So, does anybody else watch LOST?  Is Tuesday the highlight of your week as well?  At 8:00 CT, the most brilliant and intricately planned show takes us fans one step closer to "closing the book" of one of the biggest, yet most satisfying TV series ever.  Unlike most serial dramas on television, the LOST writers expect their viewers to be mature and intelligent enough to commit to their work and follow it out to the end (May 2010).  If you do watch the show and you're a fan, then you will understand my slightly insane addiction and if you don't then I'm sure I fall into a totally different category of "Shit, another LOST fan", which, by the way, I totally understand, because, yes, LOST fans are extreme nerds for the show and usually won't shut up about it (I can say this because I'm rambling about it right now).

Anyway, back to my point... certain shows, of which only seem to come but once in a blue moon, share a team of writers with such skills, talent, and high caliber that all of the other series and sitcoms seem to pale in comparison to the glory of these pieces of Art portrayed through the windows of our TV's.  Twin Peaks was the first show that I was introduced to by my fantastic fiance, Joey, that truly blew my mind and what it knew of televised entertainment.  The series was so artfully filmed, written, and acted, and the characters so realized, that I forgot all together that I was watching a television show at all and not a long film.  Where many television series fall short of character development, and instead, dump their characters into silly stereotypes, this show gave life to it's characters and gave them such depth that they were real, complex human beings... strange and bizarre beings, but human in their emotions and their curiosities, nonetheless.  The same attention to detail could be said about shows such as Mad Men and LOST as well.


Mad Men, a show that I might be equally as obsessed with as LOST, wins the prize for "Most dynamic characters on a show".  This cast of characters has the viewers on a constant roller coaster of emotions and judgments while the actors merely stretch before their main workout routine of wowing us as an audience, showing us each actors broad range of ability to completely capture us into their world.  The world of Mad Men, is a look into an Ad Agency (Sterling - Cooper) and the complex world and society of the late 1950's, early 1960's.  The writing is so utterly brilliant that the show encourages the viewer to study, consider, and relate to each scene, in order to be able to properly digest the theme and concept of each episode, tying into the show as a whole.  There's absolutely nothing better than having a legitimately thought provoking conversation/investigation of the shows tightly woven and sometimes subtle but extremely relevant and poignant details.  Thank you, Mad Men writers, for allowing my brain to actually exercise, rather than falling asleep as I watch TV.  Who knew that it could be possible to urge higher order thinking skills while being completely entertained by the plot of a TV drama other than a made for TV documentary, Ken Burns style, or any of the shows on the History channel or Discovery?  Certainly "CSI" or "Dancing with the Stars" do not encourage such "thought-cardio".


Similarly, LOST gives it's audience a myriad of characters, who are equally dynamic in their complexities and grow with each episode right in front of our eyes.  Though LOST's plot is a maze to be crawled through and explored thoroughly (I mean, this is a 6 year commitment with an enormous list of questions posed!!!), it's never-ending surprises and small gifts of knowledge tempt us away from fully giving up on the show before the big questions are slowly answered.  This show is a PRIME example of the importance of foreplay... it's just SO much better if you are patient and attentive.  The fact that a show can pose a question and create situations for characters during its first season and then artfully tie up loose ends as late as the 6th season that reveals an answer about that character while introducing yet another question, is a fantastic puzzle and gift to the viewer.  After 6 seasons of watching LOST, I am still surprised by the end of each episode when the screen turns black and the word "LOST" is stamped into view alongside the familiar sound byte that is so delightfully LOST.  The fact that the fan base of LOST remains unsure of which way to turn in this labyrinth after a 6 year commitment with the same writers, gives ode to the writers of the show and their extensive story-line that they have created.  J.J. Abrams, thank you.

So, to conclude, having been someone who grew up in a family where TV was labeled "The Idiot Box", and oftentimes rightfully so, I am immensely excited with shows as stimulating as these.  These TV dramas should be the monumental examples to which every television writer should strive to come close to achieving in order to avoid creating an "Idiocracy" of television viewers.

Whew, that felt good.  I can't wait till Tuesday.  Anyone else have any awesome shows to share that you feel are equally impressive?  If so, let me know so I can add it to the list!  I hope everybody had a great Easter... Love to all and have a good night!