By Kate O'Hare
Sunday, January 08, 2006
01:14 PM PT

"Basically, 'Lost' is one of those things," says executive producer Carlton Cuse, "where you have to appreciate the journey and try not to worry about the endpoint. We're not in control of the endpoint."
The Wednesday-night ABC megahit about the survivors of the crash of a Sydney-to-Los Angeles airliner on a deserted island -- which turned out to be not so deserted after all -- returns on Wednesday, Jan. 11, with the first new season-two episode in a while.

According to ABC, in "The 23rd Psalm," tail-section strongman Mr. Eko (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) quizzes recovering addict Charlie (Dominic Monaghan) about his heroin-stuffed Virgin Mary statue; upon discovering Charlie's secret, Claire (Emilie de Ravin) loses faith in him; and Jack (Matthew Fox) looks on as Kate (Evangeline Lilly) gives Sawyer (Josh Holloway) a haircut.


As hinted at by the guest-star list, the episode, written by Cuse and series co-creator Damon Lindelof, appears to include a flashback relating to Eko's Nigerian past.
But viewers probably shouldn't get their hopes up that it will provide a complete explanation for any one of the show's myriad mysteries.

As Lindelof points out, "When have we given you a definitive answer to anything?"

Serialized television is a curious thing. The writers control where a story begins, but networks usually say when it ends. That's especially true with a show that's a hit, whether it's "The X-Files" or "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" or "Lost." Networks want hit shows to stay on as long as possible, even when the original story arcs should have long since come to natural conclusions.

"The reality is," Lindelof says, "that Carlton, myself, J.J. [co-creator J.J. Abrams], the creative brains behind the 'Lost' universe, we could all band together and say, 'We're ending the show after three seasons because that's the arc. They get off the island, and we reveal all the things we want to reveal.'

"And the network would say, 'No, you won't.' They will hire somebody and do 'Lost,' with or without you."

Beyond the network, real-life events can affect storytelling. On Dec. 1, two cast members who play recently introduced tail-section characters were arrested 15 minutes apart on charges of drunken driving in Hawaii, where the show is filmed.

According to published reports, the attorney for Cynthia Watros, who plays psychologist Libby, requested and was granted a continuance of the arraignment to Jan. 12, when she is expected to plead guilty.

Michelle Rodriguez, who plays tough LAPD officer Ana-Lucia, has had several brushes with the law, and is on probation for previous traffic offenses in Los Angeles. She pled not guilty to the Hawaii charges, and trial is set for March 30. Later this month, Los Angeles prosecutors are also expected to ask the court to schedule a probation-violation hearing.

Asked if producers have a contingency plan should Rodriguez fail to prevail in court, Cuse says, "We're just going to see how things play out, and we'll deal with it accordingly. She's a really good part of the show. We really value her and her character and hope things work out in her favor."

Apparently, Libby will come to the fore in future episodes.

"She's a little bit of a stealth surprise that we have cooking on the island," Lindelof says. "That is going to be very cool, when the longer game reveals itself."

No doubt Libby's revelations will answer a few questions but also add to the ever-growing list of inexplicable things on the island, which includes unseen monsters, a polar bear, underground bunkers, a slave ship and a horse.

On the other hand, if you're a dedicated fan of J.J. Abrams' other ABC show, the spy drama "Alias" -- which has a plot so convoluted that explaining it could cause a cerebral hemorrhage -- you've long since learned not to sweat the small stuff.

"We suggest you do the same on 'Lost,'" Lindelof says. "That's between the lines here. If you're watching the show because you're waiting for the big answers to come, you have to understand that by the nature of what it is -- it's not a movie, it's not a series of movies, it's not a trilogy, it's not a miniseries -- it's going to be on the air for as long as ABC wants to keep it on the air.

"How can you ever possibly think that 'Lost' will end in a satisfying way? Carlton and I can almost guarantee you that it will not."

In the meantime, the producers strive for a weekly thrill ride that won't disappoint. So far, they've succeeded, since "Lost" is the first "genre" series (a catch-all showbiz term for science fiction, fantasy and horror) to capture a mass audience since "The X-Files."

"Lost" also has perhaps the most diverse cast on television in terms of race, ethnicity and cultural background.

But, says Lindelof, there's more to it than that.

"It's essentially a cult show in its design and its genre, but what makes it accessible to a wider audience is that there is a character on the show who is like you, even if that character is Jin.

"It doesn't mean that you're Korean, but you're in a marriage where your wife doesn't understand you. You are working your ass off for her father, and she doesn't appreciate your contribution.

"Or you were in the army, and you identify with Sayid, he has a very soldier-like mentality. Or you are a father who doesn't have the kind of relationship with your kid that you would want to have, then you're Michael.

"You are searching for some sense of spirituality in your life, and you're Locke, or you're pregnant and scared to be pregnant ... there is a very wide range of entryways into the show in terms of characters you can identify with."

"That's why we found a mass audience," Cuse says, "because if it was just a genre show, if there wasn't the genius of Damon and J.J.'s flashback invention, it would be a much more limited-audience show. That is the secret of 'Lost.'"

Says Lindelof, "Don't tell."

"How can you ever possibly think that 'Lost' will end in a satisfying way? Carlton and I can almost guarantee you that it will not."

1/11: "The 23rd Psalm" - Mr. Eko interrogates Charlie about the Virgin Mary statue, Claire begins to lose faith in Charlie when she discovers his secret, and Jack is an interested observer when Kate gives the recovering Sawyer a much-needed haircut, on "Lost," WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11 (9:00-10:00 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network.

"Lost" stars Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as Mr. Eko, Naveen Andrews as Sayid, Emilie de Ravin as Claire, Matthew Fox as Jack, Jorge Garcia as Hurley, Josh Holloway as Sawyer, Daniel Dae Kim as Jin, Yunjin Kim as Sun, Evangeline Lilly as Kate, Dominic Monaghan as Charlie, Terry O'Quinn as Locke, Harold Perrineau as Michael, Michelle Rodriguez as Ana Lucia and Cynthia Watros as Libby.

Guest starring are Adetokumboh McCormack as Yemi, Ronald Revels as Goldie, Pierre Olivier as Olu, Kolawolfe Obileye, Jr. as young Eko, Cynthia Charles as Nigerian woman, John Bryan as thug captain, Ellis St. Rose as priest, Moumen El Hajji as tough Moroccan, Lawrence Jones as lead soldier, Olekan Obileye as young Yemi and Achraf Marzouki as Moroccan no. 2.

"The 23rd Psalm" was written by Carlton Cuse & Damon Lindelof and directed by Matt Earl Beesley.

1/18: "The Hunting Party" - Jack, Locke and Sawyer pursue a determined Michael after he heads into the jungle toward the dreaded "Others" in search of Walt. Meanwhile, Sun has a surprising reaction to Jin's desire to join the search party, and Hurley and Charlie commiserate over the age-old conundrum of "what women want," on "Lost," WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18 (9:00-10:00 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network.

"Lost" stars Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as Mr. Eko, Naveen Andrews as Sayid, Emilie de Ravin as Claire, Matthew Fox as Jack, Jorge Garcia as Hurley, Josh Holloway as Sawyer, Daniel Dae Kim as Jin, Yunjin Kim as Sun, Evangeline Lilly as Kate, Dominic Monaghan as Charlie, Terry O'Quinn as Locke, Harold Perrineau as Michael, Michelle Rodriguez as Ana Lucia and Cynthia Watros as Libby.

Guest starring are John Terry as Dr. Shephard, Julie Bowen as Sarah, Monica Dean as Gabriela, Ronald Guttman as Angelo and M.C. Gainey as Mr. Friendly.

"The Hunting Party" was written by Elizabeth Sarnoff & Christina M. Kim and directed by Stephen Williams.

1/25: LOST - "Fire + Water" - When Charlie's vividly surreal dreams lead him to believe Claire's baby, Aaron, is in danger, Locke suspects Charlie may be using again. Meanwhile, Sawyer encourages Hurley to act on his attraction to Libby.

in the guest credits for "The Hunting Party," M.C. Gainey as Mr. Friendly - Gainey is of course the "pirate" who was leading the boat that stole Walt.

a game

Eko asked Charlie where he got the statue, Charlie said he didn't know and started walking away, Eko grabbed him and threw him against a tree, saying I know you didn't get them here, tell me where the plane is. I don't know how else Eko would've known about the plane...unless he was on it. There had been speculation of that before, but it makes sense now - religious guy, wearing a black & white suit, Nigerian (same place the Beechcraft was from). So I think he was either on the drug plane, or planted on 815 to "rescue" the heroine.

Beth Broderick, who previously played Kate's mom, is guest starring in the next episode - a Sawyer backstory.

Along the same lines, Lindsey Ginter, who played Kate's dad in "What Kate Did," guest stars. This episode has a Sayid backstory.

So it seems they are really going to try connecting people in their "previous" lives.

Also, there will be a Sun & Jin episode as well as a Libby episode yet this season.

From samuray: Lost! 1. How certain is a season three? 2. Will season two continue to rock? 3. Terry O'Quinn isn't going anywhere soon, I hope? I love his character, and I wish he was crucial for the story until the very end!
1. Very--I hear it's a done deal. 2. Of course. 3. No way!

rom duhamelsmine12: Last week, someone said Locke was bad. How do we know this? Did I miss something?
Look back in my column for the clip of Adewale Akunnoiuweorioiu...Oh, whatever, his name is Sex-AAA. In it, he refers to the big battle brewing between himself and the "dark forces," like, "Mr. Locke." Also, the dude's just been fishy lately! Anyway, in case you missed the video clip, click here to see it. And the transcripts are now on the message boards.

From Leigh_L: Recently, you said that someone wants off Lost. Please tell me it's not Michelle Rodriguez.
I wasn't talking about her. And, of course, with M.R., it's a much bigger issue given everything that's going on with her on and off the set.

From jbg412: So, these Ana Lucia rumors aren't true about killing her off?
Let's just say she doesn't have the best job security right now!

From floraisadora: Last week, you (again) alluded to an actor on Lost who is having itchy feet to move on. I know you can't say who, but could you, like, list some people and say it's one of these or it's not one of these?
Ay. I know teasing and guessing games drive some of you nuts, and if you are such a person, stop reading! But for the others, here's another clue: This person should be itchy for more than one reason. And, no, there isn't a herpes outbreak on the island.

From tv_luvr: Any Lost info? Spill it!
Rousseau is coming back. Soon.

From acerp: Any news about the new character in Lost? The 16-year-old girl?
They're still looking for a twentysomething girl to play her, last I heard. (How about Meg from VM? I'm just sayin'.) Also, I hear they're now casting another character, though he's for one episode only: a thirtysomething guy who's charming, à la Paul Rudd. (How great would he be? He could bring Phoebe! And Steve Carell!)

From blweino: What did you mean by the Animal Farm reference for Lost?
One connection I could see is that in AF, the sheep were being deceived. And from the looks of an upcoming reveal, the Losties may be, too.

From dnbhusker: Tail-end Losties or fuselage Losties?
Both...Ack! Now we have to stop talking about Lost. Okay, a non-Lost question. Bring it!