Celebrating the tenth anniversary of Lost‘s memorable conclusion, New York Comic Con 2020 revealed some insider information on the revolutionary ABC series. The show is notable for its complex storytelling, large ensemble cast, extensive mythology, and big budget, serving as an experiment for the viability of serialized genre shows on network television. In the budding age of online message boards and social media, Lost maintained an impressive audience and its success paved the way for even more ambitious and intricate future series, like Game of Thrones and Westworld.
Because of its far-reaching impact on what was possible for the still-evolving medium, Lost remains an interesting artifact. Part survival show, part science fiction, and with a little dash of soapy drama, Lost – with showrunners Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse – was applauded for its “mystery box” style, slew of heartfelt performances, and crisp writing. Unafraid to play with the formula or take even its most popular characters off the board, the creators managed to keep fans guessing for the span of their entire six-season run.
However, even ten years after Lost‘s somewhat divisive ending, fans still have some unresolved questions – questions the original showrunners and executive creators were tasked with answering during this year’s New York Comic Con. In an interview and Q&A hosted by Josh Horowitz, here’s what Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse had to say.
Michael Emerson’s Performance Changed the Course of the Show
It has been well-known that despite his eventual staying power, actor Michael Emerson’s initial obligation to Lost was a mere three-episode arc. Originally, there was no intention of Emerson’s role being the leader of the Others or a major antagonist in the series. Instead, the character was meant to escape and vanish into the shadows of the island, laying the groundwork for the reveal of the season’s true big bad. Materializing on the island and going by the name “Henry Gale,” early plans for the Ben Linus character were promptly expanded after show creators saw Emerson’s calculated and layered performance, earning him an additional five episodes. Still not satisfied with plans for surrounding future villains and so enamored with Emerson’s performance, Lindelof and Cuse decided to promote the actor to their main cast. According to Cuse, while watching dailies for Emerson’s first episode, the actor won them over with his line-reading of “have you guys got any milk?”
Scott & Steve
Another discovery made by Lindelof and Cuse during dailies: they had no idea which of the background actors was playing “Scott” and which was playing “Steve.” The off-screen confusion led to one of season 1’s earliest recurring jokes where many of the the island’s principle characters routinely mixed up the two Flight 815 survivors. However, the fictional and real-world muddling of the identities made for a real headache when the actor credited as portraying “Steve” left the show after his character was killed by Ethan. However, Hurley explained that it was “Scott” who died during the episode and the actor previously credited as “Scott” remained on the show. Whether or not it was Hurley or the creators who mixed up the names is really anyone’s guess.
Time Travel is Tough to Write
According to Damen Lindelof, there are two types of time travel: the Back to the Future model in which a character goes back in time and can change the past, or a version where every action is preordained and nothing is really changeable. Lost‘s creators and writers opted for the second (and more difficult to write) option. Essentially, as described by Lindelof, the variation of time-hopping used in Lost made for careful planning and preparation during the writing process, as events that occurred during past timelines couldn’t contradict anything known about the present.
Why Cuse and Lindelof Won’t Talk About The Outrigger Mystery
While Cuse and Lindelof avoided most of the show’s potential time-related plot holes, fans have wondered about who was spotted chasing their heroes during Lost’s infamous outrigger chase. In the season 5 episode “The Little Prince,” Sawyer, Juliet, Locke, Miles, Daniel, and Charlotte attempt to escape the island on an abandoned boat, rowing as far away from the shore as they can manage. Since the island has been sporadically shifting years, the crew isn’t entirely sure when they are in time – a fact made even more disorienting when they are shot at by a pursuing vessel. The heroes are thankfully saved when the island jumps in time again, but the identity of these attackers has been a tightly guarded secret by creators. Lindelof jokingly remarked that they wish to keep some answers to the show’s many mysteries hidden, not unlike The Sopranos, a show that both Cuse and Lindelof hold in high regard. However, they did say that a version of the a scene explaining these shadowy figures was written for season 6, but was never used.
Are They Up For a Lost Reboot?
Both Lindelof and Cuse remark that a series like Lost could benefit from the more contemporary streaming model of television, perhaps finding a home on a service like HBO or Netflix. They noted that shorter seasons, fewer filler episodes, and an ability to use more colorful (and dramatically appropriate) language could make for an interesting take on the show, albeit a markedly different one. However, fans angling for a Lost reboot series shouldn’t hold their breath for any involvement on the part of the original showrunners. Cuse emphatically stated that they told the story that they wanted to tell and simply have no more cards left on the table. In truth, the pair worked hard to convince ABC executives – who hoped for a longer and more lucrative run – to conclude the show as early as they did. But Lindelof says he would be open to seeing a new story set in the Lost universe, especially since younger generations of writers would have grown up watching the show’s original run. As of the interview, ABC has yet to approach them with another Lost-related project.
Lost remains one of the most fascinating shows ever conceived, in part due to its early experimentation with the bounds of genre storytelling on network television. The work done behind the scenes is notable, as there wasn’t exactly an existing template for such a Herculean undertaking when the show was first conceived in the early aughts. With its success leading to a brighter and bolder future for the small screen and its possibilities, Lost is not only great entertainment – it’s an important chapter in television history. And after the lively and often humorous talkback with Lindelof and Cuse, fans may find that they just “have to go back” to the show where it all began.
