I know there has been a distinct lack of interviews lately and it's all my fault... things have been crazy busy on what I hope will one day be my 'day job', writing books. However as LOST is on at 2 a.m. Irish time, I have a few hours to kill, and what better way to do it than to put our 16 questions to Scott of the ReThinking LOST Podcast. I'm also hoping this will distract me from the realization that we are hurtling towards LOST's end at breakneck speed; I want to shout, 'No! Slow down a sec.' But anyway - over to Scott...
Q: How long have you been watching Lost? If you’ve been watching since the pilot, can you remember your initial reaction to it?
I've been watching LOST since the summer before Season 2. My wife and I watched season 1 online and raced to get caught up before the second started.
Q: How did Lost get its polar bear claws into you? What about it got you hooked?
I got hooked by the combination of action, mystery, and the diversity of the characters. I genuinely wanted to know more about what was going on, as opposed to simply passively watching what happened. Shortly after I got introduced to the show, the first LOST arg began. I didn't actively participate but I did follow it a step or two behind (I let other people do all the work, and I poked around the easter eggs they found)... that made this fictional world seem even more real and interesting.
Q: Favorite character?
Sawyer.
Q: Least favorite character?
Kate.
Q: Favorite episode or season?
Ji Yeon.
Q: Least favorite episode or season?
The Whole Truth.
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?
If I'd answered earlier, I would've said a member of the DI, because I thought it had a glamour and mystery to it, but after Season 5 and seeing how inconsecuential it appears to be now in Season 6, I'm going to go with being an Other. I think it would be very cool to be involved in the mystical aspects of the island. I'm not so sure I'd go for the gritty/camping aspect of it... I'm more of an "Otherville" type of Other than traipsing through the woods other.
Q: Which character’s demise were you most upset to see happening?
I was disappointed to see Eko die. I felt his character had a lot of potential. I was disappointed in the way Charlie's death was handled. I didn't mind him dying, but his death seemed to be avoidable.
Q: Tell us a bit about your podcast.
I coproduce the ReThinking LOST podcast with Elton McManus. We started the podcast during the Season 5 hiatus to fill a hole partially created by the Dharma Dummies' absence at that time (we are/were big fans). Our goal was to offer a unique look back at what people used to think and how it has proven to be right or wrong or changed over time. We adapted our format slightly once Season 6 started and our plans for after the show's end is to do some more "rethinking" of what everyone thought and how it played out in the final season.
Q: What are you favorite online Lost communities, blogs, podcasts, etc.?
Over the years I've listened pretty regularly to the Jay and Jack , the LOST Community, and Keys to LOST podcasts. I spend a lot of time at the Dharma Dummies' message boards and enjoy their podcats as well. There are many good ones, and for me the best thing has been Ryan's Lost Podcasting Network feed, because it lets me listen to so many great shows ... bringing them right to me.
Q: Tell us something interesting/scary/amusing/downright weird about how your time in the Lost fan-verse has changed your life.
Speaking of the LPN, I had contacted Ryan about adding ReThinking LOST to the feed without telling my cohost, Elton. Overnight our listenership increased 8-fold. We went from about 150 listeners per show to more than 1000. That was both a cool and scary moment for me. Our other podcast, "An Apotheosis of a Bombast" had about 60 listeners per show at the time, so it kind of launched us into the spotlight. Luckily, the reaction to our show was largely positive and we enjoyed producing it.
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 fifteenth floor. How do you convince them to buy and watch all the DVDs before the elevator gets there?
I tell them there's this phenomenon that has managed to combine the best of multiple mediums for story telling. That, a someone unexposed to the show, they have a unique and enviable opportunity to experience something that millions of people have enjoyed and they should give it a shot. I would ask them what type of story they enjoy most (mystery, action, romance) and what style of story they enjoy and be able to point out that LOST offers that to them. And I would encourage them to dig into as much of the supplemental content that was available, including old podcasts from some of the guys/ladies who were podcasting early on.
Q: Has watching Lost sparked any creative inspiration in your life, i.e. writing, media, art, etc.?
Not particularly. Although, I do enjoy the work others have done. My gut instinct is that LOST will become the new Star Wars in terms of expanded universe story telling. I believe that just as people have taken the time to develop the story of jedi and sith before "The Phantom Menace" and the storyies of the main characters and their offspring after "Return of the Jedi", I believe we will a proliferation of pre-815 visits to the island and depending on how LOST ends we may see some what happened next fan-fiction.
Q: What are your hopes for Season 6 and based on what you’ve seen so far, how likely do you think it is they’ll be met?
With only a handful of episodes left, I have to say I'm just hoping that the ending is one which can truly stand on its own. I'm sure there will be unanswered questions, but I don't want it to be a "where did that come from?" ending. My biggest wish is that the ending will have many components for which we can go back to the earlier seasons and see the seeds being planted. Not in a Nikki and Paulo kind of way, but a legitimate, Encyclopedia Brown kind of "oh wow, that's right... they did say that before and did show us this and... " I'm concerned that it may not play out as neatly as I'm hoping, but I remain optimistic.
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 do NOT intend to force another show to fill the LOST void. I hope one emerges, but I have a feeling it's going to be a while until the next big "grab you" show comes along. I give LOST's producers credit, their plan to end the show at a certain time as avoided the show outliving its appeal, but I wish they'd taken another season or two to wrap things up a little more slowly.
Q: What do you think will be Lost’s legacy?
I think it's a television revolutionizer. Much in the way Who Wants to Be a Millionaire and Survivor led to a flood of reality TV shows. As with that genre, LOST clones have largely failed... and I think the inability of studios to develop LOST-a-likes will only add to the perception of just how special LOST really was. I mentioned before, I think the LOST community is passionate enough to make this a new major fan-fiction topic and that the expanded universe could take on a life of its own. The key, to me, is who controls the characters. The LOST producers have done an outstanding job protecting their property, but once the show ends and they walk away I worry control of the LOST empire could fall into the hands of someone who will mishandle it, create ill-conceived spin-offs of the concept, and tarnish it's legacy. I hope not, and believe the fans are passionate enough to protect it, but it does worry me.
Thanks Scott from everyone at the LOSTBlog.com!
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SITE/BLOG:
http://rethinkinglost.podbean.com
http://scottwonders.wordpress.com
TWITTER:
http://www.twitter.com/shc1970
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