gutsdozer
12-18-2005, 11:36 PM
Mr. Lindelof, I can only say that I hope you read this, even if you don't have the time to respond.
I have been listening to your Podcasts and reading some interviews with you about the writing process, and I came across this quote of yours where you brought up Chris Carter and The X-Files, and how he ran it into the ground because the network made him stretch out the show:
What I didn’t understand as a fan but have come to understand as a creator is that we don’t have the freedom to go and say, “We are going to end the series and give definitive answers here in this place.” Because the commerce of this business will not allow us to do that. The network says that “we’re sorry you feel that way, but if that’s what you need to do then we are going to replace you with someone else. And they’ll keep doing The X-Files, or they’ll keep doing Lost. All you can do to protect your baby, as it were, is to do your best and keep coming in and producing episodes. It’s a Catch 22 in many ways.
I for one, would hate to see Lost run into the ground. I've heard you had plans for at least 4 or 5 seasons. So as much as I love the show, I think you should be able to end it when you want. But if ABC doesn't let you, I have a few suggestions for a little "contingency plan":
1) Same plot, different cast: If your ending involves the island still existing, and the current cast getting rescued, just have something else crash on the island a little while after that, and rework the show with a new cast, create new perils for them, and go from there. That way, you get your ending, and the network gets their further seasons. If fans hate the new retooled show, they can just pretend Lost ended with the ending you gave the old cast.
2) Spinoff/Epilogue: If your ending doesn't involve that, turn the show into a spinoff/sequel of itself, by following one or two of the characters from the show into their own side storyline, or an epilogue of the plot. End "Lost" the way you want, then start production at the network's request of "Lost: [subtitle]", in the same way that CSI has Miami and New York spinoffs, and the way Law & Order has about a billion spinoffs. You could probably make a whole series about "Lost: The Dharma Initiative" and have it be a prequel series that shows how and why the island came to be how it was (if you don't explain that in flashbacks, that is).
3) Alternate take of the story: I heard you're going to be doing little downloadable 'shorts' about minor characters on the island, that runs concurrent to the main story. This suggestion would be in the same vein. After Lost "ends", why not go back and redo the whole series from someone else's perspective? Maybe someone else crashed on the island and never even interacted with the Oceanic 815 survivors, but had just as many problems and strange occurrences on the island, and even saw some of the old cast walking through the jungle sometimes. You could always splice this in with stock footage of previous episodes, or get actors back to shoot new scenes, just to show when it was actually happening.
4) Hold the show for ransom: Demand you get to end when you want. You're ABC's hottest commodity, they have to listen to you, right? :biggrin:
Just kidding on that last one (sort of).
Anyway, just wanted to say you're doing an amazing job, but there ARE ways around the 'Catch 22' you mentioned. You can still do the ending you want, and manage to continue it in some way. Good luck getting what you want.
I have been listening to your Podcasts and reading some interviews with you about the writing process, and I came across this quote of yours where you brought up Chris Carter and The X-Files, and how he ran it into the ground because the network made him stretch out the show:
What I didn’t understand as a fan but have come to understand as a creator is that we don’t have the freedom to go and say, “We are going to end the series and give definitive answers here in this place.” Because the commerce of this business will not allow us to do that. The network says that “we’re sorry you feel that way, but if that’s what you need to do then we are going to replace you with someone else. And they’ll keep doing The X-Files, or they’ll keep doing Lost. All you can do to protect your baby, as it were, is to do your best and keep coming in and producing episodes. It’s a Catch 22 in many ways.
I for one, would hate to see Lost run into the ground. I've heard you had plans for at least 4 or 5 seasons. So as much as I love the show, I think you should be able to end it when you want. But if ABC doesn't let you, I have a few suggestions for a little "contingency plan":
1) Same plot, different cast: If your ending involves the island still existing, and the current cast getting rescued, just have something else crash on the island a little while after that, and rework the show with a new cast, create new perils for them, and go from there. That way, you get your ending, and the network gets their further seasons. If fans hate the new retooled show, they can just pretend Lost ended with the ending you gave the old cast.
2) Spinoff/Epilogue: If your ending doesn't involve that, turn the show into a spinoff/sequel of itself, by following one or two of the characters from the show into their own side storyline, or an epilogue of the plot. End "Lost" the way you want, then start production at the network's request of "Lost: [subtitle]", in the same way that CSI has Miami and New York spinoffs, and the way Law & Order has about a billion spinoffs. You could probably make a whole series about "Lost: The Dharma Initiative" and have it be a prequel series that shows how and why the island came to be how it was (if you don't explain that in flashbacks, that is).
3) Alternate take of the story: I heard you're going to be doing little downloadable 'shorts' about minor characters on the island, that runs concurrent to the main story. This suggestion would be in the same vein. After Lost "ends", why not go back and redo the whole series from someone else's perspective? Maybe someone else crashed on the island and never even interacted with the Oceanic 815 survivors, but had just as many problems and strange occurrences on the island, and even saw some of the old cast walking through the jungle sometimes. You could always splice this in with stock footage of previous episodes, or get actors back to shoot new scenes, just to show when it was actually happening.
4) Hold the show for ransom: Demand you get to end when you want. You're ABC's hottest commodity, they have to listen to you, right? :biggrin:
Just kidding on that last one (sort of).
Anyway, just wanted to say you're doing an amazing job, but there ARE ways around the 'Catch 22' you mentioned. You can still do the ending you want, and manage to continue it in some way. Good luck getting what you want.