Lost jumped the shark
Thursday, February 22nd, 2007 - 11:33AM
Surely I can’t be the only one who thinks Lost is pretty much over with in terms of viewer interest? Ratings are at all time lows even though it’s not competing with American Idol anymore, the buzz is vanishing, and if there’s one thing that’s lost admist the people on that island, it’s definitely my interest. I don’t know, I suppose it’s just that they’ve strung us along with two and a half years of plot setup, and the only way they can get people to continue watching is by teasing each week with the possibility of questions answered. But nothing is being answered, and the whole scheme just isn’t working anymore. I’ll keep watching, but for how long? My once-rapt interest is gone. Now, you want a series to watch? BSG.
I was thinking the same thing as I watched it this week. I have also been watching Studio 60 which is now getting killed by the same critics that praised it. I still find it entertaining.
Comment by Greg Furry — Thursday, February 22, 2007 @ 12:14 pm
Studio 60 definitely isn’t bad, but they (or maybe Comcast?) do something super weird to the HD version that makes it disorientingly blurred. It’s the only show that’s like that and it drives me crazy.
Comment by Ryan Block — Thursday, February 22, 2007 @ 12:20 pm
Interesting. I’m still intrigued by the show. I love that Desmond is more prominent. I’m fascinated by the Clockwork-Orange-esque combo zoo, holding area, operating room, on the others’ other island, and wondering who is trustworthy among the others, and how to reconcile statements like, “we’re the good guys,” and “what kind of people do you think we are,” with their actions in killing, kidnapping, deceiving, drugging, mind control, etc. I’ve got to rent BSG’s first season(s) to catch up. I was really into that show during its first run, and even went to see the movie version, starring Lorne Green. Give Lost a wee bit of a chance, brutha.
Comment by Larry H. — Thursday, February 22, 2007 @ 1:22 pm
I agree one-hundred percent. I was a die-hard fanatic going into season 2, but at this point I’d rather do laundry than sit through more over-hyped letdowns. This episode really drove the point home: the producers are slowing the plot progression waaaaay down to ensure the show can last as long as possible. Sad thing is, it’ll be canned by the end of the year if it continues to disappoint.
BSG has been extremely impressive, and I’m so happy to hear the network has picked it up for a fourth season… But you have to agree that the last 3 episodes have been mediocre. That said, I’m willing to cut the writers some slack, as no other television series has been able to maintain such an incredible degree of courage for so long. (courage to kill off characters and not recycle themes/character-arcs.)
For now I’m devouring HBO classics via netflix. I’ve got a few discs left in Six Feet Under, and I can honestly say it’s the best television I’ve ever seen.
Comment by Andre Sala — Thursday, February 22, 2007 @ 1:39 pm
BSG hasn’t exactly had a stellar (get it?) bunch of episodes the last 3-4 weeks either. At least it got renewed.
I’m still liking Lost right now. Or maybe I just forgot how frustrating it can be to watch 10 new episodes in a row and not get much resolution.
Comment by Joost Schuur — Thursday, February 22, 2007 @ 2:11 pm
“Or maybe I just forgot how frustrating it can be to watch 10 new episodes in a row and not get much resolution.” Sounds like you haven’t been watching lately! ;)
Comment by Ryan Block — Thursday, February 22, 2007 @ 2:49 pm
I’m with Larry, I still look forward to watching every episode and it’s the only show I always watch 15 mins after it starts (so I skip the ads) cause I can’t wait any longer.
BSG on the other hand looks terrible on UHD this season and the sound is the only thing worse than the PQ. Not sure what they are doing wrong, but they need to fix it.
Comment by Ben Drawbaugh — Thursday, February 22, 2007 @ 3:42 pm
Are the new episodes of BSG being broadcast HD in any US markets? Here in NYC on TWC the new episodes only run on Sci Fi channel’s SD, and show up on Universal HD a few months later…
@ Ben D - I haven’t noticed any quality problems with the BSG reruns on UHD… HDMI to plasma from my TWC HD DVR, audio via dig coax to my receiver.
Comment by Andre Sala — Thursday, February 22, 2007 @ 5:05 pm
i second Andre’s comments. Lost used to have some meaning, some kind of thrill that made you tivo each episode to observe every single frame for any hint of any kind of mundane spoiler. Now it’s gone sour…i mean i still watch it, but it’s not for the enjoyment, but more of a “meh” kind of thrill. you know you’ve lost interest when you go through a wednesday forgetting to watch/tivo an episode..so in closing, i ask the producers: “please answer the unanswered questions so i can finally change the channel and watch BSG and/or Heroes, please? kthanx”
…jon has spoken
Comment by Jonathan C — Thursday, February 22, 2007 @ 10:10 pm
i had all but given up on lost, but i thought the desmond episode was really good last week. may not have answered much per se, but it at least started tying together seemingly random scenes in the past two episodes, as well as made us feel bad for charlie, the wee lad.
and yes. bsg. bsg.
Comment by smoovebert — Friday, February 23, 2007 @ 1:02 am
Lost is getting less and less interesting. BSG is really suffering this season, too - it’s like they blew their entire effects budget on that atmospheric jump move early on and can’t even muster a measly space combat scene anymore. I for one can’t wait for the action-packed trial scenes they’ve been promising. Ug. I like scifi drama as much as the next guy, but how about some pacing here?
Studio 60 is (was?) brilliant. If it goes away, I will be so very pissed off. It’s like they’re canning Sports Night all over again.
Comment by Dan — Friday, February 23, 2007 @ 11:28 am
Lost season 1 was amazing, 2 was very good, 3 so far basically sucks. The last episode, with Bai Ling, was trash, Jack’s flashback added nothing to the show, it was filler.
BSG is awesome but I am only halfway through season 2, recording all the season 3 episodes off of UHD.
Six feet under was amazing television, it had its rough patches, but it was great television.
Honorable mentions - firefly, freaks & geeks, entourage, dexter, arrested development
ps. Maybe Firefly, Freaks & Arrested are all thought of so highly because they were cut off prematurely.
pps. According to EW Lost is supposed to be a lot better by the end of the season, but we will have to wait and see (or not).
Comment by Jiffylush — Friday, February 23, 2007 @ 12:17 pm
Meh, I’m still along for the ride. But it is the difference between some sexy lingerie and running around starkers, ain’t it? I mean, the mysteries had us spellbound. Now that we’re beginning to see how the tricks were done, we’re losing the magic.
ABC is really bungling it, IMO. These promises of questions answered bit is wearing thin– it’s like a soap opera claiming the same thing, and just as disingenuous. My hope is they will start giving us some backstory for the Others. Personally the best part of the show used to be the intricate and humanistic portrayals of these people. Show us the humanity of the Others, or how they lost it, and you’ll see viewership rise again (although it’ll never top itself, TV don’t work like dat no mo).
Comment by Victor — Wednesday, February 28, 2007 @ 6:14 am
i’m going to agree with dan on the BSG comment. i’m slowly losing faith in what used to be my favorite show. ever since the pegasus two-parter at the mid-point of season 2, it’s been riddled with horrible single episode story arcs that are either totally pointless, or bring up some series altering theme and find a way to wrap it up in 60 minutes and forget about it. like the episode earlier this season, revealing that the colonies precipitated the nuclear attack by crossing the dmz. wtf?? and the last ep tried to take well established characters and turn them into classist slave drivers. adama will go to war to prevent tyrol from being executed for murder sans trial, but he’ll put callie up against a bulkhead and shoot her for unionizing.
on the other hand, heroes is totally doing the opposite. it started off with a promising concept mired by some really mediocre writing, but as soon as it got picked up for a full season nbc must have thrown and assload of cash at that show cos it’s kicking ass.
ok and to make this lost related: i swear if they introduce ONE more new character with ANOTHER backstory without resolving SOMETHING, i’m taking it off my tivo. this show is seriously becoming x-filed.
Comment by evan — Friday, March 2, 2007 @ 5:04 pm
X-Filed! I love it! Great term.
Comment by Ryan Block — Friday, March 2, 2007 @ 5:17 pm