lost2

THE SHOW: Lost is the sort of show that could have easily become a victim of its own overexposure. Between the magazine covers, book tie-ins, and constant media barrage, season two had the weight of the world on its shoulders before the first episode hit the air. Part of that is the fault of its creators (J.J. Abrahms being the most notable...also responsible for Alias and Mission Impossible 3) who ran the risk of Twin Peaking themselves into a corner by not resolving enough of the show’s mysteries. And part of it is because season one just happened to be the best season of television ever put on the air. Period. Stranding upwards of 50 survivors of a plane crash on an island inhabited by mysterious “others” and a malfunctioning (?) defense system, cluttered with backstories that stretch for years and intertwine characters, fates, and lottery winnings, it’s safe to say that if you’re coming late to the Lost party, you have some catching up to do. But that’s OK, because there’s never been a show so ripe for the DVD format. In fact, for the past two seasons, I’ve quite watching the on-air broadcasts mid-season and just waited for the inevitable home video release. Not because the show didn’t engage me, I simply enjoyed the show much more at my own pace. However, season two did suffer from a bit of a sophomore slump. It’s still book ended by a terrific premiere and finale, both introducing and resolving much of the mystery surrounding the “hatch.” And rebooting the show with a whole new group of survivors (Episode 7 - “The Other 48 Days”) was just sheer genius, adding some new blood to what was becoming a rather “blah” group. The key elements of the show are carried over from season one: intensely cinematic, powerfully acted and cleverly scripted. The backstories allow the audience to escape the drudgery of the island, but also build on the mythology of the show. However, with the dominance of some new writers, the show meandered a bit, losing itself from time to time or shoehorning characters into situations that just didn’t fit. And perhaps more dangerous, the clues to the mystery of the island itself seemed to be much slower in coming. Still, you’re doing yourself a huge disservice if you’re not using this brief downtime to catch up before the season three premiere. Producers promise more action and more big reveals into the nature of the “others.” Hell, I’d be happy with just more of the same. THE FEATURES: Just as Season One was the best 24 episodes of TV ever made, the DVD version was the best example of TV on DVD. And the new 7-disc “extended experience” aims even higher. You’ve got your standard On Location extras, your episode breakdowns, a commentary or two. There’s even a repeat of the deleted scenes and flashbacks from the previous set. But the real carrot dangling in front of every fans nose are the immersive Lost Connections, Mysteries, Theories and Conspiracies and Secrets from the Hatch, which promise to unravel some long debated plot threads. Who the hell could resist that?