The Beginning of the End

Yes, I posted the picture above last year before the start of Season 5, but especially now, this season, these last few days until the final season starts, I think more than ever about this picture.

I think about the group of actors, and how much fun they must have had making five seasons of Lost. I wonder if they realize how lucky they were to take part in something so special.

I think about the characters they played. I think about how interesting, deep, inspiring, frustrating, surprising, unique, good, and evil they were (No! Not were - are! Are!). I think how far they have come, and how they have developed. I think about, at the risk of embarrassing myself, how many times in the last five years I've dealt with situations in my own life and used them as inspiration, or as a cautionary tale.

I think about the show they are all a part of, and what that show has done for me on a personal level. I'm not a TV watcher, but here I am blogging about a TV show, for Godsake! For everyone that watches it and loves it and obsesses over it and researches it and podcasts about it and blogs about it and talks about it at every possible moment, appropriate and inappropriate. There is a very real, very large, and very passionate community - an actual community - of fans who would have never met if it wasn't for Lost. The viewing parties, the meet-ups, the relationships that have been born from just watching a TV show. And for television. There will never be another Lost, that's guaranteed, but look at how high the bar is now set. I can only hope that others will now strive to reach its heights.

Yes, it's only a TV show, but it isn't. It's so much more. I know that in a few months I will strive but struggle to put into words what this show means. But I don't want to think about that right now. Now, more than ever, I just want to sit back and savor this final season. That may be reflected in this blog - I hope to post my initial reactions to every episode that same night if possible, but I don't want it to become a commitment, because what's the fun in that? At the same time, enjoying this season is my top priority, and the only thing I love more than watching it is exploring it and talking about it with all of you. So I hope you will respond here to the posts. I'd love to get some conversations going, so we can all share in this last leg of the journey that began on September 22, 2004.

~~~~~

I have a few links to share with you all below, but I first want to mention Sunset On the Beach (even though I'm insanely jealous of those who went and disappointed that I wasn't able to myself), an event that took place in Hawaii on Saturday night. Fans who attended joined many Lost cast members, along with producers Damon and Carlton, in a celebration of the show, and watched the season premiere on an enormous screen set up - yes - on the beach. (So beware of spoilers - people have seen the premiere, and you know some of them will talk!)
The first link below is to some YouTube clips from fans that attended. How incredible must it have been to be there?!
Enjoy!

Sunset On the Beach clips. I'm sure there are many posted all over the interwebs, as well as some still pictures of the event. Check out any of the sites listed on the right, especially Doc Arzt and Dark UFO.

Kayak, a travel site, has some interesting results for those who want a flight from Sydney to LA on September 22, 2010. (If you don't see what I'm talking about, check out the airline!)

A pretty funny video set to the tune of "Downtown" by Petula Clark (you know, Juliet's song), about how we want answers to all of the questions on the show.

If you are heading to Hawaii, you can use this website to find some of the filming locations used on Lost. (Take me with you!)

Do you enjoy LOL Cats? Do you enjoy Lost? Well, this is for you! Some of the cats they picked are perfect! (LOL Cats are those pictures of cats with "internet speak" captions. I'm actually at a loss to describe it; it's one of those things you just have to see for yourself.)

And finally tonight, one of my favorites for how random it is. Enjoy "Lost Re-enacted By An Italian Family." It's Lost. Re-enacted. By a family. And they're Italian. (It's actually only Season 5.)

Until Tuesday (YESSSSSS!!!!!)...
Good Luck and Namaste,

~ Matt