Lost (TV show)

[mac 2005]

The show needs to pick up the pace a bit. Tonight's episode was okay, but the writers need to start wrapping the story back together. At this point, they're really straining credibility -- aside from some resistance here and there, none of the characters are really very aggressive in confronting "The Others." Mostly, they seemed resigned to whatever is going to happen next and don't ask the obvious questions. I suppose we're to believe that they're so plagued by their demons that they're willing to let things slide.

I'm concerned because I want this show to go well. I don't want it to self-destruct like "Alias," and I'd like to think the writers are true to their word -- that they know how the story will end, and it won't be a gimmick ending (e.g., a dream, a snowglobe, a writer who gives up on a novel and throws the whole story in the trash -- btw, these have all been done in episodes of Dallas, St. Elsewhere and The Twilight Zone, respectively).

But episodes like this one, where nothing really happens until the last couple of minutes make me worry.

 

[DISCOMUNICATION]

I still think it's not an Island, maybe a peninsula and they don't want anyone trying to sail around and find this out. Remember the corner of the hatch map had "roads and other methods of travel" up in one corner....

Wouldn't Desmond have noticed that when he spent most of last season sailing in circles? Or Ruso(spelling) after spending 16 years there?

I'm concerned because I want this show to go well. I don't want it to self-destruct like "Alias," and I'd like to think the writers are true to their word -- that they know how the story will end, and it won't be a gimmick ending (e.g., a dream, a snowglobe, a writer who gives up on a novel and throws the whole story in the trash -- btw, these have all been done on Dallas, Chicago Hope (?) and The Twilight Zone, respectively).

Alias' problem was that it reinvented itself every season. Lost reveals something new about the island or it's dwellers each season. How did Chicago Hope end. Mandy Patinkin in a mental institution? The Twilight Zone had an ending? Did that show actually need an ending?

 

[mac 2005]

Alias' problem was that it reinvented itself every season. Lost reveals something new about the island or it's dwellers each season. How did Chicago Hope end. Mandy Patinkin in a mental institution? The Twilight Zone had an ending? Did that show actually need an ending?

Point taken, but there's only so many seasons over which a writing staff, no matter how talented, can draw out the suspense. At some point, we're not going to care about these people -- that's why novels, generally speaking, are a couple of hundred pages.

And when the writers stretch out a storyline with which we're already familiar to the point that it fills the entire episode and then cram in the good bits for the last few minutes of the show, all I can think is cha-ching! We already know the drama of Sun and Jin's marriage. Did the flashbacks add anything to the story?

 

[iAlan]

Not sure if these have been seen.. or how "official" they are.

This one lists the stations and what they're studying.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57ZafHS6apU

This one "explains" what 4, 8, 15, 16, 23, and 42 are all about.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idu3loi4y5Y

ENJOY!!

As already mentioned, the first link is a fake - but I have a question for you...

What is the music? For the answer highlight the invisihint here > The Japan National Anthem < end invisihint

Please delete the invisihint if you quote this post so it does not show up in the greyed quote box

 

[Doctor Q]

Does Jin know about Sun and her English teacher boyfriend? I'm guessing not, but that issue was left open because he saw the necklace in Mr. Lee's hand after he landed on his car, and Jin's part of the flashback ended there.

Point taken, but there's only so many seasons over which a writing staff, no matter how talented, can draw out the suspense. At some point, we're not going to care about these people -- that's why novels, generally speaking, are a couple of hundred pages.

I'll glad you pointed this out, and I hope they are listening. Frankly, I'm frustrated and bored with the show. The Others have all the power and the Losties suffer. Who wants to watch that? The show is much better when dealing with conflicts among the Losties, not with them vs. invincible monsters.

The only part of the show I liked this week was seeing Byron Chung as Mr. Paik (Sun's father). He's a veteran TV actor, who also appeared in Alias and once upon a time in M*A*S*H. He lives in my neighborhood and he's even been to my house. Luckily, he doesn't order hitmen around in real life, so we don't have to worry when he stops by!
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[jsw]

Does Jin know about Sun and her English teacher boyfriend? I'm guessing not, but that issue was left open because he saw the necklace in Mr. Lee's hand after he landed on his car, and Jin's part of the flashback ended there.

True, but, IIRC, there was no reason for Jin to believe that the necklace was intended for Sun. Sun never took it out of the hotel room, and there's no compelling reason to believe that even Sun's father saw it.

It would be interesting to see how Sun reacted to the damage to Jin's car, though.

 

[joepunk]

S03E02 was ok imo.

I was frustrated at the so called trap set by Sayid. It was a really stupid trap and Jin should smack Sayid in the face for being such an idiot.

I knew the "Others" would arrive by sea and climb aboard the boat. Ok, now maybe Sayid did not know about the boat obsession by the Others but still. And Sawyer or Kate should have realized that they were being watched by cameras or something because after all they are prisoners and in cages.

 

[MacsRgr8]

Here's to the real hero: Sawyer!
Most funny guy, and coolest character... and he at least tries to do some action.

The flashbacks are getting a bit boring. I thought most guessed the afair Sun had with that English teacher, and some even guess he is responsible for Sun being pregnant.
Also Jin (no Tonic) being able to understand English pretty well, didn't really come as a surprise, did it? Many forums have discussed this, and most agree he probably speaks it very well too.

Sayid's "trap" was too obvious. He could have known that if the "others" would investigate, they might use binoculars and look from a safe distance before rushing blindly to the fire.... and thus may have spotted their most precious possession: the boat.

But.. critisize as we may... I can't wait for the next episode.

 

[0098386]

I got thinking (i know!) about the idea that the outside world and the island/penninsula are running at different times.
Maybe the flashbacks aren't flashbacks? Flashbacks relate to the episode and the actions of the current central character, what if the flashbacks are real and the island is a sort of "what if this happened on an island" sort of thing?

But yes. I'm in 2 minds over this. On the one hand I like it, on the other it's just a show dragging its heels. Another The Sims or Simpsons. Some folks in Hollywood and co. need to discover that ending things swiftly and graciously works. Ie. The Office, Phoenix Nights, Fawlty Towers.

 

[MacsRgr8]

I don't think so.

Lost is about puzzles which could and should be solved by "normal fysics".

I don't think the viewers want to be treated to non-real-time parallel universe kind of answers.

I do expect the flashbacks to be simple flashbacks to make the viewer really know and understand the characters, and their behaviour.

I also think that seemingly obvious happenings are really meant to be obvious... let me explain:
The question of Sun's cheating / pregnancy.
We were all lead to believe that Jin isn't fertile, and therefore cannot have made Sun pregnant. We also see her (almost or not) naked in bed with her teacher >>> simple logic based on simple deductions: Sun had sex with her teacher, who probably has made her pregnant.
Now, it is possible to conclude that they never had any sex because you never see it happening, and Sun has never admitted it. (IIRC she even told Jin that she never cheated)... and there is no proof denying this, but:
But IMHO the producers are avoiding any "sexual related, or naked scenes" (no issues for broadcasting), and make it clear enough to the viewer that Sun has cheated, and even become pregnant as a result.
Another point of interest: remember that logo on the shark? The Lost producers have openly admitted on a commercial DVD that it "simply was an easter egg", so IMHO if that happens once... it will probably happen again. So, I am inclined to say: relax on those "über-details". They probably mean not alot or even nothing at all.

I prefer a down-to-earth solution, which is very clear and clever. Ofourse some non-known evidence needs to be made clear first, which is why I keep watching the show. I keep hoping for new answers, and try to find a pattern in the little information we have now. I mean, honestly, would you have believed Sun to be such a small and cute little liar? Not me.

The fact that Ben said that he has lived on this island all his life.... doesn't that sound a bit off? He looks around 40 years old, and the year is 2004, which makes his date of birth (on the island apparantly!) well before the start of the Dharma initiative... deduction:
a) he is a liar (which is unsatisfactory, but plausible)
b) a new piece of info: there were people living there who know the island and the surroundings before "it all" started, and can help us solve the issues....

Whatever:
I will not be happy with a non-down-to-earth scientific earthly explanation at the end. Lost is not science fiction. It is drama.
So no such crap as Jack suddenly waking up from a huge nightmare which we all have experienced with him... or aliens from another galaxy who are disguised as humans who are experimenting on other humans.

 

[OutThere]

"...all my life..." could be a subjective term. Maybe his life began at 30....

Or he's referring to the large land mass they might be on (say...south america/australia/big pacific island) as "this island". I know people often refer to continents as islands.

 

[beachfreak]

really cool site, i think this dude has it right

http://www.LOSTisaGame.com

 

[yellow]

I can't stand it... another crappy episode like that and I'm out.

 

[pilotError]

We were all lead to believe that Jin isn't fertile, and therefore cannot have made Sun pregnant. We also see her (almost or not) naked in bed with her teacher >>> simple logic based on simple deductions: Sun had sex with her teacher, who probably has made her pregnant.

Simple enough...

But it takes all the fun out of it!

Your ignoring the fact that Lock can now walk and Rose no longer has Cancer sickness (I guess there's no real way to tell if the Cancer is gone) and your led to believe that Jin and Sun reconciled last season and were intimate leading to the pregnancy.

What about the little talk that Rose had with the "healer" in Australia about "there are places on this earth that can heal, but this place is not for you" or something to that effect. Unless the writers are leading us all over the place and its just wishful thinking, there's more to the Island than meets the eye.

I guess the one thing that I can't understand is that the "Others" know about the hatch and the button pressing, but never seemed overly concerned about it themselves.

I find it odd that Charlie just lied and said he didn't see anyone after the explosion (unless he was afraid everyone would blame the deaths on him).

Crazy stuff, but there's too many threads going on and everyone is starting to lose interest. I personally have to DVR the thing just to make it through. I can't take the number of comercials anymore.

 

[OutThere]

really cool site, i think this dude has it right

http://www.LOSTisaGame.com

I think that dude smoked too much crack and then watched the lost DVDs 300 times.

After closely examining the site, there seems to be no real evidence that Lost is a game, just endless fact-compilation of utterly meaningless elements from Lost.

For example, how is a list of people who have had head injuries on the show really showing us the light?

Plus his explanations of the theory often just say "look at the other sections" and when you look at the other sections, they say "look at all this data I've compiled" and when you look at the 'data' it is utterly worthless.

 

[quigleybc]

My thoughts

In the same way that Seinfeld was "about nothing" this show may be "about confusing people" and that's it.

Also, the most important line from the last episdode IMO was

Jack
"why don't you leave this Island?"

Ben
"exactly, why don't we leave...."

 

[Flowbee]

I can't stand it... another crappy episode like that and I'm out.

That's kind of the way I felt after the first several episodes of last season. I'm keeping the faith that things will improve in a few weeks.

 

[Bibulous]

'Blow the Hatch' is the new 'Jump the Shark'

 

[Lyle]

'Blow the Hatch' is the new 'Jump the Shark'

Thank you, Mr. Rocchi.

 

[beachfreak]

what he says is that there are a limited number of the types of injuries because there are a limited number of options in the game

same reason why so many people seem to look alike

 

[andrew050703]

My thoughts

In the same way that Seinfeld was "about nothing" this show may be "about confusing people" and that's it.

Also, the most important line from the last episdode IMO was

Jack
"why don't you leave this Island?"

Ben
"exactly, why don't we leave...."

Although I've only seen a few episodes of Lost, I was very much reminded of the UK series 'The Prisoner' starring Patrick McGoohan: slightly weird, no one has a clue whats happening, and although it only went 17 episodes, it ended with you knowing absolutely nothing either. happy days

 

[Doctor Q]

Although I've only seen a few episodes of Lost, I was very much reminded of the UK series 'The Prisoner' starring Patrick McGoohan: slightly weird, no one has a clue whats happening, and although it only went 17 episodes, it ended with you knowing absolutely nothing either. happy days

The Prisoner had a better theme song. It's hard to tap your foot to the Lost theme.

Hmmm... One of The Prisoner episodes was named "Big Ben". Coincidence?
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[clayj]

The Prisoner had a better theme song. It's hard to tap your foot to the Lost theme.

Hmmm... One of The Prisoner episodes was named "Big Ben". Coincidence?
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Technically, it was The Chimes of Big Ben. Still, well observed, Number Six.

 

[virus1]

I think that dude smoked too much crack and then watched the lost DVDs 300 times.

After closely examining the site, there seems to be no real evidence that Lost is a game, just endless fact-compilation of utterly meaningless elements from Lost.

For example, how is a list of people who have had head injuries on the show really showing us the light?

Plus his explanations of the theory often just say "look at the other sections" and when you look at the other sections, they say "look at all this data I've compiled" and when you look at the 'data' it is utterly worthless.

couldn't agree more..

yellow, i see you updated your location as of the last episode.

 

[DISCOMUNICATION]

Nightline

So the writers were just on Nightline. They say by the end of this season we will come to understand the Others and no longer see them as evil. People fear what they don't understand, eh? To be honest I kinda wanted to punch each one of them for last week's episode, but this week's looks promising. "John Locke, is he the hunter or the hunted?" Looks like he is going monster hunting in a cave to save Mr. Echo. Wonder who's flashbacks we'll see this week. If it's Locke's I'll be on the edge of my seat. It's been confirmed that this season we will finally find out how he wound up in that wheel chair. They could continue screwing with us and have multiple Locke stories that don't revieal anything.