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SouthGenie |
Date: 2008-05-17

This seasons twists and turns have renewed my interest and respect for Lost. There were no fillers due to the (mostly planned) reduced episode count and even with the writer's strike it was a solid season. There were really only 2 hours lost to the writer's strike anyway, which ABC has stated they will "give back" by giving 1 extra hour to the next 2 seasons. The quality of the show this season more than made up for the reduced episode count.

It was interesting in the final show of the 3rd season to see Jack's focus change (seen in a flash forward) from getting off the island to getting back on it. This season was spent giving a set up to the reason why without really answering the question but creating enough suspense to make it worth finding out...next season I hope. This season is about who gets off the island (the Oceanic 6, as they're called) and how, and a bit about what they're going to do back in the real world. A few other people also get off the island but they aren't included in "the Oceanic 6" and you'll also get a partial reason why by the last episode, as well as finding out who was in the coffin in the final episode of the 3rd season that had Jack so upset (but not why or how.) Jack finally finds out who Claire is to him, but we still don't know what actually happened to her. Ben's character becomes more complex, as we start to see how he manages to go from outcast to leader and gets people to do what he wants (such as Locke, Sayid, and even Jack,) even if they are uneasy in their association with him. Clearly some other Oceanic refugees have escaped the island but we don't know how yet, and it doesn't seem like the "Oceanic 6" are necessarily even aware of them.

Another interesting addition this season is the newcomers, the "freighter folk," who may as well be the new "others." Some are decent people and some are evil, and one will be familiar face from previous seasons. Speaking of "the others," who they are, where they came from, and what is their nature became a new set of unanswered questions this season. I wasn't thrilled with Rosseau's or her daughter's storylines, but it seems what happened was done in order to develop Ben's character.

What is planned for extra features is below, it is subject to change since it wasn't released yet. If you want to see more info for yourself on planned extras, run a search for TV shows on DVD, you should be able to find the site I got my info from.

Features:

Lost Bloopers
Oceanic Airlines Safety Guide
The Lost Flashbacks
Audio Commentaries
Deleted Scenes
Lost on Location - Go on location with the cast and crew of Lost for a behind-the-scenes look at the making of some of Season Four's hottest episodes.
Freighter Folk (working title) - Where did the folks on the freighter come from? Get to know them and find out what the show runners looked for in new cast members.
Transforming Hawaii (working title) - From the deserted beach to urban Los Angeles, Hawaii serves as a global backdrop for the excitement and intrigue of Lost. Join the small army of technicians that transforms Hawaii to the Island as they go about their duties.
Gun Tracking (working title) - Lost features a formidable array of firearms Get real life gun profiles and find out what it's like working with so much firepower.
The Music of Lost (working title) - The Honolulu Symphony performs Michael Giacchino's award-winning score live for the first time ever. Witness the power of the show's many musical themes as well as its innovative use of instruments-and learn how music affects the production, from writing to directing.

I recommend this season for anyone who ever enjoyed this show. You won't feel the writer's strike when watching the DVDs.

Dennis A. Amith (kndy) |
Date: 2008-12-14

LOST Season 4 started off with a bang. In the final episode of Season 3, we see Jack finally getting an opportunity to go back home but having that opportunity being taken away from him. We see the Others attack the camp of where the survivors of Oceanic Flight 815 were staying but most of all, a significant death of a main character. But what was even more surprising for everyone was to see Jack and Kate several years in the future. With Jack telling Kate that they need to go back.

This left fans with a significant hint that there are survivors who made it off the island. But who were they? Also, who will be rescuing the survivors or more like, are they even there to save them?

There are so many things that happened in Season 4 that it would be too difficult to explain but I can tell you that the whole season was exciting and despite the writer's strike possibly hindering the amount of episodes in the season, "LOST" was able to capitalize with quality over quantity in a total of 13 episodes and boy did they deliver.

"LOST - THE COMPETE FOURTH SEASON" features the following episodes:

1. The Beginning of the End
2. Confirmed Dead
3. The Economist
4. Eggtown
5. The Constant
6. The Other Woman
7. Ji Yeon
8. Meet Kevin Johnson
9. The Shape of Things to COme
10. Something Nice Back Home
11. Cabin Fever
12. There's No Place Like Home (Part 1 of 2)
13. There's No Place Like Home (Part 2 of 2)

Again, I really don't want to spoil the season for anyone but I will say that the body count of this season is quite high and the amount of action is also quite high for the fourth season. The storytelling was just awesome and the acting was well done. Especially the final episode. Absolutely fantastic!

VIDEO:

The video is featured in 1080p High Definition/1:78:1. One of the first things you will notice is how the island just comes alive with the vibrant colors. From the lush greens to the variation of blues from the sky to the ocean. And yes, you will be able to see the pores, the wrinkles of each actor. The picture quality was absolutely beautiful. I did see a few scenes (low-light) where there was considerable noise. But only a few scenes.

AUDIO:

The audio features are English 5.1 uncompressed (48khz/16-bit) and English and French in Dolby Digital 5.1 and Spanish in Dolby Digital 2.0. During the action scenes or when you hear the music during a suspenseful scene, that is when you hear the audio being utilized. Especially for this season due to the amount of explosions. But overall, the audio is primarily dialogue. You won't hear birds chirping or the oceans waves pounding from the island, but after watching the featurettes and the challenges of filming in public beaches and areas near traffic, I can understand the crew trying to make sure the dialogue came out clear and not trying to incorporate another noises that could have hindered the dialogue.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

The Blu-ray edition of "LOST - THE COMPLETE SEASON FOUR" definitely is full of special features. Included are:

* LOST in 8:15 - Learn about "LOST SEASONS 1-3 in 8:15
* The Right to Bear Arms - Guns are used a lot in "LOST" but because they are on an island, who has to track who has what weapon and how many weapons there are. This featurette was quite interesting.
* The Freighter Folk - A look at the new faces on this third season of people on that freighter
* The Island Backlot: Lost in Hawaii - A fantastic featurette that is quite lengthy and shows how certain scenes have come to life on "LOST". How certain countries around the world were all filmed in Hawaii and how post-production came through to make it look like it was filmed elsewhere. Very entertaining featurette.
* The Oceanic Six: A Conspiracy of Lies - A very interesting 20+ minute documentary about those who challenge the inconsistencies of the Oceanic 6 survivors and research disputing the survivor's stories. Very interesting!
* Offshore Shoot - The building and shooting on the freighter
* Lost - The Missing Pieces - These "MOBisodes" were featured on abc.com and there are certain scenes not shown on "LOST" that definitely shows missing pieces from previous seasons that actually make you think and wonder of past storylines. Without spoiling this part for for anyone, I will talk about one which took place in the early parts of Season 1 between Sun and Michael. Sun was burying her California ID which she was going to use after separating from her husband. But Michael arrives and really listens to her. The two nearly get romantic. You never see this on Season 1. You get a feeling that perhaps Michael may like Sun but you never see anything happen. But after seeing this one MOBisode, you actually see both of them nearly kissing.
* Soundtrack of Survival: Composing for Character, Conflict & the Crash - This section was on how the music is scored for "LOST" but also featuring the live performance of the Honolulu Symphony Pops. The Blu-ray version features more live performances including "The Others" (uncut).
* LOST on Location - Behind-the-scenes of the cast and crew
* Course of the Future: The Definitive Flash-Forwards
* LOST Bloopers
* Deleted Scenes
* Audio Commentaries - LOST fans will love the commentaries by Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse. The two have always had this cool chemistry and humor during their discussions since the first year and their old LOST podcasts and it continues. More insight on the show and inside jokes.
* SeasonPlay: This technology allows people to watch the episodes like watching it on television and even if you eject your Blu-ray to watch something else, when you put it back in to your player, it will remember where you last left off.
* And much more...

Like previous "LOST" Seasons on DVD and Blu-ray, there are also Easter Eggs. In fact, there over 20 of them. You can find many of them here.

[...]

I've owned every season of "LOST" on DVD and Blu-ray but the fourth season on Blu-ray is visually and audio appealing for "LOST" fans, there are so many awesome bonus features, let alone Easter Eggs that you can't help but be content and happy with the overall product.

The fourth season with it's gripping storyline, action and acting really made the fourth season quite enjoyable. But the Blu-ray version really enhanced my love or this show due to the vibrant colors and just the beauty of the island and the audio quality but how many special features (that were quite lengthy) included on this box set. You're getting your money's worth with this release.

There are not many television shows on Blu-ray at this time but currently, I have to say that "LOST - THE COMPLETE FOURTH SEASON" is the best out there right now. A total package and a must own for fans of the series!

N. Durham |
Date: 2008-05-30

Lost has had its up's and down's, particularly during a sub-par second season and a drawn out third season, but after the jaw-dropping ending of the third season, Lost is back on top. For those that haven't seen some of the episodes featured in the fourth season of Lost, be warned that some spoilers are ahead here. With rescue seeming to be in sight, things get even more complicated as a group of strangers (Jeremy Davies, Ken Leung, Rebecca Mader, and Jeff Fahey) make their way to the island, and they're not all there to save anyone. Adding to the problem is the freighter boat out at sea which Sayid (Naveen Andrews) and Desmond (Henry Ian Cusick) arrive to, where they get a big surprise (which wasn't a big surprise to viewers of the show) as Michael (Harold Perrineau) returns, and he's working for Ben (Michael Emerson). With Ben and Locke (Terry O'Quinn) warning Jack (Matthew Fox) that they can't leave the island, everything comes to an explosive season-ending climax involving a murderous commando (Kevin Durand), more light ends up getting shed on Lost's mythology as well. Now mixing both flashbacks and flash-forwards, we learn that at least six of the Oceanic survivors make it off the island: Jack, Kate (Evangeline Lilly), Hurley (Jorge Garcia), Sayid, Sun (Yunjiin Kim), Claire's (Emilie de Ravin) baby Aaron, and naturally, Ben. The season-ending shocker promises that things are only going to develop further, as there are only two seasons of the show left to go. Even though more characters were introduced (and at times it felt as if more time was focused on Sayid and Desmond's time on the ship than necessary), the way that Lost managed to juggle all these characters this season is something extraordinary. And while favorites like Jack and Sawyer (Josh Holloway) felt as if they took a step back, both have some great moments here as well. Most importantly however is that this season of the show firmly re-establishes the series as a spectacular mystery-thriller that will have you drooling to see what happens next. Even though the show briefly came to a stop thanks to the writer's strike, Lost never missed a beat this season. Needless to say, if you gave up on Lost in the past, now has never been a better time to get re-acquainted with the series, as things seem to promise to only get better from this point forward. As corny as it may sound, getting Lost has never been so enjoyable.

Tom Benton |
Date: 2008-05-31

*Possible spoilers within. Additionally, don't read this if you haven't seen the third season of "Lost."*

"Lost" closed its third season with a moment of sheer creative brilliance. There are moments that make one gasp. It takes some craftiness to make these moments satisfying, but even as early as its first few scenes, "Lost" had secured itself as the supreme ruler of gasp moments. Then there are moments that change one's perception of everything -- and these are few and far between. But no moment has ever been quite like that final scene of "Lost"'s third season. "Lost" is about a group of people who survive a plane crash and need to get off the bizarre island they've crashed on. Yet in that series-altering, mind-boggling moment, we found out we were wrong. The series wasn't about getting off the island. It was about the island itself. How did we know that? Because the final scene was a flashforward.

And guess what? THEY GET OFF THE ISLAND.

So where does the show go from here?

That brings us to Season Four. "Lost" has always been a superb show, but within Season Four, it enters the ranks of the all-time television elite. People, this is one of the finest seasons of television I have ever seen. As ever, I'll try to convey some of the wonder I experienced watching this season within this review - but you really have to see it for yourself.

Last year ABC made a deal with the show's brains, Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse, that ensured they would be able to tell the entire "Lost" story. That was a step forward for the TV biz, an industry which has been changing more and more as of late. The deal states that "Lost" will air six seasons, with the final season airing in 2010. Initially, each season would contain 16 episodes. Then the WGA strike hit. Due to the strike, the season wound up with 14 episodes; the remaining 2 episodes will wind up as the 17th episodes of Seasons Five and Six. In the case of "Lost," the strike was a great thing. More so than any other season of the show, Season Four has a straight story to tell. Over the season's 14 episodes, that story is told fast, vividly, and without a wasted moment. We wouldn't have had that if the strike hadn't forced the writers to pack everything in a little. Kudos to the WGA for that.

Speaking of storytelling, wow. Joss Whedon is the greatest writer the television industry has ever seen, and I don't think even he could tell a story like this. Lindelof and Cuse are among the most creative visionaries the medium has ever had. They continue to take us to places that one could never imagine. Most importantly, because they have now successfully planned many of the show's central storylines, one knows that they aren't just pulling these shocks out of a hat - it's all part of the plan. The rest of the writers deserve a ton of credit as well. They have done a fantastic job of fleshing out characters and storylines convincingly and naturally. The show has no shortage of character development; as usual, one can expect to be pretty surprised at where some of these guys wind up and what they do by the season's end. Above all else, though, "Lost" moves along its storylines at such a roaring pace that no series could hope to compare. My one complaint about the WGA strike: certain topics which the writers had hoped to tackle by the season's end, like the curious case of Marvin Candle/Edgar Hallowax or the four-toed statue, are still wide open. But that's a small complaint. The writing hasn't been this good since Season One.

It's no surprise, then, that Season Four produced some of the series' finest episodes. There isn't a bad episode in the season. The fierce pace of the season ensures that the lesser episodes are only the ones where the pace lets up (though even then, the show is moving much faster than any other on TV). The least of the bunch are the sixth and tenth episodes of the season, "The Other Woman" and "Something Nice Back Home," respectively. Every episode is so high in quality that each deserves to be mentioned here. I won't do that. What I will do is mention the cream of the crop: episode 5, "The Constant." If you haven't heard about it already, "The Constant" is the best episode of the entire show, as well as one of the finest episodes of television in history. The storyline involves Desmond (the utterly magnificent Henry Ian Cusick) becoming unstuck in time (think "Slaughterhouse-Five") and flashing between 2004 and 1996. Desmond must find a way to become fastened to 2004 again before the strain of the time travel becomes too much and he dies. The acting is extraodinary, the writing ingenious, and the directing -- something "Lost" gets too little attention for -- is absolutely top-notch. "Time" magazine (how's that for ironic?) compared "The Constant" to "No Country for Old Men" in an attempt to figure out whether movies or television were superior. They concluded that, thanks to pieces like "The Constant," television was far superior. Brother, if you haven't yet seen "The Constant," you are in for one heck of a treat. It is affecting and powerful in ways one would never have dreamt television could be before recent times.

Cusick, who should already have won an Emmy, is definitely eligible for one after his turn in that episode. He's not alone, either. The Emmys are about as sensible as the Oscars ("Buffy" never won a THING!), but come on -- if these actors don't win anything next time 'round, a serious crime will have been committed. First up: Michael Emerson. Emerson has been one of the show's greatest delights since his first appearance midway through Season Two. He brings the marvelously weasely character of Ben Linus to life in a way that no other actor ever could. His greatest turn is in the Ben-centric episode "The Shape of Things to Come" (which, by the way, is a series highlight). Thanks to Emerson (and almost solely so), Ben is as fascinating as any character on television today. There are moments when he is as cruel and evil as a human being could be, but somehow we understand him, and we understand that deep down, he is good. He is fighting for what he believes, no matter the cost to anyone. It's hard to explain this.

Easier to explain: the greatness of Matthew Fox. Just how great is Matthew Fox? Jack has had his ups and downs, but Fox has been consistently great. This season, though, Fox hits an all-time high. He is spectacular. Desperate Island Jack only gives Fox so much to do, but Future Off-Island Jack opens all sorts of doors for Fox's acting. Jack's torment is palpable. You can taste it, you can see it. It's heartbreaking. It takes a truly talented actor to pull that off, especially considering that Off-Island Jack is the exact opposite of Island Jack, the version which Fox typically plays.

Honorable mentions: Naveen Andrews, who is fascinatingly complex in one of the season's most intriguing episodes, "The Economost." Yunjin Kim gets chances to shine in flash-forwards, and shine she does. Evangeline Lilly does some of her best work on the show, particularly in the flash-forwards. And last but certainly not least, Alan Dale is truly menacing as Charles Widmore. Widmore was a charmingly Scrooge-ish character in his previous two appearances on the show, but this season we become aware of just how integral he is to the series' mythology. Dale is a perfect fit for so deviously sophisticated a character.

But wait - there's more. The members of Widmore's freighter team are each played by knockout actors. Jeremy Davies, the greatest character actor in the business, is just incredible as the wacky, eccentric scientist Daniel Faraday. Supporting him are Ken Leung as the wisecracking psychic Miles, who will no doubt prove important in the future, and Rebecca Mader as the mysterious Charlotte. Jeff Fahey is a real pleasure as pilot Frank Lapidus, who may be the most humanistic character on the entire show. Finally, Kevin Durand. This guy is a killer. Well, he's a killer actor, but his character is one of the most frightening, eerie, and downright nasty villains to hit the small screen.

The crew behind the camera does not get enough attention. "Lost" is beautifully shot and the directing is the best on television. Jack Bender, possibly the series' most-used director, is particularly great. This season, though, it's Michael Giacchino who really shines. Giacchino's music elevates television scoring into a place it hasn't been since Angelo Badalamenti composed the music for "Twin Peaks." His music truly enhances the series. It can be ghastly, it can be tense, it can epic, and it can be emotional, but the one thing it is always is beautiful. Just give him his Emmy now.

At the season's end, we still don't know where "Lost" will go next. The three-part finale is a monumental affair, offering twists and turns that are astounding even by this series' high standards. What it doesn't offer is much of a clue where the series is headed -- and as far as I'm concerned, that's a good thing. That will be important for keeping the show in our head as we endure the strenuous eight month wait for the series to return. It's worth waiting for, though. Television storytelling has rarely been so grandly-plotted or clearly-executed as in "Lost"'s spectacular fourth season. Impeccable in every way, Season Four of "Lost" is the medium at its peak. I cannot wait to see where it goes next.

Theresa W |
Date: 2008-07-09

Season 4 of LOST finally begins giving us some solid answers to questions that were plaguing us. We also begin seeing "the future" vs. the past for the characters. This season really renewed by love for LOST, which after season 3 I was beginning to wonder where this was going. With Season 4, you'll have a much better idea where this is headed.

Season 4 also introduces us to some new and interesting characters. We also see some old familiar faces. With each episode this season gets better and better. Season 4 is a thrill-ride, a nail-biter. The acting gets even better. Yes, it's a shortened season, but I think even still this may be the best season since the first. If you don't want to pay the cost to buy this DVD, rent it from your video store. Either way, this is a great season that you don't want to miss out on!!