Lost Goes To PaleyFest For Final Season Clues, Celebration

On Saturday, February 27 the annual Paley Festival held its second night of panels saluting favorite television series, their cast and crew. This particular night was a big one as the Paley Fest was honoring the innovative ABC drama Lost.

The evening’s event started with the Paley Fest’s video introduction followed by a short welcome speech by Craig Hitchcock, Vice President and Executive Director of the Paley Center for Media in Los Angeles. The night’s event was sponsored by TV Guide Magazine and Mr. Hitchcock introduced the magazine’s Editor-in-Chief, Debra Birnbaum, who did the honors of speaking briefly about the series Lost and bringing Executive Producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse to the stage.

The masterminds behind the show, since nearly its inception, were greeted by thunderous applause from the nearly 1,900-strong audience, to which Damon commented he is still not used to that sort of reception. Carlton, in turn, thanked many of the fans for braving the rain (which had been falling off and on for most of the day), as he learned many of them were tweeting about it on Twitter.

Before the cast and crew were brought on stage, Damon and Carlton asked for acknowledgment of the 400 people it takes to make the show, which was met with much applause. Damon then stated that they knew they couldn’t be there without providing the audience with a short clip of the show; and much emphasis was put on the word short.

After the short clip was run, Debra (from TV Guide Magazine) came back on stage to introduce the cast and crew, which included cast member Nestor Carbonell (Richard), writing team/producers Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis, Damon and Carlton, writer/producer Elizabeth Sarnoff, director Jack Bender and cast members Zuleikha Robinson (Ilana), Michael Emerson (Ben Linus) and Terry O’Quinn (Locke) followed by panel moderator, comedian and actor Paul Scheer.

Paul first ran down some of the silly questions people had sent to his Twitter account, which included “Will we finally get a musical episode?”, “Why aren’t there any monkeys on the island?” and “Which house would the sorting hat from ‘Harry Potter’ put each character?”

After the laughter died down from these and several other silly questions, the real ‘grilling’ began. First of all, the crew was asked which episode they were currently writing with Carlton stating they are writing the finale right now and Damon mentioned that Liz, Adam and Eddie just submitted the penultimate episode. Eddie also joked that fans have told him most not to “screw it up” on the final episodes. Meanwhile, Damon and Carlton stated there are a lot of little questions they won’t have time to answer; however, they will answer what they can (beyond what has already been revealed in the final episodes thus far).

Throughout the panel, the cast and crew were asked the following:

• If they ever pitched any ideas for the show – to which Terry swiftly said “No”;
• Who among the actors on the show hit the hardest – to which Michael stated “the younger the actor, the more inflamed their performance, the more likely they are to hurt you.”
• If any of them had amorous fans – to which Damon and Carlton commented they were walking on the Disney lot, heard a car behind them and discovered the studio’s fire marshal inside who asked them, “What’s the smoke monster?”
• If the rumor of Disney changing Tom Sawyer’s island into a Lost island was true to which none of them confirmed but merely joked about their ideas of what the theme park ride would be like:
  Michael: “A wild ride on a VW bus with a distracted Hurley at the wheel.”
  Eddie: “A tunnel with flashbacks of an evil father.”
  Damon: “A dark room, (where you) spin them around, let them out (of the room) and punch them in the face, (telling them) you’ve just had the ‘Lost’ experience.”
• If any of the crew were responsible for any of the ‘water cooler’ moments – to which Damon stated Adam and Eddie were responsible for the idea of Hurley driving out of the jungle in the VW bus, which generated 9 other story ideas leading up to that scene.
• Damon and Carlton were asked, “What’s up with Walt?” – to which Carlton explained they would have kept Malcolm David Kelley on the show if it were possible for him not to age; however, they are “working on a way to bring Walt back before all things are said and done.”
• What was their favorite moments during filming of the show:
• Carlton: The raft launch combined with the music used to accompany the scene.
  Terry: The time they sit around between filming when (for example) Jorge sings “Are You Lonesome Tonight” and Naveen plays his guitar.
  Nestor: Finally finding out “who the hell I am.”
  Damon: How fans critiqued the CGI used in the scenes set in London (when Ben meet with Widmore in his apartment and Sun meet with Widmore along the Thames), which were actually filmed there.

There was then a round of quick fire questions to which the cast and crew simply had to answer yes, no or pass:

1. In the flash sideways, is Jack married to someone we know? – “Yes”
2. Was the bus that hit Juliet’s husband actually the smoke monster? – “No”
3. Was Jacob right that someone is coming to the island? – “Yes”
4. Will we learn about the connection between Libby and Hurley? – “Yes”
5. Will we learn why women can’t have babies on the island? – “Pass”
6. Will we ever get Vincent’s back story? – “No” (but we will see Vincent again)
7. What happens to Rose and Bernard? – “In which timeline” (asked Damon) to which he followed up with “We might see Bernard in a sideways”.

The audience was then invited to ask questions and some of the better ones included:

• Why there aren’t any outtakes on the DVD sets – to which the crew and cast explained that while they do make mistakes, they aren’t that funny and they don’t have time for a gag reel; Nestor also complimented Michael on always being prepared.
• Will there be anything left for Charlie fans in the remaining episodes – Yes
• Did Desmond move seats or disappear? – to which Carlton stated, “you will get the answer to that question very shortly in the show.”

And, to close off the night, Damon stated that the word “water” is what encapsulates the remaining episodes. With that the panel was brought to a close and then the audience quickly descended on the stage to get autographs. Thankfully, most of the cast and crew were obliging.

The final season of Lost airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on ABC.

All Good Things Must Come to An End

Tonight is the beginning of the end. The innovative series Lost – that has consistently combined drama and sci-fi – will air the two-hour season premiere of its sixth and final season, starting at 9 PM on ABC.

What exactly will happen in the premiere is anyone’s guess, as the shows executive producers, Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof, have been tight-lipped about this season, much as they have been throughout the show’s entire run. But late last week the first four minutes of the season premiere were released online for fans to salivate over. Like many others, I decided to take a look at the four minutes, as my curiosity simply got the better of me. What I saw was a rehash of the final scenes of the season finale from last year plus one other scene.

Rather than be spoilerish, I will say I wasn’t expecting this one other scene yet it didn’t seem to provide any more clues to the mystery of the island or what happened after the bomb dropped. That seems to be the case for the last few seasons, causing harm to the show’s appeal and driving away viewers. Hopefully, however, many of the overwhelming questions that have lingered since the show debuted in 204 will be answered, starting tonight, and viewers will flock back to the show because this is the LAST season.

If I may be self-indulgent, I most want to know the answers to the following questions:

1. What in the world is the smoke monster?

Perhaps it is the spirit of the island, protecting its inhabitants – both those willing and willing to be there. Or perhaps it is a supernatural force with dark and sinister plans for all who end up on that strange island.

2. If John Locke really is dead who the FRAK is the Locke we saw inside the statue?

One of the most chilling revelations from last season was not only that John Locke was indeed dead but that he had a strange doppelganger, leading the others, and convincing Ben to kill Jacob.

3. Who were the skeletons found in the cave in Season 1?

Though this is one of many puzzles from the series that has been mostly overlooked, I still want an explanation of who they were, what – if any – role they played with the Others. Or were they “victims” of the island like the Oceanic 815 survivors?

4. What intentions do the writers have in bringing back not only Claire (Emilie de Ravin) and Charlie (Dominic Monaghan) but also Boone (Ian Somerhalder), Michael (Harold Perrineau) and Libby (Cynthia Watros)?

Seeing as how all of these characters perished – or at least in Claire’s case her death has been presumed – their reappearances can only be in flashbacks (right?) unless, of course, if the bomb blast really works and resets all the incidents of the past.

5. Lastly, why are they (the survivors) on the island [which is the big question that’s been posed in the latest promos for the two-hour premiere]?

Given how many people were on Oceanic 815 when it crashed, why were those specific people spared? Why did they survive and the others on the plane didn’t? What key does each one hold to the mysteries of the island?

If you are a fan of Lost, if you used to watch it but got turned off by all the mysteries that never got resolved or if you are like many others who simply wait for the DVD to come out, you owe it to yourself to watch the show in real time this season. Record it and watch it each week or watch it live: just watch it. And, enjoy the beginning of the end of one of the most innovative programs to ever graced television screens.

Spotlight on: Elizabeth Mitchell

First gracing the television screen in 1993 on the television series Dangerous Curves, Elizabeth Mitchell quickly began an ascent that has taken her to starring in two of the most buzzed about series currently on television: V and Lost.

While few watched her debut into the television arena, she has proven over the years to be an actress who naturally stands-out and makes her presence felt. Not content with a mere wallflower role, she began getting noticed for her steely resistance and stunning good looks. Then, in 1998, she was cast in a ground-breaking role as the lover of Angelina Jolie in  Gia. That was quickly followed by a role in the short-lived TV series Significant Others, in which she co-starred with Jennifer Garner (Alias) and Michael Weatherly (NCIS).

Fortunately, her next project was a feature film Frequency, a sci-fi film starring Dennis Quaid and Jim Caviezel. Alas, being cast as Dennis Quaid’s wife was not enough to keep her on the big screen and Elizabeth was soon back on television appearing in another short-lived series Time of Your Life, which coincidentally co-starred Jennifer Garner, Pauley Perrette (NCIS), and Jennifer Love Hewitt (Ghost Whisperer).

Still not finding a secure niche, Elizabeth tackled the role of Dr. Kim Legaspi, the lover of Dr. Kerry Weaver in the hit drama ER. It was during this time period that she fine-tuned her comedic skills by co-starring in the films The Santa Clause, The Santa Clause 2 and The Santa Clause 3 with comedian Tim Allen. She also balanced her comedic forays by working in the short-lived legal drama The Lyon’s Den which starred Rob Lowe. Bouncing between serious, comedic and earnest 20-something roles, Elizabeth built a fine resume of solid work experience showing off not only her versatility, but her strong work ethic and willingness to step-outside the box to portray strong yet vulnerable women.

It was that more than anything that perhaps brought her to the attention of Lost, where she scored the role of a lifetime, playing the ambiguous, resilient and astoundingly lethal Juliet Burke – and, for the first time, stole the limelight from a popular co-star and claimed the heart of the bad-boy with a heart of gold, James “Sawyer” Ford. Over the course of four seasons, Elizabeth not only stole scenes and attention, she carved out a fanatic fan-base and managed to become the heart and hero of the show. So much so that in May 2009, she literally ended the season with a bang and created one of the biggest cliff-hangers of the series.

Simultaneously, not being one to sit still, Elizabeth managed to sneak off and score one of the most coveted roles of sci-fi television, the part of Erica Evans, the FBI agent in the new hit sci-fi series V. Unlike the morally ambiguous Juliet she plays on Lost, on V Elizabeth is clearly the moral center and is fighting to save the human race. This is ironic, given that she did virtually the same thing on Lost – she may have saved the world by setting off a nuclear bomb and resetting the fractured timeline.

So with the final season of Lost looming on the horizon and a bright and shiny future beckoning with the series V, Elizabeth seems destined for greatness. With her luminous, poignant and steely portrayals, she has embraced difficult roles and made them her own and won the admiration of the television audience forever.

Elizabeth Mitchell stars in V which airs Tuesday nights at 8:00 p.m. on ABC. However, V will be on hiatus until March 2010 due the holidays and the winter Olympics. Be sure to tune back in March! Lost returns February 2 at 9/8c on ABC; when V returns in March it will be the lead-in for Lost.

JJ Abrams Married Spy Show Begins Casting

A few months ago NBC picked up a new series from mastermind JJ Abrams (Alias, Fringe, Lost), currently titled Undercovers. The show centers on a husband and wife who also happen to be spies. Abrams appears to be expanding his oeuvre with this show, though, because it will be more of an action comedy than the drama for which he’s become known.

Fansite Abramsology dug up the casting call for the series regulars and posted them today, giving us an advance look at Samantha, Stephen, and the rest of their merry band of spies.

• Samantha: the wife, she’s very smart, hot, strong and sharp. Contenders for the role must be in great shape, and they’re looking for actresses aged 27-37.
• Stephen: the husband, he’s very attractive, smart, sharp, and has great sense of humor. Contenders for this role must also be in great shape, and they’re looking for actors aged 27-37.
• Carlton Shaw: he’s a smart, older (45-65) guy with a sarcastic wit.
• Lizzy: described as cute and a bit of a scatter brain, she’s fairly young (18-27).
• Bill Hoyt: another younger member of the team, he’s 18-29, enthusiastic and a bit of a brownnoser.

The age range for the leads is intriguing. If they cast on the younger side, then our lead couple may have only been married for a short time; if they cast on the older side, then they may have been together for a decade or more. It seems to me that the tone of the show could be very different, depending on who is cast. Who would you put in the lead roles? How about the supporting characters?

Spotlight On: Sonya Walger

As one of the break-out stars of the new hot ABC series FlashForward, Sonya Walger has been gaining notoriety for the last couple of years playing Penelope Widmore on Lost.

But before her attention-grabbing success on Lost and FlashForward, Sonya was a steadily working television performer. After doing short stints on such shows as Heat of the Sun, Misdomer Murders, The Vice and Goodnight Sweetheart in 1998 and 1999, Sonya scored a big break being cast as Donna Barnes in the series FlashForward. Unfortunately, that role lasted only one season and she was back to steadily working in both film and television roles; the most noteworthy was being cast as Nicole Noone in made-for-television movie, The Librarian: Quest for the Spear.

But 2004 was a really good year for Sonya. That was the year she gained traction and momentum in her career and, in between 2004 through 2006, she appeared in ten episodes of CSI: New York as Jane Parsons and five episodes of the series Sleeper Cell as Special Agent Patrice Sexner, which was quickly followed with a ten episode stint in 2007 on the ground-breaking series Tell Me You Love Me. But it was in 2006 in which lightening struck when she was cast as Desmond’s star-crossed lover, Penny, in the ABC phenomenon Lost. It was only 11 electrifying episodes, but with the line “not Penny’s boat” scribbled across Charlie’s hand as he sacrificed himself to convey that dire message to the rest of the castaways, Penny suddenly became a lightening rod for fans to latch onto. Unlike any other romantic pairing on the series, Penny and Desmond were always portrayed as destined to be together and the writers were generous enough to play up their epic romance.

While the Penny-Desmond storyline is ongoing through the final season of Lost, which will be broadcast starting in January 2010, Sonya was not content to sit around. She quickly scored a recurring role on the short-lived series Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles as Michelle Dixon, Charlie Dixon’s doomed wife.

Then in a bold career move and with a masterful stroke of luck, Sonya landed the lead role in the red-hot ABC series FlashForward playing Olivia Benford, wife of Mark Benford (Joseph Fiennes), the morally conflicted doctor who is uncertain if she wants her flashforward vision of her future to come true — for in her vision she saw herself involved with another man. Sonya’s portrayal is perfectly nuanced as we see her determination to remain faithful to her husband and marriage in the face of temptation and the mechanisms of fate. Sonya also radiates such a heart of goodness and loving warmth that the audience is drawn to her whenever she is on screen.

It will be a pleasure to watch as Sonya continues to explore her character, Olivia, in FlashForward and to see what surprises lie in store on Lost.  ABC has picked a winner with this radiant actress and it is a delight to be blessed with her presence on two hot series that will play back-to-back through this upcoming season.

FlashForward airs Thursdays on ABC at 8/7c.

Is ABC The New Lifetime?

While putting together the TV Guide over the past couple of weeks, I’ve noticed that ABC is suddenly on our radar again with several new shows that appeal to the Nice Girls. Of the 19 scripted shows on the network, seven have females as the lead character (Cougar Town, Eastwick, Desperate Housewives, Grey’s Anatomy, The Middle, Private Practice, Ugly Betty) while three are ensembles/co-leads with prominent female characters  (Brothers & Sisters, Castle, Modern Family). Even sci-fi offerings FlashForward, V, and Lost feature strong women in prominent roles. When did ABC become the modern woman’s network?

It would be easy to point at Anne Sweeney, Co-Chair/Disney Media Networks President of Disney/ABC Television Group, as the source of these programming decisions. Sweeney was appointed to her post in 2004, and since then ABC has become a force to be reckoned with in the ratings and in terms of buzzworthy shows. She helped launch Grey’s Anatomy, Desperate Housewives and Dancing With The Stars. Her vision for quality programming has seen Sweeney repeatedly been named the “Most Powerful Woman in Entertainment” by The Hollywood Reporter, one of the “50 Most Powerful Women in Business” by Fortune and one of “The World’s 100 Most Powerful Women” by Forbes.

On the other hand, Stephen McPherson, President of ABC Entertainment Group, deserves a lot of credit for ABC’s current lineup. McPherson answers to Sweeney and is responsible for all development and current programming at ABC. He brought Desperate Housewives, Grey’s Anatomy and Lost from his previous job in development for Touchstone, giving ABC show that brought ratings, critical acclaim and pop culture cachet. McPherson also developed series like Alias for ABC at his previous job, showing a knack for finding strong, female-centric shows.

ABC has evolved from a discordant lineup of movies, game shows, sitcoms fronted by men, and a few cop & lawyer shows at the beginning of the decade to the current fairly consistent lineup of strong, female-centric shows. Even their reality offerings – Dancing With The Stars, Supernanny, Wife Swap – seem designed to appeal to women. As a branding idea, it’s not a bad move. Studies show that women, particularly Moms, are the ones in charge of the budget now, so advertisers want to buy ad time on shows aimed at that demographic.

As it turns out, the answer to my titular question is “No”. ABC is earning a reputation for quality series featuring modern women in all our incarnations, not the movie-of-the-week victims and vixens on Lifetime. Maybe the cable network needs to start paying attention to ABC’s model.

Full Of Glee: I Feel A New Obsession Coming On

Rarely do I watch a pilot and immediately have to watch it again. Want to hug it. Want to roll around in it. Lost was one of those shows (I’ve since given up on it and plan to watch the last couple of seasons when they come out on DVD). Chuck was another one. And now…it’s Glee.

I’m not a fan of musicals. I can’t stomach American Idol. But I have a weakness for movies about show choirs. You don’t want to know how many times I’ve seen Sister Act. Both of them. Still, I wasn’t expecting to do more than smile a little while watching Glee, maybe want to check it out this fall. Instead I spent the episode smiling, laughing, applauding, and chair dancing. The final number, “Don’t Stop Believing”, had me simultaneously tearing up and wanting to dance with, well, glee. This is truly a gem of a show, and I’m warning the other Nice Girls now that I’m not going to be able to shut up about it.

Glee’s full season begins this fall on Fox, but you can watch the pilot episode online all summer. I dare you not to chair dance.

E!Online’s Alpha Male Madness – Down to the Wire!

E!Online has been running their Alpha Male Madness for a couple of weeks and our Supernatural boys (plus one fine vampire) are among the final four contestants. Yikes, I can’t pick just one! What about you?