Ep 18. Numbers

In Lost season 1 episode 18, titled "Numbers," one of the show's most significant storylines is introduced. The episode opens with Hurley (Jorge Garcia) winning the lottery using the numbers 4, 8, 15, 16, 23, and 42. However, soon after, Hurley begins to experience a string of bad luck, leading him to believe that the numbers may be cursed.

Flashbacks throughout the episode explore Hurley's past and his connection to the numbers. We learn that he first heard the numbers while in a mental institution, where his roommate Leonard (Ronald Guttman) repeatedly repeated them. Hurley later discovers that the numbers were part of a sequence used by a mentally ill French woman to operate a transmission, which led Hurley to play them in the lottery.

On the island, the survivors begin to experience strange occurrences centered around the numbers. Hurley finds a radio with the same transmission as the French woman and notices that the numbers are part of the repeating sequence. As the group attempts to triangulate the radio's location, they discover that Rousseau (Mira Furlan), the French woman, has been on the island for sixteen years. Rousseau warns the group that the numbers are cursed and tells Hurley that they "bring death."

With the help of Sayid (Naveen Andrews), Hurley attempts to unravel the mystery behind the numbers. They travel to Australia to find the man who previously owned the lottery ticket that Hurley won. The man, Sam Toomey (David Fury), explains that he and his wife experienced bad luck after using the numbers and even tried to predict future events with them. When he became convinced that the numbers were cursed, Toomey killed himself.

The episode concludes with Hurley attempting to rid himself of the cursed numbers. After a confrontation with Rousseau, Hurley throws away his stash of spares before returning to camp, only to see the numbers written in the sand. Later, as Hurley attempts to destroy Leonard’s picture of them, he receives a call informing him that the numbers have won someone else the lottery.

Overall, the episode "Numbers" provides essential insight into Hurley's character and sets up one of the show's most significant mysteries. Furthermore, it explores the idea of superstition and the concept of fate, adding another layer to the already complex world of Lost.