Lost : Les Disparus

I've watched lots of TV in my lifetime, perhaps too much. However this is the best TV series i've seen in ages. Probably even the best ever. You just can't predict what is going to happen. Each week the show seems to tell you something new about the Island and its inhabitants. I'm on the edge of my seat waiting to find out what's going to happen, then before I know it the programme is finished and I have to wait to find out what happens next. Utterly gripping! This show is amazing and I hope they continue to make it because often fantastic US shows get cancelled because the ratings start to dip slightly or the executives think the shows are too weird. I really hope the series continues so that we get it over here in England because it is a fantastic show and I would like to have DVD's of this series so I can get all my friends hooked too.

At first blush, "Lost" seems like an impossible concept: a bunch of people stranded on a mysterious island. How many story lines can you POSSIBLY take from that before the idea's been sapped completely dry?

It's a legitimate concern, but in the case of "Lost," totally unwarranted. "Lost," unlike many shows today where the plot drives the characters, is in fact the opposite: the characters drive the plot. This isn't "CSI" or "Law and Order," where each week is a variation on the same theme. On "Lost," you have a group of fascinatingly different, tragically flawed characters who must somehow learn to survive together, while at the same time trying to keep their secrets hidden. That's a method for disaster. After living together for a long time, the characters are going to find out it's impossible to keep their pasts a secret.

Yes, there's a monster on the island. Yes, there are mysterious happenings.

Yes, a sense of dread often hangs thick in the air. But to me, the exterior problems presented by the island itself are NOTHING compared to the INTERNAL problems the characters must face, both with themselves and with each other. That's where the REAL drama lies. And it's fascinating to watch.

With so many high-quality shows ending or getting cancelled recently (Friends, Frasier, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel), and with the decline in quality of many others (The West Wing, Smallville), not to mention the egregious rise of turgid and tasteless "reality" programming, I'd just about written off TV as an entertainment medium. I was seriously considering ditching my TV and cable subscription in favour of my computer screen and broadband Internet connection.

Then along comes "Lost". I missed the first few episodes, but was able to catch up thanks to BitTorrent. Now I'm hooked. There are several things to like about this show, but here's a quick list:

1) Outstanding, intelligent, layered writing. There are multiple mysteries here, and for every answer we get, more questions emerge.

2) Rich, complex characters. Just when you think you've got a character pegged, you find out something new about them that's often surprising or even shocking. I'm enjoying watching the various relationships emerge and develop.

3) Strong performances. This is a remarkable cast of mostly journeymen actors with a couple of newcomers, and they're all turning in star-making work. Even some of the cameos have featured recognizeable, talented actors (e.g. Mira Furlan, Victoria Hamel).

4) A mysterious and fascinating setting. Of the four main story elements you learned in school, plot, character, theme, and setting, the latter is often the poor, neglected cousin. Not here. The island is dangerous, beautiful, creepy, and undeniably intriguing. It's like a character unto itself. Part of the fun of this show will be unravelling the Island's secrets.

5) Thematic depth. This isn't just a soap opera on a desert island. There are rich metaphors and themes to be mined here, such as on the challenges of morality; on the nature of communities and civilization; on our relationship with nature/the environment; and on spirituality, even mysticism, as well.

I'm grateful to see this show is a hit. Too often lately I've committed to a quality show early on ("Wonderfalls" being the most recent and much-lamented example) only to have a jittery network cancel it prematurely. I'm hoping "Lost" will have a long, successful run--if its creators, cast, and crew keep up the level of quality they've shown so far, I'm sure it will.

Unless you live under a rock, you've probably heard of the hit show LOST. You've seen the previews, read the 5-star reviews, and heard the conversations about it at the water-cooler. If you haven't started watching it yet, you might wonder if you should start watching. Well, let's put it this way.

If you like shows with action, you will like LOST.

If you like shows with complex characters and interactions, you will like LOST.

If you like shows with drama, mystery, and suspense, you will like LOST.

If you like shows with humor, you will like LOST.

If you like shows where you can watch an episode twice and view it in an entirely different way, you will like LOST.

If you like shows where each and every scene has a meaning... Get the picture?

Quite simply, if you have ever liked a TV show at all, you will be hooked.

LOST is a show about a plane crash on a mysterious island. 48 people survive, but the show centers around 14, all with secrets. At first, there is confusion. But as the show goes on, friendships develop, and we learn that there is more to the island than what it seems...

The characters are fantastic--don't pay any attention to those who say the cast is so diverse it is clichéd, those are probably the same people who would have criticized it if it was all white.

In short, watch. You will be hooked, unless you're one of those nitpicky people who have a hernia if every single detail in the very first episode isn't exactly correct. Otherwise, I must ask the question... Why aren't you watching?

10/10

People say this about a ton of different shows but Lost really is one of the best tv shows ever created! It is one of the most original and thought provoking shows ever and even though a lot have tried, there has never been another show like it. It has some of the best storytelling ever put on tv. You'll have to have patience as you watch becomes answers to come as quick as you'd like but they come. It has some of the most shocking mysteries and twists ever put on television. It will keep you guessing and on the edge of your seat throughout the entire series. I couldn't recommend this series enough, it's absolutely one of my favorite shows ever!