Recently, I attempted to explain the plotline of ABC?s hit series ?Lost? to one of my friends, an individual who has never seen the show. After babbling on for nearly 10 minutes, I looked up at her face, contorted with confusion, only to realize that ?Lost? is just not something you can deftly summarize. So if you?ve never been hooked, run out right now and devote several days to watching the first three seasons, or you?ll discover only too late the show has been spoiled by the following review.
The past three seasons have featured episodes filled with flashbacks enabling viewers to connect with and understand each character. However, the new season, which premiered last Thursday, seems to be looking toward the future. The first episode begins in the indeterminate near future, in which Hurley is being chased by police cars as he speeds down the highway in his Camaro as Jack watches the event unroll on his television.
The show then cuts back to the island, now seen as the ?past.? Naomi, the newest island visitor, has a cellular phone that the survivors hope will save them by connecting to her boat, now mere miles away. However, Naomi has been shot by John Locke, an event occurring in the final moments of Season 3 as an attempt by Locke to stop the boat from finding the island (which is currently protected by a jamming device) because he knows ? somehow ? that her people are not who the say they are.
Meanwhile, Ben, the ringleader of ?the Others,? is tied up against a tree. While Ben and Locke firmly believe that Naomi is dangerous, Jack and the remaining survivors simply think Lock has gone insane trying to dash their hopes of rescue. The situation becomes much more complicated when Desmond returns from an underwater station with the news Charlie is dead and this final message was to warn them about the ship. While it seems evident that the survivors will never leave the island, the flash-forwards confirm that six people make it home, the ?Oceanic Six? that fan sites have been buzzing about for months.
Back to the future, we see Hurley again in a mental institution, now experiencing hallucinations of Charlie trying to convince him to return to the island to ?save? the rest of the survivors. Charlie even slaps Hurley across the face, which is ?seen? by another patient, yet he instantly disappears. Confusing? Yes.
More loose ends transpire when Jack visits Hurley at the institution, making sure that he has not told their ?secret.? What this secret is, of course, we do not know. An unknown man also visits Hurley at the institution, asking for some sort of hidden information. These individuals are not the only people lost in the show; the audience is equally lost as well.
It?s hard to predict a show that seems to constantly twist and turn in directions you least expect. Of course, however, I have my own speculations. First, there is clearly a secret that if told could be devastating. We already know that Jack, Kate and Hurley are three of the survivors who return to America, and I would guess that the remaining three are Sawyer, Sayid and Claire. It doesn?t seem likely that Jin and Sun would split up, and it is also clear that Locke does not want to leave the island (I mean, why would he? The island keeps him on his feet, if you get my meaning). Since Claire has a newborn, it is plausible that she would return so that the child could be safe.
While the plot is densely filled with numerous story lines, fragmented information is sure to connect in this season. The love triangle between Jack, Sawyer, and Kate will surely become more dramatic. I speculate that at least one major character will be killed off as well. There is bound to be many surprises and an ending that will leave us on the edge of our seats for the next six months.
Because of the writer?s strike, ?Lost? will likely only be airing eight episodes this season. While it?s unfairly short, each one is sure to be incredibly intense and exciting. If you missed out on the premiere, it is available on Abc.com as well as iTunes. If you are not a fan, become one. As I said before, it?s not just a show, but an experience.