Intro:
------

I've just finished watching Season 2 of Lost on Channel 4 and have to say that I'm more confused then ever, and can't wait for Season 3 to start next year. In the meantime I've been watching some of the Season 1 episodes on DVD and thought it would be a good time to review the first season of this amazing, confusing and at times brilliant drama series. Although it has its critics for me Lost is great entertainment and a great drama series, even if at times it can be very frustrating. For those of you not familiar with Lost, the premise is quite simple but gets more and more complicated as we delve deeper into the characters minds. Season 1 aired on Channel 4 in August 2005, with the first episode getting a massive 6 million viewers. Ratings have dipped as the episodes have progressed, but I am still a loyal Lost fan, even if I'm getting more questions then answers.

Anyway, the story unfolds with a plane crashing on to a desert island in the South Pacific in the middle of the day, with the opening crash scene very impressive (and probably very expensive to produce). The survivors of the crash haul themselves away from the burning wreckage and set up camp on the beach, waiting to be rescued. When it becomes clear that help is not going to be on its way any time soon, the islanders must set up shelter and find food if they are to survive. Meanwhile, the characters own insecurities and the mysteries of the island start to come out, as the series really takes off, building to a climatic and astonishing finale that will leave you wanting more. The clever use of flashbacks adds a level of depth to the story; this is not just a simple 'people stranded' on island scenario, it's much more complicated then that.

Series 1 of Lost concentrates on 14 of the survivors in particular, with each of them having interesting and varied back stories which led to them catching this fateful flight. The 14 characters are Jack, Kate, Sawyer, Sayid, Charlie, Claire, Locke, Shannon, Boone, Jin, Sun, Hurley, Walt and Michael. All of these characters are likeable in some way, although I found Shannon to be very trying and annoying at times. The most interesting characters, and the ones in which Lost focuses on a lot, are Jack, Kate, Sawyer and Locke. Without these four characters, in particular the impressive Locke (played by Terry O' Quinn), the programme would definately not be as good as it is.

The main characters:
-----------------------------

Jack (played by Matthew Fox) is the hero of the story, and luckily for the islanders a doctor. He's the first person we see emerge from the plane crash alive, and is on hand to aid and comfort the other survivors, without thinking about his own safety. Jack is a likeable but headstrong person, and has a very emotional reason for taking the flight.

Kate (Evangeline Lilly) is an escaped convict, although this dark secret is not known to the other survivors. Like Jack she is headstrong and determined, but has a much more interesting and secretive past which she likes to keep to herself. She also strikes a close relationship with Jack, although this never turns into anything more as Jack is often unsure of her motives. It is unclear throughout the first series whether Kate can be trusted or not, particularly when her dodgy past is revealed. I like the way Kate is portrayed, and love her banter with Sawyer.

Sawyer (Josh Holloway) is my favourite character and for all female fans of the show the most attractive male on the island. I find Sawyers character, along with Locke's, of most interest. He's often sarcastic and rude, and seems to hate some of his fellow islanders, particularly Jack, who for some reason he sees as a threat. During the early episodes it is unclear whether Sawyer is a good or bad guy, but as his flashbacks unfold we see a whole different light to his character.

Locke (Terry O' Quinn) is definately the most troubled survivor, and the one with the most painful and emotional back story, which is told in some superb flashbacks which left me teary-eyed. He is probably the only character who actually wants to be on the island, as if he has been sent there for a reason unknown to everyone else. During the early episodes he is the one uncovering the island's mysteries, and plays a key part in the finale of the series, as we begin to uncover the secrets that the island holds.

Sayid (Naveen Andrews) is a very intelligent character with a military background, and very astute technically. Sayid has one big enemy on the island, Sawyer, who sees him as a criminal because of his background as a soldier. Sayid is likeable becuase although he is a very strong character he also has a weak and vulnerable side, particularly when we delve into his past relationships.

Charlie (Dominic Monaghan) is a member of a rock band who has a serious drug problem, which he has to contend with throughout the series. He also has a very typical British accent and says 'Bloody hell' a lot, just like Rupert Grint does in Harry Potter. As a fellow Englishman I don't like the way his character is portrayed, and also the way England is portrayed, but he's still of much interest.

Claire (Emilie De Ravin) is a heavily pregnant woman with a very strange past, who becomes close friends with Charlie. She's probably the least used character in the series, possibly because of the fact that she's as big as a house and can't move around like the other islanders.

Hurley (Jorge Gargia) is a very likeable (and rather big) fellow with one of the most important back stories. He also adds a lot of warmth and humour to the show, and plays a key part in the finale.

Michael (Harold Perrineau) is a very protective father, who's young son Walt was on the plane with him. He seems to be the most keen to get off the island, and is only really interested in protecting his son, rather then helping anyone else. His character does gain a lot more warmth and understanding as the series goes on thankfully.

Walt (Malcolm David Kelley) is Michael's son and the only child on the island. He gets into trouble an awful lot, much to the annoyance of his father, and also strikes up a very close relationship with Locke. It is clear that Walt and Michael have a very difficult relationship with each other, and as their back stoires are told we begin to see why.

Shannon (Maggie Grace) is a very self-centred character who only seems to think about herself. She's probably my least favourite character, and doesn't offer much to the island, although her back story is quite interesting, particularly her relationship with 'brother' and fellow islander Boone.

Boone (Ian Somerhalder) is a very troubled character who strikes a close relationship with Locke. 'Sister' to Shannon, he again has a very interesting back story.

Jin (Daniel Dae Kim) is very protective of his wife Sun, and cannot speak a word of English. He, along with Michael, is very keen to get off the island as soon as possible. He seems like a very difficult and nasty person, but as the series progresses I began to like and feel sorry for him.

Sun (Yoon-jin Kim) is Jin's husband. At first she looks scared of her husband but as their pasts our revealed we begin to get a glimpse of their complex relationship.

The plot twists...and plot twists:
-------------------------------------------

Lost is a very complicated show with lots and lots of plot twists, so if you miss a couple of episodes you could be in trouble. At first it seems like a normal survival show, until we get our first flashbacks of the different characters and some of the island's mysteries begin to be revealed. Although the first episode has lots of great special effects it is the last episode that will leave you thinking long after you've seen it. For me the most enjoyable part of the programme is the unique use of flashbacks throughout every episode, as it helps to add a great level of detail to the different characters which you won't get just from watching them on the island. Locke's flashbacks are for me the best, particularly those involving his father, as we begin to realise that Locke is a very complexed character with a key mission on this island, although it is unclear what this is.

The external dramas on the island are nothing compared to the internal problems that the characters have to face, not just in the current climate but in their past lives. Kate has to keep her dark past a secret, Charlie must cope without his drugs, while Michael must try and protect his son even if their relationship has become strained. This really is absorbing and astonishing television, even if some of the episodes are not as fast paced and interesting as others. Created by J.J Abrams (Mission Impossibe III), Lost is an impossible programme to follow, as every episode brings something more unusual and stange that we as an audience have to comprehend. This for me makes the programme better as a whole, as although it leaves you bewildered at times it makes it all the more watchable. Lost is every genre and more; it's an adventure, a drama, a mystery and a thriller. It's also superb television.

The Acting:
---------------

The acting on this show is of the highest quality, but the stand out performances for me are Matthew Fox as Jack and Terry O' Quinn as Locke. Quinn in particular is a great actor and is able to portray a range of emotions; his acting during the very emotional scenes are particularly impressive. The whole of this series was filmed in Hawaii for around eight months, so for the actors it really is a tough deal being away from home for so long. However this doesn't affect their performances. I also thought that Malcolm David Kelley's performance as Walt is very good, but sadly we haven't seen much of him in the second series.

DVD:
-------
The Series 1 extras include how Lost was created, some audio commentaries and some very intriguing deleted scenes. This really is a value for money DVD, as you get all 25 episodes of Lost spread over 7 discs. I also liked the audition tapes which showed us what the different actors had been doing before they joined the cast of Lost.

A great show on a great DVD.