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Abrams’ “Lost” almost had a completely different cast
Synopsis
A group of plane crash survivors are forced to work together to survive on a seemingly deserted tropical island… J.J. See which A-listers missed out on one of the most popular TV shows of all time. But when Josh Holloway forgot a line during an audition and then kicked a chair and cursed loudly in frustration, the writers liked the edge it gave Sawyer’s character and decided to write Sawyer as a more Southern, darker drifter. Jin and Sun are married and share the last name “Kwon,” which becomes a major plot point in the final season. But when Koreans get married, the wife never takes her husband’s last name. In fact, in Korea, it’s not even allowed to marry with the same last name except in rare circumstances.
Then along comes Lost
[repeated line] Desmond Hume: See you in the next life, bro. Abrams on his laptop in black and white as a tribute to The Twilight Zone. Edited for Lost: The Journey (2005). With so many high-quality shows ending or being canceled recently (Friends, Frasier, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel), and so many others declining in quality (The West Wing, Smallville), I’ve almost written off television as an entertainment medium. I’ve seriously considered ditching my TV and cable subscription in favor of a computer screen and broadband Internet connection. I missed the first few episodes, but I was able to catch up thanks to BitTorrent. Now I’m hooked.
2) The rich, complex characters
There are a few things I like about this show, but here’s a short list: 1) The amazing, intelligent, multi-layered writing. There are a lot of mysteries here, and every answer I get raises more questions. Just when you think you’ve got a grip on a character, you learn something new about them that’s often surprising or even shocking. I love watching the various relationships emerge and develop. 3) Strong performances. It’s a great cast, mostly seasoned actors with a few newcomers, and they all turn in star-making performances. There are even some episodes that feature recognizable, talented actors (e.g.
Mira Furlan, Victoria Hamel)
4) Mysterious and captivating setting. Of the four basic elements of a story you learned in school, plot, character, theme, and setting, the latter is often the poor, abandoned cousin. Not here. The island is dangerous, beautiful, creepy, and undeniably intriguing. It’s like a character unto itself. Part of the fun of this show will be uncovering the island’s secrets. 5) Thematic depth.
I’m grateful that this show is a hit
This isn’t just a soap opera on a deserted island. There are a lot of metaphors and themes to be extracted here, like about moral challenges; about the nature of communities and civilization; about our relationship with nature/environment; and spirituality, even mysticism, as well. Too often lately I’ve committed to a quality show early (Wonderfalls is the latest and much-regretted example) only to be canceled early by a nervous network. I hope "Lost" will have a long and successful run – if its creators, cast, and crew maintain the level of quality they’ve shown so far, I’m sure it will.
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