When LOST was popular I was working full-time doing a graveyard shift while going to graduate school at the same time. Needless to say I didn’t have an opportunity to dedicate much time to the last project by J.J. Abrams, et al. By the time I considered watching the end of the story was being talked about everywhere so I lost interest. I hope Fox’s new show Alcatraz will be my redemption!
I watched episode 1 last night and it caught my attention enough to keep me viewing. (I watched it without my wife though, so you know I will be watching it twice!) The main plot is that when Alcatraz closed its doors it wasn’t because they transferred all the prisoners elsewhere. It is because they disappeared and they are reappearing decades later. You can read the network’s fuller description here.
I don’t image that there is much to “spoil” at this juncture, but if anyone comments and you read the comments be aware we may talk about what happened.
Did anyone else watch it yet? What did you think? What would you guess is happening? Do you think it has staying power?
the archives near Emmaus 
My parents watched the first episode and really liked it. I am a HUGE Lost fan, so I’ll probably give it a chance.
But I have to say, I highly recommend taking the time to watch Lost. There really has not been another show that I’ve watched that has drawn me in so well. The character development is unmatched, and it’s so unpredictable. I found that most people that were critical of Lost wanting something out of it that it wasn’t, and they would say something like, “I liked Lost until it got weird in the 3rd season and became about more than just people surviving on the island, and I didn’t like the ending.” I had not found anyone that wanted more than just a dramatic show version of “survivor” that said they did not like the ending. I for one thought it was a great way to end it. I also think people did not like that they could not sporadically watch it, you had to go back where you left off otherwise you had no idea what was going on.
Anyway, enough about my love for Lost haha.
Alcatraz will have staying power depending on how it develops. It should be easier to tell after a whole season. I think Abrams will do the work to make it stay.
Did you see the first episode of LOST? If so how did Alcatraz’s ability to grab you compare to Lost?
@Cris: Maybe I will give LOST a chance. I am split between House, New Girl, Monk (which I just began to watch thanks to my wife), and The Daily Show as far as regular viewing goes. I wait to AMC’s Mad Men and The Walking Dead because I don’t have cable and they’re not on Hulu. I think you should give Alcatraz a shot (besides, it has great views of San Francisco–the world’s greatest city).
@Andrew: Come to think of it I don’t know that I have. I saw several episodes of one season (I think season 2). So I can’t compare.
@Brian I don’t have cable (or Sat), though I have a TV and DVD player.
I had no interest in Lost, but a friend said I had to see something, and showed me episode 1. I was hooked from the first episode. (I now own all seasons of Lost on DVD).
J.J. Abrams is very good at what he does (and I enjoy his work), but I credit Lost’s success to the writers more.
Mad Men and The Walking Dead are also GREAT shows.
And @Andrew I credit the success of Lost to the writers as well. Did you hear Carlton Cuse and Robe Bell are writing a show together for ABC?
@crisdonlon – ya, ‘Stronger’ (lead’s name is Tom Stronger). Rob Bell is co-writing the 1st season, though I don’t don’t know much more than that.
It certainly explains why Rob left Mars Hill, and suddenly moved. At least in hind site, it explains the sudden change nicely.
Still, it’s a strange pairing, Rob and Carlton; or maybe it isn’t (given the pot Rob seems to stir)
@Andrew:
I am tempted to give it a chance.
I absolutely hated LOST, even after being forced to watch the first season or so. Yuck. Alcatraz comes on the same time as Being Human (USA) and Lost Girl. 😦
I just started watching Lost. I’m 2 or 3 shows into season 2 and loving it. The whole shebang is available on netflix stream without commercial. I like the character and story development over the long span, and that after an episode, I find myself thinking through the possibilities of what is going on, working the puzzle out on my own.
I’d like to watch Alcatraz, but don’t have on demand or dvr type service and am busy too many evenings to get into a serial. If it turns out to be good enough, I’ll catch it on DVD in a few years. 😉
@Rod:
I’ve come across some people who really didn’t like LOST. Part of the reason I haven’t given it much attention is because my wife is totally disinterested in it.
@Caedmon:
Get Hulu! Also, it’s FOX, and they often have their shows online eight days after airing on TV.
You have to watch LOST. Get Hulu Plus. It’s only $8/mo., and it’s worth it. I didn’t watch LOST when it aired, but watched the whole thing on Hulu. It’s was a great experience. A lot of people didn’t like the ending, but don’t let that deter you. Even if you don’t like the ending (and you might!) the journey is worth it.
My wife and I are watching Alcatraz on Hulu and enjoying it as well.
I have Hulu +, I’ve just got to get myself to start watching!
watched 2 episodes and now it’s gone, can’t find it anywhere on HULU Plus not sure what’s happening but everything is still there just Alcatraz is now gone for us, any ideas how to get it back