Lost is an American serial drama television series that follows the lives of a group of plane crash survivors on a mysterious tropical island, somewhere in the South Pacific. The show was created by Jeffrey Lieber, J. J. Abrams and Damon Lindelof, and is filmed primarily on location in Hawaii. The pilot episode was first broadcast on September 22, 2004. Since then, two seasons have aired and a third began on October 4, 2006. The show is produced by Touchstone Television, Bad Robot Productions and Grass Skirt Productions and airs on the ABC Network in the U.S. Its incidental music is composed by Michael Giacchino. The current executive producers are J.J. Abrams, Damon Lindelof, Carlton Cuse, Jack Bender, Jeff Pinkner and Bryan Burk. Because of its large ensemble cast and the cost of filming in Hawaii, the series is one of the most expensive on television.
A critical and popular success, Lost garnered an average of 15.5 million viewers per episode on ABC during its first year, and won numerous industry awards including the Emmy Award for outstanding drama series in 2005 and best American import at the British Academy Television Awards also in 2005.
Reflecting its devoted fan base, the show has become a staple of popular culture with references to the story and its elements appearing in other television shows, commercials, comic books, webcomics, humor magazines and song lyrics. The show's fictional universe has also been explored through tie-in novels, board and video games, and an alternate reality game, The Lost Experience
Production
Conception
Conception
The series began development in January 2004, when Lloyd Braun, head of ABC at the time, ordered an initial script based on his concept of a cross between the movie Cast Away and the popular reality show Survivor. Unhappy with the result and a subsequent re-write, Braun contacted J.J. Abrams, creator of the TV series Alias, to write a new pilot script. Although initially hesitant, Abrams warmed to it, and eventually collaborated with Damon Lindelof to create the series' style and characters.[10] The development of the show was constrained by tight deadlines, as it had been commissioned late in the 2004 season's development cycle. Despite the short schedule, the creative team remained flexible enough to modify or create characters to fit actors they wished to cast.
Lost's two-part pilot episode was the most expensive in the network's history, reportedly costing between US$10 and US$14 million, compared to the average cost of an hour-long pilot in 2005 of US$4 million. The show, which debuted on September 22, 2004, became one of the biggest critical and commercial successes of the 2004 television season. Along with fellow new series Desperate Housewives, Lost helped to reverse the flagging fortunes of ABC. Yet, before it had even aired, Lloyd Braun was fired by executives at ABC's parent company, Disney, because he had greenlighted such an expensive and risky project.
Episode Format
Episodes have a distinct structure: following a recap of events relevant to the upcoming narrative, each show begins with a cold open. At a dramatic juncture, the screen cuts to black and the title graphic, slightly out-of-focus, glides towards the viewer accompanied by an ominous, discordant sound. The opening credits generally appear over the scenes that immediately follow. While there is a progressive story arc, each episode relates events concurrently with pre-island flashbacks centered on a particular character. The majority of episodes end with a suspenseful twist or cliffhanger, revealed just seconds before a smash cut to black and the title graphic. Others, following a plot resolution, will finish with a reflective closing scene that precedes a simple fade out. Shortly afterwards, a preview of out-of-sequence clips from the next episode is shown.
Music
Lost features incidental music composed by Michael Giacchino, whose score is primarily orchestral and incorporates several recurring themes for events and characters. The score is performed by the Hollywood Studio Symphony Orchestra. In the official Lost Podcast, Michael Giacchino revealed that he achieved some of the sounds for the score using unusual instruments, such as striking suspended pieces of the plane's fuselage.
On March 21, 2006, the record label Varèse Sarabande released the original television soundtrack for Lost's first season. The soundtrack included select full-length versions of the most popular themes of the season and the main title which was composed by series creator J.J. Abrams. Varèse Sarabande released a soundtrack featuring music from the second season of Lost on October 3, 2006.
Pop culture songs have been used sparingly in the series, given the mainly orchestral score. When such songs are featured, they usually originate from a diegetic source, meaning that they are usually generated by an action of one of the characters. Examples are the various songs played on Hurley's portable CD player throughout the first season or the use of the record player (which included Cass Elliot's "Make Your Own Kind of Music") in the second season premiere and Petula Clark's "Downtown" in the third season premiere.
In some international broadcasts, alternate music is utilized. For instance, in the Japanese broadcast of Lost, Season 1's theme song is "Here I am" by Chemistry and Season 2's theme song is "losin'" by Yuna Ito.
Filming locations
Lost is filmed (35mm) almost entirely on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. The original island scenes for the pilot were filmed at Mokule'ia Beach, near the northwest tip of the island. Later beach scenes take place in secluded spots of the famous North Shore. Cave scenes in the first season were filmed on a sound stage built at a Xerox parts warehouse, which had been empty since an employee mass shooting took place there in 1999. The soundstage and production offices have since moved to the Hawaii Film Office-operated Hawaii Film Studio, at which the sets depicting Season 2's "Swan station" and Season 3's "Hydra station" interiors were built. Various urban areas in and around Honolulu are used as stand-ins for locations around the world, including Los Angeles, New York, Iowa, South Korea, Iraq, Nigeria, England, and Australia. For example, scenes set in a Sydney airport were filmed at the Hawaii Convention Center, while a World War II-era bunker was used as an Iraqi Republican Guard installation.
Numerous writers have taken to journeying to Hawaii to find the locations in which episodes are set. In March 2005, one Los Angeles Times columnist described how he sneaked onto the set during filming on one such trip, which has led to other travel writers following in his tracks. Extensive archives of filming locations are tracked at About.com as well as in a repository at Lostvirtualtour.com.
Cast and Characters
The opening season featured sixteen regular speaking roles, making it the second largest cast in American primetime television behind Desperate Housewives. While a large cast makes Lost more expensive to produce, the show's writers benefit from more flexibility in story decisions. According to series executive producer Bryan Burk, "You can have more interactions between characters and create more diverse characters, more back stories, more love triangles."
The initial season had fourteen major roles getting star billing. Naveen Andrews portrayed former Iraqi Republican guard Sayid Jarrah. Emilie de Ravin played the pregnant Australian Claire Littleton. Matthew Fox acted as the troubled surgeon Jack Shephard. Jorge Garcia portrayed Hugo "Hurley" Reyes, an unlucky lotto winner. Maggie Grace played Shannon Rutherford, a former dance teacher. Josh Holloway acted as con man James "Sawyer" Ford. Yunjin Kim played Sun-Hwa Kwon, the daughter of a powerful Korean businessman, with Daniel Dae Kim as her husband Jin-Soo Kwon. Evangeline Lilly portrayed fugitive Kate Austen. Dominic Monaghan acted as an ex-rock star drug addict Charlie Pace. Terry O'Quinn played the mysterious John Locke. Harold Perrineau portrayed construction worker Michael Dawson, while child star Malcolm David Kelley acted as his young son, Walt Lloyd. Ian Somerhalder played Boone Carlyle, chief operating officer of his mother's wedding business and step brother of Shannon.
During the first two seasons, some characters were written out to make room for new characters with new stories. Boone Carlyle was the first major character to be written out in season one. Malcolm David Kelley became a guest star after the events of the first season's finale, making rare appearances throughout season two. Maggie Grace's departure six episodes into season two made way for newcomers Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as Catholic priest and former Nigerian criminal Eko, Michelle Rodriguez as airport security guard and former police officer Ana Lucia Cortez, and Cynthia Watros portraying the purported clinical psychologist Libby. Ana Lucia and Libby were written out of the series toward the end of season two, as were Michael and Walt.
In season three, Henry Ian Cusick received star billing as former Scottish soldier Desmond David Hume, as did Michael Emerson in the role of Benjamin Linus (formerly known as Henry Gale), the possible leader of the "Others." In addition, three new actors joined the regular cast: Elizabeth Mitchell, as Juliet, Kiele Sanchez who plays Nikki, and Rodrigo Santoro, who plays Paulo. With these additions, however, Mr. Eko was written out early in the season.
Numerous supporting characters have been given expansive and recurring appearances in the progressive storyline. In the second season, Rose Henderson played by L. Scott Caldwell and tail section survivor Bernard Nadler played by Sam Anderson, were featured in a flashback episode after being reunited. Mira Furlan as Danielle Rousseau, the shipwrecked Frenchwoman appeared throughout seasons one and two. Some of the "Others," including M.C. Gainey as Tom, Michael Bowen as Danny Pickett, William Mapother as Ethan Rom and Tania Raymonde as Alex Rousseau have been shown in both flashbacks and the ongoing story. Similarly, Jack's father Christian Shephard, flight attendant Cindy Chandler and marshall Edward Mars portrayed by John Terry, Kimberley Joseph and Fredric Lane respectively, have appeared in multiple flashbacks, as well as on the island.
Casting
Many of the first season roles were a result of the executive producers' liking to various actors. The main character Jack was originally to die in the pilot, and was hoped to be played by Michael Keaton, however ABC executives were adamant that Jack live. Before it was decided that Jack would live, the character of Rose was to emerge as the leader of the survivors, but with the name of Kate. Dominic Monaghan auditioned for the role of Sawyer, who at the time was supposed to be a suit-wearing city con man. The producers enjoyed Monaghan's performance and changed the character of Charlie to fit him. Jorge Garcia also auditioned for Sawyer, and the part of Hurley was written for him. Yunjin Kim auditioned for Kate but the producers wrote Sun and Jin for her and Daniel Dae Kim. Naveen Andrews, who plays Sayid was also not in the original script. Locke and Michael were written with their actors in mind. Emilie de Ravin who plays Claire was originally supposed to be a recurring role. In the second season, Michael Emerson was contracted to play Ben ("Henry Gale") for three episodes. His role was extended because of his acting skills to eight episodes, and eventually for the whole of season three.
Season Synopses
Season 1
Season 1 began airing in the United States on September 22, 2004 and featured 24 episodes that aired Wednesdays at 8:00. A plane crash strands the surviving passengers of Oceanic Flight 815 on a seemingly deserted tropical island, forcing the group of strangers to work together to stay alive. However, their survival is threatened by mysterious entities including polar bears, an unseen creature that roams the jungle, and the island's malevolent inhabitants known as the "Others". They encounter a Frenchwoman who was shipwrecked on the island over sixteen years earlier and find a mysterious metal hatch buried in the ground. An attempt is made to leave the island on a raft.
Season 2
Season 2 began airing in the United States and Canada on September 21, 2005 and featured 23 episodes airing on Wednesdays at 9:00. Most of the story, which continues 45 days after the crash, focuses on the main conflict between the survivors and the Others, with the continued clash between faith and science being thematic in certain episodes. While some mysteries are resolved, new questions are raised. New characters are introduced, including the tail-section survivors and other island inhabitants. More island mythologies and insights into the survivors' pasts are divulged. The hatch is explored and the existence of The DHARMA Initiative and its benefactor, The Hanso Foundation, are revealed. As the truth about the mysterious Others begins to unfold, one of the crash survivors betrays the other castaways, and the cause of the plane crash is revealed.
Season 3
Season 3 will feature 22 episodes that began airing in the United States and Canada on October 4, 2006 and are scheduled to finish on May 23, 2007. The episodes were broadcasted Wednesdays at 9:00 until the winter break, after which shows will be aired at 10:00. In the UK Sky's Sky One - rather than Channel 4 - is now showing Lost and made its season premier on November 19, 2006. In Ireland RTE began showing the first block on October 31, 2006. The story continues 67 days after the crash (November 28th 2004). New crash survivors and Others are introduced, as three of the crash survivors are held in captivity.
During Lost's twelve week intermission during season three, ABC aired a thirteen episode miniseries, Day Break. During each showing of Day Break, ABC also aired 30-second teaser clips of upcoming Lost episodes, called "Lost Moments," in order to give fans a preview of what is to come in season three. Lost returns to ABC on February 7, 2007, it will be on a 10:00 PM Eastern/9:00 PM Central time slot.
Season 4
Season 4 was planned (prior to the the Writers Guild of America strike) to feature 16 episodes, to be broadcast in the United Kingdom, the United States, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and Canada beginning in the U.S. and Canada on January 31, 2008 at 8/7c. More of the Island's secrets are to be revealed as the castaways continue to seek rescue after making contact with a freighter. Season 4 is to feature both flashforwards and flashbacks. Production began on August 17, but halted in late November due to the writers' strike. As a result, the current plans are to air the first eight episodes of a shortened season
Future Seasons and End Date
On May 7, 2007, ABC Entertainment President Stephen McPherson announced that Lost will end during the 2009–2010 season with a "highly anticipated and shocking finale." "We felt that this was the only way to give [Lost] a proper creative conclusion," McPherson said. Beginning with the 2007–2008 television season, the final 48 episodes of Lost will be aired as three seasons with sixteen episodes each. Thus, Lost will conclude with its sixth season. These seasons were to be aired uninterrupted in the first half of those calendar years, though due to the Writers' strike, this is now highly unlikely to be the case for Season Four.
Executive producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse stated that they "always envisioned Lost as a show with a beginning, middle, and end," and that by announcing when the show would end that viewers would "have the security of knowing that the story will play out as we've intended."
In the meantime, Sci Fi Channel and G4 have purchased the rights to broadcast reruns of Lost beginning Fall 2008.
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