I'm not upset that pieces of the puzzle aren't fitting together yet. I love working on puzzles! I'm angry that the quality of writing has gone way down this season, especially with the Michael, Locke, Hurley and now Charlie episodes. I just have the feeling this show puts too many pieces in the puzzle box in hopes of making it take much more time to solve than it ought to.

But I'm not giving up. I, too, have faith, except mine is that the writers will dish out some quality episodes over the course of the season, or even next season (hell, I'm even giving Nip/Tuck another shot after an awful third season because the first two were so amazing.)

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In Lost, Faith seems to be a big theme. Maybe as Lost viewers, we also need to have faith that in time all will be revealed. I really like all of the mysteries. If we knew everything, the program would either really suck or it would be over. I'm not ready for either one. I like the fact that there's more going on than meets the eye rather than have it be a totally predicatable show like most of the other stuff on TV.

Wonderful analogy. Makes me view the last couple eps differently. You know how some puzzles have a ton of blue sky? Not much to go on. Not very interesting. But still necessary in the long run.

Great analogy, Fester! I agree, it's a lot like a puzzle that requires a lot of time and patience to finally get all the pieces together. You can't make sense of a puzzle if you don't have all of the pieces in place in the first place.

Would we enjoy CSI, for example, if the murderer was revealed to us in the first 15 minutes of the show? Would we watch Survivor if it was shown clearly during the show's airing after 15 minutes who the bootee that week would be?

The only trouble I have with this puzzle of Lost is what if enough people decide they have had enough of trying to decipher the puzzle before everything falls into place, and the show gets cancelled? Twin Peaks was a good example where the show ended earlier than expected and too many questions were still left unanswered.

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Wonderful!
That Fester is so smart, and exactly right in this case.
I haven't lost patience in the story at all yet. Though last weeks episodes wasn't one of my favorites, I still want to know ( need to know) what's next.
If the story unfolds slowly, that's okay for me, because I don't want a puzzle that is so quick and easy that it's dissapointing.
If they wrapped up the story too quickly, I think many of us would feel cheated.
I'm not the type that reads the end of a book first, in fact if I really love a story, I'll read it slowly and savor it.

I think part of the problem is that people don't sit still and put together puzzles much anymore, it's unfamilier.
It's an instant gratification world now. People want everything instantly, even their entertainment. We aren't a patient society.
But I like puzzles, and strories that unfold slowly.
I'm still with it.

Thanks Fester!
I love your perspective on things.

If the Bug agrees, I must be on to something. You and me against the world, babe.

Fester

Ok, I'll admit it right now. I am not a puzzle person. In fact, I hate puzzles. Having said that, I'm afraid you're giving the creators and the network too much credit. Even though I hate puzzles, I am patient, and I love smart programming. However, I am wise enough to realize that patience and smart programming are two things that never turn out well on network tv.

Shows that actually require the viewer to think are usually cancelled within weeks. Some of these shows that actually catch on, usually end up being strected beyond the original ideas and outlines due to network interference or an impatient viewing public. The network wants to milk all the hype and popularity NOW NOW NOW, and most times, that means the creators and writers are pressured into making the shows BIGGER, BETTER, FASTER.

This never works. Long term plotlines are sped up to satisfy in the short term, and it alwasy fvcks up the long term vision of these shows.

There is no way I believe that the creators of Lost had specific, long term, stories fleshed out before the show aired. So, there is A LOT of making stuff up on the fly in order to satisfy the demands placed on these instant hits.
Shows of the past, that started out slow and built up over a few seasons are things of the past. Unless a show is an instant hit, it gets cancelled. This is what is killing scripted TV, IMO. These instant hits can't possibly live up to the early hype, and they usually end up pulling all kinds of stupid stunts trying.

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree on the whole Lost plan. I think they have large story arcs planned out way in advance. I think they know the answers to the BIG questions and are just pacing out the answers. However, I do think that they try to respond to viewer annoyance and then try to adjust. Unfortunately, and ironically I might add, these episodes where they attempt to reveal something earlier than planned never really satisfy anyone. They don't reveal enough to satisfy the "Now, Now, NOW" crowd and they seem out of place to the slow burn crowd.

Perhaps you're the wiser for pulling the plug now. Perhaps I'll be left with a bill of goods. In any event, I still enjoy the show as much now as I did in Season 1. I don't want them to change anything, really, except perhaps to quit with the Jack and Kate backstories and give some other folks some run.

Fester

Oh no, don't get me wrong. I'll keep watching, I always do...lol. I love the show, and until 24 came back with a bang this season, I'd call it my favorite. Honestly, I hope the creators resist the pressure to deliver too soon. But, I won't be suprised if it ends up like Twin Peaks.

I will be so sad if that happens. I loved Twin Peaks early on. But it left a bad taste in my mouth at the end.

Unfortunately, I have heard quite a few comparisons between Lost & Twin Peaks, both here and IRL. Hope they don't end in the same manner.

I do love the puzzle analogy.

I agree with you. I think the story arcs are well planned. Some details have to be adjusted along the way, but they are sticking to the master plan. I'm more than wiling to be patient and see how it all unfolds.

I think if the writers stick to their plan of 4-5 seasons, the show will be able to maintain it's stride. But if the execs get greedy and try to keep it going, it will get stale.

Personally, I like how the show is being handled to this point, except for the constant breaks between new episodes. I think the clues are all being given, much like you compare to the pieces of a puzzle. I also think that there are many clues that may seem insignificant until you see the link later in the story. This is exactly why I will watch the Season 2 DVD when it comes out, to go back and see those clues revealed in a different context.

I only worry that a key actor decides to leave before their character's story arc is intended to be completed. In that case, the writers may have to really scramble to perform a re-fit. This is related to the reason why I don't think Jack is as big a character in the overall answer to the big question about Lost. The writers originally planned to kill him off in the first episode, but the execs wanted to keep him around. I wonder where Jack really fits in this puzzle.

If you don't have time to do it right the first time, when are you going to find time to do it again? - Anonymous

True bringing up 24 as her other favorite show made me realize that those 2 shows are polar opposites. Even if I prefer Lost, I do like both. In 24 everything has to happen NOW: A hostage crisis is resolved within 1 hour so that wasn't the main plot. It was russian rebels wanting to carry the nerve gas to Moscow and destroy the city. No that's not it, some radical americans had infiltrated the administration and wanted to destroy the Russian rebels. But wait, the rebels have now turned that against the US... And if last season's an indication then some CTU employees will get promoted, fired, tortured, reinstated and then killed all in one day while still having time to care for their loved ones! Oh! and the ex-president was killed!

Can you say TOO MUCH.

I prefer Fester's puzzle but I'm worried that we'll find out some important pieces don't fit or were cut up at the last minute to force them together.

I agree, completely opposite, but still the fastest moving two hours on TV.

One thing Lost could learn from 24 is the uniterupted airing format. Nothing kills a show like repeat after repeat. If the networks weren't so concerned about stretching the season out to cover every sweeps period, it would be much, much better.

I prefer Fester's puzzle but I'm worried that we'll find out some important pieces don't fit or were cut up at the last minute to force them together.

It happens every time. The thing with this show is all the hidden clues, some are significant to the plot, some are unintentional, and others are thrown in just for kicks. I'm afraid there is NO WAY this show can live up to the expectations, of mysteries being answered in a way that will satisfy the more than casual fan.

Geez how can I possibly agree with both True and Fester at the same time without going bonkers. But yet I do.

I have read that the creators of Lost had a pretty good idea of the beginning, middle and end of the story. And expected to tell it in about 4 seasons. Now that it's such a hit they may be dragging it out and the dragging is giving us some poor epi's.

And 24? Well, 24 rocks!

I am kind of stunned that a lot of networks don't adopt the format that 24 has taken, at least for established shows. There are 52 weeks in a year, and even if you have 20-24 episodes in a season, that's half a year. You can show the new season from January to June, and if you want to get your money's worth and new fans, re-air them in order over July to December. That would certainly help first year and middle-tier (ratings), and struggling shows to gain the fanbase which has nothing better to watch and will now check out the critically acclaimed show or the one all their friends love.

So many shows (good ones too) have been killed by 4 new episodes, 2 weeks off, a one week move to Friday, then back to Monday for 2 new episodes and 4 weeks off.

At least for Season 3 and 4, they should have an idea of what their ratings will be for sweeps purposes. I can see the traditional schedule for big time shows with people who don't care or newer shows to test, but for shows like 24, they can afford not to.

Bob Factoid: The fishercat is the only creature known to have gone completely insane chasing its own tail.