Lost

I started watching Lost after accidentally watching the season finale of Season 1. What's in the hatch? Little did I know that I would be hooked, roped-in, and hopelessly addicted. What's the black smoke? Who are the "Others," and why are they so self-righteous and hostile? Each episode brought a new set of questions and few answers. Matt and I would endlessly debate possible scenarios and explanations for everything, trying to figure out what it all means. However, after watching the Season 5 premiere tonight, I wonder if I had seen this episode first, would I be as into it? Would I have rented all of the previous seasons in order to figure out what is going on in this crazy show? Is this show even good? I find myself incredulous and cursing at the television these days, but I cannot stop watching, and I'm fairly certain that I will continue to watch until the series comes to its (certainly frustrating) conclusion. Matt and I don't even try to figure it out anymore - we have settled into a mere acceptance that we will find out when we find out - if we ever do find out.

On an academic note, the show's marketers have effectively used viral marketing techniques to intensify the hype surrounding the show. I'm not one to run to the laptop as soon as a site address appears on the television, but I have seen some cryptic videos on YouTube that were obviously created by the makers of Lost. I can't say that my Lost experience was enhanced (or diminished) by watching the clip, but it made me excited about the new episodes to come.