"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. Read more ›

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?

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.