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'Lost,' engaging saga
of crash survivors
Smart execution puts it among the top new shows
By Toni Fitzgerald
If television shows were judged merely on concept, ABC’s
"Lost" would be off the air by episode three.
It sounds ridiculous, like a "Gilligan’s Island" for the 21st
century: Plane crashes in the Pacific, a handful of survivors wash up on the beach. They
have no food, no radio and no chance of getting off the isle. Oh, and there’s a big
scary monster running through the forest.
Whatever.
Luckily for ABC, shows are judged by viewers on execution, how well they pull
off the concept. "Lost" sounds more like a movie of the week, but the show is
actually one of the season’s best new series, thanks to brilliant execution by
creator/executive producer/director J.J. Abrams. The "Alias" and
"Felicity" veteran at first seems to be working in one genre (adventure) but
easily slides into another (mystery). "Lost" works as both.
But the show's biggest hurdle may well be its time slot, 8 p.m. on Wednesday.
(It debuts next Wednesday, Sept. 22.)
In the premiere we meet Jack (Matthew Fox, "Party of Five"), the
calm, heroic doctor who, we later discover, should be coming down with a bad case of the
shakes on this alcohol-free island.
Between saving lives and running from the monster, he bonds with pretty,
practical Kate (Kate Beckinsale clone Evangeline Lilly), boy-band member Charlie
("Lord of the Rings’" Dominic Monaghan) and roly-poly stand-in nurse Hurley
(Jorge Garcia).
By the end of episode one, Jack and Kate have seen the monster’s first
gruesome meal, found the plane’s cockpit, and established what little sexual
chemistry is possible when you’re without toothbrush or clean underwear.
The supporting characters are also well-drawn, promising never-ending
possibilities for subplots as we begin flashing back to the plane crash through their
heads, in a revealing process that could take half a season.
As with Jack, there' a sense with each that there's a mystery that will be
revealed. We meet a Korean couple who speak no English. And there are no subtitles. Why is
the husband so controlling, why does wife put up with it?
The monster at first seems like the show's weakest element, but as with the
other characters, it takes on depth as the story evolves. By the end of episode two, all
feared similarities to "Gilligan’s Island" have faded.
Quality of show (on a scale of 10): 8
Abrams’ shows share a warm, off-the-cuff wit that makes even the
grimmest situations amusing. When Jack chastises clueless castaway Boone (Ian Somerhalder)
for trying to perform CPR incorrectly just after the plane crash, the good-hearted Boone
insists that the injured woman simply isn’t responding.
"Maybe we should do one of those open-throat things, stick a pen in her
throat," says Boone. Jack, rolling his eyes as he starts pumping the women’s
chest, agrees and sends Boone off to find a pen. While he’s gone, the woman revives.
Boone returns in a few minutes with several different brands of pen in his
hand. "I didn’t know which would work best," he says earnestly.
Those light moments work in the midst of what could become a very dark show.
Hobbit-like Charlie clearly will be great comic relief, as will Hurley.
One potential problem is that you’d think at some point the plane would be
found. How long, in this day in age, can they be stranded? But that’s a question for
down the road, at least season two.
Positioning (on a scale of 10): 5
It’s not the worst place on the ABC schedule. Last season
the 8 p.m. Wednesday slot pulled respectable ratings with the sitcom "My Wife and
Kids."
But it’s been nearly 20 years since the network tried to lead off this
night with a drama, so it’s uncertain whether viewers accustomed to the frothy
"Bachelor" at 9 p.m. will want to watch a thought-provoking hour.
But then again, the show hardly faces a ton of competition, especially with Fox
moving "American Idol’s" results show to 9 p.m. and NBC’s
"Hawaii" already DOA.
Indeed, UPN ("America’s Next Top Model") and the WB
("Smallville") may actually provide the most competition for younger viewers.
And with a strong premiere, "Lost" could better them both.
Cachet, or the "Arrested Development" factor (on a
scale of 10): 9
Critics adore Abrams. ABC badly needs a successful drama. Its last
was 2001’s "Alias," and that is hardly a breakout hit.
"Lost" has garnered better reviews than almost any other new
drama. A well-balanced, interesting cast – Fox in particular stands out – will
mean ABC gives this drama a chance to catch on before yanking it.
Overall (on a scale of 30): 22.
With so much going for it, "Lost’s" major hurdle will be in
being found by ABC viewers, who may have written off the network’s dramas after years
of disappointment.
Read past fall show reviews:
WB's "Blue Collar TV"
NBC's "Father of the Pride"
NBC's "Hawaii"
NBC's
"Joey"
NBC's
"Medical Investigation"
ABC's
"The Benefactor"
NBC's
"LAX"
The Media Life Meter
Rating fall’s new shows |
| |
"Lost"
(ABC) |
Avg. for all
2004-’05 shows |
| Quality
of show (on a scale of 10) – Grading the writing, acting, premise and creativity of
the show. Is it any good? |
8 |
5.2 |
| Positioning
(on a scale of 10) – Does the show have a tough time slot or a compatible lead-in? Is
the subject matter appropriate to the network on which it airs? |
5 |
4.5 |
| Cache,
or the "Arrested Development" factor (on a scale of 10) – Examining the
reviews, the star power and the prestige the network gets for the project.
"Arrested," for example, has high cache for being well reviewed and intelligent,
even though its ratings aren’t great. |
9 |
4.6 |
| TOTAL |
22 |
14.4 |
Probability of Survival |
|
| 30-27 |
Odds are this show will make it to next season. |
| 26-22 |
Odds are this show will make it through this season. |
| 21-15 |
Show may not survive the season. |
| 15-9 |
Show will be canceled sometime this season. |
| 8 or lower |
Catch it while you can – this show may not make it to four
episodes. |
| Source:
Media Life |
|
Sept. 16,
2004 © 2004 Media Life
- -Toni
Fitzgerald is a staff writer for Media Life.
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