Lost, unbelievable trash

[Dom Tuk]

That beginning sequence in Lost was impossible beyond belief. A crashed plane with people around it. A lone hero running from one to other saving them. And bizarrely a plane engine still running despite the fact that the rest of the plane is in tatters. how much disbelief do you have to suspend these days??.

[LeMarchand]

But you didn't have a problem with the THING in the jungle or the polar bear?

Doesn't sound like you'll enjoy the rest of the show!

[Dom Tuk]

Le Marchand, i did not see the rest of the show. When the engine sucked a man into it i  switched the stupid thing off......so there was a polar bear then....wow.....best they will speak to the President of the USA soon to tell him about it.

[Hendrix55]

I know nothing of engines but thought that whatever was spinning inside it would have carried on doing so because of momentum.  At least, that's how I justified it so I could carry on watching it without getting too annoyed...  Can't explain the man getting sucked in though...

[lissyl78]

I just liked it for what it had to offer; good acting, stunning visuals and a gripping, if not totally realistic, storyline. Some of it made me laugh too. Surely these things are more important in a television programme than making sure every detail is realistic. Isn't that the beauty of fiction? x

[Dom Tuk]

I thought the engine increased in its ....revs.......(if thats the word) just before it sucked the man in. The noise of the engine also increased (at least i saw that). That was what was so unbelievable.

[Dom Tuk]

...good acting....?????!!!!

[lissyl78]

Dom... you admitted you didn't watch the rest of the show. ; )

But I admit that was not my best argument. I shoul have said 'contained good acting'. You can't argue with the visuals though...

[Hendrix55]

I couldn't shed the Lord of the RIngs association either, esp when John, Kate and Merry (Charlie) went off on their mission through the jungle - very like the bit with the Ents. 

[georgit79]

when did the engine suck someone in? I must have missed that bit....

Good clean fun, is what it is is what it is.

You watch BB, and you're talking about suspending disbelief?

[LeMarchand]

Without wishing to give anything away, I think that - even from what C/E4 have shown - those that weren't looking for a reason to rail against the show and who stuck with it past the man/turbine incident will have realised by now that things on the island (like the THING, the polar bear and the weather) don't necessarily work the way they do normally. The turbine incident could be seen as a further example of this. Besides, it certainly woke up most of the viewers!

Incidentally, one of the major characters was originally going to be played by a well-known Hollywood star and was going to die by the end of the pilot (which would have been quite a shock). When it was decided to keep the character the star dropped out, not wanting to commit to a weekly show. (Being deliberately vague as it's not really that obvious yet as to who is going to take what role in the group).

[spudqueen]

I saw the first 2 episodes three weeks ago on a plane to Florida (very daring of them to show something containing a plane crash!) and thought it was very good. Watched them again last night along with the 3rd episode on E4. OK, so some bits are unbelievable, but so was most of Twin Peaks and I really enjoyed that.

[reportmonkey]

Never get exited about TV programs hardly watch them, thought 24 was total sh**.  But I like the concept....I'm interested in how the hell anyone survived a jet crash like that, there may be more to it and it holds my attention by leaking bits of information without giving the whole story and I like that quality in TV serials.   As for the Jet engine...I know nothing about how they work or how one might continue to run after a crash...given that...im in no position to say whats realistic and whats not...I really don't care anyway if you want realism and hard truth walk outside your front door and go to somewhere really nasty.

[trionam]

All I can stay is stick with it, it gets better as its goes on, I love it, ok its not realistic but who cares it is good fun to watch, the cliff hangers each week keep me hooked.And Jack is just gorgeous.

[Dom Tuk]

OK...someone can answer this...a bit of a spoiler.....is it an alien thing?? If so i can suspend whatever they want me to and can start to watch it.

[dothawkes]

Well I'm hooked and I will stay with it, and all the references that can be made to lots of other progs. is good, we all bring to it what we know.  The fact that the guy is called Said is meant to throw us I think, putting Merry in the mix makes us all think of Hobbits, filming in the Pacific is great because those beaches look stunning.  I am already trying to work out all the possibilities.  I work full time but want to spend my chill time watching TV and always have, and it is good that TV makers are still wanting to offer us some fantasy rather than reality.  As there was still fuel flowing and lots of wirinng and cables hanging around, the engine could still have had a power supply, according to my ex who was an air-frame technician in a former life.  Plus a sudden rush of fuel through a previously restricted supply may have caused a surge in power, he suggests.  I just said it was dramatic effect though.

It does remind me of the series I used to watch in the 70's with Peggy Lipton and Bobby Sherman about the plane full of teenagers who crashed and each week there was a different star.  One episode was called 'Come the revolution we'll all use the girl's showers', no idea why I have remembered that and not the name of the show, it was something Generation I think. 

[LeMarchand]

Dom (highlight for sort-of spoiler to answer your question):

Up to the end of S1, there is no real explanation for what is going on and why things are happening. Some of the mysteries set up early in the season are explained, but more are revealed. There does seem to be some "higher force" at work, but it could be aliens, God, the government or something else.

[Hendrix55]

In an article in the Guide (Guardian TV guide) the writers apparently said it isn't aliens, and also rejected an idea that they are all dead and in purgatory.  I think I'm just going to forget about finding an explanation and just go with it.

Maybe there are some Hobbits behind it all, some sort of breakaway, wicked faction?

[camille79]

Stick with it!  The pilot is one of the weaker episodes for all the reasons you listed.  Keep watching and it's more about the survivors and their backstories along with what is actually happening on the island.

And  - the creators have stated that the show is set "within the realms of possibility" if that helps with your alien query at all......

[Mattk]

the fuel tank was still attached to the engine so that didnt bother me.i actually thought the opening sequence was excellent where we share the docs bewilderment and realisation with him ie waking up wondering where he is running to the beach and slowly being allowed to see the devastation.

also,the polar bear being there can be explained too.there are animals living on islands that simply dont belong but over millions of years the land broke away taking them with it so their species is very out of place.tenuous i know but sometimes you have to lose a bit of reasoning ! 

[lindapinda]

Well I loved it too! It's pure escapism at it's best.Surely that's one of the things that we want in tv entertainment! I agree with lissy and dothawkes comments,and I'm sure the viewing figures will show how popular it will be.