The Official "Lost" the series discussion

[Deberg_1990]

I figured I would start a thread for this and see what happens....there seemed to be quite a few viewers on the board for this show the past few weeks.....I like the direction the show is taking so far......episode 3 tonight at 7 central on ABC....

[Fairplay]

And minutes away from showtime.............

[Bearcat]

I had seen all the episodes since the third (well, and I had seen the second half of the pilot), so I was cool to finally see how it started..... what sparked Jack & Kate, the almost-embrace of the two after the monster ordeal, the original argument between Sawyer and Sayid, how much more of an ass Sawyer was at the beginning, all of the conveniently placed characters on the plane during the flashbacks... and then of course the polar bear & the first part of the French woman's distress signal..... seeing how the Chinese woman reacts to English knowing that she understands it.... and there's probably more.

Guess they're showing the 3rd & 4th ones next week. But I've already seen those

[KingPriest2]

Lost in TV's shallows? 'Lost' drama provides metaphorical depth
Wednesday, December 15, 2004
Y ou don't have to study philosophy to appreciate "Lost," ABC's fantastic new drama about the spooky desert island travails of the survivors of a plane crash.

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Go ahead and thrill to its potent mix of action and mystery. Ponder the characters' lives and the secrets they've brought to their accidental home. Get a charge from its sly humor, and keep track of its many cultural references. ("Star Trek," VH1 and the title of a fairly obscure Pete Townshend solo album from 1983 played a part in the most recent episode.)

But if you really get into it, you should at some point consider the connections between survivor John Locke, a paraplegic until he rose, literally, from the flames of the wrecked airliner, and the 17th-century philosopher who shares his name and, as it turns out, a few fundamental ideas about pre-social man.

Like the show itself, this will leave you with plenty of loose ends to tie together. The moment you think you get it, the next episode will change everything. And that will only make it all seem cooler.

Have you missed "Lost" so far? No problem. ABC repeats the two-hour pilot tonight, followed by several weeks of repeats.

So this is the perfect time to get up to speed. Or, even if you've seen every episode, an excellent time to go back and look for what clues you might have missed the first time around. Either way, let's consider seven fundamental questions regarding "Lost." How did they get so lost? The central characters were passengers on a flight from Australia to Los Angeles, which ran into some turbulence powerful enough to rip the whole tail section off the plane. The wounded plane crash-landed on the beach of a remote island in the South Pacific, which, the 40-odd survivors learn from a (briefly) surviving pilot, is so far from the plane's original course (something to do with malfunctioning electronics gear) that the nearest search party will probably be a thousand miles away. Does any of this make sense? Not literally, no. The author of the "Ask the Pilot" column at Salon.com has already debunked the "Lost" crash sequence for its vast array of factual impossibilities. But this is a show on which a polar bear can and will stampede through the verdant tropical jungle like a bat out of Hades. And that's before things get truly strange. Why should I care? Because once its setting and core mysteries are established, "Lost" combines flashbacks, snatches of dialogue and moments of action on the island to give its characters incredible emotional depth. What we begin to understand is that all of them were, in some spiritual way, lost before they even set foot on that doomed airplane.

In other words, the mysteries they confront are both physical (see also: the polar bear; that creepy Ethan guy) and metaphorical. Are you, perhaps, over-interpreting here? No, blast it all. Consider Dr. Jack, whose natural skill as a leader (his super-competence, his emotional detachment, his need to prove himself over and over again) is so clearly fueled by his tempestuous relationship with the father whose alcohol-related death prompted his trip to Australia. Or Sayid, the former Iraqi soldier still reeling with guilt for the crimes he committed while working for Saddam Hussein's Republican Guard. Or Charlie, the faded rock star who had long since traded his love for music for the temptations of fame and drugs. Or Kate, the lovely fugitive who wore shackles on the plane and who hasn't even begun to explain why the marshal guarding her spent his final breaths warning Jack to be afraid, very afraid, of her.

And those are just a few examples. Every character, it seems, was propelled onto that airplane by forces of destiny and desire that are just as recognizably human as they are beyond any human's control. OK, that's fascinating. Yes, exactly. And this is where "Lost" departs from virtually every other fantasy/adventure show. For while it's one thing to invent a spooky island stocked richly with unfathomable creatures and inexplicable human presences, it's another thing to elevate it all into a metaphor for the everyday mysteries, horrors and wonders of life in the real world. What about this Locke guy? He's not one of the marquee stars: You're not going to find his bald, middle-aged visage on the cover of TV Guide or in the middle of a love triangle. But the hunter is the key to everything on "Lost," because he's the one character with a visceral understanding of the island's transcendent possibilities. Indeed, Locke is not just an accomplished tracker and hunter, but he also has astonishing insight into everything from the ever-shifting weather to the magical properties of the jungle itself.

Locke's mastery of the island's physical world is all the more striking when you realize (courtesy of a flashback story in the fourth episode) that he was bound to a wheelchair before the plane crashed. Which brings us to . . . yes, that's right, the connection between John Locke, the formerly paralyzed outdoorsman, and John Locke, the 17th-century-philosopher. Locke-the-hunter is the personification of Locke-the-philosopher's belief in the human as tabula rasa, or a blank slate that is filled entirely by what it experiences via its five senses and its powers of reflection.

Thus, the crash becomes a kind of birth process, and the survivors, a newly born community personifying Locke's pre-social man, naturally coalesce into a civil society pursuing their mutual interest in life, health and liberty.

What lurks in the primeval jungle, the thing that growls and roars and whispers and taunts, may be a monster or a ghost. But it's the kind that lurks just outside every outpost of human civilization, or within the darker corners of us all. It's the grim world Thomas Hobbes described as solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short.

Which is why "Lost" is the best drama on broadcast TV, and one of the four or five best shows on the whole dial. The more closely you look at it, the more you'll find.

[Bob Dole]

125300.

[Bearcat]

7616

[Fairplay]

After what was a seemingly long hiatus (one week) the series is back with a long awaited episode. Now before you read what is posted below and say hummph to it, the animal part im refering to. Please note that the producers and writers have said that there is a logical explaination to this story. If you read the postings in this thread you could read some various theories on the subject, among others about what is happening on the island.

Should be a great episode as always.


Lost
ABC Dec 22 08:00pm Add to My Calendar
Series/Drama, 60 Mins.
"Walkabout"
Wild beasts invade the survivors' beach encampment in the middle of the night; a secret is revealed about the mysterious Locke.

[Deberg_1990]

Originally Posted by Fairplay

After what was a seemingly long hiatus (one week) the series is back with a long awaited episode. Now before you read what is posted below and say hummph to it, the animal part im refering to. Please note that the producers and writers have said that there is a logical explaination to this story. If you read the postings in this thread you could read some various theories on the subject, among others about what is happening on the island.

Should be a great episode as always.


Lost
ABC Dec 22 08:00pm Add to My Calendar
Series/Drama, 60 Mins.
"Walkabout"
Wild beasts invade the survivors' beach encampment in the middle of the night; a secret is revealed about the mysterious Locke.

This episode is a repeat.

[Bearcat]

A new Lost tonight at 7



(KU/aTm at 8)

[Deberg_1990]

Yep! First "Fresh" episode of Lost we have had in a month. You can bet ill be watching!!

[KingPriest2]

Burly Hurley of 'Lost' Gets Cryptic
(Tuesday, January 04 04:00 PM)
By Daniel Fienberg
LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) The plucky survivors of ABC's "Lost" could serve as a casebook for how most people would respond to being stranded on a deserted (and mysterious) island. Some folks would be as handy and altruistic as Matthew Fox's Jack or as malevolently resourceful as Josh Holloway's Sawyer. Few of us would show the eerie mastery of Terry O'Quinn's Locke, but the reluctant brattiness of Maggie Grace's Shannon would probably be in abundance. For most viewers, though, emulating Jorge Garcia's Hurley would be the best of all possible worlds.
Like the subject of Rudyard Kipling's "If," Hurley has kept his head when all about him are losing theirs. Like that poem's ideal hero, he doesn't necessarily look too good nor talk too wise, but on the fractious island, he's a friend to all and an enemy to none, a gentle giant perfectly willing to do hard labor, deskwork or even invent a liberating game of island golf. It's no wonder that Fox and Holloway and Evangline Lilly may get the press, Garcia has broken out as one of the show's most popular stars.

"I feel like suddenly I get a bit better customer service, where people are more anxious to help me," Garcia says of his public reception. "Usually when people spot me, they're really happy to see me."


While the other characters on "Lost" constantly appear grimy and miserable, stressed out and on the verge of giving up, Hurley always just seems happy to be alive. He's quick with a joke, the only castway who could possibly be described as happy-go-lucky. Garcia seems to be the same way. The 25-year-old actor arrived at auditions for "Lost" before the character of Hurley even existed and found himself reading pages for Sawyer. Even once producers assured him that his character would exist and that there copies of the pilot script were available, the actor wasn't in any kind of rush to see how many lines he got or whether he'd get to have any big emotional moments. Most familiar from comedic work on "Becker" and "Curb Your Enthusiasm," Garcia had all the information he needed.
"I had faith in J.J. Abrams and shooting in Hawaii and that was pretty much all I needed to hear," he laughs.

For the first half of the shooting schedule, production has just been wish fulfillment for the Nebraska-born actor.

"I love what I've gotten to do so far," he says. "The whole thing where I ran away from the plane and it exploded behind me and we dove out in the sand, very action star-ish, I thought that was awesome. That's not something I really expected that I would get to do in my career."

Garcia notes, "Really all I need is a sword fight and I'll be totally satisfied."

Viewers, however, are far from satisfied with the mere snippets of knowledge they've received about the life of Hugo Reyes. While certain characters, including Fox's Jack, have already had multiple episodes dedicated to their backstories, Hurley has gone entirely unexplained, barring some cryptic hints. That won't change until the season's 18th hour, an episode which hasn't even been shot yet. Garcia, in fact, hasn't even seen a script, though the producers have let him in on the character's "big secret." Whatever that secret may be, Garcia isn't telling.

"Because there were hints laid out, I kinda had an idea that it was coming from here," he hedges, revealing nothing of his backstory. "And then when I really stepped back and looked at it in the context of who Hurley has been up to this point, with the group, and that coming out in his revelation. Yeah, I thought it was pretty cool."

On the Internet, wags have been speculating for weeks over a perplexing line of dialogue where Hurley refers to his normal life by saying, "I'm known as something of a warrior myself," a statement that has prompted buzz that Hurley could be everything from an extremely large undercover spy to an extremely dedicated Dungeons and Dragons player.

"There are certain things where you never realize what exactly the audience is going to jump on and really wonder about and catch," Garcia says of his "warrior" comment. "I didn't give that one too much attention and then I realized the attention it got on the Internet. So it made me wonder, 'Yeah, actually I wonder what that is.'"

He adds that in the script, the character smiles after making the statement, but the camera never cut back to his face.

More than just an actor on "Lost," Garcia is a fan, prone to making his own wild guesses about different parts of the complicated plot. For instance, this week he's convinced that the unseen and murderous creature in the jungle is actually something mechanical, but he still doesn't know for sure. He's also wary about some of the more convoluted and mystical theories posited in cyberspace.

"I'm just hoping that we're not in Purgatory, the 'We're All Dead' one," he says. "It writes off a lot too easily. I'd like us to still be on Earth, just because as it continues to unravel and we discover where we are, I want a semblance that you have to work a bit to figure it out."

As much of a conspiracy buff as he may be, Garcia isn't stressing out about solving the riddles of "Lost." Like his character, he's just content where he is, taking his off-days to swim at a favorite secluded Hawaiian beach.

"I float in the water and reflect on how great my life is right now," Garcia sighs.

"Lost" returns to ABC with new episodes starting Wednesday, Jan. 5 at 8 p.m. ET.

[KingPriest2]

Special Report
January 3, 2005
Winter 2005 Critics Poll: Q&A: J.J. Abrams, Creator of 'Lost'
By James Hibberd
After enjoying cult-level success with The WB's "Felicity" and ABC's "Alias," showrunner J.J. Abrams created a top-rated hit for ABC with "Lost," an intense, character-driven drama in which a few dozen survivors of a horrific airliner crash try to escape from a mysterious South Pacific island inhabited by an unseen monster.

Story continues below...

Since its debut, the show not only has been a ratings success, averaging 17.7 million viewers, but also has gained the admiration of critics.
Some of the excitement has been stymied, however, by an ongoing concern that the show's high-concept setup is unsustainable over the long term. The subject was first raised by critics reviewing the spectacular two-hour pilot. "The big issue will be the sustainability of the improbable plot," wrote Debra Leithauser and Amy Amatangelo in The Washington Post. "While a massive monster seems intriguing in week one, by week eight it might have `lost' its thrill appeal."

Other critics were even less optimistic. "I had a nightmare after watching the two-hour premiere," wrote an uncredited critic in the Kansas City Star. "Sadly, creator J.J. Abrams won't sleep well either once the Nielsens come in. Forecast: canceled."

So far, Mr. Abrams and his team not only have managed to bring in Nielsens but also have sustained their conceptual high-wire act by delving into each character's past via flashbacks rather than rushing forward to advance the plot. The monster from the pilot, for instance, has yet to make a second appearance.

In the TelevisionWeek Critics Poll, respondents praised the show's ongoing ability to impress while still expressing concern that Mr. Abrams and company may have written themselves into a corner. Give away too many of the island's mysteries and the audience may lose interest; give away too few and viewers may grow frustrated. It's the same struggle that was fought by the short-lived "Twin Peaks" and the long-running "The X-Files."

"While I love the mysterious premise, I'm not sure how long `Lost' can last," wrote Kevin Thompson of The Palm Beach (Fla.) Post in his survey response.

In this interview with TelevisionWeek Senior Reporter James Hibberd, Mr. Abrams answers some of the critics' most pressing questions about the show, its impact on reality programming and when that monster is coming back.

TelevisionWeek: So does everybody pelt you with questions about the show's mysteries?

J.J. Abrams: It's funny because most everybody asks me a question, then immediately follows it with, `Don't tell me, I don't want to know.' They immediately rescind the question.

TVWeek: Which question is the most common?

Mr. Abrams: At first it was, `What is the monster?' And [the monster] will definitely be making a return. That's since been superseded by character questions: What crime did Kate commit? Does Locke have a connection to the island other than his own beliefs? Does Michael's son have some kind of psychic power?

TVWeek: There are times it seems as though you're making this all up as you go.

Mr. Abrams: Some watch a magician and enjoy the trick, and others like to know how they did it. If you're like me and watch with a deconstructive mind, there are going to be times when you will see both-that a specific thing was set up long in advance, and other times there will be a new choice, a new idea that we had.

TVWeek: Critics have pitted your show, along with `Desperate Housewives,' against the reality genre, which is ironic, since the concept for `Lost' was inspired by a reality show, `Survivor.' What's your take?

Mr. Abrams: I don't think that things change like that. I think over time things sort of normalize and work cyclically. I feel like somebody who was only involved in three series so far [`Alias,' `Felicity'] and all three have a serialized component, so I'm embracing this momentary shift toward more scripted and serialized storytelling. It's not the only thing you want in your diet, but I'm thrilled to be a part of a moment in time when people have had their fill of the sometimes mean-spirited reality shows.

TVWeek: Will the use of flashbacks in each episode continue, or will the series enter a second act in which the characters are established and the story is all forward momentum?

Mr. Abrams: The flashbacks will continue. I would like to believe each character is like their own TV series ... so one day you can look back at all the Jack episodes and go, `Wow, this is his story.'

TVWeek: Do you read all the Internet speculation about the show? And has anybody come close to figuring it out?

Mr. Abrams: There have been a lot of really smart theories, and some have been pretty close. Others have been really funny and great. But the fact is, though the show has big answers that come over time, it's like a journey. To do the story we've discussed it needs to be earned. For somebody who's only watching the show just to learn the one Big Answer, that person is going to be disappointed, because they're not going to get a big final answer in the next 10, 11 episodes.

TVWeek: When the pilot debuted, many critics were concerned the momentum of the story's setup wasn't sustainable. Now weeks have gone by and the show has managed to pull it off, but critics are still concerned about the show's qualitative longevity. What's your response?

Mr. Abrams: My response is that it will continue as long as it can. That might mean it will `only' be on for nine years. You don't know going in what will play out or how everything will work. Each episode lasts about a day. So by the time the season is over, they'll only have been on the island for approximately 40 days. Given the opportunity for stories on this island-how in our first story meeting we were planning on doing something in the first episode that we will now be doing in the last episode of the season-if you're lucky, you can find the optimum pace. The island itself is full of surprises and there's a lot more mystery and story coming up.

[KingPriest2]

Ravin beauty
From The Eye
January 03, 2005


REMEMBER the name Emilie de Ravin because we think it's a name you're going to be hearing a bit of.
With a hit US television series about to air in Australia and breathtaking looks, the Melbourne girl could very well be our next big thing.

De Ravin stars alongside Party of Five's Matthew Fox as a pregnant teen stranded on a desert island in Channel 7's new series, Lost.

The brainchild of Alias creator J.J. Abrams, Lost is in its third month of screening in the US and has been nominated for a Golden Globe for this month's awards show.

It was also the second highest rating new drama in the US this year after Desperate Housewives.










The 23-year-old de Ravin - who grew up in Mt Eliza and went to Toorak College - fell into acting almost accidentally after several years of performing with the Australian Ballet School.

"I just thought I had always wanted to try this and if I don't now I'll never do it ... and I loved it," she said.

"I know I've made the right decision (to pursue acting) but I do miss the ballet."

A few auditions later, de Ravin landed a role in TV show Beastmaster and later Roswell.

She told The Eye last week that life is going just brilliantly for her and after hearing her schedule, we know what she means.

In Melbourne to visit family for Christmas, de Ravin will head back to exotic Hawaii this week where filming for Lost continues.

Then she's off to the Golden Globes on January 16 and later to the Sundance Film Festival in Utah where the independent film she stars in, Brick, will premiere.

Amid that hectic line-up, she is also hoping to spend some time in LA where she lives with her two favourite things, actor boyfriend Josh and poodle Bella.

She said Josh and Bella would definitely be the two things she would choose to take to a deserted island.

"Also a good book but I'd probably get bored of that after a while and a good brush because my hair gets quite tangled." Lost screens on Channel 7 from next month.

Herald Sun

[KingPriest2]

Ian Somerhalder talks 'Lost'
Sunday, January 2 2005, 21:32 GMT -- by Neil Wilkes



Warning: This article contains spoilers about the first series of Lost which some UK readers may wish to avoid.

Ian Somerhalder has revealed that his character in desert island drama Lost will soon undergo "a big change."

The actor has thusfar been frustrated playing Boone, a rich kid out of depth in his new surroundings.

"All we knew about Boone is he followed his sister a lot," Somerhalder told Zap2It. "She griped at him a lot, and they were these spoiled rich kids. No one likes a spoiled rich kid, and I thought to myself, 'That's not who they are.' Boone is a guy who's about to learn a lot about life really fast. I almost felt pity for him, because he didn't know the things that I, Ian, knew about surviving.

"I grew up in Louisiana. We had horses and land. You learn how to survive. You understand the way things work in the woods, if you need to build a fire, tie a rope, make a rope out of something else. He didn't know any of these things. He was very fragile in that environment, where I wouldn't have been.

"Do you know how hard it is to stand around and have everybody say, 'Do this, do this,' when I know, Ian knows, that's what you do. Basically there's an arc for Boone. Very soon, there's a big change."

The flashbacks in the next new episode - airing in the States January 12 - will focus on "the shocking truth" about Boone and sister Shannon.

"I'm sure most of the public thinks, 'Oh God, there's that yappy blonde and the other dude,'" he added. "Hate her all you want, because it only gets better. You start to understand why these two people act like they act, especially toward each other. It's a great thing to have that payoff and that tie-in, and you go from there."

Meanwhile, on the island, Boone is on an adventure with Locke (Terry O'Quinn).

"Locke takes Boone under his wing," O'Quinn explained. "He almost becomes a disciple or something, but I don't know if I'm doing Boone justice. He helps Boone out to a little self-realization, which Locke seems to have a tendency to do with people. He helps them realize things about themselves. They start an adventure together that the others don't know about."

Somerhalder added: "The island is starting to change people, and I think I'm the first one it's changed. All the things I didn't like about Boone, I now understand, and I'm looking forward to learning more."

Lost airs in the UK on Channel 4 later this month.

[KingPriest2]

Preview Guide: LOST: Episode 12: Whatever The Case May Be 1/5/05

A briefcase may contain insights into Kate's unexplained past in episode twelve of ABC's hit series "LOST," airing Wednesday, January 5, 2005 (8:00-9:01 PM). This episode is titled "Whatever The Case May Be."

"Whatever the Case May Be"

Jack, Kate and Sawyer fight over possession of a newly discovered locked metal briefcase which might contain insights into Kate's mysterious past.

Meanwhile, Sayid asks a reluctant Shannon to translate notes he took from the French woman.

A rising tide threatens to engulf the fuselage and the entire beach encampment.

Rose and a grieving Charlie tentatively bond over Claire's baffling disappearance.

"Lost" stars Naveen Andrews as Sayid, Matthew Fox as Jack, Jorge Garcia as Hurley, Maggie Grace as Shannon, Josh Holloway as Sawyer, Malcolm David Kelley as Walt, Daniel Dae Kim as Jin, Yunjin Kim as Sun, Evangeline Lilly as Kate, Dominic Monaghan as Charlie, Terry O'Quinn as Locke, Harold Perrineau as Michael and Ian Somerhalder as Boone.

Guest starring are L. Scott Caldwell as Rose, Tim Halligan as Hutton, Victor Browne as Jason, Dezmond Gilla as baseball hat, Achilles Gacis as six foot five and Michael Vendrell as trucker.

"Whatever the Case May Be" was written by Damon Lindelof & Jennifer Johnson and directed by Jack Bender.

LOST
Episode 12: Whatever The Case May Be
Wednesday, January 5, 2005
8:00-9:01 PM
ABC

[KingPriest2]

Preview Guide: LOST: Episode 13: Hearts & Minds Preview 1/12/05

ABC's "Lost" returns with an all new episode titled "Hearts & Minds," airing Wednesday, January 12, 2005 (8:00-9:01 PM). This episode centers on Shannon and her connection to another person that was in the plane crash.

"Hearts and Minds"

When Locke learns that Boone wants to tell their "secret" to Shannon, Shannon's life is placed in sudden peril, and the shocking truth about her past with Boone is revealed.

Meanwhile, Kate is puzzled by Sun's mysterious behavior, and a hungry Hurley must repay a debt to Jin.

"Lost" stars Naveen Andrews as Sayid, Matthew Fox as Jack, Jorge Garcia as Hurley, Maggie Grace as Shannon, Josh Holloway as Sawyer, Malcolm David Kelley as Walt, Daniel Dae Kim as Jin, Yunjin Kim as Sun, Evangeline Lilly as Kate, Dominic Monaghan as Charlie, Terry O'Quinn as Locke, Harold Perrineau as Michael and Ian Somerhalder as Boone.

Guest starring are Kelly Rice as Nicole, Charles Mesure as Bryan and Adam Leadbeater as Malcolm.

"Hearts and Minds" was written by Carlton Cuse & Javier Grillo-Marxuach and directed by Rod Holcomb.

Lost
Hearts & Minds
Wednesday, January 12, 2005
8:00-9:01 PM
ABC