Chapter Two - About 'LOST'

‘LOST’ is set in a digetic world, a tropical island described to be positioned not far from Fiji, in which a plane crashes, and a significant group of survivors from the plane crash embark on a series of atypical adventures, including polar bears and secret hatches belonging to a mysterious scientific group and eccentric island inhabitants.

Since its broadcasting, the fan culture surrounding the TV series has become as big as other cult TV series such as Star Trek, Doctor Who, Buffy and many more. The fan culture includes audience viewers’ part taking in fan related activities such as fan art, fiction, forums, videos, etc.

Each episode is constructed in the same style. Discovered mysteries that need to be solved, and if that particular episode answers one of these mysteries, it raises more questions in doing so. It’s a continuous cycle of clues, resolutions and yet more unsolved mysteries, which have been the main reasons for fan loyalty and the reason for those viewers who don’t have time for ‘LOST’.

On first assumptions with ‘LOST’ and its audience, it can be identified that ‘LOST’ attracts a mass audience due to the age range and demographics involved. Both male and female audiences are dedicated to following the show. Not only that, the audience range is worldwide, with the show being aired in at least six countries, including the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, Ireland and New Zealand. The series is also accessible on the internet, whether legal or illegal, via downloads or streaming that is available to other countries. The range in other foreign country access is most evident in the activities on fan forums, particularly European.

Upon audience research, the age range is confirmed by young audiences under the age of 18 and that to the age of at least 60 watch the show. Due to the genre being vastly varied that the show could do with a new brand of genre name, it is difficult to pin-point a particular genre attraction, unless looking specifically from series four onwards, where the genre trends to more of a sci-fi field. This also opens a debate of the target audience either being broad or narrow.

(referencing from “The Cult TV Book”)

It is said that Lindolof and Abrams designed the show ‘LOST’ to be “everything procedural crime dramas aren’t”. However, what can be argued about this claim is that procedural crime genre usually involves several unrelated crimes in a single story, and ‘LOST’, although not crime based, always has several on-going mysteries throughout the show, which is a similar narrative to that of procedural crime. Although in procedural crime fiction, it’s not as common for these several quests to take several seasons to solve, like ‘LOST’ does, meaning to suggest that Roberta Pearson’s chapter in “The Cult TV Book” stating “networks are gambling that many viewers prefer storylines wrapped up in an hour or less to the intense” could be true due to evidence of ‘LOST’s audience having decreased as the seasons have progressed. Pearson says that “‘LOST’ has managed to sustain its initial buoyant ratings from the high of 20 million in the first season to a low of 12.8 million in February 2007.” This could also answer the question of whether ‘LOST’ is intended for a narrow or broad audience to be that, whether intended or not, ‘LOST’ is for more of a narrow audience.

There are many elements within “LOST” that attracts such a significant fan base, these elements have been identified as the narrative alone accompanied along with the mythology, mystery, suspense, characters and the flashforward’s/flashbacks. The production of the show has also arisen fans’ further interest in the show, and looking at behind the scenes.

“LOST” is full of cultural mythology references that have caused fans to research further in vain hope that it could give them clues to the plot lines that span the entire series. This often leads to further theorizing of the outcome of the finale of “LOST” as well as discussions and theories.

From the questionnaire posted on several “LOST” fan based forums, specifically in accordance to asking “LOST” audiences their part-take in fan culture activities for “LOST”, listed are at least twenty-five different types of fan activities that fans part take in. These include:

• Discussions; theorizing, debates, analyzing episodes
• Collecting memorabilia
• Researching
• Submitting blog posts
• Reaction videos
• Attending conventions e.g. comic-con
• Forums
• Polls
• Podcasts; listening too and hosting
• Forums; creating, running or contributing
• Live Chat Streams; as episodes are broadcasted
• “LOST” parties
• Fancy Dress
• ARGs (Alternate Reality Games) & similar games
• Watching re-cap specials
• Tattoos
• Visiting filming locations
• Gatherings
• “LOST” marathons
• Creating/Running fan pages
• Collecting DVDs
• Fan Videos
• Writing/publishing “LOST” related books
• Fan Chat
• Loyalty; incorporating “LOST” with everyday life
• Music; “LOST” related bands, e.g. “The Oceanic 6”

In the “LOST” fan forums, majority of the activity upon them are discussion topics on episodes, where fans discuss their thoughts on the episode, comparing it to others, analyse what the themes in the particular episode and theorise the significance in conjunction with the overall plot. These theories are also debated, especially in discussion with particular characters of the mythology references used in each episode.

On the Michael Emerson Fan Board in particular, there is a diverse collection of fan activity when it comes to creativity. Fan art, fiction, videos, clubs, polls, etc. Despite the forum being Michael Emerson fan base, the bigger activity on it relates to ‘LOST’, as the actor, Michael Emerson, portrays one of the more important characters in ‘LOST’, Benjamin Linus. One sub category on the forum is labelled ‘fan crazy’ in which forum members post fan fiction pieces, some of them individual fiction and others group fiction role play.

Fan fiction is where fans write alternative reality with the plot line of a particular show, and either includes themselves or creating new characters and incorporating them into the narrative.

So why is it that fans choose to gather in forums and discuss the show and particular episodes? “‘Cult’ shows like ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’, ‘The X-Files’ and ‘LOST’ are most likely to have a large fan base and therefore more Internet sites created about them. They are also shows you want to learn more about them”

“These days it’s not enough to watch an hour of television and wait a week for the next hour. A large part of the fun is sharing reactions and ideas.”

Themed bands are a recent phenomenon that has taken place over the past few years. “Harry Potter” and “Doctor Who” have well established “Wizard Rock” and “Timelord Rock” bands. The idea of them is to write and sing songs based on favourite films, books, TV shows. Timelord Rock was created by a popular youtube vlogger, Alex Day, and created the first “troc” band “Chameleon Circuit”. He and friends that make up the band members have recorded and published music videos of their Doctor Who themed band, and now their fans and listeners are able to buy their album and merchandise from the DFTBA website as well as itunes.

Last year, a “LOST” related band was formed, named “The Oceanic Six” who sing songs about “LOST” and have already released an album and merchandise. They also post their music videos on youtube. According to their myspace and youtube page, they claim that their influence is “electromagnetism” and their hobbies include “surviving”, these, of course, are references to “LOST”.

Similar to “LOST” themed bands who create music videos are “fan vidders”, fans who make videos, usually alongside a soundtrack and edit clips from the show to fit the mood or lyrics of a particular song. It has become a popular aspect of fandom, particularly for “LOST” where there’s even a video website dedicated to “LOST” fan videos called “Lost Video Island” where fans submit their work, and people vote for the best of a particular category, as well as choosing who to win awards.

Fan videos have increased in popularity over the past few years, and even the creators of “LOST” have shown particular interest in this fan activity, and even promote it, even with the questionable legal aspect of copyright. An example is “xsoppysofax”, a well known fan vidder, who has been creating and submitting her work for a little over two years, has recently become more in the lime light when Jorge Gracia, an actor in “LOST” promoted one of xsoppysofax’s fan videos which was then closely followed by twitter recommendations by the co-producers of “LOST” Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindleof and editor Mark Goldman. She has also been mentioned on various websites.

©Copyright 2009 by Zoe Kendell-Taylor