Get Ready: Podcast This Weekend

The second half of season three is almost close enough to taste... And we've got one more podcast to make before it starts!

Sunday, we'll get everyone back in the groove by reviewing all the loose ends that are still out there, and talk about what we can expect out of the rest of season 3. Send us your thoughts by posting a comment here, sending us an email or calling our automated audio comment voicemail at 206-666-2278.

Update: Looks like we may be getting hit with an Ice Storm in Dallas this weekend, so there's a chance the podcast could get cancelled and moved to next weekend. We'll keep you updated.

We've cancelled the podcast today and will be podcasting next weekend. The weather's spotty around the Metroplex, and these people can barely be trusted to drive in the rain, let alone anything resembling ice. This just means more time for you to get us your thoughts, and anything you'd like us to cover in the next podcast! See you next weekend. Stay LOST.

Comments

[Cark In The Uk]

Wow! Cant believe how fast this 13 week break is going, really looking forward to the podcast.

I think in the next half of season three we might see Danielle Rousseau turning out to be an 'other' i also think Ben 'might' be the father of Alex... The only reason i think she might be other is because when she caught Ben in the net she knew he would lie till the bitter end.. How could she know that?

Happy New Years guys!

[WeakLemonDrink]

Excellent. I think I might finally get round to submitting an audio comment with some thoughts on the validity of the Lost Experience.

[Helena]

yay! can't wait!
Happy 2007 (",)

[Jon W]

Happy New Year to all! This break has definatley gone far quicker than I thought it would, and Im sure Im not alone. Cant wait for a brand new series of Lost and LostCasts, together they are an unbeatable force. Well enough with the praise hope you take a few mins to do a summary of the Lost moments and the Spoilers for Season 3...Stay Lost

Jon

[rubycalaber]

lets get pumped

[Justin (AKA Locke Junior)]

A ray of sunshine on the horizon!

[Marty]

I can't wait to see how the character Julia plays out. Maybe you could talk about her and discuss the possibilities for how her character will turn out.

Great shows guys, keep up the good work!

[Jur]

I watched season 1 again last week and I hope season 3 will go more in that direction. More mistery and less desert island romance. More unanswered questions !!!
(and because of that more great podcasts !! )
And less Charlie................

[Retinend]

Hopefully another lostcast will help to pass the next three weeks, can't wait.

[Conor]

Top Five Characters I Hope to See Dead (Soon):
1. Jack (the annoying crybaby, his backstories are about as exciting as watching "Invincible")
2. Charlie (need I say more?)
3. Jin (a very interesting character, but I hope to see him killed after he finds out about who the father is)
4. Kate ("I Do" showed us how exhausted her backstories are, and the romance thing is so overdone)
5. Paulo (Nikki seems like she has much more potential as a character and/or love interest for someone without her abnoxious Paulo around)

[Conor]

Also

@ Cark In the UK

I don't think Danielle would have captured and turned in Ben at all if she were an other. It might risk her cover. On the other hand, perhaps the capture was orchestrated by the Others all along. It could have been done in an attempt to get Danielle closer to the losties and gain their trusts. Still, I think it is kind of unlikely with the whole Alex thing. I feel like if Danielle were an actual other, she would no all about the whereabouts of Alex. However, it is a possibility that Danielle works for the others in return for her daughter' safety, and the promise that she will see her again. Danielle is extremely irrational at times, so this seems possible. Just a thought.

Stay LOST

[Joop]

They came the first night that we got here. They took 3 of us. Nothing happened for 2 weeks, then they came back. They took 9 more.
~Ana Lucia

I would consider the missing tailies a loose end still out there. The Lost moment w/ Cindy raises some new questions about the others & factions of others.

[Jon W]

@ Conor, I would have thought Paulo would be in all of our lists, He is definatley top of mine. Hopefully it will only be a small cameo and he will die slowly and painfully, the last thing this show needs is a hollow pretty boy!

The rest I am fine with, they may be able to salvage some more good back story with Jack and Kate with Jack's tatoos and Kate's life on the run as a few possiblities

Jon

[freckles]

@Conor-

definitely agree with Charlie (just plain annoying now) and Paulo (ditto to you..except obnoxious not abnoxious..) poooooossibly Jin...but NO WAY Kate and Jack. They are two of the main, most interesting characters who have great and dynamic relationships with everyone on the island. Their backstories have in no way been exhausted as there is still a great deal to know about them. If either one of them peaced out, I would stop watching. seriously. I even made a Kate/Jack collage at school..yes..I'm lame.

[Justin (AKA Locke Junior)]

@ freckles

with a name like that - you should one of the SKATERS, not a JATER. And yes I think you are lame :) - was it a scene from Lost?

@ Conor

You are absolutely right - we need some newer characters - the old ones are getting ridiculous. Although Charlie is a good side kick - he has some classic lines. Baby Jack is my #1 to go. Jin can go, so can that dweeb Paulo, yes a really nasty death would be great!

@ Jur

Yes a return to it's roots is in order - judging by the previews we've seen we are at last going to get 'some' questions answered. Season 1 rocked!

[Joop]

@ Joop

Yeah, I was suprised that the missing tailies didn't make the IGN list.

* Who took Cindy & why does she seem to be cooperating w/ the others?
* Did Karl go down w/ the tail section & if so, how did he meet Alex?
* Where are the children?

[freckles]

@Justin-
i know, i know. but ppl started calling me freckles and it stuck. the collage was a bunch of stuff from lost- the crashing airplane, the dharma logo, oceanic logo..kate and jack kissing....;)

@Joop
we're finding out about cindy and the kids in not the feb. 7th "premiere", but the next episode on feb.14th.

[Joop]

@ freckles
more waiting?!
#*!"

[Tahir]

Happy new Year All.

I didn't expect a new podcast so soon so this is a bonus.

@Jur - 100% agree with you.More adventure and mystery and
less soap.I saw all of season 1 again recently and it
was fantastic.I saw why this show grabbed me by the balls
in the first place.

[Matthew]

Phew! Its finally coming back. Its been gone so long I think I've begun to forget how much I love (and miss) both the show and the podcast.

[Vaibhav]

Woo Hoo!! Thats great news (the podcast this weekend)...

Regarding Character deaths:
I don't think the Micheal emerson interview is a "spoiler"... the guy just said what he's afraid of... he didn't (and probably isn't legally allowed to) reveal anything factual... in fact, I think he was throwing the obvious red herring...

I hate it when any of the characters die.. and not just on moral grounds (hehehe)... character exit just reduces the scope of the show...

Does anyone think the show got better after Micheal/Ana/Libby/Eko got sent to that great hatch in the sky? All three.. especially Ana and Eko and Micheal were great characters... their back stories were exhausted (not even that in Libby's case) but there was so much scope for the REALLY good stuff... namely what these characters would do on the island as the focus shifts from their backgrounds to their present situations...

Regarding the upcoming podcast:
Talk about the story of the show, not about the show itself... all this talk about ratings, writers, actors seems like a waste to moi...

The best episodes/podcasts are the ones which raise the possibility of theorising... for eg: who was Karl anyway? a Taily? an Other? an Other Other? an Other Other Other? (I'll stop now).

[riiverfr0zen]

Can we have a discussion about archetypes? If anything, Lost is made up of extended archetype characters. The writer's expansions on these archetypes is, in my opinion, what is really interesting about the show. Fleshing out archetypes, shall we say. What are the techniques to do so. What are 'tricks of the trade', shall we say, that aspiring writers may learn from when dealing with treating achetypal characters?

[frankmorris]

@ riverfr0zen

That's what I miss are the character conflicts like between Jack & Locke aka man of science, man of faith.
It' still not clear what Ben & Juliet are about.

[Chris in OIy]

Hello-

ooking at the discussions of which character some would like to see go and archetypes in general, leads me to ask a quesiton about the characters on the show in general.

The first season of Lost seemed very heavy on the characters, testing them and introducing them, and it seemed to be mostly a character driven show, with people reacting to events based upon their developing characters. I would say it was very character driven plots.

Then, in the second season and the start of the third season, the show seemed to become event driven - with characters reacting in a kinda random way to the events that did not seem to be consistent with their developed characters anymore. While I know in listening to the podcasts with the producers, they explained it as growth, but then falling back into old habbits. And while that may be realistic in some ways, I am not too thrilled with this. It seems random reactions to random events is the way the plots are going now.

Any thoughts on this would be interesting...

CHRIS

[Conor]

@Chris

I agree with you whole-heartidly. What you just described is my basic reasoning for wanting jack and/or Kate to bekilled off. In Season 1, the backstories for these main characters were xciting and new. They helped to develop the islanders and allowed us to be intrigued about how their pasts would affect their moral decision-making on the island. We didn't know any of these characters yet, so even the semi-repetitive flashbacks were always sure to give us at least another dimension of the character. At tis point, we know about these characters' personalities and ho they react to different events. Their backstories have gotten kind of old because the info that they supply about the characters is either useless, dull, or nonexistent. Therefore, it sees that the creators could give the show more of its original glory by shoing us more interesting backstories of more mysterious characters, even familiar regulars like Locke. For that reason, I hope that at least two of my top fivecharacters to kill die before the end of the season, preferrably Jack and Paulo.

Stay LOST

[Conor]

Sorry about my misspellings. I'm typing on a bad keyboard.

[Anna]

SPOILER

I'm sure you'll all be happy to hear that Paulo won't be returning after the break.. I read this on spoilerfix.com if you want more info... I don't know if this includes Nikki or not. I honestly wouldn't mind seeing more of her.

END SPOILER

[OPPinoy]

Icestorm? I'll give you a little tip. Do your podcast indoors. LOL I can't wait for the second half of the season, and the resuming of your great podcasts.

[Justin (AKA Locke Junior)]

I can't believe that there is any ice in Texas - the place is too mild for it.

@ Anna - well there you go the writers do listen to the fans! - but I would steer clear of that horrible site.

[riiverfr0zen]

Watch the opening of S03E01 again - you think that dude - Adam - who's whining at Juliette kinda sounds like Larry David? Also, 'Downtown', the song - there was a very, shall we say, precise examination of it in a Seinfeld episode. Amusing. Meaningless, yes, trivia, yes - but amusing.

Why do they open season 1 showcasing Juliette's very human 'flaws', when, as we hear of spoilers, she is going to shoot someone very straightforwardly, very methodically? Someone who burns their fingers baking cookies can also shoot a paralyzing dart at a Sawyer type character. So cool.

[Justin (AKA Locke Junior)]

There is another Lost moment video - this is pretty much similar to the other ones. Only Charlie and Hurley -funny, but nothing spoilerish.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3JEJySRgcE

[riiverfr0zen]

err, season 3, i meant

[riiverfr0zen]

@Justin - LOL - That was literally one of the gayest things I've seen in some time.

[seabee]

Happy new year guys.Great podcast by the way. I got a Potential Spoiler for you:

JJ Abrams was interviewed on Sky News (in Ireland & the UK) recently and the interviewer asked him straight up what the island was and he told him all he can say is that its the white hot room.

[Jon W]

General concensus, Paulo must die a horrible and painful death death, hopefully much more graphic than Eko's death, that is if they use Smokey to kill him. This view seems to be shared by a lot of people on a lot of forums. Shouldnt the writers take some hints from this?

Jon

[Justin (AKA Locke Junior)]

I want Paulo to say - 'It's not my fault my part is so lame, it's the writers!', when the blood is leaking out of his eyes and the odd limb ripped from his body. No I want him to be a torso only - no limbs!

[riiverfr0zen]

I still don't get it. Why do people hate Paulo and Nikki so much? What is this, some masonic temple where any new introductions are smoothly processed toward the abbatoir? "Hey you don't belong here, Mr. Brazillian idol. This is a show about a bald dude and his plane crash buddies."

[Nimrod]

On the subject of Nicki and Paolo: Not that I like them in any particurlar way yet, but seriously: it is stupid to hate a character that we don't know anything about yet. They are as of now totally undeveloped characters in the show, and there's no way for us to say anything about them (apart from the fact that Paolo is arrogant and Nicki is observant). The way these two are introduced is just a way for Damon and Carlton to poke us with a stick and make us look stupid when it turns out that they actually are both important and cool. That's my theory.

In general I find it amazing how much people prefer to criticize the writers for not developing the show the way we want, rather than actually trying to figure out where they're going with it. After all: if they are such lousy writers, how come they're writers for our favorite show, while we're just sitting here blurting out stuff on a message board?

Love your work, guys. Keep up the positive spirit and the intelligent way of running a podcast.

n

[Jur]

@ riiverfr0zen

Its not that I hate them, but I didn't liked the way they were introduced. Like they were there all the time. Which they didn't. And I should know. I watched season 1 and 2 again.....

[Mark B]

I don't like P&N either but they were there all the time we just never saw them. Locke, Jack, Sawyer, Kate etc did and we are meant to assume they interacted on some level. I didn't like the instant way they were introduced and it could have been done better. Given the situation it's going to be pretty hard to introduce new Lostaways and make it see like they've been there all the time .... unless they have another crash.

Didn't Lindeloff and Cuse say in one of the official podcasts they (P&N) have a bigger part to play in the second half of this season ? Or am I making that up.

[Sarah]

about LOST Moments 9: Charlie doesn't have a beard! What the heck is up with that?! Did they find a razor or something? Or maybe he just used a knife. But if had been growing that beard for so long why would he choose NOW to shave it off? now he looks ... i don't know... un-Charlie-like.

[riiverfr0zen]

He looks rougher without the beard than with it. How odd.

[riiverfr0zen]

I like Paulo and Nikki. Obviously the point is that, in this story, they *were* there all the time. Okay - so, we didn't actually see it - but hey - there's also not really an island somewhere, containing lost people. There is no 'Oceanic Airlines', and no Dharma Initiative.

The reason I like them is - they provide a new set of eyes through which we can view events in the island. More eyes, more better. Something like that.

"Wow - it really doesn't *feel* like Paulo or Nikki were *really there* in Season One".

Please.

[Vaibhav]

Hating Paulo and Nikki is just about the stupidest thing I've heard of! if you don't know anything about them then whats there to hate??
I suppose it would have been fun if they had just stumbled in one day and claimed they were the two passengers sitting RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PLANE and hence had been wandering off on their own all this while!
Come on! if they were there they were there, whats with the "I wish him a cruel death" stuff?!

[Jon W]

@ The people that like Paulo and Nikki
I just dont see the point in introducing new characters out of the blue into the famillier circle of castaways that we already have. If they had been slowly broken in and not quickly slapped onto our screens with no prior referance. They were probably brought brought in to replace the likes of Micheal/Eko/Anna Lou Lou/Libby etc, I hope they turn out to become very good characters and my concerns proved wrong, but on first impressions, this is a bad move by the writers.

Jon

[Tahir]

I'm not getting all this hating Paulo and Nikki too.

Look how Artz(?) was introduced.He was just there,standing
by the boat one day shouting instructions - no one complained then.

[Joni]

Why is it so hard to accept that Paolo and Nikki have been there along? We are constantly seeing people just roaming around in the background.

Honestly, I didn't care for Sun and Jin (when he was just bossing her around on the beach) or Sawyer (when he was fighting with Sayid).

Then we saw the backstories and all the sudden we have 'real' people with depth.

Now, they are three great characters. So I am willing to let the writers show us what they got. I mean, they had to have some intentions when adding characters.

[musepsycho]

Re: Update

Hey, if the last few months have taught anything, it´s that we can be patient when we have to! Looking forward to next weekend´s podcast!

m

[Joop]

I think the 'hatred' of Paulo & Niki is'nt so much their introduction into the story so much as the fact that they're so good looking.
Pualo looks like he just walked off the cover of GQ & Nikki off the runway.
It's hard to believe that most of our already known & loved losties are hunks & babes, but hey that's show biz.
Arnzt was kinda funny looking (& annoying) & look what happend to him.
I think it's only fair that Paulo & Nikki make a small contribution to the plot.......then die.

[Jon W]

@ Tahir

You have a point however nobody complained about Artzt because he died almost instantly in a quite entertaining manner (Not to be too harsh)

@ Joop

I think that is why I cant get on with Paulo and Nikki, when you cast 'The Brazilian Tom Cruise' and an actress best suited for Baywatch to play roles of castaways on desert Island it is kinda a shock to the system, But I didnt like Hurley at first but he definatley grew on me

Jon

[Justin (AKA Locke Junior)]

arrww crap - I was looking forward to it! - Oh well next week it is

[Cark In The Uk]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrXwYy4KC98 New Promo for you guys! Dont worry about the podcast we will still be here when its ready :)

[Anna]

alright here's a thought unrelated to paulo and nikki...
i think that desmond is going to keep having premonitions about the death of claire and will keep trying to save her. (the lightning rod, her drowning in one of the lost moments...) it will be kind of a final destination type thing where death is just going to keep coming for her and desmond is the only one who can stop it. but i have a feeling that he can't keep stopping it and we'll see her death this season...

[Joni]

After watching that promo link, it definitely sounds like Desmond keeps seeing the death of someone. It almost sounded as if he was going to say Charlie.

I love all of our Losties in a different way and there isn't one I really would like to see die. Even Charlie, I enjoy his dry wit. Even more, I like his relationship with Claire.

To me the core group is Jack, Kate, Sawyer, Charlie, Claire, Sayid, Sun, Jin, Locke, and Hurley. Those are the people we have the most background on. The writers took time to show us who those people are.

Boone & Shannon we barely got to know. With Eko, we were given alot of backstory in what 2(?) episodes. Same with Ana Lucia.

All that's left is Rose, Bernard, Nikki, & Paolo.

Desmond doesn't really sit as a core character to me, but he is definitely developing.

[Joop]

@ Jon W
Yeah, Hurley is an example of a great character, Locke is another, who aren't the traditional 'sex symbol' yet they are hugely interesting & compelling.
Arnzt was interesting to, I think his entrance from the background was seemless because he addressed it himself. He kept going on & on about not getting to go on all the adventures & not being in the 'in group' or 'club'.
His ultimate demise was so funny because he wouldn't shut the f--k up.

[Amanda]

Eek! "At the Television Critics Association tour, ''Lost'' producers Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof say talks are underway about a series finale..." from Entertainment Weekly...

http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20008549,00.html

The producers spoke at one point (on the official podcast, I believe) about it running for 5-6 seasons...this sounds a little sooner than that. Like, next year sooner.

[riiverfr0zen]

Thanks Amanda, very interesting ... although I think it still sounds like it could be 5-6 seasons. They're just saying they want to make a commitment to an actual endpoint, citing what J.K. Rowling has done with the Harry Potter series. Sounds more like a good thing than bad.

[Nando]

The end is near...

"In a highly unusual move for a broadcast series, ABC and the producers of "Lost" are in discussions to determine an end date for the show."

Read more...
http://www.tvweek.com/news.cms?newsId=11372

[Cihan]

Yeah, I've been reading about that too in Variety:

http://tinyurl.com/yglbfk

Stand-out quotes:

"According to Lost exec producer Carlton Cuse, picking an end date for Lost would help the show's creative team to map the next several seasons as they plot the show's thick mythology."

"Cuse suggested the show could end once it hits 100 episodes in season five (Lost is currently shooting episode 62). But it's far more likely that Lost would continue at least through its seventh season, when the show's thesps' current contracts expire."

"As for this year's split Lost season, McPherson said the net would run all 22 episodes of Lost straight through next year, perhaps starting in midseason (a la '24')."

Good stuff.

[Cihan]

I read about ice storms in the USA. Take care people.

[musepsycho]

An unfinished thought about the Flame station

Listening to an old podcast (#7 ...and found) there was some discussion about "the Apollo connection." The swan, the arrow, the staff, the pearl and the hydra are all connected to greek and roman mythology. What just struck me was the story about Prometheus (a Titan) who stole the fire (representing wisdom, arts and crafts) from the gods and gave it to the humans. I just want to throw this seed out there: will the Flame station reveal something really crucial to understand what the *bleep* is going on? Or are these clues only loosely tied to the whole plot?

I don´t construct intricate theories myself, but it would be interesting to hear someone else revisit this whole ancient mythology connection...

m

[John]

Once again you fuckers leave us high and dry. Now we're using weather as an excuse? How do you assholes even get through life? Does mommy still fold your laundry and pack you a lunch? Go to hell. Cuntcake.

[Jon W]

Back @ Joop

@ Jon W

To be honest I like think the characters that are not the typical 'hollywood sex symbol', on the whole have the better back stories. I think if Paulo was introduced in a simillar fashion, there was a hint at it with 'You always complain about not being included...nows our chance' but I think it still ruffled too many feathers with it all happening so fast.

Jon

[Nash]

I think news about setting an end date is awesome! You definitely don't want to have a mysterious show come to an abrupt end without being explained (e.g. Carnivale). Nor do you want to drag on past what the creators intended (e.g. X-Files). If they committed to 5 or 6 seasons I think the writing could be a lot stronger and they could better plan out how the mysteries get revealed.

I'm also very excited about next season being a continuous block like 24. Remember the good old days when all television shows did that? It seems like a such a luxury nowadays with all this sweeps nonsense.

I also wish we had something more interesting than Paulo and Nicki to talk about during the break. What annoys me more than anything is the pathetic lines they keep getting. I don't think most people would mind their good lucks if they didn't sound so useless most of the time. At least Artz was a teacher and knew something about dynamite (although not enough for his own sake).

[Cihan]

Regarding the planning of the show until season 7 (according to Variety anyway), the fact of the matter is, that there are a whole range of things exterior to the writing process that can change the direction of the story: cast members dying (God forbid!), location problems, financial difficulties, etc, etc, so I dont think we should all suddenly feel relieved that there is going to be a coherent grand unified theory uncovered before our eyes. This press release seems to be more of an effort to placate fans who dont know any better. (you know, the ones who whine alot but keep watching)

Its encouraging that there is talk of an end date, but there is only so much the writers can plan ahead, I'm sure they've already planned the ending but its just a mission getting to it in one piece.

Personally I think 7 seasons is still too long, Cuse's suggestion of ending at episode 100 sounds good.

[Matt Jones]

I know I said I would never acknowledge Evil John again, but credit where credit is due. Cuntcake – Bravo sir. Bravo.

[riiverfr0zen]

Cihan -you're right - the process of putting a tv series together is so massive, you can't expect everything to happen as planned. However, what setting an endpoint does is, at least, provide some concrete rails - some direction and context.

There are a few precedents. The earliest one I can remember, at least on TV, is Babylon 5. The show was planned, from the start, to run 5 seasons - and it really shows in terms of story arcs, character development, and so on - evern though at first it didn't seem so much.

Of course, even, in the course of the series, the creators had to make changes to story arcs, because of things like actors leaving, changing distributors, and so on. For example - after the second season, they even changed the lead actor/character! Despite this, and I think because of the prior contextual set up, they managed to pull of a show that is even now hailed as one of the best space sci-fi shows ever made.

I think whether the announcement was made to placate fans is kind of moot - it was something that should have been done earlier, if anything. Of course, it will stop some of their bickering, but more importantly, I feel, it becomes a promise by the creators to end it the right way - and a statement of their commitment to fans. Pushing networks for such an endpoint is no small effort, I imagine.

[Scott]

is that anything like a "Bunt cake"?

[Cihan]

riiverfr0zen, I wonder if the reason for this announcement was because of low viewing figures of Lost this season? Channels like ABC surely dont usually make announcements like this, do they? They either milk a show as long as its raking in viewers ala X-Files or they just cancel it without any respect for the producers or fans, ala Day Break. Lost seems to be teetering between the two extemes, its a lucrative runaway smash hit but so confounding it threatens to push its viewers away nearly every episode.

[Mark B]

Call me a heretic but didn't I hear Jack on J&Js last or last but one podcast reading an interview with Lindelhoff from some magazine or other saying that he(and none of the other PTB)had ever said the the show was originally intended to last 5 seasons and now it would probably go on for much longer as abc would milk it for all it was worth (or words to that effect).

Now we get this 100 episodes or 7 seasons comment.

We are in season 3 and will have had almost 70 episodes by the end. To finish in another 30 episodes would be quick but another 100+ would surely be too many.

[sam]

@Amanda
Thanks for the link, but if they kept yp their same rate of shows (21-22 per season) then they would finish after 5 seasons because he said that he wanted to end after about 100 eip's. So don't worry, LOST will be around for another 2 3/4 seasons. Were not done yet!!!!

Stay LOST,
Sam

[frankmorris]

Whatever the writers want is fine w/ me. They've compained before about pressure from the network, I just hope we get an endgame w/ full artistic integrity intact.

Wow, massive discussion on Paulo & Nikki, it will be interesting to see how they fit into the plot, but I think they wear the proverbial 'red shirts'.

What I'm really looking forward to is the outside the island angle. How/if/when Penelope will find Desmond.
Desmonds love for Penelope & conflict w/ Whitmore is more interesting to me than his new found abilities (which is saying alot) it will be fascinating to see those story arcs fit together.

Also patchy promises to be a big player. I hope it's Radinski (sp?). He could provide alot of information about the Dharma initiative.

Anyway, it's cool about the postponement, better safe than sorry.

[Marty]

So is there a definitive answer yet on when they're ending it? Is it at the end of the seventh season? I think it should be five or six max...

I heard Paulo is off the show by the end of the season. Hopefully that is true. I don't know if that's a spoiler or not because who knows if its true. But that would be the right thing to do considering he sucks.

[Marty]

So is there a definitive answer yet on when they're ending it? Is it at the end of the seventh season? I think it should be five or six max...

I heard Paulo is off the show by the end of the season. Hopefully that is true. I don't know if that's a spoiler or not because who knows if its true. But that would be the right thing to do considering he sucks.

[riiverfr0zen]

@Cihan - It seemed more like the attempt at pushing for the endpoint came from the writers, rather than the network - at least how it was reported. I think it is very feasible that the writers manifest entirely different interests than the networks themselves. Of course, we can't know what's going on inside, but if it is true that the *writers* are pushing for the endpoint, then I think we can be more confident that it is being done for the right reasons.

Why was the announcement made now instead of before? Well, it may be that, as you said earlier, they are trying to placate viewers - but on the other hand, it is also likely that this is a result of *listening* to viewer complaints, and reacting positively to it. Unlike my example above of Babylon 5, the writers/producers of Lost didn't come into the arrangement *knowing* there would be 5 seasons. But perhaps now they see that a fixed number is the best way to go.

[Tahir]

I really hope LOST does end at some point but I really do
get the feeling that, if, after 6 or 7 seasons the viewing
figures are still high ABC will insist it carries on.With
different writers and producers if need be.

Also I noticed Lost didn't get any Golden Globes - not that I expected it to.

[Cihan]

@riiverfr0zen - The reason I mention the channel more than the writers is because writers rarely ever get their way in Hollywood, they are the most unappreciated people ever, and the article in question mentions:

"ABC Entertainment prexy Steve McPherson said discussions about the endgame for "Lost" are ongoing, but no plan has been identified as yet."

Which signals to me that it is still a case of the writers being told what they can or cant do with the series. Its less about the 'right reasons' or listening to viewers than it is a shrewd business maneuver to keep consumers who are invested in the show (and fans from the start who are considering giving up) for a while longer before they all drop like flies. In my cynical world-weary eyes anyway.

[Nash]

Summary of an interesting interview of Carlton Cuse and JJ Abrams by Jimmy Kimmel. Contains some spoilerish material.

http://www.lostblog.net/lost/tv/show/an-evening-with-lost-questions-and-theories

[WeakLemonDrink]

I think this is excellent news. The fact that’s such an unprecedented occurrence and that the writers are actually confident enough to be so candid about it all in front of the press is a good sign, I think. ABC obviously know the value in having a show that has high level of good feeling towards it right up to the final season, and I’m sure 200 episodes worth of repeats will keep the money coming in nicely for them.

We do need to be cautious, though, as even with the previously cited Babylon 5 example, threatened cancellation can throw a spanner in the works, and Lost wont be immune to that, either, even if an end game *has* been agreed.

[Christian]

Hi all:

I too see the discussion of when the show will end as a positive. First off, there's a history of great shows calling it quits before they "jump the shark," and this usually means a lifespan of no more than 5-6 seasons. At this point, people - namely writers - get lured away by other projects and the overall quality starts to tank (see "Friends").

Second, it allows Abramoff and company to keep focused on a meaningful trajectory. The worst possible scenario would be for them to have to add filler to stretch out a contract obligation. Also, I think the network has osmething at stake here with regard to respect for quality stories. It would be nice to think they have enough common sense to realize it's better to put one great series to bed before it goes south and focus on something new than it is to milk one project too long, and hence alienate a potential fanbase for the next show.

And yes, though 22 consecutive episodes next season will likely mean a longer wait, I'd definitely prefer a seamless season over all of this stop-and-start nonsense.

[Mark B]

Well being cynical perhaps Lindeloff and Cuse are making it clear to the public that they want LOST to end on a high after 5 to 7 episodes and are pointing the finger at abc early in the game to show they are not the ones dragging LOST down. Of course this assumes that LOST will last 7 seasons and won't die sooner -- which I don't think it will. As Cihan said this could be a ploy to get people to watch it as there are only 3 1/2 seasons left !

I wonder if they are considering a final season off island to show what happens to the LOSTaways after everyone has been rescued, perhaps throw in some investigation of Dharma/Widmore rather than having a single episode or even a single scene of them being rescued and never really knowing what happens after -- kind of a sequel.

I'm not sure LOST would work as a repeat show. It really needs to be watched in order unlike other shows (Stargate, Star Trek, ER, House etc) when you can watch odd episodes in any order and still have a story told in a single episode.

[riiverfr0zen]

@Cihan: I think you have to look at the entire article(s - there are two posted up there), including the comments by the writers, and not just McPherson, whose remark appears to be in response to what the writers said.

It is precisely *because* writers are generally powerless that I find news of the endpoint more, shall we say, heartening. Also, you have to remember that unlike most shows, Lost's internal workings are the subject of unprecedented scrutiny by a large audience. This combined with the louder voice lended to contemporary TV writers/producers (Lost podcasts, BSG podcast by Ronald Moore, etc. etc.) I think may change things a little in terms of 'who has a say'.

Of course, I'm not saying they have all that much power, but perhaps a little more than they used to.

[Cihan]

Ah, we can only hope writers get a bit more power, riiverfr0zen. :)

But not too much. You give anyone too much power and everything goes to hell in a handbasket, this applies to the creative arts just as aptly as it does to politics. :D

[Chris]

Hi, I found out the info for you guys on the case of the missing mobisodes: http://www.wizarduniverse.com/television/lost/003056387.cfm

Would really have been nice to have them to tide us all over.

[riiverfr0zen]

@Cihan: "Who ARE you people?"

:)

[Daffs]

http://uk.tv.ign.com/articles/755/755527p1.html

Lindelof seems to be pointing towards 4 or 5 seasons.
I hope this is true, 4 feels like just the right amount to me.

[Cihan]

HBO has announced they're adapting George RR Martin's 'A Song of Ice and Fire' series, with each novel to be a season. Consider me shocked and pleased. Even though I have yet to read the series which is in my room staring at me, but I've read many a good thing about it.

Good times for US TV. By the way, what do you guys think of the rumour that Lost will end with a movie? I dont like the idea much myself, infact it seems pretty pointless when they could just do a 2 hour TV special.

[Justin - AKA John Locke Jnr]

@Chris

yeah they would be great - but it looks like the actors wouldn't want to do extra work than they have already got. Just think of it as overtime for them!

[Nash]

Interesting interview with Lindelof:
http://tv.ign.com/articles/755/755527p1.html

"This show is about people who are metaphorically lost in their lives, who get on an airplane, and crash on an island, and become physically lost on the planet Earth. And once they are able to metaphorically find themselves in their lives again, they will be able to physically find themselves in the world again. When you look at the entire show, that’s what it will look like. That’s what it’s always been about."

[riiverfr0zen]

Eww ... a Lost movie ending the series ... yuk. Remember that X-Files movie - like watching tv in a theater - somehow didn't sit right.

@Mark B: Yeah, I don't think that Lost would suit the conventional syndicated rerun model very well - however, they can easily repackage the content as a 'special' mini-series to be run whenever.

@Nash: Ha ha - Lindeloff must have a very amusing idea of 'physically finding oneself' if as soon as you resolve your life problems, you physically die ;) Or (more seriously), perhaps those who have died are those who failed in their lives to the point of never being able to find themselves?

[riiverfr0zen]

Btw, that's an awesome interview - many things to ponder.

[Vaibhav]

Q: Is it hard to keep track of the fact that for the characters, so little time has passed, while we've been watching it for years?

Lindelof: No, in fact it's going to become a huge part of the storytelling in season three; that sort of disconnect. We felt the need to remind the audience that was in fact the case with the Red Sox game, and just basically say, 'Here on the island it's just November of 2004.' You know, we just sort of passed Thanksgiving. Here in the world we're actually three years beyond that, so this is something that we're not only keeping track of, but writing towards for sort of a very major shake up coming.

Com'on! thats gotta mean Time goes slower on the Island!
Walt's gonna be back sometime... and he's gonna ask about girls!

[frankmorris]

.......I think the idea that Penny is looking for Desmond seemingly, is something that comes into play very significantly in the eighth episode of the show.......

'seemingly'?

*pondering*

[Nash]

LOST - The Mobile Game
http://www.gameloft.com/lost-mobile-game/

From the website:
Try to save the lives of passengers at the accident site, set up a camp, learn to live among the rest of the group, explore the jungle, hunt, witness unexplained phenomena, and avoid the bizarre traps scattered around this hostile environment. In a word: survive...

That's exactly what the official game of the series Lost gives you the chance to do.

Relive the unbelievable epic of the missing passengers of flight 815 through the eyes of Jack, the charismatic hero of this adventure.

The official mobile game providing total immersion into the world of Lost, with a storyline created by the team behind the series!

[Waiting for LOST]

I'm not counting but 20 days to go to LOST.

Does anyone know if there are any plans to show a one hour "last time on LOST" type catch-up before the show on 7th Feb or will I have to wade through the full six hours I have on my Tivo again 8-) ?

[Kris]

I wonder if the "very major shake up coming" that Lindelof is talking about is the tsunami. If we've just passed Thanksgiving 2004 in Lost time, it would only be about a month off. Especially with the island's probable location. Just a thought.

[Cark In The Uk]

"Jeff Jensen, an EW senior writer, informed his readers that he was given a screener of "Not in Portland." Here's what he has to say of what he saw in the episode:

1. The first line in the episode is ''Hello,'' and it is uttered by one of the most menacing and mysterious characters in the Lost verse.

2. If you want to get a head start on the homework you'll be doing after watching the episode, investigate the following: Edmund Burke, A Clockwork Orange, and A Brief History of Time.

3. For the second straight episode, there is a fleeting yet conspicuous reference to the name ''Jacob.'' This time, the context is decidedly religious.

4. According to recent statements by the producers, and per the timeline that's been suggested in the show, the events that are currently transpiring in Lost are taking place in late November 2004, possibly very early December 2004. At the end of ''Not In Portland,'' a character reveals the exact amount of time that he/she has been on the island. When you do the math, you will get an Estimated Date that comes suspiciously close to the exact date of an infamous, real-world catastrophe. Coincidence?

Jeff Jensen goes on saying, "Anyway. Something to whet your appetite. Mere crumbs, I know. If you want meatier teases, I'm sure you can go to other websites and find looser lips. But I would encourage you to be patient. The episode is worth the wait, and worth discovering for yourself. "

I certainly can hardly wait. Three more weeks and the show will begin. I don't know about other LOST fans, but I certainly find this hiatus one of the longest wait ever. And when I see a promo about LOST on ABC, I realize how much I miss the show. Here's hoping that I will find, as Jeff did, the episode worth waiting for. I can honestly say that the wait is just killing me"

Source: http://www.ew.com/

[Mark B]

From Item 4 in Carl in the UK's post:

"At the end of "Not In Portland," a character reveals the exact amount of time that he/she has been on the island. When you do the math, you will get an Estimated Date that comes suspiciously close to the exact date of an infamous, real-world catastrophe."

Obvious speculation: Juliett 9/11/01

[WaitingforLOST]

Just heard on Jay and Jack podcast that there is going to be a "clip" show prior to the 7th Feb epiosode. They really didn't like the idea.

[WeakLemonDrink]

> Obvious speculation: Juliett 9/11/01

Why, what happened on the 9th of November 2001?

lol, etc.