*This entire article is spoilers. Be forwarned if you haven't yet seenOnce Upon a Time, Buffy, Angel, Lost, The SopranosorMASH*
It's an unpopular move to kill off a character the audience likes. Or to kill anyone, really. Fans of serialized dramas get all up in arms over the effort it will take for them to invest in someone new after years (or months, in this case) of caring about the newly-deceased character. But I think it's brave. When the Lost writers dared to kill off the popular (and very pretty) Boone after only 20 episodes and Whedon sent Doyle out only 9 episodes in, they risked losing their audience. But nothing raises the stakes like an important death, and shows like Alias (which kept reviving its characters after conveniently dramatic "deaths") lose their credibility quickly when the only people who don't make it out of the life-or-death situations are extras named Goon #4. The death of Tara brought Buffy's Scooby Gang back to earth, knowing they weren't invincible; the hit on Adriana woke the audience up to the unforgivable evils of the Soprano family; the death of Col. Henry Blake on MASH remains one of the most poignant moments in sitcom history (TV history as a whole, really). It takes guts to risk your audience leaving you, but the best writers know that if the death serves the story, they'll quickly be forgiven.
I'm hoping that's the case with Once Upon a Time's recent death. I'm not loving the show (Jennifer Morrison is nowhere near likable enough to anchor her own series) and I mostly blame it for being the "success" that will mostly take the far-superior Pan Am down. But Sunday's episode raised the stakes on the unforgivably silly, unbalanced, mythological messy action. And while that act did mark the end of one of the only characters who at all had me engaged, he went out in a world-strengthening way; strengthening that was wholly overdue.
The episode explored the mythology behind Jamie Dornan's Sheriff Graham, who I'd always assumed was The Big Bad Wolf but turned out to be the wolf-raised Huntsman from Snow White's backstory. One of the only characters with any sort of complex moral struggle happening (I'm sorry Lana Parrilla, but your evil queen just isn't nearly as complicated as she should be), Graham was a small light in an otherwise muddied landscape of characters either over-idealized, under-written or just plain blegh (here's lookin' at you, detestable Emma).
His interesting backstory should easily have warranted 3 or 4 episodes of exploration, but since showrunners Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz seem intent on following the Lost model of one-character-story-per-week and this ain't no 2004, time was not a luxury Graham was allowed to enjoy. But he went out with a bang, the Evil Queen/Town Mayor squeezing his heart-in-a-box until it ceased to exist and his elsewhere body ceased to function. It was the first time the fairytale world had physiological ramifications in Storybrook, an interesting place for the story to go, even if it did signal the too-early end for Graham (coincidentally, the show's best eye candy, joining Boone in the "you're pretty, you should DIE" category).
I'm choosing to believe that Graham's kinda cool death is a good thing for the series. Maybe it means that Kitsis and Horowitz have a stronger handle on the rules of their mythology than they seem to. Maybe it's supposed to be a message, that they're not playing around with the stakes here- this is a show where beloved hobbit rockstars can drown while trying to save the people they love! No, wait, that's that other show we seem to be desperately trying to relive here. Even though I'll miss him, the death of Graham could be exactly what Once Upon a Time needs to be taken seriously, but I need to know that the writers had a reason, and not just a precedent.
It's time for the 2010 My TV Honorary Award. This distinction, announced separately from the rest of the winners, is awarded each year to celebrate standout achievement in any given category. Winners aren't nominated in the regular My TV Awards. Rather, they're honored separately as the best things that happened in TV all year (whether they be writers, directors, actors, cinematographers, etc...). This year's winner is a whole series.
This year's winner is...
Lost
Season 6 was great, it really was. But the reason that Lost is this year's honorary award winner is the overall contribution it made to the television landscape over its 121 episode run.
In 6 years, ending with the most highly anticipated episode of television in 2010, Lost changed the scope of what network television could do. Shot on location in Hawaii, Lost provided some of the highest production values on TV. Its huge ensemble of talented actors raised the bar for all the others. Its complicated mythology challenged the dumbed-down standards networks had begun to succumb to. And its beautiful and innovative sound and score opened new doors for legions of composers behind Michael Giacchino.
Networks have been scrambling ever since to mimic the success of Lost with high-concept genre shows like Fringe, FlashForward, V and The Event. But nothing will mimic the phenomenon of Lost. And make no mistake, that's what it was.
There's a stigma to any show that can be called "procedural". The TV landscape has become so saturated with CSIs and Law & Orders and versions of NCIS that it seems like there's not a lot left. The genre of crime/patient/case-of-the-week plotting and very basic character development is really for casual viewers. For true procedurals it's important that someone be able to turn on their TV and watch a random episode in the middle of the season and not be confused. So for real TV people, the sort who watch from the pilot to the finale in order and without skipping- critics, devotees, industry folks-, procedurals can be really tedious.
The heavily-serialized have become a rarity on primetime network TV, there's really no arguing with that. With Lost gone and none of its replacements really taking off, serialization really just belongs to family dramas (Brothers & Sisters, Parenthood, Life Unexpected), teen shows (Gossip Girl, Vampire Diaries) and primetime soaps (Desperate Housewives, One Tree Hill). But that doesn't mean that all we're left with is pure procedurals.
So much about House makes it a procedural. Case-of-the-week, repetitive format, etc... but then there's actual House. The famous curmudgeon has a host of problems-psychological, emotional, physical- that make him the sarcastic genius that he is. You don't know that, unless you actually watch the show. The whole show. Same thing with Castle, Bones and Psych. Those shows are still very formulaic, predictable, the characters do, comparatively speaking, take a back seat. But they're not Dragnet. The Good Wife strikes a balance, about half the show is heavily serialized and the other half is procedural law drama. Same with Boston Legal, Drop Dead Diva, and pretty much everything else about lawyers. Grey's Anatomy's the same way. So is Private Practice. As was ER. You could tune into a random episode of Buffy and follow the monster-of-the-week, you'd miss the season-wide big bad and the full-series character arcs, but you could follow the episode. The same can be said of many West Wing episodes.
My point is, the line is blurrier than it seems to be. Some of the most interesting characters on TV exist in what many critics would label a "procedural"- Jack Hodgins, Shawn Spencer, Kalinda Sharma, oh and Gregory House (considered one of TV greatest characters of all-time). I think the secret is layering. Lost quickly grew tedious in its perpetual lack of closure but Law & Order seems to re-set its world at the end of each episode. Self-contained stories are important to give the audience some sense of accomplishment or resolution, but it's the over-arching themes and developments that really pull the characters forward, give the series growth and depth. I think Buffy had it down with its mix of single-episode, season-long and series-wide stories. Their plots worked on 3 levels and their characters got the best of both worlds.
What I'm saying is that Jack Hodgins couldn't live in a true procedural. They just never would have written him. Maybe long arcs aren't the focus, but "non-serial" and "weak on character" are not mutually inclusive concepts (neither are, for the record, "heavily serialized" and "strong on character"). Maybe not every week, but character-based non-serial shows belong in the critical eye. Hodgins deserves at least that much.
I realize I have fallen behind on the many many things happening in the TV world right now. It's finale time, which means it's My TV Season Wrap-Up time so my plate is quite full of writing to be done. In the mean time, in case you haven't been following @mytvblog on twitter (which you all should), I thought I'd get you caught up briefly on where I stand on the TV issues of the moment: The Survivor and Amazing Race Finales: in both cases the wrong person won and the most deserving competitor took second. As much as I would have liked to see Caite win the race and throw it in the face of all the snobby pseudo-intellectuals who teased her, the title should have belonged to the cowboys, who ran the most consistently impressive race. As for Survivor, the finale was fun because Jeff was super snarky with bitter Russell but the only reason Sandra should have won was if she had actually succeeded in taking Russell out when she tried. This was Parvati's season, she played the best game and really should have had it.
The Lost Finale: I'm generally pro, though I understand why the mythology-oriented fans are left disappointed. It was an emotional, character-driven, spirituality-heavy farewell and if that's not your Lostian focus then you couldn't have been happy. As for me, a super sap who's all about character over plot, I loved that it got me emotionally reacting to Lost again. Despite solid writing, excellent effects and superb acting, the MVP award goes to composer Michael Giacchino for creating iteration after iteration of his iconic "important emotional moment" music for the episode's record breaking number of important emotional moments. NBC Thursday Finales: Community offered its weakest episode yet (read Rachael's Season Wrap-Up for more, all of which I agree with), 30 Rock's finale was awesome after a really rocky season (again, see Rachael's Wrap-Up) and The Office was hardly noteworthy at all (hence, Wrap-Up still pending) except for the promise of Holly's return.
The Grey's Anatomy Finale: Amazing. A couple minor flaws but generally the best episode they've done possibly ever (after an altogether strong season). I was on the edge of my seat the whole time, even though I knew who would perish/survive because of contract news. The Dancing with the Stars Finale: The right person won and managed to remind me that even if I despise her current band, I loved her first one and she was my favourite when she got her big break on Popstars back when I was a kid who watched Popstars. Also, Derek Hough is a god of choreography and dance and energy. Also, I love Evan Lysacek, he reminds me so much of my friend Chris. Tomorrow's American Idol Finale: Team Bowersox!
The Bachelorette: I'm still not on board with Ali (she was just WAY too mean to Vienna, who danced on the DwtS finale btw and was beautiful!) but I do love The Bachelorette. I'd watch Chris Harrison do anything and there are already some really promising bachelors (including a cutie from Vancouver who caught my eye early). Friday Night Lights: It's back and I'm still OBSESSED. I love very few things as much as I love this show.
3) Death. We've been promised blood and I have no doubt we'll get plenty tonight. Lost has never been afraid of killing off people audiences care about and breaking our hearts along the way. Some of the most poignant moments of TV in the past 6 years have been accompanied by Lost's signature "dum da dum da di da dum di dum" death sadness song. Here's hoping for even more redemption and tragedy-laden demises tonight.
2) Trust in Darlton. Damon Lindeloff and Carlton Cuse may have pissed off some viewers along the way (hey, I didn't mind Nicki and Paolo that much) but I think they've proven themselves trustworthy showrunners in whose hands I'm happy to trust the fate of these beloved characters.
and
1) Answers! Tonight it will all make sense. 6 years of mind-bending, head-turning, speech-robbing mythology will finally be explained (or, at least some of it will be) and we'll finally understand what it's all been about all these years.
I just watched last night's Lost, the episode entitled "The Candidate" and I know I want to write about it. But I can't for the life of me think what I want to say. I mean,... wow.
You read this blog, you know I'm not a Lost fan the way most Lost fans are Lost fans. I've loved the show's high points and resented its low ones but never really gave two hoots about it. I cried when Charlie died, I cheered when Hurley reconnected with Libby, I believe that Desmond and Jack will save these people in more ways than one. But I'm not sure Lost has ever left me speechless, at least not since Charlie, that one hurt.
But this week's episode,... wow.
The ticking clock is showing on Lost like never before. They're moving mythology left and right, pushing these characters at break neck speeds towards their fates. We're caught up in two parrallel realities and for every triumph we can celebrate in one, tragedy lies in the other. I'm left not knowing quite how to feel. There is always a surviving version of oneself; the audience doesn't know who to mourn. There's redemption where we thought there could be none (Sayid); where we thought heroism had forever taken over, a spec of former destructive pride shows through (Sawyer); and when people come together in one reality, they turn their backs on each other in the next (Claire).
All I can say is this week's episode toyed with my notions of mortality and network TV heroes in ways that Lost hasn't since the unexpected demise of Boone and the tragically foretold death of Charlie. I saw performances this week from Terry O'Quinn, Daniel Day Kim, Matthew Fox and Yun Jin Kim the likes of which I'd never seen before. And for the first time in a long time I'm on the edge of my seat waiting to see what the man in black does next.
In the always-entertaining Official Lost Podcast (available on iTunes) last week, the super awesome Lost showrunners Damon Lindeloff and Carlton Cuse were up to their usual antics, sarcastically avoiding fan questions. For such powerful and cult adored men, Damon and Carlton are always fantastically down to earth and fun, making their podcast entirely more enjoyable than their frustrating show itself. Last week's big reveals were the title of the series finale ("The End") and their response to a fan question asking who is the villain in their relationship:
"I'm not going to say that you're the most evil, but I think it's apparent that I'm the most good"
-Damon Lindeloff (The Official Lost Podcast)
Because of all the fanatics and theorists out there, it's hard to do justice to a review of Lost. Sadly, there aren't enough hours in the day to focus on every single scene and analyze every single reference (especially when one is not getting paid to do so). Thus, instead of thoroughly reviewing what I believe to be the most exciting episode this season I present you with some thoughts about "Sundown":
1/ Good and Evil: Throughout the series, the simple struggle between good and evil has always been apparent. Recently Smokie (aka Locke as the Man in Black) chucked a white stone off of the scale in the cave and let the black stone remain. Colors are clearly representative of good and evil. This isn't the first time we've seen color references in Lost (the backgammon pieces, a black and white stone are found in the bodies of the so-called Adam and Eve, the colors of Dharma's logo, the ticker on the button timer is black and white, the color of the panda bear Jin buys, the color of the killer whale Aaron owns, Jacob's clothing colors versus the Man in Blacks, Jack previously references the black and white kittens from Alice in Wonderland....the list goes on!). If there's one thing for certain it's that the nature of good and evil is a huge theme and chances are Jacob and Smokie are on different sides of the battle. I personally refuse to assume Jacob is good simple because of his association with white, and we should never assume as much until it's made clear. My prediction: we will never actually know. Like most of the character's own morals, there is no clear distinction between good and evil and I think assuming that one is right and one is wrong is a faulty way of thinking.
2/ Is Sideways World Really Real?- There's been lots of speculation about whether or not this sideways world is an alternate reality or if it's actually the real world. My guess is it's the future...yea, yea, I know we already saw the future...but this is the real future of the show/end of it! In tonight's episode Smokie promised Sayid that he would get the one thing he wanted. Sayid says that the one thing he wants died in his arms, and Smokie says "wouldn't you like to see that thing again?" This could be interpreted two ways. First, Nadia is the girl he's talking about. If this is the case then we already know he sees her in his sideways world and this would explain why they aren't together. Smokie promised he would see her, not that he would be with her. The second interpretation is that perhaps (though I doubt it) Shannon is the girl he's talking about. Multiple sources have already confirmed that Maggie Grace will return for an episode so we can assume she too will appear in the sideways world (and possibly in Sayid's life). If this happens, then once again it could support the idea that sideways world is the future. Maybe Smokie rewards the castaways by recreating the plane ride and sideways world is really their lives with some necessary additions.
3/ The Army is Building- The castaways are finally creating a rift among the group. Smokie has managed to get both Claire and Sawyer on his side. After tonight's dramatic ending, he somehow convinced Sayid to join him and killed everyone who was not willing save a few important cast members. The episode ends with Kate looking on as the new group follows Smokie out and the audience left wondering if Kate is the newest addition to team Smokie.
4/ The Resistance?- Opposing the army of Smokie's we have Illana, Ben, Sun, and now Miles who luckily were saved by Illana's secret passage. Expect to see Richard join them soon and discover his connection to Illana (cause there has to be something important going on there). Jin might be part of team Smokie since he was last seen with Claire, which would certainly make is reconciliation with Sun entertaining and a bit awkward. Hurley and Jack have yet to jump on any one's camp, but Hurley will likely be sticking with ghost Jacob for a while. My bet is Jack is the last of the castaways to pick a side after Hurley is manipulated by Smokie (interestingly enough episode 11 is "Everybody Loves Hugo" and episode 12 is "The Last Recruit"...translation: 11 finds Hurley latching on to team Smokie and 12 finds Jack at the center as their last needed recruit).
5/The Infection- Every one's been waiting for the moment when Sayid's infection finally brings out the evil in him. In typical Lost fashion, it's hard to tell if the infection drove him to kill Dogen and Lennon or if it was Smokie's persuasion. Hopefully we'll find out. Either way I'm happy to see those two annoying additions bite the dust...can Illana be next please?
6/ Will Ben Die?- The trailer for next week teases that Ben will face his own demise. While this is clearly a ploy to make us watch, part of me truly believes it's Ben's time. This was a character who has been with us since season two and is clearly of some importance but has not played center stage in a while. When Illana and company jumped into their secret passage Ben was no where in sight. I predict a very lonely Ben fighting for his life next week....and losing it.
20/ Nikki and Paulo- They may have been throw away characters who added just about nothing to the show, but this pair had one stand out episode. While the episode itself was nothing too exciting, the final few minutes still resonate. When Nikki and Paulo let their greed become the best of them, they turned on one another and used some sort of weird bug poison causing them to become paralyzed. When the losties found the two, they presumed death and buried Nikki and Paulo alive. Of all the people on the following list, only Nikki and Paula impacted the audience solely because of their deaths.
19/ Mr. Eko- He may have attempted to build a church, he may have had a seemingly important prayer stick, and he may have been one of the final surviving tailies, but once Eko died I felt nothing but satisfaction. Throughout his flashbacks it became apparent that Eko is in every way a terrible man with a severe need for repentance. His time on the island became a time to atone for his sins, which is why his death at the hands of the smoke monster was fitting. Eko became the epitome of faith on the island and thus he greeted death in a fulfilling manner. There may have been some fear, but Eko looked into the eye of the smoke monster and never once ran.
18/ Artz- When this teacher was introduced, you knew that he probably wouldn’t last very long. Artz stepped up after being annoyed by the constant dominion of Jack and his crew. He joined the group on their quest for dynamite at the black rock and was the only one who knew how to correctly handle it. Ironically, he was the only one to die because of it. When the unstable dynamite went off, little pieces of Artz landed on some of our favorite losties and that’s one image which is hard to forget.
17/ Naomi- As one of the more annoying characters introduced in later seasons, Naomi’s death wasn’t all that sad but it was the person who killed her that really rocked the boat. Naomi landed on the island after her helicopter crashed down, and she quickly pretended to be the rescue crew when in reality she was there to harm Ben.After helping the losties signal to her friends on the freighter, she was literally stabbed in the back by none other than John Locke. While the stabbing didn’t immediately kill her, Locke’s desire to stay on the island once again outranked his morality.
16/ Colleen- This bitchy Other is probably one of the least likable characters on the list, but what makes her death so great was, once again, the person who killed her. Colleen was part of the crew sent to check on Jin, Sun, and Sayid who were sent out to rescue the kidnapped losties. Colleen entered their boat and easily found Sun hiding out. When Colleen attempted to reason with her, Sun pulled out a gun. After a short interchange in which Colleen told Sun she was simply too nice to pull the trigger, Sun proved her wrong and killed Colleen proving that she would do anything for the safety of her husband.
15/ Goodwin- The bulk of Goodwin’s story wasn’t told until after his death, seasons later when it was revealed he had a love affair with Juliet. But before that ever happened, Goodwin was the nice tailie who attempted to help Ana Lucia find the traitor in their midst. In typical Lost fashion,it turned out that Goodwin was the actual traitor. Luckily, Ana Lucia was quick to pick up on his lies and after a small battle between the two, he was impaled by a pointy stick. Dramatic and amazing.
14/ Karl- Oh Karl, we barely knew you. As the adorable young love of Alex, Karl was tortured by the Others and sent back toward the island with Kate and Sawyer. Things, of course, never go as planned and after months being apart, Karl was finally reunited with Alex and her mother, only to be shot by the evil freighter people.
13/ Danny- As the least likable character on this list, there were certainly no tears shed for Danny’s death. Sure he was distraught over the death of his wife, but that doesn’t excuse his torture of Sawyer. When Skate finally broke free from the cages, it seemed as though they were set to return to their camp until Danny appeared. The notorious Other got what he deserved when in a shocking turn of events, Juliet shot him to death and subsequently earned Jack’s trust.
12/ Tom- The beloved Tom was always a fun Other to watch. He also was one of the only original Others around, so it wasn’t easy letting go. When Tom and his folk bombarded Bernard, Jin, and Sawyer most of them didn’t make it out alive. But the only significant death was Tom at the hands of Sawyer.
11/ Sawyer aka. Mr. Locke- Nothing was more epic than the realization that Mr. Sawyer was Locke’s daddy. And after years of emotional turmoil, nothing was more satisfying than seeing Sawyer finally deliver the letter to the man who killed his parents…and end his life.
10/ Daniel Farraday- Arguably, the only likeable helicopter-crasher, Farraday’s time traveling ways brought a whole lot of intrigue to the island. When he showed up in the 70s Dharma Initiative he quickly found his own mother. Before he had time to warn her, Ms. Farraday took matters into her own hand as she killed her only son. Even more heartbreaking was her realization immediately after.
9/ Jacob- After seasons of intrigue, and assumptions that he was possibly a made-up being, Jacob finally appears at the end of season five. When the Man in Black also makes his appearance in the body of Locke, he convinces Ben to do his dirty work and kill Jacob. A dramatic scene if there ever was one, but it’s safe to say this is probably not the last we’ll see of Jacob.
8/ Ana Lucia- After only being around for half a season or so, Ana Lucia’s tragic death was one of the biggest surprises in Lost history. Even more shocking was the fact that Michael pulled the trigger.
7/ Libby- As if Ana Lucia’s death was not enough, seconds later Libby arrives and is presumably killed by a panicked Michael. Libby hung on a bit longer as the audience got to see her pain and slow death. She tried to warn them about Michael but her last words accomplished nothing.
6/ Rousseau- The writers on this show can be far too cruel sometimes. It’s one thing to kill off the relative newcomer Karl, but it’s another thing to kill of Rousseau in the same scene without any build-up. As a character whose been with the show since season one, the most tragic aspect of Rousseau’s death was the little screen time it was given. Rousseau you are missed.
5/ Boone- This strapping young man was one of the first characters audiences fell in love with. Because of that, the wonderful writers of Lost saw an opportunity to make a strong statement: no one is safe. After blindly following Locke, Boone enters the yellow plane and is severely injured when it falls to the ground. Jack, with the help of Sun, fought hard to save Boone, even by giving his own blood, but all was for naught as the first major castaway was killed.
4/ Shannon- Lost has a tendency to kill characters once they’ve come full circle. Shannon was never really understood until she was killed. Throughout the episode, her flashbacks shed light on her negative attitude and pessimistic outlook. For someone who had such a shitty life, it was nice to see Shannon finally happy on the island in the arms of Sayid. Her love was cut short when Ana Lucia mistook her for an Other and shot Shannon.
3/ Alex- In one of the hardest death scenes to watch, Alex was killed not by her father but because of her father. The Alex/Ben relationship was one that never fully became developed until the later seasons, but it was apparent that Ben cared for her. When the big bad freighter men of season four attempt to kill Ben, they take Alex as a hostage. In a stupid ploy to save her, Ben lies and claims no allegiance to his daughter. But, for once, Ben is outsmarted and his assailant isn’t fooling around. In a quick moment, Alex is shot and Michael Emerson once again proves he deserves those Emmys with a complete and udder look of horror and disbelief.
2/ Charlie- We knew it was coming. But then again, the thing about Charlie’s death that made it so amazing was twofold. First, he did it for Claire. Charlie knew that jamming the signal would bring a ship to the island and result in Claire’s eventual rescue. In a complete selfless act he sacrifices himself for his love’s safety. Which brings us to the second reason his death was so powerful: he was wrong. Right before Charlie drowns, he reaches communication with Penny and discovers that the rescue boat is not hers. In a last minute attempt to warn Desmond, Charlie’s parting words are, appropriately, scribbled on his hands: “not Penny’s boat.” We only hope that Charlie’s death will gain meaning after this final season and that Claire will, in fact, be rescued.
1/ Juliet- Say what you will about Juliet, but she brought a whole new life to the series. And say what you will about the relationship between Juliet and Sawyer, but it became quickly clear that she loved him. As a character who struggled with acceptance, Juliet never became part of the group fully until she was transported to the 1970s Dharma Initiative. Here she fell for Sawyer and was quickly reunited with half of the Ocean 6. When Jack attempts to set off the nuclear bomb and alter the future, a faulty explosive device thwarts his plans. The magnetic force of the island begins to pull objects into the ground and Juliet is entwined in the mix. Both Kate and Sawyer begin to help her, two individuals who she realizes will always love one another, and Juliet gives up: “it’s okay. I love you James. I love you so much.” Juliet is presumed dead, until the last minutes of the finale when she uses her final strength to slam the bomb to the ground and it detonates.
In anticipation of Tuesday's Lost premiere, here is a list of the top 5 seasons and some things to hate/love about them. Countdown to the Best Seasons of Lost
5/ Season 4 While the fourth season did not have as many stand out moments, the ones it did have slightly out performed those of the last season. The big question this season revolved around the rescuers, who they were working for, what they wanted, and if they would in fact rescue anyone. The rescuers themselves were not all that interesting but they brought a great deal of unforgettable drama. Once they made it clear that Ben’s death was the ultimate goal, the others quickly became pawns in the game. The entire season built up to the rescue of the Oceanic 6 and began the elimination of flashbacks in exchange for flash forwards. While the back stories will be missed, the future ones were a nice replacement. Most notably of them was Kate and Jack’s future love and turmoil. Because of the Oceanic 6, season four became a pivotal turning point for the series, yet it just misses the bottom spot due to some less than exciting subplots.
Things to love about the season: -The inevitable rescue of the Oceanic 6 -Flash forwards. All of the rescued survivors had intriguing futures, almost as interesting as their pasts. -Future Sun who kicks a lot of ass and takes names. -Claire goes missing. What happened? -Jack and Kate finally get together -Locke becomes the island leader -The island is moved -The Ocean 6’s return home -The freighter blows up -Sawyer’s sacrifice for Kate -Sun’s emotional helicopter departure
Things to hate about the season: -The addition of the rescue crew who were not all that interesting (Daniel excluded) -Michael’s attempt at forgiveness -The freighter folk. We get that they are working for Whidmore and want Ben dead but again they prove to be flat, lame characters. -Premature deaths of Alex and Rousseau -Jack and Kate don’t work out
4/ Season 5 Don’t get me wrong, no season of Lost really deserves the title of “worst season” because quite frankly the words “worst” and “Lost” should never be in the same sentence. That being said, season five was possible the weakest season. The majority of this latest season toggled between the surviving Oceanic 6 and the castaways who were still stranded on the island. The addition of new characters Daniel, Charlotte, and Miles proved to be lack luster at best. Daniel continued to be one of the only interesting newcomers on the island, while Charlotte’s death was, like so many other new additions, long overdue. Miles’ “I see dead people” shtick will obviously come in handy for the final season, but he never offered much minus the revelation of his father. But that was the major problem with this fifth year: everything clearly was building up for the final season. As with most great movie series, the penultimate story is never quite as good as the original or the finale (fingers crossed).
Things to love about the season: -More badass Sun -Kate’s newfound maternal self -Glimpses into Rousseau’s island life -Crazy time travel jumping -Locke’s death -Sawyer (his best season yet hands down) -Sawyer and Juliet. Everything about their relationship made sense down to Juliet’s realization that she loved him more than he would ever love her. It may have never been spoken, but Juliet picked up on the hints and it was beautifully acted. -Ben vs. Whidmore: WHO WILL WIN?!?! -Kate’s favor for Sawyer -Jacob is revealed -The last 5 minutes=amazing.
Things to hate about the season: -316ers. There are enough groups in the island without adding another mysterious lot…but we’ll give the writers the benefit of the doubt that something good is coming. -Dharma Initiative. While the addition of Sawyer and company to the Initiative was an interesting plot development, the non-castaway members were all far too boring and not a single one proved to be an interesting character.
3/ Season 1 This was probably the hardest decision. While season 2 is without a doubt one of the best freshman seasons of any television show, it did not have a lot of stand alone moments. After being introduced to the survivors of Ocean 815, the audience is given a bit of background into each character. It isn’t until later seasons that their flashbacks become more complex and much more entertaining. Season one also introduced watchers to some of the greatest mysteries: smoke monster, powers of the island, Jack’s father appearing on the island, the yellow plane filled with Virgin Mary’s, Claire’s kidnapping, the numbers, the hatch, etc. We also quickly learned there were others on the island, and thus the never ending saga begins. Season one also ended with one of the best cliffhangers when the hatch is opened and the Others finally appear, taking Michael with them.
Things to love about the season: -Kate’s flashbacks -The never ending Locke debate: who is this guy? Why is he so creepy? Is he good or bad? -Sun and Jin’s relationships (and Michael’s third wheel status). -The Skate and Jate love triangle begins. -Rousseau arrives! -Black smoke/the Others impending arrival
Things to hate about the season: -Boone’s death. Too soon! -Charlie’s flashbacks (they get better in later seasons) -Hurley. He way be a lovable buffoon but in season one he was always my least favorite.
2/ Season 2 While watching season two, the only thing I lost was interest in this show. Upon careful re-watching, interest in ten times regained. With the introduction of the tailies, an entire new dynamic was found among the plane crash survivors and while the new group didn’t last, save Bernard, they still impacted the show in some severe ways. The biggest shock in Lost history rocked the island when Michael killed two of the tailies and saved Ben from captivity. Which brings us to one of the greatest additions to season two: BEN! He played with our minds and taught us never to trust anyone on the island. Season 2 brought numerous twists and turns to the plot and ended in another amazing cliffhanger.
Things to love about the season: -The introduction of two great characters: Ben and Desmond. -The raft buddies. Michael, Jin, and Sawyer all got a bit closer after the raft was destroyed and they were an entertaining group to watch. -Jin and Sun’s flashback to the beginning of their relationship (and her search for the missing wedding ring). -The clever writing of “The Other 48 Days” which provided the necessary background for the tailies. -Ana Lucia and Sawyer have some hot angry-sex. -The mystery surrounded Henry Gail. -Rose and Bernard finally get an amazing flashback. -Michael’s missing days are revealed through flashbacks. -The Others capture the losties. -Locke stops entering the numbers.
Things to hate about the season: -Echo’s “mightier than thou” attitude. -Ana Lucia’s whinny nature. -Ana Lucia killing Shannon…too soon! -Those damn repetitive numbers.
1/ Season 3 Ask me tomorrow and I’ll probably have a different answer for my favorite season, but for now it’s definitely season three. This season had several amazing plot points but specifically the addition of Juliet and the focus on the Others places this season at the top. Juliet’s entire relationship with Jack and her subsequent banishment from the Others’ camp provided some of the best moments in Lost history. Furthermore, season three finally started giving viewers a bit more answers to questions such as who the Others are and what happened to Claire. At the end, the castaways are given a glimmer of hope for survival when a mysterious helicopter lands on the island with news of a boat awaiting to rescue them. The only problem? It’s not Penny’s boat and thus Charlie’s eventual sacrifice won’t actually save the survivors after all.
Things to love about the season: -Juliet. -The opening few minutes when the civilized life is revealed to be happening on the island. -Sun kills an Other. -Juliet and Jack’s relationship. -Jack takes control in Ben’s surgery and saves Kate and Sawyer in the process. -Kate and Sawyer’s cage sex. -Sawyer’s love for Kate is further developed and quite heartbreaking -Mr. Eko dies (not soon enough!) -Juliet helps Sawyer and Kate escape. -Juliet begs Jack to kill Ben (notice the pattern of Juliet being in the best moments) -Juliet’s flashback shows a connection to Ethan and her introduction to the island. -Desmond’s prophecies (he can see the future/experience his flashbacks!). -Locke blows up the submarine destroying Juliet and Jack’s hopes for survival. -Juliet and Kate are handcuffed together and must help each other. -Juliet’s entrance into the losties camp and her spy status. -Juliet saves Claire and reveals the mystery of Claire’s kidnapping. -Sun’s paternity test and possible impending death -James kills his namesake -Ben brings Lock to “Jacob” -Charlie’s sacrifice for Claire
Things to hate about the season: -Everything about Jack’s flashbacks in “Stranger in a Strange Land” -Nikki and Paulo -That's all I got!
Six years ago, I fell in love with a show. Before it even aired I found myself anticipating the premiere. The premise sounded fantastic, the mystery seemed intriguing, and the few actors I knew were all some of my favorite familiar faces. For two and a half seasons, I watched said show religiously. But sometimes life catches up on you and socializing becomes more important than television watching (lame, I know). So for the next few years I laughed at all my friends who were still obsessed and told them that their love was a little too extreme. That not every thing could be related to this show.
Well, I take all of that back. Because everything can be related to this show. What is the ultimate answer to life, the universe, and everything? Nope, it’s not the number 42.…it’s Lost.
So in celebration of my new found re-appreciation of Lost…and in anticipation of the final season premiere on February 2nd, I will be posting 6 Best of Lost Lists over the next few days (twists, characters, deaths, seasons, episodes, and moments). Without further ado here is the first one (MAJOR SPOILERS):
Lost’s Top 20 Surprise Twists
20/ Michael is on the boat- During Season 4 Ben promises the lostaways that he has a man on the boat which has supposedly come to rescue them. While the majority of the crewmembers are actually there to kill Ben, one individual is here to rescue the losties. Surprise, it’s Michael!
19/ Who is Henry Gale? - When Rousseau brings a mysterious man back to the camp, the immediate question is whether or not he is an Other. After several episodes of torture and mind games, Ana Lucia fins the real Henry Gale dead and the mysterious captive is revealed as an Other.
18/ Another Other- Looks like the Tailies also had some surprise twists during their first month on the island. After taking charge of the group, Ana Lucia suspects that maybe Nathan was never on the plan. In typical Lost fashion, turns out her initial instincts were wrong and Goodwin is the Other.
17/ Lock Blows up the submarine- In an action packed third season, Jack saves Sawyer and Kate in exchange for his own medical services as the resident doctor for the Others. When Juliet faces trial for killing one of her own, Jack works his way into a detail that will allow him and Juliet a ride home. As Juliet and Jack prepare to board the submarine, Locke detonates it destroying their way back home.
16/ Sun Speaks English- This may not be the most pivotal twist but as one of the initial shockers in the series, Sun’s secret paved the way for an important direction of this show: believe nothing and doubt everything. It seems so silly now to say that Sun’s language is an excellent twist in comparison, yet it’s still a brilliant twist to this day.
15/ Locke was paralyzed- Locke is a mysterious character throughout the series, but the intrigue really began in the first season when we learn through a series of flashbacks that Locke was paralyzed. Two important plot points come out of this twist: the island has healing powers and Locke is somehow connected to the island.
14/ The man in the hatch- After finally breaking open the hatch, Kate, Jack, and Locke descend to find that a familiar man from Jack’s past has been living in their for years: meet Desmond.
13/ Charles Widmore was on the island- When the freighters admit to being hired by Widmore as assassins for Ben, it doesn’t take long until a few of them realize they’ve been on this island before. What’s even more shocking than this revelation is when we find out Penny’s own father has the ultimate connection to the Dharma Initiative as not only one of it’s members, but also as the father of Daniel Faraday.
12/ Charlie’s Final Destination- Once Desmond joins the castaways on the beach, he appears to be acting strangely after the hatch explosion. Charlie quickly becomes concerned after Desmond seems to be predicting Claire’s death or possible injuries. It takes a while before Desmond admits to knowing aspects of the future, but once he does the real shocker comes: he was never saving Claire but rather Charlie who should have died several times had it not been for Desmond’s interference. 11/ Juliet is a spy- The most intriguing character of season 3 is hands-down Juliet. Through flashbacks the audience is gains trust in this innocent woman who was forced unto the island and stuck as a prisoner under Ben’s rule. But even with these flashbacks, Juliet’s moral compass was a bit shady until she grew closer to Jack and was abandoned by her fellow Others. She devises a plan to win Kate’s favor and fails but this demonstration of her need to fit in once again gained her trust. As Juliet moves into the beach with the Ocean 815ers and helps Sun learn about her child, it finally feels like she may fully fit in with the group. That is until t he end of the episode when she reports her findings to Ben and the audience learns she was a plant all along. Luckily for us, Juliet admits her mistake and fully breaks ties with the Others shortly after.
10/ Ana Lucia kills Shannon- As the resident “bitchy” girl on the island, Shannon never gained much audience love until a glimpse of her past life showed her dreams being squashed by her loveless step-mother after her father’s death. Shannon seems to come full circle when she atones for her mistakes and begins to fall in love with a good man for once. The relationship, however, is cut short when Ana Lucia mistakes her for an Other and shoots Shannon. 9/ “We want the boy”- Jin, Sawyer, Michael, and Walt finally escape the island on their makeshift boat. They soon spot a neighbor vessel and the celebration begins to the tunes of some hopeful, uplifting movement. Things quickly go downhill once the mysterious crew refuses to save the group and instead apologies for having the take Walt. Gunfire ensues as a frightened Walt is taken away from his father and their hopes at rescue are shot.
8/ The Island Moves- At the end of season four, while the Oceanic 6 board the helicopter and prepare to return home, they look back to see the island has vanished. Little do they know it has changed both locations and time when Ben moves the island and is consequently banished from it.
7/ Not Penny’s Boat- Charlie finally gives into his death sentence after learning that his death will mean rescue for Claire. He follows Desmond’s orders and prepares to make way for Penny’s boat to rescue the group, but right before he drowns Penny makes contact with Charlie and he learns that the boat nearby does not belong to her. In a moment of panic, Charlie quickly scribbles a message to Desmond to let him know that all was for naught: “not Penny’s boat.”
6/ Locke is Jeremy Bentham- When Jack arrives to a funeral for someone he claims was neither friend nor family, the audience is left questioning whose body is in the casket. We eventually learn that one Jeremy Bentham is the dead stranger, but turns out he’s not so much a stranger: Jeremy Bentham is John Locke.
5/ Is Locke Dead?- Sure, the death of Jeremy Bentham/John Lock was pretty shocking. And sure, the resurrection of John Locke upon his second return to the island was shocking as well. But the best twist concerning the fate of Locke occurred in the last few minutes of “The Incident.” The 316 survivors open their mysterious box to show Richard what’s inside and it turns out the body of Locke was found in the trunk. Meanwhile, the supposed real Locke is preparing Ben to kill Jacob. Leave it to Sun to ask the real shocking question: “If this is Locke then who’s in there?”.
4/ Juliet detonates the bomb- After trying to make sense of their return to 1977, Jack follows the directions of Daniel and attempts to blow up the area about the Swan in order to stop the electromagnetic hot-spot from crashing Ocean 815 thirty years in the future. When he throws the bomb down, the impact wasn’t great enough and nothing happens. As the electromagnetic field pulls all the metal down into the ground, Juliet is dragged along and presumably killed. In the shocking final moments, Juliet is alive and uses her last strength to smash the bomb and everything goes white. 3/ Flashforward- There was always something fishy about Jack’s apparent flashbacks in “Through the Looking Glass” but it isn’t until he meets a certain familiar face that the reason becomes apparent. When Kate walks out of the car and into the “flashback” the entire Lost world is turned upside down when we realize that this is the future and some of the lostaways have been rescued. 2/ Tom Sawyer is Locke’s father- It was surprising enough when Mr. Locke showed up on the island. After years of tormenting his son and throwing him off the roof, it was kind of shocking that John refused to kill his father. Luckily for John, Richard had some vital information which Locke quickly passed along to a kidnapped Sawyer. In what seemed to be a dull and far too confusing episode, Locke’s capture of Sawyer makes perfect sense after the ultimate shocker was revealed: the man responsible for the death of James’ parents and the man whose name James took for years is none other than Mr. Locke himself. 1/ Michael Kills Two Tailies- No matter how many twists and turns occur each episode, nothing has ever lived up to the most shocking and unexpected surprise in season 2. Michael returns back to the beach after searching for Walt to find out that an Other is being held captive. Meanwhile, Ana Lucia struggles with her own past demons as she deals with a shooting in her past. When Michael asks Ana Lucia for a gun so he can finish off Ben once and for all, the initial assumption was that Ana may have learned her lesson and that guns don’t solve anything. Instead, after a moment of reluctance Ana hands Michael the gun. Michael apologizes to Ana before turning the gun on her and killing her. Less than a heartbeat later, Libby walks in holding blankets for her and Hurley’s picnic, and she surprises Michael who reacts by shooting a few bullets in her stomach. Michael then turns the gun on himself and frees Ben. Eventually, the lostaways learn that this was a deal he had to make to secure Walt’s return home, but this never makes the events any less shocking.
Going into this week's fifth season finale, the producers of Lost promised the audience a death that would shake us to the core the way the loss of Charlie did. And, just like almost every promise of grandeur handed down by the Darlton that be, once again this proved to be a bit of a stretch.
Let's jump in right away with the big death, the heartfelt emotional centre of the episode. After Sayid was shot (a clear cut indicator that he won't be the one to perish, the first one to fall never stays down for good) I spent way too much of the episode running over possible scenarios in my head. "Damon and Carlton said it would be someone we love, someone who would affect us greatly with their death. So that leaves me with Sawyer, Kate and Jack. It has to be one of the clear-cut good guys, can't be Ben or Locke. Sayid, Hurley, Sun, Jin and Miles weren't central enough to kill this season. Then there are the non-castaways: Juliet, Desmond and Penny, all of whom I love dearly but the show could easily live without... but the main three are too essential, too popular, too important to the forward momentum of the show...": this was seriously my thought process through all the shootouts and showdowns. And then they killed Juliet in a big self-sacrificial (pale echoes of Charlie) and self-pitying "Sawyer will always be in love with the girl he is actually not in love with" kind of way, and all I could do was roll my eyes, curse the producers for talking it up and then thank them for not killing someone more crucial. I'll miss Juliet but seriously, that was nothing compared to Charlie's death (which I still consider the greatest moment in Lost history and one of TV's most tragic scenes).
And while we're on the subject of the love quadrangle and Juliet's bizarre abandoning of Sawyer out of random fear of rejection, let's talk about Kate and her absurd power over men. Jack completely defines his life worth by his proximity to Kate and a single glance in her direction undermines Sawyer's three year relationship with Juliet? I don't care how hot she is, that's overkill.
In other news:
-Apparently Locke really is dead and Darlton wasn't kidding about that zombie season they keep teasing on the podcast.
-The illusive Jacob is played by a villain from Dexter, or at least he was until two old men managed to annihilate him with very little effort.
-It seems the Dharma van is a the thematic rescue vehicle of season finales.
- Phil is impaled: third coolest death ever (just after Frogurt's flaming arrow to the heart)
- Jacob is consumed in flames: actual coolest death ever.
-I could not have been happier to see the old campsite and Charlie's DriveShaft ring again, it was reminiscent of the golden age of Lost.
- Way to be awesome Rose and Bernard.
- Hi Vincent! We missed you.
-Please do let me know if there is anyone out there who does not yet hate Ilana- I want to know why not.
-Oh, and Jack tried to blow up the island to set the past (future? present?) back to the way it should have been. Possible disasterous results.
My best guess for next season: the events of season 1 play out all over again after Jack resets time.
Overall, the finale was mediocre at worst and overrated at best, a substandard cap to a decent, if uneven, penultimate season.
Emma Stone- She was the saving grace of the underwhelming Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, a highlight of The House Bunny and played one of the only relatable characters in Superbad. The girl is a serious talent and she's here to stay.
Dubbed Disney- the mad editing skills of "Fantachan" make the Random Disney Crap YouTube videos a scream.
Enver Gjokaj (Dollhouse)- I'm obsessed.
Justin Chambers (Grey's Anatomy)- I've been obsessed for a while.
Re-watching Alias- It really did have one of the strongest premiere seasons of all time.
MLB Fantasy Baseball League- I'm leading my division with a 4-0 record!
Rules of Engagement- funnier than you think it is.
Understanding why everyone's always loved Sawyer (Lost)- it took me 4.5 seasons but I'm finally on board.
Anything to do with Ryan Walker. The big haired manipulative brat is possibly the worst thing to ever come out of a Berlanti show. He's badly written, REALLY badly cast and just a general nuisance on an otherwise lovable show.
Addison Montgomery's sex life, or that of the people she works with (except maybe Cooper's). Someone please explain to me why I'm supposed to care that Addison hasn't had sex in like a week and a half.
The plight of High School Reunion's "Ugly Duckling" or "The Wannabe". They are annoying. Bring on "The Homecoming Queen" and "The Skate Punk" instead.
What happened to Daniel Farraday. My guess is a mental breakdown, but it could be that he was sucked into a metaphysical time/space vortex- either fate is fine by me.
and
Whether or not Chad Michael Murray and Hilarie Burton will be returning to One Tree Hill next season. Sure it was always his show but everyone's been tuning in to see Nathan for years now.
Having just finished listening to this week's official Lost podcast with executive producers Damon Lindeloff and Carlton Cuse (yeah, I'm that person), I have to share a pet peeve:
Actors doing anything other than acting.
On the podcast, Damon and Carlton answered a fan question about something that seems to have caused a bit of a stir with Lost's fanatical fan base. Apparently, when young Charlotte appeared in the year 1974 it confused fans who had been told in an earlier episode that Charlotte wasn't born until 1979. Now, normally a small continuity error like this wouldn't bother me, writers can make mistakes after all, inconsistencies are to be expected. Except that Damon and Carlton don't make those kinds of mistakes. They have every detail of their show planned out in immaculate detail, they would never flip flop on a character's age.
It turns out that the source of the inconsistency is the annoying actress who played Charlotte, Rebecca Mader. It seems that little miss Mader decided that 1970 (as it said in the script) was too early a birth date for her, she wanted to be younger, so she changed it. Of course, a year later, her prima donna act of vanity has poked a sizable hole in Lost's generally flawless mythology.
So, I've just got to say this: YOU JOB IS TO READ THE LINES AS THEY ARE AND STAY IN CHARACTER. THAT'S WHAT BEING A PROFESSIONAL IS. And by the way, Ms. Mader was nowhere near an important enough part of the show to start making demands and changes on a whim. Who does she think she is?
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