Kid Nasty's LOST Reading Room

[Kid Nasty]

Hi, I am Kid Nasty (as if you didn't know that), and I will be posting actor interviews, plot rumors, and news items about LOST in this thread. I hope people will like it!  

[Kid Nasty]

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'Lost' in paradise not what actor expected
By David Hiltbrand
Knight Ridder

Ah, paradise. That was Matthew Fox's reaction when he discovered that "Lost," his compelling new castaways series on ABC, would be shot entirely in Hawaii.
Then came the pilot.

"The first day, we shot the jungle scene where Jack, Kate and Charlie are running from the Big It," says the actor who plays heroic surgeon Jack Sheppard. The Big It is the ferocious, tree-shaking behemoth, as yet unseen, that is stalking him and other survivors of a plane crash on a deserted tropical island.

"We were freezing and they were dousing us with fire hoses to thicken the rain. The three of us were up to our shins in mud, shivering. I remember thinking, 'This is the furthest thing from what I assumed shooting in Hawaii would be like.'"

At this point, Fox, 38, has come to expect the unexpected from the hit series. Each week, the scripts introduce new shockers about the characters (Sayid served in Saddam Hussein's Republican Guard?) and about the island (how many South Pacific atolls have polar bears roaming around?).

Even "Lost's" success (it trails only "Desperate Housewives" as the season's highest-rated new show, averaging more than 17 million viewers) is something of a surprise, considering that its creators, J.J. Abrams and Damon Lindelof, went against most of the current network beliefs about what audiences want.

Lindelof ticks off the TV truisms:

"People prefer franchise dramas like 'CSI' or 'Law & Order,' shows where the audience knows what they'll get, shows that they don't have to watch every week. What they don't want are serialized stories, character-based shows, or horror elements."

"Lost," of course, embraces all those taboos.

Yes, it's a mystery and a monster story, but according to Fox, it's also a chance to explore some heavy themes.

"When people are stripped of all of society's rules, how will their true nature manifest itself?" he muses. "How will they get along when survival is at stake, when the fight-or-flee instinct overcomes their wish to be kind?"

Casting Fox in the lead entailed a considerable twist of fate. He came in to audition for the role of the conniving Sawyer, a part that eventually went to Josh Holloway.

The script was the most closely guarded document of last year's pilot season. Auditioning actors were given only three- or four-page excerpts to work with. Until Fox showed up.

Abrams immediately saw him as Jack "and asked if I had time to read the script," says Fox, on the phone from his rented beachfront home in Kailua. "He put me in this office, but he's so passionate, he kept running in every 20 minutes asking, 'Do you like it? Do you like it?'"

Originally, Jack didn't make it through the first episode. But an executive at Touchstone Television convinced Abrams and Lindelof that killing him off would be too wrenching for the audience. Fox read the revised script in which Jack survived.

"He came back in and just killed it," Lindelof says. "I really believed he had just been in a plane crash. There was no other guy considered for Jack from that moment on."

Viewers who recall Fox as Charlie Salinger, the petulant elder sibling on the long-running melodrama "Party of Five," may be startled by his flinty, Gary Cooper-style turn in "Lost." Even industry pros are surprised at the transformation.

"He's much more of a leading man," says Hollywood casting agent Danny Goldman, "much stronger than I remember him being on 'Party of Five."'

The actor is enthusiastic about his current character.

"Jack Sheppard's life and the responsibility he takes for the situation he's in comes from a dark, complex and twisted relationship with his father that is wonderful to explore."

Courtesy of Knight Ridder News Service

 

[Kid Nasty]

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Dominic Monaghan enjoys being 'Lost'
By Marisa Guthrie


Dominic Monaghan: 'It's great to be in a show that people actually watch.'

Getting stranded on an inhospitable island with a bunch of nefarious characters and a blood-thirsty beast that lurks in the bushes has turned out to be a good thing for Dominic Monaghan.

The British actor acquired cult fame status by playing the hairy-footed Hobbit Merry Brandybuck in the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy. And now his smoldering portrayal as tortured rocker Charlie on ABC's "Lost" has positioned him as one of the hit show's breakout stars.

"It's great to be in a show that people actually watch," Monaghan told the New York Daily News recently.

"My friends watch it," he continued. "And it's great because they're not tuning in to a piece of sh-- show just to see me. They watch it because they want to watch it."

Monaghan has seen his share of bad TV, most of it in his native England. Although he has the blockbuster "Lord of the Rings" movies to his credit, he had few reservations about committing to an American TV project.

"American television is just a lot more dynamic and creative," said Monaghan. "There seems to be quite a lot invested in American television. They take it really quite seriously over here, which is really refreshing. They give it a lot of weight."

Another selling point was J.J. Abrams, the mastermind behind "Alias," who created "Lost." The new show revolves around a group of people stranded on an island after a plane crash.

"(Abrams) was someone that I was really impressed with," said Monaghan. "He has an innate ability to get you excited about what he's working on."

The cast of "Lost" is sequestered on the Hawaiian island of Oahu, where they endure a grueling production schedule and little advance warning of plot developments lest spoilers end up on the myriad "Lost" fan sites.

"They track all the scripts so if one turns up on eBay, they will know who did it," Monaghan said. "They keep up with what's being said on the Internet and make sure that they confirm or deny rumors that pop up."

But Monaghan has some information about upcoming episodes.

"In future flashbacks, you're going to see Charlie (at) the height of his heroin addiction," he said.

"We're definitely going to see more of the monster," he added, offering another snippet of plot. "At least one of the major characters is going to die by the end of the season. And the monster could be the reason that character gets lost."

On whether or not there is a supernatural element, Monaghan is more cryptic.

"Everyone on the island," he said, "is linked in some way."

- Copyright (c) 2004 KRT News Service

(Source)  

[Kid Nasty]

IMDb.com

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Disaster Miniseries Is Anything But for CBS
The conclusion of the CBS disaster miniseries Category 6: Day of Destruction wiped out most of the competition Wednesday night as it averaged a 10.7 rating and a 15 share, peaking in the 10:00 p.m. hour with an 11.6/18. Nevertheless, it was beaten in the 8:00 p.m. hour by ABC's new hit drama Lost, which recorded a 12.3/18.

blaugh

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Producers Say, "Aloha Oy!"One produced-in-Hawaii TV series has knocked off another produced-in-Hawaii series. NBC announced Tuesday that it had halted production of the new drama Hawaii, which has been consistently trounced by ABC's Lost. Both shows were being shot on the island of Oahu, although Lost is set on a mysterious deserted island, and both aired during the 8:00 p.m. hour on Wednesday. Along with Desperate Housewives, Lost has given ABC a much-need shot in the arm, instantly becoming one of the top-ten shows on the weekly ratings list.

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ABC's 'Lost' Won Again
ABC's Lost remained the leader in the 8:00 p.m. hour Wednesday night for the third consecutive week, posting a strong 10.3 rating and a 17 share, but CBS took the next two primetime hours with back-to-back episodes of CSI (Miami at 9:00 p.m.; NY at 10:00 p.m.). CBS won the night with an average 8.8 rating and a 14 share, but ABC was close behind with an 8.0/13. NBC finished third with a 6.6/11, while Fox trailed with a 3.9/6.

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ABC Experiences "Phenomenal" Week
It has been axiomatic in the television business that it only takes one big hit to send the fortunes of a network soaring. That certainly appeared to be the case last week as ABC scored with two hit shows, Desperate Housewives and Lost, while NBC, after losing its biggest hit, Friends, dropped to third place in the ratings. "We knew we had good dramas in Desperate Housewives and Lost, but we had no idea they were going to premiere at the level they did. It is just phenomenal," Jeff Bader, executive vice president of ABC Entertainment, told today's (Wednesday) Los Angeles Times. Indeed, the two shows were developed by the previous ABC regime, ousted for failing to lift the network's ratings.

Quote:

Did Iger Try To Block 'Lost'?
Disney President and COO Bob Iger, who is CEO Michael Eisner's choice to succeed him, was "furious" with former ABC Entertainment Chairman Lloyd Braun for greenlighting the pilot for Lost, which has become the biggest new hit of the season, the New York Post's "Page Six" column reported today (Tuesday), citing an unnamed source. "He hated the show -- he thought it was awful and was really angry the pilot cost $12 million. He got Michael Eisner on his side and fired Lloyd. But now the show is the biggest success ABC has had in a long time, so who's lost now?" the Post's source said.

 

[Kid Nasty]

Hollywood Jesus:

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Once again, Wednesday night is one of the best television nights of the week, with several great shows going head to head. The latest hit is the show Lost from creator J.J. Abrams, who also created the shows Felicity and Alias, and who's due to helm Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible 3. The premise of Lost: a plane crashes on an island, stranding 48 survivors. Oh, and there's a mysterious creature running around terrorizing them. Gilligan's Island this ain't. Survivor the scripted show, this ain't.

There are several things that characterize J.J. Abrams writing. He has a love of pop culture, but doesn't mistake pop culture references for good writing (very few shows can mix pop references naturally into the rhythm of the show and still produce interesting characters and dialogue and not give into in-joke winking at the audience. An example of the former would be Gilmore Girls; the latter, the movie Shark Tale). He loves witty, romantic banter. He loves strong women. He loves thrillers with constant twists and surprises, and he's not afraid to veer into science fiction territory, which means he writes above the expectations of the audience, never condescending to them.

No matter how intriguing the premise, if you don't care about the characters, no one's going to watch. Abrams focuses on just three folks, making us care about them while whetting our appetite to learn about the others. Based on his previous shows, I expect a love triangle of some sort to develop before too long. The other thing to expect is that no one is as they seem. Jack (Matthew Fox), the doctor, helps the injured and maintains order and civility. Kate (Evangeline Lilly) was a prisoner being transported on the flight. There is a member of the Iraqi Republican Guard; a junkie, British rock ‘n roll bassist (The Lord of the Rings’ Dominic Monaghan); a black father (Harold Perrinneau, from Oz) and his young son; and a squabbling, supposedly adult, brother and sister among the cast of characters. As a testament to how well the characters are developed, there is an Asian couple who don’t speak English. Yet, despite the language barrier, we know that he is a domineering husband (who at one point orders her to button the top button of her blouse when she is talking to a man) and that she is submissive, but yearns for more (as she unbuttons that same button when he turns his back). Identity and motives all come into question as Abrams layers intrigue with the jockeying of alliances and constant deception.

The whole concept of man on an island reminds us of who we truly are. "Three days ago we all died. We should all be able to start over," Jack says. Who they were before the crash was their old nature. This time on the island represents their chance at redemption -- if they want it. When stripped of the conventions of society, without the veneer of civilization, are we the cast of Lord of the Flies waiting to happen or can we rise above our basic nature? Terry O'Quinn’s character, when talking about backgammon, explains, "there are two players: one is light and one is dark," echoing the sentiment that there are ultimately two sides, good and evil. The mysterious creature on the island reminds me of the Bible passage "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour" (I Peter 5: cool .

If you like popcorn thrillers with an air of wit and intelligence, this show is easily one of the best new shows of the year.

 

[lemonhobbit]

I'm gonna sticky this one. Thanks for making it! whee  

[Kid Nasty]

lemonhobbit

I'm gonna sticky this one. Thanks for making it! whee

You're welcome! Oo, I'm useful! surprised  

[Kid Nasty]

The New York Times:

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J.J. Abrams on the LOST set

To learn why J. J. Abrams has recently won a reputation as one of the most exhilarating storytellers in television, see the fourth episode of "Lost," the new hit castaway series Mr. Abrams co-created. The show follows the survivors of a plane crash on a tropical island, and at first it seems to feature the instantly recognizable types you'd expect in any ensemble drama, or any television show whatsoever. There's the stout-hearted hero, the plucky girl, the malcontent, the adorable child. But then there's Locke, a balding, middle-aged loner with a suitcase full of hunting knives and a penchant for making creepy pronouncements about the providential nature of the crash. He's the what - the half-unhinged survivalist, perhaps?

While Locke narrowly avoids being eaten on a hunting expedition, flashbacks show us that - hold on - he's really just a gentle office drone who has long dreamed of trekking through the Australian bush. But when Locke finally arranges his trip, the guide tells him that because of his " condition," he can't set out after all. As the camera pulls back, we discover that - cue the big dramatic flourish - Locke must use a wheelchair. But, wait a minute, the crash has miraculously restored the use of his legs. Cut to commercial!

The intentional misrepresentation of a character, the piquant revelation that makes you think you have the real story, then the unapologetically melodramatic twist, all set within a do-or-die face-off with menacing foes: these are the trademarks of a J. J. Abrams show. And Locke isn't the only character with an omigod back story: everyone in "Lost" turns out to harbor deep secrets. The plucky girl, for instance, is actually a mysterious outlaw in the custody of a sinister United States marshal who died after the crash.

It's a big, splashy vision, full of death and drama, that fuses the intrigues and revelations of the soap opera genre to the expensive stunts and exotic sets of a lavish action movie. Mr. Abrams's other ABC series, "Alias," which follows the outlandish adventures of a C.I.A. agent played by Jennifer Garner, has earned a devoted if cultish following for its similar blend of interpersonal travails and derring-do. And now that "Lost" is up and running, Mr. Abrams has returned to writing "The Catch," the pilot he was working on when ABC persuaded him to develop the castaway show. There's also the little matter of "Mission: Impossible 3," the megabudget Tom Cruise vehicle, which Mr. Abrams will rewrite and direct, with shooting set to begin next June. Mr. Abrams, who got his start writing unremarkable feel-good films and earned his big break with an earnest television series about a pretty but nerdy college girl, has become an unlikely and somewhat subversive keeper of the action-suspense form.

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Mr. Abrams may be the most interruptible human being alive. Visit his office, and you're likely to see him switch from untangling the intricate plot problems of an unwritten "Alias" episode with the producers Jeff Pinkner and Jesse Alexander, to tinkering with the sound mix of a "Lost" episode to be broadcast in less than 36 hours, to finagling a product-placement deal for the last candy bar left on the "Lost" island, and then back to the "Alias" conundrum. Subdivide the average human being's attention and it frays; Mr. Abrams's seems only to sharpen.

In the middle of fine-tuning post-production work for some bee special effects for "Lost," Mr. Abrams jumped up to play back a joke voice-mail message left by the actor Greg Grunberg, expertly impersonating an aged doctor calling with some very unfortunate test results. Mr. Grunberg, who has been Mr. Abrams's best friend since kindergarten, has appeared in all of his television series, beginning with "Felicity" in 1998, and he'll star in "The Catch."

At first, the bounty-hunter premise of "The Catch" didn't appeal to Mr. Abrams, but then neither did the premises of "Alias" or "Lost." "People who crashed trying to survive on a desert island didn't interest me," Mr. Abrams says. "But once we start talking about the specifics of context and characters and situation, where they are and what they're going through, I thought O.K., this could be amazing."

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One reason for "Lost's" impressive ratings may be the show's near-universal appeal: its characters are young, middle-aged, white, black, and Asian, and their stories speak to fans of both action-adventure series and nighttime soaps.

There's one kind of viewer Mr. Abrams has neglected: anyone with less than total dedication to following his shows' intricately constructed, speedily thickening plots. Dramatic series must walk the line between the modular, stand-alone episode approach that makes them accessible to novices (and viable as reruns) and the serialized storytelling that often makes for the most inventive, suspenseful television. Mr. Abrams is an unapologetic devotee of the second approach.

 

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[lime_hobbit]

Kid Nasty I am impressed in all the work u have done. and really appreciate it that u did all of this. thanxie ^_^ keep it up *smiles* love everything u put in here 2. Wanted to make a comment on how well u r doing biggrin

Sau