Time to get Lost again?
Oceanic Flight 815 has crashed on a seemingly deserted island in the Pacific leaving the survivors fighting for their lives. With the tail of the plane lost over the island and most of the plane being pulled into the ocean, reaching civilization might be impossible…but the island also has secrets that it isn’t willing to give up. Now, the survivors of Oceanic #815 are in a race to escape the island…but something sinister could be lurking in the jungle.
Lost—Season 1 premiered on September 22, 2004 on ABC. The series met immediate success, a cult following, and critical acclaim. It won Primetime Emmys for Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Casting for a Drama (“Pilot”—Part 1 & 2), Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series (“Pilot”—Part 1 & 2), Outstanding Sing-Camera Picture Editing for a Drama (“Pilot”—Part 1 & 2), Oustanding Music Composition for a Series (“Pilot”), Outstanding Visual Effects for a Series (“Pilot”—Part 1 & 2) with nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama (Naveen Andrews and Terry O’Quinn), Outstanding Single-Camera Sound Mixing for a Series (“Outlaws”), Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series (“Pilot” and “Walkabout”), and Outstanding Sound Editing for a Series (“Pilot”—Part 2).
Sit right back and you’ll hear a tale…
Lost was a weekly commitment. Friends at work and I watched it religiously and quickly discussed what every episode revealed or puzzle introduced. It also immediately became a series where you had a bad feeling that you might not get the answers you want. Rewatching Lost—Season 1 over fifteen years after its premiere has you remembering old mysteries, seeing what early clues were given, and when characters were introduced along with their backstories…in this sense, Lost—Season 1 stands the test of time.
The story for Lost is a puzzle, and it is the type of puzzle that generally shrinks with each episode as the pieces become clearer (at least in this season). The series starts out with a seemingly more streamlined story and it also gives the impression that the series’ direction was plotted out. Later seasons make you question that, and early speculation about the island and the reality on it really did turn out to be kind of close to what fans’ early guesses were. Still, this is a series that is loaded with rich and three-dimensional characters who reward viewers from watching week to week.
What lurks in the jungle?
The cast is amazing. The series combined TV mainstays like Matthew Fox (Party of Five) and Harold Perrineau (Oz), film stars like Naveen Andrews (The English Patient) and Dominic Monaghan (Lord of the Rings), and cult character actors like Terry O’Quinn (The Stepfather), and mixed them with young up-and-comers like Josh Holloway, Jorge Garcia, Daniel Dae Kim, Evangeline Lilly, Emilie de Ravin, and Yunjin Kim. The cast comes together well (and I like little jokes like the idea that the main characters are a clique…something that comes up over and over again).
Lost is also visually stunning. The Hawaiian setting provides a lush background, but the style and quality of the special effects (like the plane crash in the pilot) are great. The flashbacks are woven into the story with skill and the series really manages to move despite being an approximately 24-episode based drama…you watch 1 episode and you end up watching 6.
Enter the Hatch!
Lost—Season 1 provides a great launchpad for a rather divisive series. Most people either liked Lost or they disliked Lost…there wasn’t much in-between. It wasn’t a show you could casually watch and even as a regular viewer, there were plot-points and storylines that you forgot (or the writers would wish you would forget). The first season however is a great accomplishment and should be given a chance. It is amazing how Lost (kind of like The X-Files) managed to pull people in to a drama with high science-fiction and fantasy…something that series after Lost tried to replicate over and over again.
Lost—Season 1 Complete Episode Guide
“Pilot—Part 1”
1.1 Pilot—Part 1 Airdate: 09/22/04
Jack Shephard (Matthew Fox) wakes up on an island after the crash of Oceanic Flight 815 on September 22, 2004 and finds himself trying to patch the injured as the plane’s only surviving doctor. Teaming with a girl named Kate (Evangeline Lilly) and the bass player from the rock band Driveshaft named Charlie Pace (Dominic Monaghan), Jack heads into the jungle in an attempt to find the cockpit section of the plane. When they are confronted by a strange unseen giant creature, Jack finds his efforts to save the injured pilot (Greg Grunberg) might be in vain.
“Pilot—Part 2”
1.2 Pilot—Part 2 Airdate: 09/29/04
The discovery of handcuffs in the jungle by Walt Lloyd (Malcolm David Kelley) leads to infighting among the passengers on who the prisoner might be. As Charlie hides his drug addition, Jack searches for a means to help a passenger injured in the crash. Michael Dawson (Harold Perrieau) tries to deal with his strained relationship with Walt and learns Walt’s dog Vincent might be alive in the jungle. Sayid Jarrah (Naveen Andrews) works to repair the damaged plane transmitter which leads him, Kate, Sawyer (Josh Holloway), Boone Carlyle (Ian Somerhalder), and his sister Shannon Rutherford (Maggie Grace) in a search to find higher ground. After an encounter with a polar bear and a strange French message repeating for sixteen years, Kate, Boone, Sawyer, Sayid, and Shannon question where they are.
“Tabula Rasa”
1.3 Tabula Rasa Airdate: 10/06/04
As Jack fights to save the life of the U.S. Marshall Edward Mars (Fredric Lane), he and Hurley (Jorge Garcia) learn that Kate is the prisoner that he was escorting. Michael learns about Walt’s strange relationship with a man named John Locke (Terry O’Quinn)…but Locke might be the key to finding Walt’s missing dog Vincent. Kate recalls her time in Australia living on a farm with Ray Mullen (Nick Tate) and how she came to be captured. Sawyer sets out to end the marshal’s suffering when Jack cannot and finds it might be harder than it seems.
“Walkabout”
1.4 Walkabout Airdate: 10/13/04
The survivors realize that they have no food supply as Locke, Michael, and Kate head into the woods to hunt wild boar. Boone and his sister Shannon make a bet over Shannon’s ability to get food and Hurley and Charlie get caught in the crossfire. Jack tries to talk to Rose (L. Scott Caldwell) about the death of her husband and learns that Rose has a different take on things. As Locke heads into the jungle he remembers the events that brought him to Australia…and what happened to him after the crash.
“White Rabbit”
1.5 White Rabbit Airdate: 10/20/04
The camp needs water. When part of the supply mysteriously disappears, the urgency to find it increases. Jack is haunted by images of his father (John Terry) and remembers why he went to Australia in the first place as he searches for a way to get water for the survivors.
“House of the Rising Sun”
1.6 House of the Rising Sun Airdate: 10/27/04
Jack pushes for the camp to move to caves for protection and water while Kate finds herself torn between staying on the beach or helping Jack. Jin (Daniel Dae Kim) lashes out at Michael forcing the camp to restrain him. Michael learns a secret about Jin’s wife Sun (Yunjin Kim) as Sun recalls her plans to secretly leave her husband for working for her father. As Charlie deals with withdraw from his heroin, Locke reveals he knows Charlie’s secret…and a potential cure.
“The Moth”
1.7 The Moth Airdate: 11/03/04
Locke works to help Charlie overcome his drug addiction by offering him a choice as Charlie remembers his days with Driveshaft. Sayid has a plan to track down the French signal…but it could require teamwork from Kate, Shannon, and an unwilling Sawyer. Jack’s push to move the camp to the caves leads to a confrontation with Charlie and a dangerous situation.
“Confidence Man”
1.8 Confidence Man Airdate: 11/10/04
Shannon’s asthma is beginning to get worse, and Boone reveals that Sawyer has her extra medicine in the bags he’s stolen. Now, Jack and Sayid must get him to reveal the location of the inhalers before it is too late. Charlie tries to convince Claire (Emilie de Ravin) to come to the caves. Sawyer’s past as a con man is revealed, but Kate learns one of his secrets.
“Solitary”
1.9 Solitary Airdate: 11/17/04
Sayid has left the camp to explore the island after his torture of Sawyer and recalls his past and his love Nadia (Andrea Gabriel). When Sayid finds a cable in the jungle, he discovers the source of the recording and a woman named Rousseau (Mira Furlan) who has her own thoughts on the Island. Hurley decides the camp needs a break and sets out to find a source of recreation.
“Raised by Another”
1.10 Raised by Another Airdate: 12/01/04
Claire gets close to birth and recalls a warning from a psychic at home about her child’s future. When Claire says she’s been attacked at the camp, Jack questions if the pressure has gotten too great. Sayid makes it back to camp with a warning. Hurley sets out to create a list of survivors but discovers someone isn’t who they say they are when he discovers the manifest.
“All the Best Cowboys Have Daddy Issues”
1.11 All the Best Cowboys Have Daddy Issues Airdate: 12/08/04
Charlie and Claire have been taken by Ethan (William Mapother) as the survivors question where Ethan is from. Sawyer learns Sayid is back and has a face-off with him. Jack, Locke, Kate, and Boone track Claire, Charlie, and Ethan, and Jack recalls his confrontation with his father over his drinking issues. Boone and Locke make a strange discovery in the jungle.
“Whatever the Case May Be”
1.12 Whatever the Case May Be Airdate: 01/05/05
Sawyer and Kate discover a locked case in a suitcase lodged under missing seating. Unable to open the case, Kate recalls a bank robbery and her involvement. Sayid seeks to translate Rousseau’s notes with Shannon’s help. Boone and Locke continue their mysterious work in the jungle. With the sea rising and the fuselage being washed away, Rose tries to help Charlie deal with Claire’s disappearance.
“Hearts and Minds”
1.13 Hearts and Minds Airdate: 01/12/05
Boone and Locke work on excavating the strange hatch in the jungle, and Boone recalls being called to Australia by a desperate Shannon. Hurley finds himself needing more protein which means befriending Jin. Kate and Sun work on an island garden, and Kate learns Sun’s secret. When Boone suggests telling Shannon about the hatch, Locke takes extreme measures that turn deadly.
“Special”
1.14 Special Airdate: 01/19/05
Michael worries that Walt is spending too much time with Locke and recalls how Walt returned to his life after an emergency trip to Australia. Charlie deals with Claire’s kidnapping by Ethan and finds a tie to Sayid’s exploration of the island. When Walt and Vincent wander away, Michael must trust Locke to try to find him. A search of the jungle turns up a surprising find.
“Homecoming”
1.15 Homecoming Airdate: 02/09/05
Claire is back but her amnesia has prevented her from recalling what happened to her or the other members of the flight. Charlie recalls battling addition as Driveshaft was breaking up and how the attempts to rob a wealthy family backfired. Ethan hasn’t forgotten Claire and when he demands Claire be returned, Jack must make a decision about the guns.
“Outlaws”
1.16 Outlaws Airdate: 02/16/05
Sawyer seems to be menaced by a boar that has it out for him. As he goes out hunting the boar with Kate, he recalls how the quest for the man responsible for his parents’ deaths brought him to Australia, a chance encounter with Jack’s father, and the tragic outcome of the trip.
“…In Translation”
1.17 …In Translation Airdate: 02/23/05
Jin remembers asking for Sun’s hand in marriage and being forced to take a role in the empire of her father Mr. Paik (Byron Chung). Sayid considers a relationship with Shannon, but learns from Boone that Shannon might not be honest about her plans. Michael’s attempts to build a boat to get off the island faces a massive setback that could turn everyone against Jin and force Sun to reveal her secret.
“Numbers”
1.18 Numbers Airdate: 03/02/05
When Hurley recognizes the numbers on Rousseau’s map, he sets off to find out where she got them…leading Charlie, Jack, and Sayid in a rescue mission. Locke spends time with Claire and helps her prepare for birth. Hurley’s past as a lottery winner and how he won the lottery are recalled. As Hurley worries that he is cursed, what do the numbers 4, 8, 15, 16, 23, and 42 mean?
“Deus Ex Machina”
1.19 Deus Ex Machina Airdate: 03/30/05
Locke finds his attempts to get into the hatch are failing along with his legs. Locke recalls being contacted by his real mother (Swoosie Kurtz) and meeting his father Anthony Cooper (Kevin Tighe) who had a special need for him. Sawyer suffers increasing headaches and reluctantly goes to Jack for help. When he has a vision of a plane crash, he and Boone seek out if the Island is trying to give Locke the answers he needs.
“Do No Harm”
1.20 Do No Harm Airdate: 04/06/05
Jack fights to save Boone’s life from his injuries and learns Locke might not have told him everything. Claire finds herself in labor in the jungle, and Kate discovers that she might have to deliver the child. Jack recalls his wedding day to Sarah (Julie Bowen) and vowing never to give up.
“The Greater Good”
1.21 The Greater Good Airdate: 05/04/05
Boone is gone and Shannon vows vengeance on Locke for his death. Jack tries to deal with his failure to save Boone and his weakness due to the procedure with Kate’s help. Charlie and Claire find keeping a baby on the island is tougher than they thought but find an unlikely ally in keeping the baby quiet. Locke reveals the truth of what he’s been doing to Sayid as Sayid remembers coming to Australia on a mission to see if his old friend is part of a terrorist group in the hopes of finding Nadia.
“Born to Run”
1.22 Born to Run Airdate: 05/11/05
The race to get the raft launch is on and Kate realizes that she must be on the raft to escape the law. Sayid and Locke reveal the secret of the hatch to Jack. Charlie finds his creative side spurred and looks forward to the celebrity of being rescued. Facing off against Sawyer, fingers are pointed and secrets are revealed when Michael ends up poisoned. Kate recalls the significance of her airplane and how a trip to see her dying mother (Beth Broderick) reunited her with her childhood love Tom Brennan (Mackenzie Astin).
“Exodus—Part 1”
1.23 Exodus—Part 1 Airdate: 05/18/05
With the raft needing last minute repairs, Rousseau arrives at the camp with a warning…the Others are coming. Now, the survivors must band together to fix the raft and the mysterious hatch could be the only safety for those left behind on the island. Walt makes a decision about Vincent while Sun tries to find a way to say goodbye to Jin. Sawyer works to make last minute amends and reveals a secret to Jack. Kate, Hurley, Dr. Leslie Arzt (Daniel Roebuck), Jack, and Locke are lead to the Black Rock by Rousseau and learn of the dangers of the Dark Territory. Jack recalls meeting a woman from the tail end of the plane named Ana Lucia Cortez (Michelle Rodriguez) as others recall their last moments in Australia.
“Exodus—Part 2”
1.24 Exodus—Part 2 Airdate: 05/25/05
Arzt demonstrates the danger of transporting dynamite as Kate, Hurley, Jack, and Locke try to reach the hatch before nightfall. Sawyer, Walt, Jin, and Michael pilot the boat away from the island in the hopes of hitting a shipping lane. Rousseau returns to the camp with a plan for Claire’s baby which leads Sayid and Charlie into a desperate race into the jungle where Charlie learns what the plane Boone found was carrying.
“Exodus—Part 3”
1.25 Exodus—Part 3 Airdate: 05/25/05
Sayid and Charlie’s attempt to rescue Aaron leads to a bigger mystery surrounding the Others and their potential interests. Locke faces off against the smoke monster and reveals his belief in the island to Jack. Hurley finds that blowing the hatch could have bad consequences when he sees that his numbers are tied to it. Jin, Sawyer, Walt, and Michael find a chance at a rescue…but learn that their actions could be in vain.
