a "Lost" Friday: smoke on the water

As we begin the countdown for the return of ABC's "Lost" -- an interminable wait already for people (like me) who genuinely enjoy picking apart a show with so many layers -- I must ask the question: is it really necessary for ABC to continue torturing us with promos like these, this far in advance?



Apparently, it is. In the meantime, let us now pause to consider the Smoke Monster, one of the features on the show I absolutely hated when I first started watching it and am slowly warming to.
Here's a vid that (sort of) gives some details about the Monster and some interesting tidbits.



The important questions remain:

• What is this thing?
• What exactly does it do?
• Who does it target?
• And -- as with most everything else on the show -- for the love of God, why?

Discuss amongst yourselves.

wlh