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June 27, 2010

More LOST Chatter and a Walkabout!

Hi Losties!
I have some exciting LOST related bits and fun things to share with you.
Two items of interest from our friends at Strange Angell Productions.

First:
CAMP WALKABOUT
This is your chance to go on a real Interactive Eco Film Tour starring YOU!
Your walkabout takes you to some of the most beautiful and memorable LOST locations in Ohau, Hawaii.Click the link for CAMP WALKABOUT for more details and to book a spot!  You really have to check this out.    {Click the pics}

Next: Check out this video clip from Strange Angell Productions and let me know if you hear anything familiar.
 Be sure to click the other links to watch all the other segments of Into the Sun!
Enjoy!


And:
The guys over at TV Without Pity sent over some links they thought you Lostie's would be interested in checking out.
Lost: The Series Finale's Burning Questions
http://www.televisionwithoutpity.com/show/lost/lost_the_series_finales_burnin.php

June 16, 2010

Circling Back Around


Hi Losties!
Let's talk about LOST... AGAIN!

To read original episode notes without being spoiled, click on:
PILOT Part 1 and Part 2
TABULA RASA
WALKABOUT


On September 22, 2004 Dr. Jack Shephard was a passenger on board Oceanic flight 815 en route from Sydney Australia to Los Angeles; he was transporting the body of his father, Christian Shephard back home to be buried.  Jack wakes up in a bamboo forest on a mysterious "Island" where his plane "crashed".
We witness a specific group of people who become a close circle of friends via the adventurous journey that brought them together.

Your orientation:
For LOST fans that are new to the detailed episodes at Karen's LOST Notebook,  I'd like for you to see how to utilize the original notes; I bold type and/or underline words and phrases, as they MAY BE potential clues, items of importance, or they are indeed an established continuing clue line.  You will also note dates on the bottom of those notes/posts to see when they were originally posted.

For the re-watch I will always link you back to those original notes for each episode, as I stand by those detailed recap observations, so click on those links.  I feel they contain valuable information and must be read first.
I'll incorporate the Missing Pieces Mobisodes and ARG information as well.   The posts I make with the yellow post it note at the top (like the one above) will be additional information for each episode (which may spoil you).  So you have a choice on which way to use my notes for your re-watch.

It will become obvious that I always spotlight the metaphor of LOST, as it is the essence of the story.
This post is really a short overview through these three episodes. 

A tip before you begin Season 1:  Season one mirrors season six, and remember Jack was not on "Jacob's List".    It is very important to really look and see, listen and hear and keep an open mind to what you are shown.  Our lesson is..."Careful observation is the only key to true and complete awareness".
Now let's have some fun!

And so it begins...
To start down the rabbit hole of this epic tale we must start at the earliest moments of its narration. The "Missing Piece" titled So It Begins depicts the moments before we're introduced to Dr. Jack Shephard. It is important to watch this clip and to read my brief notes on it. {Click the link for notes}


Pilot: Part one and Part two
Jack wakes up in the bamboo forest.  He has an injury that required a couple of stitches with standard black thread, from Nurse Kate Austen. Jack's tiny travel bottles of liquor that were in his pocket from the plane were not broken upon his supposed "impact".
We learned through the six seasons that stubborn Jack was indeed an alcoholic and drug addict with emotional issues and pain, yet even with addiction we never saw him boozing it up or hitting the heroin and drugs on the "Island".
While watching those opening moments I cannot and will not take back the feeling I had the very first time I saw Jack open his eye and make his way to the chaos and the screams for help from survivors on the beach. To me it still was as if he was "placed" in that spot, as were the other castaways.  As we go through the story we learn that Jack indeed had to "start over" in the same starting position more than once.
Jack assumes the role of the "Island" hero.   He literally breathes new life into Rose.
Jack clues us into how he copes with fear with is "counting to five" method, and that he also is familiar with flying a plane as he took flying lessons.
We are introduced to the mysterious monster that sounds more mechanical in nature than organic. But whatever it is, is appears to be huge.
Jack, Kate and Charlie head out to retrieve the transceiver from the cockpit. Along the way we learn that Charlie is the bass player for the one hit wonder band "Drive Shaft".     Poor Altar boy Charlie is a heroin addict.

It's important to note that Jack runs past the white tennis shoe in the jungle yet we see Christian wearing both shoes in So it Begins.
Vincent the wonder dog plays a role in this story...by the way...he's a "lab".

Shannon sunbathes while the other castaways sort through wreckage and belongings because she feels "You're wasting your time. They're coming."   Mind you Jacob whispers "They're coming" after Ben stabs him, utilizing the "loophole" in The Incident.  There are a lot of connections between Pilot and The Incident including Jack's "count to five" fear trick.

Tabula Rasa
Here on the "Island" everyone gets a new start, a do-over.  But is the concept based on the idea that they don't know each other and their past histories, or is it based on the "starting the adventure run through" again? 

In this episode Kate's name is Annie and she's from Canada.  We learn she is indeed a fugitive on the run from Marshal Edward Mars.  She seeks refuge in one-armed Ray Mullens pen on his farm in Australia.

Michael attempts a new beginning with his son.  Sun and Jin also take advantage of this "do over".
Jack searches the fuselage for medicine while Sawyer is there taking whatever he can get his hands on for future trade leverage in the wild.

When I first saw this episode six years ago I realized that Locke shared a connection to the "monster".

I'm adding the "Missing Piece- Jack, Meet Ethan?" here because there really isn't a more distinct episode to place it in.


Walkabout
:
This awesome episode sheds light on the fact that the great white hunter, Mr. John Locke is misrepresenting himself.   Locke is also keen on playing games, especially military strategy games.
Here again we hear "monster sounds" linked to Locke when he uses his adding machine.

Kate shares with Jack that she's a vegetarian when she offers to go boar hunting with Locke and Michael; She claims to have experience with this particular type of hunting.   But I call fucking shenanigans on Kate claiming to be a vegetarian as she ate bacon and eggs with Ray Mullens in Tabula Rasa.

The moral of the story thus far...You have to learn how to walk before you can run.

The following are just a few of the topics,themes and layers that we'll explore over the course of our re-watch.

Probability:
What is the likelihood that these people "crash" on an "Island" and survive, sustaining superficial physical wounds?
There is a "loop" concept to the entirety of the story, so with that said...If Jack and the castaways have to run through these adventures over and over until they "get it right", it makes sense that "rescue" won't be coming because they have to "heal/fix" themselves first.

Secrets:
Locke asks Walt "Do you wanna know a secret?"    What exactly is this secret?  Walt only shares with Michael in Tabula Rasa that Locke feels a "miracle" happened to him.
Every one of them has secrets and skeletons in their closets. 
Apparently the major question of "Guys, where are we?" wasn't going to technically revealed.

Game:
There is no doubt the game element is given to us right from the start and encompasses not only the "Island" game and John Locke's role in it, but the metaphor and literal struggle within Jack and the castaways.
It is important to understand the concept of the first game we're introduced to as many clue words connect to it. We explore other games along the journey.
Backgammon:  Two Players, two sides, one light, one dark: playing pieces are moved according to the roll of dice. Players win by removing all of their pieces from the board. Luck and strategy play a part.   Players roll the dice and choose from numerous options for moving their pieces and anticipate possible counter-moves by their opponent.  You can raise the stakes during the game.
Each side of the board has a track of 12 long triangles, called points. The points are considered to be connected across one edge of the board, forming a continuous track in the shape of a horseshoe, and are numbered from 1 to 24. Players begin with two checkers/pieces on their 24-point, three checkers/pieces on their 8-point, and five checkers/pieces each on their 13-point and their 6-point. The two players move their checkers/pieces in opposing directions, from the 24-point towards the 1-point.  Points 1 through 6 are called the home board (inner board), and points 7 through 12 are called the outer board. The 7-point is referred to as the bar point, and the 13-point as the mid point.
The tree of positions expands rapidly because of the number of possible dice rolls and the moves available on each turn. There are cheating methods used.

Word Games and puzzles:
Continuing in the line of "games" it is important to note when "word play" is present.  This happens all the time.   Words will prove to have another/multiple meanings other than was originally assumed and anagrams are given.   We also witness characters doing crossword puzzles on the "Island".

Science - Faith:
The first person Jack seeks the assistance of right after he "arrives" on the beach is John Locke.   Jack is a man of science and Locke is a man of faith.  It seems to me that the "faith" part of the story was addressed in the finale but the science part really wasn't.  Regardless, one goal seems to be finding balance between the two.

Opposition:
John Locke is Jack's opposition throughout the entire story.   There are many times throughout the story they seem to be two halves of a whole in need of balance.  There is a constant pulling at both sides.

The Metaphor:
When you watch the show in this manor, even with its veiled cryptic symbolism, you can still see that we're told the story of "lost" people who have been cast away from their lives and need to find themselves.   They are on a "Walkabout", a journey of self discovery, the path to enlightenment.   Zen Buddhism plays a large role.  I mean after all, we're introduced to the "Dharma Initiative"!

The Mythology:
When you watch the show to learn about the Delphian puzzling bits about the "Island",  I found that most of the time it ended up being smoke and mirrors, a distraction from the truth.   But the mythology will be explored nonetheless as there is pertinent ties.  (And I have hope that they will come back around.)

The Magic:
Yes, the magic!  Illusions and make believe.   You must tap into your imagination along this adventure.   After all we can't explore "Wonderland" and all its fantastical imagery without understanding the power of a magic box.

Repetition: 
People, names, jobs, roles, items, clothes, images, places, scenarios, and dialogue are repeated over and over throughout the experiences of Jack and the castaways.
One tiny example is Kate admits to Jack she sewed the drapes in her apartment and in Raised by Another, Claire connects drapes to feeling grown up.   You'll see many more examples with clear connections.

Mental and Emotional Issues:
Behavior, addiction, depression, distress, shut down, suffering, misery,  problems, insane,  paranoia, catatonic, delusional and Santa Rosa all have a place in the "Island's" bloody snow globe.
Jack and the Lostie's carry a lot of baggage and for some it literally cripples them.   The lesson on this journey is to let go of the things that hurt, fix themselves and find their way home. A lot of their pain seems to stem from childhood trauma.


The Heart:
What is in the heart?  Who has murder in their heart?    Can a  broken heart be healed?

The Mind: 
Head. Consciousness, subconscious, sleep, dreams, lucidity, nightmares, hallucinations, hypnosis, visions, dizzy, headache, head injury, vision, memory, remember, forget, pass out, knocked out, and drugged out and brain washing.

Are choices made with the heart or the mind?

Numbers, colors and symbols:   
The colors can connect to the colors associated on the Bagua.   Colors are emphasized in every episode either by the common clothes colors that are worn by the "Island" residents or literally by color washing over the entire scene.  It's fascinating.  Be warned to watch out for changing eye colors throughout the characters; this happens all the time.
We get "symbols" and images referencing important hints all the time.  Be on the lookout for those Dharma-Zen-Buddhist symbols, i.e. wheel, temple, fish, spiral, Dogen, etc. 
 
The "Island":
All roads lead to the "Island" and events and experiences always blur together.   Does the "Island" fit into "science" or "faith" of the story?


At times the show can feel like a game, or a puzzle or even a riddle.  It can make you feel like you talk yourself in circles when trying to explain to your friends what the show is about.  But the  experience with this story cannot be solved by reason alone, but instead forces us to solve it through flashes of insight. 
We will get into many more themes and layers as we journey along with the rest of the castaways, some of you for the very first time and for others like me...all over again.


Love to all who are "LOST"™

June 11, 2010

Poll: Should "Karen's LOST Notebook" get a new look?

Hi Losties!

As I will continue on with my notes while I re-watch and add commentary to some new things, I want this place to be a nice, comfortable and informative place for you to come and visit.

Should I give my site a new look?
Is the site working the way it should?
What would you like to see here that would make it function better for you?

I do know that not all browsers let everyone see the fun and informative goodies I have in my sidebar here. Are you having trouble with it? I've also had major issues with Blogspot and it messing up the format and fonts of my notes.

I'll leave the poll up for a few days.

Let's see what you all think.
Thanks!

Love to all who are "LOST"™

June 6, 2010

LOST Conversations. part 3



Hi Losties!

Here is another segment of shared thoughts from fellow LOST friends.

A few friends shared their honest thoughts and honest perceptions with me about the show, the story and its writers, the LOST community, recappers, bloggers, podcasters, theorists and fans. It is enlightening to see how the journey was for the them over past six years. I thought it an interesting idea to collaborate and post  some of their thoughts here.  I will post a series of these shared thoughts so be sure to check back.  Also I encourage you share your LOST journey with us, so leave your thoughts in the comment section below.

Shared Thoughts from Kim Muller. Educator and Book Bawk:
This story gave me a whole new concept of looking at life, death, and beyond. Sure, stories like Lord of the Rings and even The Dark Tower series touch on this a bit, but Lost showed us what we can and need to do in order to be happy, and, in my humble opinion, it meant reaching out to others (no pun intended.) Every character who reached "the end" in the Church had to extend his/her life in a way that ended a piece of selfishness in him/herself and brought him/her closer to others, and in turn, closer to the goodness that we each are capable of finding in ourselves. Of all of the characters, the two who I enjoyed seeing this change in the most were Sawyer and Juliet. Sawyer is the obvious one for these changes, but Juliet made such a huge sacrifice to keep a near stranger company, and her reward in that decision was love, which seems to sum up what they all gained in their own ways.
I have turned at least twenty high school students into "Losties" by showing them the pilot episode as a stretched parallel to Lord of the Flies and to another class to show a parallel to Alas, Babylon. However, I think I was wrong with The Lord of the Flies parallel. William Golding's novel was an allegory showing each reader how man will naturally choose savagery over order, peace, and goodness every time. In my opinion, Lost showed the complete opposite, and I think Jacob somewhat noted that to the final four candidates when he mentioned how lonely and sad their lives were before coming to the island. Each of them, especially Sawyer, chose a path of loneliness, inner violence, and isolation. Only by allowing others in can we find goodness and peace, which they each did.
On a personal note, I was reading The Shack at the time of the series finale, and I think the two media merged and reacquainted me with the afterlife. I also enjoyed the fact that Lost is one of the few shows where a brain is required. I noticed that EVERY one of my students who really enjoys reading watched Lost, even if it was to make fun of the plot.


Shared Thoughts From Amy from LostBlog:
WHAT LOST DID TO ME: THE SIX YEAR JOURNEY TO WTF?! (AND WHY I LOVED EVERY MINUTE!)

“Instead of dumbed down TV, LOST is dumbed up TV; it’s designed to make us all feel stupid.” – quote from Amy’s favorite LOST watching pal.

I openly admit it. The only reason I watched the very first episode of LOST was to scope out Matthew Fox. That man is totally hot and very sexy. As I watched that first hour, happily feeding my imaginary lust for, quite possibly, the grumpiest man on TV, I remember being impressed with nearly everything else I was seeing on the show. The set up was cool. The characters were interesting. That first hour was beautifully shot, written, produced – even the music was cool. I was impressed. THEN:

All of a sudden, out of nowhere, a loud, unknown, unseen, scary-as-all-get-out Thing snatches the pilot of Oceanic Flight 815 right out the fuselage. Pfft. Blood spatters on the window behind a freaked out Kate.
I never missed another episode.

WHAT LOST DID TO TV
When people ask me why they should watch LOST, my answer is always the same: One day you'll be sorry you didn't. When the sum total of human intelligence crystallizes into a vortex of unyielding creativity, it is indeed a beautiful thing, but when it happens on network television, son, you’d better thank your fucking lucky stars and pay attention. It won’t happen again in your lifetime.

In case you missed it, LOST just redefined TV for the 21st Century.

At a time when the most lucrative mass media products are reality TV and internet porn, Team LOST managed to put together and pull off a show that defies definition, breaks every rule and remains, to date, the most ambitious creative undertaking in television history.

Think about it. From its inception, LOST tossed out the Lowest Common Denominator theory of television viewers (that’s like you denying your own DNA, btw).

More importantly: it forced a major studio (ABC/Disney) to create an entirely new marketing strategy specifically around this ONE show. That means ABC/Disney had to reconsider and redefine “the viewer.” [That almost never happens, like EVER.] And it did all this while, at least for the first few years, losing a fortune for the network in production costs.

[If that’s not the very definition of “most ambitious,” then I’m the frickin’ Queen of England.]

However, most importantly for us, it did all these things while satisfying the primal need that binds all human intelligence together: It told a great fucking story.

That’s what finally reeled me in for good. The level of collaboration required and the sheer magnitude of detailed visual and auditory story telling used on LOST sets a new benchmark for the medium known as film/television [Media is plural form of Medium. It’s a Latin thing. Try not to let it bother you].

I couldn’t believe it then, and I can barely believe it now. This show broke boundaries all over creation, and it was still BRILLIANT. It still WORKED. It still made MONEY. It still told the STORY.
Problem: the story doesn’t make any sense.

WHAT LOST DID TO YOU
That’s right. I’m just gonna say it. On its surface, LOST makes NO SENSE whatsoever. Okay, boys and girls of TV watching land, what does that tell you? That’s right! You MUST look beyond the surface for it to make sense. It is not optional. This means you can not take ANYTHING on LOST at face value.

That means the show has put the responsibility for how much you do or don't enjoying watching it directly on your shoulders. As soon as you stop looking beyond the surface, your enjoyment of the show fades. That is, if LOST makes no sense whatsoever to you and you hate it, then (according to LOST philosophy) it’s your fault because you wouldn’t look past the surface.

Basically, you're eating soup with a fork. You'll never get more than a taste, and you’ll always be hungry. [Bummer for you. It's really good soup.]

LOST’s primary message is fairly simple: Don’t judge a book by it’s cover (HA!). That is, don’t let the traditional blank-minded, spoon-fed, spongy, traditional gimme-it mode of TV watching lead you astray.

In essence, LOST respectfully requests that you Mcwatch TV someplace else.

WHAT LOST DID TO ME
So that’s it in a nutshell, folks. Between breaking new ground, breaking the rules, redefining the viewer and demanding a minimum level of critical thinking and investigation from each and every viewer, LOST pushed me into the best of all possible worlds: The glorious land of academic investigation affectionately known as “WTF?!” [Ahhhhh-yes. The English major’s dream world].

LOST forced me to question my assumptions. It challenged me to find, consider and balance all the evidence. It made me think, rethink and then think again. It did all these things because I accepted LOST for what it is from the beginning: A puzzle, a riddle, and a great fucking story.

When credits rolled on “The End,” I was just as excited as I was when I watched the pilot. The show isn’t “finished” anymore than a puzzle is finished once you sort out all the edge pieces. Now that we finally have all the pieces, it’s time to begin. I’m totally jazzed to go all the way back to the beginning and start over for the last time.

Which, ironically enough, means watching Matthew Fox footage over and over for hours on end.
[Could this show be any more awesome? I don’t think so!]

June 4, 2010

We're Gonna Need to Watch That Again!

LOST fans mark your calendars, it's coming soon!!
Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment brings us Lost: The Complete Sixth and Final Season and Lost: The Complete Collection. Both on Blu-ray and DVD on August 24, 2010!

Relive every moment from the complete sixth and final season. Loaded with Never-Before-Seen Bonus Features!
 LOST: THE COMPLETE SIXTH AND FINAL SEASON: Contents

• Every Sixth Season Episode

• Bloopers and Deleted Scenes

• Audio Commentaries accompany four episodes (LA X, Dr. Linus, Ab Aeterno and Across The Sea)

• The End: Crafting A Final Season – Join the LOST team along with other producers of some of
television’s longest running shows as they examine the challenges of ending a landmark series.

• A Hero’s Journey – What makes a hero? Which survivors of Oceanic 815 are true heroes? These
questions and more are explored.

• See You In Another Life, Brotha – Unlocks the mysteries of this season’s intriguing flash sideways.

• ‘LOST on Location’ – Behind-the-scenes featurette showcasing stories from the set, including all-new
interviews with actors and crew.

• PLUS: A LOST Blu-ray & DVD exclusive - Go deeper into the world of LOST with a much-anticipated new chapter of the island's story from Executive Producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse.

DVD SRP: US - $59.99/Canada - $79.99
Blu-ray: US - $79.99/Canada - $94.99

LOST: THE COMPLETE COLLECTION – Contents

• Every Episode in the Series (Seasons 1 through 6)

• Over 30hrs of Season 1-6 Bonus materials (previously released materials from Season 1-5 and the all-new Season 6 bonus material)

• A unique series of featurettes that takes viewers on very personal tours of Oahu where the series was created, with key cast and crew as they reflect.

• Exploring the global phenomenon that is Lost, bonus showcases events ranging from the series cast and crew at San Diego’s famed Comic-Con convention to international voice recordings, local events and even fan parties, all of which helped make the show into a worldwide favorite.

• A closer look at some of the props with cast, writers and producers, exploring their significance, stories and emotional ties to the characters.

• Humorous yet emotional look at every character who died on the series

• 16 hilarious Lost “Slapdowns” featurettes showcasing celebrity Lost fans who confront Executive Producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse to ask press questions about the final season, including the Muppets and cast members Nestor Carbonell, Michael Emerson, Rebecca Mader and more.

The exciting collectible packaging also includes: a Special Edition collectible ‘Senet’ Game as seen in Season Six, a custom LOST island replica, an exclusive episode guide, a collectible Ankh, and a black light penlight.

DVD SRP: US - $229.99/Canada - $234.99
Blu-ray: US - $279.99/Canada - $319.99

Lost: The Complete Sixth and Final Season and Lost: The Complete Collection  are rated TV14 DLSV.

June 3, 2010

LOST Conversations part 2



Hi Losties!

Here is another segment of shared thoughts from two fellow LOST friends.

A few friends shared their honest thoughts and honest perceptions with me about the show, the story and its writers, the LOST community, recappers, bloggers, podcasters, theorists and fans. It is enlightening to see how the journey was for the them over past six years. I thought it an interesting idea to collaborate and post  some of their thoughts here.  I will post a series of these shared thoughts so be sure to check back.  Also I encourage you share your LOST journey with us, so leave your thoughts in the comment section below.

Shared Thoughts from Anna of Jacob's Cabin:
Here are some of my thoughts on the finale...since Damon and Carlton have been stressing for a long time that this show is about the characters, I was not surprised to see what they did with the finale. The characters were all that mattered, to the degree that I now believe that we the audience almost became characters too, in two ways.

First, we only know what the characters know. We don't get to see special behind-the-scenes workings of the island; we only see what Desmond or Jack sees, and we understand it as they understand it, which unfortunately means we don't understand the mechanics of much. This takes it back to faith, which we need just as much as the characters do to accept the solutions to their problems, both personal problems and island-plotline problems.

Second, I think that the scene between Christian and Jack in the church was aimed directly at the fans. All the things Christian said could be interpreted as things that the producers would say to each Lost fan if they could talk to them all face to face. That said, it was a little disappointing on a few levels. Of course we would have loved to see more mysteries answered instead of getting a final "thank you for watching and building a community around our show" nod from the producers. It was weird as a Christian to see that these characters created their own heaven-like limbo where they have everything they (think) they want, because that doesn't jive with my beliefs about heaven and life after death. But as I've said before, I don't get my beliefs from this show nor do I want to read them into the show too much. It was disappointing as a fan who wanted the sideways to be vital to the plot, and it raises so many questions that unfortunately I don't have the curiosity to actually want answered--could they sin in this in-between place? Once they awakened, was it okay to break all moral and ethical codes to wake others up (Desmond running over Locke, for example)? Doesn't knowing the end make the sideways moot to re-watch? One great feature about Lost has always been its re-watchability, but with a third of season 6 invested in the now-irrelevant sideways, will we want to re-watch it as much? What is the point of watching dead people who don't even know they're dead running around in a timeline that doesn't even match up (was the concert the day 815 landed as in Desmond and Charlie's case, or days or weeks later as in the case of Sawyer and Miles and the rest, who had many days pass first?) only to leave the timeline as soon as they realize where they are? If they've created a place to be together, why leave so soon? The only decent explanation I can see is that it's all a message to the fans about how we've creating an amazing community, made friends, and now we have to let go of the show and move on. We don't have all the answers, but we have all the things we've learned and gained along the way. This message seemed so clear to me in the finale that it was almost didactic, which was rather surprising.

As for the on-island ending, I was perfectly satisfied with the resolution of the characters. The yellow light and all that may have been a little hokey, but explaining any piece of "magic" too much is dangerous, and I guess I have to look at it as Jack's proving ground more than what it actually is in terms of the island, the mythology, and the pseudo-science behind it. I'm a little worried about how the rest of the mythology will look upon re-watch. Some of it we can still form valid theories about while other pieces are dead ends. The lists came up as early as season 2, but the candidate issue was really only a season 6 convention, and this worries me because the first 5 seasons of the show point in a very different direction than season 6. There are seeming inconsistencies such as, if Jacob hand-picked these people and brought them there, why did he let all his prime candidates leave at one point (Oceanic 6)? I will admit that the ending made me doubt that they've had anything more than Jack's eye closing planned all along.

To cap off the whole series, the finale was a nice retrospective as we saw the flashes along with the characters in the sideways. The producers did a good job evoking those memories and bringing back a flood of emotions--this episode was not lacking in those areas whatsoever. I did wonder if that was more for the fans or more for them; were they looking back at how far they'd come and got so sentimental about the earlier seasons that they basically turned a portion of the finale into a tribute to their own creation? At the Times Talk in theaters last week, Jorge Garcia said about the finale, "I think I...got it." That makes me think that their intent was indeed to give us that message about how great the ride has been and how the show has been about breaking boundaries, making friends, and sparking conversation more than about individual answers. It is weird to have been so desirous of receiving answers just a few weeks ago, and now to feel as though the answers don't matter, but it was almost as though the finale flipped a switch in me. I want to look back on Lost and think of all the good moments on the show and with friends, podcasts, Twitter, etc., and speculate for years on what the answers could be, but I lost my intense need to know. I think I "got" the point of Lost...and I think I'll carry it with me for the rest of my life.


Shared Thoughts from Levi Muller of Book Bawk:
I consider LOST my favorite show of all time and I cannot imagine another show replacing it. Something about these people and this island captivated me and kept me watching every week. I always wanted to know why they were there and what would happen to them next.

I have mixed feelings about "The End" of LOST. Kim and I started our trips to the island in season 2. First, we watched season 1's episodes back to back, then, we were hooked and watched every week. We really got involved with our friends and made many new ones while analyzing and discussing theories (mostly through MySpace blogs). It was a lot of fun, but I soon started finding myself putting more energy into theories and the show in general than I felt was necessary. After all, it was just a TV show. At that point I was still craving answers, but wanted them only from the show itself. So, while I hated for it to end, I wanted to know what was really going on.

I'm not sure that I can put my finger on a single reason for why I enjoyed the show so much, but part of it revolved around connection to characters. I can't say that I could always relate to one specific character for the duration of the show, but there were many times that I could relate to at least one of them. There seemed to be a personality on the island that anyone could relate to or wanted to be more like. At the same time, there always seemed to be someone to despise

Another aspect that I loved about the show was the element of suspense. Someone or something was always in peril. New discoveries were made often. Strange and incredible aspects were constantly introduced. Viewers were always intrigued. Also, there were many times that I couldn't figure out whose side of the current battle I was rooting for. This became especially difficult once people who were once on the same side were pitted against each other.

If there was anything I didn't like about "The End," it would be the amount of unanswered questions that were prompted by the writers of the show. I loved being intrigued by the elements of the show, but why weren't these elements explained by the time the show was concluded? Now I feel that I have to make up my own answers, which will be highly influenced by other people's theories and the data they have to support them. However, I'll never trust my own or the theories of the "Others" because these theories can't be confirmed now that the show is over.

As far as the questions that were answered by the time the show concluded, I feel fine. I know a lot of people may be upset that their theories didn't come true. Maybe the show could have been better if these theories were the direction the writers took the show, but I cannot say. Since I stopped putting a lot of effort and analysis into the show, I actually enjoyed it more. I didn't have a theory to be tested, so however the writers decided to answer a question was fine with me. I graciously accepted what they gave me and remain thankful for the entertainment.

I may go back and watch old episodes of LOST, now that I know the answers. However, much like the characters of the show, I think that it's time to move on and let go. There are many new things that are more than willing to accept my attention and many new adventures that are yet to be taken.

June 2, 2010

I'm stuck in a Loop and I Don't Want to Get Out!

I received many emails and messages asking if I was going to re-watch all of our beloved episodes of LOST now that we've reached the end of the series. Of course there are many unanswered questions and much confusion. Well, considering I love the world of exploration and imagination, you can bet I will indeed re-watch.
After all the path to enlightenment is filled with the self on a journey, searching for answers, so we might as well book another walkabout!

The journey we all took with LOST just happened to begin with a trip down into the rabbit hole. And since we needed to find our way through that labyrinth of a wonderland, complete with riddles and rabbits, metaphors and monsters, quests, a hero, and an interesting happily ever after, it will be good to revisit the enigma that originally sent us out blindly to figure things out.

What does your completed puzzle look like now that we've reached the end of LOST? Does it look like the picture on the box?
Let's face it, in reality until we have all the puzzle pieces in place it's not really complete or in this case, fully understood, is it?

In the past I've tried to explain LOST to be a Meta puzzle, but maybe a better way to explain is that it's more of a Koan. A Koan is riddle-like puzzle used for teaching in Zen Buddhism. It cannot be solved by reason, but instead forces the student to solve it through a flash of insight.

When all is said and done what potential ideas and theories to the mysteries of the "Island" were debunked and what potential ideas and theories were supported?

I have not decided how I will literally document any additional notes and insight to the episodes, as I will not alter the notes I've already posted over the years. I want to leave those original notes intact and as is, I stand by those, plus they are there for you to refer back to. (I will always include links back to my original posts.)
If you have any suggestions on how I could share the new/additional notes with you please let me know. Maybe I should group episodes off, or subject matter, etc.

LOST gave us a fantastic mystery, but also incorporated outside sources to enhance our edification along the way. Should we address the ARG's information to the re-watch at all?

For those who are new to my notes, welcome, but be warned...I think outside the box!

Thank you all for your support all of these years.

Love to all who are "LOST"™