Abrams’ «Lost» had an almost completely different cast
Scenario
Survivors of a plane crash are forced to work together to survive on a seemingly deserted tropical island… J.J. See which A-listers were lost to one of the most popular TV shows of all time. The character of Sawyer was originally supposed to be an older, smooth-talking city hustler from Buffalo, NY. But when Josh Holloway forgot a line in his audition and then kicked a chair in frustration and cursed loudly, the writers liked the edge he brought to the Sawyer character and decided to write Sawyer as more of a Southern, darker drifter. Jin and Sun are married and share the last name «Kwon,» which becomes a major plot point in the final season. However, when Koreans get married, the wife never takes her husband’s last name.
Then along comes «Lost»
In fact, it’s not even allowed in Korea to marry someone with the same last name, except in rare circumstances… [repeated line] Desmond Hume: See you in another life, brother.. The strange opening credits were designed by J.J. Abrams on his laptop in black and white as an homage to the Twilight Zone.. Adapted for Lost: The Journey (2005). With so many quality shows recently ending or being canceled (Friends, Frasier, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel), and the decline in quality of so many others (The West Wing, Smallville), not to mention the huge rise of turgid and tasteless "reality" programming, I’ve all but written off television as an entertainment medium. I seriously considered ditching my TV and cable subscriptions in favor of a computer screen and a broadband internet connection.
I’m hooked now
I missed the first few episodes, but thanks to BitTorrent I caught up. There are a few things you’ll love about this show, but here’s a quick list: 1) Excellent, intelligent, layered writing. There are multiple mysteries, and with each answer we get, more questions emerge. 2) Rich, complex characters. Just when you think you’ve got a character, you learn something new about them, which is often surprising or even shocking. I enjoy watching the various relationships emerge and develop. 3) Strong performances.
Mira Furlan, Victoria Hamel)
This is a remarkable cast, made up mostly of Czech actors with a few newcomers, all of whom are dedicated to making stars. There were even some cameos by established, talented actors (e.g. 4) Mysterious and fascinating setting. Of the four main elements of a story you learned in school—plot, character, theme, and setting—it’s often the poor, neglected cousin. Not here. The island is dangerous, beautiful, scary, and undeniably interesting. It’s like a character in itself.
This isn’t just a deserted island soap opera
Part of the fun of this show will be discovering the secrets of the Island. 5) Thematic depth. There are rich metaphors and themes to be mined here, such as the challenges of morality; the nature of communities and civilization; our relationship to nature/environment; and spirituality, even mysticism. I’m grateful that this show is a hit. Too often lately, I’ve committed to a quality show right from the start («Wonderfalls» is the latest and much-mourned example), only to be prematurely canceled by a nervous network. I hope «Lost» will have a long and successful run – if its creators, cast and crew maintain the level of quality they have demonstrated so far, I am sure they will.