For the final episode of “The Transmission,” we want to take a special, wistful look back on the last six years of “LOST.” So much has happened since the moment Oceanic Flight 815 crashed on that mysterious island on September 22, 2004… both on the show, and in the “LOST” fan community. As far as “LOST” is concerned, we’d love to to get your pick for your favorite episode of all time. You could also tell us about your favorite character, or your favorite story twist. There are probably too many great moments to count. But we’re also curious to learn what “LOST” has meant to you. Simply top-notch television? A much needed escape? An excuse to connect with friends, or make new ones?
Tell us your “LOST” story. You can comment below, e-mail us at lost@hawaiiup.com, or call the LOSTLine at (815) 310-0808. We hope to release our podcast on June 27. But we may take longer than expected to collect ourselves!
OMG, the last Transmission. *SOB*
What does LOST mean to me? LOST means striking up a conversation with a stranger based solely on the Drive Shaft button on my diaper bag. LOST means that a 35yo stay at home mom of two can be online buddies with college students, retirees, scientists, and writers. LOST means expanding my library with titles covering science, history, philosophy, ancient cultures, anthropology, and classic literature. LOST means my heart skipping a beat every time I think back on the two Hawaiian vacations we took this year. LOST means never being able to watch a new TV show without comparing it!
I could never choose a favorite episode. That changes daily! The episode I have watched the most is “Sundown.” I was lucky enough to see filming on it back and October, and doubly lucky to meet Naveen Andrews, who was such a nice guy. I have the best memories of the filming on that one, and on several more S6 episodes (none of which I would have been able to experience without Ryan!).
My favorite character is Ben. How can a character be so hateful but so loveable at the same time? And I couldn’t be happier with how Ben’s character wrapped up.
Ryan & Jen, I heart you guys forever! THANK YOU! (And sorry for the rambling voicemail I left you earlier. LOL)
Lost meant a lot to me in the first 4 seasons. I couldn’t wait for each new episode. I had countdown timers on my computer counting down the seconds until the next new episode. I couldn’t wait to get online during and after each ep to hear what people had to say. The long breaks between seasons were unbearable.
That all changed with seasons 5 and 6. I really don’t know what it was, but I started to lose interest in the show. I still watched and enjoyed every ep, but that giddy kid on Christmas morning feeling was gone.
Maybe it was because I knew the end was near, maybe it was just me. I don’t know what changed at that point.
It almost felt like something I “had” to do. I’ve watched it this long, can’t give up now kind of thing.
Looking back I wish I discovered podcasts, like yours and jayandjack, earlier. I feel like I missed out on a big part of the lost fan community by not listening to them until this last season.
Hi Ryan and Jen and You All Everybody ~
I loved Season One and the ‘Flashbacks’ best, which enabled all of us to get glimpses into our LOSTies’ characters, their turmoils, and even their hearts. After that I was hooked on the show!
I liked the twist that Sawyer was John Locke’s birth father, and that James could eliminate two monsters at once.
I have absolutely loved finding this blog, but one disadvantage was that plot twists became less of a surprise because you all were SO GOOD at predicting them way before they happened; such as Claire being Jack’s sister or Michael being on the freighter. Yet that was great too, always being “in the loop!”
I came to this show with my own ‘father issues’ and troubles… So for me, the thrill of LOST has been the following of these dear broken people with father issues and other troubles as they found healing and eventually redemption. Each LOSTie’s journey and healing was important to me. I leave this show with my life vastly improved and most of my troubles sorted out, but sadly with the painful ‘father issue’ remaining. The lingering message of LOST gives me hope though, of clinging to what is true and pure; that love will rise to the top and the rest will fall away. And that it is always worth striving to be a better person.
I feel so privileged to have found this blog community and treasure the friendships I have made here.
Top Story Twists:
1) I was floored by the Sideways reveal ~ definitely not expecting that!
2) The plot twist of Sun in the future coinciding with Jin in the past was perplexing and great. I think that one surprised all of us too.
Lost for me was the intellectual challenge I crave in shows as well as life. Always posing new questions and mysteries. Like I have said in some of my previous posts, I wish the show actually explained some of the questions/myths and mysteries. And for the record I hated the way the show ended – but at the same time without question the best TV show I have ever watched!
My favorite episode was The Constant. With Desmond ‘flashing’ between different planes off existance, and the time travling Daniel was trying to figure out in other episodes – great stuff. Again, I wish someone would have explained it.
And no I do not like the ‘they wanted to leave it up to the audience to create their own answers / ending stuff’. The concept of a show/book/movie is to tell a story – no half a story – but an entire story. Do I love we’re stail ltalking about it yes.
Favorite character Ben. No question.
well, i guess i’m in ‘denial’ at the moment: this can’t REALLY be ending, can it? @bluedog1121 says it pretty well for me too. except for the part about being a stay-at-home mom, that sums it up nicely.
favorite season has to be the first, where every show was one step further into the unknown. it was something i didn’t know that i needed, until i found it.
having said that, tho, my #1 show would probably be The Constant, also. the depth of the story was when i first started to feel that there was some sort of plan here.
my favorite character, and i’ve said this before, is still Kate. aside from the obvious, i really liked the fact that she was the show’s soldier. not the most cerebral of ladies, she tended to act without too much forethought, which remained one of her biggest problems. but if you needed someone to hike across the Island with you, sew up a hole in your skin, change her mind or her life for the good of another person or just to jump off the cliff first, it would have to be her.
her popularity seemed to stall at the same time that she wasn’t needed for much of the above. there was nothing left for her but relationships. again, with her ‘go for it’ approach, they tended to be deep and a little destructive.
second choice is Sawyer. can’t wait to see what Josh does next.
i’ll be back.
Favorite Episodes:
“The Constant” is indeed amazing (the two actors really really sold it!), but I also loved so many from Season One, such as “Whatever the Case May Be” with Kate scrambling to get a toy airplane from a discovered suitcase ~ truly stirring ~~~ and several episodes with Sawyer which highlighted his heartbreaking past and prickly outside/ tender inside character
@green berry – funny you should mention Whatever the Case May Be as I just finished rewatching that. I rememberered how much I loved it the first time. The reveal of Kate as quite the accomplished liar, having conned four men into robbing a bank so she could get the toy plane. Kate and Sawyer’s discovery of the pool by the waterfall. What fun it must have felt like to have that swim, so completely refreshing – and then the gruesome discovery of the bodies in the water. Touching final moments in that episode with the darkness, the couples and small groups, Rose holding Charlie and praying for guidance for him, and Shannon singing the French song for Sayid while Boone watches, Jack observing Kate holding the toy plane in the fireglow, and then the musical ending using the theme of the song. That might be my favorite episode.
how can you choose just one show?
I loved LOST because the messages I received were about Love and Life and Hope and about there being something “greater than this” in this life.
My favorite episode was also “the Constant”. The message that love is the constant shook me to my soul.
If all else fails, love wil remain.
…sigh….
Favorite plot twist: hands down, the final scene of season 3, with the flashforward reveal. I think that was the biggest WTF moment of the entire series. It blew my mind and upended the whole structure of the show.
Favorite character: it’s a tie between Desmond and Ben. How can I ever decide?
Favorite episode: that’s a tough one. I could go with the consensus and say “The Constant,” which is definitely up there. But also “Tricia Tanaka is Dead,” the one where Hurley finds the Dharma van, because it’s such a feel-good episode. Or “The Numbers,” which is incredibly creepy throughout, and is our first realization that Hurley is more multi-dimensional than we’d thought. Or “The Man Behind the Curtain,” when we get Ben’s backstory and see the purge. Or almost any of the season finales. Yeah… I can’t decide.
I think Jack maybe my favorite character, which is a complete surprise to me since he could be very annoying. But I enjoyed seeing his character change and grow and ultimately find what he was looking for in his life. Ben is my #2. There are a lot of times that Jack drove me crazy but he was interesting to watch. Ben was the guy I loved to hate, Michael Emerson is just incredible. This could all change once I really start reviewing episode recaps for the favorite episodes.
Speaking of Favorite episodes… That’ll be tough and require a lot of thought. Favorite moments – the same thing. I have my work cut out for me.
@KathyK- I can certainly see your point, certainly Penny and Desmond’s phone call is one all Lost’s greatest moments.
Hey guys…wow…from 1000 posts to just a hand-full…I think it’s because it still hurts so much that LOST has ended. I have checked in almost daily to the site, hoping to see more posts, but not posting, & I will assume many other people are doing the same. For all the work you have done and the gratitude I feel for you, this site, and this community I definitely feel the need to post something…
I have tried to summon the courage to start watching the entire series again, but I think I need to give it more time to sink in, reflect, and to have enough time to watch it in a quick period of time to enjoy it as I believe it was meant to be seen.
I think because we sometimes forgot that the 1st 3 seasons were within about 108 days and not 3 years makes a big difference to the characters, story, and mythology that we were allowed to cover. The time WE ( the viewers ) spent on the mysteries and mythology of the island are not what the characters of the story were tasked with. They didn’t have time to look into them more. A few losties spent a few years in DHARMA, but simply getting by and trying not to get involved. This made since to me. I loved the finale and I think over time those that were disappointed will grow to appreciate it much more. And with that in mind I want to watch again at a pace that the characters would have endured, and how the story looked from their perspectives.
OK – – here are some thoughts regarding your post
My favorite episode of all time : Impossible… Here are a few:
Season 1 – Exodus ( pt. 2 & 3 ) …wow…the fastest I ever ran to the store to buy a DVD of another season…the iconic ending with Jack and Locke looking into the hatch was amazing.
Season 2 – Orientation – Loved finding out more about the Hatch and the videos with Chang / Candle / Halliwax / Etc…completely hooked….
Season 3 – Flashes Before Your Eyes – Anything Desmond is always great…
Season 4 – Cabin Fever – I was scared like crazy when the chair started moving…worked for me…did not expect LOST to scare me.
Season 5 – The Incident ( 1 & 2 ) – I loved that we were left to ponder the explosion
Season6 – The End – Well…After being a little iffy on the flash-sideways from the beginning of the season and a re-watch of The End I can’t say enough how much more it works for me.
Favorite Character – Ben – ‘nuff said.
Favorite Twist – I just loved how the writers would throw things out there and then have a full episode about a theory and then knock it down…example: “Daveâ€
To tell what LOST meant to me would take a lot more space and time that I can get to for now, but I can say that “The Transmissionâ€, the online research, the theorizing, and the LOST community as a whole, has been and will always be one of the best things that came from my experience. I never imagined when I typed in ‘LOST blog’ ( or something ) into my browser around the 3rd season that it would even be as big a deal as it turned out to be. I never used the internet for a televised show, or thought that I would. You guys made the rest of the series much more enjoyable, thought provoking, maddening, gut-wrenching, heart-warming, and perfect as it was. Namaste!
@ Carol ~ Jack certainly came a long, impressive way from being an angry, broken, controlling skeptic to a peaceful, whole, cooperative believer ~~ the “healer” was at last healed
‘Sawyer’ had a further journey, having been a con man and murderer ~ he was finally able to think of others before himself, think before acting out, and even find his own peace through his relationship with Juliet
Charlie and Sayid both found some peace through their heroic acts
Locke was a pretty intriguing and confusing character ~ he had such a strong connection with the island and was ultimately “right” all along about needing to stay on the island and protect it (and mankind); yet he was tricked into dying, and killed far too soon ~ he was used and abused ~ Jack gets the credit for being the island’s sacrifice, but Locke sacrificed himself first ~~ and we’re uncertain what sacrifices Hurley had to make afterwards in taking care of his “flocke”
Nuckinfuts ~ ditto to your last paragraph above (except for: I was more of a sponge of the ‘online researching’ and ‘theorizing’ that YAE did ~ so much of that was over my head)
Simply can’t really pick a favorite episode because so many depended on what you gleemed from other episodes. Once I begin my serious rewatch I think I will have a better idea about this – can’t wait until August!
My favorite Character changes also with what theme I am thinking about. I was definitely intrigued with Locke in the early days, and enthralled with Desmond. Of the Ladies I loved Juliet best and Sun nearly as much. There were many other characters that made brief appearences or had shorter character arcs that I would love to reflect on at some time (maybe a post LOST Podcast R&J????)
I was definitely happy to see time travel (a favorite story telling device) introduced and embraced, even if the explanation remains scientificaly vague it is a wonderful way to tell a story. I am a fan of sci-fy and fantasy because it is a wonderful way to discuss the human condition by challenging us to observe issues and characteristics common to us all.
Count me as one that really loved the mysteries and the mystical. I do agree with the criticisms that many have put forth about the way the mysteries where thrown about and sometimes abandoned but the part of me willing to suspend disbelief rallied to rescue me from disappointment.
LOST was just a show I started to watch because my husband knew somebody that knows Josh Holloway through connections here in Georgia. And I nearly lost faith some time in the early seasons – though I struggle to recall it now – until I found The Transmission and YAE and I became swept up in this modern phenomena of Social Networking. I don’t think LOST would have had the same impact in my daily life and world view with out R&J and the opportunity to connect here with all of you. For that, I am eternally grateful,
~~I’m off on a vacation soon and may just be limited to lurking here rather than commenting. Hope to see YAE on some rewatches in the future,
Namaste,
Bonita
Hey All,
I wish to share with you all something I had seen 2 years ago, and just rewatched yesterday. It is a talk that JJ Abrams made at the TED conference in 2007. “TED is a small nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. It started out (in 1984) as a conference bringing together people from three worlds: Technology, Entertainment, Design.â€
The presenters at these conferences are invited by the organizers to give a talk of 18 minutes or less about the abovementioned subjects. Abrams talked about mystery, his magic box and how mystery is more important than knowledge in the creation of suspense. You will also hear him talk about building characters and listen carefully around the 12 minute mark when he shows his favourite scene from JAWS.
I know he has hardly had any input in the making of LOST since the creation and filming of the pilot but clearly Damon who idolized him prior of their working has been influenced by him.
Here is the link.
http://www.ted.com/talks/j_j_abrams_mystery_box.html
ps: if you new to TED talks, take a few moments to browse the site. You will find incredible talks from passionate innovators and forward thinkers.
@greenpeace – Locke’s episodes always got me so depressed. He had such a sad life, always wanting to be special and in the end he was but didn’t know it till the flash sideways.
I love Sawyer’s arc, and of course Hurley and Charley. Like you I wasn’t a big Juliet fan until she hooked up with Sawyer, then she won me over. I really disliked Shannon her only good moments were the ones just before she died.
@Coolpeace – I’ll give that link a watch next week when I have more time.
@nuckinfuts – you’ve been missed, nice to hear from you again.
Thanks Carol…I never really left…but after “The End” aired the debate was so fast and furious I would start a long reply to something I read and perhaps agreed or disagreed with, and someone would say what I wanted to say. Other times I felt like I was trying to convince people to feel or see what I saw. Then I thought that if they had put as much time and effort into LOST as I know many of them had, perhaps it was not right for me to try and convince them of something one way or another. I think LOST is a personal experience as much as it was a group experience with YAE. So after some thought, I decided not to be like John Locke and yell “What do you want from me” and pound my fist to try and change people’s minds. I think that may be a longer journey for some than others. Like Jack. And maybe some people will never be convinced…or perhaps are not ready to be just yet….Maybe part of what I learned or took from the show was that sometimes it takes patience and understanding.
Hi guys!
I’m from France, and I wanted to share with you what Lost means to me and what it made me do.
I watched the Pilot when it was first released (June 2004 I think), and was sucked in right away. The music, the characters, the mysteries, all of it was just a thrill!
And one day, in the middle of Season 5, I said to myself “Hey Ju, Lost will probably be at the Comic-Con for the last time between Season 5 & 6, why not go to San Diego?”.
So I did. And it was awesome! I got to meet a great friend (who’s not even into Lost), had a wonderful week in a beautiful city, and last but not least, got to attend the last panel ever for Lost at the SDCC. It was just insane, being so far from my home, and yet totally feelin’ at home, with all my peeps!
I also went to Jay & Jack panel, and saw you guys. I didn’t know any of you four, but I sure download all of your podcast and listen to them quite fastly, to be up to date when Season 6 began.
Anyway, I feel like I almost know you guys; you made me love Lost even more, you brought some light on things I didn’t like at first, you theorized some crazy things too. And for all of that, I love you, I love Lost, and I love you all everybody!
@nuckinfuts – wise words. To be honest at this point I am more sad about losing YAE than the show. Both have meant a lot to me.
re: the finale, I have some friends that HATED it but I never bothered to try to convince them to like it because that was their opinion and I respected that, but if they gave me a hard time about liking the ending, well, that is when I got annoyed. I did have to talk to several people about what the ending really meant as they were very confused. Good thing I had everyone here to help me to explain it to them.
Like you said, maybe the finale is a fine wine that gets better with age (and reflection).
@Ju – very cool that you got to go to Comic-con – did you get to the ABC Lost Panels as well?
LOL “Hey Ju” (great morning tickle!)
Great video of Lost explained through post it notes
http://www.docarzt.com/lost/lost-explained-with-post-it-notes/
Carol – pretty good little vid…my favorite was the pic of Hurley.
@nuckinfuts – haha I know.
@ Coolpeace ~ Just awesome re: “The mystery Box” ~ I SO AGREE… the best parts of LOST were character-driven unspoken emotionally-connecting moments ~ very cool ~ thanx for attaching here!
@ Carol ~ Just great ~ so fun and succinct ~ yes, great drawing of Hurley
Favorite episode of all time: The Other 48 Days
Favorite character: Juliet
Favorite story twist: “the others.â€
What “LOST†has meant to you:
Lost came into my life fairly late. I was working a crap job, lost my best friend, went through a terrible breakup and found myself one winter night all alone on my beat up mattress flipping though my Netflix queue. I was in the process of watching Heroes but season 2 was getting dull so I landed on Lost and thought, “ah hell, why not?†By the second episode I was on the edge of my bed, snacking on pretzel twists, blinking at the screen and simultaneously along with Charlie thinking, “Dude, what is this?â€
Within weeks I rolled through a marathon of at least five episodes a day and found myself intrigued, devastated, happy, scared, sad, curious, and beefed up on brand new literature, trying to recall all those philosophy classes I’d taken as an undergrad. My brain went into some sort of auto mode, and all I did for a few months was think, read, and shimmy my way through online fan communities, leaving small deposits of thought here and there, anxiously waiting for the beginning of the end.
For me, this other world, was a whole new world. I started meeting people and going to places I would normally never go to, striking up a conversation with a neighbor or co-worker who’d recognized my Dharma patch or I theirs. The months I could’ve spent dwelling on the losses of my year, I spent escaping in a far healthier and profound way then I could’ve ever imagined. If I had an ex, a crap job, or a broken heart, I’d forgotten it, because I was thinking of something else entirely, and when the final episode came, I watched it eyes clouded with hot tears and the taste of bitter sweetness coating my taste pallet. I needed this show to be, and I needed it to end because it was catharsis, because it was necessary, because it had taught me so much and saved me from so much that being a part of it, and being able to relate to each and every character, was one of the greatest things to ever happen to me. It’s like I went through the different stages of grief in my own life along with each character, when they were happy, I was, when they were angry, so was I, when they lost someone I felt it, and when they found someone, I felt that too.
So getting to the core of it all, what did Lost mean to me? Lost meant being found, because when I felt most like a misfit, I was blessed with an island of misfits who were all given a brand new start, no matter what they did, and no matter what was done to them . So I conclude, in the famous words of Juliet Burke, “It doesn’t matter who we were. It only matters who we are.†And I needed to know this, to really feel this, in order to be where I am today.
–Antonia
In the end, it’s the human stuff that matters!
Awesome, Antonia, thank you for sharing that.
@ Jeff @ Carol ~ I also loved “The Man Behind the curtain” ~~ Just superb! ~~ Ben was SUCH an interesting character, and remained so throughout as “the one to hate” ~~ his intertwined mix of vulnerability and wickedness was something to behold and try to fathom
Hi Jen and Ryan,
I’ve been listening to The Transmission almost from the beginning and have said it before and I’ll say it again – your podcast is hands down the best there is. I want to take a moment here is the your last episode to thank you again for all the hard work in putting out such a quality product and for making my Lost experience so much more than it would have been without The Transmission. And I really enjoyed meeting you and your family when I had 24-hour stop over in Waikiki.
And thanks to You All Everybody for the great discussions. I really enjoyed reading all the posts as they gave me a lot to think about after each episode. It added so much to my total Lost experience.
As for my favorites, probably my favorite episode was “The Constant.†I thought the Desmond-Penny love story was one of the most emotional story lines. I was a little disappointed in the final episodes that we didn’t see a little more of their relationship. I’m hoping the DVD has some more to offer there.
My favorite character was probably Juliet. Elizabeth Mitchell’s acting was so good and the Juliet character was so complex that it was a perfect match. Her relationship with Sawyer was another highlight of the series for me.
Sawyer was another one of my favorite characters. I especially loved his transformation from a guy who didn’t care about anybody but himself to a leader that really cared about his friends. His “reunion†with Juliet in the sideways world was a highlight of the finale for me.
Lastly, when non-Lost watchers ask me what so good about the show, I simply say “Lost is the best show ever produced for television. Period.â€
Well guys, thanks so much for everything. I look forward to listening to your next project.
All the best,
Mike R.
Richmond, VA
Anybody have a favorite moment for each season?
@ Carol ~ That will take some serious rewatching! ~~
Some off the top of my head: Hurley tricking Sawyer into being nice; Hurley always winning at every game; Hurley organizing a golf game; Sawyer tricking Kate into a kiss; Charlie offering Claire some peanut butter; Locke turning the cradle he built for Claire’s baby right side up; Sawyer and Kate in the police station in Season 6; Every time Sawyer came up with a wisecrack nickname; Every time Miles came up with a wisecrack comment; Every time Frank came up with an astute observation; Every time Sun zeroed in on the truth of a situation; Of course the moment Desmond and Penny found each other in “The Constant” and met up in “Happily Ever After”; Frogurt whining about lack of fire and then being zapped by fire; The gorgeous music in the last ten minutes of “The End” (makes me cry every time)
So soooo many more!!!!!!!!
…and when Rose and Bernard find each other in Season 2; Any scene with Rose
@carol & @ greenberry- i agree top moments from each season will take some rewatching, but maybe that would be the perfect springboard for the Facebook page?
as to moments that stand out, so far, its been in finding the places where the puzzle pieces fit. like seeng the Ajira waterbottle in the outrigger before the shootout. it was a piece of the puzzle, but something that they took the time to note. im excited to find more of those moments.
@carol-i didnt get a chance to say thanks for being a little scared about the time i was putting in trying to come to terms with this last season. its been great to have this whole community to participate in the process with. i agree with you about the level of acting we got to regularly count on. there was such a rich and vibrant set of characters each episode to experience and enjoy, to root for and against. in the end it was those performances that really brought that spooky, odd, and fantastic island to life.
going to a play in the theater you know youre watching actors in costumes on stage, but its the performances that transport you beyond the reality of that situation into some other state where you are a part of something else entirely. thats what we were treated to with this show. something that helped carry us beyond where we were.
oh, also…
@coolpeace- i like the idea of seeing Popspotting tackle LOST at intervals.
i wonder if ryan & jen just need some time to recover?
can’t sleep… thinking of favorite LOST moments!
Favorite Season 5 moment: The Miles-centric episode where Miles sees himself as a baby with his dad, and realizes how much his dad really loved/ loves him.
Also loved a moment where our LOSTIES are around a campfire and Jin tells them a scary story (can’t remember the exact particulars, as I haven’t seen this episode in a long time)
For me, the joy of LIST was/ is all about the characters and their psychological reveals and development
@ Chris ~ I’d love to see more discussion on the Facebook ‘Discussion’ page, or Popspotting inviting discussion of any type.
I have kind of been avoiding Ryan and Jen’s podcast for a while.(Even tho I LOVE it) I relistened to the older oners over and over before the finale aired. I can’t even bring myself to rewatch the finale yet and I have only listened to R&J’s initial reactions right after it aired.
I watched the finale at my inlaws house so I couldn’t really react openly. I left with my husband and didn’t say anything the whole way home. He kept asking me what I thought and I couldn’t speak. Soon after I got home I cried. I just lost it.
I absolutely LOVED everything about the finale but I am so sad that it’s done. No more Lost. I think we are all in a little denail and are going through the stages of a loss.
Posting on here now is liely my first step to rewatching the finale and even preordering the huge box set.
Hello my name is Karen and I am a Lostaholic.
Hi YAE! The last Transmission podcast… why??
Well, I’ll tell you my story with “Lost”. I’m from Spain ad in my country it was firs broadcasted in March 2005. I was curious about the series and I always give it a try to all the new pilots so I watched the first episode of the series and I liked it. But to be honest I didn’t think “Lost” was the est TV show and it didn’t really catch me during the first two seasons, but I was still curious about that group of people.
So I guess it was 2007 when I started watching the third season and yeah, that was THE SEASON. I said in another posts, it was because of Juliet, Ben, The Others and their storylines that I became a fan of the series. New characters meant new air for the series because I didn’t car about the tale losties. I loved the third season, I liked a lot the 4th and I also loved the 5th.
And, if many people in my country have watched the episodes on the Internet after they’re broadcasted in the US, I didn’t do that… until this season. It was in episode 7, “Dr. Linus”, when I was tempted by a work colleague and I took the pen drive he ofered me to watch the episode. And I almost watched the rest of the episodes in that way. And thanks to that I strated to listen podcasts about the series and discovered “The Transmission”.
I lived the last season in a different way and I liked although I felt I was obsessed. So, what do I think about “Lost”? I like it a lot, it’s not the best series in the history (that place is, in my opinion, for “The West Wing”) but I have enjoyed it a lot. And, furthermore,many of those characters I did care about are some of the best in the history.
So, what has “Lost”meant to me? I think “Lost” has been an emotional rollercoaster full of amazing characters, interesting storylines, misteries that made me think and a lot of entertaining. And this rollercoaster ended in a perfect way. But has “Lost” really ended? No, after the summer, the rewatch.
I have to say I don’t have many memories from season two and I have forgotten many episodes but if I have to chose…
-A season: Season three (then five, one, four, six and two).
-A character: John Locke (followed by Ben, Sawyer, Juliet and the brotha).
-An episode: “LaFleur” (but there are many great ones).
-A moment to remember: My romantic side comes again but, for me, the Sawyer and Juliet reunion in “The End” was the most beautiful moment on the series and maybe on a TV series (and I’ve watched a lot).
-What I haven’t liked: The reduction of the presence of some characters like they did with Ben in the last season (thankfully he had his centric episode).
-The least likeable character: I’m in doubt, should I say Claire? I liked her relationship with Charlie, or should I say Shannon? Maybe Ana LucÃa… I think I chose Claire just because she bored me and didn’t missed her when she wasn’t.
-Favourite supporting character (those who appeared sometimes): Danielle Rousseau, she was great and one of my favourite characters from the first seasons!!
-Special mention: It goes to all the Desmond episodes, confussing in many aspects but amazing.
@Antonia- It’s amazing what you shared with us.
i’ve been rewatching season one. so much that i’d forgotten! Sayid and Jack tortured Sawyer!over an inhaler!! and Locke saved Jack’s life, pulled him up from the cliff. and Charlie and Claire, when she was still cute and he was a junkie. Ethan. Danielle and Sayid flirting!
so much to remember… Hugo’s golf course…
Locke helping Charlie STOP being a junkie!
@Antonia – thanks so much for your honesty. You’ve made me reconsider how I might answer the questions, so here goes.
Favorite episode: can’t decide – I’m thinking perhaps “Whatever the Case May Be,†or “The Constant,†or “The End.†But really I’ve lost a sense of separate episodes so it’s really hard to know without rewatching them all.
Favorite character: Kate, and of the men Hurley. Of course there’s also the island!
Story twist: the Dharma initiative ~ because I didn’t see that coming. That era speaks to me. It was my younger time, and it connects ~ the VW van, and the jumpsuits ( I had one but it was burgundy and fit much better), the seriousness and idealism, the music, the turntables and LPs. Hurley starting up the van, and the pivotal uses of the van in later episodes were just genius!
What it has meant to me: LOST came to me at a time when I was lost, and totally at sea. I had broken my right arm a month before, with one gruesome surgery, with a really bad prognosis and a lot of down time ahead of me when I couldn’t possibly hold a book in my hands, and like Sawyer I am first a reader. So in this situation I was listening to lots of podcasts and heard Diane Winston being interviewed about “TV and Parables of our Time†(July 16, 2009) on Speaking of Faith on NPR. I took my cue from her: it seemed that L O S T might be better than or maybe just as good as a book. And it was/is. I watched the first five seasons, sometimes several episodes a day, in the six months or so before Season 6 started.
My arm is still not healed and now I face a third surgery with uncertain outcome. During the tedious therapy, exercises, ice packs, and boring painful hours of trying to do simple things like take a shower or wipe a countertop, LOST was something I really looked forward to maybe even more than sleep.
I have a great husband and son, though they like to whisper while I’m watching and make fun of me for not yet being saved by LOST. My husband thinks the show is silly beyond belief. However, riding his bike he was struck by a car a few days before the final episode – his own John Locke moment, which he prefers to call “St. Paul on the road to Damascus.†He’s gradually getting better, and thanks to his helmet he didn’t die or have serious brain damage. But it did wake him up. (So, YAE, wear those helmets!)
I used iTunes to download The Transmission after my husband pointed out an article in the NY Times. And I have just loved it and all of the thoughtful imaginative and honest responses posted. Thank you, Ryan and Jen, for creating this great forum, for all your hard work and caring, and for being such lovely intelligent voices!
@aaron r – so true, the moments you mention – and I loved the peanut butter moment with Claire and Charlie, the ping pong game, and the golf with that wonderful pullback of the camera to show the absolutely beautiful setting.
I had the thought to mention the idea of flawed broken people being mended. Jacob references this when he speaks to the candidates around the fire that will consume his ashes. But the first episode we have Kate sewing Jack up (mirrored in The End by Jack sewing Kate.) The surgery on Ben, Jack, Locke. A womanly craft – Jack asks Kate if she’s ever sewed, and he would not ask a man in the same way – anyway, it seems to be a thread (pun accidental.)
Wow…I can’t believe this is my last blog to the transmission. I found Ryan and Jen during the first season and this blog has been my constant ever since.
I think I’m older than a lot of the bloggers on the transmission and I have to say, that Lost has been the best TV experience I have ever had. This isn’t just because it was so well written and unique but because of the experience fans could have with all the blogs, media etc surrounding the show. There has never been a show like it and it wouldn’t have been the same without sharing this experience with hundreds (thousands) of people who had the same love of the show and the bloggers on the transmission are the best anywhere. I have really liked (and like) other shows – Fringe, Big Love, MASH, to name just a few but none of them are the “total experience†that Lost has been.
In the end, I am immensely satisfied with the show. The characters became important to me and I’m good with all the questions that are still unanswered. My favorite character was Desmond but I have to admit, Jack gave him a good run for the money this season – he was great. My favorite episode, like so many above was the Constant and my favorite season was 4.
So farewell to all of the Losties on the Transmission – you are great. I haven’t been able to bring myself to start watching the series again – later – I’m still sort of grieving for the end of this experience and the shutdown of all of my favorite blogs.
As far as “LOST†is concerned, we’d love to to get your pick for your favorite episode of all time. You could also tell us about your favorite character, or your favorite story twist. There are probably too many great moments to count. But we’re also curious to learn what “LOST†has meant to you.
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What is my LOST story?
Well, first off, I’m admitting to you that I’m a newer LOST convert. I missed the boat the first time. I’m not sure why… perhaps being up with small kids, or meetings on that day… I don’t entirely remember why, but somehow I missed the boat (or the flight, as it were). I had friends who watched it, but I figured I’d have a hard time just jumping in during the middle of a series, so I just didn’t start.
It wasn’t until I was talking to my brother who INSISTED I watch it did I realize I could stream it. Once I saw the pilot, I was hooked. Not only the quality of production, the excitement, and the action, but Jack had me hooked. I wanted to follow him on his journey and pretty soon I wanted to follow all the characters. I fell hard for Jack, hated Jin, was confused by Michael, loved Hurley and Charlie, cried over Boone, was fascinated by Locke, and thought Sayid was a badass. I watched the first 5 seasons in a matter of months, if not weeks, and then got the true experience of watching LOST once Season 6 started.
I loved discussing the episodes and twists and characters with other fans, listening to your podcast (and a few others) and hearing all the other feedback from both the podcasters and the other fans. And I have loved hearing the Forward Cabin tidbits – even going back and listening to old podcasts and recognizing the scenes you’d reported about!
I don’t know what my favorite episode of all time is. I loved so many episodes during the seasons! One of my favorites was La Fleur – it was just so great to see Sawyer take the leader role and become the head of security of Dharma. I actually loved a lot of Season 5 – I loved seeing our Losties in the Dharma Initiative! I also loved Ab Aeterno – the much anticipated and epic story of RIchard Alpert – a story I’d been waiting to see for a long time!
My favorite character is probably Jack. I know people criticized his character a lot. He was flawed, just as everyone was, but he was also a leader when he needed to be, cared deeply for all his Losties, and ultimately sacrificed himself for those he loved. Runners up for me were Sun & Jin as a couple, Hurley, Miles, and Sawyer – while it took me awhile to warm up to him! I also loved any scene Ben was in although he was just so evil sometimes it made it hard for me to like him.
My very favorite quote of all time, though, was given by Sayid in “He’s our You” I believe. (Correct me if I’m wrong.) Sawyer asked him how he was and he replies, “A 12-year-old Benjamin Linus just brought me a chicken salad sandwich. How do you think I’m doing?”
I wish I’d been watching it from the start- I’m sure I’d have a much different experience. However, I did enjoy just blazing through it as a fully realized story. I didn’t forget what happened last season, since I just watched it.
Overall, it was a great piece of tv – and tv history, but being a part of the LOST community was something really special. Although I didn’t participate much in the discussion, I really did enjoy reading and hearing others’ thoughts, and of course, listening to your podcast! I will miss hearing you both!
Namaste!
Genevieve (twiknitmom on twitter)
Ack! How could I forget Desmond? Another on my favorites list, for sure!
I LOVE hearing all these stories!!
@ Genevieve ~ that was a great line by Sayid! I enjoyed so much of the humor in LOST. Lots of great lines by Hurley in episodes 1 & 2 of Season 5, when he is running around with Sayid. It would be fun to have a collection of them all written down from the beginning (a future project for me, upon rewatch)