LOST started on September 22, 2004. I was there. Watched the first episode. The commercials alone had convinced me it was something special.

I just checked the thinkling archives to see if I tried to tell you people it was awesome. Turns out, I did. Here's what I wrote back on October 27, 2004. (A mere 4 episodes having been aired.) Read on in shock and wonder to see how right I was.

Wednesday, October 27, 2004
"Lost" Is A Great Show
Posted by Philip @ 8:13 am CDT | Edit | Delete | Send a Trackback
Filed under: General

Have you seen Lost on ABC? It's fantastic. It's about 48 people stranded on an island. I've always enjoyed stories about surviving a la Robinson Crusoe. This show is more realistic than Survivor ever will be. One of the things I like about it is that it's different than anything else on television. It's not yet another law/cop/medical/family drama. Each episode usually emphasizes a different character. There are flashbacks that reveal the backstory, and they are usually quite surprising. There are mysteries to be solved, about the island, about the people, about what happened. The show is well-written, and well-acted. The characters are complex, and in a way the show is kind of genre breaking.

What's great about the characters are that they are different from other shows. They don't fit into any neat stereotypes. For example,they have a long-haired overweight guy in his 20's, named "Hurley" that is just plain cool. The dude is funny, likeable and ...real. I watch him and think, he could be a friend of mine. There just aren't many shows that give realistic people good roles.

This is a show that I enjoy watching so much that it frustrates me when it's over. You feel like you are getting to know the characters and you actually enjoy spending the time with them, even though they are stranded on a deserted island and might die.

Another cool aspect of the show are the ethical dilemmas:
-What do you do when you have hundreds of bodies? Do you leave them for the wild animals? Do you bury them yourselves? Is it OK to burn them?
-Is it OK to go through dead people's luggage or take their shoes?
-If you discover that the liklihood of being rescued is very slim do you tell the others? Or let them keep hoping?
-If you are rescuing someone from drowning, and then see a second person what do you do? Do you leave one intending to go back for them?
-If someone is going to die in a few hours is it OK to speed up the process?
-If one of you is an escaped convict, do you tell the others?

And they go on and on and on... I love watching the show and asking myself, "What would I do in the same situation?"

It's awesome. If you haven't watched it yet, you should start. It's well worth it. I concur with what Jared said in another post. It's the best thing on television right now. It's on tonight. Record it or watch it. Get in now, while it's still getting started. I have a feeling it's going to be a great ride.

(Oh, and I might also be prescient. Notice I wrote that a mere two days after the first episode aired.)

So the next time I tell you to watch a show, a movie or read a particular book, you should listen to me. I'm obviously the best recommend-er in the world.

Croc eats shark.

(HT: But I'm No Expert)

Memo to the Thinklings:

The clock is starting to tick . . . You have 24 hours. I need some posts, some decent, quality, posts, sometime before this time tomorrow, or I'm shutting this place down (for an amount of time to be disclosed if I have to make good on my threat).

In 24 hours, if we're still looking at that darn Lost post from last Thursday, it's Apocalypse Now.

(I'd post, but I got nothin')