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rwdunnam |
Date: 2006-08-21
As a die hard Lost fan from the Season 1 debut, I have been a bit shocked to hear so many negative things about Season 2. The mystery of the island went much deeper and the season actually answered more questions than the first, while still whetting our appetite for more. I would love to see some loose ends tied up, but that is what makes people keep watching. Those who abandoned the show because of too many questions obviously don't have the patience required for a show such as this. In our "quick fix, gotta have it" society, it is refreshing to know that there is actually a show that will not simply give us questions and answers but an acutal story with strong characters and an intriguing plot. I cannot wait for Season 3 to premiere.
Cubist |
Date: 2006-09-08
The first disc features an audio commentary on "Man of Science, Man of Faith" by executive producers Damon Lindelof, Carlton Cuse, Bryan Burk and Jack Bender (who also directed the episode). They talk about the story decisions they had to make: dedicating this episode to the hatch and the next one to what happened on the raft instead of trying to juggle both in the same episode.
The third disc features a commentary on "What Kate Did" by director Paul Edwards, director of photography Michael Bonvillain and actress Evangeline Lilly. She keeps the track lighthearted as she jokes with Edwards. They offer mostly trivial factoids (like how she learned to ride a motorcycle for this episode) and talk about how this episode ran too long and had to be cut down.
Also included is a commentary on "The 23rd Psalm" by Lindelof, Cuse and Burk. They wanted to introduce a character with a radically different past than the other characters. They had an idea for Mr. Eko but once they met Akinnuoye-Agbaje it started to come together and the actor actually helped create the character.
Disc four features a commentary on "The Whole Truth" by actors Yunjin Kim and Daniel Dae Kim and writers Elizabeth Sarnoff and Christina M. Kim. The actors recall filming anecdotes while the writers talk about character development and the structure of this episode. Both actors speak quite eloquently about their respective characters in this solid track.
The fifth disc includes a commentary on "Dave" by Bender and actors Jorge Garcia and Cynthia Watros. Bender guides this track talking about character development and how it drives this episode.
Disc seven contains all of the featurettes, starting with "Fire and Water: Anatomy of an Episode" which takes a look at how this one was put together, taking us through the screenwriting phase through to shooting it to post-production. This featurette gives a good idea of how much hard work goes into each and every episode.
"Lost: On Location" takes a look at ten episodes that utilize shooting on location as opposed to in the studio on a soundstage. The actors talk about how they bonded with each other as a result.
"The World According to Sawyer" features a montage of Sawyer's snarky nicknames that he gives everyone he meets. Many of them are derived from pop culture and provide a lot of the humour on the show. This is a nice profile of this charismatic character.
"The Lost Flashbacks" include three sequences that appear in two episodes and have never been seen before. They reveal background information on two of the characters.
Also included are 14 deleted scenes from various episodes.
"Lost Bloopers" is a collection of cast members mugging for the camera, blowing lines or forgetting them. An amusing extra.
There is a "Channel 4 UK Promo" directed by acclaimed music video director David LaChapelle that is very arty as the cast slow dance dreamily amongst the plane wreckage on the beach.
"Lost Connections" shows how the various characters are connected to each other either tangentially or directly with brief clips from the show illustrating these links.
"Mysteries, Theories and Conspiracies" has cast, crew and the fans offer their own personal theories as to what the show is all about and what is going on. J.J. Abrams and Lindelof are typically coy and cryptic. Various websites and a radio show that are dedicated to discussing the mythos of the show are profiled.
Finally, "Secrets from the Hatch" examines the genesis of the whole hatch subplot, when they were going to reveal it and how the actual set was conceptualized and assembled (the creators originally envisioned it akin to Walt Disney's Tomorrowland).
Porfie Medina |
Date: 2006-05-03
LOST is one of the best TV shows (along with Desperate Housewives, Greys Anatomy, and Prison Break) to come out in a long time. In a world where silly reality TV seems to have taken over, it is refreshing to see a quality show out there like LOST. Lost is one of the few shows that hooks you in, gets you addicted, and takes you on this emotional journey with the characters. I give Disney a lot of credit for releasing such a beautiful DVD set. They really put much time and effort in to the LOST DVD sets and it really shows.
Lost The Complete Second Season - The Extended Experience will be released as a 7 disc DVD set and it includes all season 2 episodes of the this awesome show. Season 2 explores even more discoveries. The set will be presented once again in widescreen with a 5.1 Surround Sound along with Over 8 Hours of Bonus Materials including the ones below courtesy of the press release from Buena Vista/Disney.
*Lost Connections - Viewers can navigate between the crossed paths of the characters, and follow the connections to the mysterious numbers. Includes compelling motion graphics, never before seen footage, insight from the show creators, and plants seeds to upcoming connections in the new TV season.
*Lost: On Location - This featurette provides an in-depth look at the making of 10 episodes of Lost. See a close look at the life on the set of TV's most exciting thriller
*The Lost Flashbacks - These original, never before seen flashbacks from the show.
*Secrets of The Hatch - Get an inside look at the mysterious location.
*Lost Bloopers
*Deleted Scenes
*Fire And Water: Anatomy of An Episode: Follows the creation of a "Lost" episode from script to finish.
*Audio Commenteries
*And Much More!!!
Angie E. |
Date: 2006-08-15
_Lost_ is sometimes a frustrating show: too many stories, too much mystery, and not enough answers. I am impatient and so I watched S1 on DVD and bought S2 from iTunes. Even in having watched it all in a relatively short amount of time, I was felt that few storylines ever concluded. It is also safe to say that S2 was slower than S1. Watching S2 of _Lost_ will be particularly thrilling for those willing to wait. That said _Lost_ is still a remarkable series, and, despite the pace of S2, I still prefer it to S1 in some respects. _Lost_ is not only about action and suspense; it is about society and philosophy. In S2, philosophical concepts are fleshed-out and come into conflict.
Something that makes _Lost_ such a terrific show is the intelligent writing. And by this, I do not mean the predictable dialogue which tends to pop up from time to time (usually out of the mouth of Jack, our hero without imagination); what I mean is that references in this show and attention to detail are amazing. John Locke, Desmond David Hume, and Danielle Rousseau are three characters worth mentioning. John Locke, David Hume, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau were all philosophers who focused on the issues of civilization vs. nature, social contract, laws, government et cetera. No themes could possibly be more appropriate for a show about people suddenly stranded on a deserted island, as people who were previously comfortable in civilized society are forced to live without property, laws, or government. As they try to recapture the essence of the familiar law and forge an unofficial government of sorts, there are many interfering factors which force them to sometimes abandon a set rules not suited for their present lifestyle.
The names of the characters (Locke, Rousseau, Hume) are of course references in themselves, but it is the way that these characters were written and how they manage to make philosophical debate spark within a popular television show which is truly interesting and all-too-rare. Not only do the characters make what their respective philosophers wrote and believed come alive, they show the conflict that arises between these different philosophical viewpoints. It is a philosopher's dream to encounter a show such as _Lost_; and to be able to see a "what if" simulation of what each philosopher would have done if he were on this island is a pleasure. The writers even allude to the personal lives of these philosophers through the characters, and despite the all-too-striking resemblance, they somehow managed to make it subtle, and the characters seem as if they're anything but plagiarized.
I will not go into detail so as to not ruin the experience for those who have not yet watched _Lost_.
There are also many other references -- cleverly inserted names and events -- which make the show all the more enjoyable.
You do not have to be familiar with or be interested by the references to appreciate _Lost_; but this is what sets it apart from other TV action-dramas; this is what makes it great.
Kaya Savas |
Date: 2006-09-06
Review: I have been a religious viewer of LOST ever since the pilot episode hooked me in. The show is the most intelligent and emotionally captivating show to ever grace television. No other drama has the same emotional weight as LOST. Season 1 was absolutely amazing and each episode was crafted so carefully and so beautifully.
Season 2 was less about the characters and more about the situation they are in on the island, the central plot. We learn that on the island there is a research facility of some kind called the Dharma Initiative that is run by The Hanso Foundation. We discover that the so called "Others" are the passengers of the tail-end of the plane. We also learn that there is so much more to the island than we think we know. We know there are several other stations like The Swan, and as we think that the survivors are nothing but a research experiment. We learn even further that the researchers are part of the experiment. Inside the hatch, a clock countdowns from 108 minutes, and every 108 minutes the code has to be input into the computer. The code is 4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42, and they are all numbers that play a significance in the plot. One thing to notice is that all the numbers add up to 108, but that is only one of the many puzzle pieces that the show offers the audience to put together.
Another aspect of the show are the social themes that are presented within the storylines. The first episode is called "Man of Science, Man of Faith" and basically is a good sum up of the juxtaposing viewpoints. We have Jack, the doctor, a man who believes that everything has an explanation and that nothing is left up to coincidence and fate. Locke believes that he is here on the island as part of his destiny, a man who was paralyzed from the waist down now can walk. He thinks the island has supernatural powers and is guiding the survivors to a certain destiny, he also believes everything happens for a reason. Mr. Eko, who is new this season, is a man of religion, a man who believes that divine intervention is guiding them on the island. The storylines support all these viewpoints so it never leans toward one opinion versus another. We also have the continuing theme of existentialism as these survivors start with their new lives and new futures, and forget about their past. The crash can be seen as a rebirth for the survivors and now each of them are finding their path on this mysterious island. We also see a social commentary within the interaction of the group. Tensions build and the group starts to fall apart from within and certain people start going behind other people's backs.
The reason why LOST is so amazing is that it holds so many cinematic qualities. The directing, the acting, the editing, the cinematography, and the music is all excellent. Michael Giacchino's score for the show is absolutely stunning and amazing, the best score for a television series ever. Each episode feels like a short film in its own, and even though each episode has a culmination at the end, it always leaves a breathtaking cliffhanger that makes your heart pace as the signature wailing trumpets come and we cut to black. LOST has characters that we all can relate to, and the emotion is incredibly real, which is why LOST is such a big success.
Many people criticized the show for having a second season slump. While there were two or three episodes that felt like they ran around in circles, it was in no way a slump. There was lots of controversy about this year's Emmy nominations when LOST basically got shut out. Last year they took home both the Emmy and the Golden Globe for best television drama. This season did present new questions, but many were answered as well. The show was just as strong as its first season, and it gave us plenty of progression. We learned more about the characters and their pasts, we learned a lot about The Dharma Initiative and what it truly is, we learned that there are "others" on this island but we don't know their motives, and we learn that there is a supernatural presence as well in the "black smoke" a.k.a. the security system. LOST season 2 is a great continuation on an amazing series.
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Image & Sound: As I said earlier, LOST is very cinematic in its structure and in its overall nature. So, the technical aspects are as good as any film on DVD and are on par with last season's release. All 24 episodes are presented in glorious 1.78:1 Anamorphic Widescreen. Picture quality is stunning with amazingly sharp picture. The 24 episodes are spread over 6 discs with the seventh disc reserved for bonus features. The bright colors of the island are sharply presented and the black levels are handled perfectly during the night scenes. The transfer is really good for a TV show. The sound mix is an immersive Dolby Digital 5.1 track as well as a 2.0 track (but who needs that?). The show comes alive in 5.1 and sound plays a big role in the show. The surround speakers are utilized and the mix is overall excellent.
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Special Features: LOST fans know that the previous set had amazing special features. Season 2 continues that with a smorgasbord of special features. The features this time around are a little less about the making of the show and more about the plot of the show and the connections you can make with the clues. Don't get me wrong, there is a great deal of "behind the scenes" too. We also have 4 select commentaries on 4 great episodes. Best Buy is offering an exclusive bonus disc with the package that has a few more "making of" featurettes for certain episodes.
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Final Words: LOST is the best show on television, that's all there is to it. It's an amazingly real human drama, an incredible adventure show, and it has plenty of mysteries that need to be uncovered. It's a television experience that is one of a kind and is not to be missed. LOST fanatics will study these episodes in hope of catching new clues they missed the first time around, and it's always good to review before the new season. Newcomers have little time to catch up, but if they cram there is certainly a possibility that they can catch up.
