Pilot: Part 1

The beginning of LOST & The Walking Dead is the best beginnings in the history of the TV

One of the most amusing special features on the DVD box set of Lost's first season is the Q & A with the cast, in which Harold Perrineau reveals no one really knew what the show was about when they first auditioned. They just went for it because they heard J.J. Abrams, still benefiting from the success of Alias, was involved as a co-creator and executive producer (plus, he won an Emmy for directing the pilot). It's probably the same thing that happened when people watched the show for the first time: they didn't quite know what to expect, but trusted Abrams to deliver something special. And boy, did he deliver.

The first episode of Lost is remarkable for one reason: no matter how much time has passed since it originally aired, it still impresses. Then again, how many writers could get away with pitching a series about a group of people who survive a plane crash and end up on a desert island? Considering America was still recovering from 9/11, such a scenario was risky. Which is why Abrams added that extra ingredient, which makes these first 40 minutes of the show every bit as thrilling as all that has come after-wards: the island ain't normal. Okay, so that fact is shown to a minimum in the first half of the pilot, but there's a definite sense of bizarre mystery to the misadventures the stranded passengers of the ill-fated Oceanic Fight 815 must face.

The first episode focuses mainly on three characters: Jack Shepard (Matthew Fox), who is revealed to be a doctor in the show's trademark flashback sequences, Kate Austen (Evageline Lilly), the first person he encounters on the island, and Charlie Pace (Dominic Monaghan), a has-been rock star who joins them in order to kill time. We get a glimpse of the other survivors as well, especially in another flashback which depicts part of the actual crash (the plane went off course while flying from Sydney to Los Angeles).

The complicate time structure is, by itself, a very good reason to watch the series: whereas most mainstream shows, both past and present, insist on linearity, Abrams and Damon Lindelof's willingness to trust the audience to connect the dots, reminiscent of Chris Carter's pact with viewers regarding the mythology arc of The X-Files, gives the program a sense of real, unpretentious intelligence. The huge ensemble cast is also very good, and it is to Abrams' eternal credit that he manages to give everyone (even Terry O' Quinn, who has about a minute of screen time in the first part of the pilot) at least one attention-worthy moment over the course of 40 minutes.

And then, last but not least, we have the suspense, the Twin Peaks-like questions which pile up and spend a lot of time unanswered. "Guys, how does something like this happen?" one character asks regarding the final events of Part 1. Referring to the series, the answer is deceptively simple: it just does.

When 'Lost' was in its prime, it was must-watch television. Remember first watching it, found it remarkably easy to get into, was hooked from the start and was on Season 3 by the end of one week. The general consensus is that the final season is a disappointment and cannot disagree.

There is the agreement that as far as pilot episodes go, that for 'Lost' is among the best of them. It couldn't be a more perfect beginning to a wonderful show and six seasons on it's still among the best episodes. Although the characterisation and back-stories admittedly became deeper, richer and more developed over the course of the show, "Pilot Part 1" still establishes the featured characters very well, making them easy to root for and feeling every inch of their emotions rather than getting frustrated at them. In just one episode, Jack and Kate in particular are interesting.

"Pilot Part 1" is excellently photographed, made with a lot of atmosphere and slickness and with no cheapness at all, while the setting has a suitable amount of claustrophobia and the plane effects are better than many disaster films featuring anything with a plane. The music is understated yet chilling.

Even for so early on, the writing is smart and taut as well as provoking a lot of thought. Although not the most character rich in terms of depth, the story has emotion, a genuine sense of dread and nail-biting suspense that have rarely been done more strongly since on 'Lost' and does it far better than most films.

Acting throughout is very good indeed, particularly from Matthew Fox and Evangeline Lilly. The chemistry between the whole cast is expertly done.

In summary, a perfect start. 10/10 Bethany Cox

The opening episode of "Lost" will always be iconic- that opening shot of Jack's eye, the progressive heightening of the tension in Michael Giacchino's music, and Matthew Fox's excellent acting as the character of Jack slowly realizes the scope of what just happened. The subtle introduction of numerous characters makes for outstanding character writing as well.

However, as with most pilot episodes, I find this script becomes too bogged down in being an introductory piece that it doesn't quite blossom as a full episode. Take for example one of the great pilot episodes in my opinion- "The Way Back" from Blake's 7. By the end of that episode you get the basic premise for the show, the characters, the nemesis, etc. Few pilot episodes accomplish that much and to be honest it is Part 2 of the "Lost" pilot that it successful in that regard- very, very successful.

"Pilot, Part 1" is iconic because it's the episode that hooked most of the people that are faithful to "Lost" to this day. When you look at how well it manages to introduce and develop these characters in 40 minutes it is an outstanding achievement, but for pure entertainment value and rewatchability when compared to many other episodes of the series? It's not quite one of the best episodes, and the second part of the pilot vastly improves on this.

J.J. Abrams proves his worth as director here, setting the bar for excellence in direction on this show and TV in general fairly high here.

Best scene- The first ever flashback aboard Flight 815 just before the crash.

Best shot- The introduction of John Locke, orange in mouth and all.

Questions in light of the remainder of the series: why did the monster kill the pilot?

8/10

If we've learned anything about islands in historical fiction, it's that they're a hoarded wealth of intrigue, danger, suspense, spirituality and sensuality. From the economically-concerned survivalism of Robinson Crusoe to the web of love and retribution in Shakespeare's The Tempest, they are one of the commonest but most captivating plot devices. They are apart from civilized society. They are home to exotic fauna and foliage. Not all of that fauna and foliage is happy to have visitors. Murder and crime are more easily accomplished without the constraints of civilized society. I think you can connect the dots.

Lost is the brainchild of J.J. Abrams, who created the espionage thriller Alias and college drama Felicity before that. Based on his resume we can already predict character development and long-term plot arcs will be the standard. Add in that this two-part pilot was the most expensive ever produced for ABC (resulting in the truly ironic firing of former chairman Lloyd Braun, who had greenlighted the project in the face of dwindling network ratings), reportedly costing anywhere between $10 and $14 million. That this show was even given a second thought speaks volumes about the amount of faith the network put into it, as it easily could have been a colossal disaster.

Fortunately that faith was well-invested, because not only is the premiere of Lost viscerally and sensorially astounding, but it's also compelling, chronicling the plane crash and miraculous survival of 48 passengers (with fourteen being regular cast members). As if in real life, the individuals remain innominate until the situation demands their introduction.

We meet Jack Shephard (Matthew Fox, Party of Five), a spinal surgeon from Los Angeles who gets dropped in the middle of a serious crisis, risking himself to save the lives of others wounded in the crash. A more enigmatic but equally important character is Kate Austen (Evangeline Lilly), who despite being out of her element is driven by a strong will and versatility. The scene where an anxious Kate stitches up Jack's wound is one of the most iconic of the series' run.

Few of the other characters are given little more than a fugitive introduction. There's the washed-up rock star Charlie Pace (Dominic Monhagan, The Lord of the Rings), whose shadowed eyes belie his comic disposition. There's a very pregnant woman named Claire Littleton (Emilie de Ravin, The Hills Have Eyes), who seems oddly cheery in spite of all the turmoil. There's an older man played by Terry O'Quinn (Millennium, The X-Files) who seems to be of importance but has little to do in this episode. More curious is an Asian couple (Daniel Dae Kim and Yunjin Kim) alienated not only by their lack of English but also antiquated gender roles. A Middle Eastern man named Sayid (Naveen Andrews, The English Patient), a foul-mouthed redneck (Josh Holloway), and a larger-than-life guy you just want to hug (Jorge Garcia) all beg stories to be told, while a pair of bickering siblings, the unnerved Boone (Ian Somerhalder, The Vampire Diaries) and the comparatively bitchy Shannon (Maggie Grace, Taken) are decidedly less inspiring. Rounding out the cast are the overprotective father Michael (Harold Perrineau, The Matrix trilogy) and son Walt (Malcolm David Kelley), and a soundless but sharp woman (L. Scott Caldwell) who Jack brings from the cusp of death.

It's awfully odd that all of these survivors would be so cushioned in the fall so as not to wind up with more than mere flesh wounds, but odder still are the grotesque noises heard in the jungle at night. From the get-go it is clear that there is something not quite right with the island, and while ABC's decision to split the pilot into two halves may not do its story total justice, it certainly serves as an engaging doorway into a storyline bound to be riddled with mysteries. A more comprehensive outline of the plot will follow in my review of Part 2.