Lost: Season Four (1 Viewer)

[Ockeghem]

We're almost through with Season Four, having watched Something Nice Back Home and Cabin Fever recently.

I loved the opening to Cabin Fever. That was very nice to hear a tune by Buddy Holley (on a 45). Emily has very good taste. Thanks go to whomever was responsible for that little touch.

I'm really starting to hope that Keamy meets an untimely (er, accidental) death soon.

 

[Ockeghem]

We concluded season four last night, viewing There's No Place Like Home (pts. 1 and 2). Since I didn't look ahead, it was a nice surprise finding out who Jeremy Benthem was. I thought it was going to be Jin.

 

[TravisR]

^ The scene where Ben turns the donkey wheel and moves the island is one of my favorite Ben/Micheal Emerson moments.

 

[Ockeghem]

Travis,

Yeah, that was a wonderful moment. When he put on the Dharma Initiative coat, and then when I saw where he went, the polar bear made a lot more sense to me -- it looked quite cold there for a moment. I think he ends up in the desert wearing that coat!

I had to look ahead to see the fate of Jin. Goodness, if this show hadn't already made the transition to sci-fi (and coupled with what I read of what occurs with Jin), it most certainly did during the season four closing episodes.

 

[Holadem]

Originally Posted by Holadem ">[/url]

[/QUOTE] Hmmm. Dunno.

I guess the S2 and S3 finale set the bar a bit too high, this finale just didn't work for me as well.

Part of it is the certainty of the outcome as seen in the flash forwards. Never bothered me before, but it did rob some tension from this finale IMO. Much of it was spent traveling to known outcomes, whereas the previous finales were pretty much wide open.

Good stuff but I've seen better from LOST...

--
H
This was my initial reaction to the finale. But as noted later in the thread, it has since grown on me A LOT, and I've watched it countless times since. LOST finales tend to do that actually, and that's the mark of a great work.

Beside the obvious stuff like moving the Island, one of my favorite smaller moments is early in the episode after Kate and Sayid help free Ben from Keamy and his squad and Ben tells them they are free to take the chopper and leave the Island. An incredulous Kate asks "We can leave? that's it?" -- Ben: "That's it."

Something about that scene gets me every time.

--
H

 

[Ockeghem]

I was also quite moved when Ben, in response to Locke's plea for the lives of those on the freighter, simply said "So?" Wow. I figured that Ben had a way of resetting time (in a way other than TBCRB, hopefully) that would ensure the safety of those on the ship. But maybe I was wrong about that.

 

[Arild]

Originally Posted by Ockeghem /forum/thread/266171/lost-season-four/1350#post_3677325

 

[Ockeghem]

Arild,

Hmmm. I have several children who really wanted to know if he was alive or dead. My girls really wanted to know his fate. Jin is one of their most favorite characters. I'll try to be good from now on.

 

[Paul_Scott]

Like Scott, I'm coming to this show very late in the game so I'm basically left in a 'read only' mode when I finish these seasons , which has been at a very brisk clip. Like I did with S3. after I finished I searched out the week to week thread here and relived the seasons twists and turns through everybody's posts. After working through this thread I just had to comment on how wonderful much of the commentary here is. You folks deserve a big pat on the back for producing so much intelligent and stimulating reading. But I guess that's testament to the show itself.


After years of having to suffer through people going on and on about how great this thing is, now that I'm watching it I'm finding it's even better than they said it was. My gold standard up till now had probably been Battlestar Galactica, and at this point last year I was waiting on the complete set to be released to finally see the final last half season. I didn't think there was anyway those last eps could let me down, based on just how good the rest of the series had been- but I was sooooo wrong. While I was just as riveted as the last eps played out, and (somewhat) emotionally satisfied by the ultimate closure, I was hugely disappointed by the sense that Moore never did have a real compelling masterplan in place. And it seems that most people that have watched 'The Plan' seem to have come to that conclusion also. Getting the complete series set prior to seeing the last eps was about as big a no-brainer as any dvd (or in this case Bd) set I've ever bought. But after finding out how it ended- and more specifically the way it all ended, I've replayed the series in my head and the thought of revisiting hours and hours of teases, conflicts, premonitions, and revelations that ultimately mean so little or go nowhere interesting, I now, sadly, have very little enthusiasm for making my way through those 4 short seasons again. I can't believe I just typed that knowing how amazing I thought the show was for so long, but that's the way I feel now. The complete set seems like an albatross on my shelf now. I hope some day I can revisit it and recapture a little of my previous appreciation, but I know it won't be anytime soon.


I say all this because after four seasons of Lost (and I'm pretty sure significantly more total hours), my enthusiasm hasn't flagged a bit. If anything it has increased with each season. And here's the rub- it's maintained my interest while at the same time frequently satisfying a need for some kind of closure or at least an intermittent payoff. I can't wait to see how the Ben vs Widmore(sp?) conflict ultimately plays out, with the Oceanic survivors in the middle, but in the meantime the show hasn't just been one long big tease.

Or has it?

You guys have been watching it and it's just about to finally wrap up- and I'm very curious to know -without getting into any specifics, how satisfied are you with were the show ultimately went, and how it got there?


Going back through these threads, this one post by Josh, summed up perfectly the many things I've been marveling at as I've watched the last couple seasons.

Originally Posted by Josh Dial
.....

Lastly, consider for a moment what the show has been able to do:

- Establish and give substantial backstory/motivation/characterization to a massive cast. Think of how boring the stories would be if they were simply told in a linnear fashion...

- Despite being on an island, have multiple, interesting sets and locations. Not only that, but they actually make sense for them to be there.

- Introduce story threads quite early on, only to have them pay off seasons later (like the psychic and Claire in s1). If anyone actually thinks the show is being "made up as it goes," well, I am simply embarassed for you.

- Tell some of the oldest stories in our history, the struggle between good and evil, the conflict of an individual with themself, et cetera, yet encapsulate those stories within an interesting, unique framework. Somehow I don't see it working as a standard fantasy/sci-fi show.

Anyway, those are my thoughts regarding the show up to the end of season 4. As an aside, I would strongly urge you, if you have time, to rewatch the show from the beginning - there are some real gems of the story that can be seen quite early.

Also, for kicks, try reading the season 1 (and beyond) LOST thread here on the HTF - it's a blast seeing who hated which character, the early theories, and all that

cheers!

Josh

For me, at least at this point, Josh's suggestion to go back and re-watch the previous seasons doesn't seem off-putting at all. Even though I just started watching it back in late March I'm going to go through a serious withdrawl when I finish S5- which based on how fast I polished of 4, should be done by Monday morning. I've tried to pace myself with this so I wouldn't burn out, but it's impossible. Amazing stuff.

 

[Simon Massey]

I have been rewatching the show as I have watched Season 6 and I have found the show immensely satisfying the second time round knowing what I do now. Season 5 especially is fascinating for how they weave in aspects of the show from previous years (trying not to give too much away) and as the show comes to an end and answers are given to various aspects of the show, I have been more than happy so far ( have just reached the last episode of Season 5)


I would say most people were very satisfied with the direction of the show in Season 5 but I get the impression that Season 6 seems to have divided opinion more though so far I have loved it. Much depends on the last few hours though so we will see what happens.

 

[Paul_Scott]

Originally Posted by Simon Massey

That response is reminding me a little too much of what I was reading as BSG was wrapping up.

I chalked it up then to some cranks not being satisfied unless they were contrary- until I saw for myself what the grievances were and sympathized with them.

Last night I plowed through the first 8 eps in S5, and I'm sure tonight I'll finish it. Last one I watched last night was LaFleur. One thing that struck me just recently is how unabashedly romantic this show is. Never really realized it before. The Jack/Kate/Sawyer triangle was obvious- but there are so many other couples on the periphery, and characters yearning for ties with other characters. The characters that are not motivated by love or yearning are in the distinct minority. The show is extremely 'soap opera' with the sci-fi adventure sheen masking it. I don't consider that necessarily bad at all, just a bit surprising to finally realize it after all this time.


Also, another aspect of the show that makes it seem less daunting to revisit sooner rather than later is the amount of humor in it. And for a show with what I would consider a lot of thriller aspects to it, quite a bit of the humor is of a lighter, warmer nature. It would be easy to suffuse this material with a lot of cynical gallows humor, but much of it comes across as lightly comedic in tone and timing. The tonal balance they manage to strike week in and week out is quite impressive to me.

 

[TravisR]

Originally Posted by Paul_Scott

That response is reminding me a little too much of what I was reading as BSG was wrapping up.

If it makes you feel any better, it seems like the complaints are almost entirely relating to elements of the story that haven't played out yet (but will before the show ends) and people who want every single very minor and, in my opinion, very unimportant mystery spelled out in absolute detail.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

As someone who is at the end of the show

with most everyone else, you can rest assured

that many of the questions brought up throughout

the seasons do get answered.


However, with just three shows to go, there

are still a handful of questions that are still

unresolved that we hope will be.

 

[Paul_Scott]

Thanks for the words of encouragement, guys.

As I expected I polished off Season 5 in the last two days and all I can think of is- "wow, what a difference a season makes." I may post some more season specific comments in that season's thread, but in general terms I'm not really digging the direction they are taking things now.

Maybe after it all plays out, the structure will feel more cohesive, but it just seems to be real late in the game for some of the big things they are introducing.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Paul,


What concerns you about the direction they
are taking? Perhaps we can assure you it will

get better or worse.


Man, wish there was a way you could catch

up on Season 6. Actually, there is. You can

watch all the shows online at the ABC site.


Maybe get yourself prepared for the finale.

 

[Joe_H]

Originally Posted by Ronald Epstein

Paul,


What concerns you about the direction they
are taking? Perhaps we can assure you it will

get better or worse.


Man, wish there was a way you could catch

up on Season 6. Actually, there is. You can

watch all the shows online at the ABC site.


Maybe get yourself prepared for the finale.

I believe you can also buy them in HD from iTunes as well, if you want more permanent copies.

 

[TravisR]

I can understand wanting to wait to see S6 on Blu-ray but I'd watch it online/buy it from iTunes/whatever now just for fear of the ending being spoiled. I imagine that it'll be a very popular topic next Monday and no media outlet will be spoilerize anything (just today, Yahoo had mentioned a death on a TV show and the winner of Survivor on their front page so I imagine they'll be posting a headline that spoils Lost the second after it finishes airing on the east coast).

 

[Paul_Scott]

Hey guys,

just mainlined the first 15 eps of S6 via Hulu. Still trying to process it- some, maybe most, of my concerns have receded- but that may only be because I'm still swept up in the forward thrust of these last shows. Guess I'll see you in the S6 thread from now on.


Travis, concern for people randomly slipping spoilers in other threads over the course of the next three months was definitely a part of my motivation- but I think the primary one was my envy at the great give and take I've seen only in retrospect in these threads. It will be nice to be able to experience some real time discussion for a change.


cheers

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Paul,


You just watched the first 15 episodes of S6 LOST?!


Oh my God!


So you are now up-to-date with all of us?

What do you think?

This is great. You are ready for a new episode

tonight and the finale on Sunday.

 

[Paul_Scott]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ronald Epstein

Paul,

You just watched the first 15 episodes of S6 LOST?!

Oh my God!

Yeah. I'm in the middle of some down time right now, so I can devote time to watching a dozen eps back to back.
I watched the first ten, got some sleep and then finished the rest.
It didn't seem hard going at the time (this show is like crack), but I'm definitely feeling real strung out right now.

So you are now up-to-date with all of us?

What do you think?

This is great. You are ready for a new episode

tonight and the finale on Sunday.

Yup. Up to date and posting in the S6 thread.

What do I think? On a certain level the show is beyond criticism because it has accomplished the primary goal of spinning a yarn that is entertaining and keeps me eagerly asking, no matter what goes on, "so what happens next?"

The forward momentum is so strong right now, even with the big mythology backstory ep, that I'm willing to go with the flow for the moment and not get too hung up (like I was starting to get) on certain aspects and wait till all the dust settles before I get out my pitchfork.