Tabula Rasa

The introduction of the show's signature character flashback device, Tabula Rasa put the breaks on a bit to expand on the characters and the difficulties of the aftermath of the crash and surviving on the island.

Favorite Scenes/Quotes

• Hurley - "How do you know it wasn't a dinosaur?"
• Sawyer - "Me? I'm in the Wild."
• Charlie and Claire's first scenes together.
• I really liked the music during the Kate/Jack scene when he tells her "I'm not a murderer".
• The awkward Michael/Sun scene, they had an interesting dynamic in the first season that I forgot about later in the series.
• The whole Marshal dying scene was very brutal and well handled. Sawyer being upset about messing up the mercy kill was one of his first and best sympathetic moments.
• One of the first instances of Jack not being able to let go or accept death which is made all the more poignant by the series finale.
• Locke letting Michael reunite Walt and Vincent.

Minor (or Major) Quips

• I can't really point to anything specific that I didn't like, the pacing was slightly slow the flashback was interesting the first time because it was the first one, but doesn't stand up to rewatch as well.
• It was kind of stupid for the Marshal to pull up beside the truck that Kate was in. I'm not sure if it is a flaw, or maybe just suggests that he saw chasing Kate as some type of game.

Random Thoughts/Episode in Relation to the Rest of the Series

• Interesting choice to start the flashback device with a Kate episode, as most know under the original plan for the show she was going to be the star after Jack died in the premier.
• The suspense built up about Kate being a convict seems like the show's first red herring, suggesting the possibility that she may be dangerous and a threat to the others when she wasn't at all.
• Always interesting to see early episodes where so much of the plot is about surviving not all the other complications that come in later.
• I didn't put it in quips, but I was never really convinced by the Marshal's hostility/fear towards Kate at least not enough to try to strangle her like he did. In later episodes he almost seems to enjoy chasing her, and while she attacks him, he doesn't seem to think she is a threat to others.
• First instance of one of the numbers, in the $23,000 reward for turning Kate in.
• First lyrical song and character montage episode ending. I'm kind of torn on these, on one hand they are usually well done, on the other hand I feel like it kind of breaks the fourth wall instead of using Giacchino's score. I'm definitely glad they did not continue past the 1st season.

Score
7.9 - A solid episode that didn't really do a lot wrong, but in the grand scheme of things is really only memorable for being the first flashback episode (and the strong Marshal death scene).

Your Thoughts
What did you think about the first use of the flashback device? How about your feelings towards Kate? She is certainly a controversial character and I'm interested in what people think. What were you thoughts about the use of music montages during season 1?