Matthew Fox and Jimmy Kimmel duet

It’s no secret I have a little crush on Lost’s Matthew Fox. Because of that, I feel compelled to share this hilarious clip from his appearance recently on Jimmy Kimmel Live!

If you enjoyed Kimmel’s videos with Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, then you’ll enjoy this. (If you don’t know what I’m talking about, check them out on You Tube.) This one is set to a great song. By the way, Fox is shirtless at around the three-minute mark. You’re welcome.

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Commentary with a Co-ed: Lost's Jack faces death

by Ashley Gouveia

Doctor Jack was down for the count in the first five minutes of last night’s Lost episode.

I knew it was only a matter of time before all of his heroics caught up with him. He passed out from his appendix being on the verge of bursting. It was up to Juliet to save his life, and with any good brush with death, we had some revelations.

We got another glimpse into Jack’s future off the island. We also got a glimpse of some other stuff in the beginning of that flash-forward, but it doesn’t really pertain to the plot (Dr. Shepherd in just a towel, perhaps). I don’t know about you, but I was guessing that the woman in the shower was Juliet. But since she wasn’t one of the Oceanic Six I assumed it was Kate. That’s right, Jate was in the house!

Apparently, they were having a great time playing house and raising little Aaron. I guess Jack changed his mind shortly after Kate’s trial about being in Aaron’s life. He was living with them in domestic bliss, until he paid Hurley a visit in the mental institution. Hurley believes that they are all dead and that none of what they’re experiencing is real. Can you say creepy? He gives Jack a message that Charlie gave him that said, “You’re not supposed to raise him, Jack.” I don’t know what that is supposed to do with anything. Is this just playing into Jack’s daddy issues?

Speaking of Daddy Shepherd, he made a ghostly appearance to his daughter Claire on the island. That would creep anyone out. Claire conveniently disappeared after seeing her deceased dad. Sawyer was freaking out when he found baby Aaron alone in the jungle, with Claire nowhere to be found. I’m loving how protective Sawyer is of Claire. When Miles was staring at her, he made it perfectly clear he wasn’t to go near her. He even issued his own restraining order against him. But I have a feeling Miles wasn’t staring because he was interested in her.

I am firmly convinced that I was never a doctor in a past life because that scene with Jack’s surgery made me cringe. I just wanted Bernard to knock Jack out already, so I didn’t have to witness him watching himself get cut open. Thankfully, Bernard did shortly after.

When Jack was all sewn up and seemingly out of the woods, Juliet thought it would be good time to let Kate in on Jack’s suppressed feelings. Even though he kissed her, it wasn’t because of his feelings for her, but for him to convince himself he wasn’t still in love with Kate. Of course, he heard everything and Juliet knew that.

After his visit with Hurley in the flash-forward, I was pretty confident that Jack was going to freak out and bolt on Kate. Instead, he whipped out a ring and proposed to her. She accepted, but it wasn’t all hugs and kisses after that. Kate was secretly having contact with Sawyer. I don’t know exactly how that works. We did find out that Sawyer chose to stay on the island, and that Jack was the one to save her. Another revelation was that he’s aware that he is related to Aaron. There is still the unanswered question of what happened to Claire. Did she choose to stay on the island too? Let me know your theories. ‘Till next week.


Commentary with a Co-Ed is a weekly column at Tube Talk new every Friday.

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Win a phone call from Lex Luthor

Imagine the phone ringing and sexy Lex Luthor (actor Michael Rosenbaum) is on the other end.

A phone call from Lex is just one of several prizes in a new raffle to help support the writers’ strike Pencils2MediaMoguls campaign.

Several TV show runners are trying to drum up support for the campaign by offering some fun raffle prizes from their shows. Among the lot so far, an autographed Lost finale script, a phone call from the Lost creators and star Matthew Fox to answer your Lost questions, and Jamie Barber’s towel from Battlestar Galactica.

To check out what else you can win, visit the pencils2mediamoguls site. Good luck! If a Tube Talk reader is lucky enough to win a call from Sexy Lexy, I expect a full report!

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Lost webisodes

Lost fans that can’t wait for the show’s return, you can get a small fix from the new Webisodes running at ABC.

ABC is showing 13 never-before-seen small stories. So far, there are two up and running.

The first one is the adventure of Hurley and Frogurt and precedes Hurley’s date with Libby. The second one features Jack and his father, a moment before Jack was set to marry.

I know many of you have sworn off watching Webisodes, due to the writer’s strike. But as your TV information maven, I’m compelled to pass on any and all news, especially when it involves Hurley and Jack.

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We Are Marshall index

I’ve received so many requests from readers about We Are Marshall coverage that I’ve decided to include a special section here at Tube Talk. Yes, this is a Web site devoted to television, not movies, but We Are Marshall was filmed locally and tells one of our state’s most tragic stories. So, I feel compelled to give it the press it deserves. Besides, it features a television star you may know: Matthew Fox (Lost.)

This section provides an index of links, articles and features about the film, including an exclusive to Tube Talk: a behind-the-scenes-account of my day as an extra. This section will be updated with any and all We Are Marshall news that comes our way. The movie premieres nationwide Dec. 22 in a theater near you. Don’t miss it.

Tube Talk Coverage
My day as an extra, casting call
My day as an extra part one
My day as an extra part two
My movie debut as an extra
Matthew McConaughey on Oprah
Oprah preview
Interview with Jack Lengyel and Reggie Oliver
Movie news
Trailer released
Promo released
Matthew Fox to host SNL
Matthew Fox on SNL
USA Today article
Matthew Fox in WV


Watch the film trailer at the official site
http://wearemarshall-themovie.warnerbros.com/

The Herald-Dispatch Newspaper
The best site on the Web for We Are Marshall news. It includes news stories, video footage, photos from filming, a plane crash timeline, filming location sites and a lots of other goodies.

Marshall University Page
http://www.marshall.edu/movie/

WSAZ TV Charleston, Huntington, WV
This Web page has videos of press conferences with the cast, along with interviews and plenty of other videos about the movie.

Entertainment Weekly
Story on the movie

Interviews with Matthew McConaughey
Unscripted
IVillage
Good Morning America
Extra catches up with McConaughey on the set
Matt Damon does Matthew McConaughey

Interviews with Matthew Fox
Coming Soon
Sports Illustrated
Good Morning America

Interviews with Jack Lengyel
South Bend Tribune
Beckley Register Herald interview

People Magazine
Schoolgirls outrun McConaughey

Where in Huntington is Matthew McConaughey?
A fun site where Huntington locals share pictures and stories of meeting McConaughey around town during filming.

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Matthew Fox SNL clips

If you missed Matthew Fox on Saturday Night Live this past weekend, check out these clips. His monologue mentions one of my all-time favorite shows, Party of Five, and there is a hilarious sketch regarding Kramer from Seinfeld.



In the other sketches, Fox portrayed a mountain man, a DJ, a Mayan warrior and himself. NBC has posted the clips at You Tube. I’ve put my favorite one here. Thank you NBC.



In other Fox news, check out this interview with American Way magazine, to find out where Fox likes to hang out in Hawaii and what he someday hopes to do with my Sawyer. Minds out of the gutter, people.

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Matthew Fox to host SNL

Matthew Fox — star of the hit show Lost and about to become an Oscar-worthy contender for his incredible role in We Are Marshall — is hosting Saturday Night Live this week. For the 10 of you who don’t watch Lost, you may remember him as Charlie Salinger from Party of Five.

Fox is probably doing SNL to promote his new film We Are Marshall, which opens nationwide December 22. In fact, I’ve been doing a little promotion of the film myself, (shameless plug,) as it is an incredible local story that was filmed here, and I worked as an extra in two scenes.

SNL airs at 11:30 p.m. EST on NBC.

For those of you who can’t get enough of Fox, check out this interview with Coming Soon and this one with Sports Illustrated. And don’t forget to watch SNL on Saturday.

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We Are Marshall news

Warner Brothers has updated the We Are Marshall Web site with a slide show of still photos from the movie. If you’re a fan of Matthew Fox and Matthew McConaughey, you must check out these AMAZING photos.

I know McConaughey is currently the reigning Sexiest Man Alive, but I have to say, it’s Fox who makes me weak in the knees. Photos of Ian McShane, Kate Mara, Anthony Mackie and the rest of the cast are included, too.

In other We Are Marshall news, Huntington News has published a story about the search for surviving family members of the 1970 Marshall plane crash for a special screening of the movie. And The Herald-Dispatch has video from the latest press conference up at its site.

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We Are Marshall trailer

The trailer for We Are Marshall hit theaters last weekend. Those of you who watched Zach Braff’s new movie Last Kiss may have seen the trailer, if you made it in time for the previews.

We Are Marshall is the story of the Marshall University football team that was killed in a plane crash and the subsequent effort to rebuild the school’s football program and the community’s spirit. The film stars Matthew Fox and Matthew McConaughey.

For those of you who want to see what the movie is about, you can check it out here. Please note, for those of you here in West Virginia or across the country, who had friends or family members on the plane, the trailer does show the team in the air a few seconds before the crash and a shot of the aftermath.

The film is scheduled to open nationwide December 22, with the premiere here in West Virginia.

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"We Are Marshall" interview

As you know, I’ve been plugging a little movie called We Are Marshall, despite that this is a TV blog. The movie stars Matthew Fox (Lost) and mega-movie-star Matthew McConaughey. (And I might be one of the nameless, faceless extras playing a reporter in the press conference scenes, if Warner Brothers got my bribe, and I don’t end up on the cutting-room floor.) Warner Brothers has released the first official movie photos featuring Fox and McConaughey.

In other We Are Marshall news, my fellow writer and former co-worker Danny Forinash, now with The State Journal, has a fantastic interview with former Marshall University head football coach Jack Lengyel and former quarterback Reggie Oliver, who helped rebuild the 1971 team, after the devastating plane crash in 1970 that killed the majority of players and coaches. In the interview, McConaughey is quoted telling Lengyel that, “Jack, I've done 30 movies. About 5 percent of your movies are what you'd call real good movies. About half of the others, they'll find a date and release them. And the other half, they'll cut up and end up throwing away. This may be one of the best movies I've ever made." From what I saw on set the day I filmed, he isn’t exaggerating. I still get chills thinking about it. The movie premieres Dec. 12 in Huntington, W.Va., home of Marshall University, before opening nationwide.

To read about my experience as an extra on We Are Marshall and see photos from filming, click here for Part 1 and here for Part 2.

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"We Are Marshall" promo

The first promo for We Are Marshall hit the Web recently and you can check it out here or at You Tube here.

The clip features interviews with stars Matthew Fox (Lost,) Matthew McConaughey (Failure to Launch) and others, as well as scenes from the film.

To all of you who have e-mailed asking about the release date, it has been pushed back until December 22, according to the film’s publicist. Insiders say that’s a good thing, as that date will put We Are Marshall in the Oscar-friendly season.

For more on We Are Marshall, check out my day on the set as an extra parts one and two , coverage of the press conference , and other related news.

(Thanks to my blogger hero Give Me My Remote for the heads up on the promo video.)

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USA Today article on "We Are Marshall"

by Jennifer Squires Biller

USA Today had a fantastic article on the upcoming movie We Are Marshall starring Matthew McConaughey, Matthew Fox, Ian McShane, David Strathairn and possibly Tube Talk Girl (as an extra. Cross your fingers!) Those of you who don’t know about the tragic and inspirational story of the 1970 plane crash that killed most of the Marshall University football team, check out the article. It’s a good read.


(Above photo) Actors David Strathairn and Matthew McConaughey, Director McG and Producer Basil Iwanyk discuss the upcoming movie "We Are Marshall" at a press conference in West Virginia.

Tube Talk Girl can be reached by e-mail at jennifer@tube-talk.com.

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I’m going to Hollywood, baby!…(well, sort of)

by Jennifer Squires Biller

So it’s not really Hollywood, but it’s close. As I reported earlier, the movie We Are Marshall, starring Matthew McConaughey, Matthew Fox, David Strathairn and Ian McShane is filming here. The film is about the Marshall University football program and the effort to rebuild it and the community, when a plane carrying the team, coaches and supporters crashed, killing all 75 aboard in 1970.

Back in March, I auditioned, with more than 1,300 other hopeful wannabes, to work as an extra on the film. I received a call last week from casting that they want me on set Wednesday. Woo HOO! I’m not sure if this is some kind of fluke or if Warner Bros. has run out of talent. Nevertheless, I’m game.

I’m supposed to show up on set with my hair in rollers at 4:30 a.m. Yikes! There are only a few things in this world I’d get up at 3 a.m. to do and this is one of them. I’m to report to hair, makeup and wardrobe when I get there. The nice casting lady told me to be prepared to work 12-14 hours, to wear nude-colored undergarments and to bring any vintage 1970s clothing I had. Done, done and done. I’m ready for my close-up, Mr. DeMille.

I’ve always wanted to be an extra, just to see how a motion picture is made. Apparently, the scenes being filmed on Wednesday are of folks going into the stadium and people at a press conference. Maybe I’ll get to put my five years of experience as a newspaper reporter to good use and be cast as a member of the press, or maybe I’ll just be a fan in the stands. It doesn’t matter. It’s a paycheck, and it’s a major motion picture. (Don’t tell Warner Bros. Pictures, but I’d do it for free, just to get the chance to be a part of this inspirational story.)

Wish me luck. I’m off to Hollywood, er Huntington. Move over Reese Witherspoon. That Oscar is so mine next year!

Tube Talk Girl can be reached by e-mail at jennifer@tube-talk.com, if she’s not too busy signing autographs or claiming her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

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Actor Matthew Fox in WV for “We Are Marshall”

by Jennifer Squires Biller

Somebody pinch me. It’s like Christmas in April here. Actor Matthew Fox hit Huntington, W.Va., this week to film his role in the upcoming Warner Bros. movie We Are Marshall.

Yes, I’m a little giddy, despite being a “serious” professional reporter with years of experience. Cut me some slack; it’s Jack from Lost and Charlie Salinger from Party of Five, one of my favorite former shows. So, sue me if I’m a little smitten. I’m not made of steel you know.

Matthew McConaughey and Matthew Fox — or “Moxy” as I like to call them — have the town aflutter. People are lining the streets to watch filming, and I’ve never seen so many locals who just happen to be hauling around cameras and Sharpies on their way to Starbucks or the library. Hey, I’m not mocking, folks. I’m right there with ya.

Locals are eager to share their “sighting” stories, too: McConaughey was spotted at Subway earlier this week. (He ordered tuna on wheat, supposedly.) Actor David Strathairn attended a Marshall University student play production. And Fox said at Friday’s press conference that he was eager to take in the sights of Huntington and take some pictures of his own, before departing on Sunday.

The celebrities have been friendly and willing to take photos and give autographs, some locals say. I’m not sure if the actors are used to this kind of hysteria, but in a town of 50,000 where star sightings are rare, it’s inevitable. On behalf of all the star-struck fans, I’d like to thank the celebrities for taking time to be kind. There is nothing worse than meeting one of your favorite actors and then he or she turns out to be a Nellie Oleson.

As for Fox, well, I couldn’t be happier he snagged a role in the film. He’s been an underrated actor for years, in my opinion, and I think this part will finally give him his due. Fox stars as Red Dawson, a Marshall University assistant football coach, who was not on the plane that crashed on Nov. 14, 1970, killing all 75 football team members, supporters and coaches on board. Dawson had been recruiting players and had driven home from the game in North Carolina, rather than catching the flight with his team.

Fox dyed his hair red for the role and was still sporting the ‘do at Friday’s press conference. The real-life Dawson recently flew to Hawaii, where Fox is shooting Lost, to spend time with the actor. The two have formed a close bond, Fox said.

Fox is scheduled to leave town on Sunday. If you don’t hear from me, I may have stowed away in his plane, so I can make my way onto that Lost island to do some covert recon. Kidding, people.

Stay tuned for more fun stories from the filming of We Are Marshall.

Tube Talk Girl can be reached by e-mail at jennifer@tube-talk.com.

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“We Are Marshall” Press Conference

by Jennifer Squires Biller

Not often in West Virginia do Hollywood actors make an appearance. That all changed on April 1, 2006, when Warner Bros. Pictures rolled into Huntington to kick off production of its new movie We Are Marshall.

The film stars Matthew McConaughey, aka The Sexiest Man Alive of 2005, Matthew Fox (Lost), and David Strathairn (Good Night, and Good Luck) to name a few.

The film is based on the true and tragic story of the Marshall University football team of 1970. Returning from a game in North Carolina on a foggy night, 75 members of the team, its supporters and the coaching staff were killed when their plane crashed, not far from Huntington. Instead of canceling the football program at the university, as many argued should be done, the school rebuilt under coach Jack Lengyel. The effort helped restore the spirit of a broken community and campus. The Marshall University football team went on to hold the highest winning percentage of any major college football program in the 1990s, winning the NCAA Division I-AA Southern Conference championships in 1992 and 1996.

“Very seldom do you read stories like this that are based on truth," McConaughey said. "I read this one. I got to the end of the story. I shut it, and I walked around and thought about it. I was inspired by the story. It stayed on my mind. I knew I wanted to be a part of it. Something that has helped me a lot is the credence, 'Just keep living.' For me, that’s what happens in this story. Through the game of football —people, a team, a community— comes together and gets back on the field — the proverbial field — and moves on with memory and hope."

What does this have to do with Tube Talk you ask? Well, your very own Tube Talk Girl is a native West Virginian and attended the press conference with McConaughey, Strathairn, director McG (Charlies’s Angels and The O.C.) and producer Basil Iwanyk. And one of my all-time favorite TV stars is in town, yes, Matthew Fox or “Foxy,” as he’s known in the cyber world, is involved with this project. So, I’ll be giving you plenty of updates. The movie is filming here during the month of April, before heading to Atlanta.

During the next few weeks, I’ll be posting stories from the press conference interviews and local encounters with the celebrities, all to shamelessly promote this film. Yes, I said shamelessly promote. I want you see the movie, not because it’s about a college in West Virginia, but because it’s one of the greatest stories of tragedy and triumph in human history.

It’s a story that deserves to be known outside of our borders.

So, stay tuned to Tube Talk for all the buzz on We Are Marshall. Then, when the film hits theaters, you’ll be ready to see it for yourself.

Tube talk girl can be reached by e-mail at jennifer@tube-talk.com.

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Emmy nominations 2005

July 20, 2005

Ladies and gentleman, the impossible has happened for the cast of Scrubs. After years of being ignored by Emmy voters, the show was finally nominated last week for Best Comedy. No joke.

Scrubs finally got some love from Emmy voters. I know. It seems about as likely as actress Sandra Bullock marrying a mechanic named Jesse James. But sometimes, Tubers, the unthinkable happens.

Not only did Scrubs get nominated, so did the show’s lead actor, Zach Braff, for Best Actor in a Comedy. While I couldn’t be more pleased for Braff, I’m just as ticked that John C. McGinley, cranky Dr. Cox, was once again snubbed. Instead of McGinley, the same familiar names of Brad Garrett, Ray Romano, and Peter Boyle, of Everybody Loves Raymond, and Sean Hayes and Eric McCormack of Will & Grace, were among those nominated in the male comedy acting categories.

The biggest problem with Emmy nominations each year seems to be that the same shows and actors are nominated, even when they’ve had bad years. Yes, Will & Grace I’m talking to you. It’s still my contention that the Emmy nomination process needs overhauled. It seems that Emmy voters vote for names they recognize, which is why we see the same folks over and over again.

Or it could be bribery. Yes, that could explain it.

What they did wrong:

• Will & Grace got 15 nominations. I’m sorry, but when a show resorts to big-name guest stars in most of the episodes, it shouldn’t even be eligible for an Emmy. The guest-star casting sends the message that the core characters and stories aren’t interesting enough to stand on their own.
• The biggest Emmy snub was the complete shut out of UPN’s Veronica Mars and its star Kristen Bell. I’m convinced Emmy voters aren’t even watching the shows/actors they are nominating. There is no other explanation for this ridiculous oversight. Every TV critic in the free world and thousands of fans have been singing the praises of Veronica this year. The reason: it’s quality television.
• If you want to win an Emmy, you’d better pray your show isn't on The WB or UPN networks. Other egregious omissions are that of Gilmore Girls and its lead actress Lauren Graham from the comedy category, as well as Jack & Bobby actors Matt Long and Christine Lahti from the drama category.
• Desperate Housewives Eva Longoria wasn’t named a nominee in the supporting actor comedy category. She’s the most desperate of all the housewives and just as deserving as her cast mates. And she can mow a lawn in an evening gown and stilettos. Impressive, right?
• Stockard Channing of The West Wing was nominated for her supporting role in a drama. Huh? She was on screen for about two minutes the entire season. Again, I think name recognition is the explanation for this wackiness. Everyone knows Ms. Channing as a theater and award-winning actress, not to mention for her role as Rizzo in Grease. I love Rizzo as much as the next gal, but come on.
• Matthew Fox and Josh Holloway of Lost were not among the supporting actors in the drama category. Tell me how that island would be bearable without Jack and Sawyer to mix it up.
• Nip/Tuck wasn’t nominated for anything. Yes, this show is graphic and sometimes hard to watch, but you won’t see better acting anywhere on television than that of Julian McMahon and Joely Richardson. They deserved acting nominations.
  
  What they did right:
  
• This year, Emmy voters did take some chances and invited some new folks to the party. Good for them. I’m most pleased about these wonderful actors’ nominations: Naveen Andrews and Terry O’Quinn of Lost and Sandra Oh of Grey’s Anatomy as supporting actors, and Hugh Laurie of House and Patricia Arquette of Medium as lead actors.
• The unique drama Lost earned 12 nominations. It’s nice to see creativity rewarded.
• Desperate Housewives earned 15 nominations. This show has a fabulous ensemble cast, and I’m happy Emmy voters noticed.
• Denis Leary was nominated for writing the pilot episode of Rescue Me. The pilot was fabulous. However, a jeer within a cheer for omitting Leary from the lead actor category. His portrayal of veteran firefighter Tommy Gavin is brilliant.
• The always enigmatic James Spader and William Shatner of Boston Legal were nominated, despite the show being replaced at the end of the season by Grey’s Anatomy.
• Scrubs actually got on the Emmy ballot this year. With some luck, and perhaps a small bribe, it will take home the award for Best Comedy.

Originally published 7/20/05 in The Exponent Telegram newspaper.

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The mysteries of Lost

January 12, 2005

It could be aliens. Or perhaps purgatory. But I don’t think so.

Brace yourself, Tubers. I think I’ve solved the mystery of Lost, by which I mean, I’m as clueless as the rest of you and am guessing, too.

After last week’s episode and much thoughtful discussion with my fellow Lost devotees, I’m convinced the crash survivors are still on Earth. The violent waves and raging sea last week may have been the writers’ way of tying the characters to a current event: the tsunami.

As for the rest of the supernatural events, I’m blaming science. Or the government.

Consider this: the crazy French woman, hereby known as Frenchie, was part of a government science team working on a top-secret experimental project. The project got a bit Frankensteiny, and they unintentionally created an uncontrollable “monster.” It’s a shape-shifting, psychological monster that morphs from a person, to a ghost, to an animal, etc. to play on its victims’ worst fears. It could have been developed as a biological weapon for war. Instead of retrieving the infected team, the government abandoned them in paradise.

Not buying it? Well, it sounded good in theory.

Of course, it doesn’t explain the other mysteries of the island. Like how a paralyzed office worker suddenly can walk and hunt wild boar like he’s Davy Crockett? Or why the severely obese Hurley isn’t losing any weight? Or why the usually brazen Sawyer swims with his jeans on? Does he have chicken legs?

If you don’t agree with my science-experiment-gone-horribly-wrong theory, there are plenty of others to choose from. The religious subtext lends credence to the purgatory idea. Each character seems to have lost something before they boarded the plane. Most of them appear to be seeking redemption for some past sin.

Through the magic, mysticism, and spirituality of the island, the characters are regaining what they lost and getting a second chance. The island seems to be a place to renew one’s faith. Even mine, that television can indeed be a medium to prompt intellectualism.

Lost usually presents more questions than answers, forcing viewers to peel back the layers, analyze dialogue, props, and characters. It is a complex synergy of suspense, drama and humor, as entertaining as it is cryptic. Did Locke see God in the jungle? Or was he consumed by the Devil? Is Frenchie really insane? Did she kill her fellow team members because they became possessed?

Thankfully, the story hasn’t focused much on their survival. It’s more about the characters’ histories, their sins, their fears, their shortcomings, and their desires.

Lost is also a literature lovers’ buffet. The symbolism in the names seems too obvious to be a coincidence. Locke has to be named for philosopher John Locke of The Enlightenment make-your-own-destiny movement. And troublemaker Sawyer, I’m assuming, was named for Mark Twain’s ornery Tom.

Oh, and Ethan could be a nod to Ethan Frome. Then, there was the book that washed ashore: Watership Down. I haven’t read it since 5th-grade, but I recall it was the tale of a group of rabbits, heroism and survival. I could go on with references to Paradise Lost, Lord of the Flies and Robinson Crusoe, but I’ll spare you. Be satisfied to know that Lost combines elements of literature, philosophy, sociology, and theology. And you thought it was just a TV show.

With so many literary references and complex characters, I’ll toss out one more possible theory: the entire show is just a story being told in a gifted writer’s imagination. Perhaps in the last episode, we’ll see the creator sitting at a computer typing the words “The End.”

It could happen. Then, again, maybe they’re just lost.

Originally published 1/12/05 in The Exponent Telegram newspaper.

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More new show reviews: Lost, Clubhouse, Dr. Vegas

September 29, 2004

I’ve really been working for you this week. It’s true. First, there was the tropical island with Matthew Fox, then, the Las Vegas casino with Rob Lowe, and finally, the baseball game with Dean Cain.

It’s exhausting. All in the name of work, of course, I had to check out the new shows Lost, Dr. Vegas, and Clubhouse. From gripping, to well, not so much. Here’s a rundown.

Remember the shows are ranked using this highly scientific Tube Talk rating’s guide:
Four stars – Don’t leave home if this show is on and you don’t know how to set your VCR. It’s must see.
Three stars – It’s good, not great. Catch it if you can.
Two stars – If you’re home with nothing else to do, turn it on.
One star – It’s so bad, you’ll want to shut off the TV and write an angry letter to the network that aired it.

Lost - Four stars. If you watch only one new show this fall, make it this one. You won’t be disappointed. It’s unlike anything you’ve seen on TV. The premiere resembled a big-budget film, from the plane crash scenes to the action sequences. I was on the edge of my seat for the entire episode. If you missed part one of the debut, don’t despair. You can catch part two tonight. Here’s what you need to know. A plane crashed onto an allegedly deserted island in the South Pacific. Less than 50 people survived. Luckily, one of them is Fox’s character Jack, a physician. The man is good in a crisis. And he needs to be, considering the elements aren’t the only test for survival. A creature of some sort made a quick lunch of the pilot. And some of the passengers are not what they seem. Oh yeah, then there’s that dog that keeps eerily appearing. The characters made me feel what they were feeling: fear, dread, shock, courage, and despair. And it looks like there will be more flashbacks this week of the horrific plane crash. The show hasn’t helped assuage my fear of flying or big, scary monsters. But trust me, Lost is worth finding. Check it out Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on ABC.

Clubhouse - Three stars. How can you go wrong with Cain back in uniform as a pro baseball player who befriends one of the team’s batboys? The show is exactly what you’d think: sentimental. It is slow at times and lacks a lot of baseball action. But it has potential. The opening sequence tugged at the heartstrings, as the batboy landed his dream job and raced toward centerfield to the tune of Five for Fighting’s song 100 Years. One moral dilemma later and The Calling’s song Our Lives, and I admit I got a little choked up. I don’t think this show will score a homerun in the ratings, but I enjoyed Cain and the music. Catch it Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on CBS.

Dr. Vegas - Two stars. This show is trying to be Las Vegas. It fails miserably. Despite the great cast, cool music and camera shots that it imitated from the slick Las Vegas, Dr. Vegas falls flat. Lowe is always enjoyable, but even he couldn’t hold my interest. Can he please go back to the White House? The West Wing desperately needs him. My diagnosis for this one: only fans of Lowe will be tuning in on a weekly basis. Catch it Fridays at 10 p.m. on CBS.

Originally published 9/29/04 in The Exponent Telegram newspaper.

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