Lost

Was Richard Alpert a slave on the Black Rock?

That was an implication from the Lost season premiere, wasn't it?

Even if we accept this as true, of course, there are plenty of Richard-related questions on the minds of viewers, most notably: why doesn't he age?!?!?!

Fortunately, in a new interview with TV Guide, Nestor Carbonell says answers are ahead. A few excerpts...

On Richard's background: "We have gotten to that point where there is an episode that deals with the origins of Richard Alpert and the bigger questions about his character, as well as bigger questions about the island and the mythology of it. It's an episode that reveals a lot."

Any other character-related spoilers? "It's safe to say he's been around for a long time. Initially, in Season 3, when he appeared in the '70s to young Ben, he was described as a Hostile, an indigenous member of the island, so we will find out if that's true or not or what that means exactly. If he was a Hostile, what is a Hostile? Who is this man?"

On what Richard wants: "Redemption. At the heart of it, every character wants to be redeemed on some level. God knows my character has definitely committed some atrocities. If there's redemption, I think he wants to get it. He wants to feel empowered and a sense of a real identity and to know his place on this island and in the world. I think most of all, Richard just wants answers."

Ready for insight into which Lost characters will be featured in a trio of flash... parallels.

(Note to producers: it was a lot easier when we could refer to these episodes as "flashbacks." It was also a lot easier when we thought this show was just about people on an island, but we're not complaining.)

We've uncovered information on three March installments of the best show TV has ever seen. Read on if you wish to learn tidbits about what's happening in 2004 during these episodes...

• March 9: Ben-based. Says Michael Emerson: "You'll see a man who is only faintly recognizable as the Ben we've known. What if Ben had been born and lived in unextraordinary circumstances? What might he have been like?"
• March 16: All about Sawyer. Says Josh Holloway: Sawyer is "the same guy, but on the other side of the law."
• March 30: Sun/Jin-centric. Says Daniel Dae Kim: It is "a totally different relationship" as "they are no longer living in Seoul and Sun didn't have to leave Jin at the airport."

As for the next new episode, "What Kate Does?"

Check out a clip from it below.

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As Lost viewers know, the show has gone sideways.

Forget flashing back or flashing forward, the sixth season premiere introduced fans to a parallel timeline, one that starts with Jack back on Oceanic flight 815.

The differences in this scene, versus an eerily similar one from the pilot episode, have been noted: Cindy hands Jack one bottoe of vodka as opposed to two; Rose is the one to comfort Jack; and, of course, the plane doesn't crash.

But it's still worth actually watching the scenes side-by-side for comparison. The video below offers this opportunity:

Did you pick up on any other differences or similarites?

As you ponder that question, check out our Lost Theory of the Week and let us know where you stand on it.

It was the most emotional scene on the Lost premiere, but it also felt the most useless:

Why did the show kill off Juliet for a second time? The fifth season finale farewell to this character was both heroic and touching, seemingly an ideal way for her and Sawyer to part ways.

But viewers quickly found out on Tuesday night that Juliet had jumped to 2004 with her fellow castaways. They dug out a hole for Sawyer climb down, only for her to simply die in his arms. Was this a manipulative way for Lost to squeeze even more emotion out of this love affair... or something more?

Based on what Juliet uttered (and/or almost uttered) before she passed, we're leaning toward the latter option. Consider:

Despite the pain and despite the circumstances, Juliet seemed at peace, almost happy. She asked Sawyer out for coffee and, as Miles later relayed, was about to add two critical words: It worked.

Juliet died on the season six premiere... so why is she so happy?

What worked? The Jughead-inspired reboot, that's what most fans assume. And we agree. As for the odd coffee date reference, we're reminded of the Mel Gibson movie Signs.

Remember when his wife lay dying, only to mutter something about "swinging away" that would save her family's life years later? Even if you don't, the point remains the same:

Sometimes, the near-dead have visions the living cannot see. Sometimes, they are privy to information unattainable to anyone else. Sometimes, there's a parallel universe where events unfold in a certain manner and it takes blowing up a hydrogen bomb to see your off-island destiny.

In Juliet and Sawyer's case, this means an eventual coffee date in a rebooted 2004 timeline. When will it take place? On the series finale, scheduled to air on May 23.

AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH THIS THEORY? LET US KNOW!

Lost producers say not to refer to the sixth season's unique narrative as an "alternate reality."

What do these flash sideways scenes mean, in that case? It's unclear, but we debate that topic in this week's Lost Round Table.

As for next Tuesday's episode, ABC has not released any synopsis or revealed any spoilers related to it. But we do have a clip!

In it, Kate is still on the run in 2004, as she forces a pregannt Claire out of the car. Watch below.

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As expected the sixth season premiere of Lost delivered at least one, consistent reaction across the critical board: WTF?!?

We mean that in the best way possible, of course, but... there are two timelines now?!? Sayid is dead? Maybe? There's a new set of Others and one resembles John Lennon?!?

Read through our recap of "LA X" right now and then check out the first edition of the Lost Round Table below. Readers feedback is strongly encouraged...

The simultaneous timeline: Cool or annoying?
M.L. House: Annoyingly cool? I didn't care for it this week, as it was too confusing and too forced (Hurley: I'm the luckiest guy alive! See how my life is different!), but producers have done nothing to make me question their ability to eventually bring these timelines together in a fascinating way.

LJ Gibbs: Like Jack in the winter, it is both cool and annoying at the same time.

Mr. Probst: At least for this first episode, it worked for me.  I enjoyed Flight 815 redux because it felt like an alternate ending to Lost.  It's fun to see these characters react, and react differently, in an entirely different environment when we know so much about their personalities already. 

The idea of Flight 815 redux works because we all likely feel that there will be some dramatic outcome to the storyline which will likely merge with the alternate story line.  It has to, right?  Even if you don't like it, you have to acknowledge that what the show is doing is impressive.  Flashbacks, Flash Forwards and now Flash...Parallels?  To be able to write a show where those three concepts all work is impressive.

Has Sayid truly been resurrected?
M.L. House: No, the Sayid we had grown to know, love and pretend to be when torturing friends is long gone. In his place? Gotta go with Jacob.

LJ Gibbs: Since he hasn't tried to eat anyone's brain yet, it appears that Sayid has been resurrected and is not a zombie. Who he has been resurrected as, however, is the question. If he's Michael Jackson, it's probably a good thing Walt got off the island.

Mr. Probst: We're really delving into Lost metaphysics here, aren't we?  Has his physical body been resurrected?  Well, yea, duh.  Is his body being occupied by Sayid's spirit?  Doubtful.  That would be quite a dramatic way to bring Sayid back to life just so he could simply be Sayid from here on out. 

What I prefer is that the recently deceased Jacob has been reincarnated in Sayid's body.  Jacob has always been called a savior and was carried out of the temple spring in a very Christ-like manner.  Let's put two and two together and call him Fake Sayid/Jacob just like we have Fake Locke/Man In Black.

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Warning: the following interview with producers Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof focus on the new narrative structure introduced on last night's Lost season premiere.

If you haven't watched it... drop everything you are doing and fire up that DVR and/or read through our thorough review of "LA X" right this very instant! The episode is a doozy.

The following interview with Cuse and Lindelof focuses on what was likely the most controversial aspect of the premiere: it's new narrative structure, which we've dubbed as "flash parallels."

But were the scenes on flight 815 parallels? A rebooted timeline? We'll have to keep watching to find out for sure, but here's a summary of what the producers told Entertainment Weekly on the subject...

• The simultaneous timelines have been planned for a couple years.
• Said Cuse: "The big question of the season is going to be: How do these [two timelines] reconcile?"
• Viewers should go back and take close looks at the differences between this flight 815 scene and the one we saw on the pilot episode.
• Whether or not Jughead is what created the new timeline is a "big mystery" right now.
• Lindelof said they have replaced the trademark “whoosh!” sound effect marking the segue between Island present story and flashbacks or flash-forwards, thereby calling conspicuous attention to the relationship between the Island world and the parallel world.
• He's also quick to say: "Don’t use the phrase “alternate reality,” because to call one of them an “alternate reality” is to infer that one of them isn’t real, or one of them is real and the other is the alternate to being real."

In conclusion, Lindelof summarized, "Season 6 is not about time travel. It’s about the implications, the aftermath, and the causality of trying to change the past."

Can that actually be done? It doesn't seem that way, as even new developments in 2004 haven't stopped the characters from arriving at their destination in 2007. At least we don't think they have.

It's all rather unclear at this point, but that's what we love about Lost, isn't? Let's just sit back and enjoy this utterly unique, incredibly dense and well-produced drama for what it is: the best show we'll ever watch.

It was the major question heading into last night's sixth season premiere of Lost: Would the Jughead detonation be a success, rebooting the show's timeline and sending the castaways safely to Los Angeles?

Right away, viewers got the answer: Yes... and no. Forget flashbacks and flashforwards. We were introduced this week to... flash parallels?!?

How was Jack on a plane... and on the island? Is that Boone, and Charlie... and Claire? How is Locke in a wheelchair... and dead... AND walking around as the human shell of the smoke monster?!?

Indeed, there were numerous questions - and timelines - thrown at fans this week, a majority of which we have no choice but to be patient about. While the dueling realities may make little sense at the moment, it's hard not to have faith that all will be explained.

For now, catch up on a basic recap of "LA X" and try to keep your head on straight as we review the events from the episode below.

WHAT WE LEARNED:

There's a new timeline. Jughead didn't just "work," as Juliet apparently wanted to tell Sawyer before she died, in putting all castaways safely on the plane. It changed their life stores. To wit: Hurley is now the luckiest guy alive; Shannon chose to remain in Australia; Desmond was a passenger on flight 815. No one remembers who anyone else is.

TVF Take: Huh?!? This is some alternative reality, but it's one where fate appears to be bringing certain favorites (Jack and Locke, Claire and Kate) together in some way. There's not much else to take away from this development... yet. We're clearly meant to be confused, and are left pondering the differences between what we just saw on flight 815 versus what we knew about these characters' pre-crash lives prior to this reboot. Where's Libby? Ana Lucia? The most intriguing line from this parallel universe:

Charlie telling Jack he was "supposed to die."

The Man in Black = Smokey. Kudos to the show for revealing one of the most sought after answers in the very first episode. Has there ever been a cooler scene on Lost than when Fake Locke transformed into the monster, wreaked havoc and then appeared again in human form. We're still giddy over Fake Locke's words to Ben: Sorry you had to see me like that.

TVF Take: So The Man in Black can take on the form of Smokey and of dead people. Does this mean he pretended to be Christian every time Jack saw his father on the island? And Alex when she told Ben to follow every word Locke said? We'd have to assume so on both accounts.

There are more Others. We'll be honest: our eyes almost rolled upon being introduced to yet another new group on the island. But it looks like we'll get quick answers about these people (we'll call them The Temple Troupe), as we already know flight attendant Cindy is one of them; they answer to Jacob; their magic water can save lives...

... but at what cost?

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As expected, ABC has removed the first four minutes from the Lost season premiere that leaked online late last week.

But the network won't be taking down the video below: airing during last night's episode of Desperate Housewives, this is the first promo to depict new footage from season six.

If you don't want to be spoiled in any way, consider yourself warned...

What stands out to us from the trailer?

• There are numerous shots of Jack, Kate, Hurley, Sawyer, Locke and Jin. None of them appear dead. That's encouraging.
• The exterior of The Others' temple is shown.
• There are new characters. Did you catch Hiroyuki Sanada and John Hawkes? They're connected in some way to the temple.
• Smokey looks mad.
• So does Jack.

Did we miss anything? What did you notice about the preview above?

This is hilarious, helpful stuff:

A guy named Mike has used his Italian family to recreate memorable scenes from the first five seasons of Lost. With just a day remaining until the most anticipated premiere of 2010, the following video is hysterical... and even informative:

Looking for another way to catch up on Lost? This video recap should to the trick.