When 'Lost' was in its prime, it was must-watch television. Remember first watching it, found it remarkably easy to get into, was hooked from the start and was on Season 3 by the end of one week. The general consensus is that the final season is a disappointment and cannot disagree.
Season 3 was for me a solid if uneven season, with many brilliant episodes but a few slightly underwhelming ones, an inconsistent first part of the season and containing one of 'Lost's' low points "Stranger in a Strange Land". Season 4 had a good amount to live up, and its first episode "The Beginning of the End", was a brilliant start. The following episodes between that and this were generally strong, with "The Constant" being a season and show high-point although "Eggtown" and "The Other Woman" disappointed.
The episode has much of what 'Lost' is all about. It's taut and thought-provoking, with utterly gripping and beautifully developed on-island events. It is also one of the show's most emotional episode and shows plot progression rather than repeating itself or being filler.
My only complaint actually is the unnecessary and clumsily written appearance of Hurley.
"Ji Yeon" is a very emotional episode, one of the most affecting of all the Jin and Sun-centric episodes, and it avoids being soap-operatic or melodramatic. The chemistry between the two characters is beautiful. Desmond and Sayid's story is tense and suspenseful. The flash-forward intrigues and Jin's role is entertaining and didn't feel extraneous.
Can't fault the performances, particularly an expressive Yunjin Kim giving some of her best acting to date. Daniel Dae-Kim and Henry Ian Cusick are also splendid.
Nor the stylishness and atmosphere of the visuals, nor the effectively understated and chilling use of music, taut writing and the tightly controlled direction (one of the best of the season and perhaps of the show).
Overall, great. 9/10 Bethany Cox