LOST: The Mysteries Remain Nearly 10 Years Later
Walkabout
Image Source: Where’s Walt?
Terry O’Quinn’s character, John Locke, found new life on the island. After being confined to a wheelchair for many years, Locke regained the ability to walk upon waking up on the beach following Oceanic 815’s crash landing. Sticking with his character’s gung-ho attitude, O’Quinn walked nearly 12 miles a day to and from the set of Lost during filming.
Keaton, Fox and Hamm
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You either loved or hated Dr. Jack Shephard. The main protagonist of the series, Jack was ultimately played by Matthew Fox. However, Fox’s involvement only came after Michael Keaton turned down the role — citing his disdain to commit for the duration of the show. In addition to Keaton, Mad Men star Jon Hamm also auditioned for the pivotal role.
Built For Destruction
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Lost’s pilot episode will never be forgotten. Costing millions of dollars to produce, Lost left no stone unturned in creating a masterful episode. In fact, the set featuring Oceanic Flight 815 was the result of an arduous process. Production purchased a plane and flew it to Oahu — only to dismantle and rebuild said plane in order to create the show’s most memorable visual.
Leader Turned Outlaw
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As a result of Keaton turning down the role of Jack, multiple characters were affected. The original script called for Jack to meet a quick demise. In need of a leader, Kate Austen was intended to lead the survivors on the island. Instead, Jack lived and became the unquestioned (at least for a while) leader. Kate’s character was ultimately transformed into an outlaw.
For The Love Of Anagrams
Image Source: Lostpedia
Lost was a show chock-full of mystery and subliminal messages. During the final episode of Season 3, Jack spends time at a funeral home called Hoffs/Drawlar. This doesn’t seem particularly notable — until you realize it is an anagram for “flash-forward.” The season ends with the show’s biggest twist up until that point. The audience learns that the episode’s events were set in the future.
A few years later, John Locke’s coffin is being transported in a van with the name Canton-Reiner written on the side. Out of the name Canton-Reiner, one can arrange the word “reincarnation.”
Andy Serkis’ Influence
Image Source: Lostpedia Blog
Although Andy Serkis had absolutely nothing to do with Lost, the time Dominic Monaghan spent with the famed motion-capture actor on the set of Lord of the Rings helped mold Monaghan’s portrayal of Charlie — a recovering heroin addict. After stumbling upon heroin in the jungle, Charlie is faced with an internal crisis. In an effort to evoke the proper emotion for the scene, Monaghan thought of Serkis’ performance as Gollum — a crazed and desperate figure in the Lord of the Rings universe.
Mother Nature
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Shooting on location — especially in a tropical setting — comes with the inherent risk of bad weather. According to Executive Producer Carlton Cuse, production was severely hindered due to 42 straight days of rain on the island of Oahu. While the rain certainly enhanced the intensity of certain scenes, six consecutive weeks of rain became a drag on the cast and crew.
Sawyer and….Shannon?
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Sawyer enjoyed quite the dating life while stuck on the island. From his run-ins with Kate to his love affair with Juliet, Josh Holloway’s Sawyer had a way with the ladies. But instead of Juliet winning over “LaFleur”, there was nearly another lucky lady. Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof came close to pairing Sawyer and Shannon together. Thankfully, we all got to witness the terrific pairing of Sawyer and Juliet instead.
46 Million Eyes
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At the peak of its popularity, Lost was a ratings juggernaut. The most watched episode in series’ history was the Season 2 premier — Man of Science, Man of Faith. More than 23 million people watched the initial venture into the hatch. Although the viewership was never quite as high the rest of the way, Lost’s second season set the stage for a viewer-explosion in Season 3.
Freckles
Image Source: Variety
Sawyer and Kate’s chemistry was undeniable. In the early seasons especially, scenes featuring both Holloway and Lilly were some of the best the show had to offer. In addition to affectionately calling Kate ‘Freckles’ on the show, Holloway liked the nickname so much that he stuck with it and referred to Lilly as ‘Freckles’ in real life as well.
Bait-And-Switch
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The Season 4 finale of Lost was shocking. The reveal of John Locke’s death flipped the Lost world on its head. However, in an effort to avoid spoilers, Sawyer and Desmond (Henry Ian Cusick) were also filmed in the coffin. According to Carlton Cuse, Holloway briefly believed his time on the show had come to an end:
“I think for two minutes, when Josh was told that he had to get in a coffin and play dead —he thought he had been killed. We’d never be so callous as to kill a character without telling them ahead of time!”
Run, Forest, Run?
Image Source: Variety
Can you imagine Forest Whitaker playing the role of Sawyer? I can’t, but it was almost a reality. Whitaker was originally cast for the role but opted out in order to direct First Daughter — ironically starring Michael Keaton who was at one point tapped to play Jack Shephard.
Boom Goes The Dynamite
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“You got some Arzt on you.” Dr. Arzt’s death was one of the most memorable ones of the series. Blown up by a treasure trove of dynamite, Daniel Roebuck’s Dr. Arzt met a gruesome end. In a surprising twist, the dynamite in Roebuck’s possession had an actual charge:
“They needed to know where the explosion would emanate from, so the stick was wired up my arm and down my leg. It went off with a pop!”
Hurley’s Charm
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While watching an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm, J.J. Abrams’ attention was drawn to Jorge Garcia. Abrams subsequently sought out Garcia to be a part of Lost. Garcia’s journey began with a read for the role of Sawyer. Garcia didn’t fit the bill, but Abrams was so enamored with the actor that he created the character of Hurley in order to include the gregarious man.
Medusa Corp
Image Source: Movies & TV Stack Exchange
The Dharma Initiative quickly became an integral part of the Lost universe. The research company — specifically dealt with electromagnetism and physics. However, Dharma wasn’t the original name conceived. The mysterious company was originally going to be known as Medusa Corp. This doesn’t have quite the same ring to it.
Bye Bye Boone
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In an ironic twist, Ian Somerhalder (Boone) was both the first actor cast and the first to be killed off the show. Despite being a popular character at the time of his departure, Carlton Cuse portrayed Boone’s death as a way to “defy the television convention” and make it known that nobody was safe.
A Hint Of Smoke And Garlic
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Boone (Somerhalder) and Shannon’s (Maggie Grace) love affair was heavily debated. What started as a storyline involving step-siblings being romantically involved, the relationship eventually disintegrated when Shannon developed feelings for Sayid Jarrah (Naveen Andrews). But before the show-romance came to an end, Grace pulled an epic prank on Somerhalder. Before a kissing scene, Grace smoked a cigar, filled her mouth with garlic, and wore an athletic cup to throw off Somerhalder.
Walt And The Milk Carton
Image Source: BuzzFeed
“Everybody Hates Hugo” was an episode capturing Hurley’s eventful life off the island. During a dream sequence, Hurley is seen drinking from a milk carton while in the Hatch. On the said carton, a picture of Walt appeared under the word “Missing”. Sadly, Walt’s appearances were few and far between.
Outgrowing The Show
Image Source: Digital Spy
Walt, played by Malcolm David Kelley, was one of Lost’s most fascinating characters throughout the premier season. However, after Walt was kidnapped by ‘The Others’ at the end of Season 1, Kelley only appeared in nine more episodes throughout the duration of the show. Despite Walt’s apparent importance, producers were left with no choice but to write Kelly off the show. Only 10-years-old when filming began, Kelley’s rapid growth-spurt proved to be too big of a hurdle for the showrunners to overcome.
Leading Man
Image Source: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images
The character of Hurley went from not being a part of Lost, to appearing in more episodes than any other cast member. Out of 121 epidoes, Hurley appeared in 118. Fellow regulars — Jack, Jin, Kate, Locke, Sayid, and Sun — appeared in 117. Jorge Garcia captivated audiences from the pilot episode — making it no surprise he was only left out three times.
