The final season of LOST should be as awesome as Exposé is in hindsight. I know, I know, it meant nothing, a glorified clip-show, it featured Nikki *spit* and Paulo *double-spit* in the back-story. But anything that opens with this:
Should be given a second shot, c’mon Lando freakin’ Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams) offing Nikki with two-shots point blank, then another shot just to make sure. Best shot that Lando’s taken since sticking it to the Empire in the final Star Wars movie.
Some other hints. Lando’s in black, Nikki’s in white. A plea from the director that he can bring her back, even though that would be totally improbably (her stripper outfit clearly didn’t have any bullet proof protection). That’s foreshadowing kids.
The all over meta-ness of Exposé is also all kinds of awesome, and a big hint to how (in my imagination) the producers planned to use the ill-fated characters to provide exposition without narrative in upcoming seasons. Indeed the end-date hadn’t been set yet, but Darlton were negotiating it, because they could see the writing on the wall, indeed having to try to insert Nikki and Paulo in scenes in previous episodes they knew this blatant story-re-reeling wouldn’t work long term. But re-watching the key-scenes through Nikki and Paulo’s eyes is a good way to relive the first three and a half seasons.It also showed that Adam Horowitz and Edward Kistis can write a one-hour procedural with the best of anything that Law & Order: Extra Special Unit or CSI:Gotham City could even dream about. Putting Sawyer and Hurley on the trail of who killed Nikki and Paulo, while Nikki and Paulo do the LOST sites tour trying to find the Razzle Frikkin Dazzle diamonds is just classic writing, wrapping it up with a bow by the end. You know you wanted Nikki to crawl out of that sand-pit like a reboot Sarlacc after Sawyer and company started covering her with dirt.
Sawyer: What the hell is Exposé
Hurley: Only the most hour of television ever, it’s like BayWatch only better.
The scene with Leslie Artz screaming “The pigs are walking!” to complain about the lack of communication amongst the “leadership” of the survivors. Comedy Gold.
In many ways, Season 5’s time travel season used the story telling tricks that worked to wind in some epic scenes with the time sick record skippers to get everyone caught back up to the larger story. In that way, I’m hoping Season 6 will be like all the good stuff about Exposé. Giving answers along the way (a whole lot of narrative and revelation went on in Exposé).
Things don’t stay buried on this Island. – John Locke
Exposé was a homage to the fans, a wink and a nod to all that loudly proclaimed what the writer’s already knew, and Sawyer often exclaimed: “Who the hell is Nikki?”
In season 6, I want the writer’s to tell the story. I want them to give us the answers they think is important, I want to get emotionally invested, and then cry my eyes out in the end. I want complete resolution, with a glimmer of hope.
No offense dude, but as far as super powers go, yours is kinda lame: Hurley to Desmond
I want characters to come clean to other characters like Charlie confessing to Sun about his subterfuge with Sawyer. I want the wronged parties to get their shot, like Sun punching Sawyer in the face. I want the mysteries revealed in the tradition of LOST’s great storytelling. I want the risk of inserting yet another story-telling method in the final season to pay off. I want to be thrilled and confused and inspired and vexed. I want the final minute to shock me like Nikki’s eyes popping open as the first shovel of dirt hit her did.
After re-watching all 103 hours of television over the hiatus, and sharing that experience with awesome people, I have no doubt that Darlton, et. al. will pull it off.
ACTION
