I'm still in Vancouver, still in a hotel room, still socked in by fog. Might go for a walk this afternoon, but so far I've been taking advantage of my east-coast time orientation to beetle away at new work. New script, new show, new challenge as a freelancer -- it's these kinds of developments that fire up the imagination and make this job worth doing.
Dix has got another one at his digs today... he's late to the party on LOST, but nicely encapsulates why this show -- which returns tonight -- is one that I just can't seem to quit, though I've come close.
The show has balls. And they proved it at the end of Season 3 by messing with their tried and true formula...that is, taking their episode story model of intercutting the adventures of the survivors on the island with a 'flashback' story (usually focusing on one of the primary island survivors), and bringing a game changer to the table by introducing 'flash forwards' to a time of life after the island for six of the survivors.
I would've loved to have been in the writers room when the story department came up with that one.
Now anyone who follows the show more closely than I might inform me that this was always part of the series gameplan...but I'd call bullshit. If that had been on all the writers minds right off the top, there's no no NO way they would've held off using flash forwards for nearly three entire seasons...66 episodes....no friggin' way.
Because its too cool a move. It'd take just way much discipline and dedication not to play that card whenever you felt the show might be growing a little repetitive or stale or what have you...(like middle of Season 2 or beginning of Season 3).
No I say they were well into it all, probably end of Season 2, and spinning and riffing and bickering and bantering and perhaps someone in the room said: "So, does anyone get off the island or not?"...and someone else said, "Of course some of them do." And someone else said, "Well who? And what would that be like for them?" And then someone else jumped up and exclaimed, "What if we showed life after the island for some of our characters, but treated as if it was a flashback, until we revealed it was actually the future...and...and...
Whoa.
It's a thrilling thing when a show hits some shoals and then manages to roar back. And based on most of Season 4, and the fact that their endgame is now in sight, has got to revitalize that team.
Yet another thing the small-minded of the internet brigade will never understand -- a top story room plus the occasional curve ball (helloooo, drunk driving cast!) makes writing a series like this a high wire act that's as addictive as...well, whatever your personal poison might be.
I have too long a list to mention here.
Welcome back, LOST. Ben, you're my bestest creepiest friend ever.
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