Interesting that he uses this as his excuse to escape an uncomfortable moment for himself with Kate and with Hurley as well. Is it possible that it is only an excuse, and that he really is not working at the hospital? In the finale from S3, he does go to the hospital, but he doesn't even know the chief of surgery, and he is obviously not performing operations (even though he thinks he can). Is Jack really back working, or is this just a cover? I'm not sure they would fully reinstate him at the hospital after the trama he has been through. Thoughts?

I think Jack is working at the hospital, but I also think he uses it as an excuse when he's in an uncomfortable situation. The Jack we've seen on island has always had a problem with people being deceitful or lying to him, and when he catches them in a lie, he calls them on it. He's done it with Kate, Sawyer, Locke, Ben, Juliet, Hurley, etc. Now, however, HE is doing the lying, and that must be eating away at him like a cancer. The guilt and the lies drive him to booze and pills, and the only way to undo that is go back and make it right - whatever "it" is.

He's off to the bar.







"Driveshaft, more like Suckshaft"

Don't think he has to go to the hospital. At this point this might be the start of his downward spiral, he might just be going home to hit the bottle.

I think Jack is working at the hospital, but I also think he uses it as an excuse when he's in an uncomfortable situation. The Jack we've seen on island has always had a problem with people being deceitful or lying to him, and when he catches them in a lie, he calls them on it. He's done it with Kate, Sawyer, Locke, Ben, Juliet, Hurley, etc. Now, however, HE is doing the lying, and that must be eating away at him like a cancer. The guilt and the lies drive him to booze and pills, and the only way to undo that is go back and make it right - whatever "it" is.


I agree, the excuse of having to go work is Jack's defense mechanisim, it seems that whenever he is in an uncomfortable situation he uses this as his excuse to get away from that situation. The lying / guilt is eating away at him, for sure.

Yeah, I tend to agree that he IS working at the hospital at this point, but he's also using it as an excuse when things get a bit uncomfortable for him.

Reminds me of Chevy Chase in Caddyshack when he pretends to looks at his watch (he's not wearing one), and says, "I got a.. uh thing". Then leaves the scene.