Abrams’ “Lost” it almost had a very different cast
Chronology
Survivors of a plane crash must work together to survive on a seemingly deserted tropical island. J.J. See which celebs missed one of the most popular TV shows of all time. The character Sawyer was originally supposed to be an older, suave city con in a suit from Buffalo, NY. However, when Josh Holloway forgot a line during his audition and subsequently kicked a chair in frustration and cursed loudly, the writers liked the edge he brought to the character of Sawyer and decided to write Sawyer as a more southern, gritty drifter. Jin and Sun are married and go by the surname “Kwon,” which becomes a major plot point in the final season. However, when Koreans marry, the wife never takes her husband’s surname.
Edited in Lost: The Journey (2005)
In fact, in Korea, it is not even allowed to marry someone with the same family name, except in rare cases. [repeated line] Desmond Hume: See you in another life, brother. The odd opening credits were designed by J.J. Abrams on his laptop in black and white as an homage to The Twilight Zone. With so many quality shows recently ending or being cancelled (Friends, Frasier, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel) and the quality of many other series declining (The West Wing, Smallville), not to mention the incredible rise of gluttonous series and cheesy “reality” shows. Programming, I’d almost write off television as an entertainment medium. I seriously considered ditching the TV and cable subscription in favor of a computer monitor and broadband Internet connection.
Now I’m hooked
Then comes “Lost.” I missed the first few episodes but was able to catch up thanks to BitTorrent. There are a few things to love about this show, but here’s a short list: 1) Excellent, intelligent, and layered writing. There are several mysteries here, and for every answer we get, more questions arise. 2) Rich, complex characters. Just when you think you’ve fallen in love with a character, you learn something new about them that’s often surprising or even shocking. I enjoy watching different relationships form and develop. 3) Strong performances.
Mira Furlan, Victoria Hamel)
It’s a stellar cast, made up mostly of veteran actors and a few newcomers, all of whom become stars. Even some of the episodic roles had recognizable, talented actors (e.g. 4) Mysterious and intriguing setting. Of the four main story elements you learned in school: plot, character, theme, and setting, the latter is often the poor, neglected cousin. Not here. The island is dangerous, beautiful, spooky, and undeniably fascinating. It’s like a character in itself.
I’m grateful this show is a hit
Part of the fun of this show is discovering the island’s secrets. 5) Thematic depth. This isn’t just a deserted island soap opera. There are rich metaphors and themes here, such as the challenges of morality; about the nature of communities and civilization; about our relationship to nature/the environment; and about spirituality, even mysticism. Too many times recently I’ve bought into a quality show early (“Wonderfalls” is the latest, much-lamented example), only to have it canceled prematurely by a nervous broadcaster. I hope Lost will have a long and successful run — if the creators, cast and crew maintain the level of quality they’ve shown so far, I’m sure they will succeed.