Sorry, I fell off the wagon for a bit there, just like Lilo.
So, LOST finally starts tonight. I waited eight months for my most favorite of TV shows to start to almost answer my questions. I hate that I fell victim to such a predictably stupid formula, but I love the rewards that it brings towards the end of the season. I have never really been obsessive over a TV show before, I can usually show some decent restraint over missing an episode of, say, South Park. But LOST is the ultimate water cooler TV show, everyone always buzzes about what happened the last 5 minutes of a show that lasts roughly 42 (maybe closer to 90 with the season premier, but whose counting?). So far, every friend that I have forced to watch the first season has fallen victim to the same Burmese tiger trap. They’re hooked.
I can remember when I let the entire first season pass me by, as it was airing on ABC. I was doing things, what, I’m not sure, but it could not have added up to much as I cannot remember it. Chances are that I spent a great deal of time with my three friends, Bud, Coolers and Miller: The occasional visit to uncle keystone when the funds were low, maybe the debate of slumming it with grandpa natty or Milwaukee, or when times were good, my European cousin Heine. Either way, I missed the entire first season. The girl I was dating at the time would always set her watch to it, and I mocked her mercilessly for it. It seems only fitting that I would become ensnared, no?
My roommate, Trevor, had borrowed the first season box set from a friend and had planned on watching it, but never got around to it. In Mesa house, college was not really a priority. There was a good week where I was not feeling up to snuff (due to heavy drinking the previous night, each subsequent day) and decided it best not to go to school. Rather I would stay home, booze, and pop in a DVD. Boredom and curiosity got the best of me and I picked up the box set to LOST, season 1. I popped in the DVD, unscrewed my 40, sat in Alecia’s father’s old brown chair and began what would eventually become an epic journey. The first episode did not hook me, but it did have me thinking. What a cool concept for a show, they could have gone all Lord of the Flies with this thing, but instead they focus on how all the people are connected (kinda like Magnolia, except Tom Cruise is not on the island). As the season progressed I watched each episode back to back, my record being two discs in one day. I foolishly thought I would get answers, but instead the questions kept coming.
Season two I followed on TV, watching each and every week at the appointed time. I am pretty sure I only missed two or three episodes, but they were crucial because the entire time I wanted to know what the fuck that little button did. How could a button replace all the characters and their drama? This is probably the part where I started telling/raving to my friends about how great LOST was. This is also the season where my favorite character(s) were introduced, Desmond and Echo. I did not know Desmond was my favorite character at the time, but I really digged his Scottish accent. Soon, my friends started to tune in, one even bought the first season and I agreed to watch the bulk of the episodes with him. I caught new things, subtle hints that the producers are so keen on inserting. It enriched my second season of LOST, which had an amazing ending: The button was not pushed in time!
I would have to wait about 6 months to find out what happened, but this time I was not joking around with my LOST viewing for season 3. I had a Tivo, and I was not going to miss another episode. The first grouping of episodes focused on others, and then briefly took the time to kill one of my favorites (rest in peace eacho’s character, you were awesome and had one of the most creative characters in recent television history) before going away for two months. Then the latter part of season three came and kicked the show into high gear. Now, it seemed, there was a sense of purpose for the show. All the conflicts so far, all the drama, really was just a giant exposition for what is about to happen tonight.
And tonight, when I should be sitting comfortably in my house, waiting for the season premier, I will be working at the bar! Dammit! I will have to wait till tomorrow to download the episode off of itunes in the morning. I will have to show restraint not to look at the episode synopsis, not to look into what might have happened and what new questions are being asked. It feels like an impossible task, but one that I will have to attempt. I am sorry LOST, I thought I was a good fan.
So, LOST finally starts tonight. I waited eight months for my most favorite of TV shows to start to almost answer my questions. I hate that I fell victim to such a predictably stupid formula, but I love the rewards that it brings towards the end of the season. I have never really been obsessive over a TV show before, I can usually show some decent restraint over missing an episode of, say, South Park. But LOST is the ultimate water cooler TV show, everyone always buzzes about what happened the last 5 minutes of a show that lasts roughly 42 (maybe closer to 90 with the season premier, but whose counting?). So far, every friend that I have forced to watch the first season has fallen victim to the same Burmese tiger trap. They’re hooked.
I can remember when I let the entire first season pass me by, as it was airing on ABC. I was doing things, what, I’m not sure, but it could not have added up to much as I cannot remember it. Chances are that I spent a great deal of time with my three friends, Bud, Coolers and Miller: The occasional visit to uncle keystone when the funds were low, maybe the debate of slumming it with grandpa natty or Milwaukee, or when times were good, my European cousin Heine. Either way, I missed the entire first season. The girl I was dating at the time would always set her watch to it, and I mocked her mercilessly for it. It seems only fitting that I would become ensnared, no?
My roommate, Trevor, had borrowed the first season box set from a friend and had planned on watching it, but never got around to it. In Mesa house, college was not really a priority. There was a good week where I was not feeling up to snuff (due to heavy drinking the previous night, each subsequent day) and decided it best not to go to school. Rather I would stay home, booze, and pop in a DVD. Boredom and curiosity got the best of me and I picked up the box set to LOST, season 1. I popped in the DVD, unscrewed my 40, sat in Alecia’s father’s old brown chair and began what would eventually become an epic journey. The first episode did not hook me, but it did have me thinking. What a cool concept for a show, they could have gone all Lord of the Flies with this thing, but instead they focus on how all the people are connected (kinda like Magnolia, except Tom Cruise is not on the island). As the season progressed I watched each episode back to back, my record being two discs in one day. I foolishly thought I would get answers, but instead the questions kept coming.
Season two I followed on TV, watching each and every week at the appointed time. I am pretty sure I only missed two or three episodes, but they were crucial because the entire time I wanted to know what the fuck that little button did. How could a button replace all the characters and their drama? This is probably the part where I started telling/raving to my friends about how great LOST was. This is also the season where my favorite character(s) were introduced, Desmond and Echo. I did not know Desmond was my favorite character at the time, but I really digged his Scottish accent. Soon, my friends started to tune in, one even bought the first season and I agreed to watch the bulk of the episodes with him. I caught new things, subtle hints that the producers are so keen on inserting. It enriched my second season of LOST, which had an amazing ending: The button was not pushed in time!
I would have to wait about 6 months to find out what happened, but this time I was not joking around with my LOST viewing for season 3. I had a Tivo, and I was not going to miss another episode. The first grouping of episodes focused on others, and then briefly took the time to kill one of my favorites (rest in peace eacho’s character, you were awesome and had one of the most creative characters in recent television history) before going away for two months. Then the latter part of season three came and kicked the show into high gear. Now, it seemed, there was a sense of purpose for the show. All the conflicts so far, all the drama, really was just a giant exposition for what is about to happen tonight.
And tonight, when I should be sitting comfortably in my house, waiting for the season premier, I will be working at the bar! Dammit! I will have to wait till tomorrow to download the episode off of itunes in the morning. I will have to show restraint not to look at the episode synopsis, not to look into what might have happened and what new questions are being asked. It feels like an impossible task, but one that I will have to attempt. I am sorry LOST, I thought I was a good fan.
2 comments:
I only watched one episode of Lost. Sorry but I couldn't get into it. Plus, I usually get addicted to everything...so I try to stay away from TV ;)
Thanks for the comments on Tony's page. I enjoy your writing as well :)
Personally, I would love to see more of a "Lord of the Flies" influence on Lost, mainly because I want to watch Hurley complain about his ass-mar and get a boulder dropped on him.
I irrationally hate Hurley. There's no way he could still be that overweight after ninety days of eating papayas and sand. He'd definately look more like Jared from the Subway commercials.
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