Another one of the UK's biggest Lost fans, check out Gareth's blog & podcast here http://garethswasteoftime.blogspot.com
LOSTblog: How long have you been watching Lost?
Gareth: Since episode 1 first aired on Channel 4 in the UK. Never lost interest in it.
Q: How did Lost get its polar bear claws into you? What about it got you hooked?
The pilot was unlike any show I'd ever seen before and when the Losties heard a "monster" in the jungle and saw trees getting pushed over, I was hooked by my first big question of the show. Little did I realise just how many questions were still to come...
Q: Favorite character?
Locke is an obvious choice but Ben is up there too. The man we love to hate.
Q: Least favorite character?
Kate naturally but Jack set out as a favourite and then became a bit of a loser. I hope he can redeem himself in season 6 (and he set off in the right direction at the end of season 5)
Q: Favorite episode or season?
Season 1 will always be memorable as we faced this show full of mystery and intrigue, not knowing ANYTHING! Season 5 was brilliant for me because it was about a third of the way through it that I discovered Lost podcasts (starting with subscribing first to Lost Mythos, then Donald is Lost - now I subscribe to loads!). Through podcasts, I developed a much deeper appreciation for the show and its creative team plus they helped my own thoughts and ideas about what's going on.
Q: Least favorite episode or season?
Season 2 dragged a bit for me at times. The flashbacks seemed endless, sometimes pointless, and had grown a bit stale as a plot device.
Q: Are you Team Jack or Team Locke?
If I was on the island, I honestly think I'd be Team Jack, wanting to get off the island as soon as I could. Isolation and desperation do weird things to your head so logical thought might well go out of the window!
Q: If you had to be one of the following, which would it be and why: an 815 survivor, an Other or a member of the Dharma Initiative?
The Dharma people look like they had quite a good life there, doing pioneering research and work. I think working there would have been quite a lot of fun.
Q: Which character’s demise were you most upset to see happening?
Charlie was a shock but with the benefit of hindsight, we can appreciate how it benefited the other Losties and was somewhat poetic in its execution.
Q: Tell us a bit about your blog/podcast
I've just started out in the podcasting/blogging world. My podcast is called Gareth's Waste of Time and has some Lost chat but is more of a general tv and film podcast. I daresay I'll be talking a lot more about Lost once season 6 in well underway.
My blog is also called Gareth's Waste of Time (garethswasteoftime.blogspot.com) and has chat about tv shows, films and anything else that takes my fancy.
Q: What are you favorite online Lost communities, blogs, podcasts, etc.?
I subscribe to a plethora of podcasts (in no particular order): Lost Mythos, Donald is Lost, Lost Revisited Now, What Katy Said, Keys to Lost, Losties with Jed & Cara, It Only Ends Once. Hope I've not forgotten anyone...
Q: Tell us something interesting/scary/amusing/downright weird about how your time in the Lost fan-verse has changed your life.
I'm totally into podcasts now and have started dabbling in podcasting myself but I can't say anything scary or weird has happened to me as a result of Lost or being involved in the Lost faniverse.
Q: You’re in an elevator with someone who has never seen as much as a second of Lost. You got on in the lobby and you’re both headed to the fifteeth floor. How do you convince them to buy and watch all the DVDs before the elevator gets there?
Tell them there is a show that took the rulebook on how to create a television show and threw it out of the window. Want a show that will draw you in with more mysteries than you can shake a stick at? Want a show doesn't comply with convention and offers something different to anything you've ever seen on television before, and possibly cinema too? Watch Lost.
Q: Has watching Lost sparked any creative inspiration in your life, i.e. writing, media, art, etc.?
Yes very much so. I'd never really gone in for listening to podcasts before and had certainly never considered doing my own podcast. I set out by just emailing a podcast or two with my thoughts on Lost. This developed into sending voicemails and now I've recently started my own podcast to use as an outlet for my random thoughts. I've also got involved in a non-Lost podcast (Wirecast), that I regularly contribute to.
Q: How do you plan on combatting PLDS (Post Lost Distress Syndrome) or do you think we’re all destined to end up continuously re-watching our Lost: The Complete Series Ultimate Box Set for the rest of our lives?
I plan to do a full rewatch once it's all over and I have quite a few good shows I've barely started (such as Mad Men) that will go some way to filling the void. However it could be a long wait before anything as addictive and ground-breaking as Lost comes along again - if ever.
Q: What do you think will be Lost’s legacy?
It has re-written the rule book on television drama. Not just the writing and how to tell a story but the whole production - the original use of sound and vision. It's a multi-layered experience that bears repeat viewings and will surely stand the test of time. It deserves a place in the curriculum of creative academic courses.
