Lost: Season Premier. Tonight

[Psionicist]

I have written about this before, but I think it deserves another post.

A TV-network is in the business of selling advertisement. Sure, we viewers pay a small fee to watch their shows, but the main income comes from selling ad space. It obviously follows that a small network with few viewers will make less money than a large network with popular shows and many viewers.

Now here's the trick. It is not in the interest of the networks to air great shows, but good enough shows.. A decent/good show is an investment for the network. If they find something people will like, they will earn more money seilling advertisement. On the other hand, if they only air bad shows, no one will watch, and the companies who pay for ads will pay less.

By the law of the least common denominator, it follows that the network will earn more money if they have 60 million viewers who find the show "good enough", instead of say 30 million who think the serie is "the best ever". TV-shows are not much different from Hollywood blockbusters. Think about it and why it makes sense.

If this is still unclear, lets take an example. As a geek, I think it would be cool to create a science and math show. Sort of like the shows on Discovery but geekier and more hard core. I start my TV network executive career by airing recorded lectures by Richard Feynman. The physics geeks will love me. I don't get as many viewers tho. I dumb-down the program. I lose my core audience, but at least got more viewers. My show is now "good enough", instead of "great". The geeks are disappointed.

This is why every single TV-show that becomes really popular will end in disappointment for those who find that "decent" is not good enough.

 

[The Grumpy Celt]

It is not in the interest of the networks to air great shows, but good enough shows.[/b]

Great is a matter of taste. Further, one of the reasons the shows producers are trying to end it at four or five seasons it to end it when it it good rather than running it into the ground.

 

[Crothian]

This is why every single TV-show that becomes really popular will end in disappointment for those who find that "decent" is not good enough.

Not every single one. There are some that ended and I was as happy with it then as I'd always been.

 

[BlueBlackRed]

So I'm guessing Ethan was just strong in season 1 because he's just a normal freak rather than a special freak?

I hope the Stephen King book was The Stand. Personal preference, though several King books would fit into the semi-vague descriptions they gave during the book club.

And if the Others are really the "good guys" I'd say they're a Doctor Doom kind of good guy (they don't see themselves as evil) where they're fighting a potential Captain Tripps to save billions but they need subjects to test on. But that's just conjecture...

 

[RigaMortus2]

I hope the Stephen King book was The Stand. Personal preference, though several King books would fit into the semi-vague descriptions they gave during the book club.

It was already confirmed that it was the book Carrie

 

[Hand of Evil]

How does he maintain the to-the-death loyalty of the Others without some negitive reenforcement?

Think this was shown with the kid in the cage next to Sawyer's, that there are rules to be followed and the failure is extreme, you also had the fear Ethan had of failure with Claire's bady in the 2nd season. Dracoian rules maybe.

Unless the kid was a plant.

 

[John Crichton]

Chiming in late here...

That premiere was excellent and exhibited everything the show is all about. Setting the stage was something I was worried about and they did it nicely. Great job not cutting back and forth with the rest of the group as far as storytelling goes. Introducing new characters with 3 of the mains was the way to go. Otherwise, info overload.

Looking forward to how things are going at camp and on the boat...

 

[The Grumpy Celt]

I wonder if Jin dies or Sayid does cause I think someone will die in the second episode.

 

[Phoenix8008]

Wow, loved it. Well, a couple points. A friend told me that the actors names that play Michael and Walt are no longer in the opening credits. I didn't tape it so I can't confirm this. Doesn't mean they couldn't be back as guest appearences, but I think they kept Walt's actor's name in the opening credits all last season even though he was only there a little. Maybe others can confirm this from taped or Tivo'd rewatching.

Secondly, I think the reason that Benry would be nervous about the Losties having a boat is obvious. Jack, Kate, Sawyer, and maybe Hurley (not sure if he had left yet or not) were there on the pier when Benry told Michael to just follow compass heading 325 to escape the island! If Hurley was there and takes that knowledge back to camp, or if any of the three captives escape then the boat is sailing for freedom baby!

Overall, I liked it alot. Can't wait for more backstory on the Others and maybe some converted Tailies and such. I would also love to find out more about the smoke creature (if it still exists after the hatch is blown).

Theory: With the electromagnetic field gone, so might go the healing effect that fixed Locke's legs, Rose's cancer, and Jin's infertility. Maybe suddenly, or maybe with a slow fade. We'll see. But can't you just see Eko carrying Locke bodily out of the jungle and back to the beach cause his legs are useless again!?

Also, I really hope Desmond survived. I'd like to see more of him. Not to mention seeing what his girlfriend is gonna do now that she has a location!

 

[RangerWickett]

My current theory is that Kate is Sidney Bristow, given plastic surgery and a set of altered memories so she could infiltrate the Dharma Initiative.