Monsters of Television

“I don’t trust myself.”

So the buzz has died down a bit on Lost‘s return (except at the ABC promo department), it feels like time to start evaluating what the flash sideway offers as a narrative device. Even before the episode started, I had two things written down:

1. Run away. That’s what Kate does.
2. First challenge of flash sideways is to make characters we already know amazingly interesting. Develop Kate beyond “she runs.”

Because that’s the challenge the show faces with this new device. The flashbacks had become redundant (“Jack must save everyone.” “Sayid must come to terms with his past.” “Kate runs.” “Everyone has father issues.”) and were losing their narrative, and emotional, heft. While I think the flash sideways present an opportunity for interesting narrative moves, and this episode does make a few, I do worry that, thematically, they may potentially feel old hat.

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“I’m sorry you had to see me like that.”

“Nothing is irreversible.”

Oh, Lost, how I missed you.

So many many many many things occurred over two hours (that had they been spread out of over 2 weeks, I might’ve felt less enthralled by the narrative and philosophical gymnastics the show is engaging in right now) that thinking about where to begin just seems daunting. I felt as if I would need my own ash circle (exactly like what they had around Jacob’s cabin! (at least initially!)) to keep my brain from exploding. But it’s exploding in good ways, ways that make clear why Lost is such great television, why Lost can deliver those one-two punches of humor (Hurley) and sadness (Juliet) and still mix in its beats of destiny and choice and some neat action sequences.

Did I mention that I missed this show? Read more »

Spurred on by James Poniewozik over at Time, and a desire to satisfy a Lost entry hankering, I’ve compiled my favorite episodes.

They’re not ranked (though I will tell you that “The Constant” is probably the single best hour of television that show has produced) because that would involve re-watching a number of these episodes, and I don’t have the time! As a result, I’m grouping the episdes by season. Read more »