The premise behind ABC's "Lost" is simple: Oceanic Flight 815 crashed on an obscure tropical island. The story twists and turns from there, which is fortunate for the viewers?this isn't just a "Gilligan's Island" rip-off. And "Lost" undoubtedly has its share of viewers: an average of 15.5 million per episode. The show has won industry awards such as Emmys and Golden Globes and, along with "Desperate Housewives," has pulled ABC out of a ratings slump and into the upper echelon of primetime TV. The third season, beginning October 4, promises to answer the cliffhangers from season two, while furthering the mysteries of the strange island.
Lost's format consists of 40- to 45- minute episodes that focus on the myriad storylines on the island. With about 15 recurring characters, the writers juggle many stories concurrently. At the end of season two, Michael finally rescued his son Walt from the Others, mysterious people who also live on the island.
While Michael and Walt successfully escaped on a boat, they only did so by handing over Jack, Kate, Hurley, and Sawyer to the Others. Season three will continue from that cliffhanger, revealing why the Others demanded these specific characters. It is quite possible that they have been watching the survivors, conducting an experiment, or that they have some sort of agency over the happenings on the island. Season three will begin to unravel some of the unknown aspects of the island dwellers.
While it may be considered the main one, the Others storyline is by no means the only one on the island. Claire recently gave birth to a baby boy. Locke and Eko are still struggling with the two hatches, which may or may not house a sociological experiment on the unwitting survivors. Charlie is a recovering heroin addict, and Desmond, who was locked in the hatch before Locke coerced it open with dynamite, is still on the island and should reveal more about how he got there.
Along with island storylines, "Lost" uses flashblacks to reveal parts of the survivors' pasts. Each episode focuses on one character. I venture a guess that flashbacks will reveal why Hurley's lottery numbers?4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42?recur on the island. I also speculate that some flashbacks will focus on the Others, thereby telling what their deal is, because as of now, they are pretty creepy.
"Lost" has so many plot twists that it is difficult to predict what will happen next. With so many twists, viewers must activate their imaginations to predict what could happen next, even if that "next" isn't revealed for several weeks. The show's writers even encourage fans to espouse their theories publicly via internet forums. Is the island a large scientific experiment, with the survivors as test subjects? Is the entire show the workings of some schizophrenic mind? These are only some of the hypotheses "Lost" fans have posited.
Season three should tie up loose ends from previous episodes, while also adding to and altering the island's landscape. Season one's focus was on the unknown?traveling into the heart of darkness in a mysterious jungle. Season two, beginning with the opening of the hatch, shifted focus onto a more technological world?computers, showers, and some Mama Cass.
Perhaps season three will focus more on the Others. Maybe the significance of the numbers will come more into focus. Assuredly, some characters will die, and new ones will be introduced. Thus is life on the island.