This was not only the worst episode of the season so far, I actually can’t think of a worse episode in the entire run of the series to date.

I’ve always thought of Locke as a central character, really the antagonist to Jack’s protagonist. So naturally the scales are out of balance now.

I want to go on record as saying that I enjoy Kate as a character, and always have. But Kate-centric episodes invariably kind of suck.

When we last left our beloved castaways, they were preparing to die in a nuclear explosion they somehow expected would prevent their plane from ever crashing on Mystery Island. Really? Can that possibly be true?

The selections on my list of Ten Christmas Albums to Add to Your Collection aren’t necessarily obscure or surprising, but they are all excellent and magically un-cynical. Oh, and they all share another important quality: you don’t hear them all the damn time.

There are a few things to quibble with in this episode, but all in all, this was the most enjoyable episode of the season.

The final third of this late-season entry provides some of the best acting, directing, and writing of the season, and makes this episode essential.

“Belonging” is a good episode that felt like a missed opportunity, with great philosophical questions and strong performances, but a by-the-numbers plot.