Either the actor wanted off the show or the producers wanted him off. It didn't happen by accident.
I seem to remember back when it happened hearing it was his idea, but it doesn't really matter.

I'm not quite sure why you would make a statement like that. I'm sure there are times where that is the case on a TV show, but unless I knew or heard differently, I would assume that it's what the producers decided was best for the show itself.

He has Kate as a consolation.

Well since we can agree it was poorly handled, it wasn't actually better for the show. Therefore the writers are either incompetent or they had to shoehorn it in because the decision was handed down to them, potentially without enough time to ensure it was handled well. I don't think the writers are incompetent or I wouldn't even be involved in this conversation because I would not be a viewer of the show.

If he didn't want off the show, then my next guess would be that he was the highest paid actor since he was the most well known, and the network execs wanted to cut costs. If both Damon and he himself want him back on the show, it would tend to support this theory IMO.

It's the same price now as it was for pre-order. They haven't budged on the price.

Despite only a brief stint on Lost, the dude had nine lives and shouldn't have lasted as long as he did.

I think you guys are over analyzing Dominic's departure. His death wasn't shoehorned into anything. They foreshadowed it all season, teasing us weekly with Desmond's 'visions.' If it was an executive/salary thing he wouldn't have lasted the entire season. I believe it was a way to advance the story and give the finale an emotional punch. "Not Penny's Boat" wouldn't have had the same urgency had they both just swam up to the surface and alerted everyone. Also with him gone it left Hurley conflicted on who to side with later in the show. The group dynamic changed after his death, of which gave weight to decisions by a few characters later on. It was handled fine and did serve the story, IMO.

They may have regretted it once all was said and done, but I don't doubt they thought it was the best decision at the time.

I completely agree with everything you said except what I bolded. I think most people will agree that Charlie's death served the story, but they made it a little too unbelievable. There was no reason he had to close the door. They needed to implement it in such a way that the audience believed that was the only option he had. Instead, they implemented it such that Charlie looks like a damned fool for closing the door.

I thought his death was handled pretty well also. Even though it might not have been absolutely necessary for him to close the door, Charlie went down there to die and he chose to sacrifice his life in that moment.

"Lost" is a talking sport.

Can't wait!

Exactly.

Does anyone honestly think a formerly doped up rock star going through withdrawals is going to know the science behind air pockets or even make the most intellectual decision in a high pressure situation?

He made peace with his fate the moment he stepped onto the boat. He knew he was going down there to die. It was either there or maybe die the next time Desmond had a vision. To him he chose to make an impact in his final moments by saving Desmond and possibly Claire & Aaron instead of thinking of himself and cheating death one more time.

I agree. Based on what Desmond told him earlier, Charlie believed that if he didn't die, then Claire and the baby may not be rescued. So he closed the door on purpose so that he could die.

Although Desmond said that he saw Claire and the baby getting on the helicopter, and that never did happen. Maybe it will still happen before the show ends.

Yeah everyone knows Charlie thought he had to die, they beat the audience over the head with it. Still, Charlie could have believed what he wanted and did everything he did, foolish or not, but when the water flooded into the room that was just pure silliness.

It was the Others who set the fire, symbolizing they were coming for the kid(s) (although I think Zack and Emma were taken before Walt). Remember that there were no footprints around the fire, which is a signature move of the Others.

Rosseau set the fire. She already had Aaron. She set it to signal the Others. She had hoped they would trade her daughter, Alex, for Aaron.

The show has never shown the exact circumstances of the signal fire... who actually set it and for what reasons. It might have been Rousseau trying to signal The Others; might have been The Others setting it for whatever reason. (I'm assuming its something that the producers aren't going to bother explaining.)

Speaking of The Others snatching Walt, I would love to see a flipside to that storyline, where we see Ben or whoever sending Tom out to take Walt. It would make a great mobiside. (hint, hint)

It's pretty clearly explained that Rousseau set the fire to exchange Aaron for Alex when they confront her on the beach. It was a ploy by Rousseau.

Transcript from the signal fire scene. I'm guessing the Others set the fire as a decoy.

[In the distance we see the black smoke is coming from a fire on the beach. Sayid and Charlie approach the fire.]

CHARLIE: What the hell is that?

SAYID: There's no footprints, no tracks.

CHARLIE: This is it? This is the black smoke? Where are they?

SAYID: I don't know.

CHARLIE [hearing the baby cry]: She's here.

SAYID: Danielle!

CHARLIE: You come out, right now!

SAYID: Calm down. Danielle! I can hear you, come out. Please, he needs his mother.

[Danielle emerges from the bushes.]

DANIELLE: They were not here.

SAYID: Danielle, you have to give us the baby.

DANIELLE: I just wanted my Alex back. I thought if I gave them the baby...

SAYID: It's okay. I know. It's okay.

[Sayid takes the baby and gives it to Charlie.]

CHARLIE: I've got him. There never were any others. You started the fires yourself.

DANIELLE: No, I heard them whispering.

CHARLIE: You're a nut job. You heard nothing.

DANIELLE: I heard them say they were coming for the child. The others said they were coming for the boy.

CHARLIE: You're pathetic.

^^ Well, I'll admit when I'm wrong. It isn't quite clear, is it. I must have took what Charlie/Sayid said as what actually happened. I'm not convinced the others started the fire, though. Rousseau could have started the fire in anticipation of the others coming anyways and wanted to make sure they would come.

Kind of off topic, but I just popped in my Lost Season 4 Blu-Ray and was not in a position to skip the generic Blu-Ray promo and noticed some pop-up quotes during the promo including:

"Flawless"
-Geoffrey Kleinman - DVDTalk.com

"Simply Incredible"
-Shannon Nutt - DVDEmpire.com

I'm sure this has been mentioned elsewhere, but since it was on the Lost Blu-Ray, I thought I'd mention it here. We all know who Geoff is, and I guess I've been on here long enough that I've seen Shannon's name quite a bit around here. I wonder what their quotes were really in reference to?

Upon further examination, there are like 10 previews including the promo on this release. It's almost as bad as having to watch a god-damned commercial at a movie theater.

How funny to see I typed this, when I just recently blew through all the seasons on ABC HD. I am now eagerly anticipating the new season!

Lost is, I think, the first really great interactive television series of the "internet age."

It's been a really cool and unique experience to have been there from the beginning, participating in and reading in-depth discussion and analysis of the series, picking up on easter eggs (like those awesome anagrams they drop), and watching theories form and get debunked on a weekly basis.

I agree Josh. I hope we will still be able to pull up the season 1 & 2 threads when it's all said and done to re-read and laugh at the theories.

Yeah that came across as a bit pompous when I was re-reading the thread. I'm glad you didn't let your pre-conceived notions stand in the way any longer.

Thanks for leading me to a watching videos for an hour... heh.

Sounds like something Locke would say.

Yes, I'm a LOST geek.

I updated Post 58 with all of the unanswered questions I wrote down through Season 4. There were a few updates from my S3 comments. At some point I lost my numbering, so some of the episode numbers may be one episode off. I guess that's what happens when you watch 14 episodes in one day.

I also fell off a little bit on the links because of all the flash-forwards and the links didn't seem as critical.

My grand plan would be to cross-reference all my questions with the blogspot LOST site, but that would be a significant undertaking.

I am also up in the air whether or not I will update anything until S5 is over, but I will be taking notes.

In the season 2 finale, Sayid also talks about creating a fire with black smoke to signal Jack's team, and he specifically says "This time, they'll know we are coming."