Lost.

Man this show was huge when it first came out. I watched it then and once since, so this will be my third watch. And this time around I’m watching it with someone who (somehow) has never seen it before. To experience all the twists and turns anew with someone? Oh, I’m looking forward to that.

The first season is awesome. We don’t get quite as much mystery and the larger story as later seasons–but that’s exactly what we need. Instead, the first season is all about survival–they did just crash onto a island far far away from land after all–and introducing our cast. And oh, they did that in spades.

The Pilot was, of course¹ awesome. And I do love the first season giving each main character a flashback episode. Locke’s (Walkabout) in particular was quite a twist. And oh Hurley’s.

I love the characters. It’s amazing, with a main cast of over a dozen, how they managed to give each of them (well, most of them) their own over the top backstories and room to breath. I suppose part of that is a side effect of an older style TV season–when you have over 20 episodes, you have room to actually build to something.

Jack is great, even if he’s got entirely too much of the perfect ‘Doctor savior’ personality at times. Kate is great, even when she can’t stop running. Sawyer is great–you love to hate him, but he might just be a good man under all that. Locke is a great mystery all around. Hurley is just great. Full stop.

That’s not to say I don’t like the rest of the characters on the island. There’s isn’t a main cast member in the first season that I don’t find worth watching–and some of them still have room to grow.

Otherwise, I love the slow burn introduction of ‘what is even going on on this Island’. Monsters in the woods, mysterious noises, hidden structures. It has it all.

And just when they get a chance to leave…

Thoughts by episode (may contain minor spoilers):

1. Pilot: Part 1 - Well that certainly opens with a crash.
2. Pilot: Part 2 - A transmission! Repeating over and over again for…
3. Tabula Rasa - So Kate has a history. They did have to start with her I suppose.
4. Walkabout - So Locke has a history – the first real signs of what is going on?!
5. White Rabit - So Jack has a history. Is it just a lack of sleep messing with people?
6. House of the Rising Sun - So Jin and Sun have a history. Man, to not only be stuck on an island but not being able to speak to anyone but each other?
7. The Moth - So Charlie has a history. A bit expected (he’s a rockstar after all), but still good for him.
8. Confidence Man - So Sawyer has a history. I do enjoy the twist in this one…
9. Solitary - So Sayid has a history.
10. Raised by Another - So Claire has a history. This might be the first signs of the supernatural we’ve seen off the island?
11. All the Best Cowboys Have Daddy Issues - A mystery in the jungle. This season is mostly flashbacks and establishing the characters, but really… in Lost, the Island is a character as much as any of them.
12. Whatever the Case May Be - Kate and Sawyer! Bit of a triangle going on this season. I think they fit much better than Kate and Jack though.
13. Hearts and Minds - The relationship between Locke and Boone is a fun one to watch.
14. Special - Didn’t… they kill that?
15. Homecoming - The Others.
16. Outlaws - Sawyer v Boar. He’s a hard character to like at times, but it’s totally on purpose.
17. …In Translation - Get it? Lost…
18. Numbers - So Hurley has a history. Oh Hurley. He’s happy and fun… until things go all sorts of sidesways.
19. Deus Ex Machina - Sawyer has headaches. Jack has a solution. They end up having a fun relationship this season.
20. Do No Harm - It’s a good thing they have Jack–but even he can’t be in two places at once.
21. The Greater Good - You know an episode named The Greater Good is going to have some ethical discussions.
22. Born to Run - Secrets! From the past and in the present.
23. Exodus: Part 1 - The Others are coming! The raft is leaving!
24. Exodus: Part 2 - Well that’s certainly not something they expected to find (so soon).
25. Exodus: Part 3 - A visitor. A hatch. And… more mysteries.

Side note: The fact that Sayid is a fairly obviously Indian looking man playing an Iraqi is… interesting. I’ll admit, I didn’t actually notice that on my first watches, so I suppose the show creators had a point. But still, it’s an odd choice. I wonder why they did that?