"Fire + Water" is, by some distance, the lowest-rated episode of LOST on IMDb, and I dare say that this time the ratings may actually be accurate. There is nothing inherently wrong with being surreal - after all, some of the best episodes of this series have been extremely surreal and out-there (Flashes Before Your Eyes). However, there is good surreal and there is bad surreal - and "Fire + Water" has a little of the former (Charlie playing the piano on the beach) and a lot more of the latter (Charlie and his band performing a musical number in diapers(!), or Hurley dressed in a biblical robe(!!!), one of the funniest scenes in the history of LOST, though I'm not sure that's what it was aiming at). What's more, the story turns Charlie into a severely dislikable character (it's hard to believe that the same writers are responsible for the episode that made him one of the most beloved characters in the series, "Greatest Hits"), and also cheapens Locke's character by having him deal with trivial (for him) matters, not to mention the creepy suggestion that Charlie and Locke are now "rivals" for Claire's affections. The only likable scenes of this clumsy episode are those involving Hurley trying to flirt with Libby. **1/2 out of 4.
Review of Fire + Water
