LOST: Final Season Premiere Date Set!!!

Well my fellow LOSTIES, we've seen Wednesday as the home for LOST for much of the show's run.  During the strike-ridden season, we moved to Thursdays in a cushy slot after Grey's Anatomy.  And now?  LOST will travel to the most competitive day in the Winter/Spring months.  Yes, it's Ellen and Simon vs. Jacob and Jack!   LOST moves to Tuesdays!   The 3 hour premiere event will take place on Tuesday February 2nd, 2009.  (8:00 Eastern Time - 1st hour a recap show followed by the 2 hour premiere entitled "LA X" at 9:00pm Eastern Time).  The regular time slot will be at 9:00pm as well. On paper?  Awesome!  Pair up the 2 Sci-Fi shows of V and LOST and give the geeks their day!   But for bloggers like me?  This is going to be the apocalypse!   Clearly, LOST is my top concern when it comes to blogging, but I do have a soft spot for Idol and feel the need to bash the upcoming season with their newly crowned celebrity judge.   Since this news is just breaking now, I don't have it all figured out.  But I will!   If Idol has to suffer shorter blogs this season, then so be it!   This is a time for celebration, the show that has defied all formulas and defined a new generation of TV is entering its final season.  And we now we know when "The Beginning of the End" will occur!

How does everyone else feel about LOST on Tuesdays?  Are we ready for it?!

Updated Videos:

Trailer in Movie Theaters (no new footage, and someone filmed with a camera, but still moving!!)





Promo Trailer #2 (also no new footage)

LOST 1st Teaser Promo, Other Recent News and "V" Thoughts

Hey LOSTIES, it's been awhile since I posted something new so I thought I'd get in touch with everyone like me still trying to get through this hiatus.  I thought I would share some tidbits in case you haven't been keeping track. I also watched V last night and wanted to share some quick thoughts on the Pilot.  Enjoy!    

LOST Stuff

Nothing new really to share, I've been tweeting and retweeting (follow me!) anything that I've found over the past couple of months.  I wanted to share a consolidated listing of news items and rumors that have been circling around.   Here goes:

Teaser Promo
If anyone has been watching FlashForward, they probably saw the premiere of the LOST Final Season Teaser Promo last week.  The producers have announced that they will not reveal any new footage in the previews for season 6. (any scene from the new season would be THAT revealing!)   My soapbox on this, I like it!  Sure, I'd love nothing more than to see a 2 minute preview with all new footage to get me psyched for the new season.  But let's be honest, we're all psyched anyway and don't want to be spoiled with clips.   I'd be happy with a 2 minute montage of seasons 1 through 5 with some interspersed text getting us all emotional in the process for the final season!   Sure, there are fan videos out there like that, but I want something from the ABC marketing department.  Well in the meantime, feast your eyes on the 15 SECOND montage:

Still got a little teary eyed right?  So not much to do in analysis, just enough to get us amped up for January.  Hopefully, we'll get some other promos before then.   So, with that, I just wanted to get into traditional bullet form and go over some of the things I've heard about the final season.  I'll note SPOILER where I think it is necessary!

Non Spoilerish to Semi-Spoilerish Stuff

• Season Premiere date is looking like January 20th.  Due to the success of the 1-2 punch of Modern Family and Cougar Town, the timeslot is pending.   Since LOST will not be growing many new viewers for the final season, I along with many critcs and analysts are guessing it will get the Wednesday 10:00pm slot.   Of course, on January 20th, it would be safe to say we'd have a 9-11pm premiere!
• Check out this interview with Damon Lindelof on USA Today's Pop Candy. Damon always is an intriguing interview.  And if you're familiar with the podcasts he and Carlton do, then you should know that they stay away from ruining the show for us with major spoilers.  They just bring things up that challenge us to think or explain what they will or won't possibly cover in the show.   
• Don't forget Season 5 Blu-Ray/DVD comes out December 8th.  You'll need the Blu-Ray to attend your Lost University Classes.   And if you're planning to do that, you should enroll now!
• Have you been watching the DHARMA "Mysteries of the Universe" series?  It's a good time.  This, we're told, will be where the show will explore most of DHARMA now since the show will be moving on to other things.  (Still want the food drop explained on the show though!!)

More Spoilerish Stuff 

• Here's a great interview with Elizabeth Mitchell (Juliet) and Executive Producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse.    SPOILER WARNING: Very revealing information is revealed about Juliet, so don't say I didn't warn you!
• Episode titles - I like seeing them ahead of time.  I think it just makes us think about things rather than giving much away.   So without further adieu, here are the first 7 titles of season 6:
  
  1, 2 - LA X  -  The space is intentional.  This is a 2 hour premiere, so it counts as 2 episodes
  
  3 - What Kate Does - Kate centric episode and a play on words from Season 2's episode "What Kate Did" when we found out why she was on the run from the law.  Is this a hint towards a reset?  One would think so, but it seems too easy doesn't it?
  
  4 - The Substitute - Rumor this is a Locke-centric episode.  Which makes sense considering Locke wasn't as he seemed in the Season 5 finale.  And "the substitute" sounds like something we might like to know more about! 
  
  5 - The Lighthouse - Rumored to be a Jack-centric episode, and it would seem to be following the centric order of episodes from season 1!   Lighthouse sounds similar to the DHARMA Lamp Post station, coincidence?  hmmm
  
  6 - Sundown - Rumored to be a Sun-centric and still following season 1's centric episodes formula.  Got me on the significance of the title besides having Sun's name in it.   Hopefully not spoiling that she dies in the episode.  Seems too literal!
  
  7 - Dr. Linus -  Ahhhh, should have been a Charlie centric episode right?  If we were following season 1.  But we know he's not a series regular.  He is most definitely returning for the final season but we still don't know in what form.   But this sounds very BEN-centric.  The doctor part?  got me.  He did remove a bullet from Sayid and sew him up.  But a doctor?   eh who knows.
  
  Exciting stuff!
• There have been some interesting castings over the past months.  More Deadwood Alumni, And some legendary Japanese actor will be playing recurring roles.   You can read through the comments on the last relevant LOST Blog posting to catch up if you like!
• Returning CAST:  Well from Damon's interview, it's sounding like we're not going to get Libby to return in person.  The actress Cynthia Wattros (sp) has a conflict or something.  But Damon is confident, due to fan outcry, that they will be able to explain why she was in the institution at the end of the season 2 episode DAVE without her being there.     Sounds like they wanted to get the actress back that played the older version of Rousseau, but she is booked on something else overseas.  That is not cool!  But I'm confident they can find a way around it.   As for everyone else that has died on the show?   We have some confirmations of appearances: Ian Somerhalder (Boone), Maggie Grace (Shannon), Dominic Monaghan (Charlie) to name a few.   My guess is that we'll be getting appearances from a majority of past cast members as they try to complete this story and close some loose ends.   So I would think we would see Michael and Walt, maybe Eko (who wants to come back supposedly), Charlotte? (maybe), Daniel Faraday, Seth Norris (the pilot and Matt Parkman on Heroes), etc...    Why Walt isn't in the season 6 "FINAL SEASON" poster?  Damon says everything on that poster is intentional, so that will be interesting.  But they also said they need to explain Walt's "special powers"   I would think he needs to come back.     Any thoughts out there on this?

My Unofficial LOST Rewatch:
So, I have been rewatching LOST since July.  I'm on a slightly slower pace than the OFFICIAL LOST REWATCH going on.  But I've been having a really good time with it.  Right now I'm in the middle of season 3 and am planning to be done with season 4 by December 8th (DVD/Blu-Ray release of Season 5).   Here's some things that I have been thinking or noticed lately:

• Just watched "THE MAN FROM TALLAHASSEE" Episode again.  And I have gone back and fixed every single blog posting where I said that Ben asked TOM to get the Man from Tallahassee.  Someone even corrected me on a blog and told me it was Richard and I refused to back down!   Well, I am finally saying I definitely messed it up!   It was Richard.  Does this change anything for me?  Maybe.   Maybe Richard has the ability to come and go from the Island that quickly.   But Tom also has said that some of them can come and go freely.   But here's the thing that makes it interesting that it was Richard.  A BUS out of nowhere killed Juliet's ex-husband and Richard was around for that.   Anthony Cooper was suddenly in a crazy car accident and all of a sudden was on the island (or something like that).   Seems to be more of Richard's style.  Interesting right?
• I've been watching these episodes with the mindset of trying to link the Smoke monster to the Man in Black or Jacob.   And it is very interesting when you do this.  Especially with the Christian Shephard appearances and the Yemi appearances.  When the smoke monster kils Eko and Eko tells Locke "You're Next"  even though he interprets it as "We're Next".  Brings a whole new meaning! 
• I don't think I ever put 2 and 2 together that Kate convinced Cassidy to call the police and put Sawyer in prison to serve time for his LONG CON.  Maybe I thought it at the time, but never wrote it in the blog.  Nothing too crazy theory-wise but a nice detail!
• Last and definitely not least, I am realizing how much I originally enjoyed season 3 and how underappreciated the season was to most critics and even some casual fans who abandoned the show after those first 6 episodes in the cages.  On rewatchability, it seems more like season 2 suffers because that shows more of the holding pattern that LOST was in until a finite ending date was decided.   Still a top notch season, but 3 is up there as some of the finest TV that has ever aired. And no one argues that the S3 Finale THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS is one of the best season finales in memory.   And still battles in my mind with The Constant for best LOST episode ever.
  

Okay, enough LOST talk for now.  If I get any more news on the season premiere and a longer preview, I'll be sure to post it.  But let's switch gears now and talk about last night's V!

V Reaction
(obviously SPOILER WARNING if you didn't watch the pilot episode!)

We know LOST is ending after this season, and I've been searching for my blogging replacement.  There were 2 likely candidates between FlashForward and V.  FlashForward lends itself to an overarching mystery/mythology and could potentially lead to some similar obsessive analysis and need for a full-fledged blog.   V is looking like a potential smash hit show but with less mystery involved and more of a Rebellion vs. the Empire feel to it.  At this point, I just seem to be lacking in time to be providing full-fledged recaps for "V".   With Idol and LOST starting up in January and my current pick-up of FlashForward, it's just not feasible!  Depending on how this season pans out though, I may have to re-assess my priorities!   But I wanted to let you know that I am watching the show and am very excited it premiered to some strong ratings last night! (A little under 14 million!)   It's good to know that LOST may be leaving a legacy of quality TV behind when it leaves the airwaves.  (though we all know, nothing will be able to replace it.)

I was 5 years old when the original V Mini-series aired on NBC.  But I do remember watching parts of it, probably more V: The Final Battle than the original mini-series.   I remembered aliens lizards disguised as humans, eating rats,  eating humans and I remembered that I loved it!   While they didn't show us if they still like consuming US yet they didn't let me down on showing us their reptilian side.   They didn't even need to sign on Elizabeth Mitchell to make me want to watch this show, but it certainly didn't hurt!

Good things about the episode?

• Production Quality.   It was pretty top notch on the original but obviously dated.   Both the V and FlashForward pilots had some great special effects and CGI to make their stories very epic.   We were able to see these Spaceships hovering the major metropolises of the globe and make the threat seem very real thanks to today's technology.   And I'm glad there was at least ONE Independence Day reference.  Good times. 
• The Acting - One thing FlashForward gets knocked in is having a great premise with some lousy on-screen chemistry and dialogue.  I'm not really seeing it just yet.  But V clearly has some top notch acting in it and it will be one of its strong points going forward.  It doesn't get any better as Elizabeth Mitchell being the protagonist of the story.  Strong female lead and a whiny teenage son.  I'm sure they will not be seeing eye to eye about the VISITORS any time soon.   And did I sense some chemistry between the Priest Jack (11/9 Thanks MJ for reminding me he was in The 4400)  and Erin (Mitchell)?    Perhaps he will abandon his faith due to the Visitors?   Eh, probably not but we'll see.    And of course, always good to see another Party of 5 member back on TV!  Scott Wolf as the Reporter that is being used by the V's to spread their message of "GOOD". Kind of reminds me of the role Gaius played on Battlestar Galactica with the Cylons.  (Don't spoil me though, I'm only wrapping up season 1!  I know...way behind on that one).    There's more but I'm just touching on it briefly!
• The Premise - by the end of the episode we learned that the V's have been on the planet for quite some time but the "FINAL PHASE" has just begun with announcing their arrival.  Most of the planet is under their spell of coming in peace but there has been an underground rebellion for years preparing for this day.  They recruit new members in Erin and Jack.   Erin even finds out her sort-of FBI partner Dale is one of the Visitors.  I guess I should say was since she managed to kill him.   News flash though, these crazy V's CLONE human skin so it's looking like we'll see the actor Alan Tudyk (Firefly/Serenity (thanks  again MJ), Death at a Funeral, Knocked Up, and of course Pirate Steve from Dodgeball) again!     Oh right, then we have the group of V's that are GOOD GUYS!   Like Ryan Nichols who is in love with a human Valerie Holt and was going to propose to her.  But now that he knows he has to fight the good fight, he does not want to endanger her.  And of course, she doesn't know he's a V!   Did I mention Erica's son is in love with one of the V's?   Definitely some nice subplots already set up. 

Anyway, I don't want to ramble on too much on a LOST posting about V, but I did want you to know I will be keeping track of this show and really enjoyed the pilot episode!  Hopefully, one day I will have enough bandwidth to honor it with its own official recap.  Well, let's just hope it will DESERVE to get its own recap.  The show has a lot of potential.  But with only 3 more episodes in the can right now, there is a question to what direction they're going to take it.   We will see 3 more this November and then the show will be on hiatus until next year some time.  I believe we'll only have a 13 episode first season but that might be better!  It could lead to a more condensed action-packed story like LOST has been the past couple seasons.    Anyone else out there watch V?  Feel free to share your thoughts on the episode and if you would like me to continue to share my thoughts on the show.  (Probably would be via the LOST blog for now)

And that's all I have for now.  Anyone else doing a LOST rewatch out there?  How far in are you?  Any discoveries you'd like to share?   How have you been spending your hiatus time?    Feel free to comment below.

Like I said above, I will definitely post again whenever we get some definitive LOST information.  And be sure to check back on the comments as I, and other commenters sometimes add useful links to LOST goodies!  See you in the near future and NAMASTE!

Follow me on Twitter for blog updates and additional findings:@LOSTAddictsBlog

Check out my other Blogs too:
Flash Forward Addicts, American Idol Addicts