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Author Topic: Farewell to "Lost" Mark J. Marshall Film God Posts: 3188 From: New Castle, DE, USA Registered: Aug 2002 posted 03-31-2010 10:12 AM                     |  IP: Logged David Stambaugh Film God Posts: 4021 From: Eugene, Oregon Registered: Jan 2002 posted 03-31-2010 01:57 PM                        Where is Jesse Skeen when you need him? Last night some asswipe at ABC decided to stick this big red "V" logo and countdown timer in the corner for nearly the entire episode of "Lost". Not only was it highly distracting but it partially obscured some vital images and subtitles. Possibly this decision was made by a committee of asswipes, maybe Disney asswipes. Anyway as my own personal futile FU gesture to ABC, I've deleted my TiVo Season Pass for "V" and will not watch another episode. Take that asswipes! The Backlash 'V' Countdown Clock Sparks 'Lost' Backlash ABC's decision to blanket Tuesday night's "Lost" with a virtually omnipresent "V" countdown clock has provoked a massive online backlash -- including a slam from series co-creator Damon Lindelof. "Yes, people, I saw it too," a clearly perturbed Lindelof wrote during the West Coast broadcast of his show. ":34 minutes until I cry myself to sleep." "It" was a bright red "V" logo and a countdown clock that remained fixed in the lower right-hand corner of ABC's air through virtually all of Tuesday's "Lost." Even during super-dramatic moments. Even when subtitles appeared (yes, the clock obscured one word of said subtitle during one scene). Another "Lost" writer sounded equally peeved. "Really? The V couldn't have at least been translucent?!?" tweeted Adam Horowitz. The intent of ABC's stunt was clear: It desperately was hoping die-hard "Lost" fans would stay tuned for "V," which has been off the air for four long months. With "FlashForward" a real long shot for renewal, "V" is ABC's last best hope to salvage a drama hit from the fall season. But while viewers -- particularly those who watch lots of cable originals -- have come to expect a certain amount of on-air clutter, the "V" stunt may have been a bridge too far for some fans. Bill Simmons, a regular contributor to the website for ABC sibling ESPN.com, couldn't contain his rage. "To the ABC exec who decided to put the V countdown clock on the bottom of the Lost screen... I hate you. Passionately," Simmons wrote on Twitter Tuesday. A personality from a rival conglomerate was equally upset. "Whoever made the decision to put up the 'V' countdown clock during 'Lost' should be fired, or kicked in the nuts repeatedly until he quits," tweeted Andy Levy, a contributor to Fox New Channel's "Redeye." Aaron Bleyaert, the former "Tonight Show With Conan O'Brien" blogger, argued the stunt backfired. "Hey ABC, here is a great way to make sure I never, ever, EVER watch the show 'V': put a giant fucking bright red 'V' bug over all of 'LOST,'" he wrote. And, no shocker, professional TV critics were aghast. "Well-done, ABC. Really freaking well-done," the Newark Star-Ledger's Alan Sepinwall wrote on his "What's Alan Watching" blog, adding that he was "really, really, really pissed off" by the move. Some folks decided it was best to simply mock ABC. "If ABC had any real marketing savvy, they would have had a countdown clock while 'V' was on, showing how long until the next episode of 'V,'" tweeted @KenTremendous, widely believed to be the online handle of "Parks & Recreation" co-creator Mike Schur. "So what's the deeper meaning of the V clock?" asked the Chicago Tribune's Phil Rosenthal. "Is there a flash-sideways in which alt-ABC does something not idiotic?" Our favorite ABC dis came from Ben Lohhman, a communications student in New Jersey. "I didn't even watch 'Lost,' but I hate the 'V' countdown timer," he sighed. It'll be interesting to see how ABC responds to the online uproar Wednesday. (A rep for the network couldn't immediately be reached for comment late Tuesday, in part because ABC reps have, you know, lives and don't sit around all night waiting to respond to critics and reporter and bloggers.) Our take: ABC screwed the pooch big-time here. We all accept that networks need to crank up the hype, what with a zillion viewing options, DVRs and everything else making it hard out there for a pimp/network executive. But this isn't just some TV show. It's "Lost." The closest thing broadcast TV has to a religious experience. Nobody's going to stay tuned for "V" just because you hammer it into their brains while they're trying to enjoy "Lost." If the ratings for "V" are good Wednesday -- and we suspect they might be -- it won't be because of the countdown clock, but because of all of the other amazing promos ABC has been airing for "V" the past six weeks. All that said, the world will get over this, particularly if ABC humbles itself a little and simply apologizes for its overeager promotion. Just don't let it happen again, OK?  |  IP: Logged Mark J. Marshall Film God Posts: 3188 From: New Castle, DE, USA Registered: Aug 2002 posted 03-31-2010 08:13 PM                    Yeah that was a pooch-screw alright. I guess one good thing of the show ending is that I'll never be subjected to that crap ever EVER again while watching Lost. Maybe my local ABC affiliate will take note of the backlash and stop putting these huge assed news headlines over the show too. I doubt it. It took them at least three years to get the sound right.  |  IP: Logged David Stambaugh Film God Posts: 4021 From: Eugene, Oregon Registered: Jan 2002 posted 04-01-2010 01:42 PM                        The V countdown clock got a Wag of the Finger from The Colbert Report (about 2:30 into it).  |  IP: Logged Jesse Skeen Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1517 From: Sacramento, CA Registered: Aug 2000 posted 04-16-2010 07:03 PM                     Nice to know I'm missed Just haven't had as much free time lately. I didn't see that since I work nights right now, I just heard about it a few days ago. I finally got a new TV but the ABC affiliate doesn't come in (its analog station did on my old TV til it was gone, but the digital signal seems real finicky) and I'm in no hurry to get a better antenna for obvious reasons. That just shows that since there wasn't a mass exodus TWELVE YEARS AGO when ABC started keeping its logo on the screen, they feel people will take whatever they shove in their faces. I've said it before, and I'll say it again- I would not allow America's Funniest Home Videos to show a stupid dog video or anything else shot by me with a bug on the screen, so anyone who allows their work to be shown in this manner is a sellout and a whore. A small bit of good news however- KTXL, the local Fox station (formerly one of the country's greatest independent TV stations) recently STOPPED putting their logo on the screen like they had been since 1999. It's still on during Fox shows, but that's controlled by the network- Fox has been keeping their HD feed clean, but they take logos from each station and automatically display them on the appropriate station. From what I understand, Fox basically hijacks control of the entire station when their shows are on. Interestingly the ".1" audio signal is only there during Fox shows as well, during local programming or commercials it goes out.  |  IP: Logged Mark J. Marshall Film God Posts: 3188 From: New Castle, DE, USA Registered: Aug 2002 posted 04-21-2010 03:30 PM                    THIS looks like a steal. If you haven't seen the show, don't read the synopses on each season because they contain spoilers.  |  IP: Logged David Stambaugh Film God Posts: 4021 From: Eugene, Oregon Registered: Jan 2002 posted 04-22-2010 12:07 PM                        I will probably buy the Blu-ray complete set. That seems like a good deal.  |  IP: Logged Sean McKinnon Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1712 From: Peabody Massachusetts Registered: Sep 2000 posted 04-23-2010 01:27 PM                        I don't watch this show so I am curious to find out a couple of things, I heard on the radio that this past week's episode was the lowest rated episode ever (or in a very long time) I have heard the opinions of the radio personalities who watch the show to be that the writing has not been very good this year. Does anyone else feel this way and if so do you think that explains the low ratings? If you think the writing is of the same quality as always what do you think caused this slump in ratings?  |  IP: Logged David Stambaugh Film God Posts: 4021 From: Eugene, Oregon Registered: Jan 2002 posted 04-23-2010 03:01 PM                        I don't think there's any significant decline in the writing or storytelling at all. It may be that some of the show's fans just don't like where the story is going. My theory is the ratings decline is partially due to story complexity burn-out. Like it's overwhelming to try and keep track of everything that's been thrown at the viewers over all 6 seasons and assimilate it all into a coherent narrative. Time travel, parallel universe(s), backstories, loose ends, red herrings, unanswered mysteries. You have to be really hard-core to be still following it closely. If you were only ever a casual fan in the first place you're probably "lost". The details matter on Lost and there are too many of them to keep track of. Once they lose viewers due to complexity (meaning it's just too demanding of the viewer's time and attention), it's hard to win them back at this point.  |  IP: Logged Mark J. Marshall Film God Posts: 3188 From: New Castle, DE, USA Registered: Aug 2002 posted 04-23-2010 07:13 PM                    That could be. I agree that the show's not declining, but there's definitely a feeling of things starting to wrap up. Mysteries are being answered. Other mysteries are being dismissed as coincidence or whatever. So it's definitely answering questions, and the answers could be turning people off I suppose either by being satisfied with the answer or frustrated with the answer. I, for one, and my wife for another, are both still riveted to the show and will be watching right up to the end with great interest. Now I supposed the very ending could piss me off, but I kind of doubt it. I'll let you know.  |  IP: Logged Sean McKinnon Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1712 From: Peabody Massachusetts Registered: Sep 2000 posted 04-24-2010 09:16 AM                        How many smashed up TV's do you think would be sitting out on curbs the next morning if they decided to do a "Sapranos" type of ending?  |  IP: Logged Matt Fields Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 545 From: Ohio, United States Registered: Jun 2005 posted 04-24-2010 09:24 AM                     I'm a big LOST fan also. This year has been excellent (though I'm not a huge fan of the sideways overall) with many great moments. Some people didn't like last weeks episode in my opinion because expectations for the end of the series are too high. People expect huge answers every week. The reason LOST has declined in viewership is it is simply a huge effort to follow the show.  |  IP: Logged Patrick de Groot Expert Film Handler Posts: 161 From: Sprang-Capelle, Netherlands Registered: Apr 2001 posted 05-07-2010 04:40 PM                     I just recently started watching Lost. Got the dvd boxset of season 1 and 2. Now halfway through 2. I know already I won't watch them all. It's all too familiar. The writers make it up as they go and stretch it to fill more seasons. They could have ended it in 3 seasons. It's a good watch and a good show, but all these flashbacks go nowhere. They throw mysteries at you that aren't solved. I know the trick from Battlestar Galactica. I watched everything from that one. Don't understand me wrong, I like Lost very much, but it's not a brilliant story. It's (or was? ) a huge success. Nothing wrong with that. I'm in the middle of the press the button before the timer runs out. If you have a computer, why not automate the bloody key sentence...  |  IP: Logged Matt Fields Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 545 From: Ohio, United States Registered: Jun 2005 posted 05-07-2010 06:32 PM                     Patrick- Trust me, you have know idea where the story is going. And don't worry if your tired of the flashback structure, it changes in later seasons. It is true that every small mystery is not answered.  |  IP: Logged Claude S. Ayakawa Film God Posts: 2738 From: Waipahu, Hawaii, USA Registered: Aug 2002 posted 05-07-2010 08:01 PM                        Because practically every foot of film of LOST was filmed right here on the island of Oahu and has been a tremendous cash cow for the economy of the state of Hawaii, our ABC affiliate will devote an entire evening to the show. Most of the stuff will also be shown that evening nation wide as part of network programming but the extra special local stuff will only be shown in Hawaii after finale ends. I am very fortunate I live here. Yes, I will also be upset if the show ends like THE SOPRANOS. -Claude  |  IP: Logged

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