Gregg,

First of all, as a long-time watcher and reader of many movies, television shows, and books, I think Lost is quite simply the finest achievement of any to date. To devise and sustain a show that's truly different (as you pointed out) is quite an achievement after all that has been done on television in the last fifty years. Anyway, there is no question that an immense amount of work goes on behind the scenes to accomplish this, and I hope that in some way the fan appreciation gets back to you and the writers. We are eternally grateful. :smile:

In discussing the show with all kinds of people (including a few that have stopped watching for one reason or another), I've found the most consistent point of debate is the action (i.e. mythology) versus character development (i.e. flashbacks and character driven storylines). I've noticed that these things often cater to different crowds--and that the mythology is the one thing that attracts the most interest. But on the inside, I think many of the most dedicated fans of the show are truly driven by the characters, and that these sustain the show far more than the mythology does. And thus the debate goes on.

So my question is this: is it difficult for the writers to find a balance between these two? Is the amount of script dedicated to each something that you keep track of? I'd imagine that the pace is set to alternate somewhat, even mapped out from the beginning of the season.

Thanks again for reading and responding to so many questions, especially in such a thoughtful manner. I've no doubt you've made a lot of fans here.

I don't know exactly what's going on in Damon or Carlton's minds, but in general it seems to be that to create compelling stories you have to start with strong characters. If the stories are only about the mythology I think it wouldn't be as interesting. But if the mythology is told through the characters, it makes it more interesting and hooks us (the audience) into what the characters feel and want.

I'm trying to think of stories that were more mythology based... Oh! Star Wars. I think the original trilogy created its characters better than the prequel trilogy, which, for me, seemed to be more plot/mythology oriented. (I know I'm probably going to start a fight over this but I really was disappointed with the prequels.)

So it seems to me that the Lost stories come in around character. Certain characters are connected to the mythology more than others (like say Desmond), but they still have interesting stories. I don't track it, but the writers do get together at the beginning of a season and work out where they want to take the characters for the season and what types of stories they can tell.

I've read a lot of postings from people unhappy with the flashbacks and only want island stories. But I think it's the flashbacks that help create such intriguing characters. When you learn something about them and what they did in the flashback, for me it makes it more interesting to see how they are going to react on the island. I like that. Plus, the island is the constant and you get to see various types of stories, from con stories to war stories to personal drama stories. I like that variety, too. But I can understand how people don't like it.

I'm trying to think of stories that were more mythology based... Oh! Star Wars. I think the original trilogy created its characters better than the prequel trilogy, which, for me, seemed to be more plot/mythology oriented. (I know I'm probably going to start a fight over this but I really was disappointed with the prequels.)The great thing about the VIP boards is that only one person can respond at a time, so it's hard to start fights. :biggrin:

Thanks very much for the response, which I thought was right on the mark. I've been long trying to make the same arguments to a large degree, but now I can throw a little weight behind it! When you consider that the cast for Lost is so large, it's incredible how well the characters have been developed.

To me, the development is really fueled by two things: the flashbacks and the "us versus them" feel to the show. Almost all television shows are limited to exploring a select few characters in-depth, but one of the reasons Lost succeeds so well is that it took the time to explore so many more. Eventually, as in the scene when the raft was launched, the bond felt by the audience to these characters was completely unique. It was an strange feeling, caring about so many people at once.

Of course, that doesn't make the character bible an easy thing to keep up with, as you mentioned. Just for the fun of the fans, though, are there any interesting facts you could share from it? Nothing that gives anything away (I honestly don't want that), but one example might be the total number of island characters we've seen over both seasons. I'm generally curious if anything from it has amused you on an overall level. And, pray tell, how many pages has this thing grown to? ;)

Thanks again for your responses here. They've been great to read.