?

I suppose it's become something of a guarantee that anything written by Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof is going to be excellent (the only exception being "... And Found"). "?" is one of their best efforts, and in general one of the greatest and most surprisingly ignored episodes on "Lost". I'll never understand why this isn't regarded by fans as being on par with the generally accepted 'classics', even if it is very well-regarded in general.

The episode is phenomenally well-written, revisiting, even at its most 'genre', the main themes of the characters, the driving force of "Lost". The dialogue is absolutely brilliant, although it's almost a given since the main plot centers on Locke and Eko's quest to find one of the hatches the blast door map points to. There's a lot of philosophizing here, but it all feels intelligent and on par with its ambition, which is more than can be said for a lot of other film and television. Eko and Locke's conversations are genuinely thought-provoking, and Eko's monologue about Yemi and the importance of the work John has been doing is one of the best monologues on the show.

It's not surprising that Darren Aronofsky was slated to direct the episode but ended up having to cancel at the last minute; the episode is a bit odd and requires a cinematic touch, particularly during the excellent dream sequences. Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje carries the episode during the flashback scenes, which show Eko, now an actual priest in Australia, dealing with claims of a miracle. There's an interesting connection featuring the psychic who met with Claire in season one, Richard Malkin (I think that's the name). The rest of the episode, concentrated on the aftermath of Libby and Ana-Lucia being shot, is also excellent, and features the first real dramatic acting Jorge Garcia has had to do as Hurley, and he pulls it off brilliantly.

"?" is a knockout of an episode. It's a stunning script, excelling at drama like few other episodes do, and subtly but strongly developing both the characters and the mythology. It provokes thought about more than just the mysteries of the island and what the hell DHARMA was/is doing (another intriguing orientation film shown here), asking questions about the nature of faith and belief, and showing many sides of human nature, both bad and good.

10/10

It is way too rare that you see such a quality acting on screen.It is,simply,stupendous.But,in fact,what else than a most powerful art could be expected from an Eko&John show?And not only these two,but EVERYBODY in this episode is astounding.The acting level is very high.

I don't know if the story goes some place,but every bit of it is excellent.I find the creativity and inventiveness of this show's authors outstanding.I don't mind very much about "DHARMA",instead I'm very interested about "John","Eko","Sawyer".(The story of the wonder,in this episode,was predictable,and yet,how wonderfully narrated.)

The music underscores very effectually a suspenseful scene.

As a matter a fact,till now each "Eko" episode,like this one,was a knockout.For me,"Eko" is the most interesting actor of this show.

While sleeping, Mr. Eko is assigned by his brother Yemi (Adetokumboh McCormack) in a dream to go with John Locke to disclose the meaning of the "?" symbol. With the pretext of chasing Henry, Mr. Eko brings John with him and they find a second hatch called "Pearl" underground the question mark symbol marked on the field, where a video explains that the other hatch is a psychological experiment and people behavior pressing the buttons of the computer every 108 minutes are actually subjects. Meanwhile, Jack unsuccessfully tries to save Libby.

In this episode, John Locke loses his faith in the island when he finds that they have been monitored in the hatch. The disgusting Michael sees the anguishing Libby wishing that she was dead, while Hurley, Jack, Kate and Sawyer are suffering her pain, in a deep emotional contrast. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): Not Available

Note: On 01 April 2013, I saw this episode again.

One of the most enjoyable episodes so far! The tension and drama were at their peak, making it impossible to look away. The way the storylines intertwined was masterfully done, and each character had their moment to shine. Michael's actions and decisions in this episode were shocking and added a dark layer to his character that I didn't expect. He's definitely the filthiest character, not just because of his actions but because of the moral decay they represent. The show's ability to keep viewers on the edge of their seats is unmatched. Thank you, Lost, for delivering another unforgettable episode!

Even a great show like this one can't live without typical cliches. It is only after Jack has inserted the needle into Libby's arm and prepared to push the plunger that Hurley finally (!) got himself off the couch and decided he wants to talk to her. Where have you been for HOURS that Jack too to go find heroin bring it back, prepare the injection, etc, etc, etc!