A Less Emotional LOST?

[Mojochi]

So here's the thing. I'm cutting through some old episodes, like many of us, & I'm struck with realizing that the show moved me emotionally, much much more, in the earlier seasons, especially in season 1 & 2. Take Everybody Loves Hugo, for example. Sun finding the bottle from the raft, & Bernard finding out Rose is alive. Such an emotional high mixed with an equal low, that just really got to me.

Even Hurley's story from that episode, moved me, & it was sort of only about food & guilt. Plus, I can honestly say that the effects of Libby's death, on Hurley, were far more potent to me than Juliet's on Sawyer, though Hurley has always been my favorite character, & maybe those things are why

In a way, I really want the show to come full circle emotionally, just as much as solving all the mysteries, which we all seem more focused on. It has to touch me like it once did, & hasn't done, really, since maybe Charlie's death

At one time I got awestruck by little things like Jack saving multiple lives after the crash, & then wandering off to try to sew his own wound with thread, but can't & ends up forcing to admit vunrability to a stranger. I want to be reached like that again, & hope the finale will come back to this, because though I'm still thoroughly interested in, & intrigued by the show, I'm somewhat less emotionally invested than I once was, I fear

Richard's episode was really the only solid emotion I've felt in quite a while, short of Juliet's death. Am I wrong in thinking that we've lost some of the potency of emotion that was once there? Or am I just allowing reminiscence to over-shadow what's there now?

 

[trekkiebaggio]

I agree. Perhaps it's because of the high turnover of characters and we don't really get the chance to settle in with them. Like it was emotional for Daniel when Charlotte died, but I didn't really care that much about them.

And because there are new characters the old ones don't getas much focus or as many emotional moments as in the earlier seasons. Hopefully we're getting back to it, last week when Jin saw the pictures of his daughter was very moving.

 

[Talosian]

I also couldn't agree more. To me, Lost was always about the characters and their personal journeys. The seemingly irrelevant flashbacks were a rich contrast to the events of the island, and provided clues to the motivations of the characters.

But, so many of the main characters have died and so many new figures in the mythology have been added, that the show has gradually lost it's emotional heart. The Richard episode was the best this season not because it revealed the most, but because it was a tightly constructed personal story. And in that sense, it's totally out of keeping with the rest of the season.

The series has gradually, season by season, shifted toward a focus on it's baroque mythology. And I have to say, some fans have to be blamed in part for this. There's always been a vocal contingent on the internet who always seemed to demand answers to all the island's mysteries, and criticized slower character-based episodes.

Well, we're getting the answers now. And it's not nearly as good of a show.

 

[label]

Yeah, for the most part the stories haven't been as emotionally compelling (though the Alpert episode last week had it's moments) because they've gotten so heavy into the mythological storyline, which I don't mind. It'd be nice if they found a way to balance the mythological stuff with the emotional stuff so it was even keeled throughout, but given that they didn't know how long they'd have to tell the story until the end of Season 3, I suppose it makes sense.

All that being said, I've heard tonight's episode is supposed to be pretty much in the same vein as "The Constant" which was one of the most compelling episodes Lost has ever produced.

 

[Ryan8bit]

Yeah, for the most part the stories haven't been as emotionally compelling (though the Alpert episode last week had it's moments) because they've gotten so heavy into the mythological storyline, which I don't mind.

I don't even think they've gotten so heavy into the mythology. Right now they're focusing on setting a bunch of stuff up. The flash sideways, who's on who's side, etc. The whole season has been that way with the exception of Ab Aeterno. Ideally, the best kind of episode would focus on the mythology and the characters like that episode did.

 

[label]

I don't even think they've gotten so heavy into the mythology. Right now they're focusing on setting a bunch of stuff up. The flash sideways, who's on who's side, etc.

That's true, but what they're setting up all pertains to resolving the mythology. Pretty much the whole season has been focused on putting the pieces where they need to be so the Endgame can play out which doesn't leave much room for character driven stories though the sideways stories provide some of that.

 

[D Man]

All that being said, I've heard tonight's episode is supposed to be pretty much in the same vein as "The Constant" which was one of the most compelling episodes Lost has ever produced.

Oh man, that sounds awesome. I think "The Constant" is the best hour Lost has ever produced. Then again, the producers said last year that "The Variable" was going to be a companion to it, and while it was a very good episode, it didn't really hit anything out of the park.

 

[LitmusDragon]

The show still resonates with me quite frequently, but I'll agree, there were heights in the first season that really surprised me at the time. The most emotional scene in the entire series for me was probably Locke's "don't tell me what I can't do!" speech and the pan to reveal him in the wheelchair. Man.

 

[WillsBabe]

Lost has only moved me emotionally on a couple of occassions, to be honest. It's not really a show I connect with, or the characters. Lafleur and Juliette moved me to some extent, and Richard's recent espisode moved me massively. Other than that, the only emotion I've really felt from Lost is massive hatred of Ben (which has largely gone of late). I think the lack of emotion I feel towards Lost is probably why I wouldn't say it's really a favourite of mine, although I enjoy it a great deal.

 

[Talosian]

I disagree that it was only the first season that packed powerful emotions. Locke's apology to Desmond at the hatch in the Season 2 finale was poignant. As said earlier, Charlie's sacrifice was impactful. Rose and Bernard's storyline was emotional all the way through, but that's been resolved. As has Penny and Desmond's reunion. As has Locke's struggle with a father who abandoned him, and with himself. The list goes on. Generally speaking, though, these types of moments have become both fewer and farther between and less meaningful, having had less buildup. The show's suffered enormously as a result.

Sayid told us in the latest episode that he no longer has the capacity to feel emotion. Unfortunately, this is now emblematic of the series as a whole.

 

[Stone_Cold_Sisko]

There's also been an influx of new characters, old characters dying, and the writers set up so many mysteries that now everything is plot-based setup.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

I dunno, I thought both Richard and Sun & Jin's episodes were very emotionally moving (in the latter's case, it was the element that made the episode worth watching because the story wasn't strong).

But yeah, this season in particular has been all about getting us to the finish line in a graceful fashion. Which after all, is what we want. We've had plenty of emotionally powerful moments. I don't need to be reminded why I love (most of) these characters.

 

[sidious618]

LA X was full of great, emotional moments.

 

[D Man]

Look no further than "Happily Ever After" if you still think Lost has lost its emotional core.

 

[Mojochi]

Good point. I never really meant the show has lost it's way emotionally, but it's the time now to get back to it, because it's been rarer than in the earlier seasons, for quite some time now

Somehow, I think I had expected us to get back to it, near the end, which prompted me to make the thread. Man I think this is going to be great

 

[DevilEyes]

I dunno, I thought both Richard and Sun & Jin's episodes were very emotionally moving (in the latter's case, it was the element that made the episode worth watching because the story wasn't strong).

And yet a bunch of people whined and whined after the last week's episode that "nothing really happened" and "we got no answers", not caring about the emotional stuff. The Richard episode has been praised and the Desmond episode will be praised by the "we need answers, damn it!" crowd only because of the contributions to the mythology. And even with those, there are still people who complain that we didn't get enough answers.

The series has gradually, season by season, shifted toward a focus on it's baroque mythology. And I have to say, some fans have to be blamed in part for this. There's always been a vocal contingent on the internet who always seemed to demand answers to all the island's mysteries, and criticized slower character-based episodes.

And they're still there, still criticizing - apparently even the Richard and the Desmond episode did not give enough "answers" - and probably wouldn't be satisfied with anything but 45 minutes of exposition, kind of like BSG No Exit. Maybe Jacob should do a Q&A? I'm guessing that the ideal episode for the Answers!Now! crowd would look something like this:

Hurley: So, what is the statue?
Jacob: The statue was build in ____ by ___ because ___...
Hurley: And why did you live in it?
Jacob: I decided to live there because__ (answers)
Hurley: Who was in the cabin?
Jacob (answers)
Hurley: Why the ash?
Jacob (answers)
Hurley: What's up with Christian, I saw him in the cabin, too?
Jacob (answers)
Hurley: So, who did you say the fake Locke dude is, again?


and so on, for 40+ minutes.

 

[RoJoHen]

Good point. I never really meant the show has lost it's way emotionally, but it's the time now to get back to it, because it's been rarer than in the earlier seasons, for quite some time now

I know what you mean. Hell, I cried at the end of Season 1 when they launched the raft and Vincent ran out in to the water to be with Walt and Sun was watching her husband sail away.

Honestly, I think a lot of it was the music. The score just hasn't been as good in the last couple years.

 

[RoJoHen]

I'm guessing that the ideal episode for the Answers!Now! crowd would look something like this:

Hurley: So, what is the statue?
Jacob: The statue was build in ____ by ___ because ___...
Hurley: And why did you live in it?
Jacob: I decided to live there because__ (answers)
Hurley: Who was in the cabin?
Jacob (answers)
Hurley: Why the ash?
Jacob (answers)
Hurley: What's up with Christian, I saw him in the cabin, too?
Jacob (answers)
Hurley: So, who did you say the fake Locke dude is, again?


and so on, for 40+ minutes.

I am picturing this episode being from Jack's perspective. He'll just watch Hurley talk to thin air for 40 minutes, and at the end Hurley will be like, "Dude, it all totally makes sense."

LOST

 

[Mojochi]

Good point. I never really meant the show has lost it's way emotionally, but it's the time now to get back to it, because it's been rarer than in the earlier seasons, for quite some time now

I know what you mean. Hell, I cried at the end of Season 1 when they launched the raft and Vincent ran out in to the water to be with Walt and Sun was watching her husband sail away.

Honestly, I think a lot of it was the music. The score just hasn't been as good in the last couple years.

Though I agree that the score hasn't been there, it's a score. You can only score to what's there. I think the reason the emotion was better scored & more potent, was because the early seasons were showcased more patiently, therefore giving the music a chance to really punctuate the emotion.

Ever since the deal to make the final 48 episodes happened, I expect there was less time for that kind of patience, & they had to start flooding some action into it, to get us to wherever we're going to end up.

Can you honestly remember the last time an episode ended without a cliffhanger? There have been some, & most were in the earlier seasons. They use to alternate between cliffhanger endings, & ones with emotional potency. Not so much as of late. No time for that now. Ninja Sayid has got some shit to do! (Which was bloody great. lol)

 

[WeAreTheBorg]

The two most emotional episodes for me were "The Constant" and "Ji Yeong", so I don't really agree.