Lost - 4/26/06 "Reckoning" -- Aaarrrggghhh!!! Another RECAP show

[Bierboy]

This is crapola...first GA now Lost....suck city...

[weymo]

yeah...tiresome...why are they doing this to fans?

[jeepair]

Because they have no respect for their fans... :(

[kpurcell]

and they know that they won't get more fans unless they do this every so often to explain what the heck is going on

[Rob Helmerichs]

and they know that they won't get more fans unless they do this every so often to explain what the heck is going on
Which means they're doing their fans a favor, by helping the show stay healthy.

And since the clip shows don't count as episodes, we're not losing anything. This isn't replacing a new episode, it's replacing a rerun.

[darthrsg]

pacifiers, $2.95


diapers, 108count, $30.00


baby wipes , 960 count direct from factory, $29.00


Listening to the tivo forum folks cry about something...


Priceless. :)

[mightyb]

This is crapola...first GA now Lost....suck city...

...and Desperate Housewives as well!!!

ABC loves these now!!

[betts4]

It wasn't so bad as far as recaps go. At least this was clips and such from season two instead of a rerun from season one.
But I would rather have a whole slew of new episodes then a 2 and 3 ratios. 2 new, then 3 reruns, then 2 more new, then.....
I would much rather have a season like 24 - where it is all new and exciting every week for weeks at a time, and in between seasons I can watch my copies on dvd of the episodes.

[yostmatt]

...and Desperate Housewives as well!!!

ABC loves these now!!

After I seen DH was that way, I kinda figured Lost would be.

Cool - If you missed a few its easy to catch up for not Tivoers, which is easy to do, because they have 3 new ones, then 2 repeats, then 1 new one and 3 repeats.

Not Cool - If you watch the show EVERY week!

[terpfan1980]

One huge advantage to watching previews, or seeing the occassional commercials, or even reading previews in news outlets -- KNOWING IN ADVANCE THAT CLIP SHOWS ARE COMING. :D

[jradford]

Because they have no respect for their fans... :(
:down:

Which means they're doing their fans a favor, by helping the show stay healthy.
:up:

[DougF]

Lost recap shows are getting out of hand.

[dswallow]

And since the clip shows don't count as episodes, we're not losing anything. This isn't replacing a new episode, it's replacing a rerun.
Yeah, but they could've made some low-budget interesting hour-long episode, instead... like letting us watch backstage action or see plots/storylines they filmed but cut out.

[dswallow]

Lost recap shows are getting out of hand.
Recap shows are getting out of hand.

[bigcb37]

Look guys, they cant show new episodes every week. Get over it. I would rather see a summary episode to see what points the producers are trying to bang home rather then some random episode that everyone has already seen. I am surprised by the animosity based just on a recap episode.

[dswallow]

Look guys, they cant show new episodes every week. Get over it. I would rather see a summary episode to see what points the producers are trying to bang home rather then some random episode that everyone has already seen. I am surprised by the animosity based just on a recap episode.
What'd be nice is sort of what they did in the off time with Boston Legal... brought in Grey's Anatomy. Who says there have to be reruns at all?

[hefe]

Crap! Another recap/repeat! I con't believe we're losing real episodes to this! How many new episodes are we even going to get this year? :mad:

What? 24 episodes? A full season?

Nevermind. ;)

[terpfan1980]

What'd be nice is sort of what they did in the off time with Boston Legal... brought in Grey's Anatomy. Who says there have to be reruns at all?

That's all fine well and good if the network doesn't mind not trying to bring in some new viewers.

They do these recap shows because fan-boyz and fan-grrls of the shows start talking about them in the office, amongst friends, class mates, etc., and get people interested in them.

Ignoring the small part of the population that uses TiVos and other PVR technology, there is still a large (some might call it "vast" and add in words like "conspiracy" :D ) part of the population that watches live TV, and catches commercials, or see ads in mags like TV Guide, Entertainment Weekly, People, etc., or see ads in USA Today, or in their local papers, or, shudder, catch a quick advertisement/promo on the radio.

The ads are cleverly put together to make it clear that a late comer can catch up on a popular show just by watching the re-cap show.

Once you've seen the re-cap show and are caught up, you can then jump in the next week and start watching the hot show and be ready to converse with other viewers. If you've missed some episodes, it's not that big a deal, hopefully you'll see them in repeats, or you'll catch DVDs.


Meanwhile, if the nets never air re-cap shows, and worse, never air some repeats, then someone that misses an episode or two starts feeling less and less compelled to come back and try to catch up with the show(s).

It sucks for regular viewers, but it does bring in new viewers. If it didn't, then the nets would take the tact of airing alternative programs in the time slots. It happened with some shows that weren't getting the buzz and dedicated viewership (like Boston Legal) and it occassionally happens with shows like Scrubs, that are well known commodities.

[terpfan1980]

Yeah, but they could've made some low-budget interesting hour-long episode, instead... like letting us watch backstage action or see plots/storylines they filmed but cut out.

If they do that, they take away valuable bonus product/materials for the DVD sets they hope to release later.

[Cboath]

My guess is that with recap shows and giving them a title, they get billed as a new episode and therefore get to charge the advertisers bigger than if a show were a repeat. That is just a guess though. :confused:

[neilaevans]

For someone who's watched every episode, is this worth watching at all, or should I just delete it?

[thwart]

Good thing you guys tivo'd the show so you can go back and watch some of the commercials and the spaces in between....

[jschuur]

http://www.islostarepeat.com/

[newswatcher]

Now I've got extra time to make my lunch for tomorrow...

For those really bored, check out these really boring wallpapers

http://abc.go.com/primetime/lost/wallpapers.html (Lost papers)

I understand they do recaps to bring new viewers sort of up-to-date, but
these are getting out-of-control. I am soooooo sick of Peter Coyote's voice...

[Hawklar]

Anyone know how many ep's there's been this season. Dosen't seem like a lot.
This isn't meant as a complaint, just curious

[vertigo235]

Anyone know how many ep's there's been this season. Dosen't seem like a lot.
This isn't meant as a complaint, just curious

19

http://www.tv.com/lost/show/24313/episode_listings.html?season=2

[dswallow]

http://www.islostarepeat.com/
Wouldn't it have been better to use some symbology that takes time to figure out? :)

[Delta13]

[hissy taped voice]

Good evening, Mister Devdogaz. The natives are restless. They won't be satisfied until the Number of Weeks In Year - Number of New Episodes = a Negative Number. Your mission - since you continually choose to accept it - is to explain TV show facts to this audience.

Good luck (you're gonna need it) - this message will self-destruct in 5 years or 5 new episodes, whichever comes first.

[/hissy taped voice]

[FauxPas]

That Toyota Camry Hybrid commercial looked fantastic in HD. That was the first time in a long time that I rewound to rewatch a commercial.

[lordargent]

At least when stargate sg-1 does a recap show, they do it in an interesting way.

(look at the episode titled "Disclosure")

It was mostly a clip show, but had enough newish footage to make it still worth watching.

I can't remember another show where the scheduling has irked me this much.

[Rob Helmerichs]

At least when stargate sg-1 does a recap show, they do it in an interesting way.
But those are more expensive to make (they not only have to pay the cast and crew, they also have to pay the writers and guest actors from the episodes they excerpt). And they count as episodes, so you get one (or ½) less episode in the season.

[speedcouch]

Because they have no respect for their fans... :(

Exactly! What a total disappointment to have another recap (recrap is more like it)! And what a bait and switch from the description on Tivo! Why can't they at least be honest and say it's a repeat on there??? Just glad I was planning on watching live and not recording it. After the replay of the plane crash for like the 4th time, I told my husband, "I am NOT watching this crap again!" We watched Scrubs we'd Tivoed Tuesday night and Commander in Chief from last Thursday.

Burn in hell ABC!

Cheryl

[kpurcell]

Look guys, they cant show new episodes every week. Get over it. I would rather see a summary episode to see what points the producers are trying to bang home rather then some random episode that everyone has already seen. I am surprised by the animosity based just on a recap episode.

That's you -- I'd rather see all new shows in a row and then I can ignore it thereafter. Or ten new with a month off. Better yet, show all new shows and then find another show to show me.

[weymo]

ABC successfully managed to get me to record Lost as opposed to something else with this clip show. I am sure that meets with the marketing department's approval.

[Guindalf]

I'd rather have a recap show than be pre-empted by a two-hour Alias!!

If people would only stop whining, life would be good!

[Rob Helmerichs]

If people would only stop whining, life would be good!
Life will never be good.

[jlb]

I actually enjoyed seeing it (this morning after walking my dog). It sort of let me see certain things in a different light.

[DevdogAZ]

[hissy taped voice]

Good evening, Mister Devdogaz. The natives are restless. They won't be satisfied until the Number of Weeks In Year - Number of New Episodes = a Negative Number. Your mission - since you continually choose to accept it - is to explain TV show facts to this audience.

Good luck (you're gonna need it) - this message will self-destruct in 5 years or 5 new episodes, whichever comes first.

[/hissy taped voice]
:up:

I'm not sure if I choose to accept it, and since I have 5 years or 5 new eps to decide, there's plenty of time. ;)

For all the rest of you whiners, May sweeps begins today (Thursday, April 27th) so pretty much all your shows will be new for the next several weeks. If you've read what I've posted in the past about the importance of sweeps, you'd know that it's highly unlikely that they're going to show a new episode right before sweeps begins.

[bruinfan]

Wah, Wah...

West Wing goes weeks and weeks at a time between new eps quite often, and it's a serial show, and noone in that thread cries about the repeats or gaps. Not as popular a show, I would suppose, but it has a decent following.

[jlb]

Image found for the person who thought they saw something slip out of Kat's dress, when in fact it was her freckle, as previously stated in response...Here's much better evidence of her freckle

http://pop.wizbangblog.com/images/2006/04/katharine-mcphee.jpg

[Paperboy2003]

^
|
|
------ How is that related to lost? Am I missing something?


(I certainly don't mind though)

[bruinfan]

Image found for the person who thought they saw something slip out of Kat's dress, when in fact it was her freckle, as previously stated in response...Here's much better evidence of her freckle

http://pop.wizbangblog.com/images/2006/04/katharine-mcphee.jpg
I'm gonna guess this is in the wrong thread... but that's totally ok.

In fact, you should post this in every single thread on the Now Playing page! :D

More McBoobies!

[Guindalf]

Wrong Kate!!

I think someone got too excited about Katharine's nipular region. They need punching in the face 4 or 5 times!

[stevieleej]

Yeah, but they could've made some low-budget interesting hour-long episode, instead... like letting us watch backstage action or see plots/storylines they filmed but cut out.
I was about to smeek until I read this post.

My wife and I turned it off 3 minutes into the show. As Doug said, if they would have showed different camera angles of earlier scenes, some additional footage, dialog, or something more than a repeat, we would have been glued to the tube.

It would have been very easy for the creators to plan ahead of time for these types of shows.

[darthrsg]

this thread is a repeat/recap

[gchance]

They could always do the recaps in classic sitcom style.

[Rose & Locke on the beach]
Rose: Wow, John, the Island sure has changed you.
Locke: Changed? What do you mean?
Rose: Hehe, I seem to remember a time...

[Cut to airport where Rose meets Locke in his wheelchair where scene plays out]
[Cut back to Rose & Locke]
Locke: Yeah, Rose, it's been quite an ordeal.

[Ana Lucia approaches]
Ana Lucia: Hey guys, what's goin' on?
Locke: We're just talking... reminiscing, actually. About the two sides, white, and black.
Ana Lucia: WTF?
Rose: What he means to say is that we've all changed here. Aren't you a...
Ana Lucia: A cop? Yes.

[Cut to quick flashback of Ana Lucia in cop uniform shooting someone]
[Cut back]
Ana Lucia: I guess it didn't turn out that well. But now I'm here.

[Cut to the tail section survivors on the beach]

See? It could work. Happy Days ain't got nuthin' on this.

Greg

[drew2k]

If they're going to show "recap" shows, at least indicate it in the guide data!

Better yet, how about doing "Pop-Up" Lost, a la Pop Up Video? Every time a little cartoon bubble appears, there could be an odd grinding-whirling metallic sound.

This would be a great way to introduce new viewers to the series, while also keeping long-time viewers entertianed by pointing out or confirming the hidden/subtle clues that a lot of the regular viewers may have missed the first time around. (EX: Bubble over the diner waitress during "Long Con" telling us it's Kate's mother.)

I would watch EVERY recap episode of Lost if they would only spring for the expense of adding some Pop-Ups!

[betts4]

They could always do the recaps in classic sitcom style.

[Rose & Locke on the beach]
Rose: Wow, John, the Island sure has changed you.
Locke: Changed? What do you mean?
Rose: Hehe, I seem to remember a time...

[Cut to airport where Rose meets Locke in his wheelchair where scene plays out]
[Cut back to Rose & Locke]
Locke: Yeah, Rose, it's been quite an ordeal.

[See? It could work. Happy Days ain't got nuthin' on this.

Greg

Greg I LIKE this! :) I guess I am just a child of the 70's and 80's! If they did a recap like this, I would like it more then just the narrators voice and a feeling of omnipotence that I get from him. (the voice that knows all).

The problem is that it would mean that they all TALK to each other and compare notes.......that is just not Lost.

[darthrsg]

That does it!!!11!! :mad:

I am gonna write a letter. They need to give me a new episode of Lost every week. I aint skippin ads for nothing here, ya know!!1!! I am to "leet" a viewer to get treated like this. I thought all major corporations gave a s**t about me! :eek: It turns out they don't :( . This saddens me :( . Screw you guys, I'm going home!!!11!!!!1

[DaveBogart]

I was going to post something about all who are whinning about those who don't care for "Lost" recap shows, then I saw the picture of Kat McPhee and somehow nothing else matters.

[darthrsg]

I was going to post something about all who are whinning about those who don't care for "Lost" recap shows, then I saw the picture of Kat McPhee and somehow nothing else matters.
they got you too...

[Guindalf]

Actually, I see the McPhee picture as a Dharma Initiative plot to throw us off track. I think a member of this forum is getting close to the truth and the producers threw in the pic of Katharine as a red herring.

Now, if I can find a link on the map that Locke found, I can prove the existence of....................

[Fish Man]

At least it was in HD. It's the first Lost recap show that was (at least here).

/Ducks before feeling the rath of JAP! :D ;)

[ElJay]

Having Peter Coyote read an insurance binder would have been more interesting than the pile of **** that ABC served up last night. Couldn't they have given us a faux documentary on Dharma, flight 815 or something? For a show that has such a decent creative force behind it, I can't believe that they feed us bland crap for "recap" shows. I'd rather see them just put a rerun on.

[philw1776]

Uh, youse guys have Tivo's right? I just hit the new faster Delete button. Game over.

[eddyj]

At least it was in HD. It's the first Lost recap show that was (at least here).

/Ducks before feeling the rath of JAP! :D ;)
Sure, rub it in! (My HD TiVo died Monday). :(

But the replacement is waiting form me to quit work ang get it installed. So I am glad I only "missed" a clip show. :)

[teknikel]

Previously on Lost...

[thwart]

No way! I hate the way they did flash backs in the 80's. That was such a cheap way to do it. I'd rather they did it the way they did with Lost this week. Actually, I'd prefer that they put this recap on their web site for people to see and show a regular rerun on the toob. While the show is playing every week they can show a link to the site for people who are seeing the show for the first time.

They've only been stuck on the island for two months. I don't think the characters can start 'reeling in the years...' just yet.

[marksman]

I love how people still defend this nonsense.

[JYoung]

Uh, youse guys have Tivo's right? I just hit the new faster Delete button. Game over.


Oh please.
Then what would they have to complain about? ;)

[DevdogAZ]

Having Peter Coyote read an insurance binder would have been more interesting than the pile of **** that ABC served up last night. Couldn't they have given us a faux documentary on Dharma, flight 815 or something? For a show that has such a decent creative force behind it, I can't believe that they feed us bland crap for "recap" shows. I'd rather see them just put a rerun on.
You do realize that it's the network that puts these together, right? The producers of the show don't have anything to do with it or I'm sure they would do a better job. The producers get paid to create x new eps per season and they have nothing to do with how and when the show is aired and whether the network will decide to show a rerun, a recap, or something else entirely.

They will never come up with a solution that pleases everyone.

[marksman]

A little interesting information. Since January the ratings for Lost has dropped 21% on their new episodes and 28% on their repeat/clip shows. It gets even worse if you go back to the Season Premiere.

New Episode Ratings since January:

Date [1st Half hour Rating/Share - 2nd Half Hour Rating/Share ]

1/11/06 11.8/18 - 12.0/18
1/18/06 11.1/16 - 11.5/17
1/25/06 11.1/16 - 11.2/16
2/8/06 10.8/16 - 11.5/17
2/15/06 10.6/15 - 11.0/16
3/1/06 8.9/13 - 10.6/16
3/22/06 9.1/13 - 10.2/15
3/29/06 9.1/13 - 10.4/16
4/5/06 9.1/14 - 10.1/15
4/12/06 8.8/13 - 10.0/15


Also compare it to the first episode last January on 3/5/05 12.4/19 13.2/19, which shows about a 27% drop-off from then until now.

You can also compare it to the Season Premiere this year on 9/21/05 where the show got 13.5/20 - 14.2/21. That is a drop-off of 32% during this season. It is not like it is peaking and valleying either. The drop-off is nearly linear, so it seems they are bleeding audience almost every single week.


Regardless of what the problem is they are losing audience fast, be it because of their horrible mismanagement of the scheduling, or bad writing or whatever else. Lost is an expensive show to make, I just don't see it lasting 5 more years if ratings keep sliding on a consistent basis like it has been pretty much this entire season. If this keeps up, I don't see it lasting past next season.

[Rob Helmerichs]

Jeez, that's terrible. They've got to do something to draw in more viewers, or get back the ones they've lost.

Oh, gosh, what can they do? How can they get people to jump into the middle of such a continuity-heavy show?

Golly gee, how on Earth are they going to get people caught up?!?

[marksman]

Jeez, that's terrible. They've got to do something to draw in more viewers, or get back the ones they've lost.

Oh, gosh, what can they do? How can they get people to jump into the middle of such a continuity-heavy show?

Golly gee, how on Earth are they going to get people caught up?!?

I know you are being a smart aleck, but it is unlikely they can get people back nor get new peopel to jump on mid-stream. They was not to erode viewers at such a fast rate, but it is too late... Not really sure that they can pull this out... Just not likely to get people they lost back in, and they are not going to get new people in by showing clip shows, they will just lose more of their regular viewers.

[dswallow]

I know you are being a smart aleck, but it is unlikely they can get people back nor get new peopel to jump on mid-stream. They was not to erode viewers at such a fast rate, but it is too late... Not really sure that they can pull this out... Just not likely to get people they lost back in, and they are not going to get new people in by showing clip shows, they will just lose more of their regular viewers.
The way they'll do it is to get the season released on DVD ASAP so people can catch up over the summer before the next season begins.

[Rob Helmerichs]

...they are not going to get new people in by showing clip shows, they will just lose more of their regular viewers.
How? Regular viewers wouldn't be watching the reruns clip shows replace anyway.

[drew2k]

My suggestion to get regular viewers to watch repeats is to add "Pop-Up" factoids! It's a no-brainer! (IMHO) :D

[Deekeryu]

I don't like these breaks between new episodes. Run it like the show 24! No reruns, or recaps at all, which it should be for all shows.

[JYoung]

A little interesting information. Since January the ratings for Lost has dropped 21% on their new episodes and 28% on their repeat/clip shows. It gets even worse if you go back to the Season Premiere.

New Episode Ratings since January:

Date [1st Half hour Rating/Share - 2nd Half Hour Rating/Share ]

1/11/06 11.8/18 - 12.0/18
1/18/06 11.1/16 - 11.5/17
1/25/06 11.1/16 - 11.2/16
2/8/06 10.8/16 - 11.5/17
2/15/06 10.6/15 - 11.0/16
3/1/06 8.9/13 - 10.6/16
3/22/06 9.1/13 - 10.2/15
3/29/06 9.1/13 - 10.4/16
4/5/06 9.1/14 - 10.1/15
4/12/06 8.8/13 - 10.0/15


Also compare it to the first episode last January on 3/5/05 12.4/19 13.2/19, which shows about a 27% drop-off from then until now.

You can also compare it to the Season Premiere this year on 9/21/05 where the show got 13.5/20 - 14.2/21. That is a drop-off of 32% during this season. It is not like it is peaking and valleying either. The drop-off is nearly linear, so it seems they are bleeding audience almost every single week.


Regardless of what the problem is they are losing audience fast, be it because of their horrible mismanagement of the scheduling, or bad writing or whatever else. Lost is an expensive show to make, I just don't see it lasting 5 more years if ratings keep sliding on a consistent basis like it has been pretty much this entire season. If this keeps up, I don't see it lasting past next season.


So when did American Idol start up again?

[Rob Helmerichs]

My suggestion to get regular viewers to watch repeats is to add "Pop-Up" factoids! It's a no-brainer! (IMHO) :D
It just boggles my mind that shows like Lost, Arrested Development, etc., don't offer pop-up trivia tracks on the DVDs. The only places I've seen it used is in the Star Trek movies and the British TV series Spaced, which is so in-jokey and referential that the pop-up track just about doubles the fun.

[eugene82]

Look guys, they cant show new episodes every week. Get over it. I would rather see a summary episode to see what points the producers are trying to bang home rather then some random episode that everyone has already seen. I am surprised by the animosity based just on a recap episode.
I don't think there is very much animosity. Many simply have a desire to see a new show and not the same thing week after week. It at the very least is rather disgusting when a new show is advertised and a repeat is thrown in the faces of loyal viewers, now not so loyal.
I have nothing against any individual that chooses to watch repeats. This is not an attack on any individual viewer. I'm happy for them. I can't understand why the writers can't move on with the desire to at least attempt to bring back so many unpleased viewers. I am not in any way critical by saying this. I'm only pointing out reality.
The fact remains that Mr Stephen McPherson "can" show new episodes every week. They the writers are very competent. I've said it before and I'll say it again, "You don't see repeats of 24". You see a new episode each week. And yes, they are two different shows. They "are" not so different that a new episode can't air each week for the viewers.
ABC can do anything that the FOX network can do. They know it, I know it, and the rest of the world knows it. It's all about money and spending the amount to create something successful.
:)

[eugene82]

So when did American Idol start up again?
Fair question. I hear that the last ep of LOST on the 24th goes up against American Idol.

[DevdogAZ]

My suggestion to get regular viewers to watch repeats is to add "Pop-Up" factoids! It's a no-brainer! (IMHO) :D
But is it the intent of the network to get regular viewers to re-watch an episode they've already seen or is their intent to try and catch up the non-regular viewers? I'd have to say that while it would be very cool for us regular viewer if they'd put in pop-up facts, it would be very distracting for the occasional viewer who's seeing the ep for the first time and trying to get into the story.

[drew2k]

Yes. Networks absolutely want their viewers to re-watch episodes they've already seen. They want the ratings - it's how they make money.

It should also be the intent of the network to grow ratings, but when evidence shows that they are indeed losing ratings, ie, losing their regular viewers, ABC needs to make some changes.

Running repeats with Pop-Up factoids would interest the regular viewers, because ABC would at least be presenting something "new". I think the pop-ups would even be helpful to the first time viewer, because if the pop-ups are done right, they could reveal something about the character or episode that helps get the new viewer up to speed faster.

A serialized show like Lost will always have a much harder time attracting new viewers that a stand-alone show like Law & Order, for example. In my view, the network should be doing everything in its power to keep their regular viewers watching when new episodes aren't shown, while making the show as accessible as possible to new viewers.

[thatmeowgirl]

Here's their solution for your frustration:

April 24, 2006 -- "Lost" fans around the world will get a chance to start unlocking secrets about the mysterious island that has become an international obsession.


In what's being hailed as the largest interactive challenge based on a TV series, ABC and 19 other networks stretching across five continents are introducing "Lost Experience" — an Internet game that will feature a parallel story line that will give insight into the top-rated show.


The first clue will air on a May 3 episode, but network executives aren't saying how the game will launch or whether the critical clue will come during the broadcast or as part of a commercial break.


No further information for "Lost Experience" is being released, and network executives say future clues could pop up in any part of the world and on any medium. Fans from different countries will have to reach out to each other and trade information if they want to start sleuthing.


"The game reaches back into 'Lost' history and looks forward to future episodes," said Mike Benson, senior vice president of marketing for ABC Entertainment.


You don't need to be one of those hard-core fans who've memorized every episode, he said. "We wanted to make it so that if you watched 'Lost' from the beginning or if you've never watched the show before you can get into this."


The game is specifically designed in a manner that is not dependent on information from season one or season two.

In its rise to the top of the ratings chart, "Lost" has already pioneered unconventional approaches to marketing that play off the show's eerie tone, including a Web site for Oceanic Airlines, the fictitious company that operated the plane that crashed in the first episode.


"When we built the site for Oceanic Airlines, we wanted to do something that was different from all the other TV show sites," Benson said.


"What we discovered was that by creating additional content for this show, we could create a marketing tool that would have fans more invested in the program, and if it was cool they'd share with their friends."


While the Oceanic Airlines site added some realistic dimension to the show, "Lost Experience" is an entirely more ambitious effort.


"The show breaks so many rules, and we're really trying to do the same with our marketing and be organic," Benson said.

[dswallow]

The first clue will air on a May 3 episode, but network executives aren't saying how the game will launch or whether the critical clue will come during the broadcast or as part of a commercial break.
It won't matter because within 60 seconds of whenever it does happen, it'll be on the internet in all the usual places.


You don't need to be one of those hard-core fans who've memorized every episode, he said. "We wanted to make it so that if you watched 'Lost' from the beginning or if you've never watched the show before you can get into this."

The game is specifically designed in a manner that is not dependent on information from season one or season two.
In other words, it'll be as challenging as McDonald's Monopoly game.

[thatmeowgirl]

It's just a tv show. Why be so bitter. Just stop watching.

[drew2k]

It's just a tv forum. Why be so bitter. Just stop reading.



:D

:D

(me loves when I get to poke fun like that!)



Acutally, I don't think "bitter" is the right word. More like "frustration". Yep, plenty of that here in the land of the Lost! :(

[thwart]

There are 24 episodes in the season. That's standard for an hour long drama like this.

Every tv show has periods where they must show repeats. There are more than 24 weeks to a season.

The budget for a show can only allow for so many episodes to be created for a season. Also, let's not forget that writing and producing an episode takes time.

New episodes must be shown during three sets of "sweeps weeks". Repeats must be sprinkled in unless you'd rather watch pilots of 'budding' episodes.

People are complaining that there are too many repeats in between new episodes. Nothing new here.

From the moment the recap show began through to the end of the recap show, it seems that no one noticed anything new. Maybe people need to start watching the commercials and the spaces in between.

[justapixel]

Maybe people need to start watching the commercials and the spaces in between.

Dude.

You are on a TiVo forum. :eek:

[betts4]

Thwart, I understand the need for reruns. I just hate that the reruns are from a previous season. Why? and what happens in season five when we have reruns from what? season three? how silly will that be. I just also wish there weren't so many of them. I will be much happier when I can sit this summer and watch it all in one lump. (from the copies made from my tivo). Much happier.

[cheesesteak]

Considering that I'm already bored with this Season's Lost (didn't watch it until Sunday night), this recap episode just bored me some more. It'd be nice if something important happened on the show that didn't need 17 websites and a podcast to explain in detail.

[Guindalf]

My suggestion to get regular viewers to watch repeats is to add "Pop-Up" factoids! It's a no-brainer! (IMHO) :D

If they ever take up this suggestion, Drew, prepare to have your legs broken!!! :rolleyes: :D

[drew2k]

If they ever take up this suggestion, Drew, prepare to have your legs broken!!! :rolleyes: :DUh oh! You don't like pop-ups I take it? :D Maybe you'll have to skip watching Lost on TV and instead watch on abc.com using your web browser's pop-up blocker! :D See, something to satisfy everyone! (Drew, now entering witness/smart-a$$ relocation program)

[DevdogAZ]

There are 24 episodes in the season. That's standard for an hour long drama like this.

Every tv show has periods where they must show repeats. There are more than 24 weeks to a season.

The budget for a show can only allow for so many episodes to be created for a season. Also, let's not forget that writing and producing an episode takes time.

New episodes must be shown during three sets of "sweeps weeks". Repeats must be sprinkled in unless you'd rather watch pilots of 'budding' episodes.

People are complaining that there are too many repeats in between new episodes. Nothing new here.
This sounds eerily familiar. ;)

[BriGuy20]

Having Peter Coyote read an insurance binder would have been more interesting than the pile of **** that ABC served up last night. Couldn't they have given us a faux documentary on Dharma, flight 815 or something? For a show that has such a decent creative force behind it, I can't believe that they feed us bland crap for "recap" shows. I'd rather see them just put a rerun on.

Actually, I might watch Peter Coyote read an insurance binder. Love his voice.

[Delta13]

Yeah devdogaz, I know I've heard this line before about 24 shows in a season.

If I could only remember who keeps repeating it over and over ... if you'll pardon the expression "repeating" being used in this thread. ;)

But I will agree, if they are going to run reruns do them from the current season. Unless there is something very specific from a previous season that suddenly applies.

[thwart]

Wow.

[DevdogAZ]

Wow.
:confused:

[Church AV Guy]

Unfortunately, In Sept the season has to start off with new episodes. Then there are the sweeps months of Nov, Feb, and May. That uses up 16 episodes right there. You need a couple of new ones in the beginning of Jan to make up for none in December, so that's 18. You have only four to six episodes remaining for all of Oct, Dec, Mar, Apr, and the second half of Jan.

I am really interested in how any of you would deal with this?

Remember re-runs make more money for the company than new episodes. The business model has to work, and make a profit.

Does Lost have a 22 or 24 episode season?

[dswallow]

Does Lost have a 22 or 24 episode season?
24 episodes plus 1 special/recap in the first season (though that's counting the 2-hour pilot as 2 episodes).

23 episodes plus 3 specials/recaps (so far) in the second season.

[drew2k]

There's no reason ABC needs to show Lost during all three sweeps periods. As others have suggested, ABC could follow the same plan proven so successful at FOX with '24': start in January and run straight through with no repeats, no skipped weeks. ABC would hit the February and May sweeps, the viewers would be happy and maybe the ratings would climb again.

ABC just needs to find a different series to take the place of Lost from September to January. I'm sure they could come up with something. I hear they're very creative in Hollywood.

[hefe]

There's no reason ABC needs to show Lost during all three sweeps periods. As others have suggested, ABC could follow the same plan proven so successful at FOX with '24': start in January and run straight through with no repeats, no skipped weeks. ABC would hit the February and May sweeps, the viewers would be happy and maybe the ratings would climb again.

ABC just needs to find a different series to take the place of Lost from September to January. I'm sure they could come up with something. I hear they're very creative in Hollywood.
I think that's easier said than done. There's got to be a reason that only 1 non-reality, large budget production runs that way in all of network television.

[Church AV Guy]

First, I'm not trying to be jerk about this, I would really like to hear how people would deal with the realities of a network series.

Second, didn't Alias wait until January last year and run continuously until the season ended? They did not do it again though, did they? Maybe it wasn't all that successful an experiment.

[hefe]

Second, didn't Alias wait until January last year and run continuously until the season ended? They did not do it again though, did they? Maybe it wasn't all that successful an experiment.
They did,

67. 4- 1 5 Jan 05 Authorized Personnel Only (1)
68. 4- 2 5 Jan 05 Authorized Personnel Only (2)
69. 4- 3 12 Jan 05 The Awful Truth
70. 4- 4 19 Jan 05 Ice
71. 4- 5 26 Jan 05 Welcome To Liberty Village
72. 4- 6 9 Feb 05 Nocturne
73. 4- 7 16 Feb 05 DŽtente
74. 4- 8 23 Feb 05 Echoes
75. 4- 9 2 Mar 05 A Man of His Word
76. 4-10 9 Mar 05 The Index
77. 4-11 16 Mar 05 The Road Home
78. 4-12 23 Mar 05 The Orphan
79. 4-13 30 Mar 05 Tuesday
80. 4-14 6 Apr 05 Nightingale
81. 4-15 13 Apr 05 Pandora
82. 4-16 20 Apr 05 Another Mister Sloane
83. 4-17 27 Apr 05 A Clean Conscience
84. 4-18 4 May 05 Mirage
85. 4-19 11 May 05 In Dreams...
86. 4-20 18 May 05 The Descent
87. 4-21 18 May 05 Search and Rescue
88. 4-22 25 May 05 Before the Flood


NYPD Blue also did it for seasons 7 and 8.

[DevdogAZ]

There's no reason ABC needs to show Lost during all three sweeps periods. As others have suggested, ABC could follow the same plan proven so successful at FOX with '24': start in January and run straight through with no repeats, no skipped weeks. ABC would hit the February and May sweeps, the viewers would be happy and maybe the ratings would climb again.

You mean ratings would "climb" to the level of 24? ;)

While it has been pretty successful for FOX, 24 still doesn't get the ratings that LOST gets. Even when you average in the rerun weeks with their lower ratings, LOST still has a better average for the season than 24 does.

Believe me, I'd love to see the TV business change and see reruns go away and have more new series. However, as hefe points out, there's a reason they do things the way they do. I guarantee that if they thought they could make more money doing it the way everyone proposes, they'd do it in a heartbeat.

[Church AV Guy]

On the Futon Critic web page, they have this spoiler for a future episode.
...Jack and the other survivors struggle to cope with the horrific situation in the hatch... WEDNESDAY, MAY 10
This is from ABC directly, and is the kind of teaser that would be carried by TV Guide or in the Tivo title page. There is no further explanation given, just this. Any ideas what might be the cause? I have one, but it's just a wild guess.

[darthrsg]

Jeez, that's terrible. They've got to do something to draw in more viewers, or get back the ones they've lost.

Oh, gosh, what can they do? How can they get people to jump into the middle of such a continuity-heavy show?

Golly gee, how on Earth are they going to get people caught up?!?
HA HA! I get it. The viewers they are losing are the ones they gained when it became "cool" to watch the show(beginning of season 2). They tried to keep up and failed. Now it is back the "O G" viewers. Plus the repeat/recap haters may have left. Oh well more room for me :D . "Legacy viewers"> all.