LostUK.net

Goodbye!

James — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 08:47:03 +0000

Ok Lost is done and dusted and so are we. I would like to just thank a few people before I go.

Firstly I thank Joe, the original owner of this site. If it weren’t for him, I may never have gotten into Lost and I certainly wouldn’t be running this site.

Secondly and probably most importantly I want to thank our own John Locke who has year after year redesigned the front page and done all kinds of HTML wizardry as well as helping manage the forums.

Thirdly I want to say thanks to the forum members. The forum has always been the heart of the site, I freely admit the front end ‘news/reviews’ has been half hearted. It was always secondary to the forum. Although our numbers dwindled as time went on there were a core group of us that enjoyed dissecting each episode. Special mention goes to Noodlebug who has for me been the member most worth listening to.

Finally I would like to thank everyone that has ever had a hand in making Lost. There was never been a show like it before and it will be a very long time until it’s magic is even closely matched in the near future. It is truly brilliant and I can’t wait to re-watch it all soon, knowing how it all ends.

So that’s it, goodbye all and as a wise man once said, “See you in another life, brother”.

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Noodlebug’s Final Thoughts

James — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 08:36:19 +0000

If I were to give out forum awards, the award for “Most Awesome Member” would go to Noodlebug. I’ve known him for perhaps 8 years now from this forum and another, and he’s consistently very funny and very insightful. Every post is a joy to read and I’m glad he stayed with us until the end. So I thought I’d honour him by asking him to post his final thoughts on the Lost finale. Read it after the jump…

How can I begin to review the most masterful, most emotional, most meaningful and most beautiful series finales of all time? Well that’s as good a start as any I guess…

I’ve been following Lost since the very beginning, even beforehand, when those wonderful Portishead-themed trailers on Channel 4 first intrigued me. And that is what Lost has done from the start, it hooks you, pulls you along for a bit, and just as you work your way loose, BAM, it hooks you again with something else. Mystery is layered upon mystery, from the first episode where every single major character was a riddle wrapped in an enigma, through to the mysterious Others, then the mysterious Hatch, then the mysterious Freighter folk, and then finally the mysterious Jacob and the Man in Black.

Surely it would be too much to expect every mystery to be revealed in the finale? As it turned out, most of the mysteries were revealed before the final episode, at that point we knew who everyone was, why they were on the island, what their motivations were, what made them the people they were, and most of the island’s history and mythology, from Jacob’s mother and the ancient temple-builders, through to the Black Rock and the Dharma Initiative. But there were still two big questions that needed answering – how would it all end, and what was the “parallel timeline” all about?

The final cliff-top showdown between Good and Evil, in the shape of Jack and the man wearing the face of John Locke was suitably dramatic, and of course the good guy won in the end, with a little help from his friends. The strangeness surrounding the Cave and the Light and the Magic Bunghole were never really going to be explained (wizards did it!) but it was rich with symbolism, and perhaps reflected the message of the show, and of Jack’s personal arc, that sometimes you have to forget everything you think you know and just have a little faith and belief.

Another rag-tag Oceanic 6 escaped the island, and it appeared that there would also be happy endings of sorts for Hurley, Ben and Desmond, Rose and Bernard. But if there has ever been a show that wants to have it’s cake and eat it, surely it must be this one. It dished out a happy ending for EVERY major character, dead or alive, as the alternative timeline was revealed to be an eternal gatehouse for the connections they made on the island to be rediscovered and for everyone to be paired off with their own Constant. And if you want a masterclass in how to create great, timeless television, watch the scenes where each character found their connection. I defy anyone to watch any of them without a tear or two welling up. Beautiful imagery, beautiful acting, beautiful music, a miniature retrospective of each character’s journey on the island, both a nostalgic tribute and a fitting individual conclusion. Faces from the show’s past felt as real again as though they had never been away and afterwards you wonder how any other ending could possibly have ever been contemplated.

Lost is an ensemble work, but if one character has always been slightly further in the foreground than the others it is Dr Jack Shepherd. The show opened from his point of view, and the final moment was a perfect mirror image, right down to the wound placement, the dangling shoe, and the ghostlike appearance of Vincent. He may not have been anyone’s favourite character, but he was the engine of the show, the everyman, just trying to get along the best he can in a world he doesn’t understand, and first gradually, then dramatically letting it swallow him whole. It may well not have been until his final two-hander scene with his father that most of the audience finally “got” Jack, and felt for him, and shared his sense of loss and fear and relief and joy.

I’m sure the resolution may not be to everyone’s satisfaction, but sometimes too much explanation can kill the magic. Like Jack, we just have to trust that everything was there for a purpose, everything that happened happened for a reason, and along the way we have seen some great storytelling, met compelling characters, endured some shocking cliffhangers and been part of a shared experience that we Losties all over the world will never forget. I look forward to meeting you all again, in the multi-denominational temple of eternity. Namaste!

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My thoughts on “The End”

James — Mon, 24 May 2010 20:43:02 +0000

I was awake at 4am on Monday 24th May 2010. Any other date and this would be a depressing time to be awake. But today was special. The end of Lost. Was it worth getting up for? Yes. A million times yes.

It goes without saying that I am of course a huge Lost fan. You can call me a fanboy or apologist or whatever you like, I love this show flaws and all and what you are about to read comes from the heart. The reason I’ve not said this is a review is because it probably wont be all that critical. Of course the rest of this article contains major spoilers, read ahead at your own risk.

I’m not sure where to start to be honest. To stick with the less controversial I’ll go with the on-island events. When all’s been said and done, the on island events are almost trivial. That’s not to say they weren’t entertaining, they were. The Jack and Locke faceoff was satisfying, the danger of the island sinking gave everything a sense of urgency and there was still the uncertainty as to how it would all end. I’m not surprised that it was Hurley who would end up protector of the island, he had been my prediction for a long while. It was a touching moment too when he asked Ben to be his number 2. Mythology wise we got to learn a little more about the light at the centre of the island. Not enough to satisfy everyone as there are people that want to know why or how this ‘magic plug’ works, who built that, how did they know about it etc, the questions could go on forever. I think those people are missing the point of the show. Call it a plot device or a McGuffin, whatever you like. Just accept that this thing does what we’ve been shown it does and take it at face value. The island events end fittingly with Jack in the same place he woke up on the island, bringing things full circle. It wasn’t Jack’s death that turned on the waterworks (which to be honest were on and off all the way through), it was Vincent laying beside him. He didn’t die alone.

The ’sideways’ universe is where the heart of the episode was. We finally learn what it is, and it’s something that I think will anger a lot of fans. I’ve already seen the scathing review in io9 and in various comments threads. It’s the same reaction to the end of Battlestar Galactica. The arguments seem to boil down to this: because the endings had religious/spiritual themes and things were left unexplained, that the entire show was a waste of their time. Even if people had been in love with the show, the final 15 minutes ruined it all. Going back to what I said earlier, these people are missing the point. The show has always been about the journey, not the destination. This show has always had mysteries, it’s part of what kept people watching. As each one was solved, a dozen more were created. The important ones were solved though, at least for me. To think everything would be solved in a show like this was to be naive. But apart from the mysteries it was of course the characters and their relationships that defined the show. The stories, the setting, the sci-fi elements are just decoration. Exciting, interesting decoration, but still just things to frame the meat of the show that is the characters.

The final mystery of the sideways universe was explained as some form of existence for those who have died and have yet to move on. Now let’s not confuse this (as some people already have) by saying that they were all dead all along. They weren’t, they died as and when we saw it on the show. The final season showed us where the characters went when they died. They lived out their lives in a world where they didn’t crash on the island. But to move on they needed to resolve their issues, which for most of them was to be with the ones they loved. Christian Shepard managed to explain where they all were with very few words. Like he said, some died before Jack, some died after. This is pretty much confirmed when Hurley and Ben acknowledge their time as guardians of the island.

Was this ‘limbo’ universe a satisfactory way of tying everything up? I think so. Considering what has happened on the show you can’t dismiss it for being unrealistic. Yes the producers made a mistake by early on saying everything would be explained scientifically. I think if they could time travel they’d stop themselves from ever saying that. You could poke holes at the logic of it, even by Lost standards. For example, are we to assume those that escaped on the plane led unfulfilled lives? Did they not go on to fall in love again? I’d have thought at the very least Sawyer and Kate may have got together. My point is the episode was no less enjoyable because of this.

Ok so far I’ve managed not to gush about The End. but gush I have done. Emotionally, The End is perfect. On all but the John Locke flashback/remembering moments I was in tears. Part of this was the choice of flashbacks, most of them being the most emotional and important moments of their lives but also the brilliant, heart stirring music by Michael Giacchino. Each of these scenes brought closure to those characters and to me as a viewer. They all got their happy ending, even if it was in the afterlife.

The End was quite simply brilliant. I could not think of a more perfect ending to the show. In a way I was in that church with them. I’d got the closure I needed, I’d seen all I needed to see, I had my happy ending and I can move on. I honestly don’t feel the need to debate things for all eternity, to pick apart the show for it’s inconsistencies, to list every mystery that wasn’t explained and come up with my own answers for them. I have been taken on the most magnificent journey, one that I can’t imagine being matched or surpassed for a long time.

Although I plan on writing a big ‘thankyou’ article to further praise those that made Lost over the years, I would like to say now a huge thankyou to Damon Lindelof, Carlton Cuse and Michael Giacchino. You guys for me are the heart and soul of Lost.

A perfect ending to a brilliant show: The End.

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Sky1 to simulcast LOST finale

John Locke — Thu, 20 May 2010 17:16:39 +0000

Sky1. Monday. 5am. The final episode of Lost.

Sky1 today confirmed that it will air the final 2.5 hours of the show the same time as it airs on the west-coast of America. Running from 5am to 7:30am, you should be able to get it all in before the working day starts!

It will also be repeated Tuesday night at 9pm on Sky1 and Sky1 HD and then in it’s regular 9pm Friday spot.

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Series Finale title revealed

John Locke — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 15:46:35 +0000

In the latest Official Podcast, executive producers Damon and Carlton revealed the name of the series finale…

The End

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New poll – rate Sundown

John Locke — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 18:42:26 +0000

New poll over to the right of the website, rate the AMAZING episode, “Sundown” (Hint: 5/5)

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6×07 Dr Linus

John Locke — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 22:17:50 +0000

Press Release

BEN DEALS WITH THE CONSEQUENCES OF AN UNCOVERED LIE, ON ABC’S “LOST”

“Dr. Linus” – Ben deals with the consequences of an uncovered lie, on “Lost,” TUESDAY, MARCH 9 (9:00-10:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

“Lost” stars Naveen Andrews as Sayid, Nestor Carbonell as Richard Alpert, Emilie de Ravin as Claire, Michael Emerson as Ben, Jeff Fahey as Frank Lapidus, Matthew Fox as Jack, Jorge Garcia as Hurley, Josh Holloway as Sawyer, Daniel Dae Kim as Jin, Yunjin Kim as Sun, Ken Leung as Miles, Evangeline Lilly as Kate, Terry O’Quinn as Locke and Zuleikha Robinson as Ilana.

Guest starring are Alan Dale as Charles Widmore, Tania Raymonde as Alex, Daniel Roebuck as Dr. Leslie Arzt, Jon Gries as Roger Linus, William Atherton as Principal Don Reynolds and Steve Boatright as officer.

“Dr. Linus” was written by Edward Kitsis & Adam Horowitz and directed by Mario Van Peebles.

Promo Pictures

[Show as slideshow]

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Chile tsunami disrupts LOST shoot

John Locke — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 01:51:08 +0000

Carrie Preston (Michael Emerson (Ben Linus)’s wife)
	Michael and I are safe in LA and praying the tsunami doesn’t hit the islands too hard! Thanks for the concern.

Damon Lindelof (Co-Creator)
	Praying for Chile and all the islands of Hawaii. Please send our cast and crew all your positive energy.

Carlton Cuse (Executive Producer)

To ALL on the LOST crew — responding to the Tsunami warning — safe refuge is available at the studio.

Waves to reach Hawaii just after 11 AM.

Report from Hawaii: All of our cast is safe and accounted for. 30 or so crew at the studio. So far no wall of water. Just tidal action.

All clear. Tsunami warning lifted. All good.

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6×06 – Sundown

John Locke — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 22:00:21 +0000

Press Release

SAYID IS FACED WITH A DIFFICULT DECISION, ON ABC’S “LOST”

“Sundown” – Sayid is faced with a difficult decision, and Claire sends a warning to the temple inhabitants, on “Lost,” TUESDAY, MARCH 2 (9:00-10:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

“Lost” stars Naveen Andrews as Sayid, Nestor Carbonell as Richard Alpert, Emilie de Ravin as Claire, Michael Emerson as Ben, Jeff Fahey as Frank Lapidus, Matthew Fox as Jack, Jorge Garcia as Hurley, Josh Holloway as Sawyer, Daniel Dae Kim as Jin, Yunjin Kim as Sun, Ken Leung as Miles, Evangeline Lilly as Kate, Terry O’Quinn as Locke and Zuleikha Robinson as Ilana.

Guest starring are Kevin Durand as Keamy, Anthony Azizi as Omar/Arabic man, Hiroyuki Sanada as Dogen, John Hawkes as Lennon, Andrea Gabriel as Noor “Nadia” Abed Jaseem, Kimberley Joseph as Cindy, Cas Anvar as Omer, Kailee Velasco as Eva, Aramis Knight as Sam, Peter Stray as doctor, Salvatore Abbadessa as cabbie, David Griffith as screaming Other, Mickey Graue as Zack and Kiersten Havelock as Emma.

“Sundown” was written by Paul Zbyszewski & Graham Roland and directed by Bobby Roth.

Promo Pictures

[Show as slideshow]

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Podcast time! Week 3

John Locke — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 09:14:28 +0000

ABC Official LOST Audio Podcast – What Kate Does/The Substitute

Download

Sky1 LOST Initiative – The Substitute

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