2 years ago Since the beginning of televised drama, there was always a pattern: Shows dealt with a topic each week, and then moved on to the next one. This was done in order to not confuse viewers (in an era before time-shifting and binge-watching) with over-arching plotlines and to play well in syndication when the main run was over. The X-files was one of the first shows to break that formula, but even then the majority of its episodes were "monster of the week" variety. In 2004, however, LOST premiered and smashed all preconceived notions of what televised drama could do.
In a nutshell, LOST tells the story of a group of people who survived a plane crash and now find themselves on a deserted island, with little chance for rescue. But this isn't just your run-of-the-mill island, as is made clear on the first night when a dinosaur-sounding monster is heard in the jungle. Not long after, a polar bear is spotted, along with a French woman broadcasting an SOS,, a metal hatch buried deep in the ground, and a mysterious band of "Others" that seem to lurk on the periphery of everything. Obviously, the island is not as "innocent" as it would seem.
Besides what is happening on the island, though, the stories of selected survivors (the main cast) are told in flashback formula, adding to the emotional drama. It is revealed how certain characters wound up on the plane to begin with, and the undercurrent beneath every flash-back implies that each "Lostie" is somehow connected to each other, perhaps having been "brought" to their mysterious island for a particular reason. During this first season, these flashbacks are easily given as much time and emotional weight as the island events themselves, and this situation plays for the better.
Perhaps more than any season of television i've ever seen, this one literally has "something for everyone" in terms of characters and storytelling. Whereas future seasons might weed out viewers who are looking for more relatable or "general" drama, this first season is a perfect blend of action, adventure, mystery, and emotion. With the exception of homeland's first season, this is maybe the best introductory slate of episodes ever put on the small screen.
To conclude, LOST is the perfect blend of emotional drama, intense action, and mind-bending mystery. This first season primarily serves to introduce the important characters (through the ingenious flash-back method) and scratch the surface of the mysteries the island has to offer. By producing basically a mini-movie every week, Bad robot productions (led by JJ Abrams) and the showrunning duo of Damon Lindelof & Carleton Cuse changed what network tv could offer.
In a nutshell, LOST tells the story of a group of people who survived a plane crash and now find themselves on a deserted island, with little chance for rescue. But this isn't just your run-of-the-mill island, as is made clear on the first night when a dinosaur-sounding monster is heard in the jungle. Not long after, a polar bear is spotted, along with a French woman broadcasting an SOS,, a metal hatch buried deep in the ground, and a mysterious band of "Others" that seem to lurk on the periphery of everything. Obviously, the island is not as "innocent" as it would seem.
Besides what is happening on the island, though, the stories of selected survivors (the main cast) are told in flashback formula, adding to the emotional drama. It is revealed how certain characters wound up on the plane to begin with, and the undercurrent beneath every flash-back implies that each "Lostie" is somehow connected to each other, perhaps having been "brought" to their mysterious island for a particular reason. During this first season, these flashbacks are easily given as much time and emotional weight as the island events themselves, and this situation plays for the better.
Perhaps more than any season of television i've ever seen, this one literally has "something for everyone" in terms of characters and storytelling. Whereas future seasons might weed out viewers who are looking for more relatable or "general" drama, this first season is a perfect blend of action, adventure, mystery, and emotion. With the exception of homeland's first season, this is maybe the best introductory slate of episodes ever put on the small screen.
To conclude, LOST is the perfect blend of emotional drama, intense action, and mind-bending mystery. This first season primarily serves to introduce the important characters (through the ingenious flash-back method) and scratch the surface of the mysteries the island has to offer. By producing basically a mini-movie every week, Bad robot productions (led by JJ Abrams) and the showrunning duo of Damon Lindelof & Carleton Cuse changed what network tv could offer.