I also had never seen THIS before:

http://www.lostpedia.com/wiki/Sri_Lanka_Video

Holy Crap!!!

Before I watch that, who created the video?

.. It's hard to know when a detail is left out (especially on a show like this) in order to conserve time or because it's important to the plot. Keep in mind the season has been shortened due to the WGA strike...

True, but the last episode was #7 of the 8 episodes written before the strike happened.

Here's another thing I was thinking about. The episode involving Nikki and Paulo seems to have had no other affect on the show. This seems particularly odd for LOST. So I was wondering how Nikki and Paulo might come back into play or be important to the plot somehow. Then I realized I might be focusing on the wrong element of that episode. Maybe it's the Medusa Spider that comes back into play.

*shiver runs down spine*

The writers have said that was a true stand alone episode, and without a doubt Nikki and Paulo are dead. They probably won't have any further impact on the show. Except for the TV show that Nikki starred in, "Expose." (That's with an accent over the final "e.") "Expose" is something the writers are particularly proud of. I think it was a show they actually wanted to get on the air, not JJ Abrams and Lindelof but the 2 writers who wrote that particular Nikki and Paulo script. While Nikki and Paulo have not reappeared on LOST, "Expose" has appeared (1) as a written script that Hurley found; (2) on Locke's TV screen in Locke's dreary apartment when he was sitting home depressed and miserable after his father stole his kidney, eating a TV dinner and watching that show on TV; and (3) just in the last episode...Sun turns off the TV in her apartment and that show was on, with Nikki in a white trench coat. And I know all that only because I've watched all of LOST about ten times, and I listen to the podcasts when the writers are on.

I don't expect that Nikki and Paulo will pop up from the dead. They're dead and they'll stay dead, as per Lindelof. But they will milk "Expose" as long as they can.

I finally watched the Missing Pieces webisodes, and there is one ("Hurley and Frogurt") which mentions Libby. I wonder if she will play a part later (in Hurley's past somehow or maybe his psyche). Or will Frogurt?

Bernard referred to Frogurt in one of the episodes this season. It was just a verbal mention somewhere around the "pantry" on the beach.

Next week's episode is the last before the break (then only 5 more), and it sounds like it's gonna be a doo-oo-ooozy!

Evangeline Lilly said the next episode entitled "Meet Kevin Johnson" is her favorite of Season 4, so far. I imagine it's all about Michael (and hopefully Walt) and how he came to be on the freighter. I bet it will be explosive, maybe even literally.

Before I watch that, who created the video?

What do you mean by "who"? Who created the youtube video? or which character(s) created the video?

[INDENT]The video comes in two parts. In the first half, Alvar Hanso explains the DHARMA Initiative in a secret internal film. The second half of the video appears to be clandestinely-filmed footage filmed by Rachel Blake.[/INDENT]

The writers have said that was a true stand alone episode, and without a doubt Nikki and Paulo are dead.

I don't expect that Nikki and Paulo will pop up from the dead. They're dead and they'll stay dead, as per Lindelof. But they will milk "Expose" as long as they can.

I'm not questioning whether Nikki and Paulo are dead. I'm wondering if the paralyzing spiders will be important later.

What do you mean by "who"?

Who wrote and directed the video? The mini-videos on abc.com are all done by the producers, directors and writers of LOST. Did they do this, too?

I'm wondering if the paralyzing spiders will be important later.

One never knows on this show.

Who wrote and directed the video? The mini-videos on abc.com are all done by the producers, directors and writers of LOST. Did they do this, too?

The Sri Lanka Video is a central part of the alternate reality game The Lost Experience.

The Lost Experience (TLE) was an alternate reality game (ARG) designed by the writers and producers of Lost to engage fans and expand the storyline.

The Sri Lanka Video is a central part of the alternate reality game The Lost Experience.

The Lost Experience (TLE) was an alternate reality game (ARG) designed by the writers and producers of Lost to engage fans and expand the storyline.

Ahh...thanks, Jim.

Click to see the pic

Pic taken from the government -guff at the beginning of Cloverfield. Easy to spot the Dharma logo in the corner.

At a q&a following a screening of "Cloverfield" on February 12th, 2008, screenwriter Drew Goddard (also a writer) for "Lost," stated that anything that appeared on screen was deliberate, referring in large part to something splashing into the water at the end of "Cloverfield." When pressed if this same logic applied to the flashing of the Dharma logo at the beginning of logo, and thus if there was a connection between "Lost" and "Cloverfield," he stated somewhat eagerly, "Maybe."
link to lostpedia

Does this mean that whatever teleportation/worm hole/whatever technology in Lost is in someway linked to the Cloverfield monster?

Was Walt reading a book about Massive Angry Shrimps and the -suddenly- CLoverfield monster turns up??

This was a very sad episode and it brought home to me the fact that when Lost finally reaches a conclusion in a couple of years, it's not going to be a happy one. Jin is/was one of the good guys, and if we ever see how he met his demise (or how he ended up staying on the island) the choices he made will amost certainly be for the benfit of others.
I think that the Jin cenric flashes were definitely flash backs. Don't forget that when Sun requested her husband be called, he was already off buying a panda. Just a clever bit of writing methinks.
I know it's been hinted at that we aren't to trust the captain of the freighter, but one thing has stuck in my mind. It was when he said that the main reason they were looking for Ben was because of the fact he'd provided the dead bodies for the 815 plane wreckage. If this is true, then he clearly is in cahoots with Charles Widmore... but then the captain also said the freighter was Widmore's and why would they be so intent on finding Ben if they too were Widmore's lackies?
I feel a re-watching coming up...

I know it's been hinted at that we aren't to trust the captain of the freighter, but one thing has stuck in my mind. It was when he said that the main reason they were looking for Ben was because of the fact he'd provided the dead bodies for the 815 plane wreckage. If this is true, then he clearly is in cahoots with Charles Widmore... but then the captain also said the freighter was Widmore's and why would they be so intent on finding Ben if they too were Widmore's lackies?
I feel a re-watching coming up...

Don't forget that the message not to trust the Captain came from Michael/Kevin who would have received this intelligence from Ben . . . so it's perhaps best to treat warning as potential counter-intelligence.

The Cap'n might really be working for Widmore, who might really be looking to get incriminating evidence against Ben, who might really be the bad guy.

But then again, maybe not. . .