LOST

by Alex D.

On September 22, 2004, the premiere of LOST, TV was changed forever. The two-part pilot episode was the most expensive episode to create in ABC’s history. It still is arguably one of the most expensive series on television. Due to its superstar cast and shooting location in Oahu, HI, the first season alone was about $45,000,000. But the technicalities of LOST aren’t the only reasons why it is a milestone in TV history.

LOST was one of the first TV shows to hit the internet, and hit it hard. There are countless fan websites and forums, where avid watchers create theories and find meaning in the show. Nicholas Gatto, 14, who runs abclost.blogspot.com, said, “part of watching the show is talking about it. It doesn’t just end at the credits.” This is an incredibly accurate way of stating it. Half of being a hardcore LOST fan is actually watching the show, but the other half is sitting down afterward, and thinking, “what did I just watch?”. ABC has even acknowledged that LOST has made it big on the web. Producers will actually read the forums. In one season, they killed off a main character because the character they originally intended to kill off was so unpopular that she wouldn’t be missed. Producers also subtly rebut theories made by fans. This way, watchers never stop talking about the show and will keep creating new theories.

But why is LOST so addicting exactly so addicting? Why do viewers even bother to rattle their brains over a fictional TV show? To put it simply, TV is not just about brainless entertainment anymore. This show actually requires thinking. If you miss an episode, you will have no idea what’s going on. The producers are also really smart about details. Based on the traits of the character, they are given a name that may reference to a real person. For example, there is a character named John Locke, after the British philosopher. Many of their beliefs are the same, and one of the John Locke-centered episodes was appropriately titled “Tabula Rasa,” one of the real John Locke’s main ideologies. Another character, named Daniel Faraday (after the real-life physicist Michael Faraday) is un-ironically a physicist as well. Both are/were interested in electromagnetism and electrochemistry. However, only a true fan would take time to look into these kinds of things.

LOST is not only addicting for its appropriately-named characters, but for its characters in general. They are realistic and often-times relatable. There’s Jack, the stubborn spinal surgeon with daddy issues, Locke, the freaky spiritual cripple who was magically healed upon his arrival on the island, Kate, the sexy fugitive with more aliases from her past life than I can remember, Hurley, the loveable fat guy who won the lottery with cursed numbers, Ben, the creepy leader of “the Others”, Sawyer, the seductive southern con-man, Charlie, the heroin addict and former rock-star, Sayid, a former Iraqi torturer, and countless others.

Most importantly, LOST is addicting because of its fantastic storyline. The producers do an amazing job writing the script. Every character is connected in some way before their arrival onto the island. Viewers are often left with cliff-hangers that won’t be resolved until 3 seasons later. For example, some of the mysteries still in existence are the black rock, the smoke monster, the 4-toed statue, where Jacob came from, who Jacob’s enemy is, and what the island REALLY is. Many of these things have been around since season 1 and are still unanswered. This certainly keeps watchers on their toes. The script also contains a few recurring themes: black and white, the “numbers” (4, 18, 15, 16, 23, 42), time travel, polar bears, and so on. Most episodes contain at least one of these “easter eggs” (named for the excitement upon finding them), whether it is subtle or not. Viewers go crazy when they find a really hidden one. I must admit, there is some self-satisfaction in understanding a little piece of the TV show that the producers put in there for intense LOSTies like me.

So what’s actually going on with the show? You may be asking yourself, “can I watch it now?!”. The answer is: yes! But start with season 1. There is no way in hell you can jump in at any point and understand the show. You can also never skip an episode. Once you’re all caught up, season 6 (the final season) of LOST starts Janurary 2010 (cue excitement). This season can either make or break the show. It all depends on the ending, and if the producers answer our questions. LOST fan-sites can and WILL go into uproar if they are not satisfied with the show. Actually, they regularly go into uproar even if they do like something. Either way, I hope all of you will be tuning in for the last season of LOST this January.