Lost: Season 5 - Thoughts

If anyone reading this believes that they need introduction to Lost; I really think they should get a life. Without going to much into its origins, Lost is perhaps the most noteworthy and groundbreaking of television experiences this decade. It set the bar for what can be expected from TV, and treaded in areas strictly reserved for big budget Hollywood movies. When Lost first aired it brought to TV a sense of mystery, intrigue and edge of the seat sorta intensity that is to date unparalleled. In the months and years that have followed, I’ve had friends tell me, ohh you like Lost, check out Heroes (and so on). Well I did, and as nice as they have all been, it pales in comparison to Lost. At any given point of time, there are a handful of successful and popular TV shows; but it’s safe to says that Lost transcends it all. Lost follows the story of the survivors of Oceanic flight 815, which crashed on a mysterious island which possibly has a life of its own. To say more would be to give too much away, but with Lost its fare to expect the unexpected.


Season 4 was perhaps one of the weakest seasons. Having come to expect so much from Lost, season 4 was a bit of a drag and left me not really dying to get my hands on season 5. I remember having season 5 for almost 6 months before getting started on it. That said, I think the makers of the show were aware of this, and did their best to give back to Lost what it seemed to be lacking. Season 5 was awesome, and few long pending questions were finally answered. Needless to say, in true Lost fashion so much was left unanswered and hanging. Some new characters and story elements were introduced in season 5. Expect more flashbacks and some actual time travel in play this time around. Overall a wonderful season that will leave you begging for more. Season 6, here we come.

If you’ve been watching Lost for a while you know what to expect of the actors and their character portrayals. Matthew Fox as Dr. Jack Shephard has shown considerable range, in changing and evolving with the show. In seasons 1, 2 and 3 he was the selfless hero, and unofficial leader of the group. In the seasons after his more human and flawed side showed. The transition is very believable and natural. Josh Holloway as Sawyer, and Evangeline Lilly as Kate play considerably complex roles. Just 1 or 2 seasons are insufficient to understand them completely. Their performances are undoubtedly committed and deep, wherein long following viewers get to understand them better over an extended period of time, similar to that of a real life friend/relationship. Elizabeth Mitchell as Juliet is still dreamy and nice, but has a stronger and influential role in season 5. Serving as the voice of reason and direction in Sawyer’s life. Nestor Carbonell as Richard Alpert, the somewhat face of the island has a prominent role in season 5. He comes across as a no nonsense yet straight forward and good man.

The content I was watching was an HD DivX rip, recorded from TV at 720p. Video was good for most part and skin textures were accurate. As with DivX, colors were a little less vibrant, but the high resolution source and mastering made for a good experience. Sound was presented in Dolby Digital AC3 5.1 surround. While surround stage usage was minimal, it was perfect for ambient sounds; especially the ocean. Dialogue was clear and the center channel made a big difference here.

My Recommendation: Kick Ass (If you don’t like Lost and haven’t been following it I’d suggest a rating of Watch It +)