Thanks okay - I was more knarked at diet cokes comments that Charlie fans ONLY like him for certain stereotypical reasons. You do have a valid point that his role has been reduced from series 1. In series 1 he was almost 4th or 5th biggest character, now he is more like 8th or 9th.
Captain_Falafel, I apologize for offending you. It's just that Charlie's fanbase has posted all these elaborate theories that Charlie was abused as a child even thought there is nothing solid in the show that has indicated this. From reading posts by Charlie's fanbase, it appears to me that people create angst in the character. I do concede that Charlie fans have said they like Charlie because he is a musician. Still, it just seems like the main reason why people like him is because they feel sorry for him.
I don't know why Charlie is written so tragically. And frankly until the writers give him a storyline that isn't full of angst and trauma, I don't think I'm going to change my mind about him or his appeal.
I think certain characters are in a "set-up stage" in their development, which means basically they can go one way or the other. These characters can be boosted a lot, or they can be shannon-ed.
Shannon was in a "set-up stage" when the writers killed her off, she had the potentially huge Walt-seeing storyline and despite "The Greater Good", she still had to deal with living without Boone and how that reflected in her relationship with Sayid. Therefore Shannon was set up for season 2 with a: *Island-Mystery promoting storyline and *Character-development storyline. So was it a poor decision to kill her off? Perhaps, perhaps not. She was set-up, but I would say her island-promoting storyline was ruined by the prolonged hatch stuff; perhaps thats why she went, she couldn't add anything to the hatch story.
So who is in a "set-up stage" for season 3?
In my opinion: Charlie, Libby, Sun, Jin & Ana Lucia (i think).
Therefore I would not be surprised if one of them went next.
The important characters for season 2 are: Jack, Locke, Kate, Sawyer and Hurley (as well as Ana-Lucia and Mr Eko to some extent.) Jack has ironically become the Jack Bauer (24) of LOST, every episode needs to have him in focus or doing something, however I hope Jack gets demoted before this transformation is complete. To continue with my 24 theme, I think that Locke resembled David Palmer and Kate resembles Michelle Dessler, while Sawyer is like Tony Almaida... I'm just waiting for Libby to go all Nina Myers on the LOSTaways... :P
However my list:
Jack - Sad really that a character who adds very little to the show is so integral. He represents the LOSTaway's conscience *ducks* Locke - Is the physical embodiment of LOST, this is where he should be, sometimes I think that he isn't actually a character but something thats there to develop the other characters. I don't think he will ever become THE main character of the show. Kate - She is the leading woman, who appears just about everywhere and volunteers for everything. I think that out of the top three on this list she is the most likely to die. Hurley - In terms of island-plot he doesn't add that much, but he is perhaps the only character who seems to have a multi-faceted backstory, something that needs to be pushed in all of the other characters.
Those are the main ones for this season, so I will list the others in order:
*Sawyer/Ana-Lucia/Michael/Sayid
*Charlie/Eko/Sun
*Libby/Claire/Jin/Shannon/Boone
Message Brought to You By Matt: R.I.P Hurlibees, Desnny Shipper #2, T.D.C #144, Jacket #4
For the record I like Charlie.. I'm just looking at the different options as to why he behaves the way he does. Sawyer fans do it, Jack fans do it ..etc etc. Most of us are just piecing together his behavior patterns and comparing them to aspects we have seen in real life with drug addicts and victims of abuse that we have know. It might play out that way..it might not. Its just speculation at this point which is basically what lost fans do half the time..sit around and speculate.
As far as screen time goes Charlie will be seen more in the future..
Spoiler:
He is going on a trek with Sayid and Ana.
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Now back on topic...the most important person the island right now is proably 'him' whoever 'he is'.
I hesitate to list the other losties in order of importance or usefulness because they all seem to be loosing it. Jack is a hot head, Locke seems to having a crisis of faith..yadda yadda. I don't think any of them are all that 'important' at the moment. They are just a group of people thrown together who refuse to lay aside their differences and work together.
I liked LOTR but I didn't think it was that great. I think you're wrong about Charlie but at least you've got a decent reason to dislike him other than "Charlie's always whining" as he isn't always whining. Anyway back on topic. (I'm not using any spoilers here, it is just my opinion)
Locke - I haven't liked him that much in what I've saw of season 2 but I have a feeling his character is just getting started.
Jack - As boring as he is (no offence to fans) he is important as a leader for the group and now he's losing his hold on leadership it could start an even bigger story with Locke.
Eko - After the confrontation with the monster and him facing it down I think there could be something big developing from that.
Kate - Like Jack, she doesn't do very much but the fugitive thing was interesting at the start but is now getting boring. I think they might drag it out longer than it needs to be even though they've revealed why she was a fugitive.
Sayid - He's the man with the technology behind him and has been from the start, so they could seriously use that and the various hikes he has went on to develop him more after losing the woman he loved.
Ana - I don't like her, I don't hate her. She would be completely pointless if it wasn't for the army thing or her killing an other, but as that's happened she might get an episode out of it soon.
Sawyer - Everyone seems to like him a lot but he's done very little apart from the raft and conning Locke. He doesn't affect the main plot at all and is a bit over rated. I don't have anything against him but he's gotten seriously boring.
Charlie - I personally think he's going to have a bigger part since The Long Con with the guns and drugs.
Hurley - He was the one with the numbers originally but before and after that he has done very little. He is a good character that everyone (me included) enjoys seeing on screen but it doesn't change the fact that all he has going on at the minute is Libby...
Claire - She has had very little screen time and now since she's the one who helped set up the discovery of the med. hatch and the others are all in disguise, that could develop something big.
Libby - She only has a possible meeting with Hurley before the island to build anything around.
Jin - Since returning from the Tailies trek he hasn't done much and his flashbacks are boring.
Sun - The only interesting thing about her was that she spoke English and got hit on the head. (Nothing against her I just find her extremely boring and nothing happening around her)
I think certain characters are in a "set-up stage" in their development, which means basically they can go one way or the other. These characters can be boosted a lot, or they can be shannon-ed.
Shannon was in a "set-up stage" when the writers killed her off, she had the potentially huge Walt-seeing storyline and despite "The Greater Good", she still had to deal with living without Boone and how that reflected in her relationship with Sayid. Therefore Shannon was set up for season 2 with a: *Island-Mystery promoting storyline and *Character-development storyline. So was it a poor decision to kill her off? Perhaps, perhaps not. She was set-up, but I would say her island-promoting storyline was ruined by the prolonged hatch stuff; perhaps thats why she went, she couldn't add anything to the hatch story.
The important characters for season 2 are: Jack, Locke, Kate, Sawyer and Hurley (as well as Ana-Lucia and Mr Eko to some extent.) Jack has ironically become the Jack Bauer (24) of LOST, every episode needs to have him in focus or doing something, however I hope Jack gets demoted before this transformation is complete. To continue with my 24 theme, I think that Locke resembled David Palmer and Kate resembles Michelle Dessler, while Sawyer is like Tony Almaida... I'm just waiting for Libby to go all Nina Myers on the LOSTaways... :P
I agree with your Shannon theory. I found her seeing Walt more interesting than the hatch.. yet Shannon only appeared in 5 episodes of series 2. And in three of them she barely said a word(actually in one of them she was just playing a dead body). I hope they figure out some conclusion to that story. It would be crap if it was never explained.
As for your 24 theory! If the characters you've mentioned are like characters in 24 then Locke, Kate and Libby will eventually die as their 24 counterparts have all died!
I don't know why Charlie is written so tragically. And frankly until the writers give him a storyline that isn't full of angst and trauma, I don't think I'm going to change my mind about him or his appeal
Well, that is your opinion and that's fine. But you talk like your opinion is the logical one and Charlie's fans only like him for illogical or petty reasons like hobbit obsession or a sympathy vote. The fact is that some fans like Charlie warts and all - characters like Sawyer, Kate, Locke, Eko, etc all have their nasty side and yet their fans still support them.
You don't have analysise the reasons why Charlie fans like him (especially not if you are going belittle them in the process). There are a hundred and one reasons why a person might like or dislike a character. The reason is simply differing tastes.
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For the record I like Charlie.. I'm just looking at the different options as to why he behaves the way he does. Sawyer fans do it, Jack fans do it ..etc etc. Most of us are just piecing together his behavior patterns and comparing them to aspects we have seen in real life with drug addicts and victims of abuse that we have know. It might play out that way..it might not. Its just speculation at this point which is basically what lost fans do half the time..sit around and speculate.
Good point. I don't see the harm in speculating either.
Well, that is your opinion and that's fine. But you talk like your opinion is the logical one and Charlie's fans only like him for illogical or petty reasons like hobbit obsession or a sympathy vote. The fact is that some fans like Charlie warts and all - characters like Sawyer, Kate, Locke, Eko, etc all have their nasty side and yet their fans still support them.
You don't have analysise the reasons why Charlie fans like him (especially not if you are going belittle them in the process). There are a hundred and one reasons why a person might like or dislike a character. The reason is simply differing tastes.
I’ll apologize again. I can see from your comments why you think I "belittled" you. But this wasn't my intention. From your comments, it sounds like you think I said that the only way for someone to like Charlie is by "sympathy vote." This wasn't what I meant at all. I simply think that the character has a lot angst and Charlie's fans like angst. (One specifically told me this.)
The character has gone through so many traumas on the show and to me it just seems like there is nothing else to the character. So far, dramatics and angst define the Charlie character and for me, that is tedious to watch. (Quite frankly, I would rather watch The Hallmark movie of the week rather than to have to hear Charlie tell one more person, "I deserve respect!" or to see him steal Claire's baby in some melodramatic, desperate plea for attention.)
Based on the many comments made by Charlie's fans, I simply think that they like the drama and angst. I'm just a person who doesn’t like it. Again, I really am sorry that I offended you. My dislike of Charlie has nothing to do with you or any Charlie fan. In fact, I have been extremely impressed with almost all his fans here.
I just realize that this show will never satisfy me in terms of screen time for my favorite characters and because of this, I will always feel some tension toward characters who take up screen time who I feel are annoying or not meaningful.
What do characters amount of screentime have to do with how important they are to the overall plot? They've said that Vincent and Aaron are important but I don't see them getting a lot of screen time.You might have someone get a lot of screentime one year only to be killed off the next because they didn't really figure into the plot in the long run.
Each year seems to focus on a sub plot. Last year it was Claire's abduction(first part) and getting settled on the island and the hatch(second part) so the storyline had certain people invloved. This year the first part focused more on the tailies so other people were involved. Next year it will be different and someone else will come to the forefront -- TPTB have already said this. But for those that are on the backburner for now -- the reason they are still there -- is because they still have some part to play in the overall plot.
As long as the character is still kicking and breathing in my opinion he's important.(of course perhaps even the dead characters may wind up being important -- finding out why the island wanted Boone dead would be interesting). And dont' forget Ethan showing up in Clarie's flashback.I just don't think that amount of screentime has anything to do with how important they are in the long term plot.Especially since we don't really know all the details of how that plot will unfold.
The puzzle ain't finished till ALL the pieces fit.
I liked LOTR but I didn't think it was that great. I think you're wrong about Charlie but at least you've got a decent reason to dislike him other than "Charlie's always whining" as he isn't always whining. Anyway back on topic. (I'm not using any spoilers here, it is just my opinion)
Locke - I haven't liked him that much in what I've saw of season 2 but I have a feeling his character is just getting started.
Jack - As boring as he is (no offence to fans) he is important as a leader for the group and now he's losing his hold on leadership it could start an even bigger story with Locke.
Eko - After the confrontation with the monster and him facing it down I think there could be something big developing from that.
Kate - Like Jack, she doesn't do very much but the fugitive thing was interesting at the start but is now getting boring. I think they might drag it out longer than it needs to be even though they've revealed why she was a fugitive.
Sayid - He's the man with the technology behind him and has been from the start, so they could seriously use that and the various hikes he has went on to develop him more after losing the woman he loved.
Ana - I don't like her, I don't hate her. She would be completely pointless if it wasn't for the army thing or her killing an other, but as that's happened she might get an episode out of it soon.
Sawyer - Everyone seems to like him a lot but he's done very little apart from the raft and conning Locke. He doesn't affect the main plot at all and is a bit over rated. I don't have anything against him but he's gotten seriously boring.
Charlie - I personally think he's going to have a bigger part since The Long Con with the guns and drugs.
Hurley - He was the one with the numbers originally but before and after that he has done very little. He is a good character that everyone (me included) enjoys seeing on screen but it doesn't change the fact that all he has going on at the minute is Libby...
Claire - She has had very little screen time and now since she's the one who helped set up the discovery of the med. hatch and the others are all in disguise, that could develop something big.
Libby - She only has a possible meeting with Hurley before the island to build anything around.
Jin - Since returning from the Tailies trek he hasn't done much and his flashbacks are boring.
Sun - The only interesting thing about her was that she spoke English and got hit on the head. (Nothing against her I just find her extremely boring and nothing happening around her)
Feel free to critisize anything I've said here.
I respect your opinion, but you seem to say that none of the characters are very important! I seem to think that the characters rotate in and out of focus (which is a necessity for a show that has 14 main characters!) If a character you like is in the background, just wait and s/he will step forward soon, while other characters fade out temporarily...
I must say, I don't think it's fair to list the characters in this way. They are all important, if they weren't they wouldn't be on the show. They are important in different ways, but they all serve a purpose.
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