Man of Science, Man of Faith

Man of Science, Man of Faith opened the second season on September 21, 2005, four months after the first season ended. A few days earlier, Lost had won the Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series. Jack Bender directed, and Damon Lindelof wrote it.

Where things stand: the first season ended on a cliffhanger. The raft launched and ran into danger out at sea, and back on the Island the Hatch was finally opened. Everything after that was left for the summer to argue over.

This is the season premiere and a Jack episode, his fifth as the focus. The setup is short: the Hatch is explored, and there is a familiar face inside. The title sets up the argument the whole season keeps having, between people who need proof and people who are ready to believe. If you are watching straight on from the finale, you are in a better spot than the first audience, who waited all summer.