Pilot: Part 1

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

I am watching Lost for the second time and I can say that this is one of my favorite pilots ever.. SO GOOD

Four years have passed since the first time I watched part one of Lost's pilot. When it happened and I didn't have any expectations as I was new to the show. The only thing I knew was that it was about characters crashing on a deserted island. I had Robinson Crusoe in mind and already seen a few films on the subject, like The Blue Lagoon and Castaway, but nothing could have prepared me for the things I saw. Today it even felt better because I'm a huge fan of Lost and the characters have grown up so much on me in the last past years. So watching their first steps in the jungle or on the beach was just mesmerizing. If you're new to Lost you'll just fall in love with it like most of the viewers did at the time it was first aired. If you're already a follower then you'll just be blown away like I did. The first scene with Jack felt like a fairytale, as Alice opening the door to Wonderland. An other cult scene is the first encounter between him and Kate. Moreover the acting is so good that it makes such scenes even better. But it's only half of the strawberry on the shortcake as other major characters haven't been properly introduced yet. In fact I'm quite surprised the pilot episodes were aired at different dates. I'll definitely not wait for a week to watch part two once I've written this very review. Yes because it's the issue with Lost, you'll get addicted to it. But you can choose your path like the characters will. You can either channel your energy into something productive or just get lost. It's one thing the story helped me better understand. It's specially interesting as horror, fantasy and contemporary elements are mixed. The last scenes with Jack, Kate and Charlie are specially scary and you'll definitely want to switch on some lights to feel more comfortable. My only complain would be the production quality that could be better. Some scenes are really high-end and the direction is perfect but others look average with their studio elements : Approximate lighting, character incrustations over fake backgrounds… But overall you really feel like if events were taking place on a deserted island. It also looks that the budget was heavy on the crash scenes as it really looks like a puzzle to solve.

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

The opening of LOST is about as disorientating as anything in the past ten years of cinema or film-making. If it were, indeed, a student film it would be praised to the sky as something almost without comparison. But since it's JJ Abrams, it's just the start of the ride, as Jack (Fox) wakes up in a jungle, perplexed, stumbling, and in one very long take Abrams tracks along on a beach as Jack passes by the wreckage of a plane crash and everyone else running for cover this way and that. It's a spectacular action sequence filmed with a lot of energy and violence, but keeping it within the range for an ABC television show. We're also introduced to (some of) the characters, and the start of the spooky, uncertain mood that will pervade the show as a whole.

It's clever, wickedly engaging writing that keeps up moving from the immense nightmare of the plane crash to the 'what-do-we-do-next' feeling of the dozens of people on the beach, looking to Jack since he is a) a doctor, and b) a natural leader. It's one half of a pilot that sucks you in just based on the prowess of the storytelling and the sucking-you-in factor of the actors, who are all top-notch- especially the ones (i.e. Evangeline Lilly, Jorge Garcia, Terry O'Quinn, for me Matthew Fox) one hasn't heard before. It's further great that there will be more to come just in the second half. The pilot of Lost function as a mix of action and excitement, tragedy and velocity, and the inklings of a Twin Peaks style surrealism.