Saturday, April 26, 2008

Now watching...

Season One of Lost!

Okay, I'm waaaaayyyyy behind the bandwagon on this one, but that's nothing new. When I watch television, which isn't all that often (relative to someone who's really into sci-fi and such), it's usually something on DVD, like Star Trek, a movie, or something I'm supposed to review. With the exception of the occasional news program, documentary, or sports telecast (go Mavs!), I rarely watch standard prime time programming--I'm usually busy or hanging out with my kids, and I don't like to sit through commercials (TIVO--what's that?) or have my evening dictated to me through programming. One exception is Heroes, which I try not to miss. The other, as soon as I can catch up, will be Lost, the first season of which I scored at a garage sale the other day for a mere $2 (factory sealed, no less).

Growing up, I was a big fan of Land of the Lost and Gilligan's Island, shows where people were stranded in a strange, sometimes hostile place. Obviously, Lost amps up the action, drama, and realism to the nth degree (and does so without a hint of camp), but the basic, story-rich theme remains intact. I'd always heard that Lost was a great show, and, based on watching most of season one, I'm inclined to agree. Great characters (Jack, Sawyer, and Locke give the show old-school swagger) with intriguing, personality-defining backgrounds told through ingenious flashbacks. Killer interpersonal conflict, with people to root for and against, or to simply feel sorry for. Mysteries galore, from the foreign-language comic books to the polar bear to the apparent healing properties of the island to the young black boy who is "different." Nail-biting cliffhangers that keep you coming back for "just one more episode." I could go on, but I'd better get back to...to...work (I tend to get lost in my work at times).

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