TV: Lost, Season One (D)

I know, I know, I'm the last person in the universe to watch Lost. Actually, I heard how great this show was but deliberately waited for it to come out on DVD so I could watch the entire first season at one time.

(Honestly, I can't imagine watching this show at the rate of one hour per week. I hate TV commercials and don't like feeling I'm being strung along so I'll tune in next time. Also, not enough "plot" happens in one episode for me to feel like it is worth it to tune in each week. However, it was a real treat to watch it all at one go-I was home recuperating from surgery and watched the entire season in about four days. I'll wait for Season Two to come out on DVD as well.)

The plot itself is very simple: a passenger jet crashes on a mysterious tropical island and the survivors try to stay alive. However, the real story is the characters. As they interact with each other and face themselves without the distractions of modern life, we get flashbacks to their past, their triumphs and mistakes and how they happened to be on this particular flight. We come to care about each of these people individually and want them to thrive even as we wonder whether they'll ever get back home.

I'm all about drama and suspense, but I also like seeing real people and finding out why they make the choices they do. This show didn't disappoint. Grade: A