Reevaluating Lost

[kidsick5000]

I'm sure that intro is outdated now. GoT definitely took the shittiest end crown from Lost.

I'm sure it will get reevaluated but GOTs ending stopped people talking about it.

Compared to Lost, the general chatter post finale - compared to what it was - is deafening silence

[bgmnts]

I don't know about GoT's ending but Dexter and Quantum Leap take some beating for worst endings in television for me.

[DrGreggles]

I was referring to that specific reveal rather than the show as a whole.
After nearly 6 seasons of cryptic hints and allusions they suddenly throw in something that was exactly what they said it was, because they knew it wouldn't be taken at face value.
Seemed like a piss-take to me anyway.

They did a similar thing to the cast and crew too.
The final scenes of the first three seasons were always filmed with as few production staff as possible, and whichever actors were required were only given their script on that day.
Everyone else's script just said "Final scene:..." followed by a nonsensical title, to a) minimise any potential leaks and b) surprise them when it was broadcast.
For season 4 they did they same, but the nonsensical title of that final scene was "Frozen donkey wheel".

[DrGreggles]

I don't know about GoT's ending but Dexter and Quantum Leap take some beating for worst endings in television for me.

I can't remember how Quantum Leap ended, which suggests it can't be as bad as Dexter.

[Famous Mortimer]

I can't remember how Quantum Leap ended, which suggests it can't be as bad as Dexter.

Sam never goes home, the show ends with the title card just saying he carried on leaping forever. This article talks about them filming alternate endings in the event that the show was cancelled, but even though it was they just binned them and went with the middle finger that they did.

Battlestar Galactica's was mind-blowingly bad, but I never fully got back on board with it after the episode where they showed a union as an evil organisation dedicated to humanity's downfall. I admit I probably felt more strongly about that than most.

[Phil_A]

Sam never goes home, the show ends with the title card just saying he carried on leaping forever. This article talks about them filming alternate endings in the event that the show was cancelled, but even though it was they just binned them and went with the middle finger that they did.

The final scene of QL was dropped as it was a teaser leading into the planned next season, and as they only were told at the very last minute they'd been axed, there was no time to film anything else. Hence the very hasty final caption (which misspells Sam's name).

In fact the whole final episode was a famously intended to be a set-up for a soft reboot of the show which sounded pretty lame to be honest, I suspect it probably would've been a disaster along the lines of that final A-Team season when they're doing missions for the US Government. I think it really works as a finale, because Sam never getting to go home is a lot more poignant than him having wacky space adventures or Al becoming a leaper or whatever else was supposed to happen.

[DrGreggles]

I'd forgotten all about Nikki & Paulo but, as pointless as their existence was (and I know they were a victim of the timing of the show finalising an end date), Exposé is such a fun episode.

[Ja'moke]

What was the whole deal with killing off Ana-Lucia and Libby and Eko, again? I've forgotten. I seem to remember some behind the scenes drama and then they were all killed off in relatively quick succession. The actor who played Eko wanted to leave? And some business with Michelle Rodriguez getting done for a DUI? Is that it?

I remember people not being a fan of the Tailies, other than Mr Eko, but I think Ana Lucia is quite an underrated character now having rewatched Season 2.

[DrGreggles]

Eko wanted out, as he didn't want to be in Hawaii (I think there was a family illness or something).
Not 100% sure about Ana Lucia, but I seem to recall something about them being unable to insure her after the DUI (which seems weird, but some states have weird laws). Same for Libby.

[mjwilson]

I think Damon has claimed that Michelle Rodriguez was only signed for one season anyway, but he could just be being polite - the timing on the DUIs is super suspicious. Mind you Daniel Dae Kim also got busted for the same reason and he got to stay.

[purlieu]

It's a good job they spent those six episodes introducing the other characters otherwise we wouldn't have missed them after they were all written out after a season.

[DrGreggles]

A cynical man would suggest that the introduction and rapid removal of these additional characters was a deliberate ploy by the producers to get the network to give in to their demands for an end date...

[DrGreggles]

Deep into s4 now and it really becomes The Michael Emerson Show at times, which is obviously a good thing. I think The Shape of Things to Come won him the Emmy.

The Constant remains one of the best episodes of television I've, genuinely emotional and rather nuts. It's interesting how the creators worked so hard on trying to generate interest in the love stories between characters from day one, but they only succeeded by accident after finding out that the viewers were all about Desmond and Penny. Credit to them for how they delivered it though.

Plenty of time travel hints by now. I seem to recall that my own theory at the time was that Ben and Jim Robinson couldn't kill each other because they'd both travelled back (or would travel back) and done something to save each other's life - and so they needed each other alive otherwise the timelines would be fucked.
Obviously I was wrong...

[Ja'moke]

I'm onto Season 3 but struggling to get through those first few episodes. I keep stopping and starting. I know I just need to plow through because things really pick back up in the second half. But man, those "cage" episodes are dull.

[DrGreggles]

I'm onto Season 3 but struggling to get through those first few episodes. I keep stopping and starting. I know I just need to plow through because things really pick back up in the second half. But man, those "cage" episodes are dull.

Yep, that opening block of 6 is rotten.
Picks up again with episodes 7 and 8 though, and (with one obvious exception) the rest of the season is hit after hit.

[purlieu]

Plenty of time travel hints by now. I seem to recall that my own theory at the time was that Ben and Jim Robinson couldn't kill each other because they'd both travelled back (or would travel back) and done something to save each other's life - and so they needed each other alive otherwise the timelines would be fucked.
Obviously I was wrong...

Mm, it turned out to be just "the rules".

[DrGreggles]

Well, "the island wasn't done with them" - which similarly saved various Losties at some point.
Not Nikki and Paulo though...

[DrGreggles]

Started s5 now. Love the opening scenes.
They always started each season with a "I wonder who that is" (Desmond's and Juliet's were particularly good), but this one was so clearly Marvin Candle from the outset that I remember thinking that they'd fucked it up. Then it turns out that he wasn't the big reveal at all - it was Faraday. Fantastic stuff.

Enjoying this rewatch far more than I expected to, as I thought it might have dated badly. Nope. Bar some dodgy wigs (and dodgier accents) it still looks amazing.

[Ja'moke]

I still haven't made it through the first six episodes of Season 3. It's really ground my rewatch to a halt.

[DrGreggles]

I still haven't made it through the first six episodes of Season 3. It's really ground my rewatch to a halt.

It's annoying because, amongst all the dross, there is one HUGE thing that happens.
Otherwise you could quite easily skip to s3e7.

[AsparagusTrevor]

Inspired by this thread I've also started a rewatch recently, I'm up to the start of season 2.

On a related note, R.I.P. Rousseau
https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-55763658

[DrGreggles]

Sad news. She was fantastic as Rousseau.
I believe the Rousseau-centric episode was one of those that never happened due to the writers strike truncating s4, which is a shame given that it didn't give her character the send off she deserved.
RIP

[AsparagusTrevor]

I finished my rewatch yesterday. I must admit, as I didn't have the expectations the second time around I enjoyed the final season and finale much more, as I knew the mysteries were all down to magic wine and magic plugholes I could just focus on the characters, definitely the show's strong suit, and the acting which was pretty damn good from most people. I remember Matthew Fox getting a lot of shit back in the day but he honestly does some brilliant work.

[DrGreggles]

I finished recently too.
The final season is still the worst, especially the temple bollocks, but it's fine and finishes the season well.

No need for that Jacob's mum episode, but the Richard Alpert one was one of the best of the whole show.

[Ja'moke]

I'm sad to say my rewatch came to a grinding halt in Season 3 and I started watching other things instead.

[AsparagusTrevor]

I'm sad to say my rewatch came to a grinding halt in Season 3 and I started watching other things instead.

You get stuck on those early episode slogs? Shame, the season 3 finale is the definite high-point of the whole series, it's just still so good even now.

[Ja'moke]

You get stuck on those early episode slogs? Shame, the season 3 finale is the definite high-point of the whole series, it's just still so good even now.

Yeah, I did make it through the "cage" episodes, and it has the brilliant Desmond episode in there. But then there are Jack's tattoos and Nikki & Paulo stuff soon after that. It's a real slog.

[DrGreggles]

I'm a fan of the Nikki & Paulo episode. I just wish that it had been their only appearance.

Jack's tattoo was awful, but that was the only dud in the post-cage bit of s3, culminating in the amazing season finale.

[peanutbutter]

How's it compare to the Leftovers? I remember there bring some great moments but I struggle to shake off the feeling there's enough overlap between the two and latter is so much more cohesive and clear in its vision that I can't be arsed with checking lost again.


Lost had some fucking amazing casting though; loads of people just perfect for their roles but not necessarily especially good actors or anything. Always felt like a big shame that Adebisi didn't stick around longer

[Dave The Triffids]

I'm currently re-watching Lost as I missed out on two thirds of Season 3 and the whole of Season 4 at the time of the original showing (due to the removal of Sky One from Virgin).  I've just watched the infamous Nikki and Paulo episode for the first time expecting to hate it, but it's not that bad - I like the way it links in with previous episodes.  It kind of reminds me of an extended, big-budget Tales of the Unexpected episode.