"As they passed the rows of houses they saw through the open doors that men were sweeping and dusting and washing dishes, while the women sat around in groups, gossiping and laughing.
"What has happened?" the Scarecrow asked a sad-looking man with a bushy beard, who wore an apron and was wheeling a baby-carriage along the sidewalk.
"Why, we've had a revolution, your Majesty -- as you ought to know very well," replied the man; "and since you went away the women have been running things to suit themselves. I'm glad you have decided to come back and restore order, for doing housework and minding the children is wearing out the strength of every man in the Emerald City."
"Hm!" said the Scarecrow, thoughtfully. "If it is such hard work as you say, how did the women manage it so easily?"
"I really do not know," replied the man, with a deep sigh. "Perhaps the women are made of cast-iron.""
- L. Frank Baum, "The Land of Oz"
Wednesday, October 27, 2004
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.
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Comments on ""Lost" Is A Great Show":
3. jen
- 10/27/2004 10:27 am CDT
Please allow me to clarify the "escaped convict" thing. She is (was?) a fugitive, sure. But that doesn't mean that she had been convicted of anything - we don't know that, yet. US Marshals hunt down anyone who has an outstanding warrant for their arrest whether or not they've been convicted. Nitpicky, I know.
I Love This Show! I love it so much that I'll be watching it and missing the first inning(s) of the baseball game tonight.
4. Shrode
- 10/27/2004 10:36 am CDT
Jen, I'm sure you're right. In this case I chose brevity over total accuracy. Sorry.
5. Quaid
- 10/27/2004 11:12 am CDT
"This show is more realistic than Survivor ever will be."
BLASPHEMY
For the record, I like Lost. Still, I must argue with this statement. Obviously, you say this to demonstrate that you prefer Lost to Survivor, but to say that it is more real is not very accurate, now is it?
The second episode of lost included some monster/dinosaur thing devouring a pilot. Veeeeeerrrrrry realistic.
Someone offering 1 million dollars to play some elaborate game on an island somewhere? Nah. That would never happen. NINE TIMES IN A ROW
9. hatless in hattiesburg
- 10/28/2004 9:13 pm CDT
From your reviews, maybe I'll start watching it. I didn't watch at first because the previews made it look like an "Xtreme Gilligan's Isle!";"0
10. David Buckna
- 10/21/2005 8:24 pm CDT
My quiz is found at:
http://www.ashleylangford.com/archives/2005/10/can_the_lost_be.html
Have a look!
I agree it is by far the best new show and prabably the best show on TV right now. I can't wait to see it every week. It also makes for interesting guessing about where they really are. Are they really alive and what is so special about the island. While Jack is cool and very likable, I think my favorite character is Lock.