It has been a little while since my last Lost update and as we patiently wait for the start of season six, the final season of Lost to begin February second, 2010. As promised earlier, we are going to discuss the correlation between Rod Serling’s science fiction television program, The Twilight Zone, (1959-1964) and the current ABC network hit, Lost.
Some Background Before we Proceed:
The Twilight Zone was a classic science fiction television series created by Rod Serling that aired from 1959 to 1964. Each episode intertwined the supernatural with topical moral events in today’s society ending with a twist convoluting the outcome. I argue that the same can be said about ABC Lost. The castaways are more than just stranded on an island. There are mysterious forces at work of powers unknown. And just like the Twilight Zone, a twist is inserted in the story convoluting the outcome.
The Twilight Zone had a standard format. Each episode began with a prologue, usually with the host, Rod Serling doing the voice over introducing the characters and setting. At the end of the show, Serling would offer up a final narration of what the viewer just witnessed.
Tonight's offering is: Season 1 Episode 1 Where Is Everybody
I think once you see the similarities of both programs, you will quickly realize that Lost is a modern day Twilight Zone.
Monologue:
The place is here, the time is now, and the journey into the shadows that we're about to watch could be our journey.
Plot:
Mike Ferris wakes and finds himself in a strange town all alone. He is dressed in an air force uniform but doesn't remember how he got there. As he walks through town, he seems to have just missed finding people as he sees water dripping from faucets, stoves burning, food cooking, tea boiling, cigarettes in ashtrays but no living sole in sight. While in the street, he clicks the traffic walk sign which brings him back to reality. Mr. Ferris was in an experiment for the space agency, testing his ability to cope with being alone in the void of space.
Epilogue:
Up there, up there in the vastness of space, in the void that is sky, up there is an enemy known as isolation. It sits there in the stars waiting, waiting with the patience of eons, forever waiting... in the Twilight Zone.
Lost Tie In:
Ben Linus is Mr. Ferris. Perhaps Ben is also in an experiment, one to study absolute power and authority and how it affects morality. Similar attire, air force jump suit Mr. Ferris wears and the Dharma institute jump suit Ben wears. The empty town Mr. Ferris sees and the empty village Ben sees. Mr. Ferris in some outlandish experiment dealing with isolation and Ben isolated from the outside world in the middle of some outlandish experiment.
Mr. Ferris then clicks the traffic sign and returns to reality. Perhaps that is what Ben is about to do as well. Click the button and return from scratch. With a new cast and new scenario.
LURKING, STILL LOST ON THE GRASSY KNOLL
You are persistent, I'll give you that. I do see the resemblance of Lost and TZ and I do believe that the writers are greatly influenced by Serling. With that said, I believe the series finale will have one hell of a twist ending, one that no one will see coming, just like all the TZ episodes ended. Maybe your virtual reality and aliens will be that major twist of events.
ReplyDeleteI'm a little confused here. The twilight zone was not a series like Lost, it was a stand alone weekly program. No story connected to the previous week or future week so how could Lost be based on it. Lost from week one was a weekly drama where every week built on new information given. I will read more of your twilight zone posts but I don't see where lost is a twilight zone byproduct.
ReplyDeleteI'm beetting on that exact scenario Val.
ReplyDeleteVery true. What I am referring to is that Lost is based on TZ, a logical explanation to a illogical scenario playing out right in front of your eyes where only you the viewer can see also the supernatural aspect. And then the twist at the end, which my theory is aliens controlling the castaways in a virtual reality experiment.
ReplyDelete18 episodes left to see if you are right or wrong. Feeling the pressure yet?
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness. You are a Lost fan as well. Me too. I love the show, not really concerned about theories, just like watching the drama on the show. So you think its another twilight zone from Rod Serling?
ReplyDeleteNo pressure for me. I have been posting about Lost for over 5 years now. I knew from the get go that I had a one in a million chances of being correct. But I'm lucky.
ReplyDeleteYes and no. I do not think it is a remake of the twilight Zone. However, i do feel that the writers are heavily influenced by Rod Serling. My theory.
ReplyDeleteAlthough it appears the survivors of Oceanic flight 815 are on a tropical island, they are being deceived. There is no island. The survivors are in a virtual reality laboratory. All the castaways are interconnected to one another sharing each others thoughts, memories, and feelings. While in this virtual reality laboratory, a battery of physical and mental experiments are performed on them. And who is running these experiments? As Juliet stated, the Aliens of course.