Welcome to the island............ (Lost (Season 1))

Member Name: pmcds

Product:	Lost (Season 1)
Date:	14/03/09 (106 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Excellent in so many ways

Disadvantages: Does drag at times

Since it first hit our screens in 2004, Lost has been the topic of much discussion. With the curious JJ Abrams at the helm, and a pair of writers so deeply ensconced and obsessed with the idea of plot twists, it seems to be the ultimate in unpredictable and inexplicable TV shows.

It is essentially the story of Flight 815 of Oceanic Airways, which crashes on a remote island, with one half of the plane landing on the beach, causing casualties, deaths, confusion, and instant panic. Season 1 takes us through the introduction of the cast as well as their efforts to try and escape off the island, their ideas, their attempts at communication, and the apparent lack of existence of anything anywhere near them. As the season continues, some decide to resign themselves to the fact that they could be stuck for some time, others continue the dogged attempts to leave.

It is the characters that make this programme watchable. There are some tense moments in the plot, where a new revelation happens, or they wonder if they are alone, and after a few people seem to be mysteriously attacked, they do wonder this. Indeed, this part of the plot seems twofold. Firstly, to insinuate they aren't alone, but also to confuse matters even further. The plot thickens, as they say.

However, the watchability factor relies heavily on the characters, as I said. The cast is full of relative unknowns, although Part Of Five fans will instantly recognise Matthew Fox (who played Bailey) as Jack, a doctor with a shady past. He swiftly takes charge due to the number of casualties and his medical expertise. There is also Locke, a calm and almost fatherly figure to many of the passengers, who harbours his own little secret.

Indeed, secrets seem to be the common factor with these characters, from the hugely overwight Hurley, southern crook Sawyer and the delectable Kate, to rock star Charlie, pregnant Claire and Korean couple Sun and Jin. They all have secrets, and we start to realise them as the show's producers cleverly introduce us to the characters via a series of flashbacks. As the series progresses, each episode takes a different character and gives us snippets of their lives in the build up to the doomed flight.

This serves really to make us think that there is, perhaps, a higher calling, as it were, a reason for them all being there, that it is not just happenstance and that everything happens for a reason. I heard hundreds of theories following the first season, from the notion that it is purgatory, and they are all being judged for their place in the afterlife; to the idea that they have become lost in some Bermuda Triangle type scenario.

It is safest to not second guess this first season. Certain events become slightly clearer as the seasons progress. Season 5 is currently being aired, but more questions are being posed than answered, and you are likely to start going mad if you over-analyse this first season. The writing is clever enough to con us into thinking one way and then hitting us with the proverbial curveball and disproving our theories in one fell swoop.

The acting is top notch. I have already mentioned Matthew Fox as Jack, probably the main character if you had to single someone out. There is also a good turn as Charlie from Dominic Monaghan, fresh from his turn as Merry in Jackson's adaptation of Lord Of The Rings. Other names have become household since Lost has been on our screens, such as Josh Holloway playing Sawyer, and Evangeline Lilly as Kate. These two have professed their preference for being as out of the limelight as possible, but could not possibly have imagined how big Lost would become. Their faces and names have become commonplace in the celebrity arena. Terry O'Quinn plays the curious Locke, and there are also stunning performances from pretty much the entire cast. Normally, you would expect some sort of weak link, but everyone seems to fit in and slot into their roles with relative ease, although I am sure they work very hard indeed.

I would be lying to you if I told you that there was any closure in the first season. It poses endless questions, and will make you try and guess what is going on even if you make a concerted effort not to. It has a spectacular conclusion to the season, and if you have warmed to it as I did, then you'll want to start season 2 without hanging around, and I can't say I blame you. Now still watching season 5, I'm still glued to the screen.

The DVD boxset for Season 1 that I have comes with 7 different thin DVD cases in one cardboard container. The first 6 DVDs feature 4 episodes each, with the seventh containing the 25th and final episode of the season, as well as all of the extras. Of particular note amongst the extras is the documentary 'The Genesis Of Lost', which shows how the show came about and how they came up with the idea and the presentation of it, including the discussion of many of the talking points the show has thrown up as well. The other extras are all well executed, and do just enough to whet the appetite without giving anything away. The audition tapes of some of the tapes are probably of more interest to those curious to see them before the show aired, and there is an interesting featurette showing how the pilot episode was filmed.

Some of the episodes on the various discs give you the option to watch them with audio commentary from different cast members and the show's creators as well. These are more for the avid fan who really wants to know everything they can about the show, but are interesting nonetheless.

All in all, I found this first season of Lost to be extremely entertaining. It has its failings, none more so than confusing the hell out of millions of people. I find it extremely entertaining, and the only reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is because I felt some of the epsiodes dragged it out a little bit. I did find myself willing them to get on with it at points, and I am usually very patient when it comes to things like this. However, it's still one of my favourite TV shows ever, and I avidly watch every episode. I have recently rewatched the first season to refresh my memory, and was surprised by the number of things I picked up and that made sense to me the second time round that you wouldn't even think twice about the first time.

Lost Season 1 is currently available from many different retailers. I acquired it as a present, but I know that prices are a lot lower now that it's a few years old. You can currently get it for just over the £20 mark from amazon.co.uk for a used copy in (supposedly) excellent condition, but I wouldn't gamble on getting the entire first season for much under the £30 mark if you want it brand new. It is still hot property even after a few years, but at least that's an improvement on the RRP of around £60.

Summary: Brilliant conception excellently executed