Benry a little confused?

[Scotty85]

It seemed to me that when Jack told Ben he was wrong about the Sox winning and all the happenings while they've been there, that Ben got a little "confused". Did anyone else notice how he kinda ran out of things to say for a brief moment and had that look like "maybe Jack's right...". Almost as if to doubt what he already knew. It was something about that look.

Anyone else notice that?

[barondarby]

yep

[Funshine]

I actually took it to be something totally different - more like he was amused to be having such a "mundane" conversation with Jack.


But I'm blonde and usually wrong :D

[The_Lurker]

I just thought that it was a look of incredulity as if to say "I finally tell the truth and he won't believe me?" That kind of thing.

[Scotty85]

I guess I can see that too. It just seemed like when Jack told him that, for a moment he questioned it himself.

[Whiterabbit]

I took it as, Ben doesn't really have any real concept of outside world sports teams since he was born on the island & didn't understand why saying the Sox won the world series would be so funny to someone.

[Whiterabbit]

I just thought that it was a look of incredulity as if to say "I finally tell the truth and he won't believe me?" That kind of thing.

:yeah:

[Funshine]

I guess I can see that too. It just seemed like when Jack told him that, for a moment he questioned it himself.
But he came prepared to show the truth....... I mean, why else bring the TV?

[jbolt]

I saw the same thing.

It seemed to me that he gave that look because he doesn't understand the signifcance of the Sox winning the World Series. He has been on that island his whole life and not attached to "normal" society as he could be, so he didn't quite understand why Jack didn't believe him.

[yoyoj06]

im going with, i tell the truth and he wont believe me

[vonnegut]

I just thought that it was a look of incredulity as if to say "I finally tell the truth and he won't believe me?" That kind of thing.

I just watched it again, and this is probably what it is. That's my first impression.

He's definitely not confused about whether or not the Red Sox actually won, seeing as he has the tape. Maybe just surprised that Jack is so incredulous.

[joebonano]

i thought he looked constipated. i mean have we seen any bathrooms on this island???

[I Like Freckles]

That's what I got. Imagine trying to explain the whole "Curse of the Bambino" thing to someone who had lived their entire life in a place where professional sports don't even exist.

Ben recited all of that information (Bush was reelected, the Red Sox won the world series, etc.) in a very matter of fact "see? we actually do have a link to the outside world and really can actually get you back to it!" manner. My take was that he expected it to have been a reassurance to Jack that the world still goes on and there was something to look forward to if he cooperated. Jack's incredulity at the Red Sox news seemed to take him a bit off guard

Or maybe it was just another brilliant BMFM**. I have no clue at this point.







** Benry Mind_____ Moment

[DesmondSaysBrutha]

i dont think he was confused in jack's disbelief so much as the amusement in his disbelief... my guess is that ben isnt a big red sox fan

[Z054J]

I don't think it's related to the Red Sox or baseball culture per se. It's the fact that Benjamin had no idea about the connection between Red Sox and Jack's father's trademark saying "That's why the Sox will never win the World Series". He didn't get why it was a sticking point for Jack.

[rooskygirl]

i thought he looked constipated. i mean have we seen any bathrooms on this island???


:jester: Funny. And true.

[DesmondSaysBrutha]

I don't think it's related to the Red Sox or baseball culture per se. It's the fact that Benjamin had no idea about the connection between Red Sox and Jack's father's trademark saying "That's why the Sox will never win the World Series". He didn't get why it was a sticking point for Jack.


true!

[SimonO]

I just thought that it was a look of incredulity as if to say "I finally tell the truth and he won't believe me?" That kind of thing.
Bingo. That was my thought on that wonderful scene. Throwing that bit of humor in their was long overdue and very much welcome. That whole scene with Jack and Ben has to be one of the best lost scenes so far.

[WaywardK8]

I don't think it's related to the Red Sox or baseball culture per se. It's the fact that Benjamin had no idea about the connection between Red Sox and Jack's father's trademark saying "That's why the Sox will never win the World Series". He didn't get why it was a sticking point for Jack.

Then why the setup and reveal? Why would Ben choose to show Jack the tape of the Sox winning, and not a clip of Bush's reelection speech, or of the news of Reeves's death? Ben delibrately set Jack up, to let him believe that there was no outside contact and then to prove that there was. It makes the truth much more shocking.

We do know that Jack had at least one conversation regarding the improbability of the Sox winning the series, and given the camera setup we see Ben watching, it's not unlikely that the Others know the significance of the Red Sox winning the world series to Jack personally.

[threadjack: i love your avatar, Z054J. brilliant.]

[Rollergrrl]

true!


+1

[I Like Freckles]

If you are choosing a very brief video clip that conveys the "truth" of an event with a minimal chance of being "faked," footage of a team getting the final out in a series-deciding baseball game seems to me to be much more compelling than an acceptance speech or a news report on Reeves' death. A clip reporting the Reeves news would be simply a talking head talking about it. The Bush acceptance speech in 2004 wouldn't necessarily be immediately discernible from his 2000 speech (maybe not even to W himself, LOL ;)). Baseball announcers talking about the end of "the curse"/86 years of futility over a view of the dogpile in the infield after the final out is one of those "instant recognition" moments.

I'm not so sure that Benry knew the significance that news of THAT event would have to Jack. But then again, I'm in the camp that thinks a lot of the coincidences in this show are just that, so maybe I'm baised.

[etta]

I took it as, Ben doesn't really have any real concept of outside world sports teams since he was born on the island & didn't understand why saying the Sox won the world series would be so funny to someone.


That's exactly how I interpreted it. The expression on Ben's face was pure confusion over why Jack was laughing. Ben clearly had no idea of the history of the Red Sox or the "curse" that just about everyone in the outside world was aware of. All Ben knew was the fact that the Red Sox won the world series. His contact with the outside world is limited, to say the least, and I think this scene proved it.

[Z054J]

Then why the setup and reveal? Why would Ben choose to show Jack the tape of the Sox winning, and not a clip of Bush's reelection speech, or of the news of Reeves's death?


That's an interesting point to ponder. I would have to assume, if I was going to credit the writers with being skilled, that Benjamin had prepared a series of clips in case Jack disbelieved anything he said. The Red Sox matter just happened to be the one he needed to show.


We do know that Jack had at least one conversation regarding the improbability of the Sox winning the series, and given the camera setup we see Ben watching, it's not unlikely that the Others know the significance of the Red Sox winning the world series to Jack personally.


That conversation took place in a bamboo glade. Kind of random for camera placement.

[threadjack: i love your avatar, Z054J. brilliant.]

Ah, thanks. :)

[barondarby]

He's definitely not confused about whether or not the Red Sox actually won, seeing as he has the tape. Maybe just surprised that Jack is so incredulous.

yeah, had I been Jack I would have been more incredulous about Bush getting re-elected, myself...:whistling

[jd_21]

yeah, had I been Jack I would have been more incredulous about Bush getting re-elected, myself...:whistling

naw, with a Dr's salary, I bet Jack votes republican.

[barondarby]

point taken!