US: 2nd series - have we been too hard on it?

Basq

Had this as a comment in the 'Lockdown' discussion thread but it really does deserve it's own thread.

I was actually thinking the other day that i've been incredibly hard on this series of 'Lost' overall. It's nothing compared to the last series of course!

Maybe it's just the fact that we've had a particular good run in episodes recently... but hear me out!

I think we've had relatively few real weak episodes this season with, of course as i've mentioned, the last few being particularly strong.

I look back now and there's definantly been more strong episodes than weak.

Having a look over them at EpGuides.com.. the weak episodes in my opinion being: "Adrift", "...And Found", "Abandoned" and "Fire + Water". But the rest were all definantly decent / good ("Everybody Hates Hugo", "What Kate Did") to downright excellent ("Lockdown", "Man of Science..", "Maternity Leave").

EpGuides.com wrote:

201 - 21 Sep 05 - Man of Science, Man of Faith
202 - 28 Sep 05 - Adrift
203 - 5 Oct 05 - Orientation
204 - 12 Oct 05 - Everybody Hates Hugo
205 - 19 Oct 05 - ...And Found
206 - 9 Nov 05 - Abandoned
207 - 16 Nov 05 - The Other 48 Days
208 - 23 Nov 05 - Collision (a.k.a. Old Habits)
209 - 30 Nov 05 - What Kate Did
210 - 11 Jan 06 - The 23rd Psalm
211 - 18 Jan 06 - The Hunting Party
212 - 25 Jan 06 - Fire + Water
213 - 8 Feb 06 - The Long Con
214 - 15 Feb 06 - One of Them
215 - 1 Mar 06 - Maternity Leave
216 - 22 Mar 06 - The Whole Truth
217 - 29 Mar 06 - Lockdown

So.. anyone else reckon they've been a bit too hard on this season (bearing in mind of course that it's not Season 1! )?

Sleepy

I think an early run that was very slow-moving and the repeated hiatuses have probably led to an overly-negative reaction to season 2. When I hear people watching Lost on RTE saying that they're getting bored of it, I keep having to tell them to stick with it, that it's just about to hit it's stride this season...

Metacortex

Im of the opinion the weakest episode ever, out of both season 1 and 2was 'Fire + Water' from season 2, followed by 'and Found', again from Season 2. Everything else i don't have a problem with.
I groan inwardly everytime i know theres a Sun/Jin, Charlie centric episode coming up.
Sun and Jin bore the hell out of me and i can't remember ever enjoying any of the Charlie centric episodes.

ixoy

No, I don't think so. I think may of the problems (for me) are endemic to the show - pointless backstories, inability of the characters to discuss the mysteries, etc. I also think some of the middle episodes are rightly called crap an d no amount of fancy music and high production values should be used to gloss over that fact (I'm not of the camp that thinks a bad episode of "Lost" is better than most good episodes of other shows).

In fact, I don't think people - in their ratings anyway - are harsh enough on this show here. There's a scale of 1-10 and, excuse me if I'm thinking oddly here, but the average should surely be about a "5". Yet here people, if an episode isn't good, or indeed bad, seem to say "Not very good this week - only an 8." Huh? That'd merit a 3 or 2, no? Not 80%... Or do people have a different view on the scale? I see it as independent of other shows and that the median should be 5. Thus when a really good episode comes along, the ratings for it would stand out. Instead we've got 95% of the episodes getting an 8+ and a disturbing amount constantly awarded 10, making it impossible to differentiate what's the best (unless you honestly think it's better each week). Just a rant about ratings (that applies to many places and systems in forums and mags but even more so perhaps here).

tvnutz

ixoy wrote:

No, I don't think so. I think may of the problems (for me) are endemic to the show - pointless backstories, inability of the characters to discuss the mysteries, etc. I also think some of the middle episodes are rightly called crap an d no amount of fancy music and high production values should be used to gloss over that fact (I'm not of the camp that thinks a bad episode of "Lost" is better than most good episodes of other shows).

In fact, I don't think people - in their ratings anyway - are harsh enough on this show here. There's a scale of 1-10 and, excuse me if I'm thinking oddly here, but the average should surely be about a "5". Yet here people, if an episode isn't good, or indeed bad, seem to say "Not very good this week - only an 8." Huh? That'd merit a 3 or 2, no? Not 80%... Or do people have a different view on the scale? I see it as independent of other shows and that the median should be 5. Thus when a really good episode comes along, the ratings for it would stand out. Instead we've got 95% of the episodes getting an 8+ and a disturbing amount constantly awarded 10, making it impossible to differentiate what's the best (unless you honestly think it's better each week). Just a rant about ratings (that applies to many places and systems in forums and mags but even more so perhaps here).

When they say not very good this week,they mean it is not as good Lost typical Lost standards (Brilliant),which means its still good,i.e 7/10. Not as good for Lost means its still good

The lowest rating I have ever given the show was 6/10,because I don't believe it has ever been worse than that.

And yes I think people are being too hard on this season. It started of with a great opener,some great stuff in episode 3 that opened up the whole new Dharma mystery,but then it did slow down and wasn't too amazing for

204 - 12 Oct 05 - Everybody Hates Hugo
205 - 19 Oct 05 - ...And Found
206 - 9 Nov 05 - Abandoned

However there was then a great run of episodes:

207 - 16 Nov 05 - The Other 48 Days
208 - 23 Nov 05 - Collision (a.k.a. Old Habits)
209 - 30 Nov 05 - What Kate Did
210 - 11 Jan 06 - The 23rd Psalm

It then had 2 rather slow-ish episodes:

211 - 18 Jan 06 - The Hunting Party
212 - 25 Jan 06 - Fire + Water

But from then on I reckon they have been great:

213 - 8 Feb 06 - The Long Con
214 - 15 Feb 06 - One of Them
215 - 1 Mar 06 - Maternity Leave
216 - 22 Mar 06 - The Whole Truth
217 - 29 Mar 06 - Lockdown

Also the ridiculous breaks have hampered its flow.

Or so I think so

Cactus Col

I think though, the biggest problem with season 2 was the realisation that we weren't going to get any questions answered for a long time, that this show may be drawn out over a number of years before we know whats happening, who everyone is, etc.

Also the crazy breaks that we've had to wait through for each episode.

Chevano Riley

yeah. i watched series one on rte and then, like many people here, watched series two with the americans. the breaks, which were not used to can be really really painful.

Goodshape

I've watched the first two series from start to present (U.S.) over the last couple of months, so no breaks for me. Up until about episode 10 (not sure exactly) of season two I would have said that season one was much, much, better, but I think we've gotten some really solid episodes ever since

the tail section made it accross the island

.

These last three episodes from the U.S. in perticular have been very good.

On the strength of that I'd say they're actually about even. I also seem to recall season one being a bit slow to go anywhere utill about mid-season; looks like they're working from the same formula here.


I agree with the comment about the ratings on this forum.. 1 - 10 isn't very clear as people will have different ideas of what makes a high score ('8' is amazing to some, but just OK for others). The poll choices on the Battlestar Galactica forum work better I think... but then, that is the better show [/flame]

Basq

Goodshape wrote:

..The poll choices on the Battlestar Galactica forum work better I think... but then, that is the better show [/flame]

You forgot the opening flame tag there, Goodshape!

OK.. if i remember, i'll try out a new voting system this week!