Decoding the Lost Decline… A.K.A More free market research for ABC
So I’m curious… we’ve pondered the decline of LOST’s ratings for weeks now, and everybody has given some phenomenal input. But clearly, by the last poll, more of you are willing to vote to show your feelings than actually discuss them, which is cool by me. So I think its time we bring the polls back and at the same time, if THEY (ABC), are listening, try to provide some constructive market research figures for them. Why not back up for a second and talk about the ratings?
LOST started to pull itself out last week, and I firmly believe it will continue to regain ground tonight, but either way LOST is a long ways away from being canceled, and for that matter cancellation isn’t even a concern given the size of the franchise in a global sense. So, for those of you who don’t want to deal with the woe, feel free to recline. We aren’t here to make a difference, just to try to figure out what the majority of you folks think is ailing LOST.
Now before you start with "Doc is a hater" rhetoric, please… I still believe in a flawless LOST. I’m a little anxious to see more John Locke action, since he is my favorite character, but in the grand scheme of things I’m dismayed at why LOST viewers have started to tune out, season three has been spectacular. At its worst, LOST is still the best television out there bar none.
So here is your chance to sound off. Vote. Discuss. Love Lost. Spread the word.
echo $php_poll->poll_process(55);?>
I voted that the plot moves too slow. I don’t believe this personally, but I think the majority of people require “Reality TV” type progression. I am glad the producers and writers have not yet submitted to the millions of morons in the world who no longer enjoy using their brain. I must mention, though, my greatest fear for Lost is that the Emperor has no clothes. I just can’t believe that yet.
Comment by JoefromUtah — February 28, 2007 @ 6:02 am
I picked the sooooo slooow option but was torn between it and the time slot change. Plot advancement is critical to viewers. Here we are deep into the season and the two newbies were in one show. Then we get a peek at Cindy the stewardess who has been with the others since the middle of last season and jack doesn’t even bother to ask questions nor does she bother to ask about Sawyer who was dieing the last time she saw him, talk about unrealistic writing, this hic-cup has to be the one of the worse gaffs in TV history. The whole nobody talks to each other is partially to blame for the slow plot advancement.
The time slot change is horrid. I do DVR but the drive is getting full and I’ll have to make some deletions soon. I did notice the repeat prior to the new show but I’m not going to fall a week behind and if I do it may spell the end of my interest.
Unless something really changes, I can’t see this as a five year project. It will have to end next season. This cow just doesn’t hold that much milk (5 seasons).
Comment by dug — February 28, 2007 @ 6:12 am
I agree that most people probably feel the plot is moving too slow and that is a major reason why ratings have dropped. but as for myself, I have other things to do after 10, like sleep, and so if it’s that late I watch it the next night without the commercials.
Comment by qwerty99 — February 28, 2007 @ 6:14 am
I agree with you Doc that LOST is still the best television out there. I don’t understand why people would quit watching it. I would rather have a slow plot advancement then have everything exposed in one huge episode. Granted, that would attract a ton of viewers I’m sure, but it would kill the show in that the writers would have to come up with something crazy awesome every week after that. So I just think LOST needs to keep going like it is, and the true LOSTies will stay on board and all the bandwagon fans can just go kick rocks.
Comment by Brett — February 28, 2007 @ 6:17 am
I picked that casual viewers just cant hang with the story. We live in a society of instant gratification, that is why shows like CSI do so well, every problem is resolved within any given episode and very little thought is required. Lost is not like that. That is why I love the show but it will continue to struggle with ratings since the casual fans from season one will continue to jump off the wagon.
Comment by Cody — February 28, 2007 @ 6:18 am
I also voted that the plot moves to slow, but like JoefromUtah, this isn’t my personal view, just one that I feel most of the public think. I’m in no real rush to find out all the lost secrets at once and hearing about a 5th maybe 6th series wouldn’t scare me (although ‘LOST’ and ‘cancellation’ in the same sentence does!). Why? Simple, because I enjoy the show!
Maybe the loss of viewings is down to the hiatus, or simply because the answer of “who are the others?” has kind of been answered? Although we don’t really know alot of there back story etc yet, one of the main mysteries about lost was that question.
Now were seeing and learning more about them, there hidden mask has almost been reviled. I think what’s needed is something to put the whole ‘WTF!’ back into the show (maybe they could have saved the whole 4 toed foot statue until now, something Jack saw when he was on the ‘Others’ Boat?!). We had it in series one and series two, but I don’t think the hidden depth and mystery is as obvious to everyone this series.
Just some of my thoughts.
Comment by Tony — February 28, 2007 @ 6:39 am
How do we vote for multiple options? 2, 3, and 4 all come to mind.
If it means an hour of sleep or an hour of watching Jack get a tattoo or Claire giving tattoos, sleep is going to win out. ABC moves Lost to avoid the American Idol juggernaut? That shows me that ABC doesn’t have any confidence in Lost. If you don’t have confidence in your product, why should I?
I’m not sure how die-hard Lost fans can reconcile the statements “The writers have a plan” and “I just watched 42 minutes explaining why one of the actors has a tattoo, because people having tattoos is so WEIRD.” Seriously, its an issue. If a burning question in your brain was “Why does a doctor have a tattoo?” you need to 1) get out more and 2) watch American Idol. Those of us who respect quality television want plot advancement and character growth. Getting a tattoo is not character growth.
And finally 4. This is pretty simple. The writers had a choice: Advance the plot, or throw in stupid episodes. How did we go from the totally @&*#ing awesome Desmond episode to the totally #%^*ing stupid Jack episode? There used to be a time when the flashbacks were integrated into an episode such that present day events were better understood by the flashbacks. The Jack episode was so totally jarring to watch because it was the opposite. You wanted to know more about the events on Alcatraz but they kept interrupting it with “is Jack sleeping with a Thai hooker?”
Personally, the spoilers don’t bother me. My perspective is that I want to know the little things, like the premise. Sometimes the show hypes things, like Charlie dying. Do I want to know? Sure. Spoilers allow me the opportunity to appreciate the journey, instead of the destination. I don’t want to know everything (I wouldn’t read a script, for example) but it’s easy to watch an episode when you’re not waiting for a twist.
Comment by icy_one — February 28, 2007 @ 6:39 am
I selected that the writing has declined. A lot of it could be because I thought that the writing for Stranger in a Strange Land was awful, but I’m also basing it on two comparisons. The first comparison is with Lost Season One, which I’ve been rewatching. Man that show moved. It just seemed like things were written in a way to be tight, and I feel like now there are so many things going on, and so many other things that have been forgotten, that the writers can’t help but to get sloppy. The second comparison is with Monday’s episode of Heroes. Did anyone see that? I swear that the people behind Heroes have learned how to handle every complaint that people have against Lost. In the episode, two of the Heroes break into the home of the man they feel responsible for their powers. Initially, they were hoping to steal some information from him, and then interrogate him at his place of employment. While they are in the home, the man and his family pull into the driveway. One of the Heroes wants to leave the house and continue with the original plan to take the guy down where he works, but the other Hero says “how many times are you going to let him slip out of your fingers?” and they decide to take the whole family hostage! Man, it was tense. Watching that scene I couldn’t help but think about Sawyer letting Carl run off into the jungle to chase love, or Jack having a chance to talk to Alex about anything and his question being “Where’s Juliet?” and how much of a letdown actions like those are on TV shows as exciting as Lost and Heroes.
Comment by rutkowskilives — February 28, 2007 @ 6:48 am
I came into Lost in the second season, after my wife spent the entire first season talking about how good it was, and I remember thinking after a lot of the episodes that absolutely nothing happened. I felt the same way after last week’s episode, and they need to have fewer filler episodes like that. The show’s been on for three years; they’re at the halfway point if it’s a five year project. It’s time to start doling out answers at a rate faster than a slow drip already.
I mean, look at Heroes, Monday’s episode in particular. That one episode was AMAZING, and it gave away a lot of answers that they easily could have kept hidden away until the season finale. And they tend to reveal something significant in just about every episode. Sure, it’s easier for them to do that because it’s their first season and everything’s wide open, but they have at least one major revelation in just about every episode, and they keep things moving. If Lost kept a pace like Heroes does, then it would easily reclaim it’s throne, I think.
Comment by Steve — February 28, 2007 @ 6:54 am
Didn’t you just post a (wonderful) rant a week ago about how the more we talk about Lost’s ratings the more we are hurting the image of the show and feeding the media hype? Wasn’t your suggestion to say something positive about the show or stop watching? Does it really follow that you now want yet another vote related to ratings and why Lost is “losing” it?
In the spirit of your other post, I decline to participate in this irrelevant poll.
Comment by John Salerno — February 28, 2007 @ 6:56 am
Plot advancement is too slow. I don’t mind not having the answers to the core questions, but at least give us some answers or something that will lead us closer to the answers.
Comment by Turkey Sandwich — February 28, 2007 @ 7:13 am
Its doesn’t move too slow at all, i want it to last as long as it can. I think that most people have trouble following it. This isn’t a show where u can just jump in at the start of season 3 and follow along with it. You have to watch EVERY one of them, and even then some people really dont have a clue. But the show it self is great, I for one just need to see more John Locke, i miss the bald bastard. Once again, IF JOHN LOCKE IS KILLED, I WILL NEVER FORGIVE THE SHOW. Or Ben, though he might have to die, but he’s such a great actor, the show cant afford to lose that man.
Comment by Jimyy — February 28, 2007 @ 7:15 am
I think a lot of the people who have issues with the writing as of late need to simmer down. The writing is by far the best thing about this show! Yes, some of the episodes have been disappointing (last week’s in particular)…but there is a bigger picture the writers are painting here, folks. It may have been lame to watch 42 minutes of Jack and his tattoo, but they’re revealing more about the character, dude! There’s something about Jack’s trip and the markings on his body that will tie in to his reason for being on the island. They’re building everything up slowly for a highly engaging, climactic finale. That’s what I love about this show…they generally DON’T give any significant answers. They make you think…That’s all part of the draw, for me…the overanalysis of each episode on Thursday mornings with my co-workers makes my week! We talk about the littlest details in great length, each of us coming up with our own theories as to what’s going on…or what may come. It adds something to the whole experience. I didn’t vote, but I probably would have gone with the “Casual Viewer” option. LOST is definitely a show you must follow…whether you get it or not!
Comment by madmerl — February 28, 2007 @ 7:20 am
I voted for too slow. I understand the reluctance to give away all the answers too soon… but the problem is, as time goes on, I have to ask myself more and more, not “What are the answers?” but the question has become “ARE there answers?” Right now, I could list off the top of my head, so many questions from Season 1 that have not been addressed, and I could probably pick half of those that I truly fear we will never get good answers to.
- what is the smoke monster? where did it come from?
- who are Adam and Eve (the two bodies from the caves) and what is the significance of the black and white stones found with them?
- What did they do to Walt when they took him?
- Why was Libby in the mental hospital with Hurley?
- What’s the deal with the vaccine? The “sickness?” does it exist?
The list goes on and on. I don’t mind waiting for the answers — but I need some reassurance that the answers ARE coming, and one way to do that would be to throw us a bone now and then and DEFINITIVELY answer one of these questions, and not just give us an “answer” that leads to more questions.
Comment by Jason — February 28, 2007 @ 7:43 am
I also voted for slow plot progression, and here’s why: This show was only supposed to last for 2 seasons. I think, rather than finish what they had and write new material, they prolonged the ending and tried to fill it with other “distractions”. It’s why we had to wait so long for new EP’s, and why there seems to be so many “throw away” EP’s.
For example, the Sun and Jin back story, not too great right? What if you threw in a connection to Paik Heavy Construction? Michael - what if the contruction company he worked for was Widmore? My point is that these elements, or something else, may have been in the show, and they decided to take it out for later on.
Comment by AH's illegitmate son — February 28, 2007 @ 7:55 am
Where do you get the information that it was only supposed to last 2 seasons? The writers have said several times that it’s been planned out for 4 or 5 seasons.
Comment by John Salerno — February 28, 2007 @ 8:00 am
I think there are several viable options to explain the loss of viewers.
1- the plot seems to change a lot. We went from mystery noises and black smoke, which are now totally forgotten, to scientific research. And the human reaction to the mysteries is rediculous! Who would not investigate these things, or discuss their experiences with them? And keep in mind the time frame the writers propose…. the monsters were there only a few weeks ago!
2- Casual viewers cannot follow the plot, and as stated above, if they miss a few episodes the story line is totally different
3- the time slot was a pathetic choice
4- many people watch it loyally, but not on tv at the time slot given. They record it and view it at another time,
Comment by david — February 28, 2007 @ 8:01 am
I voted for slow plot progression. Lost is still my favorite show, but I have to admit it was frustrating spending the mini-season with the Others and knowing almost nothing about them afterwards (or at least nothing that you didn’t learn in the first five minutes of the first episode).
If the show is five seasons, that means there are about 50 or so episodes left. There are *at least* that many open questions, including about 20 big mysteries (e.g., the Smoke Monster, the four-toed statue, what happened to the Dharma Initiative, who are the Others and what are they doing, the story of the Black Rock, back stories for Rousseau, Tom, Radzinsky and Ben, what happened to Micheal/Walt, why was Walt special, what happened to the real Henry Gale, who is the guy with the eyepatch, who is Jacob, how will the Losties get home, etc.). I would start answering questions. Teasing the audience with a cryptic appearance by Cindy (”We’re here to watch, Jack” - HUH?), especially after promising three major plot points would be revealed, annoyed pretty much every big Lost fan I know (though we’ll all be tuning in tonight).
And, I would absolutely NOT introduce any new characters, such as Nikki and Paolo - not that there’s anything particularly wrong with Nikki and Paolo per se. It’s just that it’s already getting too difficult to move the plots forward on existing characters at a satisfying pace (e.g., Locke, Sayid, Hurley, Charlie, Claire and others are getting short shrift). I’m glad everybody’s back at the camp.
Anyway, I have faith in the writers, and hopefully they are attentive to these polls.
Comment by Airk — February 28, 2007 @ 8:13 am
I think perhaps they should commit to wrapping up story lines after so many episodes (One big story arc every season, or maybe even every 11-12 episodes). I think that would help keep a wider audience tuned in and interested.
Also, as much as I like it, I can sympathize with those who are frustrated with all the mystery. You can still have a good show once certain major mysteries have been resolved, I mean hell, they’re still suck on a damned island with a bunch of people who hate each other.
Comment by Trevor — February 28, 2007 @ 8:15 am
I believe it’s in the Season One DVD’s, they talk about all the changes they made, like that Michael Keaton was supposed to play Jack, and that the character Jack was supposed to be killed off in the Pilot. I think I remember Carlton Cuse saying something like the show was originally supposed to only be 2 seasons…
Comment by AH's illegitimate son — February 28, 2007 @ 8:22 am
I think Season 3 is just moving too slow. Having two groups didn’t work in Season 2 with Jin/Saywer/Michael and I don’t know why they tried it again with Jack/Kater/Sawyer/Others.
I do think things will pick up with Hurley and Cheech tonight.
What Lost needs is more “Dude” and less Others.
Comment by BlackrockBob — February 28, 2007 @ 8:28 am
AH: That’s what I figured. But it seems wrong to judge the show on information that is no longer relevant. Obviously the story has changed a lot, since Jack is now central to the plot, whereas originally he was to be killed in the pilot and Kate was meant to be the main character.
So using these “drawing board” facts that might have been true when the show was just an idea years ago is not fair at all when discussing the show as it is now. They simply no longer apply.
Comment by John Salerno — February 28, 2007 @ 8:32 am
i voted for “too slow” and before last week, i never would have said that.
i agree with a lot of you about the tv viewing audience being brain dead morons who need a quick fix. i’ve totally disagreed with the naysayers who yell “give me answers” because a good story needs to develop…that is until last week.
last week was the worst episode they’ve put out by far. they once again promised the moon and they didn’t deliver. this will drive people away (hardcores and casuals) in droves.
but the story was bad too. jack’s flashback was not good. it seemed forced and put in the episode because they didn’t have anything else that week. if it doesn’t have anything to do with the story (like juliette’s or desmond’s) don’t put it in. if it’s not well written, don’t put it in.
karl and alex’s touching montage while looking up at the stars? absurd and stinky. why heap two more characters we don’t care about on to the already massive amount of unanswered questions and unresolved plot points?
so yeah, slow moving plot and bad writing if i had multiple choices. if it keeps going like this, it won’t be back next season unfortunately. it’s too expensive to produce for the 100 people who will be left watching. i’m not a naysayer (believe it or not) but i’m slowly becoming one.
JR
Comment by JR — February 28, 2007 @ 8:45 am
the drive thru, spoon fed, george bush buying, downward spirial of dumbness generation. this is my reason.
Comment by samsneed — February 28, 2007 @ 8:45 am
God people, stop blaming the writers for not living up to the hype of last week’s episode. They have no control over the promotional blurb that ABC attaches to the preview! They even said as much on the last podcast! Just because ABC says three mysteries will be revealed doesn’t mean the writers agree with that or ever promised it themselves.
Having said that, I agree, on a separate note, that last week’s flashback didn’t seem very relevant.
Comment by John Salerno — February 28, 2007 @ 8:49 am
Locke is going to seek out some answers. So don’t worry. what do you guys think Sayid is going to do when he sees Ben, or for that matter, what’s he going to think when he see’s Jack taking care of Ben.. I think Locke is going to have to be the voice of reason between the three.
Comment by Jimyy — February 28, 2007 @ 8:50 am
I think the timeslot change combined with the hiatus has made a lot of casual fans forget about it and move over to the braindead viewing of American Idol. And now the show thats going to draw back the curtain on the average American’s stupidity - Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader? (i hate tv)
I say good riddance to the casual viewer. If you don’t love it with all your tv-watching soul then you shouldn’t watch it. Its not a casual-viewer type of show.
Comment by AnotherOther — February 28, 2007 @ 8:52 am
On the point of the plot moving to slow… I watched “Stranger” and immediately afterwards I thought that it was one of the weaker episodes (wasn’t moving the plot along enough). Then I switched to a “Law and Order” rerun. Now “L&O” is a really good show and one of America’s all-time favorites. I found myself thinking about all the nuances of what happened in “Stranger,” then I drifted over to my computer to see what other people were saying. I realized that while watching LOST I never as much as flipped a channel during the commercials. I would use that time to get a drink, and if I heard it coming back on I quick ran into the living room. My point is that this is one of the best, most ground breaking television shows I’ve ever seen. While some episodes are weaker, I am always thoroughly entertained. I think people need to start enjoying the ride and not worry so much about when we’ll get there.
Comment by cap10tripps — February 28, 2007 @ 9:28 am
My 2 cents: slow plot development and overmarketing
Comment by Lost_in_Brazil — February 28, 2007 @ 9:43 am
I voted for Casual viewers just can’t hack the awesomeness of the story and I say this because I have become a convert of sorts with some of the people I meet and work with. I get them to watch one episode then they don’t really understand much. I have loaned out my season 1 and 2 DVD’s to 7 different people so they can get caught up.
Conclusion: New viewers who see only the current episode may or may not be that die hard or into it to go out and watch 2 1/2 seasons worth just to catch up.
LOST is not for the casual viewer, IMHO.
Comment by OtherProphet — February 28, 2007 @ 9:53 am
I love Lost, but part of the problem is that there are still way more questions than there have ever been substantial answers. And the plot is moving way too slow. Granted, some of the episodes after the mini-season have been wonderful, but there haven’t been any real questions answered and we’re in the middle of the third season. Give us some shocking revelation without it being an end of season cliffhanger!
Lost quit being the best show on TV with this last episode of Heroes, Company Man, and I really hate to say that because while the Lost universe is much richer and fuller, the Heroes universe delivers in ways that Lost just can’t without spoiling the long term story arc. Therein lies the double edged sword. It’s got this huge interesting story arc, but we won’t really learn anything substantial until it’s almost complete.
Comment by GodBlessTexas — February 28, 2007 @ 9:55 am
I don’t understand why you continue to bring this rabble up about Lost’s ratings or the plot advancement. Who honestly cares? What happened to simply enjoying this show for the fact that it manages to continue to entertain us every Wednesday night without any concern for ratings?
I believe that by continuing to worry about these inconsequential non-issues such as plot advancement and the ratings drop, we are simply giving into the idea that there is actually something wrong with this show when, in reality, there is not.
This is still the same show written by the same people that most of us have enjoyed since the beginning, and if you have any faith whatsoever in the devices of Cuse and Abramoff, you’d leave these topics alone and start worrying more about the aspects of the SHOW ITSELF. As I understand it, this site is supposed to be dedicated to the exploration and enjoyment of the mysteries and twists of the beautiful writing that this show has to offer.
Let’s take a step back and stop treating this show like a business and treat it more like the wonderfully interwoven fabric that it has continued to be for the last 3 seasons and let the genius of the writing speak for itself, shall we?
Comment by Roger — February 28, 2007 @ 9:59 am
I respectfully disagree Texas. If you think about where we started and where we’re at we have been given plenty of answers. The problem to the frustrated viewer is that these answers open up more questions. Now I think that’s the heart of the show. You get this brain candy that you can’t anywhere else on TV. This show is as much about thought as it is entertainment. We’re not going to get the big answers until season 5 and that’s cool with me. If we got those answers too soon LOST would lose a lot of what makes it so great.
Comment by cap10tripps — February 28, 2007 @ 10:05 am
I completely agree Roger. Well said.
Comment by cap10tripps — February 28, 2007 @ 10:06 am
Abramoff? Isnt he in prison. LOL
Just kidding I know you meant Lindelof.
Comment by OtherProphet — February 28, 2007 @ 10:06 am
If you search out my post on The Fuselage regarding “Missing Dialogue” from last week’s show you’ll see why I voted that the quality of writing is slipping. I’ve recently read Brian K. Vaughn, writer of DC’s Vertigo series “100 Bullets” (which I’ve been collecting for over two years now) has joined the writing team. If you’ve read the series you know how intricate his plot is and I think he does an excellent job of pushing the story forward without giving everything away. Hopefully he’ll be a solid replacement to the loss of Javier.
Comment by Merlboroman — February 28, 2007 @ 10:10 am
haha yes, lindelof, woops
Comment by Roger — February 28, 2007 @ 10:16 am
Reading these comments makes one see something very telling about Lost fans. A lot of you are of the mindset that the producers are telling you the truth. “They said in the podcasts” “They said” “But they said” - Has that really paid off for you? What have Lindelof and Cuse done that give you that much faith in them? If Lindelof and Cuse are telling the truth about ABC’s marketing screwing up last week (and what a screw up it was, enough blame to go around) why are they not upset about it? Why are they not DOING something about it?
Lindelof and Cuse will soon find themselves writing more masterpieces like “Ultimate Hulk vs Wolverine” if they don’t start defending Lost fans from ABC. Heroes is absolutely destroying Lost on delivering quality television and responsible media presence.
Comment by icy_one — February 28, 2007 @ 10:17 am
Icy_one,
Lindelof and Cuse have managed to create a show worthy of this website’s existence. If you look at the amount of time and thought that has been allocated to understanding and studying the literary mysteries introduced by one hour of television every Wednesday night, Lost stands completely unmatched in its intellectual stimulation through the otherwise vacuous and mind-numbing medium we call television.
Lindelof and Cuse have taken television, through Lost, to a place where many never thought it could go. There are shows that inspire, entertain, convince, and argue, but there are very few that bring about the kind of intellectual pursuit and mystery that Lost has pioneered. During season 2, for example, when the map was displayed in the hatch during the blacklight incident, I lost sleep that night wondering what the hell was on that map. Why? Because Cuse and Lindelof were brilliant enough to provide the viewers with something so thought-provoking and mysterious that it was WORTH my losing sleep over.
So, in conclusion, anyone who actually cares about this show, watches it regularly, and has continued to be inspired by its writing does not need the protection or convincing of anyone to continue watching it. Lindelof and Cuse have made this show, in itself, enough of a historcally proven focal point over two seasons through their writing to convince me that it is worth my hour every wednesday night to turn on ABC at 10PM and see what they have come up with.
If that isn’t sufficient for you, then I can’t imagine why you are posting on this website.
Comment by Roger — February 28, 2007 @ 10:27 am
I am happy with Lost. I have enjoyed this season very much. I think that the reason that people are so upset is because of the emphasis that has been put on The Others thus far in season three. People got tired of seeing so much of Jack, Kate, and Sawyer with Ben, Juliet, and Tom.
I believe that this next string of episodes will pull many folks back. The next four episodes bring us a Hurley story followed by Sayid, Claire, Locke, and then Nikki/Paulo. We are getting back to all the peeps we love.
I’m excited about the future of LOST!!!!!!!!!!!
Comment by Joey D. — February 28, 2007 @ 10:27 am
The first three episodes into the second half of the 3rd season are great. Lost has found its way again.
There was a period of readjustment. The hatch had become such an integral part of the season 2 story and it was gone. We were stuck in a bleak part of the show at the beginning of season 3 and it wasn’t clear where all of this was leading if anywhere. But now things look interesting again. We’ve got Desmond and his ability, Charlie and his struggle with fate, Locke and leadership/heroism, Sun and Jin continue their rocky relationship with changing dynamics, Kate’s issues continue, Rousseau may finally hear more about Alex, the war may soon happen, and Jack’s struggle with the Others is just getting underway. Meanwhile, Hurley is still Hurley.
This is Lost. People first, situations second, mystery all around.
Comment by ILL4Lost — February 28, 2007 @ 10:37 am
I chose to vote for something else entirely. I blame it more on the expectations for the show being impossibly achievable. In the first season the idea of a show that you know absolutly nothing about was perfect for peaking interests and grabbing information savangers.
Now though, while people don’t want to admit it, we know a lot more about the show, or maybe it would be best to say that we can “rule out” a lot of our early season 1 theories. As well as the fact that the show just isn’t NEW anymore. The initial excitment with something soo unique and exhilirating has turned into a simple demand for answers, with no ability to see the big picture of what the shows purpose is in the first place - to ask questions, not answer them.
Comment by Dr. Nope — February 28, 2007 @ 10:38 am
I voted for the casual viewer problem, but I think it’s a combination of things including moving the time slot, the relatively slow plot progression, the vast number of characters and the fact they’ve ignored most of them this season, and also the vast availability of being able to watch the show at your own convenience be it on your own DVR, ABC.com, iTunes, or even waiting for the DVDs. I also think Cuse is dead wrong when he says more viewers care about the triangle than about what is the deal with the island.
Comment by Memphish — February 28, 2007 @ 10:39 am
I really wish people would STOP comparing LOST to Heroes. I like Heroes too but it’s no LOST. If anything, it’s a rip off of X-men and LOST put together. They copy LOST in a lot of ways. I’m not trying to hate on Heroes, I’m just saying, stop making it out to be the best thing ever when it’s not. It’s an entertaining show but it doesn’t suck you in the way LOST does. After I watch an episode of Heroes, I stop thinking about it. It’s not like that with LOST. We always have lots to speculate on and theorize about with LOST. I voted that casual viewers can’t handle LOST because that’s what I believe. People don’t want to put forth the effort it takes to watch a show like LOST. They are just impatient and want instant gratification to know all the answers now.
Comment by anonymous — February 28, 2007 @ 10:40 am
I voted for Ruben Studdard…is this the right site for that?!?….my bad….
I think this last episode of Heroes was one of their best BUT talk about a hole in the story: where did Eric Robert’s character come from? He just showed up at the Bennet house and then they cut to a scene where they had Parkman on a slab with electrodes on his head. How did he get there? Tranquilizer? Willingly? DVR glitch on my part? My point is that every show has it’s spots where everything doesn’t exactly connect…I had more questions from last week’s Heroes(how is Hiro’s dad involved? How did Mr Invisible Claude survive that fall off the bridge?) than I did from last week’s LOST…maybe that’s why I enjoyed Heroes…but not more than LOST…nothing beats it…
They answer questions, it’s just sometimes that begets more qquestions…go to DarkUFO’s site and check out his page on “mysteries”..he’s got all the stuff they listed as answered…There’s a lot…
Comment by El Prez — February 28, 2007 @ 10:41 am
I voted that the plot moves too slow. I put up with the Desmond episode hoping that the next episode (last week’s) would be better but it was by far the worst episode so far in the show. They built it up to be such a great episode and in the end, they didn’t give any answers, just more questions. The episodes that have aired since the break have been pretty boring and I find myself more interested in the preview for the next one than the one I just watched. The writers have too many stories hanging at once and we tend not to see once major characters (Locke, Sayid, etc.) for episodes at a time. They are trying to cover too much at once with all this focus on the others. We need shows that answer major issues not ones that just give hints about them or spend the whole episode giving more questions than when it started.
Comment by Marc — February 28, 2007 @ 10:46 am
“Lindelof and Cuse will soon find themselves writing more masterpieces like “Ultimate Hulk vs Wolverine” if they don’t start defending Lost fans from ABC. Heroes is absolutely destroying Lost on delivering quality television and responsible media presence.”
icy_one-
Are you kidding me??? What are you doing on a LOST website if all you want to do is worship Heroes and bash LOST. Go hang out on a Heroes website if you think it’s so great. I find it really ironic that you’re putting down the LOST producers but you’re fine with Heroes even though it’s an X-men rip off. Good luck with that. We’ll see how great that show is after a couple seasons.
Comment by Elizabeth — February 28, 2007 @ 10:48 am
I am sorry, but I cannot for the life of me understand why it is that all of you are so incredibly desperate for ANSWERS. Why? This show is meant to last five seasons, aren’t you pleased with the fact that even after 2 and a half seasons, we still have the luxury of not fully understanding a signficantly large number of details that are sure to rivet and intrigue us in the future?
Aren’t you pleased that there are still people out there positing theories regarding this show?
Why are you so eager for this show to be concluded? There is so much more to be seen and discovered about the nature of the writing. The more answers that are given, the less interesting this show becomes because it defeats the purpose of allowing YOU to be the one trying to answer your own questions about it. That is exactly why you tune in week after week — because you are completely hooked on the suspense of finding out the answers to these questions, and clearly you enjoy it.
I know I definitely do. The longer they take to answer these questions the more opportunities there are for there to be fantastic moments that will truly defy the stereotypes and cliches of television as a couch-potato zombie medium where we shut off our brains. Intellectual inquiry is what drives this show, and the more all of you continue to complain about the less I believe you actually understand why you watch it in the first place.
Comment by Roger — February 28, 2007 @ 10:53 am
unfortunately, it is a business.
if it doesn’t get good ratings, it goes away. just because you and 10 other people think it’s good, cerebral television won’t keep it on the air.
good riddance to the casual fan? sure. but once the casual fan goes away, bye bye Lost.
i know this isn’t lost (ahem) on any of you. we all understand it. as someone said earlier, it is a good show and really hasn’t dropped off (last week being an exception), but if they don’t get it in gear, it won’t be renewed for next season…hence, everyone who is willing to wait 5 seasons for any of it, won’t even get 4.
Comment by JR — February 28, 2007 @ 10:56 am
JR,
You may be right if the case were that severe, but I’m tempted to believe that Lost’s ratings are FAR from warranting cancellation.
My point stands that the more we, on this website, continue to acknowledge the idea that the writers of the show are actually doing something legitimately wrong that is causing this drop in ratings, the less we are likely to make this show rebound from whatever drop in ratings it is experiencing.
Comment by Roger — February 28, 2007 @ 11:00 am
I voted that Lost’s advancement of plot is too slow. I don’t have a fair say if I agree because I began watching the episodes around last summer. I have not been in suspense for three years like other cool people here.
Heck, I didn’t even begin watching in the right order. My roommate started me on a couple of episodes in Season 1 with Locke finding the plane, and then I went on to Season 2. After that, I watched Season 1. My first time watching Lost on television was Season 3.
But I also think something else comes to play other than time change. Let’s face it, technology advances. There’s something called DVR’s, iTunes, ABC.com free streamed shows, *cough* other alternatives. Ratings are based on TV only, not on the people that use the alternatives.
Also, in on-going series, ratings tend to drop anyway. Why? The first impression always draws people in, but when things are different. To some people the change is not as cool, others have lives (more important things to do). Think of the Matrix trilogy. Most people loved the first one, while the other two sucked, while die hard-core fans of the Matrix disagree.
That’s my two cents
Comment by Natep — February 28, 2007 @ 11:07 am
I think the plot advancement is too slow for most. The problem as I see it is two fold. You have TPTB that said that this story has a beginning and an end and that they will walk if asked to take it beyond it’s freshness date. This was in season 1. I am sure ABC, with a rating jauggernaut LOST was, said or hinted that TPTB will be taking this as long as ABC wanted. I think that THIS has prompted a lot of the slowness that started in the later half of Season 2. I think they also introduced some mysteries that would allow them to extend the shelf life of LOST if it was needed. They were biding time and now that the end is set (hoping) they can now feel comfortable bringing LOST to a satisfactory conclusion.
So, now we have at least 50 really good questions/mysteries in about as many episodes. And instead of answering questions…at least major ones so that we can put them behind us, they have been exploring other aspects of the show. I fear that we’ll never get to some of the smaller questions like “What was that configuration in the Pearl Station on the desk?” or even bigger questions like What the numbers mean or WHo really was Henry Gale and why was Ben out in the Jungle? The lack of answers is a HUGE problem for fans. We also get almost every answer piece mealed to us. One of the great things Heroes has going for it is that they answer questions, even though that series can do so as they are going to be driven season by season, whereas LOST isn’t.
Reason number 2 - “Useless” Flashbacks. They are one of the foundations of LOST for character development. As we have come to know by now most are not used for plot development. So when we get a flashback from someone we don’t really know or someone we don’t get to see that much, the fans like the episode…or seem to like them better. For many of the fans, flashbacks for Jack, Kate, Sawyer, Locke and Charlie are pretty much done. Aside from the excellent acting Terry O’Quinn brings to the table, each of these characters I feel are completely explored. Once we find out about Lockes legs (which many fans are now fearing will not live up to the “hype”) Locke’s story is pretty finished. Many of the flashbacks do nothing for the story at hand. I think they need to start using these now for plot development. Sorry to reference it again, but Heroes’ last episode used the flashback to drive the plot, and judging from the boards, many referenced it in comparison to LOST. I think given the amount of characters, we should have seen the flashbacks for Rousseau, Ben, Walt (missed oportunity BIG TIME), Tom, Paulo and Niki maybe even Alex by now. WHy is it we are 9 deep and we’ve had 2 Jack episodes?
I think the attrition is probably a good thing in that it has forced LOST to put a stopper as to when the end is going to be and can now focus on answering questions and getting us to the end. If they worked it as Seasons 1-3 is the build up, Season 4 is answering the questions and Season 5 is for getting them off the island or to whereever the end game is going, I think that would be a good game plan.
Comment by downthehatch — February 28, 2007 @ 11:11 am
My girlfriend and I watch Lost with an almost religious fervor, but every week she keeps saying “When are they going to get back to the story?” I love the way they keep revealing layers of mystery (for truly, how many good mystery shows exist?), but I have to agree with her that they take an agonizingly long time to provide you with clues, much less answers. I understand that there are a LOT of stories to tell, but there must be a more efficient way to tell them. Am I one of those quitters who dropped the ratings? Heck no, and I never will be. I just wish they’d pick up the pace a little.
Comment by ParkwaySouth — February 28, 2007 @ 11:12 am
I voted “something else entirely” and I have to say, briefly, that I think it’s due to the greedy promo people at ABC.
I’m as die-hard as any fan here, but when the promos scream “Look at the answers we’re going to give you, look what we’re going to tell you” and the show itself only hints as new theorys instead of some small resolutions… well people get annoyed to say the least.
Tell me I’m tuning in to a comedy and I’ll come ready to laugh. Tell me I’m about to watch a drama and I’ll have the mindset for that too. Hell, don’t tell me anything and I’ll come with an open mind. But when you tell me to come and find answers and then you don’t give them to me, you’ve set the bar poorly and you’re just disappointing viewers.
Comment by evangelical poet — February 28, 2007 @ 11:20 am
poet, I agree with you. This is why I used to not even watch the previews, but now that they come on immediately after the show ends, I just still have the TV on so I watch them. I need to just start turning off the TV as soon as the show ends.
Comment by John Salerno — February 28, 2007 @ 11:29 am
I loved Lost as much as those of you bashing me currently love it. I understand where you’re coming from. Unfortunately, when it comes to television, I expect better than what Lost is currently providing. Why is it, if Lost is “supposed” to last 4-5 seasons, is there only enough story for 2? Why does evolution only take place in the first 2 and last 2 episodes of a year?
Remember how excited we all were when we saw the Others kidnap Walt, and how that would change the show? Remember how long it took before we saw the resolution of that? An entire year. I’m not asking for episodic television here, a happy medium would be great.
Roger, you say that L&C have provided intellectual stimulation - are you telling me you can’t handle story at a more rapid pace? I can’t accept that it takes you 42 minutes to wrap your head around Jack getting a tattoo. Or two years without knowing what the deal with Walt’s kidnapping was. Personally I’d be content with double the pacing, assuming of course the writers can handle servicing more than 1 long, drawn out mystery at a time.
Don’t misunderstand me - I loved Lost. I dropped everything for Lost, no matter the time slot. But I won’t make that mistake anymore. I’ll Netflix it in the summer, if I haven’t forgotten about it entirely. Lost fans are not supported by TPTB.
Comment by icy_one — February 28, 2007 @ 11:40 am
The frustrating part is that every episode introduces a number of questions and they get answered only very slowly. It’s fine to introduce questions/mysteries, but when I can sit down and get a piece of paper and write 50-75 open issues, it’s time to start tying up some loose ends. I’m a huge fan (I watch every episode twice, and visit message boards to see what I missed, etc.), and even I’m starting to get confused on plot points.
Like most of you, I’m fine waiting for the big revelations (e.g., what is the Smoke Monster, what do the numbers mean), but it’s getting frustrating spending so much time with the Others without knowing *at all* what they’re doing on the island (except for maybe some kind of archaeological dig, and even that is reading between the lines a bit). For me, the show is as much about the redemptive journey of characters who are all “lost” in their own sense, and I don’t mind flashbacks that build character, but don’t necesarily contribute to the mythology.
I’m optimistic answers are coming, but they need to start answering questions before piling on more and more. Still love the show though!
Comment by Airk — February 28, 2007 @ 12:10 pm
Im still a hug Lost fan but i am feeling that this season has been the worst so far but like Docartz has sed on here its still miles better than most t.v out there i think all of us on here would agree that no matter how much more frustrating and bad it got well still tune in to find out whats going on cos at the end of the day the creators have set up a really interesting and dynamic mystery at the heart of this story.
Unfortunaltey saying all that im frankly enjoying Heroes a hell of a lot more at the moment last nights episode company man was the best yet unlike Lost theyve set up many links and ties to each of the characters but heres the difference theyve already started bringing them together i think thats one of Lost weaknesses and that why i voted the plot advancements are too slow!
Comment by 24Luke — February 28, 2007 @ 12:34 pm
Sorry that was meant to be huge fan there at the beginning lol!
Comment by 24Luke — February 28, 2007 @ 12:35 pm
Icy_one,
I could handle it at a faster pace, but I wouldn’t want to. It may take 42 minutes for them to get around the fact that Jack got a tattoo, but perhaps it’s my personal preference that they work slower rather than quicker. I’m not in any rush for Lost to be over, and the beauty is in the details being picked apart and reassimilated in whatever fashion L&C choose to bring them back together. That’s, by definition, why I watch the show.
Comment by Roger — February 28, 2007 @ 12:44 pm
to anaonymous who said…”I really wish people would STOP comparing LOST to Heroes. I like Heroes too but it’s no LOST. If anything, it’s a rip off of X-men and LOST put together…”
I get what you are saying. I just think that because Heroes and Lost have the same fans (actully many are old Lost fans), you are going to get hte comparisons. I try not to do it myself when discussing either show. I think what everyone is saying basically is that Heroes has the advantage of learning from Lost’s “missteps” more so than Lost is able from X-Files and Twin Peaks…simply becasue TV has changed a lot. I think esp with this last weeks, we saw something very similar to LOST..a deep and narrow episode that used the flashback for plot AND character development AND we got answers. I think fans of LOST wish that we’d get those types of episodes again.
Now onto your Heroes being “better’ than Lost. I completely agree. Let me start by saying I love heroes and am hooked! When I check the Hero boards all you get was Great episode or I like so and so or I can’t wait til next week. There is no further discussion. There is no dialogue enriched with layers of nuance. There is no iconic images of things except for the paintings. The filming is not nearly as good. And there is no underlying “theme” that is ingrained into the show (Lost has several). Lost’s attenion to detail is beyond impeccable. WHat they do have…good catch phases! LOL They do have an EXCELLENT scoring team with Wendy Melvion and Lisa Coleman. And great marketing (though even their promos make episodes look more exciting than they are).
Comment by downthehatch — February 28, 2007 @ 12:50 pm
Roger let me propose the question to you in a different way: Would you rather the show continue at its current pace, with the threat that the show could meet a premature end and thus no payoff or rushed, unsatisfactory payoff - or - the plot picks up in pace and more mysteries be introduced? In my mind, the second option means less threads are left hanging at any given point in time. THAT is where the frustrated viewers are right now, left wondering that when Lost is cancelled by ABC due to duplicity and/or molasses plot that they, the viewers, will be left holding the bag on so many questions that will go unanswered forever.
Comment by icy_one — February 28, 2007 @ 12:50 pm
the reason that lost is geting less viewers is because you really need to watch lost from the begining to really get it (the recap episodes dont do justice). People compare lost to 24, but lost is one long story, 24 is a new story each season.
Comment by zeke — February 28, 2007 @ 12:56 pm
For my part, the best move the producers made was to announce that there was a definite end point, they were moving toward it, and it was only a couple of years away. As much as I love Lost, and am dazzled by the myriad threads and mysteries they’re able to juggle, my biggest fear since the beginning has been that they’d pile on so many questions that they’d be unable to unravel the majority of them before viewers simply got exhausted by never knowing. Twin Peaks proved you could throw a lot of wierd stuff at people, but it also proved that you couldn’t keep people guessing forever and expect them to stick around for it.
Comment by Tim — February 28, 2007 @ 1:07 pm
I’m not here to hate on Heroes but……
Down the hatch says:
“Now onto your Heroes being “better’ than Lost. I completely agree. Let me start by saying I love heroes and am hooked! When I check the Hero boards all you get was Great episode or I like so and so or I can’t wait til next week.”
This happened year one of LOST as well….The ABC boards were initially crawling with people loving the mystery…
“There is no further discussion. There is no dialogue enriched with layers of nuance.”
Is this a good thing? The dialogue is actually a little wooden and the acting isn’t even close to the level that LOST exhibits….
“There is no iconic images of things except for the paintings.”
Umm…The sword, the same damn flash of Niki trapped in the mirror, the never seen Linderman, the new introduction of characters every week…
“The filming is not nearly as good.”
I actually agree there…
“And there is no underlying “theme” that is ingrained into the show ”
How about the same theme that’s in XMen? That people who are gentically different need to be studied and “fixed” like they are subservient members of the human race? Or why they are all just developing these powers now, so late in life for most of them….
I like Heroes..It’s a good show…I call it LOST-lite….Watch Heroes, see if you like it and then graduate to the more astute, thought provoking theories that LOST provides….
Comment by El Prez — February 28, 2007 @ 1:10 pm
1. iTunes, bittorrent, DVD…a bizarre twist on instant gratification. Alot of people wait for the DVDs to a) avoid commercials, or b) while they have to wait longer to see the season, they don’t have to wait each week to see what’s coming.
2. natural backlash. It happens. look at your favorite bands. it’s media physics…anything built up must be brought down. thought if we take a lesson from those who really toughed it out…like Dylan in the 80s…know that the pendulum usually swings back if given the opportunity.
3. time slot change. my guess? there are now far more people watching lost through alternative means. we got to my parents’ to watch on their HDTV and my Dad always emails me how tired he is the next morning. If it weren’t for us I’m sure he’d be getting it on the DVR. One of my officemates also said she can’t stay up to watch anymore and is trying to decide if she’s going to watch on abc’s site or wait for the DVDs.
4. I must also say that the writing hasn’t been as consistently good this season. It’s not ‘bad’–c’mon, watch 98% of sitcoms and dramas out there and you’ll see consistently bad writing–but it doesn’t have the same spark as often (though 3-4 of the seasons eps IMHO have been outstanding). While this might be a factor of waning interest for the super fans, I doubt that poor writing drives fans away. How long has “All My Children” been running? That’s what I thought…
Comment by wedestroymyths — February 28, 2007 @ 1:35 pm
You guys rock, as usual. I like the idea that we let the producers off the hook too easily. One thing that bugs me is we do accept their excuse of “oh… we are forced to drag the story out because of abc…” cry me a river. That is tantamount to saying “we aren’t up to the task”, whether they realize it or not. And for the record, I do not believe that. But they could find ways to satisfy the needs of viewers who want the “story” to move forward without sacrificing their pre-planned grand finale… they just choose not to and instead blame it on the undetermined length of the series.
Comment by docarzt — February 28, 2007 @ 2:01 pm
Well that’s the thing icy–
If the ratings were to take such a plummet that it actually would put the show’s future in jeopardy, I could understand that. But I believe that you are prematurely rushing to judgment about the direction of this current season. Cuse and Lindelof clearly, seeing as they wrote it, know that what has happened thus far is “slower” than what Lost fans are used to in terms of plot development. However, that said, given the amount of creative blindsiding we have been exposed to for two seasons already, I would not assume that this lapse in pace is something we are likely to see continue. If the ratings do drop to a dangerous level, however, your point is duly noted and valid
Comment by Roger — February 28, 2007 @ 2:01 pm
I voted for “awesomeness”. And the childish HEROES comparisons? That show’s in its’ maiden season and as such is getting the bandwagon gold from viewers and fans that LOST season one had. Just wait till season 2 or 3 of HEROES, like LOST, the fad-folk will begin to look for chinks in its armor and tire of having elevated it so high, and thusly bring it down hard.
Comment by Dusk — February 28, 2007 @ 2:18 pm
I think the writing has declined slightly. I have not seen JJ Abrams working on the show in a while. He seems to the the biggest driving influence on the tone of the show at its height. I feel it has become more sensational and melodramatic, as opposed to dramatic. The writers are starting to panic and write stories that they think people want, and that is disturbing the organic flow of the overall story.
Comment by Stev — February 28, 2007 @ 5:49 pm
I voted that casual viewers can’t “get” it. This isn’t Two & A Half Men or The Amazing Race where you just sit there and get entertained. You have to do some thinking with this show because it delves into some heavy duty stuff.
Comment by Cassie — February 28, 2007 @ 6:52 pm
I also voted that casual viewers don’t get it. LOST is about more than pleasing happy beach scenes with mystery monsters rustling in the distance. At least I hope so, unless viewers force the writers to dumb things down more than a bit.
I loved tonight’s Hurley-centric episode. It felt like a return to early/mid Season 1. I’m sure that was part of the intent, but it also feels like a natural unfolding of the story. A couple of characters had been through hell and returned to tell the tale. Interestingly, one of those characters was no longer content to remain on the beach but had to go off to confront her tormentors. You can’t just sit on the beach giggling and eating imaginary peanut butter forever.
To truly enjoy LOST, you can’t just take the happy beach episodes with familiar faces from Season 1 and leave the rest. All of it plays into the unfolding of the story. Have patience. If all mysteries were revealed there’d be not much left to tell.
Maybe we need two shows, LOST and LOST-Lite. LOST-Lite can keep only the familiar faces from the first season, keep everyone on the beach, never kill anyone, never mention the Others or the Dharma Initiative, and answer all mysteries in the next three episodes and wrap up. LOST can go on as it has been proceeding, asking more questions for every tidbit revealed, mixing darkness and light and confinement with freedom, blending the familiar with the unfamiliar, mind-boggling and obscure.
I know which of these two shows I’d be watching.
Comment by Lance — February 28, 2007 @ 11:09 pm
I voted “some other thing entirely”, because Lost will be losing my ratings from now on for a reason you haven’t mentioned. I live in the UK, and my digital TV provider just decided to drop Sky One, the channel that broadcasts Lost. Switching isn’t an option because our internet connection and phones are with these guys.
So it’s torrents for me from now on (at least meaning I’ll get to see the episodes earlier, I guess). Still, this’ll probably mean a huge drop in UK ratings, leading to “journalists” squealing about how Britain is “turning off Lost due to dwindling quality blah blah I have no journalistic integrity blah”.
Comment by Louise — March 1, 2007 @ 12:10 am
well, if you voted for the plot advancement being too slow, why do you think that is? I believe that, despite all the comments from CC and DL, they have only a very very sketchy idea about how they want the show to proceed and end up. I believe they are really struggling to put together all the pieces and are starting to show the cracks in the story line. They opened too many cans of worms and now it is going to be awfully tough to close the loop.
Comment by pavel nestastny — March 1, 2007 @ 2:59 am
This show has just lost it (I guess pun intended?). I’ve watched from day one, and the writing is garbage now. Sawyer and Kate come back, and were supposed to feel some great sense of relief when everyone is camp is worrited about……Dharma Oats and getting bananas, o and a car. Great way to stir up the emotion. Then we get the super awesome revelation that Kate has found Rouseaus daughter, a girl named Alex that is 16 in their camp!! Holy crap thanks for reminding us what you told us last season when Claire found another hatch. I guess they really had to stun us after they hype the entire episode with 3 startling revelations!!!!OMFG!!111!!!! So they “explain” Jack’s tattoos with “It says he walks among us but is not us” with the only logical reply from this now one trick pony show “I know, but thats not what it means.”
How did they turn this show into the last 8 years of the Simpsons overnight. Just everything about this show esp. the writing is total garbage.
Comment by brian — March 1, 2007 @ 6:29 am
Almost nothing of signifigance is happening! Last week when they said three big questions would be answered, the talk around the water cooler was “So what were the three questions they supposedly answered.” Last nights episode(2/28)had no plot advancement until the last minute. Is this the strategy of the writers for as long as it will keep working? To string us along for and hour then at the end throw us a crumb. The show has gone the way of this last season of HBO’s “the Sopranos”. Will anything of value finally happen when they come back on the air -whenever that will be?
Comment by Henry — March 1, 2007 @ 8:06 am
“Tricia Tanaka is Dead” just confirmed my previous post… slow plot development and way, but waaaaay too overmarketed…
I hope “Enter 77″ to be one of the best epis this season, but you know what? Now my expectations are waaaay low, and if they just superficially show “Patchy” like they showed Cindy (on “Stranger in a Strange Land”), i won’t be surprised, just more and more disappointed…
Comment by Lost_in_Brazil — March 1, 2007 @ 9:07 am
Ratings are in:
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/television/news/e3i9410da3dd7ac1a564c9731c35d454590
12.8 million total viewers. Tied for series-low.
Comment by Blee — March 1, 2007 @ 9:45 am
Is this the strategy of the writers for as long as it will keep working?
No. It’s called “pandering” and is what happens when TV series get ordered in 20-26 episode blocks by major networks. The writers may have specific story arcs in mind, but the network is in the position to place demands on them…things like, “Don’t have too much stuff going on week to week, we won’t get the casual viewers” -an entirely stupid call given that casual viewers usually shy away episodic, serialized stories to begin with. Especially when they involve elaborate, complicated back stories.
What’s the solution to the problem? Have shorter seasons jam-packed with twisty-turniness and nine kinds of movement, or don’t cater to the casual viewers. However, it’s the short-attention-span of the casual viewer which is most succeptible to advertising, and that’s what keeps American TV networks going, so it’s not going to happen. Leastways not for Lost.
Comment by Richard Lennox — March 1, 2007 @ 11:24 am
I think its time the “hardcore” Lost viewer stopped blaming the casual viewer. Believe me - the casual viewer understands whats going on better than you know. What’s going on is that the writers are jerking you around by bookending. The first 3 minutes and last 3 minutes of a show have some information and you “hardcore” people gleefully tune in for the empty middle to see what comes at the end. Same with the beginning and end of a season.
For everyone who says the casual people don’t get it, I challenge you: What is the theme of Season 3? I don’t mean the PLOT, I mean the THEME.
Comment by icy_one — March 1, 2007 @ 11:55 am
i swear, some of you are on the ABC payroll.
if you have a show that is entirely set up as having an island with mysterious secrets, you have to do more than dangle carrot after carrot, and then include filler episodes (like jack’s tattoos), where you have entire shows centered around small plot points that don’t need to take up an entire episode’s worth of time.
i used to LOVE this show, and now i watch it with detachment. it’s not because i’m stupid. it’s not because i’m a casual viewer. it’s not because i want it to be like a reality show…it’s because i want it to bee GOOD. i’m tired of empty promises and a premise that consistently fails to deliver. of all the shows this season, there have been probably 4 that have actually had some kind of plot development. the flashbacks have bogged the show down, and too many new characters have been introduced without addressing older questions.
it’s time to get to the meat of the story, and i’m sorry, but hurley discovering a bus does not make for compelling television.
Comment by mariootsa — March 1, 2007 @ 12:31 pm
The main reason that I think the ratings are declining, is basically that show has become astonishingly predictable. People don’t HAVE to watch every week to follow the story. People don’t HAVE To watch the whole episode to know what’s going to happen. What happened last night? Kate and Sawyer get back to the island. I know that everybody is going to be excited. I also know that for some strange reason, nobody is going to ask them any questions. Here is an example of a question that I would ask: “What happened?” We already know that despite his wishes to the contrary, Kate is going to march off after Jack “with or without you.” “I’m going to find help” she says. “Help from who?” Locke replies. Scene change. Was this supposed to create some sort of intrigue? Who was going to help Kate? How about the only other goddamn person that lives on the island. Were we honestly supposed to be shocked when Danielle stepped out of the shadows? Or was the compelling twist that Locke and Sayid followed Kate? By now I think even the most casual viewer knows that this is going to happen. Every damn time someone walks into the jungle alone, somebody follows. We get it.
Has anyone else noticed that for all of our concern and wonder with the situation on the island, none of our characters seem the slightest bit interested in what’s going on? Karl is looking up at the stars and says “That’s just where we work.” Kate and Sawyer just nod. I would think that at least one of them might say: “Oh yeah, I’ve been meaning to ask you, What kind of work do you guys actually do?” or “Please elaborate.” or “Tell me how you got here.” or for lighter fare, “Do you have any idea how to get off of this island?”
Or, instead of :
“If you have something to watch Cindy, go watch it!”
how about:
“Cindy, please as best as you can, describe in detail the events that have occurred leading up to your current situation.”
Hell, cut to a commercial before she answers, I just want my characters to be as interested as I am. Not one single character has gone so far as to postulate a theory. Given that the appeal of this show is the mystery of it, it would seem that our main characters would be somewhat interested in solving it.
Last night’s cliffhanger had to be the single most embarrassing moment in the series history. “It’s your daughter.” No shit. We all worked that out early last season. I have a friend who watches this show casually at best, and even he knew was aware of that.
The problem is that people are now downloading, doing the ABC.com thing, etc. I think that people are still watching, they just aren’t tuning in to ABC because they can wait. LOST used to compel you to not only know, but know NOW. As soon as possible. You didn’t want to wait an extra day. It’s no longer “must-see TV.” Now it’s something you watch whenever you can get around to it.
Comment by Ilanderon — March 1, 2007 @ 1:09 pm
I think its time the “hardcore” Lost viewer stopped blaming the casual viewer. Believe me - the casual viewer understands whats going on better than you know.
Bullshit. The casual viewer is somebody who tunes in sporadically and expects to be able to catch up with next to no effort. About a third of the stories are being written in the slow-to-no-progress manner to make it less confusing. Notice how the fluffier episodes get aired during sweeps? Yeah, that’s exactly what I’m talking about. Watch how next week’s episode contains all the DHARMA and an intense Sayid flashback that the “ooh, let’s get entertained by people getting into monkeyshines and fornicating on a tropical island” won’t like. Sometimes, watching Lost is almost like watching two different shows.
Comment by Richard Lennox — March 1, 2007 @ 1:52 pm
it’s true…the characters DO seem detached. when hurley sees sawyer, you would assume he would start asking him a MILLION questions about what just happened to him, but instead, he hugs him and asks him to help with the bus? really?
“yeah, sawyer, i know you were just left with these mysterious ‘others’ none of us know anything about, and seem to be a constant threat to us all, but hey, there is some 30-year old beer in this truck, so do you mind helping out?’
ridiculous. that is some clunky, ass-backwards writing, folks.
Comment by mariootsa — March 1, 2007 @ 2:20 pm
Basically, it’s this: Lost is just ahead of its time by a tiny margin. You see, we all know (with Tivo and internet tv) that old-fashioned, pre-scheduled shows that only show when the networks want them to are on the way out (in many homes, the networks’ schedules are entirely irrelevant due to the innovations I mentioned above. Lost, being as involved a serial as it is, is a show for the dvr/downloadable show generation. Unfortunately, the Associated Press and those who judge shows as successes or failures still look primarily at network television ratings on the night the network decides the show should run. Many of us faithfully watch shows the next day or week (for me, it’s online). That’s why I think Lost is “struggling in the ratings”: the ratings are incompatible with the realities of television. Lost is a success, regardless of what THEY say!
Comment by tomfishstory — March 1, 2007 @ 3:39 pm
my advice:
release the LOST video game but the story has to be intertwined with the show in a way similar to what they did with the Lost experience.
In my opinion, all video gamers would be viewers of the show (as if they’re not already…)
Comment by im_no_doc — March 2, 2007 @ 8:24 am
What show improves after introducing tons of new characters out of nowhere?
I remember when I was dying to see what would happen on the next episode. Now sadly, I really don’t care that much. The plot has really gone nowhere and we are 1/3 through the season. The backstories have added nothing and actually made matters more ridiculous. Jack forcing a girl to tatoo him. So what? We were promised last week that ‘mysteries would be solved’ and ‘everyone will be talking about it’. What? Hurley finding a bus? OMG! Or, we finally learned the island has hippie janitors!! This show is going the way of the Sopranos. Pointless new characters and leaving the one we have grown to love with little to do. Get back to the mystery and don’t leave the main characters with nothing to do and you’ll win people back. Having Sawyer and Kate in the presence of an other after they escape, and to not question the hell out of him is just plain stupid.
Comment by suhnami — March 2, 2007 @ 8:37 am
I thought the Hurley episode was really good - and relevant. It was light-hearted, featured a lot of characters from the beach, and dealt with the important theme of wrestling with fate and taking your destiny in your own hands by “making your own luck” or “looking Death in the face and saying ‘Whatever, man’” (LOL). Does that theme sound familiar? It reminded me of an episode from the first season. How is an episode where a character is wrestling with his/her demons and overcoming obstacles irrelevant to Lost? That’s what the show is about in large part.
I agree that the show needs to answer more questions more quickly to keep the interest of many viewers. I love the show and will watch until the end (bar catastrophic creative choices by the writers), but others aren’t so forgiving.
I think what the show really needs is a “Council of Elrond” type episode (or part of an episode) where all the survivors gather around a campfire, go over what they know about the island/The Dharma Initiative/The Others and decide as a group what the heck they are going to do to rescue Jack, get off the island, figure out what the @#$@# is going on, etc. A) This would focus the story back on the big picture. B) This is realistic and probably what people would do in this situation, rather than let the “A Team” just go about their business and do whatever they want. C) It would be a good way to recap. D) The debate would feature a lot of characters. The campfire debate was a high point of the end of the first season, building tension about the Others coming for the survivors.
Anyway, just my two cents.
Comment by Airk — March 3, 2007 @ 10:38 am
I believe it’s the progression of the story 100%. Real fans have been waiting for answers all the way from 2004 Season One. Mysteries on top of mysteries with no explanation in sight. The writers are copping out with filler, pure & simple. Maybe they never had the answers to begin with. They ought to just admit it instead of tagging us along. The fans are not just whiny complainers, well sometimes maybe, but I’ve read some valid complaints from viewers who just want the story to progress a little withought assenine filler episodes that are not advancing the story only adding to the confusion.
Comment by gigil115 — March 5, 2007 @ 5:44 pm
I believe it’s the progression of the story 100%. Real fans have been waiting for answers all the way from 2004 Season One. Mysteries on top of mysteries with no explanation in sight. The writers are copping out with filler, pure & simple. Maybe they never had the answers to begin with. They ought to just admit it instead of tagging us along. The fans are not just whiny complainers, well sometimes maybe, but I’ve read some valid complaints from viewers who just want the story to progress a little withought assenine filler episodes that are not advancing the story only adding to the confusion.
Comment by gigil115 — March 5, 2007 @ 5:51 pm
I believe it’s the progression of the story 100%. Real fans have been waiting for answers all the way from 2004 Season One. Mysteries on top of mysteries with no explanation in sight. The writers are copping out with filler, pure & simple. Maybe they never had the answers to begin with. They ought to just admit it instead of tagging us along. The fans are not just whiny complainers, well sometimes maybe, but I’ve read some valid complaints from viewers who just want the story to progress a little withought assenine filler episodes that are not advancing the story only adding to the confusion.
Comment by gigil115 — March 5, 2007 @ 5:55 pm
Too slow. No payoff. Watching them get the VW bus going was a snore compared to when Kate and Jack went down into the hatch for the first time or when the ship was found or anytime new stuff about Dharma was uncovered, or when it came out about the numbers themselves. We know nothing about what really happened when Desmond turned the key, why Vincent is back, why the Others have a list and steal children, Walt’s special powers, how all these people are linked, or are they, where the horse came from that Kate saw, how come Eko crashed on the very same island as his brother, how Libby ended up in the same psychiatric clinic as Hurley, are the Others related to the Dharma project, if they have boats, why don’t they leave or bring Ben somewhere for surgery, who is the one-eyed guy, WHAT is the smoke monster, why did it kill the pilot and Eko, why was Juliette baking muffins and having a book party when 815 crashed, who was the freaky jewelry store lady, etc. Also, the flashbacks used to give us insight into the people, but now they just create more questions than answers, one of which being: why do I still watch? Just feels like they are setting up all this stuff just to guarantee a few more years on tv, but could maybe get some great years on tv if answered some of these questions sooner and THEN opened up more questions. Like the two guys at the end of last season. When is that going to come back up? Have watched every episode since the beginning, but only hanging in at this point to see if stuff starts turning back around and get’s interesting again. Interest is waning though…
Comment by chimacum85 — March 5, 2007 @ 9:07 pm
I can’t read any of the comments because black on dark grey/green is impossible to read
Comment by j — March 6, 2007 @ 1:05 pm
This show has turned to a typical TV show for idiots. To those who thinks it’s complicated for casual viewers. Think about the first 6 episodes and just tell me what’s so complicated. It’s so simple and ridiculous that you cannot believe what you see. People are digging for deeper meanings but what they show now is shallow, pop material. Why were Jack, Kate and Sawyer captured? Because they are the triangle, the hot stuff, because they thought casual viewers were in love with the triangle. Sorry but after the mini-season and an episode like TTID, they cannot sell this show to me as a drama… You make your own luck/fate and ratings too
Comment by Dan — March 7, 2007 @ 6:23 am
X-Files…
Remember this show? I remember in college getting together with friends every week to watch this show. We all loved it in the first few seasons. As time went on, the plot became more and more convoluted and eventually, we realized that every episode was opening up more questions than were being answered. At first, filler episodes that did not advance the plot at all were few and far between. After a while, it seemed like every other episode was filler, giving the writers more time to think up more bullshit. It was this very reason that I stopped watching the show.
Replace the first line of this rant with “Lost” and you can understand why I’m done with this show.
Read chimacum85’s post three posts up. I agree 100%
Comment by e — March 7, 2007 @ 1:20 pm