Lost Virgin Diary – Am I the only person in America who didn’t watch this show?

I think I’m just about the only person in America who didn’t jump on the Lost bandwagon during its heyday. It wasn’t that I had no interest in the show. Well, OK, maybe that was the case during its first season. But then as the buzz surrounding it kept growing, it was too late for me to start watching it out of sequence. Plus I hated adding a show I knew I wouldn’t be able to miss from week-to-week to my list of commitments.

In the fall of 2004 when Lost made its debut on ABC, I had just graduated from college and was beginning what I thought was going to be a promising career at a national newspaper (that didn’t last, ha). I would’ve fared better had I gambled on Lost. Luckily, the topic of summer Virgin Diaries came up recently and I saw this as my chance to finally watch the show that captivated so many. I’m about five episodes in now and I love this show so far!

Whether you’re a seasoned fan or another newbie, I invite you to read along as I discuss my feelings as a Lost virgin in what I’m referring to as my “Lost Mondays.” But whatever you do, please don’t ruin the surprises that lay ahead for me – i.e. please don’t tell me how the series ends. It’s my goal to finish the entire series this summer, piecing together the puzzle one plot at a time as it was originally intended. From someone who usually covers sitcoms, I’m very excited for this opportunity. So grab your survival guide and join me on the island vacation from hell!

Pilot (Part I & II)
Wow, the first 10 minutes of Lost were very intense. It immediately got my attention with the close-up of Matthew Fox’s eye, panning out into a shot of him lying on a jungle floor disoriented – in shock, in pain and in a torn suit. Then I experienced my first “what the frack?” moment – the first of many, many more I’m sure. Actually, I’ve decided to make this a game of sorts, with a running tally of WTF moments that take me by surprise.

The first WTF for me was the golden lab breezing by Fox in the jungle. A dog just seemed so totally random and unexpected in that setting that I laughed! As Fox emerged from the jungle to the scene of utter chaos from an obvious plane crash, complete with fiery explosions, flying debris and shrapnel and the walking wounded on an otherwise serene-looking beach, I knew I was in for something I’d never seen before. I only hope the momentum they masterfully set up with the pilot continues.

Other WTF moments:

• How is the pregnant woman’s baby going to be affected?
• What kind of monster can kill someone in one fell swoop?!
• How could someone not like chocolate?
• Why did creepy bald dude have an orange in his mouth while watching Kate remove boots off a dead person’s body?
• Why do I have the distinct feeling that something/someone is watching their camp?
• A polar bear – in the jungle?!
• Is there someone else alive on the island?
• Who made the distress signal and has it really been playing for 16 years?

Tabula Rasa (Episode 1)
I’m uncomfortable with the ease of which the characters lie to each other about their backgrounds and what they know about each other and their predicament. I guess this is part of survival mode, trying to be ahead of the curve but I think it sets a very dangerous precedent. One of them said hope is a dangerous thing to lose and that’s why they felt it necessary to keep the majority in the dark about certain details. I get that, but it seems like knowledge will also determine who has the best chance of surviving and I don’t like that that isn’t shared. I was also waiting for them to run out of prepackaged peanuts and airline food, which seemed to be happening by this episode’s end.

WTF moments:

• Kate’s a fugitive? What did she do – kill somebody?
• How did the marshal survive the shrapnel and the bullet – like the Energizer bunny, it felt like he was just going to keep going and going … until he finally died that is.
• Is there more to Sawyer than meets the eye – what were the contents of his letter?

Walkabout (Episode 2)
I liked that I learned more about “creepy bald dude” a.k.a. John Locke (tell me that’s not a coincidence that he shares a name with a renowned philosopher). His mantra is “don’t tell him he can’t do something.” I like that he took charge of the hunt for food. I also liked that the survivors held a vigil to honor those who had not survived. I get that they “didn’t have time to sort out everyone’s God,” but I saw no harm in wanting to hold a memorial service. What about Jack’s past makes him so weird about death?

WTF moments:

• Locke was handicapped prior to the crash?
• How did Locke have an entire suitcase of knives on the plane? I get that he was participating in a walkabout, but should that be allowed past airline security?
• What happens when Charlie’s “stash” is gone? Addicts can become quite mean….
• Is Rose correct – did the others on the plane survive?

What I’ve found most enjoyable about the show thus far is the character development through the flashbacks. I love that the writers created so many diverse survivors on this island and have given glimpses into the background and psyche of each of them. I’m caught up in the emotions and unexpected elements of people thrust into survival mode. I’ve decided if I were ever faced with a similar situation, my odds of survival are probably slim to nil because I’m not a hunter, I’m not secretive, I’m not athletic, I’m not good with electronics, I’m not aggressive and quite frankly, I don’t think I could ever steal the shoes off a dead body.

I have speculations on where they are of course, but I don’t really believe I’m correct. The first appearance of the “mystery monster” made me think maybe they’d stumbled onto Skull Island and were being chased by none other than King Kong. The appearance of the giant polar bear made me think of Madagascar II in which the zoo animals were stranded on an island. Part of me also thinks they are all dead except for maybe one of them who has created everything in his/her mind to keep from going insane from post-traumatic stress. Even if I’m right, do me a favor and don’t tell me!

Clacked by Kim Tibbs
on Jun 11, 2012 @ 09:36 EST5EDT