widmore's ship under the alias Kevin Johnson, with a mission to sabotage the ship and thereby save everyone still on the island. And the plane wreck has apparently been staged using bodies dug up by grave robbers.
The explanation for the discovery of what is supposedly Oceanic 815 is good and creepy. I also like the basic idea of Michael appearing on that ship. But personally, I didn't totally buy why Michael chose to go on the Others' mission. Since when has Michael cared about anyone but his son? Having gotten his son off the island alive, wouldn't Michael feel his task is over? This episode claims he's feeling guilt for what he's done and wants to redeem himself, but I wouldn't have thought he'd be brave enough to do this even if he felt somewhat guilty. There's still a lot of good in this episode though. Here's hoping Rousseau isn't really dead.
The explanation for the discovery of what is supposedly Oceanic 815 is good and creepy. I also like the basic idea of Michael appearing on that ship. But personally, I didn't totally buy why Michael chose to go on the Others' mission. Since when has Michael cared about anyone but his son? Having gotten his son off the island alive, wouldn't Michael feel his task is over? This episode claims he's feeling guilt for what he's done and wants to redeem himself, but I wouldn't have thought he'd be brave enough to do this even if he felt somewhat guilty. There's still a lot of good in this episode though. Here's hoping Rousseau isn't really dead.
Is Michael One of the Good Guys?
claudio_carvalho25 March 2008
Sayid presses Michael to tell what has happened with him since he left the island. In a long flashback, Michael is in despair in Manhattan, since Walt refuses to talk to him after discovering the truth about the deaths of Ana Maria and Libby. When Michael decides to commit suicide in an alley, he is saved by Tom Friendly that convinces him to work infiltrated in the Kahana to save the lives of the survivors in the island. Michael commits sabotage in the radio room and in the engine of the vessel following direct orders of Ben. After the explanations, Sayid delivers the traitor to Captain Gault. Meanwhile in the island, Ben is released by Locke and convinces Alex, Karl and Rousseau to leave the camp and move to a hidden sanctuary.
In this episode, the saga of the despicable Michael is disclosed. The loser character betrayed his friends and killed Libby and Ana Maria in the island; lost the love and respect of his son; is unable to commit suicide; works for Ben; and betrays the Owner, the Captain and the crew of the supply vessel Kahana. It is impressive how destructive this character is, even full of good intentions. Locke is completely insane releasing Ben, but the greatest surprise is the calm behavior of Sawyer, passively accepting the command of Locke and the manipulation of Ben. The tragic fate of Karl, Rousseau and Alex is the great surprise of this episode. However, it seems totally out of the context and unnecessary to expose Tom as a gay. Is it a side effect of the great loss of audience? My vote is eight.
Title (Brazil): Not Available
Note: On 14 April 2013, I saw this episode again on DVD.
In this episode, the saga of the despicable Michael is disclosed. The loser character betrayed his friends and killed Libby and Ana Maria in the island; lost the love and respect of his son; is unable to commit suicide; works for Ben; and betrays the Owner, the Captain and the crew of the supply vessel Kahana. It is impressive how destructive this character is, even full of good intentions. Locke is completely insane releasing Ben, but the greatest surprise is the calm behavior of Sawyer, passively accepting the command of Locke and the manipulation of Ben. The tragic fate of Karl, Rousseau and Alex is the great surprise of this episode. However, it seems totally out of the context and unnecessary to expose Tom as a gay. Is it a side effect of the great loss of audience? My vote is eight.
Title (Brazil): Not Available
Note: On 14 April 2013, I saw this episode again on DVD.
Another great episode which does a great job of tying up loose ends
ametaphysicalshark20 March 2008
Like many, many other Lost fans I was concerned about how the writers would explain Michael's return, but it went off without any major issues. The flashbacks were effective, explanatory, interesting, and provided a chance to encounter some faces we haven't seen in a while. Harold Perrineau did a brilliant job this episode, proving that he is a great actor when given the right material to work with, which Elizabeth Sarnoff and Brian K. Vaughan provided with an excellent script. We see barely anything of 'present-time' island events, only getting the obligatory (but nicely done) scene with the rest of the 'important' members of Locke's camp learning that Michael was on the freighter, as well as Ben sending Rousseau to the temple with Alex and Karl, which led to the pretty shocking ending, which actually felt really out-of-the-blue to me, and almost disappointing in how it was written, though not necessarily for its content.
The episode's flashback story was nicely set up, with further mythology reveals (more like hints, admittedly) and nice character-driven moments. There's some great scenes here, and overall I'd say that it's around as emotional and interesting as "Special" from season one, which I personally thought was a great episode. Stephen Williams did a fairly good job of directing the episode and it was nice to revisit some of the music Giacchino wrote for Michael's character. All in all this isn't my favorite episode of season 4, but it is still excellent, and in keeping with the generally high quality of the season, excepting "Eggtown" and "The Other Woman", and to a lesser extent "Cabin Fever", I suppose.
The episode's flashback story was nicely set up, with further mythology reveals (more like hints, admittedly) and nice character-driven moments. There's some great scenes here, and overall I'd say that it's around as emotional and interesting as "Special" from season one, which I personally thought was a great episode. Stephen Williams did a fairly good job of directing the episode and it was nice to revisit some of the music Giacchino wrote for Michael's character. All in all this isn't my favorite episode of season 4, but it is still excellent, and in keeping with the generally high quality of the season, excepting "Eggtown" and "The Other Woman", and to a lesser extent "Cabin Fever", I suppose.
The return of Michael
TheLittleSongbird7 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, an inconsistent first part of the season 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", was a brilliant start. The following episodes between that and this were generally strong, with "The Constant" being a season and show high-point although "Eggtown" and "The Other Woman" disappointed.
The episode has much of what 'Lost' is all about. It's taut and thought-provoking, with utterly gripping and beautifully developed events. There are a fair share of revelations, ones that are not foreseen or clumsy, and shows plot progression rather than repeating itself or being filler.
Found that the ending, while shocking, happens agreed too suddenly and out-of-the-blue.
"Meet Kevin Johnson" has a great deal of tension and that there are little present-day island events doesn't matter outside of Ben and with Locke's camp. Michael's return is handled beautifully and intriguingly and doesn't waste the potential it had at all. The flashbacks are actually illuminating and very emotionally investable and avoid falling into soap-opera territory.
Can't fault the performances, particularly Harold Perrineau and Michael Emerson.
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).
Overall, great. 9/10 Bethany Cox
Season 3 was for me a solid if uneven season, with many brilliant episodes but a few slightly underwhelming ones, an inconsistent first part of the season 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", was a brilliant start. The following episodes between that and this were generally strong, with "The Constant" being a season and show high-point although "Eggtown" and "The Other Woman" disappointed.
The episode has much of what 'Lost' is all about. It's taut and thought-provoking, with utterly gripping and beautifully developed events. There are a fair share of revelations, ones that are not foreseen or clumsy, and shows plot progression rather than repeating itself or being filler.
Found that the ending, while shocking, happens agreed too suddenly and out-of-the-blue.
"Meet Kevin Johnson" has a great deal of tension and that there are little present-day island events doesn't matter outside of Ben and with Locke's camp. Michael's return is handled beautifully and intriguingly and doesn't waste the potential it had at all. The flashbacks are actually illuminating and very emotionally investable and avoid falling into soap-opera territory.
Can't fault the performances, particularly Harold Perrineau and Michael Emerson.
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).
Overall, great. 9/10 Bethany Cox
Michael is back and has a mission set to rescue everyone on the island..
SirEmu21 March 2008
Warning: Spoilers
This week we get to know everything about Michael , where he has been and what he is meant to do now. Michael is in terrible psychological state and tries to kill himself by car , and by a gun that has been loaded up with 6 rounds , a revolver that he got from a pawn shop , putting it to his head and *click* .. nothing happens , and one time again... The Island wont let Michael to die , he has a upcoming purpose now - given a mission from one of the others that is also on land , to get on a ship where there are a man that has the intention to get Ben Linus off of the Island and kill all the other that is still alive. This makes Michael to think of all his friends over there and takes the job on the ship with another identity and becomes the ships deck-man. All undercover he gets a phone call from Walt he believes but it is Ben that phones this ship and really Need! to speak to Michael about how the plan is going to be.. So now we know the mystery about Michael and his son Walt - they DID get off the island safe , but got into a family disaster when Michael comes forward to tell Walt that he killed 2 women on the island for the sake to get away from it.
This episode is nothing like the other 6 episodes on the fourth season , this one has a plot and a good one , enjoyed the whole 50+ minutes and wanted to see more when it ended as it got the rhythm in it as a Lost episode should have. Several Season 4 episodes has been a total failure in my opinion as they zikk-zakk whissshh woosshh , from time to time and back and forth in time... it is NOT fun to have these flashes of the future, Get back to the writing and give us the Season 1 and 2 atmosphere which was a total Winning and entertaining series.
8/10 (for the Michael story)
This episode is nothing like the other 6 episodes on the fourth season , this one has a plot and a good one , enjoyed the whole 50+ minutes and wanted to see more when it ended as it got the rhythm in it as a Lost episode should have. Several Season 4 episodes has been a total failure in my opinion as they zikk-zakk whissshh woosshh , from time to time and back and forth in time... it is NOT fun to have these flashes of the future, Get back to the writing and give us the Season 1 and 2 atmosphere which was a total Winning and entertaining series.
8/10 (for the Michael story)
final destination - poorly written
tiara-misu7 January 2022
Warning: Spoilers
This episode reminded me of the Final Destination films. Also, the reasons given for Michael to agree to the plan are really not well thought out. Mike is told that Widmore put decoy skeletons under water so that he can be the only one to find the real flight 815. If he finds the island he'll kill everyone there. That's what Mike is told. Why the heck would Mike agree to that? He has no proof that Widmore wants to kill everyone on the island.
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