Synopsis:
Forty-eight survivors of a plane crash must fight to stay alive on an uncharted island that holds many mysteries. Jack, a doctor, struggles to deal with the death of his father and the burden of leading the survivors. Kate, a fugitive, is desperate to keep her past a secret. John, a paraplegic who suddenly regains the use of his legs, finds his faith. Sawyer, a con artist, fights his inner demons. Michael, reunited with the son he lost years before, labors to find a way to get off the island. Everyone must work together to survive or die alone…

Review:
I have always been curious about this series. Lost was launched fall of 2004 on ABC and seemed to drag people in right away. I admit that my curiosity never got strong enough to catch an episode on TV, but when the first season was released on DVD I felt it was time to give it a look. I picked up the first disc at Blockbuster and watched the Pilot. By the end of part one of the pilot, I was hooked. Why? Read on and I’ll tell you, but before you do, a small warning: Though I won’t reveal any significant twists or secrets, its unavoidable not to mention some of the season’s events.

Lost is something of a hybrid. If Survivor and 24 spawned a child, it would be Lost. I haven’t reviewed 24 yet, I plan to, when I get around to it, but for now trust me when I say its a suspenseful show. Like 24, every episode of Lost leaves you itching for the next episode. Now, every episode doesn’t end with someone perilously close to death, but you always get a small bite-sized piece of the puzzle. Unlike 24, which relies heavily on cliffhanger action, Lost attempts to use characters’ past to fuel each episode and add to the mystery. As events on the island unfold, we are given glimpses of each character’s past through flashbacks.

The flashbacks really are well placed and show why each character has their rather unique approach to life. I applaud the writers on how they use these flashbacks. We get to see how each character is also connected to the others. Some simply sat next to each other on the doomed flight. Others’ have far more intertwined pasts.

I like the premise of the show, but it tends to stray from reality. Were I to classify this show, I think it would have to be SciFi/Fantasy. For the most part we see real people in fairly realistic scenerios. Unfortunately, you can get only so creative if we restrict ourselves to the limited realm of real life. For example, the severity of the plane crash would almost guarantee zero survivors, but the writers use the mystery of the island to explain it. Or is it to avoid explaining it….

The acting is pretty solid. Matthew Fox from Party of Five does a good job as Jack, the leader of the survivors. Dominic Monahagn of LOTR fame does an excellent job as Charlie, a washed up UK rocker with a heroin habit. By far, Charlie is my favorite character. It has nothing to do with my obsession with LOTR. Charlie is funny, pathetic, inspiring, caring, dumb, brave, and cowardly all at the same time. You can’t help but cheer for Charlie when he finds his guitar or worry when he finds a new source to feed his addiction. The rest of the cast comes together well. They bring the characters to life a little more than some other shows (which will remain unnamed for now).

Big minus for this show, you miss an episode and you’re lost (no pun intended). The little pre-episode synopsis tend to help. This is a detail driven show, so make sure you’ve programmed your TiVO, VCR, or DVR. You’ll be happy you did.

Overall, definitely worth watching. If you haven’t already, go get the first season or rent it. The second season began September