Not in Portland
Encyclopedia
"Not in Portland" is the 7th episode of the third season of Lost
and the 56th episode overall. It first aired on February 7, 2007 on ABC
. The episode was written by Carlton Cuse
and Jeff Pinkner
and was directed by Stephen Williams
. The character of Juliet Burke
(Elizabeth Mitchell
) is featured in the episode’s flashbacks.
) leaving the room she is about to enter, her sister's room. She injects a drug into her sister's stomach. Later, she goes to the hospital where she works to steal more of the drug, and is soon discovered by her boss and ex-husband Edmund Burke, who is with another woman.
In a second flashback, Edmund confronts Juliet regarding the research she has been conducting on her sister, asking to be involved in the project. Juliet, however, does not give him an answer.
In the next flashback, Juliet is interviewed by Richard Alpert
(Nestor Carbonell
) from a genetics company called Mittelos Bioscience, asking her to join a firm in Portland, Oregon
. Juliet turns down the offer, however, saying Edmund would never allow it. When Alpert asks what it would take for her ex-husband to allow it, Juliet says "Only if he were hit by a bus" after which she immediately apologizes and says "Sorry, that was totally inappropriate."
In the final flashback, Juliet is crying and Ethan appears and hands her some tissues. Alpert introduces him as his colleague. Juliet mentions that she said "Only if he were hit by a bus" and then he was hit by a bus. Juliet agrees to join Mittelos’s team, and asks if her sister may come. Alpert says there won't be treatment for her sister there. She states "it's Portland, of course they will have the treatments." Then she is informed that their research site is in another, different location (that is, "not quite in Portland").
(Matthew Fox
) holds Ben Linus (Michael Emerson
) hostage in the operating room as Kate Austen
(Evangeline Lilly
) and James "Sawyer" Ford (Josh Holloway
) escape. Jack learns that the three have been on a second island. Meanwhile, Kate and Sawyer flee into the jungle to escape from the Others.
While running from the Others, Kate and Sawyer discover Alex Rousseau (Tania Raymonde
), who reveals that she has a boat they may use to escape to the main island. In return, she asks them to help her rescue her boyfriend, Karl (Blake Bashoff
). On the island, Alex, Kate, and Sawyer free Karl from a room where he appears to be undergoing Ludovico technique
brainwashing. Karl is watching a film wearing strange glasses connected to his head with several distorted images.
On the island, Jack works to save Ben, but Ben awakens during the surgery and demands to speak to Juliet. Later, Juliet leaves and then assists Karl, Kate and Sawyer in escaping the island, but in the process kills Danny Pickett (Michael Bowen
) and tells Alex that she must remain. In the present, Juliet informs Jack that Ben told her that she would be allowed to leave the island and go home if she let Ben live and helped Jack (by ensuring that Kate and Sawyer escaped).
(Mr. Eko
) is no longer credited with the starring cast.
Nestor Carbonell was originally contracted to guest star in "Not in Portland", with the possibility of the role becoming recurring. After the producers enjoyed his performance, his contract was extended to five further appearances in season three. Rob McElhenney
made a guest appearance as "Aldo" because he was friends with Damon Lindelof who was also a fan of the sitcom It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
which McElhenney created and stars.
Furthermore, it is worth noting that "Mittelos" is an anagram for "lost time,".
's Chris Carabott wrote that "if 'Not in Portland' didn't get you back on the Lost hype train then for goodness' sake the equally outstanding 'Flashes Before Your Eyes
' hopefully grabbed your attention."
Lost (TV series)
Lost is an American television series that originally aired on ABC from September 22, 2004 to May 23, 2010, consisting of six seasons. Lost is a drama series that follows the survivors of the crash of a commercial passenger jet flying between Sydney and Los Angeles, on a mysterious tropical island...
and the 56th episode overall. It first aired on February 7, 2007 on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
. The episode was written by Carlton Cuse
Carlton Cuse
Carlton Cuse is an AmericanEmmy Award winning screenwriter and producer, most famous as executive producer andscreenwriter for the American television series Lost for...
and Jeff Pinkner
Jeff Pinkner
Jeff Pinkner is an American television writer and producer. He graduated from Pikesville High School in Baltimore Maryland in 1983. He is known for his work on Alias where he served as executive producer. In 2006 and 2007, he worked as an executive producer and writer for the mystery series Lost...
and was directed by Stephen Williams
Stephen Williams (director)
Stephen Williams is a Canadian film and television director. Williams has directed several modern day television programs including work as a regular director on the ABC drama series Lost, where he was also a co-executive producer...
. The character of Juliet Burke
Juliet Burke
Dr. Juliet Burke is a fictional character on the ABC television series Lost played by Elizabeth Mitchell. Her character was introduced in the third season premiere.- Prior to arrival on the island :...
(Elizabeth Mitchell
Elizabeth Mitchell
Elizabeth Mitchell , is an American actress/modelwho is known for her roles as Dr. Juliet Burke on ABC's TV series Lost and as FBI agent Erica Evans on V. She has starred in such films as The Santa Clause 2, The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause, and Gia.-Early life:Mitchell was born Elizabeth...
) is featured in the episode’s flashbacks.
Flashbacks
The episode begins with a flashback featuring Juliet Burke in Miami, Florida, caring for her ill sister, Rachel Carlson. She is seen walking along a corridor, when she passes Ethan Rom (William MapotherWilliam Mapother
William Reibert Mapother, Jr. is an American actor and former teacher, perhaps best known for his role as Ethan Rom on the television series Lost.-Personal life:...
) leaving the room she is about to enter, her sister's room. She injects a drug into her sister's stomach. Later, she goes to the hospital where she works to steal more of the drug, and is soon discovered by her boss and ex-husband Edmund Burke, who is with another woman.
In a second flashback, Edmund confronts Juliet regarding the research she has been conducting on her sister, asking to be involved in the project. Juliet, however, does not give him an answer.
In the next flashback, Juliet is interviewed by Richard Alpert
Richard Alpert (Lost)
Ricardo "Richard" Alpert is a fictional character played by Nestor Carbonell in the American ABC television series Lost. Alpert is introduced in a flashback of the character Juliet Burke , where he claims to be a doctor for a bioscience company called Mittelos Bioscience; he is later revealed to...
(Nestor Carbonell
Nestor Carbonell
Nestor Gastón Carbonell is an American actor, known for portraying Richard Alpert in ABC's drama Lost and Mayor Anthony Garcia in the film The Dark Knight...
) from a genetics company called Mittelos Bioscience, asking her to join a firm in Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
. Juliet turns down the offer, however, saying Edmund would never allow it. When Alpert asks what it would take for her ex-husband to allow it, Juliet says "Only if he were hit by a bus" after which she immediately apologizes and says "Sorry, that was totally inappropriate."
In the final flashback, Juliet is crying and Ethan appears and hands her some tissues. Alpert introduces him as his colleague. Juliet mentions that she said "Only if he were hit by a bus" and then he was hit by a bus. Juliet agrees to join Mittelos’s team, and asks if her sister may come. Alpert says there won't be treatment for her sister there. She states "it's Portland, of course they will have the treatments." Then she is informed that their research site is in another, different location (that is, "not quite in Portland").
On the Island
On the island, Jack ShephardJack Shephard
Dr. Jack Shephard is a fictional character and protagonist of the ABC television series Lost played by Matthew Fox. Lost follows the journey of the survivors of Oceanic Airlines flight 815 on a mysterious island and their attempts to survive and escape, slowly uncovering more of the much broader...
(Matthew Fox
Matthew Fox (actor)
Matthew Chandler Fox is an American actor. He is mostly known for his role as Charlie Salinger on Party of Five, and for portraying Jack Shephard on the supernatural drama television series Lost.- Early life :...
) holds Ben Linus (Michael Emerson
Michael Emerson
Michael Emerson is an American actor who is perhaps best known for his roles as Benjamin Linus on Lost and fictional serial killer William Hinks in The Practice.-Early life:...
) hostage in the operating room as Kate Austen
Kate Austen
Katherine Anne "Kate" Austen is a fictional character on the ABC television series Lost, played by Canadian actress Evangeline Lilly. She is the de facto female lead...
(Evangeline Lilly
Evangeline Lilly
Evangeline Lilly is a Canadian actress, best known for her role as Kate Austen in the ABC drama, Lost.-Early life:...
) and James "Sawyer" Ford (Josh Holloway
Josh Holloway
Joshua Lee "Josh" Holloway is an American actor and model from Free Home, Georgia. He is best known for his role as James "Sawyer" Ford on the American television show Lost.-Early life:...
) escape. Jack learns that the three have been on a second island. Meanwhile, Kate and Sawyer flee into the jungle to escape from the Others.
While running from the Others, Kate and Sawyer discover Alex Rousseau (Tania Raymonde
Tania Raymonde
Tania Raymonde is an American actress. Raymonde's first prominent casting role was the recurring character of Cynthia Sanders in TV series Malcolm in the Middle between 2000–2003, followed by a popular role as Alex Rousseau in ABC's Lost from 2006 to 2010.She can currently be seen as UTF officer...
), who reveals that she has a boat they may use to escape to the main island. In return, she asks them to help her rescue her boyfriend, Karl (Blake Bashoff
Blake Bashoff
Blake Warren Bashoff is an American television and motion picture actor, known for his role as Moritz Stiefel in Spring Awakening. He has also appeared in a number of guest roles on television series, including the ABC series Lost as Karl Martin.- Life and career :Bashoff was born in Philadelphia,...
). On the island, Alex, Kate, and Sawyer free Karl from a room where he appears to be undergoing Ludovico technique
Ludovico technique
The Ludovico technique is a fictional aversion therapy from the novel A Clockwork Orange administered by Dr. Brodsky with the approval of the UK Minister of the Interior. It involved forcing a patient to watch, through the use of specula to hold the eyes open, violent images for long periods of...
brainwashing. Karl is watching a film wearing strange glasses connected to his head with several distorted images.
On the island, Jack works to save Ben, but Ben awakens during the surgery and demands to speak to Juliet. Later, Juliet leaves and then assists Karl, Kate and Sawyer in escaping the island, but in the process kills Danny Pickett (Michael Bowen
Michael Bowen (actor)
Michael Bowen is an American actor. Films he has appeared in include Jackie Brown, Magnolia, and Less Than Zero. Bowen also had a recurring role as Danny Pickett on the ABC television series, Lost....
) and tells Alex that she must remain. In the present, Juliet informs Jack that Ben told her that she would be allowed to leave the island and go home if she let Ben live and helped Jack (by ensuring that Kate and Sawyer escaped).
Production
This was the first episode to air after a thirteen-week hiatus. Adewale Akinnuoye-AgbajeAdewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje is a British actor, and former fashion model best known for his roles as Mr. Eko on Lost, Simon Adebisi on Oz and Nykwana Wombosi in The Bourne Identity.-Early life and career:...
(Mr. Eko
Mr. Eko
Mr. Eko Tunde is a fictional character, played by Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje on the ABC television series Lost. He is introduced in the second season episode "Adrift" as one of the plane-crash survivors from the plane's tail section. Flashbacks reveal that he became the leader of a gang of guerrillas...
) is no longer credited with the starring cast.
Nestor Carbonell was originally contracted to guest star in "Not in Portland", with the possibility of the role becoming recurring. After the producers enjoyed his performance, his contract was extended to five further appearances in season three. Rob McElhenney
Rob McElhenney
Robert Dale "Rob" McElhenney is an American film and television actor best known for his role as Mac on the FX TV series It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia...
made a guest appearance as "Aldo" because he was friends with Damon Lindelof who was also a fan of the sitcom It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is an American television sitcom that premiered on FX on August 4, 2005. New episodes continue to air on FX, with reruns playing on Comedy Central, general broadcast syndication, and WGN America—the first-ever cable-to-cable syndication deal for a sitcom...
which McElhenney created and stars.
Furthermore, it is worth noting that "Mittelos" is an anagram for "lost time,".
Reception
14.49 million American viewers tuned into this episode. IGNIGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
's Chris Carabott wrote that "if 'Not in Portland' didn't get you back on the Lost hype train then for goodness' sake the equally outstanding 'Flashes Before Your Eyes
Flashes Before Your Eyes
"Flashes Before Your Eyes" is the 8th episode of the third season of the American drama television series Lost, and the show's 57th episode overall. The episode was written by the series co-creator, show runner and executive producer Damon Lindelof and supervising producer Drew Goddard, and...
' hopefully grabbed your attention."