Does anyone else not like Lost?

POSTED BY: Thrawn
UPDATED: Tuesday, October 26, 2004 03:21
VIEWED: 11248
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ECGORDON

Sunday, October 24, 2004 4:00 PM

I like "Lost" so far, might not think so highly of it later on in the season however. But, the main reason I think most people like it is that compared to everything else that is on the air now it is at least interesting and intriguing. I have never watched any of the (un)reality shows and don't intend to, and have been cringing a lot lately as FOX has been promoting its new lineup during the baseball playoffs. In comparison to those, "Lost" is almost as good as "Firefly," or at least is much higher up the scale than anything else.

wo men ren ran zai fei xing.

BIKISDAD

Sunday, October 24, 2004 4:04 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by embers:

but really, I can not see what all the excitement is about.

Well, the excitement is that it's something new and different and NOT another gorram reality show (or cop or lawyer or hospital show). No, it's not as good as Firefly (or Buffy or Angel - or Farscape, for that matter), but it's good enough compared to everything else that IS still on tv these days that I'm going to continue to watch it. I mean, what ARE the other choices? Right - more gorram reality shows - or a dozen different versions of C.S.I. and Law and Order.

Also, by comparing Lost to Firefly, or any of Joss' shows, you have to realize that that is setting the bar VERY high. If every new show had to be as good as Firefly for me to watch it, I'd end up never watching any new shows again - ever.

Apathy on the Rise. No One Cares.

JEBBYPAL

Sunday, October 24, 2004 6:08 PM

I think part of the problem is that Lost doesn't fit any single genre and that this problem rings true more than any other show that this has been attributed to. I mean you at least knew that Firefly was a space western and that gave you some preconcieved ideas about stereotypes. Lost though...it's almost trying to be too much...drama/horror/mystery/survival.

I've been trying to follow it, but so far haven't loved it. And I do think they are overdoing the shaky camera thing way too much. There's a point at which that durn "discovered footage" technique just becomes distracting.

As far as 48 characters, thank god they aren't focusing on all of them. already w/ the core cast, you almost have a larger cast than with Firefly or Buffy. So far we only know the back stories of what, 3 or 4 of them? They need that monster to kill a bunch so that they don't have to worry about trying to make it look like forty or so people are hanging around doing nothing.

so far Veronica Mars is the only new show to debut that I'll be crushed if its canceled. Well that and LAX.

The Strawberry Monkey who defends tight pants everywhere!

BIKISDAD

Sunday, October 24, 2004 6:21 PM

Actually, about the 48 characters, as Jack said in the last episode after the woman drowned - It's 47 now. I think a lot of them are there just as cannon fodder. The story will probably focus on the core group that they've been showing and the others will be killed off as needed to further the story. Kind of like when they used to always have the odd crewman in the landing party on the original Star Trek. Whenever they showed that guy, you KNEW he was going to get killed - but it didn't detract from the story. I don't think it will on Lost, either.

Apathy on the Rise. No One Cares.

DANFAN

Sunday, October 24, 2004 6:47 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Thrawn:
It could be a very human drama about survival on the edge....

I care about how they are surviving and about their interactions. Generally, there are a few scenes of that, and a whoooole bunch of useless and often surreal development that accomplishes nothing but make the show flagrantly unrealistic.

It's frustrating.

As one of the other posters here said, I think your disappointmet stems from the fact that you wanted (or perhaps "expected" is a better word) a different premise. You were looking for a realistic survival story. The makers of the show aimed for a surrealistic fantasy set in a survival environment.

It would be as if you tuned in to the "X Files" and were disappointed that it wasn't a police procedural. The "X Files" was intended to be a SF/Fantasy story set in a police procedural environment.

I'm not saying that the kind of show you were expecting wouldn't a fascinating story by itself... it truly would be an excellent storyline. But its not the one that the show's creators want the tell. As long as you want the show to be different from what it was intended to be, I suspect it will completely fail to satisfy you.

BIKISDAD

Monday, October 25, 2004 12:14 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by danfan:

The makers of the show aimed for a surrealistic fantasy set in a survival environment.

It would be as if you tuned in to the "X Files" and were disappointed that it wasn't a police procedural. The "X Files" was intended to be a SF/Fantasy story set in a police procedural environment.

Both a good description and a good comparison. I think that sums up the situation completely.

What I like about this show is that it has the audacity to be different than everything else on tv right now. Every other show, be it reality schlock or actual programming, is trying to copy something else that's already on the air. Remember when Buffy first came out? Part of what made it great was that it was innovative and original. Lost may not be as innovative and original as Buffy, but at least it makes the attempt. That alone makes it worth watching.

EDIT: Personally, I think that ABC should be given some credit for taking the chance on airing this show. It IS a risky move for them specifically because this show is NOT the typical formulaic carbon copy that they know would bring in the ratings.

Apathy on the Rise. No One Cares.

THRAWN

Monday, October 25, 2004 1:20 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by danfan:
Quote:
Originally posted by Thrawn:
It could be a very human drama about survival on the edge....

I care about how they are surviving and about their interactions. Generally, there are a few scenes of that, and a whoooole bunch of useless and often surreal development that accomplishes nothing but make the show flagrantly unrealistic.

It's frustrating.

As one of the other posters here said, I think your disappointmet stems from the fact that you wanted (or perhaps "expected" is a better word) a different premise. You were looking for a realistic survival story. The makers of the show aimed for a surrealistic fantasy set in a survival environment.

It would be as if you tuned in to the "X Files" and were disappointed that it wasn't a police procedural. The "X Files" was intended to be a SF/Fantasy story set in a police procedural environment.

I'm not saying that the kind of show you were expecting wouldn't a fascinating story by itself... it truly would be an excellent storyline. But its not the one that the show's creators want the tell. As long as you want the show to be different from what it was intended to be, I suspect it will completely fail to satisfy you.

I see your point, and I understand what you mean. The pilot, though, gave every indication of being realistic. I mean, sure, there was the monster in the forest, but I was taking that to just be another danger on the island, a government research thing or something they'd stumble on eventually. That was a little over the edge, but I was accepting it as something to make the show more long-lived - after they've gotten over starting to survive, there'd be a mystery to accomplish.

But everything after the pilot has just gone further in the direction of surreality and inexplicable miracles. Can you see what I mean, here? If the show were like the pilot, I'd like the show. My dissappointment does not arise from the fact that I dislike the premise of the show period but rather from the fact that I started watching a show with a different premise and it switched on me to one I don't like as much.

AERRIN

Monday, October 25, 2004 2:56 AM

Quote:

As one of the other posters here said, I think your disappointmet stems from the fact that you wanted (or perhaps "expected" is a better word) a different premise. You were looking for a realistic survival story. The makers of the show aimed for a surrealistic fantasy set in a survival environment.

I actually really love the surreal aspect of the island's mystery - I just wish they focused on it a bit more than on the flashbacks.

However. That said. After poking around a bit and entertaining myself on Lost sights, I found a quote that mentions that

(minorly spoilerish)

Select to view spoiler:

Many of the characters had lives that were intertwined in unexpected and interesting ways before they ever got on the plane, and that the story was meant to be, in fact, two parallel stories - one told in 'real time' and the other told in flashbacks.

Knowing that - that is, that the heavy emphasis on flashbacks is planned and intentional rather than just slightly sloppy storytelling - entices me to stick with it and see if things don't get more solid.

DANFAN

Monday, October 25, 2004 3:37 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Aerrin:
I actually really love the surreal aspect of the island's mystery

I agree. I had heard enough buzz about the storyline prior to its premiere that I wasn't struck with the "bait and switch" feeling that Thrawn got from the series. I tuned in to this show expecting that it would go in directions I didn't expect (sounds contradictory, I know, but there it is). Thus far, it has delivered with enough style to keep me coming back.

I'm still test driving the series... reserving final judgement until I see how they begin to stitch some of the (for now) apparently unrelated storylines together. But I like what I see so far.

THRAWN

Monday, October 25, 2004 5:27 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by danfan:
Quote:
Originally posted by Aerrin:
I actually really love the surreal aspect of the island's mystery

I agree. I had heard enough buzz about the storyline prior to its premiere that I wasn't struck with the "bait and switch" feeling that Thrawn got from the series. I tuned in to this show expecting that it would go in directions I didn't expect (sounds contradictory, I know, but there it is). Thus far, it has delivered with enough style to keep me coming back.

I'm still test driving the series... reserving final judgement until I see how they begin to stitch some of the (for now) apparently unrelated storylines together. But I like what I see so far.

I think I might like it once I get used to the direction its going. I dunno. Describing it as "bait and switch" is pretty good - I hadn't thought of that, but that's exactly right. I feel like they dangled fascinating plots in front of us at the beginning and then replaced it all with a completely different kind of character development.

I think I'll at least watch until Charlie runs out of drugs, and whatever-that-girl's-name-is gives birth. I was looking forward to those as real sources of drama; maybe they'll actually deliver.

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