The Lost Diary

Welcome back to another Throwback Edition of the "Lost" Diary.

A couple of quick notes:

-- If you haven't already, be sure to befriend the "Lost" Diary on MySpace. My goal of beating Brody Jenner is failing miserably. Support the cause.

-- I want to share with you my favorite site on the Internet (besides TMZ) -- www.tvtattle.com. Every day, around 10:30AM PT or so, this site updates with TONS of links to articles about television. It runs the gambit of information and it is an absolute MUST read every single day for me. They take the occasional day off, and sometimes they add links throughout the day. But I never miss a day of checking this site. If you love TV, you'll love this site.

-- My Internet is down as a write this, which means two things: I might not be able to post this when I am done and I can't check the Lostpedia if I need to. This is another unreal site. Occasionally as I am writing, I can't remember the name of a flashback character or which hatch is which or whatever -- this site has it all. It's absolutely fantastic. I only use it as a source of reference; it's just impossible to remember every little that happens on this show. Bookmark this one too.

With that, let's roll:

00:00 -- The previously on "Lost" doesn't have the same rhythm as the more recent ones do. It's very blah and does nothing to get me excite for the show; the ones now always get me overly hyped for "Lost." 00:02 -- Have I mentioned how much I love the patented eye-opening shot of "Lost"? It always gets me excited for "Lost."

00:03 -- Hey, now that we're back in Sun/Jin flashback mode, I get to test my theory from seasons 2 and 3 -- all you need to do to write for a Korean character is use the words "honor" and "shame" a lot. Let's see if it holds up for season 1.

00:04 -- Nope, didn't happen there, but we came awfully close.

00:05 -- Ah yes, the Michael/Jin fight. Kinda funny how nobody broke it up. I am struggling to remember why Jin attacked him -- I thought it was something about a watch, but Jin was wearing one when he beat him up. Well, I guess that's why I am re-watching.

00:06 -- Fine tackle by Sayid, but why does Sawyer just happen to have the handcuffs in his pocket?

00:07 -- Charlie sneaks off to do some heroin, but ends up standing on a beehive. He can't even do that right.

00:10 -- When Sun/Jin flashbacks are good, they're really good. They aren't the type with huge reveals and overly shocking moments, they are just always solid.

00:12 -- Charlie, of course, screws up the bee hive thing and bees start chasing everyone. Why Jack and Kate need to take off their shirts to fight off the bees is beyond me. But whatever gets Kate's shirt off is good television to me.

00:13 -- "Where'd that come from?" -- Jack. Some questions are best not asked, but I know a lot of people are still wondering who Adam & Eve are. Don't think we've gotten an answer to that one yet, have we? Damn you Internet, I need my Lostpedia!

00:15 -- Poor Jin, you can already see Sun's father sinking his claws into him.

00:16 -- Damn, Kate put her shirt back on. Sigh...

00:17 -- Jack's idea to bring everyone to the cage is so well thought-out and makes so much sense you just KNEW Kate would find fault with it.

00:19 -- Watching Walt and Michael struggle to bond reminds me of a thought I had last week. Would they have bonded like they eventually did if they hadn't crashed? Is it possible the crash was a good thing for them?

00:21 -- "I do whatever your father tells me." -- Jin. Understatement.

00:22 -- Man, Kate is a whore ... and I love it.

00:24 -- As much as I hate Charlie, the early scenes between him and Locke -- about finding his guitar -- are great. Mostly because of Locke, of course, but I can give credit where credit is due.

00:26 -- Sayid isn't too fond of Jack's cave plan. The division begins...

00:27 -- "What up with you and Kate? You guys going to move into a cave together?" -- Hurley. Man has a point -- I can't believe Jack hasn't hit that yet.

00:29 -- I have to say it again: I love Sun/Jin flashbacks. It's so interesting to see how close they were before Jin started working for her dad, how distant they were before the crash, and then how close they became again. I credit a lot of it to Daniel Dae Kim, who plays Jin. When he wants to look like a prick, he does. When he wants to look like Mr. Sensitive, he does. And he does it all without speaking English. Possibly the most underrated actor on the show.

00:30 -- "I need to talk to you." -- Sun. And English, no less!

00:31 -- "You speak English?" -- Michael. Such a dumb question, he had to ask it twice.

00:32 -- "Protecting that watch is a question of honor." -- Sun. Well it's about time! Drink.

00:33 -- "I know a lot more about pain than you think." -- Locke. Now THAT is an understatement.

00:34 -- Kate finally told Jack she's not going to the caves. I don't like it when mommy and daddy fight.

00:35 -- Michael's speech to Jin is a top 5 moment so far in season 1.

00:36 -- 11:15, time to go Sun.

00:37 -- Man, it's a good thing Jin had that flower or else he'd be the only Korean-speaking castaway on the island.

00:39 -- "Short walk, they lied." -- Hurley. This episode had just the right about of Hurley for me. For the most part, if Jin/Sun episodes are consistently grade A episodes, Hurley ones would rate lower. Love the guy, but in small doses.

00:41 -- Great song, great little montage to end the episode.

For an episode where not much happened, I still really liked it. The pace was slow, but deliberate, and we learned a lot of little things about every character. Season 3 had a lot of down episodes, but I don't remember any from season 1. I guess once things really got going, we expected a home run every time out.

Here's my question this week: Which character do you think has delivered the most consistent flashback episodes? You already know my answer...

Posted by Daniel at 06:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (28)

My internet has been down at home for the past day, so I couldn't post the Diary last night. Then I realized I work on two different computers now, so I don't have the Diary with me to post it at work. Doh!

So I'll have to post the Diary when I get home tonight, assuming my Internet is back up.

But on a bright note, I got this email today from Lindsay, who wrote in about the fundraiser for her friend from Syracuse:

Hey Daniel-

Just wanted to thank you and LD readers for all your help, the fundraiser was a huge success. We need to raise $50k over 5 years, and on Thursday, we raised $23,000. By all accounts, we broke a few Syracuse fundraising records.

Anyway, thank you again for blogging about it. It made a difference to me.
Lindsay

Sorry about the technical glitch and I'll see you guys tonight. 

Posted by Daniel at 08:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Sorry I'm late today -- my work schedule is a little screwy this week. Let's roll: 

Q: If you could create a character on "Lost," who would it be and what would be their characteristics? What would they bring to the show? -- Amber

A: It would be the kinda guy who asks questions like "Hey, why don't we sleep in the empty houses that are protected by a sonic fence?" and "Why don't we look around THE WHOLE island just to make sure there aren't any more islands around here?"

Q: If you were a Lostie what would be your special contribution to survival? Crochet a hammock? Make sushi? Weave twigs and leaves into baskets? Nightly charades around the campfire? Building a refrigerator from spare airplane parts? -- Diana

A: I can't do any of those things. I'd make a terrible Lostie -- just like I wouldn't be good on "Survivor." I am terrible at outdoorsy things -- need your Tivo hooked up and I'm your guy. But I think I'd be a good soldier and just do what I was told by the people that knew what they were doing (Jack, Sayid, Locke). Another reason I'd be a terrible Lostie is ...

Q: I am amazed that you can't swim and would like to know how this happens.

How have you made it your entire life without learning how to swim? So far
Do you have an incredible fear of the water (any type, pool or ocean)? Nope
Traumtic experience when you were younger? Yup
Do you go on boats or does that freak you out completely? Boats are fine
What happens when you're invited to a pool party, do you avoid the pool? For the most part, but I do go in.
Do you ever want to learn how to swim? My mom made me take lessons when I was 17, haven't swam since. Though I did almost drown in Ari's pool once. Here, I'll let him explain:

So I have been told someone has asked Daniel if he really can't swim. Let me recount a story that can touch on this matter.

Along with Lost parties, my house has also been known to entertain people poolside during the summer months (for all the non-LA people, yes LA has great weather year round and yes you should be jealous). As
Daniel is a frequent visitor, he has also always claimed to not know how to swim (personally I didn't really believe him). He would venture in the water but seldom out of the shallow end. One time however a bunch of
us were screwing around playing some pool basketball (another LA thing) and I "accidentally" pushed Daniel into the deep end (Don't be saying poor Daniel, 1. I was trying to score a basket and 2. I still didn't
believe he couldn't swim.) Let's just say I turned around and that was the last I saw of Daniel for a good 20 seconds. I frantically swam over and helped lift him out of the pool where he proceeded to turn over and
spit out water. All those scenes of people drowning in the movie, yeah I guess they weren't so fabricated. So the moral of the story is 1. Daniel can't swim 2. Believe your friends when they say they can't swim
and 3. Let it be known I won the pool basketball game.

Ok, I don't think I was under for 20 seconds, didn't feel that long. I had made almost all the way to the wall, Ari helped me out. And I definitely spit up water and choked for a bit. And I don't think we finished that game of pool basketball, so that "win" is under protest. 

Q: Do you think the meeting between Jack and Kate was the last we'll see? Are the next 3 season just filling in what happens between now and then? Or do you think we will see what happens to Jack and/or Kate after that meeting? -- Anthony

A: My personal preference is that we don't "flash-forward" again. I do hope, however, that when they do get off the island, they don't save it for the last episode ever. I like when a show seemingly "wraps things up" in the second to last episode, and then shows you the aftermath (see season 3 of "The Wire"). Some people say they can't bare the thought of Jack ending up so bad, but if you think everyone is getting out of this rosy then you are surely mistaken.

Q: Do you think Nikki, her boy toy or the diamonds have anything to do with season 4? -- Mary Ann

A: Absolutely not. The producers learned their lesson there. Could they exist in a flashback? Sure. But if they ever come back again, so help me God ...

Q: That weird statue foot with four toes that Sayid, Sun and Jin spotted on the way to the first "others" ambush. Any speculation on this? It really stumps me (no pun intended) and it seems we haven't gotten any further clues that even remotely relate to this, have we? It's the most random thing they've thrown at us to date, and I wanted to get your view. -- George

A: My feeling is that they will answer this one, but I am hoping they don't. Sometimes in life, you don't get every answer you want. It's like what's in the suitcase in "Pulp Fiction" -- some things are better left to the imagination.

Q: If you were one of the "Lost" survivors, what would you want your flash backs to be like? Would you pick the felon on the run from federal marshalls; a doctor with drunken daddy issues; hunter/gatherer who live in a compound and growing pot or something new and cool? -- Melanni

A: Not sure exactly, but I do always think about what my "Groundhog Day" would be -- the day I wouldn't mind living over and over again. Let's just it involves me and this girl I dated in college.

Q: If you had to come up with an official name for the island, besides the generic "the island," what would it be?

A: I call the wireless network in my house "The Dome" after the Carrier Dome in Syracuse. As for the island, I'll go with Seahaven, the name of the town in "The Truman Show" -- another place that wasn't what it seemed to be and no one else could get to.

Q: If the following "Lost" characters were to write their autobiographies, what do you think each of them would be titled?

Henry Gale -- Jacob and Me: How I Kept the Others From Asking Too Many Questions
Locke -- Don't Tell Me What I Can't Do
Hurley -- The Numbers That Ruined My Life, Dude
Juliet -- Secrets of a Lying Bitch
Sawyer -- Son of a Bitch
Charlie -- I'm Sorry, Daniel

Posted by Daniel at 02:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (69)

If you have any questions for this week's L.D.Q.A., send them to questions@thelostdiary.com.

Posted by Daniel at 07:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)

I am just warning you now: I am in a bad mood.

I came home from work on Wednesday with a new gadget for my TV (I'll spare you the details). A simple set-up, I thought, and then on to "Lost" and then to a bar in Hollywood to meet up with Ari and Lauren.

Four hours later, it still doesn't work, Ari and Lauren are probably inebriated, and here I am. Let's just say if you're reading this, and you work for D-Link, I hate you.

Anyway, I have absolutely no idea what episode I am about to watch, but it better be good -- I could use it.

00:00 -- Random Daniel factoid that occurs to me as I watch Lil Jack catch a whooping: I have never thrown a punch in my life and never had one thrown at me.

 

00:01 -- A couple of people emailed me about this this week: Charlie points out someone in the water and tells Jack he can't swim. He sure did a lot of swimming in the second to last episode of the 3rd season, didn't he? You f'ed that one up, "Lost" producers.

00:02 -- Other random Daniel factoid: I can't swim.

00:04 -- Jack's visions of his dad are so simple, yet soooo creepy.

00:06 -- As I watch Michael and Walt struggle, and Sun and Jin act distant, I am reminded again how good this crash actually was for so many people. Kate, for one, would have been in prison. Locke would be in a wheelchair. The list goes on.

00:07 -- I am imagining every woman will hate me for this, but here goes: Sawyer and Shannon kind of deserve each other. Kate, on the other hand, deserves me.

00:10 -- Would Charlie and Hurley be the worst "Survivor" contestants ever? They'd get voted off in a heartbeat.

00:12 -- If memory serves, all of Jack's flashbacks in this episode are designed to show how much his dad was an asshole.  

00:13 -- As Boone rails on Jack, I half expect him to yell out "I drive a Dodge Stratus!"

00:14 -- I'd rather chase a ghost through the forrest than listen to Boone, too.

00:15 -- Jack's mom isn't much of a winner, either.

00:16 -- Claire apparently passed out from the heat and someone has stolen all the water. I have nothing to add here except I hope D-Link goes bankrupt.

00:18 -- Jack is chasing "his dad" through the forest. For some reason it doesn't occur to him how ludicrous this is.

00:21 -- Jack nearly tumbles off the edge of a cliff while trying to chase down "his dad." The lesson, as always: watch where you're going when you're chasing the ghost of your dead father through a haunted jungle on a mystical island.

00:22 -- But luckily for him, Locke is there to save the day.

00:23 -- Charlie and Claire are talking about Locke, I think. I couldn't tell for sure because I started bleeding out of my ears.

00:24 -- Watching people yell at each other, knowing the other person doesn't speak their language, always cracks me up.

00:25 -- If I hear the word "water" one more time ...

00:27 -- "How are they... the others?" -- Jack. Man, if he said that line one season later, it would have sounded a whole lot different.

00:28 -- I miss the days when the Locke and Jack scenes were the backbone of the show.

00:29 -- "What if everything that happened here happened for a reason?" -- Locke.

00:30 -- This whole scene between Locke and Jack is ironic since Locke actually caught his dad in season three.

00:31 -- R.I.P. Christian Shephard.

00:32 -- With all the people we've seen running around the island with torches, it's amazing they didn't burn the whole place down.

00:33 -- Ah, the caves. Good to see them again.

00:35 -- The scene of Jack at the airport will always be one of my all-time favorites -- Matthew Fox's finest work.

00:36 -- And there's no body in the coffin.

00:37 -- Boone, Boone, Boone <shaking head>

00:38 -- Speech time.

00:39 -- "If we can't live together, we're going to die alone." -- Jack. Right then, at that moment, he totally could have had Kate.

00:41 -- A nice subtle hint there at the end that Jin and Michael are starting to figure it all out.

Another solid episode that lays the groundwork for what's to come. It's so weird to watch season one again -- no hatch, no Others. It's just them and the island and somehow that's enough.

I'll give this episode a solid B+. A great scene between Locke and Jack (first of many) was really the anchor for me. It's cool to see how slowly the mystery of the island builds. A giant monster is easy to understand, straightforward even. But Locke regaining use of his legs and Jack seeing his dead father -- that's what "Lost" is all about.

Alright, here's my question this week, which really has nothing to do with this episode: You turn on the TV to watch the premiere of season four. You hear that sound you hear right before every flashback ... whose flashback do you want it to be?

Posted by Daniel at 01:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (106)

Click the pic to play

Posted by Daniel at 10:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (29)

Back with more questions. Sorry I can't get to them all, but I try.

Q: What exactly do you do for TMZ? It just seems to me that working for TMZ would be a lot of fun.  It was the place where I originally found you so, of course, I'm a fan of TMZ, so I just thought I'd find out what it takes to get a job there. -- Yvette

A: For some reason I got a lot of TMZ questions this week. I am a writer for TMZ, that's my job. When something says "TMZ STAFF" on it, that could be me. It's a lot of fun working for a popular entertainment news site and I work with a great group of people. Sometimes you get a little tired of Britney and Paris, but they are fun to poke fun of. 

Q: I'm having a baby in January. We don't know yet if it's a girl or a boy.  If you were having a baby, what names would you give it based on your favorite TV characters?  My husband's not a LOST fan (and yet I'm still married to him!), so he's not into Rose or Desmond. -- Jodi

A: If it's a girl, I'd go with Veronica, after the recently departed "Veronica Mars." If it's a boy, I kind of like Dexter -- but then he might be a serial killer, so maybe that's not a good idea. How about Jonas -- as in Jonas Blaine from "The Unit"? It's different.

Q: Do you think that all those flash forwards of Jack could have just been what “would” have happened if they all left on the ship that’s wasn’t Penny’s?  Next season could very well begin with Des finding the group and telling them not to get on the boat – so none of the bad things that Jack was going through would have happened.  What do you think? -- Melissa

A: A few people have sent me this theory, but I can't say I am a fan of it (though it's certainly possible). I think the flash-forward was just done as a foreshadowing to show us everything will go to shit -- and that Henry Gale was right.

Q: Are there Losties you would have liked to have seen develop a friendship or closeness that were not paired up?  Your choices can include Losties that have already died.  Do you want to predict any future alliances among the Losties and/or the Others? -- Liz

A: Yes I would -- Jack and Henry Gale. I think they'll team up to fight off whoever Jack was talking to at the other end of that phone.

Q: All of the characters are so intricately woven, I don't have to give all of the examples here, but like at the end of this season, we saw how Charlie saved Sayid's lost love, Nadia on the streets of London (?); my question is 2 fold: 1) How on earth will Sun and Jin be woven in somehow to have had an encounter in their pre-LOST life with another Lostie; and 2) do you think all of the 'connections' will be explained to the Losties (what I mean, do you think they'll realize them), like Jack and Claire finding out they're half-siblings? -- Casey

A: I don't think Sun and Jin will be connected to anyone directly (though Hurley was on the TV during an early Sun/Jin flashback) but it wouldn't surprise me if Sun's dad was connected to someone (Penny's dad maybe?). As for part 2, I kind of like the idea that no one will find out any of the connections. Not sure why, but I think I'd prefer that we know more than they do.

Q: I don't remember if you said you were a Sopranos fan or not, but I was wondering what you thought of the ending. Would you be satisfied if Lost ended in a similar manner- everything goes black and the viewer gets to decide what happens. -- Vanessa

A: I do watch "The Sopranos," but I think it is the most overrated thing ever -- and I do mean ever. As for the ending, I loved the last scene. I always thought an underrated aspect to Tony's life was that he could get killed at any moment and that's what that scene emphasized. But to answer your question, if "Lost" does what "The Sopranos" did, you'll see my face on evening news with the words WANTED underneath it.

Q: Tough question for you: Top five lost characters....in order! -- Kristina

A:
5. Sayid
4. Desmond
3. Juliet
2. Locke
1. Henry Gale

Q: Any thoughts on who was the real Henry Gale?  Remember Sayid dug up his body. -- Beth

A: No clue who he really is, but more importantly, how did he get there?

Q:  What shows do you watch that are embarassing for you to admit to? -- Laura

A: I only watch one reality show, "Beauty and the Geek." I watched "Point Pleasant" when that was on. I had a "Days of Our Lives" problem in college and I used to watch "Guiding Light" every day with my mom when I was a kid.

Q: I'm a little afraid for you, because I fear that Charlie might not actually be dead. I'm thinking that he could have floated to the surface or something after going out the window in the looking glass. I could be wrong/crazy, but stranger things have happened on Lost.  That being said, what is your biggest fear about what could happen next season on the show? -- Michelle

A: First off, HE'S DEAD. It's over. Secondly, my biggest fear for next season would be Henry Gale. I am always worried he could die and then I don't know what I would do. I love "Lost" and all, but I can't live without Henry Gale.

Posted by Daniel at 02:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (102)

Welcome back to another Throwback Edition of the "Lost" Diary.

I ended last week's column by asking those of you who re-watching season one along with me (not the newbies) what it is you are most looking forward to seeing again. Well allow me to answer my own question: THIS EPISODE!!!

It's impossible to recapture the feeling of watching this episode for the first time. But I have always maintained that this was the best "Lost" episode ever and certainly gave us the best "reveal" in the show's history. It's a Locke-centric episode and there isn't a character on the show who has gone a greater "journey" (Locke's words) than him.

This is the episode where it begins.

Will this episode hold up three years later? Let's roll:

00:00 -- We're back to the moments after the crash and Locke wakes up on the beach and wiggles his toes -- a seemingly normal reaction after one survives a plane crash. I am always one to point out my favorite camera shots during a show or a movie and the one pictured below is definitely an amazing camera shot.

 

00:01 -- I'd have had a real tough time falling asleep during those first few nights. I am a light sleeper as it is.

00:02 -- I also would have had a tough time looking inside that plane. The guy who goes peeking in the dark place where the noise is coming from usually doesn't make it back. Learned that one from watching "Scream."

00:03 -- "They're people." -- Kate. I am so glad Jack snapped at her a bit after that line. Just moronic (i.e. typical Kate).

00:04 -- "Any bodies we bury aren't going to stay buried for very long." -- Jack. Heard that line, sort of, before.

00:05 -- Jack wants to burn the dead bodies in the fuselage of the plane. I remember this scene as one of the reasons I liked Jack early on. He is thinking completely practically which is really the only emotion that should be coming into play here.

00:06 -- Sayid said a bunch of words I didn't understand that basically add up to him trying to find the radio tower that we don't see until the end of season three. Kind of wish I could stop him from wasting his time.

00:07 -- "We hunt." -- Locke. This might have been the moment I fell in love with John Locke. Anyone can make a point, but you REALLY make your point when knife-throwing is involved.

00:08 -- I love the look on Michael's face when Locke shows off his suitcase of knives. It's the classic "I let my son hang out with a crazy man" look. Good times.

00:09 -- "Who is this guy?" -- Hurley.

00:10 -- The early banter between Jack and Kate is telling, especially Jack's need to "fix" people -- not just physically. Something tells me Jack always dated the girls that were cool most of the time but were also fully capable of burning down the apartment because the bought the orange juice with "some pulp" when she prefers "no pulp."

00:11 -- Kate is a vegetarian. It could never work between us.

00:12 -- Watching Michael make a fool of himself while he talks to Sun is always great. I wonder if the writers had decided at this point that Sun spoke English? Looking at her facial expressions, part of me says they didn't.

00:14 -- I was going to skip over the Boone/Shannon scene about food until I remembered how it turned out. We all do what we have to do to survive, right?

00:15 -- And she decides to try and flirt her way to fish with Charlie? Not the first place I would have gone if I were her.

00:17 -- As Rose just sits there as Jack talks to her, I can't help but wonder now if she feels that the cancer in her body is gone. Would probably be hard to find the words at that moment.

00:18 -- Michael cracks a joke about missing the steal signal and gets run over by a boar. That'll teach ya.

00:20 -- There are a lot of things I could say about Locke's scene in the break room, but I'll just keep it short: Randy is a dick.

00:21 -- "Don't tell me what I can't do." -- Locke. The first of many time we'll hear that line.

00:22 -- "Don't tell me what I can't do." -- Locke. See?

00:23 -- Watching Charlie and Hurley fish is a great stress reliever after a long day of work. That would totally be me. I would be the worst "Survivor" contestant ever.

00:25 -- "Aren't we all?" -- Rose. Definitely an underrated character.

00:27 -- Watching Locke as a phone sex operator to go with him to Australia is just downright painful. Of all the low moments we have seen Locke in, this might be the lowest.

00:30 -- Watching Locke's reaction to seeing the island monster for the first time was on par with his descriptions of the encounter later. I'd love the show to show that scene again from another angle at some point so that we can see what Locke saw.

00:32 -- Seeing Charlie get caught in between Shannon and Boone did make me feel a little bad for him (yes, it can happen). I've said it before and I will say it again I am sure -- I do miss Boone. Not sure why, just thought he was interesting.

00:33 -- "Doctor, my husband is not dead." -- Rose. How stupid that sounded at the time.

00:34 -- And Jack is having visions of a man in a suit -- his dad. Things are getting good.

00:35 -- "Locke is gone." -- Kate. Have some faith woman.

00:36 -- Jack is now chasing his dead father through the jungle, only to find Locke dragging a dead boar. Don't tell him what he can't do.

00:37 -- The memorial scene is one of "Lost's" better understated moments. When "Lost" does decide to slow things down, it's quite good.

00:39 -- Oh man, it's coming...

00:40 -- "Don't ever tell me what I can't do. Ever! This is my destiny" -- Locke. He found his destiny alright, just not the way he planned.

00:42 -- The next time someone asks me why I love television so much, we're just going to sit down and watch this episode.

I am so glad (and in a way relieved) at well this episode held up for me. It's the first one that truly gave us an idea of what this show was going to be about. Locke was paralyzed before he got to the island and now he isn't -- a truly mindblowing moment.

This episode obviously gets an A+ and remains my #1 episode of all-time. Watching the final scene of this episode, with Locke arguing with the tour guide, made me immediately think of the flashback scene from season 3 when we see Locke getting put in his wheelchair for the first time. I would argue that no character has gone through more, on or off the island, than Locke. It's great to go back and watch it begin again.

OTHER BLOG NEWS

-- If you haven't befriended the "Lost" Diary on MySpace, please do. Brody Jenner is seriously whooping my ass.

-- Keep emailing me your questions for Monday's Q&A column (questions@thelostdiary.com). I am sorry I don't get to every question, but if I don't have a good answer to a  question, I don't put it in. It isn't personal or anything, it's just that "I don't know" wouldn't make for a good answer in the column. I try and pick questions where I feel like I can further the discussion. Sometimes you guys don't even need for that. Which brings me to...

-- Comments. First off, I don't filter, change, edit, or remove any of them. I don't ban people from posting (don't even know how) and I wouldn't even if I could.

Secondly, people need to stop fighting on here. I just don't get it -- we're having great conversations about a television show (and a lot of other things) so why are people so venomous? I am ok with arguing and debate (shit, I love to argue) but it's crossing over into fighting and name-calling and no one ever wins. It's particularly disturbing to me when I read that people want to stop coming here because of it. I want every single person who has ever read this blog or posted a comment to keep reading and posting. And I mean everyone.

Thirdly, I like it when things get off-topic a bit. I mean, you've read the "Lost" Diary before, right? Who gets more off-topic than me? Jennifer Love Hewitt and "Back to the Future" have been mentioned as many times here as Walt. Have fun with it I say. Someone made the suggestion that I should turn the comments into some kind of message board with different threads. Great idea and I will try and look into it.

Fourthly, I got nothing. I just wanted to see if spell check put a red line under the word "fourthly" -- it didn't.

See you on Monday.

Posted by Daniel at 02:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (250)

Slim pickings on the questions this week, but I liked the ones I found.

Q: My brother contends that "Lost" would be a much better show if it was on a cable network like HBO. By his way of thinking, the main advantage of this would be the absence of commercials, thus making each episode 10-15 minutes longer. Consequently, the producers could focus more time on the mythology of the show, and waste less time on "filler" like the golf course, the red-shirts, and Charlie. Also, the show could incorporate material that is somewhat more PG-13 than is currently appropriate on ABC. -- Juliet

A: I agree that "Lost" would be better on HBO (what wouldn't be?) but I have a different reason. HBO shows are only 12 episodes per season -- straight to the point, no messing around. They don't have to "fill" 22 episodes. That's why I am so excited about "Lost" being cut down to only 16 episodes a season. Trim the fat, so to speak.�

Q: As one of the 'net's most sensible "Lost" prognosticators, what's your take on the "time travel" or "alternate timeline" theories? -- John

A: Not a fan of either theory, not that I have any to offer up of my own. In a strange way, theories are like spoilers to me -- I just want to enjoy the show each week. I try not to focus too much on things that haven't happened yet.

And thanks for the compliment, by the way.

Q: If you had to chose between never seeing another episode of "Lost" again (not any of the old ones or new ones to come) or never hearing any Prince song ever again, which would you chose and why? -- Hannah

A: There isn't a single thing on Earth I wouldn't give up before never listening to Prince again. Jennifer Love Hewitt doesn't even stand a chance.

Q: I managed to get my mom to start watching "Lost" because what better time to start than while we have such a big break until Season 4. My QUESTION: Should I refrain from telling my mom all the "juicy" details about the characters or the island that we know now--after watching Season 3? I know, I don't want to spoil anything for her, but I feel like she may not pick up on certain things by just watching the DVDs. I get so much information from the web, mainly your posts, but she doesn't really "do" the Internet thing. -- Whitney

A: I wouldn't tell her anything that gives anything away. But you can point little things out to her along the way that might help her understand the episode you just watched. The best thing about "Lost" is the surprises (aka Tivo Moments) so don't say anything that would ruin those down the line.

Q: Did you ever watch "Carnivale"? I loved that show more than a cat loves cat nip, but I felt robbed by the abrupt ending. Just wanted to know if you felt the same pain. -- Tristan

A: I don't jump ship on a show too often, but I stopped watching "Carnivale" about halfway through season one. I wasn't loving it and I didn't think it had a real shot to even get renewed. But from everything I heard it got really good. Oh well, can't watch everything. �

Q: Just exactly what do you plan to do to keep us entertained in between season 4 & 5? -- Carla

A: Wow, we're only a few weeks into this "off-season" and we're already thinking about the next one? I'm open to suggestions.

Posted by Daniel at 01:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (141)

You'll have to pardon me for getting completely off-topic for once, but some things are just more important than television. This is an email I just got, via Myspace:

Q: Hi Daniel,

Unless I'm hallucinating, I recall somewhere along the line that you went to Syracuse.

I know you get a lot of random "Lost" questions, and I'm an avid reader of the blog (every Thursday, it's what I look forward to). I'm even having "Lost" parties at my apartment for a few friends so we can relive the glory days of seasons 1 and 2. However, I am writing to you on a very different subject.

One of my best friends at Syracuse (met him day 2 of college in Dellplain - he was a sophmore), who consequently became my best friend's fiance, was killed in Baghdad on September 27th, 2006. SU is beginning a memorial fund in his name for children of soldiers who were either lost or hurt in any war. Our first fundraiser is in NYC on June 21st.

If you could help by asking people to mail donations made payable Syracuse University and mail them to:

Leila Rice
Director of Gift Planning
James Lyons Memorial Fund
Syracuse University
820 Comstock Ave
Syracuse NY 03244

I do not think the LD people would care (and as a blogger, I would not, if I were you, want to get too political, esp since "Lost" is about an island, not politics), but if you are still in contact with any SU alums, mentioning this scholarship program would mean the world. James was one of my best friends and his loss is part of my daily existence, despite my affiliation with the left side of the political fence. 

Thank you for taking time to read this.
Best,
Lindsay

A: Maybe it's because I went to Syracuse. Or maybe it's because I lived in that same dorm sophomore year. Or maybe it's because I wouldn't have been able to sleep tonight if I didn't post this -- but here it is.

Since I've taken the habit of always being completely honest with you guys, here goes: I have never met Lindsay or her friend, First Lieutenant James Lyons. Nonetheless, it's 10:30 PM here in Los Angeles and I can't stop crying. I am not asking anyone do anything and I promise not to make a habit out of this. It's just that for some reason this affected me.

No need for comments on this one, especially if it's going to turn nasty. I just figured that posting this email was quite literally the least I could do.

Have a great weekend everybody. 

(PS -- Because I can never be 100% serious, I was kidding before. Nothing is more important that televison.) 

UPDATE: Fundraiser info

The fundraiser is June 21st in NYC. Choice Kitchen Third Ave (at 27th-28th Street). 7pm - 10pm. Tickets are $75 and can be purchased at the door. Free booze/food.

Posted by Daniel at 09:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (16)

Welcome back to another Throwback Edition of the "Lost" Diary.

As you may have noticed in last week's comments, we have a reader by the name of Allen who actually hasn't seen "Lost" before and is using my re-watching of season one as his excuse to finally watch the show. This got me thinking...

I am writing this article from the point of view of a "Lost" fan who is going back to re-watch the show, looking for clues and themes that we couldn't have possibly picked up on at the time. Even just knowing the characters like we do now makes seeing them in the beginning so interesting. Remember when Kate didn't suck? Remember how Jin and Sun used to be so distant? Remember Michael and Walt?

But what about the person reading this who hasn't seen every episode like we have? Am I ruining the show for them if I mention something from season three? Is this really the best way to watch the show for the first time? Well, when you think about it, who better to guide someone along the journey that is "Lost" than me? And, by extension of course, the rest of you?

Hang on while I pat myself on the back for a second. Ok, done.

So Allen, to you I say welcome ... and be careful. I don't want to spoil anything for you, but we probably will, so be sure to read everything with one eye closed. To the rest of you I say don't hold back. Don't refrain from talking about things because Allen or one of the newbies might get spoiled -- they know the deal going in.

By the way, it's soooo weird to refer to Allen by name. Usually I just call him Dad.

Let's roll:

00:00 -- The opening shot of this episode shows one of the things that irks me about "Lost" -- too many survivors. Obviously, you have to suspend disbelief many times when you watch this show. But the fact that so many people survived the crash always bothers me. Plus, we never meet any of the "other" Losties anyway (except for the two that shall not be mentioned).

00:01 -- "Dangerous. She's dangerous." -- the Marshal. I'd be willing to take my chances.

00:02 -- One of my favorite things about watching the early episodes is how the focus used to be about hoping to get rescued and now it's about rescuing themselves. Sort of reminds me of a line from "Fight Club" -- "It's only after we've lost everything that we're free to do anything."

00:04 -- I could listen to Sayid read the phone book.

00:05 -- "Because dinosaurs are extinct." -- Jack. Hurley was probably the kid that said "Why?" everytime you told him something until you just eventually had to go, "Because I said so."

00:06 -- "What do you think she did?" -- Hurley. Man, I remember I was dying to know what Kate did. Then the episode where they told you what Kate did was actually called "What Kate Did." I loved that.

00:07 -- After a pissing contest around the fire, we get our first official flashback: Kate on the run in Australia. The flashbacks from season one were great little mini-shows unto themselves. By season three, they became all about leading up to telling us one little thing. I still love the flashbacks, and I hope they don't get rid of them, but they need to be spruced up a bit.

00:08 -- "Annie." -- Kate. People love to make the leap that because Kate used "Annie" as an alias, she is actually Henry Gale's "Annie." Look for this theory to be part of an article I am going to write called "Reader Theories I Hate."

00:13 -- I liked it better when Sawyer and Jack hated each other.

00:14 -- "I'm in the wild." -- Sawyer. Really stupid line, but also telling: Sawyer was the first person to accept their fate. He saw the evidence that was mounting and decided to dig in for the long haul. Very pragmatic.

00:15 -- Jin was a douche bag.

00:16 -- Is Hurley speechless around Kate because he thinks she's "dangerous" or because she's the hottest girl to ever speak to him? I can't blame him -- I'd forget my own name is she was talking to me.

00:18 -- "Everyone deserves a fresh start." -- Ray. One of the themes of the show right there.

00:20 -- On death's the door, the Marshal uses every ounce of strength he has to try and choke Kate to death. The job is over, pal. Let it go.

00:21 -- Patsy Cline makes her first appearance on "Lost." Funny how even on this show, music is never a coincidence.

00:22 -- "What are you looking for, Ray?" -- Kate. (Me shaking my head) Ray, man, why'd you do it?

00:23 -- The transition in and out of the flashbacks is a little rusty, isn't it? Those few slow-motion seconds are just terrible.

00:24 -- "I'll get your dog back as soon as it stops raining." -- Michael. Man, Walt was a little brat.

00:25 -- Island rule #1: Don't wander into the jungle alone.

00:26 -- Michael stumbles upon a naked Sun. I maintain she is criminally underrated by the male viewers of "Lost."

00:29 -- "She got to you too." -- Mars. Hello, have you seen her? Stranded on a deserted, I would do whatever Kate told me to. Hell, anywhere I would do exactly what Kate told me to.

00:32 -- The entire car crash scene was designed to let us know that while Kate "did something," she wasn't a bad person. And really, what she did was, in her own way, the equivalent of pulling Ray out of a burning truck.

00:33 -- I never get tired of watching Oceanic Flight 815 tearing apart.

00:35 -- "Oh, no way." -- Hurley. Apparently Sawyer can't kill a half-dead guy from two feet away. Doesn't reflect well on him, given his profession.

00:36 -- R.I.P. Edward Mars.

00:37 -- If I have one complaint after the first three hours of "Lost," it's this: not enough Locke. The scene with the dog whistle is just the first of what would be many, many great Locke moments.

00:39 -- "Three days ago we all died. We should all be able to start over." -- Jack. And there is season one in a nutshell. Every episode showed us that our Losties had two sides to their personality: what they were off the island and what they are on it.

00:42 -- I am a sucker for a good musical montage. Loved the final shot of Locke, though. He's the only one who knows that something is going on on this island.

This episode laid out the narrative for the rest of the show. Not only were we going to see what happened to the survivors of Oceanic Flight 815 on the island, we were going to learn about what they were like off of it. But that's not all! Oh by the way, the producers also gave us mysteries in their backstories too. I don't know about you, but as the show went on I found myself just as curious in getting the answers to the backstory mysteries as I was the mysteries of the island.

In an odd way, as I go about the task of re-watching the first two seasons, I am more looking forward to some of the great backstories than I am the island ones. Weird, right?

Anyway, I have to give this episode a B. Only the backstory was particularly interesting as the mystery of the island took a break. As I have written several times before, I liked it when there were good and bad guys among the Losties, so these early episodes when Sawyer and Jin were assholes are great to me.

Alright, here is my question to you this week: Assuming you're like me and you haven't seen season one in a long time, what are you most looking forward to seeing again?

We've been getting great questions here in the off-season, so the L.D.Q.A. is going strong. Keep sending them to me at questions@thelostdiary.com.

See you next week.

Posted by Daniel at 12:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (143)

Well it looks like a good number of people went back and re-watched the pilot with me last week, which is great. I'm glad we could keep the Diary going throughout the summer and winter -- February is a long way away.

On a related note, I am up to 425 friends on MySpace as I write this, which means I only need 56,957 to reach my goal of surpassing Brody Jenner. This could be tougher than I thought.

Let's make with the questions ...

Q: Daniel, which character from "Lost" should I dress up as for Halloween and why? P.S. I don't dress up for Halloween, just want you to post my question on the Q&A, LOL. How selfish am I brutha?! -- Yvette

A: Dress up as Rousseau. Wear a tank top and khakis and rub a bunch of dirt on yourself and blabber on in French.

Q: Did you get into the Lost Experience game last summer? -- Tracy

A: I didn't. Had it been this summer, I might have. But it's a TV show and I just have to draw the line somewhere sometimes.

Q: So what's up with the woman and little boy from the car crash? Could it possibly be Claire and Aaron? -- Diane

A: I don't buy it -- wouldn't Jack have recognized her? Some people think it could be Juliet's sister and her son, that I could buy. Odds are it's no one important.

Q: What do you think Jack meant when he met with Kate at the end of the episode outside the airport, "I'm tired of lying, not telling the truth"?

A: I am guessing you can't just show back up after surviving a plane crash and tell everyone what happened on the island. Odds are whoever did get off the island and returned to civilization had to tell some sort of tale. "Yeah, then there was this black smoke monster..." probably wouldn't fly.

Q: I would love to know more about how and why Ben got caught by the Losties in the first place. Considering how much of a control freak he is, and how the others listen to and follow his every command, it seems odd (in retrospect) that Ben 1) was out walking alone, 2) actually got caught in one of Rousseau's traps and 3) nobody knew he was gone or came to look for him. Unless, of course, Ben got caught on purpose to find out more about the Losties and determine what they knew about the island and/or Jacob. But that would be very risky, considering that Ana-Lucia almost killed him and Sayid opened a can of whoop-ass on him so bad that he almost died. -- Rich

A: I really want to go back and watch the Henry Gale in the hatch episodes now, but I guess I have to wait til I get to them. OK, as best I can piece it together, the Others knew about the Hatch because of the camera system in the The Pearl. But they couldn't get in, so once the Losties did, the Others wanted in too, to see what's what. So Henry Gale got captured on purpose to see what really went on there. That's my best guess.

Q: 1) Admit that you own a "Lost" poster or "Lost" character action figure.
1a) Admit that item is placed in your office and/or bedroom.
2) Admit that you've daydreamed about Danielle and Rose.
3) Admit that you have frequent sweaty dreams of Locke and Henry.
4) Admit that you've looked at the "Lost" convention schedule and have made plans to camp outside.
5) Admit that you shed a tear when Charlie finally drowned and then you danced the Running Man.
6) Admit that you are jealous of all the attention Lauren and Matt are getting riding on your coat tails. -- Janice

A: Sorry, the answer to all of those is No. Though I do still have a "Star Wars" pillow case from when I was a kid.

Q: What is your favorite color? -- Tiffany

A: Purple.

Q: What are your top 5 favorite bands? -- Heather

A: My music collection is broken down into two categories: Prince and everything else.

Q: What are you favorite TV shows? Top five shows that are no longer one and top five that you watch now? -- Laura

A: No longer on now: "The West Wing," "Alias" (but only the first two seasons), "Veronica Mars," "Arrested Development" and

Still on TV: "The Wire," "The Shield," "Lost," "Dexter" and "Scrubs." Not sure which category "Deadwood" falls into, since it's over but they say they're going to make two two-hour movies at some point. Consider it an alternate on both lists.

Posted by Daniel at 12:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (93)