A couple of years ago, I read a story that said you were a Dark Shadows fan as a kid -- to the point where your mom sent you daily synopses while you were at summer camp.

As a kid who ran home from school to watch DS myself, I was wondering if the show had any influence on you as a television writer? Any other genre shows that might have had an impact on you from childhood?

The Twilight Zone scared the bejesus out of me when I was a grade-schooler. It wasn't until I saw it as an adult on the late show in college that I realized how many episodes were morality tales, and the characters usually got what they "deserved," one way or the other.

Do you see Lost in a similar vein -- or is more of the "stuff happens" school of entertainment?

Alane

Always nice to meet another DS afficianado. They don't hold up real well, but boy it was a twisted way to spend an afternoon. I'm sure it's impacted me in a bunch of ways. As did all the hooro movies I watched on CHILLER THEATRE and CREATURE FEATURES, two staples of TV viewing in New York.

As far as LOST, I'd have to say we're more of a "ripping yarn" series then morality tales. Although, we do try to explore the complexities of human behavior while people run from scary monsters and polar bears.

Always nice to meet another DS afficianado.* They don't hold up real well, but boy it was a twisted way to spend an afternoon.* I'm sure it's impacted me in a bunch of ways.* As did all the hooro movies I watched on CHILLER THEATRE and CREATURE FEATURES, two staples of TV viewing in New York.

We had a Chiller Theatre back in Columbus, Ohio, too. I miss those monster movie features with the silly local hosts. Ah well ... life moves on.

As far as LOST, I'd have to say we're more of a "ripping yarn" series then morality tales.* Although, we do try to explore the complexities of human behavior while people run from scary monsters and polar bears.

I like the idea of the monsters ultimately being the least important challenge they have to face. You can run from monsters, but it's pretty tough to run from yourself forever.

And hey, at least they don't have to run from a rubber bat on a string or, my personal favorite, the dreaded Hand of Count Petofi, as they did on Dark Shadows! :)

Seriously, one thing I did appreciate about Dark Shadows when I re-watched it as an adult was that no matter how ridiculous the plot might have sounded, the actors* played it straight. There were no winks or intentional campiness (although some of it looks campy 35 years later). Every weekday they went "live on tape" to present a drama that respected its audience.

I once read Jonathan Frid described the show as being set in a "gothic Brigadoon." The things that occurred in Collinsport could happen only there in that setting, which was more or less removed from the rest of the world.

We, in the audience, don't know enough about Lost to draw definitive conclusions ... yet. But perhaps there's a bit of the old Brigadoon dynamic on the island as well?*

But without the singing ... not that you couldn't contribute to that. ;)

Alane