This is not a Lost blog. Period. But there is something that I have to get off my chest… Or off my plate... Honestly, since the situation makes me sick, I'm going with the off the plate analogy.
In the Lost fan community, there is a group of people called "Shippers". You might think, being that the show is about a quazi-deserted island, that the term has something to do with a form of rescue or (for those of you that are caught up) a method of return to the island. But no. This is the group of fans that obsess over the relation"ships" in the show. These are the people that talk incessantly about the "look" that Jake gave Kate or the way that Sawyer "didn't call Kate freckles that one time, so clearly it means that he cares". Frankly, I find it all a bit exhausting.
Being a girl, I'm all for a good love story. I cried in The Notebook, I would certainly "have what she's having" from When Harry Met Sally, and I self-indulgently quote the sonnet along with Julia Stiles at the end of Ten Things I Hate About You. But that's just the thing, I like GOOD love stories. I like flawed but realistic characters that overcome themselves and their surroundings to be together. Once characters start sinking into self-pity and debilitating insecurity, I lose patience with them and any sort of love conflict construed in an effort to keep my attention.
In this group of "Shippers" there are two primary sub-groups, the "Jaters" and the "Skaters". These sects derive their names from the increasingly popular phenomenon of combining the two separate names of a couple. Camp "Jater" thinks that Jack and Kate should be together, and the "Skaters" believe that the only man for Kate is Sawyer.
Logically, to be in camp "Jater" you have to like Jack. This is difficult for me. From the beginning of the show, I've struggled with the Jack-led circus. I struggle with the idea that a surgeon with no military training and less than quality leadership skills would be the one responsible for every one's life. The actual mystery of the show is why the Iraqi techie/torturer/ex-military/general-bad-ass doesn't call the shots. There should be bumper stickers "Sayid for Grand Poobah of the Island". To round out the category there's flash-forward Jack. If it's possible I dislike him more than normal Jack. I mean, no one likes a pill popping doctor with a guilty conscience who sees apparitions of his creepy dead father, but really, the beard? Really Matthew Fox? Really make-up department? Really Damon and Carlton? Eww.
Sawyer, on the other hand, has been a fun character to watch progress through the show. Personally I enjoy his southern twang, his quick wit and his base of literary knowledge. He's awfully heroic toward the end of season four, which is a far cry from when he was ripping wallets off dead bodies and sleeping on top of his stash. Though, honestly, I almost liked him better when he was a scoundrel. I kinda dig the scruffy-looking scoundrel with the heart of a hero gig.
Though you may think you've pegged me as a shameless "Skater" don't start making any primitive statues of a four toed Sawyer with his precious Kate-bride yet.
The problem of falling into either camp is that Kate is the common denominator. To want to see Kate with the man of choice, you would have to wish her on them and though I'm far from in love with Jack, I wouldn't even wish her on him. There are two primary issues that I have with Kate.
The first is that she's completely inconsistent. I don't know if this is simply a characterization issue or if the writers simply use her as a tool to further the plot. She's sweet and innocent, yet a cold blooded father-killer. It seems as though we see her with a different guy in every flash-back. She is a super tracker and a great shot with a pistol, yet through seasons one and two is constantly sneaked up on or walking into traps. Now that she's taking care of Aaron, does anyone else see a Michael-esque "MY SON!" headed our way to inspire us to throw our televisions out the 8th story of a building?
The second issue I have with her is, she can't decide whether she's a "Skater" or a "Jater" herself! I understand being torn between two fabulously good looking men, but really you can't just pick and stick with one in all of your emotional turmoil?
The point is, "Skaters" and "Jaters" Please, have your day in the sun. Tear up when Jack pops the question. Sigh when Sawyer kisses her and jumps out of the helicopter. But really, if you care about those characters, it would be in their best interest not to be with Kate.
And really, if I were on the island, I'd have a "Sayid for Grand Poobah of the Island" sign in front of my tent and not bother with these Sawyer/Jack questions.
In the Lost fan community, there is a group of people called "Shippers". You might think, being that the show is about a quazi-deserted island, that the term has something to do with a form of rescue or (for those of you that are caught up) a method of return to the island. But no. This is the group of fans that obsess over the relation"ships" in the show. These are the people that talk incessantly about the "look" that Jake gave Kate or the way that Sawyer "didn't call Kate freckles that one time, so clearly it means that he cares". Frankly, I find it all a bit exhausting.
Being a girl, I'm all for a good love story. I cried in The Notebook, I would certainly "have what she's having" from When Harry Met Sally, and I self-indulgently quote the sonnet along with Julia Stiles at the end of Ten Things I Hate About You. But that's just the thing, I like GOOD love stories. I like flawed but realistic characters that overcome themselves and their surroundings to be together. Once characters start sinking into self-pity and debilitating insecurity, I lose patience with them and any sort of love conflict construed in an effort to keep my attention.
In this group of "Shippers" there are two primary sub-groups, the "Jaters" and the "Skaters". These sects derive their names from the increasingly popular phenomenon of combining the two separate names of a couple. Camp "Jater" thinks that Jack and Kate should be together, and the "Skaters" believe that the only man for Kate is Sawyer.
Logically, to be in camp "Jater" you have to like Jack. This is difficult for me. From the beginning of the show, I've struggled with the Jack-led circus. I struggle with the idea that a surgeon with no military training and less than quality leadership skills would be the one responsible for every one's life. The actual mystery of the show is why the Iraqi techie/torturer/ex-military/general-bad-ass doesn't call the shots. There should be bumper stickers "Sayid for Grand Poobah of the Island". To round out the category there's flash-forward Jack. If it's possible I dislike him more than normal Jack. I mean, no one likes a pill popping doctor with a guilty conscience who sees apparitions of his creepy dead father, but really, the beard? Really Matthew Fox? Really make-up department? Really Damon and Carlton? Eww.
Sawyer, on the other hand, has been a fun character to watch progress through the show. Personally I enjoy his southern twang, his quick wit and his base of literary knowledge. He's awfully heroic toward the end of season four, which is a far cry from when he was ripping wallets off dead bodies and sleeping on top of his stash. Though, honestly, I almost liked him better when he was a scoundrel. I kinda dig the scruffy-looking scoundrel with the heart of a hero gig.
Though you may think you've pegged me as a shameless "Skater" don't start making any primitive statues of a four toed Sawyer with his precious Kate-bride yet.
The problem of falling into either camp is that Kate is the common denominator. To want to see Kate with the man of choice, you would have to wish her on them and though I'm far from in love with Jack, I wouldn't even wish her on him. There are two primary issues that I have with Kate.
The first is that she's completely inconsistent. I don't know if this is simply a characterization issue or if the writers simply use her as a tool to further the plot. She's sweet and innocent, yet a cold blooded father-killer. It seems as though we see her with a different guy in every flash-back. She is a super tracker and a great shot with a pistol, yet through seasons one and two is constantly sneaked up on or walking into traps. Now that she's taking care of Aaron, does anyone else see a Michael-esque "MY SON!" headed our way to inspire us to throw our televisions out the 8th story of a building?
The second issue I have with her is, she can't decide whether she's a "Skater" or a "Jater" herself! I understand being torn between two fabulously good looking men, but really you can't just pick and stick with one in all of your emotional turmoil?
The point is, "Skaters" and "Jaters" Please, have your day in the sun. Tear up when Jack pops the question. Sigh when Sawyer kisses her and jumps out of the helicopter. But really, if you care about those characters, it would be in their best interest not to be with Kate.
And really, if I were on the island, I'd have a "Sayid for Grand Poobah of the Island" sign in front of my tent and not bother with these Sawyer/Jack questions.
