Lost : Season 1 - Part 2 [2005]

• Lost - The Complete Second Season [2005]
• Lost: Season 1 - Part 1
• Lost - The Complete Third Season [2007] [2006]
• Lost - Season 2 - Part 1
• Lost - Season 2 - Part 2 [2006]

Continuing the compelling marriage of tense, edgy narrative with meaty flashbacks, the episodes here deliver some of the finest moments of the season. Without giving the game away, they cover more of the build up to the doomed flight, and the increasingly fractured relationships between the reluctant inhabitants of the deserted island.

Yet if anything, it’s the island itself that takes centre stage more here. As more of its secrets begin to become uncovered, the drama intersperses key twists and character development to compelling effect. And if there are moments where the momentum sags a little--certainly there are a couple of slower episodes in the set--then it’s all adequately compensated for by the time the credits on the final episode roll.

In all, a strong second half to the first season of an already-essential TV show. Bring on season two…--Simon Brew

In some ways, this is similar to Alias, due to a lot of cliffhangers and plot twist. But the show has a unique flavour of its own. Each episode, you don't really know which character is going to survive, what their background is, or even where they are. Perceptions are constantly challenged, until the last episode, you feel you know every character...but have the distinct feeling that there is still more we don't know about.

This part of the season is arguably the most gripping, as the charcters are now settled on the island, allowing the focus to shift to the island's mysteries. You'll be continuously surprised, saddened and confused as you are led to the season finale, an impressively complex 3 parter that will ensure that you watch season 2!

I could tell you more about what happens, but if you really want to enjoy the series, remain spoiler free and open to LOST's surprises.

The DVD set itself is excellent, with plenty of extras and commentaries to keep viewer's busy long after the last episode. My only complaint is that they could have made the DVD case a little prettier, as you are just given basic slimline cases for the DVDS.

***Warning*** Try to watch part 1 before attempting this set, or you'll just leave confused!

I remember when I first starting Lost, how gripping and tightly plotted it was. The first few episodes were fantastic - What the hell is it that's knocking down trees? What is the meaning of the distress signal? Who exactly is Locke? Can Kate be trusted? Why is a polar bear on the island?

Then at some point I found myself being more irritated than intrigued (probably around the same point I realised the writers knew the answers no more than I did). I love character based drama, but I couldn't really care about most of the cookie-cutter types on display here (the excellent Terry O'Quinn as Locke aside) and their personal demons. Most of their back-stories ran their course in the first half of the series. That coupled with the lack of any real direction to the plot has resulted in a series that's been content to meander along for too long.

I give the whole series an average of 3 stars; though if I was rating each half independently it would be 4 stars for part one, and 2 for part two. If the writers had written Lost as a 13 part one-off and thought a bit more about where they wanted the show to go they'd have had something far, far better on their hands. Shame.