Customer Reviews

Lost Season 1

5 star:		(686)
4 star:		(67)
3 star:		(30)
2 star:		(15)
1 star:		(30)

 

 

It is too early to state for certain just how good LOST is compared to the great shows in television history, but by the highest possible standards its first season has to stand out as one of the great seasons in the history of the medium. Season One of LOST was not merely good but great television, and not merely great television but great narrative storytelling. But the impact of LOST goes completely beyond its aesthetic success. Along with another show on ABC (albeit one that I do not care for), DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES, LOST has managed to cause the prodigiously stupid television execs to realize that there is a huge demand for quality scripted television. After years of an endless string of simply awful reality shows, all of the networks suddenly want shows that are written ahead of time and feature casts of actual actors. Although final schedules have not yet been announced, it looks as if the 2005-2006 season is going to have both a dramatic decrease in reality shows and an increase in scripted shows. The stunning success of LOST has played a major role in this sea change.

We have in recent years seen genre shows that were huge hits with critics and managed to generate a passionate cult following. Probably no show was more critically praised than BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER (with hordes of high brow critics preferring it to more respectable hit series like THE SOPRANOS), but at its peak it managed only a small audience. LOST has generated critical praise almost as strong as BUFFY, a core of fans nearly as passionate, but unlike BUFFY managed absolutely stunning ratings. It is one of the few instances in recent television history where what is arguably the best show on TV also managed among the strongest ratings. In fact, LOST would be considered a cult show based on the number of websites that it has inspired and the passion of the fans, except that the ratings instead make it a mainstream hit.

Who would have thought that a series dealing with plane crash survivors on a most unusual island would have been this successful? Before it debuted I remember people joking that it sounded like GILLIGAN'S ISLAND without the humor. But it ended up matching or surpassing the most optimistic expecations, in quality as well as in ratings. The mention of ratings is not gratuitious. So many superb shows have been cancelled in recent years (FIREFLY, WONDERFALLS, DEAD LIKE ME, ANGEL) that there was even a "Save LOST" website started . . . before the show even debuted! Luckily, the ratings have made cancellation seem not only remote but impossible.

It is almost impossible to acknowledge everything that LOST does well in the space allotted here. Above all else, it is a superbly written show, not merely on an episode by episode basis, but in the way all of the episodes mesh with one another. The continuity is the best that I have seen in a long time. For instance, the first time we see one character in the show, she is rubbing her wrist. Later, we learn that she had been a prisoner of a U. S. Marshall and had obviously gotten rid of her handcuffs just before we first met her. Almost any detail like that will be dealt with at a later date. But the scripts are just as strong on character development, humor, excitement, and adventure. I do have a tiny bit of fear about Season Two: former BUFFY and ANGEL writer David Fury, who wrote many of the finest scripts of the year, including "Walkabout," which could very well win Fury an Emmy for best written episode of the year, has left LOST to work this summer on the new FOX series THE INSIDE, before joining 24 as a writer and executive producer.

My initial fear when the show started was that the central cast was perhaps too large, but it turned out to be unjustified, and the great ensemble cast is unquestionably one of the reasons for the show's success.. Yes, there are a lot of characters, and sometimes I wish some were more central than others, but the depth and power of developing the stories of a dozen characters ended up being both unique and exceptionally entertaining. Jack is the titular lead of the show, although show creator J. J. Abrams has confessed that their original idea was to have Jack assume leadership in the first couple of episodes, and then have him die off, forcing the lovely fugitive Kate become the leader for the castaways. But they quickly realized that Matthew Fox's Jack was too valuable a character to toss aside so cavalierly. If there is a second main character, it is Kate, who is performed by a remarkable newcomer, the excruciatingly beautiful Evangeline Lily, who despite virtually no prior experience (I did recently spot her in a very, very tiny role from the first season episode "Kinetic" on SMALLVILLE, where her only task is to kiss her supposed boyfriend). One of the most consistently fascinating characters is John Locke, played by Terry O'Quinn, a veteran television actor familiar to anyone who has seen shows like ALIAS, THE X-FILES, MILLENIUM, and THE WEST WING. Although he has always performed marvelously, LOST has made him a star. Every one of the major characters has his or her own set of fans. Naveen Andrews, for instance, a Londoner of Indian descent, has been a big hit playing Sayid, the former Iraqi soldier, as has Jorge Garcia as Hurley, the obese lottery winner who is as unlucky for others as he is lucky himself. And while Dominic Monaghan shared in the enormous success of THE LORD OF THE RINGS playing one of the Hobbits, he has achieved more individual success as Charlie, the heroin-addicted bass player for the fictional band Driveshaft (one hit wonders famed for their song "You All Everybody"). So rabid are the show's fans that there are websites dedicated to Driveshaft.

Structurally, the narrative shifts between the efforts of the survivors to adapt to and understand the island on which they are marooned and flashbacks that explain the personal history of each character. Some people object to this, wishing instead that they focused exclusively on the events on the island, but I think that this is wrong. If you focused merely on the events on the island, it would be only an adventure story, but through the flashbacks we learn so much about what makes the people tick that the series becomes as much a character study as an adventure. By the end of the season, we get to know the characters so well that we can anticipate how they are going to respond to even the smallest events. We learn very quickly that the island contains a host of mysteries, including invisible monsters whose location and function remain unknown until the end of the season (if we even understand them then), other inhabitants whose intentions seem both sinister and unknown, and a lone insane Frenchwoman named Danielle Rousseau. But there is not much more than we know about the island. Rousseau talks of the Black Rock, but it isn't what we expect when we finally see it. And then there is the metal doorway that Locke discovers in the middle of the jungle. How can it be opened and what lies behind the door? By the end of the season many of the mysteries are explained, but more are left open-ended.

LOST clearly has the potential to be one of the great series in the history of television. The producers are highly ambitious, but so far their execution has matched their aspirations. I read an interview with David Fury before the first episode aired in which he said they had a plot line that runs over several years, so their clearly is a well-conceived storyline. I have only one concern with the show, and that is the executive producer and creator J. J. Abrams. Although he has two prior hit shows, FELICITY and ALIAS, he has had some problems with taking his shows to higher levels. What made BUFFY so extraordinary was that each year they managed to do something new and amazing, even if some fans were disappointed by some directions it headed. But ALIAS has started to disappoint some fans by the fact that it hasn't progressed much beyond what it was in the first season. Instead of doing strikingly new things, Abrams just tends to recycle the same general storyline. And there has not been much of a payoff for all the focus on Ramaldi (for nonfans of ALIAS, a Renaissance genius whose artifacts provide much of the narrative force of the show). Abrams clearly is brilliant at conceiving and initiating great shows, but he has not yet demonstrated that he is a great finisher in the way that Joss Whedon has. I'm forever the optimist, and I believe that Abrams either will come to terms with this or the other creators and executive producers will help LOST get to a place that we will all find satisfying.

Regardless of the future, this nonetheless is one of the most remarkable rookie seasons any television series has ever enjoyed. I'll end with food for thought. THE X-FILES, BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, ANGEL, and FARSCAPE, to name just a few shows, were much better in their second and third seasons than their first. What if two years from now we are able to say the same of LOST?

"LOST" the series that took America by storm in 2004 and has since been a fan favorite today.

In 2004, the series was hyped as the latest series from J.J. Abrams who was known for his TV series "Felicity" and "Alias" and joined by a talented team which includes executive producer and writer Damon Lindelof ("Crossing Jordan"), executive producer and writer Carlton Cuse ("Nash Bridges", "The Adventures of Brisco County Jr.") , writer Jeffrey Lieber, producer Ra'uf Glasgow ("The Big Easy" and "Profiler"), Jack Bender ("Eight is Enough" and "Beverly Hills 90210'), Bryan Burke ("Alias") and Jean Higgins ("CSI: Miami") .

The series debuted on ABC in Sept. 2004 and was instantly a critically acclaimed hit as people all over the Internet would discuss and debate the circumstances of the show. Series creators would plant Easter Eggs on the TV series, on the Internet, on commercial trailers and eventually people were drawn in by the well-written dramatic thriller and sci-fi storyline, wonderful acting but the overall signs of conspiracy and mystery. The series would inspire many blogs, podcasts and so much hype that around 17-20 million people were drawn to the series each night a new episode aired.

The series won an Emmy Award for "Outstanding Drama Series" and series creator J.J. Abrams was award an Emmy in September 2005. The series also won the Writers Guild of America Awards for "Outstanding Achievement in Writing for a Dramatic Television Series", 2005 Producer Guild Awards for "Best Production" and the 2005 Director's Guild Award for "Best Direction of a Dramatic Television Program" and the "Screen Actors Guild Awards 2005' for Best Ensemble Cast.

For the first season, a total of 25 episodes aired from Sept. 2004 through May 2005. There are four episodes featured on each disc (7 Blu-ray discs total, final episode on disc 7). Here is a list of the episodes (with non-spoiler summaries) included in first season:

DISC 1:

* EPISODE 1: Pilot: Part 1 - The survivors of Oceanic Flight 815 must learn to work together and find a way to survive and wait for a rescue party. Meanwhile, Jack, Kate and Charlie go to look for the other section of a plane and discover that something bad may be living on the island.
* EPISODE 2: Pilot: Part 2 - Sayid tries to fix a transceiver. Meanwhile, Sayid and Sawyer clash.
* EPISODE 3: Tabula Rasa - The Marshal tries to warn everyone about Kate and the survivors must decide what to do with him. A Kate Austen flashback episode.
* EPISODE 4: Walkabout - The survivors must hunt for food and Locke goes boar hunting. Meanwhile, Sayid and team try to setup an antenna in hopes of a rescue. A John Locke flashback episode.

DISC 2:

* EPISODE 5: White Rabbit - The survivors need a leader. A Jack Shephard flashback episode.
* EPISODE 6: House of the Rising Sun - Jin and Michael clash. A Jin and Sun flashback episode.
* EPISODE 7: The Moth - Locke discovers Charlie's heroin addiction secret. A Charlie Pace flashback episode.
* EPISODE 8: Confidence Man - Someone attacked Sayid while he was trying to setup the antenna. They look towards Sawyer as the culprit. But is he really the culprit? A Saywer flashback episode.

DISC 3:

* EPISODE 9: Solitary - Sayid discovers a mysterious cable running through the jungle. He discovers another survivor on the island named Danielle Rousseau. A Sayid flashback episode.
* EPISODE 10: Raised by Another - Someone tried to steal Claire's baby. Meanwhile, Hurley discovers that someone in the camp is not on the flight manifest. A Claire flashback episode.
* EPISODE 11: All the Best Cowboys Have Daddy Issues - The survivors discover that there was someone on the Island that is not part of the manifest. A Jack flashback episode.
* EPISODE 12: Whatever the Case May Be - Both Sawyer and Kate discover a locked suitcase at the bottom of the lake. A Kate flashback episode.

DISC 4:

* EPISODE 13: Hearts and Minds - Shannon and Sayid are growing closer. Meanwhile, Boone and Locke make a significant discovery on the island. A Shannon flashback episode.
* EPISODE 14: Special - Michael doesn't like Walt spending so much time with Locke. A Michael and Walt flashback episode.
* EPISODE 15: Homecoming - Someone has hurt Claire and Charlie wants revenge. A Charlie flashback episode.
* EPISODE 16: Outlaws - Sawyer is attacked by a big boar and now wants to hunt it down. A Sawyer flashback episode.

DISC 5:

* EPISODE 17: ...In Translation - Sun wears her bikini in public and upsets Jin and is jealous that she may be spending time with Michael. A Jin and Sun flashback episode.
* EPISODE 18: Numbers - Hurley finds documents with the numbers that help him win the lottery (which he believes is cursed). He believes Danielle Rousseau may know the numbers, so he sets off to find her on his own. A Hurley flashback episode.
* EPISODE 19: Deus Ex Machina - Locke and Boone find a plane stuck on a cliff. A John Locke flashback episode.
* EPISODE 20: Do No Harm - While Locke and Boone look further into the plane, one of them is severely injured. A Jack flashback episode.

DISC 6:

* EPISODE 21: The Greater Good - Jack blames Locke for a death of a survivor and the two clash. A Sayid flashback episode.
* EPISODE 22: Born To Run - Sawyer reveals to the survivors of Kate's secret. A Kate flashback episode.
* EPISODE 23: Exodus Part 1 - Rousseau shows the survivors of where they can find dynamite to open the hatch. Meanwhile, Michael, Jin and Sawyer continue to work on the raft. A flashback episode of the main cast members as they leave to the airport.

DISC 7:

* EPISODE 24: Exodus Part 2 - Another Oceanic survivor dies and the group tries to carefully take their dynamite to the hatch. Flashback episodes of all main cast members on the day they are to leave for their flight are featured.
* EPISODE 25: Exodus Part 3 - While one group tries to open the hatch, Michael, Walt, Jin and Sawyer leave the island on their raft. Flashback episodes of all main cast members on the day they are to leave for their flight are featured.

"LOST" Season 1 makes its first entry to Blu-ray and similar to both Season 3 and Season 4, the Blu-ray's allow for "SeasonPlay" that allows people to watch as they go and can stop, restart where they last left off. "SeasonPlay" is optional and people can select it before watching an episode.

VIDEO & AUDIO:

"LOST" is a series that looks incredible on High Definition. Featured in 1080p High Definition (aspect ratio of 1:78:1), the detail of the island is captured quite vibrantly. The green lush plants that surround the island, the blue skies, the blue ocean. Personally, most of the video footage shot in Hawaii tend to be vibrant in colors and "LOST" is no exception. There is grain that can be seen in each episode and I have to admit that the quality is not up to par as "LOST - THE COMPLETE FOURTH SEASON" (not sure if they are using better equipment in the later seasons) but the picture quality is still pretty good.

There is little compression artifacts that can be seen in low light conditions but overall, the picture quality of "LOST" is not perfect but still looks gorgeous! I compared both my DVD box set to this Blu-ray set and the picture quality in High Definition shows off detail that I never caught on DVD. From the plane wreckage to the orange dimples on the orange peel in John Locke's mouth. These can be seen quite clearly on Blu-ray.

As for the audio, "LOST" is featured in DTS HD-Master Audio 5.1. The dialogue is quite clear but one thing that caught my attention is how magnificent the audio is in terms of capturing the ambiance of the island when each person is moving through the jungle. The explosions of the plane is caught all around you and you are literally immersed into the destruction of the plane as audio is heard on the front channels, surrounds, rear surrounds and through the LFE of your subwoofer. Very nice!

Also, I loved how music and sounds really brought an overall mood to certain scenes. The music by Michael Giacchino and the way the orchestra creates that tension for the scenes was awesome. So, music plays a big part in the series and the music soundtrack is just wonderful!

SPECIAL FEATURES:

The Blu-ray edition of "LOST - THE COMPLETE SEASON ONE" is featured in Standard Definition (480i) and English 5.1 Dolby Digital with English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles. Several discs are full of special features and Easter Eggs. Included are:

DISC 1:

* Audio Commentary for "PILOT (PART 1)" by Executive Producers J.J. Abrams, Damon Lindelof and Bryan Burk
* Audio Commentary for "PILOT (PART 2)" by Executive Producers J.J. Abrams, Damon Lindelof and Bryan Burk
* Audio Commentary for "WALKABOUT" by Executive Producer Jack Bender, Co-Executive Producer David Fury and actor Terry O'Quinn
* SNEAK PEEKS: LOST on ABC

DISC 2:

* Audio Commentary for "THE MOTH" by Executive Producers Damon Lindelof and Bryan Burk with actor Dominic Monaghan

EASTER EGG: Using your remote, go down to season play and press right. You can get the marker dot on the Oceanic logo on the airplane. This will bring up a picture of a transceiver and you will hear the French transmission from Rousseau that Sayid picked up on it.

DISC 4:

* Audio Commentary for "HEARTS AND MINDS" by Executive Producer Carlton Cuse, Supervising Producer Javier Grillo-Marxuach with co-stars Maggie Grace & Ian Somerhalder

EASTER EGG: Not really an Easter Egg but wait for the main menu to flash around five to eight times and you will see the black mist (monster) come from the left.

DISC 6:

EASTER EGG: Alternate title sequence: Go to features and press up and then you will see the marker dot suddenly point to the left hand side up. You will get a short clip of lightning on an island and each character being shown quickly.

DISC 7:

* DEPARTURE - This segment features a total of six features. Included are:

- THE GENESIS OF LOST: (8:38) All creative executive of ABC had to pitch an idea for a show. Lloyd Braun, former President at ABC talked about how he pitched an idea of "Cast Away the Series". Thom Sherman (President, Bad Robot Television) talks about going to J.J. Abrams to help develop the series.

- DESIGNING A DISASTER: (49:45) How the crew had to create the plane accident for the pilot episode and had a short amount of time to make it happen. They needed a plane and had to purchase one, have it dismantled/cut up and shipped by two freighters to Hawaii.

- BEFORE THEY WERE LOST: (49:01) How the crew had three weeks to cast 14 people to play the major characters. How certain talent were cast for their role and characters were created after meeting some of the talents. Also, included in this segment are audition tapes.

- AUDITION TAPES: The audition tapes of each of the main talent.

- WELCOME TO OAHU: THE MAKING OF THE PILOT: (33:22) Interviews with cast and crew on the making of the pilot episode.

- THE ART OF MATTHEW FOX: (6:07) Featuring Matthew Fox's art and photography. Narration by Matthew Fox.

- LOST @ COMICON: (1:50) Featuring a featurette with an interview with the stars of "LOST" in regards to their experience at the San Diego Comicon.

* TALES FROM THE ISLAND: This segment features three featurettes. Included are:

- LOST ON LOCATION: This section contains several mini-featurettes of crew talking about the filming of certain scenes and the animals that had to be use on scenes. Included are the following 10 mini-featurettes: The Trouble with Boars, White Rabbit, House of the Rising Sun, The Moth, Confidence Man, All the Best Cowboys have Daddy Issues, Whatever the Case May Be, Hearts and Minds, Special and Exodus. Examples include "The Trouble with Boars" which is about the difficulty of using untrained boars in the series and "House of the Rising Sun" is about having to shoot in a cave.

- ON SET WITH JIMMY KIMMEL: (7:15) Jimmy Kimmel goes to Hawaii and visits the set of "LOST".

- BACKSTAGE WITH DRIVE SHAFT: (6:38) Dominic Monaghan talks about his character and his character's band Drive Shaft.

* LOST REVEALED: The following features five featurettes. Included are:

- THE LOST FLASHBACKS: The following are flashbacks that were not shown on the season finale: "AT THE AIRPORT: CLAIRE" and "AT THE AIRPORT: SAYID".

- DELETED SCENES: A total of 15 deleted scenes.

- BLOOPERS FROM THE SET: (4:17) A hilarious blooper reel with music.

- LIVE FROM THE MUSEUM OF TELEVISION & RADIO: (10:55) An excerpt from the salute to "LOST" held at the Directors Guild of America.

- FLASHBACKS & MYTHOLOGY: (7:28) Executive Producer/Director Jack Bender and execs talk about the flashbacks and how they are able to make a series and build up character development through their backstories.

EASTER EGG: Not really an Easter Egg but wait for the main menu to flash around five to seven times and the plane stuck on the trees will fall.

EASTER EGG: John Locke Orange Peel Scene: Go on set up and hit left. You will see the marker dot suddenly move to the right hand side, down. You will get a 1:30 clip of the Locke orange peel scene. And how the scene had to be filmed several times.

JUDGMENT CALL:

When the first season of "LOST" was on television, I was instantly hooked. I was on the main forums every week, downloaded every "LOST" podcast available, read the magazines and just pretty much got drawn in by the story but the various theories that people had about the island, the characters and more. In fact, I have owned the first season on DVD, listened to the audio books and even owned the pilot on UMD. That's how hooked I was to this show.

Personally, I just found that mystique of crash landing in an island and having to survive to be quite exciting but even moreso, finding out that there are some weird things going on in the island that makes you wonder if what we were watching is actually happening or are the people actually dead. There were so many unusual things that have happened and "LOST" was what was needed on network TV.

Also, as much as "LOST" would seem like a wreck with so many characters featured, the way the show is presented through various flashbacks of each of the main characters, the writers really focused on character development and making the viewer feel positive (or negative) about a certain character and learn about their behavior and a past that somehow each character has some kind of connection with each other.

There were so many amazing episodes, one such episode that will always be a favorite was the first death of one of the main 14. What a shocker! What was equally amazing was watching the season finale and I can remember being shocked and having to go back and forth on my DVR and then later on my DVD copies to see these "secrets" that fans have caught in the final episode. Nevertheless, that finale was awesome and left myself and many fans highly anticipating the second season.

The first season of course leaves the viewer with plenty of questions (and we're currently awaiting season 6 and many questions still exist today) but it was those questions that help fuel the fire to various theories that many fans could not help but take part of. It was quite fun to see how this series captured the attention of so many people and how the producers, writers and even the talent were so surprised of the various theories themselves.

I have to say that watching the first season of "LOST" on High Definition five years later is quite amazing. The series is absolutely beautiful on Blu-ray and was also impressed by the DTS-HD Master Audio lossless soundtrack. And it was great to see all the special features on the DVD included (although I wonder if all Easter Eggs are also included on the Blu-ray since I've only found a very few so far).

Fans who enjoy the "LOST" series will truly want to own the series on High Definition. If you are a big fan of the show, it is pretty much a no-brainer to pick up both Season 1 and 2 (as well as the previously released Season 3 and 4) on Blu-ray. This season is what started it all and with the final sixth season coming soon, you can't help but be happy that all four seasons are now available on Blu-ray.

"LOST - THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON" on Blu-ray is highly recommended!

From J.J. Abrams, the creator of Alias, and Damon Lindelof (Crossing Jordan) comes an action-packed adventure that will bring out the very best and the very worst in the people who are lost.Out of the blackness, the first thing Jack (Matthew Fox, Party of Five) senses is pain. Then burning sun. A Bamboo forest. Smoke. Screams. With a rush comes the horrible awareness that the plane he was on tore apart in mid-air and crashed on a Pacific island. From there it's a blur, as his doctor's instinct kicks in: people need his help. Stripped of everything, the 48 survivors scavenge what they can from the plane for their survival. Some panic. Some pin their hopes on rescue. A few find inner strength they never knew they had -- like Kate (Evangeline Lilly), who, with no medical training, suddenly finds herself suturing the doctor's wounds. Hurley (Jorge Garcia) - a man with a warm sense of humor despite the desperate situation - does his best to keep his cool as he helps those around him to survive. Charlie (Dominic Monaghan, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring trilogy) is a faded rock star who harbors a painful secret. Sayid (Naveen Andrews, The English Patient) is a Middle Eastern man who must wrestle with the racial profiling directed at him by some of his fellow survivors. Jin (Daniel Dae Kim, Spider-Man 2, 24) and Sun (Yunjin Kim) are a Korean couple whose traditions, values and language are foreign and thus causes much to get lost in the translation. Sawyer (Josh Holloway) has an air of danger surrounding him, and his intense sense of mistrust for everyone around him could prove to be fatal to his fellow castaways. Michael (Harold Perrineau, Oz) has just gained custody of his nine-year-old son, Walt (Malcolm David Kelley, Antwone Fisher, You Got Served), after the death of his ex-wife - they are a father and son who don't even know each other. Locke (Terry O'Quinn, Alias, Primal Fear) is a mysterious man who keeps to himself, and who harbors a deeper connection to the island than any of the others. And self-centered Shannon (Maggie Grace, Oliver Beene) - who actually gives herself a pedicure amid the chaos - and her estranged controlling brother, Boone (Ian Somerhalder, Smallville) - constantly bicker and must learn to get along if they are to survive. The band of friends, family, enemies and strangers must work together against the cruel weather and harsh terrain if they want to stay alive. But the island holds many secrets, including the intense howls of the mysterious creatures stalking the jungle, which fill them all with fear. Fortunately, thanks to the calm leadership of quick-thinking Jack and level-headed Kate, they have hope. But even heroes have secrets, as the survivors will come to learn. This show is awesome it is absolutly perfect!I know it's a little early to be thinking but It would be so cool if they made a movie. If there is going to be as many special features as they are predicting this will be the DVD of the year.

Special Features:
* The original pilot
* Behind-the-scenes footage of the making of the show
* Audio commentaries
* Blooper reel
* Roundtable discussions with cast and crew
* A Matthew Fox photography featurette
* Deleted scenes
* Casting tapes
* New, original "mini-movie" that reveals why the plane crashed.
(REMEMBER THESE ARE JUST RUMORS, NOT FACT)

Also, interested in seeing the cover art? Check it out over at
http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/newsitem.cfm?NewsID=3078

Here is the complete episode list:
Season 1
1. 22-Sep-2004 Pilot (1)
2. 29-Sep-2004 Pilot (2)
3. 06-Oct-2004 Tabula Rasa
4. 13-Oct-2004 Walkabout
5. 20-Oct-2004 White Rabbit
6. 27-Oct-2004 House of the Rising Sun
7. 03-Nov-2004 The Moth
8. 10-Nov-2004 Confidence Man
9. 17-Nov-2004 Solitary
10. 01-Dec-2004 Raised by Another
11. 08-Dec-2004 All the Best Cowboys Have Daddy Issues
12. 05-Jan-2005 Whatever the Case May Be
13. 12-Jan-2005 Hearts and Minds
14. 19-Jan-2005 Special
15. 09-Feb-2005 Homecoming
16. 16-Feb-2005 Outlaws
17. 23-Feb-2005 ...In Translation
18. 02-Mar-2005 Numbers
19. 30-Mar-2005 Deux Ex Machina
20. 06-Apr-2005 Do No Harm

SPECIAL 27-Apr-2005 Lost: The Journey (Might not appear on DVD)

21. 04-May-2005 The Greater Good (a.k.a. Sides)
22. 11-May-2005 Born to Run
23. 18-May-2005 Exodus(1)
24. 25-May-2005 Exodus(2)
25. 25-May-2005 Exodus(3)

Exodus 1, 2,+3 is the season finale and might be combined on the DVD.

Hopes were not terribly high for "Lost," the action-drama about a planeful of castaways lost on a tropical island. "Gilligan's Island" all over again? Not quite. This mysterious show rapidly turned itself into a runaway hit. Mystery, drama, the supernatural and horror seep into this series, turning it into one of the most intriguing shows on television.

The series opens with a wrecked plane on a beach, surrounded by panicking people who manage to escape the wreckage. Jack (Matthew Fox) manages to group the refugees into a makeshift camp on the shore -- but soon they hear strange noises and see palm trees being trampled by a gargantuan monster. And when he ventures into the jungle, with the mysterious Kate (Evangeline Lilly) and junkie rocker Charlie (Dominic Monaghan), they find the still-living pilot. The pilot reveals that they are hundreds of miles off course, and no one will be able to find him. Then he gets eaten by an unseen monster.

Now the island is occupied by a motley band, including a strange warrior-sage with a knife-throwing knack, a traumatized con man, a pregnant girl whose baby holds a secret, a secretive Korean couple, a snobby rich girl and her exasperated brother, an Iraqi ex-soldier, and a "dude"-talking chubby guy who has a dark secret of his own. Despite Jack's best efforts, the group splits into two camps, and tensions grow between them.

And there are even worse things coming -- the survivors are not the only ones on the island. A possibly crazy Frenchwoman (Mira Furlan) is hiding somewhere in the jungle, and the murderous "Ethan" kidnaps and nearly kills two of the survivors. The island itself has mysteries -- mysterious monsters, voices in the woods, radio towers, a metal hatch in the jungle ground, and a string of numbers that bring madness and ill fortune...

Yes, it's a weird show. But in the midst of shallow sitcoms and endless reality TV, it's refreshing to see a twisty-turny show like this one. J.J. Adams, best known for "Alias," outdoes his first hit TV show with something totally different. The best way to describe it is as "Swiss Family Robinson," as written by Stephen King.

The gorgeous Hawaiian landscape is a contrast for such a dark storyline. Adams never reveals everything, which keeps up the suspense -- the mysterious monster (a dinosaur?) is only briefly seen by the characters, and nobody knows exactly what it is. Nor are we sure who has been there, or what is up with the island. Adams keeps viewers guessing by slowly peeling away the layers.

What's really interesting is that "Lost" is truly an ensemble show -- Adams gives every character a chance to shine, and flashbacks reveal what makes them tick. Some, like ex-con Kate, are a bit more mysterious than others, but some like the Korean marrieds and the haunted, smart-alecky Sawyer get a lot more dimension and humanity.

Matthew Fox is given a lot of attention, and he is a good actor. But it's the secondary actors that really catch your attention: Dominic Monaghan gives a simply amazing performance as Charlie, especially when Charlie goes through withdrawal, Jorge Garcia is equally good at comedy ("Dude, that was a Jedi moment!") and drama, and Terry O'Quinn is stellar as the enigmatic cubicle-worker-turned-jungle-warrior. Evangeline Lilly gives the debut performance of a lifetime, as tormented criminal Kate.

"Lost" is a well-written, well-acted show that brings a bit of mystery back into prime-time television. Creepy, funny, romantic, tragic and sometimes just weird, it's definitely worth checking out.

Lost is incredible. It is by far the most intellectual show on television, and like the Simpsons, it appeals to low-brow and high-brow tastes. Some viewers may watch it purely for the adventure and supernatural element (it's Jurassic Park and the Shining and Robinson Crusoe---together at last). Others may watch it for the richly nuanced characters (what other show has a regular character who speaks only Korean?). And others still may watch it for the philosophical undercurrent.

What's great about the philosophy is that the writers present it without pretentiousness. Most of it is subtle. The most philosophical character is, of course, John Locke, who happens to share his name with the great seventeenth-century English philosopher (who had some interesting things to say about the behavior of humans in the State of Nature). Also on the show is a mysterious and ambiguous French female character named Rousseau, who also happens to share her name with the great eighteenth-century French philosopher (who also had some interesting things to say about the behavior of humans in the State of Nature).

Lost is very existential. The main themes of the show, expressed a few times by Locke, are the inevitability of fate and the opportunity to change oneself for the better. These 47 (and dwindling) survivors are given the rare chance to focus on their lives, question their past mistakes, and become better people. And these characters have a lot to think about. One character is a drug addict; one was a torurer for Saddam Hussein; one was a hitman; one had an (arguably) incestuous relationship with her step-brother; two are murderers. Only Jack, the doctor, seems to have a sense of morality and decency, but this could easily change with a surprising flashback (for being the main protagonist, we know little about Jack's past).

When I first started watching the show, I thought it was too much like William Golding's Lord of the Flies. The characters are in the same survival situation; the island serves as a convenient microcosm of the Earth (especially since there's practically one of every ethnic group, except American Indian); there are wild boars; the survivors have established separate bands. Even Sawyer, one of the aforementioned murderers, says in an episode, "It's Lord of the Flies time!"

But since I've been watching the show more and more, I care less and less how much it resembles Golding's classic novel. You won't find a better, more engrossing and intellectually stimulating drama on television on any network today.

Yes, it's great drama, great acting and great scenery, but LOST is so much more. It's chock full of mystery 10-levels deep, with metaphors, biblical references, historical references, symbolism, clues hidden everywhere - in character names, background props, dreams. The entire premise of the show is a mystery, but it's not David Lynch style, where you can NEVER actually figure anything out. Instead, the producers have made it possible to make educated guesses on what's really going on. Plus, everyone is mysteriously, unknowingly connected and the audience has to figure out those connections, sometimes through fleeting clues. It's absolute genius. There is nothing else on TV that can drag me away from my books, or my weekly cinematic movies. I'm extremely busy and each moment of my time is precious, but I would definitely give LOST more than one hour a week if it were available to me!! I'm not usually a TV fan, but this is *must see* TV!

This review is for the show not the unreleased DVD.

A friend of mine (who is a fan of the show) told me about it. She said they spent more than 5 million dollars to shoot the pilot and gave me the tape of the pilot to watch.

Having watched a lot of TV in my life I thought, well, it will be from OK to Good. I mean what can surprise me and especially the story was about plane crash and survivors, seemed I saw it somewhere before.

After watching the pilot I can say with confidence that this is probably one of the best (if not the best) pilot episodes ever filmed. And after watching every episode so far I can say this show is the best show I've seen in a long time. I basically wait from episode to episode waiting for what will happen.

What I like about this show is the stories, the actors, the characters and the sets. This is truly a well made show. Every episode masterfully crafted, I can't even say there is a lame episode. It's Drama with a splash of science fiction(?) and mystery.

The acting is superb by name and no-name actors. You will get attached to the characters even the ones you wouldn't like in real life. Everything is believable yet creative and inventive. The flashbacks are fantastic and while I usually don't like them, here, I did like them, they are inserted into the mix with ease and continuity that will lead you to the climax of every episode.

While the flashback tell you about past lives of the survivors, new stories develop and problems arise from their situations and conflict between different characters who wouldn't be together in real life. It is just fantastic story telling.

The sets are magnificent. The show is filming in Hawaii although they could've used a sound stage. I believe all the filming was done outdoors in Hawaii (except some of the flashbacks) No show I can remember did this for it can be a bit expensive.

I don't want to spoil anything for anyone who didn't watch yet, but start watching, and buy the DVD when it's out. You'll love it. The idea of solving the puzzle of why and how every passenger got on that Oceanc flight 815 is alone worth your watching time. Also, for me, the math aspect and some logical problems are enjoyable as well; I just hope they don't disappoint us at the end but I doubt it. As one of the producers said "The last thing we want to do on LOST is be illogical". I trust him.

I write this review as I await the finale episode; while I downloaded some episode I missed, and probably could download the entire season, I have every intention of buying this DVD when it comes out as a thank you to the producers for such a good ... well, product.

Clearly the creators of Lost know their audience very well judging by the number of meaty extras that cater to the obsessive fan. These commentaries and featurettes explain a lot about the mechanics of the show without giving away any of the mysteries.

On the first DVD, there are audio commentaries for both parts of the "Pilot" episode by executive producers J.J. Abrams, Damon Lindelof and Bryan Burk. They talk briefly about how they pitched the show and take us through the making of the episode. In an interesting moment, Abrams actually stops the episode to show us how they did an explosion in the crash site sequence. These are very informative tracks with lots of anecdotes about filming.

There is an audio commentary on "Walkabout" by executive producers Jack Bender and David Fury and actor Terry O'Quinn. Bender talks about the challenge of working with trained wild boars that ate too much and didn't feel like moving in a scene that required them to charge the actors. Unfortunately, O'Quinn doesn't talk much only offering brief insights.

The second DVD includes a commentary for "The Moth" by Lindelof, Burk and actor Dominic Monaghan. The Lord of the Rings alum tends to spend most of the time cracking jokes and offering little insight on this so-so track.

The fourth DVD features an audio commentary on "Hearts and Minds" by executive producer Carlton Cuse, supervising producer Javier Grillo-Marxuach and actors Maggie Grace and Ian Sommerhalder. The two producers dominate the track as they talk about their intentions with the actors offering their occasional two cents.

The bulk of the extras can be found on the seventh DVD. "The Genesis of Lost" is a good look at how the show's story came together. The network had a script but it was awful. At the time, Abrams was the network's go-to guy and he had already been toying with an idea of a plane crashing on a deserted island.

"Designing a Disaster" takes a look at how they put together the chaotic crash site in the "Pilot" episode. The creators had no script and very little time but the production crew was able to find the right plane, take it apart, ship it and put it back together (sort of).

"Before They Were Lost" examines how the cast came together in only three weeks. The actors talk about how they got the gig with footage from their audition tapes.

"Welcome to Oahu: The Making of The Pilot" takes us through the first day of filming to completion. Cast and crew recount the sometimes harsh weather conditions they had to shoot in but it did help them bond as a team.

"The Art of Matthew Fox" is a collection of photographs the actor took while shooting the "Pilot." He talks about them as they flash on the screen in this nice extra.

"Lost@Comicon" is a brief clip of some of the cast and crew at that year's San Diego Comicon and their impressions of the event.

"Lost: On Location" is a collection of behind-the-scenes featurettes that give insight into how certain sequences in select episodes were achieved, like the least-threatening wild boars, the humanizing of Sawyer, the revelation of Kate as a fugitive bank robber and a look at the climatic season finale.

"Onset with Jimmy Kimmel" features the late night talk show host visiting the cast on location in Hawaii in this whimsical extra. Kimmel asks Monaghan to compose a (lame) theme song for the show and goofs around with everyone.

"Backstage with Driveshaft" takes a look at Charlie and his fictitious band, which thinks of themselves as the next Oasis but is probably only a one-hit wonder.

There are two flashbacks from the season finale with Claire and Sayid.

Also included are 13 deleted scenes that feature mostly minor exchanges between characters, like a nice bit where Charlie bums a cigarette off of Sawyer, that are interesting but not essential and were probably cut because of time.

"Bloopers from the Set" is an amusing montage of blown lines and funny pratfalls on this very physically demanding show.

Finally, there is a Q&A session "Live from the Museum of Television and Radio." The select cast and crew joke with each other in this entertaining if not frivolous extra. Although, Abrams does reveal that originally Jack was supposed to die in the "Pilot" episode.

I didn't watch the first season of Lost at all while it was on TV (I watch little network tv), but my wife quickly became a full-fledged Lost addict. Every week she would come back with a plea for me to watch the show with her. Finally once the season one DVD's came out, I capitulated and purchased them to see what all the fuss was about.

All I can say is 5 days later I had managed to watch all 24 episodes (some of them twice). In fact it got so bad towards the end that I began to ration my remaining episodes as I was becoming distraught at the thought not being able to get my daily Lost fix. Simply put, Lost is one of the best shows I have ever seen on TV, that it aired on ABC and not cable is nothing short of a miracle.

I would advise that you be prepared to set some serious time aside if you buy the first season, as it is very likely you will be watching Lost for 3-4 hours a day for the next week. I started to promote the show and got one of my friends hooked. Five days later I got a call at 1 AM (on a Tuesday no less) begging to come over and borrow DVD 6 as he couldn't wait until the next morning to rent it. This is the kind of addiction many of you will be facing

In my opinion the DVD's are the way to go. Every episode ends with you craving more. I found myself screaming "Are you kidding?!" at the TV multiple times, as I was frustrated with the cliff hanger endings - and all I had to do was change the DVD. I can't imagine what it will be like when they have an ending like that and I have to wait for weeks.

For this reason I seriously debated waiting out the second season and just purchasing it on DVD, but my wife has threatened to torment me with tidbits if I don't watch it with her, so I am now watching the new episodes on Wednesdays.

If you haven't given Lost a try, I strongly recommend that you do - you won't regret it.

Rumor is that this DVD collection will include amazing extra's.

"Lost" is intelligently written and extremely entertaining.

I can't remember the last time I looked so forward to watching T.V.

"Lost" is truly refreshing and thought provoking. It is exactly what we needed after the excessive amount of brainless fluff that has been forced down our throats at every angle. (ie: reality television)

So as we wait for the release of the "Lost" DVD, here are a few tidbits that you may or may not know about:

The "Lost" set was once a crime scene: Some crew members decided not to work on "Lost" because of the location of the set; inside a former Xerox warehouse that is the site of the worst mass murder in the history of the state of Hawaii. The building had been left vacant since November 2, 1999 when a Xerox employee shot and killed 6 of his coworkers. The building had to be blessed before the first day of work on the set of "Lost".

Matthew Fox was not supposed to play the role of "Jack" and Jack was not supposed to live past the pilot episode. Fox originally read for another character. He was stopped in the middle of his audition and was asked to read for the role of "Jack" instead. Originally, they had asked Michael Keaton to play the role of "Jack" but he turned them down.

Emile (Claire) read for the role of Shannon.

The character "Charlie" was supposed to be a much older man.

Dom (Charlie) originally read for the role of Sawyer.

Hurley was the first to be hired.

Sayid is married to Barbara Hershey.

Charlie & Kate are a real life couple.

Kate was hired only after she pulled her hair back.

During a break in shooting, 2 "Lost" stars were in the LA airport. They said that there were several people that came up to them, not for autographs... but to ask what flight they were going to be on. They wanted to make sure that they were not going to be on the same flight.

The guy who plays the role of "Ethan" is the cousin of Tom Cruise.

The character of Locke was named after the philosopher, John Locke.