Next: “LA X” (Episode 6-01/02)

“LA X” was a fitting opener to the final season of “LOST.” It had a reassuring focus on character with a generous topping of mythology. It had moments of strong emotional resonance, and a few gasp-worthy reveals. And it sets the stage for the epic battle between Jacob and the Man In Black that has apparently simmered beneath much of what we’ve been studying for the past several years. Sure, with yet another storytelling “twist,” we have no idea what’s going on… but since when has that been a problem?

Okay. So Jen’s a little nonplussed with the “parallel storyline” structure, and I can see why. On one hand, it’s clever. We get to see both outcomes of the Jughead argument. And the little differences we spot range from amusing hat-tips to a deeper exploration of a person’s fate. On the other, it seems just a little cheap to not commit to one answer… at least this late in the game. It also raises the troubling specter of having to switch between two worlds for several more episodes, when we really want the writers to just pick a path and let the rubber finally, finally hit the road.

And intellectually, I can see many reasons to dismiss or even dislike the universe where Oceanic Flight 815 lands safely in Los Angeles. Through that lens, they’ve thrown out five years of character development and regression. So I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Sure, some of the touches were more fan bait than plot (Frogurt at the taxi stand, Doctor Arzt being annoying), but other moments felt right: Jack and Locke talking at the airport lost and found, with Jack taking interest in Locke’s condition. Jin returning to his darker, meaner self, and Sun already rebelling. Sawyer flirting with Kate, but more tellingly, not interfering with her escape from the airport. Hurley being confident and lucky. And Charlie, once running from death, now almost exhaustedly chasing it. I guess I’m more curious about the “what if” scenario than I thought I was.

Besides. The island is underwater? A development that comes about sometime after New Otherton is built? (A development that, sadly, could’ve used a few more days in the CGI rendering farm?) Just like watching a magic show, independent of everything else, I now simply have to see how they explain that. My guess is that it sank when Ben moved the island, a moment that is at the other end of whatever branching we’re now seeing. But I can’t even begin to explain what I actually mean.

Meanwhile, the new on-island world (universe, storyline, timeline, what have you) so far certainly seems to be custom-built to feed the fans obsessed with the mythology of the show. “I’m sorry you had to see me like that,” says Unlocke, while Richard says, incredulously, “You!” If the Man in Black and the smoke monster are one and the same, we now have a whole new prism through which to reexamine the last five seasons. I only hope things hold up under such scrutiny.

Learning what was in the guitar case so early in the season was a pleasant surprise, and the giant Ankh was certainly an impressive prop, regardless of the fact that a sealed envelope would’ve probably worked just as well.

Finally, we see the temple, and meet a whole new group of characters. It’s a good thing Hiroyuki Sanada is so good at being mysterious, because these original recipe Others (shunning technology and performing rituals) could very well have been too much, too late. Instead, Sanada seemed a perfect disciple and ally of Jacob, and through him, the Others again seemed to be a tribe to be reckoned with. An intimidating air that was reminiscent of the first two seasons, before Kate found the costumes.

What of the temple spring? Apparently it’s supposed to heal, as the Island itself does, though that power went missing as the water turned cloudy. Sayid, instead of being revived, apparently died. But that was likely always Jacob’s plan. I bet that Jacob now has a new agent or vessel in Sayid, given the unfamiliar voice with which Sayid asked, “What happened?”

But with word that Jacob is dead, the Others at the Temple prepare for battle with “him.” Their flare alerts Alpert, who’s sadly pummeled by Unlocke/Man In Black, and I guess the battle is on.

Notes and Notions:

  • I guess we had to get “closure” with Juliet, but having to basically see her die twice was wrenching. Josh Holloway, hands down, gave the performance of the evening.
  • From beyond the grave, Juliet says, “It worked.” So can she see the other timeline? Is it even, really, another timeline? After all, in Los Angeles, it’s 2004. On the island, it’s 2007 or so. Maybe the writers can somehow connect the two into one single timeline? Does that even make sense?
  • The Man in Black’s tribute to the late John Locke was a bittersweet one. He spoke the truth about our sad, defeated friend, and our would-be hero. But perhaps not surprisingly, Terry O’Quinn’s “menacing” look is incredibly effective, and I’ll gladly let John Locke go in favor of seeing what the actor does with a whole new soul.
  • The Man in Black wants to get off the island, and go “home.” I guess it’s fair to ask where or what “home” is, but I think the real story is why he (and likely Jacob) are trapped on the island. His reference to Alpert’s chains, meanwhile, hint strongly at the suspected link between Alpert and the Black Rock.
  • Hurley can see Jacob, but Jin can’t, though Jacob touched them both. Therefore, Hurley is special, and seeing the dead is simply his thing. Indeed, he seems almost too suddenly fine with it, barely reacting when Jacob tells him he died three hours prior, and talking warmly to the recently deceased Sayid. Miles, too, got to let his freak flag fly, and this time his communion with the dead came with a great deal of dramatic flourish. Sometimes, I can’t believe this is the same show we were watching in Season 1.
  • Great lighter moments. Hurley saying he knows how to use a gun, or arguing about trademarking the word “Outback.” Locke telling Boone he’s not pulling his leg, and Boone telling Locke he’d follow him to stay safe on a plane. And, of course, a Sawyer nickname: Earhart.
  • Richard said, “Asking me what’s in the shadow of the damn statue doesn’t mean you’re in charge.” He flippantly referred to a line that, up until now, was infused with significance and weight. Kind of like, “Live together, die alone.”
  • Fun with pointy things! Jack was again looking for a pen to save someone’s life. And how great is it that a character named Bram dies via a stake through his heart?
  • Book: “Fear and Trembling” by Soren Kierkegaard, a retelling of the biblical story of Abraham sacrificing Isaac.
  • Locations: The Temple interior is on the Hawaii Film Studio sound stage, but the impressive exterior is in Manoa Valley. The plane interior, and the collapsed hatch tunnel, was also on the studio lot. The Swan site is in the jungles of Heeia Kea in Kaneohe, and the foot of the four toed statue was Makua Beach. LAX is, of course, Honolulu International Airport.

We’d love your feedback for our podcast this weekend! Comment below, e-mail us at lost@hawaiiup.com, or call the LOSTLine at 815-310-0808.

Posted in Notes | 397 Comments

Trans 2010-01-24: Unanswered Questions

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This special episode of “The Transmission” takes a look at several of the unanswered questions fans have as we head into the sixth and final season of “LOST.” Then, we give away several great prizes to listeners who followed along with our Season 3 review last year. We share a song from “Barenaked Hurley,” who’s about to start a new “LOST” podcast. Finally, in the “Forward Cabin,” extensive reports on the first two weeks of “LOST” filming for 2010.

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Segments:

  • 0:00:42 Introduction
  • 0:03:16 Unanswered Questions
  • 0:14:52 Sponsored by Audible.com
  • 0:17:05 Unanswered Questions Part 2
  • 0:36:41 Unanswered Questions Part 3
  • 1:08:37 Podcast Prize Drawing
  • 1:16:18 “Charlieman” by “Barenaked Hurley
  • 1:21:11 The Forward Cabin
  • 1:41:37 Closing

This podcast is sponsored by Audible.com, the leading provider of spoken-word entertainment. Audible.com has over 50,000 titles to choose from, including “The Third Policeman” by Flann O’Brien. Get a free audiobook download of your choice when you sign up today. Just go to:

http://www.audiblepodcast.com/transmission

Thinking of coming to Hawaii for “Sunset on the Beach”?

Check out the “Destiny Calls” travel package for deals and details on airfare, accommodations, our Friday kickoff dinner, Saturday brunch, and Sunday tour.

Want a “Hawaii Lost Fan Club” sticker?

Send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to:

The Transmission
c/o Ryan & Jen
P.O. Box 61639
Honolulu, HI 96839

To download this LostCast, click the “Pod” icon below, or cut-and-paste the following URL:

http://media.libsyn.com/media/hawaii/lostcast20100124.mp3

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Posted in Podcast | 58 Comments

Trans 2009-12-27: Season Three Finale

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This episode of “The Transmission” looks back at “Through the Looking Glass,” the two-part Season 3 finale of “LOST.” We recap the episode in under eight minutes, then share our take. Next, listener feedback in “You All Everybody.” We outline our plan for our last hiatus podcast in mid-January, then share another song by The Others LOST Band. Finally, we report on the last weeks of production for 2009.

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Segments:

  • 0:00:42 Introduction
  • 0:04:08 “LOST” in 8 Minutes
  • 0:10:11 Sponsored by Audible.com
  • 0:12:04 Discussion
  • 0:36:42 You All Everybody
  • 1:02:06 “Flash Forward” by The Others LOST Band
  • 1:05:47 The Forward Cabin
  • 1:18:48 Closing

This podcast is sponsored by Audible.com, the leading provider of spoken-word entertainment. Audible.com has over 50,000 titles to choose from, including “A Prayer for Owen Meany” by John Irving. Get a free audiobook download of your choice when you sign up today. Just go to:

http://www.audiblepodcast.com/transmission

Next: For our first podcast of 2010, leading up to the Season 6 premiere, we want to know what mysteries you want solved in the last season of “LOST.” Tell us what unanswered question keeps you up at night, and what you think the answer might be. We’ll take a stab at an answer, as well. Please email us at lost@hawaiiup.com, call the LOSTLine at (815) 310-0808, or leave a comment below by Friday, Jan. 15.

To download this LostCast, click the “Pod” icon below, or cut-and-paste the following URL:

http://media.libsyn.com/media/hawaii/lostcast20091227.mp3

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Posted in Podcast | 85 Comments

Trans 2009-12-13: Season Three – Episodes 19-21

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This episode of “The Transmission” looks back at the next three episodes of Season 3 of “LOST”: “The Brig,” “The Man Behind the Curtain,” and “Greatest Hits.” We recap the episodes in eight minutes, then share our take. Next, listener feedback in “You All Everybody.” We share another song by The Others LOST Band. Finally, we report on the last two weeks of production here on The Island.

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Segments:

  • 0:00:42 Introduction
  • 0:02:22 “LOST” in 8 Minutes
  • 0:10:37 Sponsored by Audible.com
  • 0:12:44 Discussion
  • 0:43:11 You All Everybody
  • 1:15:12 “Greatest Hit” by The Others LOST Band
  • 1:18:08 The Forward Cabin
  • 1:25:38 Closing

This podcast is sponsored by Audible.com, the leading provider of spoken-word entertainment. Audible.com has over 50,000 titles to choose from, including “Eating the Dinosaur” by Chuck Klosterman. Get a free audiobook download of your choice when you sign up today. Just go to:

http://www.audiblepodcast.com/transmission

Next: We’ll cover the season finale of Season 3, “Through the Looking Glass.” We’d love your feedback! Email us at lost@hawaiiup.com, call the LOSTLine at (815) 310-0808, or leave a comment below by Friday, Dec. 25.

To download this LostCast, click the “Pod” icon below, or cut-and-paste the following URL:

http://media.libsyn.com/media/hawaii/lostcast20091213.mp3

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Posted in Podcast | 33 Comments

Trans 2009-12-06: “LOST” Master Class 3

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This special edition of “The Transmission” shares audio from the Hawaii International Film Festival’s “Celebration of LOST.” Specifically, “Master Class 3: Costume and Props.” The panel featured costume designer Roland Sanchez and Property Master Robert Kyker, and was moderated by HIFF program director Anderson Le. This session, Jen’s favorite of the three, featured the most audience Q&A… but that means more of the audio may be hard to hear. Even so, we’re sure you’ll enjoy the colorful stories.

Next: We’ll cover Episode 19, “The Brig,” for Locke, Episode 20, “The Man Behind the Curtain,” for Ben, and Episode 21, “Greatest Hits” for Charlie. We’d love your feedback! Email us at lost@hawaiiup.com, call the LOSTLine at (815) 310-0808, or leave a comment on the previous post by Friday, Dec. 11.

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To download this LostCast, click the “Pod” icon below, or cut-and-paste the following URL:

http://media.libsyn.com/media/hawaii/lostcast20091206.mp3

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Posted in Podcast | 9 Comments

Trans 2009-11-28: Season Three – Episodes 16-18

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This episode of “The Transmission” looks back at the next three episodes of Season 3 of “LOST”: “One of Us,” “Catch-22,” and “D.O.C.” We recap the episodes in under ten minutes, then share our take. Next, listener feedback in “You All Everybody.” We announce two new prizes for our January hiatus giveaway (the special edition “Dharma Initiation Kit” Season 5 DVD box set, courtesy Buena Vista Home Entertainment, and a rare item from the DamonCarltonandaPolarBear.com pseudo-ARG). We share another song by The Others LOST Band. Finally, we report on the last three weeks of production here on The Island, including an audio clip from the set during a car stunt.

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Segments:

  • 0:00:00 Introduction
  • 0:01:27 “LOST” in 8 Minutes
  • 0:11:05 Discussion
  • 0:36:14 You All Everybody
  • 1:07:12 “Sun Sun Sun” by The Others LOST Band
  • 1:10:03 The Forward Cabin
  • 1:22:01 Closing

Next: We’ll cover Episode 19, “The Brig” (Locke), Episode 20, “The Man Behind the Curtain” (Beb), and Episode 21, “Greatest Hits” (Charlie). We’d love your feedback! Email us at lost@hawaiiup.com, call the LOSTLine at (815) 310-0808, or leave a comment below by Friday, Dec. 11.

To download this LostCast, click the “Pod” icon below, or cut-and-paste the following URL:

http://media.libsyn.com/media/hawaii/lostcast20091128.mp3

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Posted in Podcast | 15 Comments

Skipping Through Time

Unfortunately, the Season 3 rewatch podcast scheduled for today will have to be postponed a week. Consider it a Thanksgiving dessert. We’ll discuss “One of Us” (Juliet), “Catch 22” (Desmond) and “D.O.C.” (Sun) by Nov. 29, or hopefully earlier. Then the third and final “LOST Master Class” will follow on Dec. 6. We’re sorry for the delay. But don’t worry, we still have lots of time to wrap up our review before the season premiere of the sixth and final season of “LOST” on Tuesday, February 2, 2010. Groundhog Day.

Here’s the updated hiatus schedule.

Posted in Notes | 8 Comments

Trans 2009-11-15: “LOST” Master Class 2

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This special edition of “The Transmission” shares audio from the Hawaii International Film Festival’s “Celebration of LOST.” Specifically, “Master Class 2: Bringing the Design of Each Episode Together.” After an introduction by HIFF Director Chuck Boller, we hear from Production Designer Zack Grobler, Director of Photography John Bartley, Construction Coordinator Michael Crowe, and Location Manger and Associate Producer Jim Triplett. The session was moderated by Honolulu Star-Bulletin writer Katherine Nichols, and included a few clips, and several questions from the audience. (Please pardon the weak audio during the Q&A.) Coming soon, one more “LOST” master class!

Next: We’ll cover Episode 16, “One Of Us” (Juliet), Episode 17, “Catch-22” (Desmond), and Episode 18, “D.O.C.” (Sun). We’d love your feedback! Email us at lost@hawaiiup.com, call the LOSTLine at (815) 310-0808, or leave a comment on the previous podcast by Friday, Nov. 20.

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To download this LostCast, click the “Pod” icon below, or cut-and-paste the following URL:

http://media.libsyn.com/media/hawaii/lostcast20091115.mp3

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Posted in Podcast | 5 Comments

Trans 2009-11-08: Season Three – Episodes 13-15

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This episode of “The Transmission” looks back at the next three episodes of Season 3 of “LOST”: “The Man from Tallahassee,” “Exposé,” and “Left Behind.” We recap the episodes in eight minutes, then share our take. Next, listener feedback in “You All Everybody.” We share another song by The Others LOST Band (performing live at The New England Fan Experience on Nov. 13). Finally, we report on the last two weeks of production here on The Island.

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Segments:

  • 0:00:00 Introduction
  • 0:01:27 “LOST” in 8 Minutes
  • 0:10:34 Sponsored by Audible.com
  • 0:12:24 Discussion
  • 0:34:41 You All Everybody
  • 0:59:25 “Buried Alive” by The Others LOST Band
  • 1:02:20 The Forward Cabin
  • 1:08:59 Closing

This podcast is sponsored by Audible.com, the leading provider of spoken-word entertainment. Audible.com has over 50,000 titles to choose from, including “Eating the Dinosaur” by Chuck Klosterman. Get a free audiobook download of your choice when you sign up today. Just go to:

http://www.audiblepodcast.com/transmission

Next: We’ll cover Episode 16, “One of Us” (Juliet), Episode 17, “Catch-22” (Desmond), and Episode 18, “D.O.C.” (Sun). We’d love your feedback! Email us at lost@hawaiiup.com, call the LOSTLine at (815) 310-0808, or leave a comment below by Friday, Nov. 20.

To download this LostCast, click the “Pod” icon below, or cut-and-paste the following URL:

http://media.libsyn.com/media/hawaii/lostcast20091108.mp3

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Posted in Podcast | 12 Comments

Trans 2009-11-01: “LOST” Master Class 1

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This special edition of “The Transmission” shares audio from the Hawaii International Film Festival’s “Celebration of LOST.” Specifically, “Master Class 1: Producing and Directing a Hit Show.” After an introduction by HIFF Director Chuck Boller, we hear from Co-Executive Producer Jean Higgins and Honolulu film commissioner Walea Constantinau. The session included a few clips, and several questions from the audience. (Please pardon the weak audio during the Q&A.) Coming soon, two more “LOST” master classes!

This podcast is sponsored by Audible.com, the leading provider of spoken-word entertainment. Audible.com has over 50,000 titles to choose from, including “Flashforward” by Robert J. Sawyer. Get a free audiobook download of your choice when you sign up today. Just go to:

http://www.audiblepodcast.com/transmission

Next: We’ll cover Episode 13, “The Man from Tallahassee” (Locke), Episode 14, “Exposé” (Nikki and Paulo), and Episode 15, “Left Behind” (Kate). We’d love your feedback! Email us at lost@hawaiiup.com, call the LOSTLine at (815) 310-0808, or leave a comment on the previous podcast by Friday, Nov. 6.

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To download this LostCast, click the “Pod” icon below, or cut-and-paste the following URL:

http://media.libsyn.com/media/hawaii/lostcast20091101.mp3

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Posted in Podcast | 9 Comments