'Lost' is losing me

I have one word for you: what? That is the only word that comes to mind when thinking of this past week's episode of Lost. Unfortunately, I cannot finish a column with one word, so I will try to expand upon that general thought.

Lost deserted me three months ago. They left me in a state of desperation, wondering a myriad of things. Would Sawyer and Kate get back to the main island? Would Jack let Ben, the leader of The Others, die? Why did I not know what Sayid and Desmond were doing on the main island? The first episode after the long hiatus answered two of those questions - we saw Sawyer and Kate paddle off the island in a boat, which then caused Jack to take the tumor out and finish Ben's surgery. But with no sign of Sayid and company, new questions were raised. Will Kate break the promise she made to Jack and return to The Others' island to rescue him? Why does Ben's daughter want to run away from that island so badly? And, of course, who are The Others and how did they get there? The future of Lost is becoming as hard to decipher as the words to "Smells Like Teen Spirit."

Last Wednesday's episode focused on the flashback of Juliet. We learned that she thought she was joining a groundbreaking medical research program when they tricked her into coming to the island. Juliet told Jack that she refused to let Ben die because he promised to let her go home. With a niece who is a few years old now, one can hardly blame Juliet for wanting to go home. One can, however, blame Juliet for thinking Ben will actually let her go.

I am waiting with bated breath for the day when I will have figured out even one aspect of this show. While I enjoy the rollercoaster Lost's creators have taken me on, I am not interested in enduring any more loops.