If you're like me, you enjoy learning about the process of creating stories, whether those stories are told in books, on television screens, on stage, on movie screens, or elsewhere.
For instance: Did you know that Jack was originally supposed to have died in the first episode of Lost? Did you know that Michael Keaton was considered to play Jack? Did you know that Hurley auditioned for the part of Sawyer and the show's creators enjoyed him so much that they wrote a new role for him?
Reader Edward tells us that "in the middle of Season 3 there was a tremendous division in the writer's room as to the direction of the show. One half wanted the show to be more SciFi, and the other group wanted to focus more on relationships and keeping the show more mainstream. This conflict is what got the producers to set an end date, in order for both camps to focus their plot lines and desires toward an ending."
An Anonymous reader tells us that "the actress that plays [Sun] originally auditioned for the part of Kate. She was another one of those actors who auditioned, didn't get the role but impressed the casting so much that a role was written for her."
That's the kind of stuff that I enjoy learning, and I suspect that some of you do too. Do you have any interesting tidbits or trivia about the show? Anything you've learned from podcasts, articles, commentaries, or interviews that you think is fun/funny/fascinating/infuriating? No one has the time to trawl through all of the material that's out there, and there's a good chance that you know something fun/interesting. Share it here, and help to enrich your fellow fans.
Forest Whitaker was cast as Sawyer but dropped out to direct "First Daughter".
ReplyDeleteImagine Forest Whitaker and Michael Keaton fighting over Kate. Weird.
Apparently, Nikki and Paulo's whole plot--that they have been quietly searching for and eventually fighting over diamonds that they stole in Australia--was originally conceived of as an arc for background characters Steve and Scott.
ReplyDeleteKnowing that Jack was originally meant to die makes me wonder if all of his business was originally meant to be Kate's.
ReplyDeleteWhich makes me think that this the reason Jack and Kate are the two least interesting characters on the show. The story was split in two. Spread over two characters. Diluted.
Lost, for me, has always been The Sawyer Show.
~The Mutt
Mutt, Rose's story in the pilot was originally meant to be Kate's in the first couple drafts--back when Jack was going to die, Kate was going to be a newlywed whose husband was in the bathroom in the tail section, and became the leader. When they realized that it would probably be more jarring to the audience to have Jack die than it would be exciting for the audience (insert jokes about his uselessness here), they came up with a different backstory for Kate, gave the leadership to Jack, and shuffled her original story off to Rose, presumably so that they could have that romantic tension betwixt Jack and Kate that everyone oh so loves.
ReplyDeleteI don't think they really planned out much in terms of individual characters' long-term arcs when they were just writing the pilot (aside from Locke. Apparently, they had a very general idea of what the endgame of the series could possibly be when they were writing the pilot, and figured that Terry O'Quinn's character would be the one that would be most heavily plugged into it.).
The show only had something like 12 weeks to go from the first concept and conversation about it to shooting the pilot, so once they had the general concept of the show, they were scrambling around to put a cast together and figure out who everyone's character was. The producers have been fairly open in the past about the fact that they were still putting together a lot of the show's mythology throughout the first season.
(That said, I'm still convinced that the shadow of the monster in the pilot episode looks like a swirling cloud, and I hold that since Ethan appeared as a clean dude in khakis and a sweatshirt right off the bat, the idea for the Others to be more than hillbillies had to have been around from the start.)
One more cool tidbit I heard a year or two ago: When we first meet Rousseau, there was an exchange shot where Sayid asked her what her team was researching before they crashed and she said, "Time." However, apparently the network asked them to cut it because anything so overtly sci-fi that early in the run scared them in terms of keeping the show's mass appeal.
Fascinating stuff, folks. Forrest Whitaker as Sawyer? Really? That's...different.
ReplyDeleteI wonder why the show decided to go with NIkki and Paolo over Scott and Steve? I suspect there would have been less bellyaching from viewers if they'd been the first characters to be brought forward. I also suspect that neither Scott nor Steve would have made a convincing faux-stripper.
Interesting background info, gravyboat. Thanks for sharing, everyone. If you've got more interesting tidbits to share, let's hear them.
Not really spectacular, but Arzt is German for doctor. So Dr. Arzt is really Doctor Doctor.
ReplyDeleteAnd a nice connection to another work of fiction: In the Tintin-adventure "Flight 174" Tintin and his friends crash on their way to Sydney (!) on a mysterious island (!!), where they are captured and tortured by hostiles (!!!) and find old ruins and tunnels (!!!!). Telepathy and extraterrastials that where whorshipped as gods also play a role.
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_714
More! I must have more!
ReplyDeleteI love that Dr. Arzt is "Doctor Doctor." That's the sort of weird trivia crumb that I enjoy.
I've never read a Tintin graphic novel. Do I need to be familiar with the characters, or could I pick up Flight 174 without prep?
And on a side-note, I want to thank those of you who have mentioned this little blog on your own blogs/sites. It's very kind.
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ReplyDeleteRegarding Tintin, you could start with Flight 714, although Secret of the Unicorn & Red Rackham's Treasure might be a better introduction.
ReplyDeleteAs for Arzt's name, when I read the bit posted here about "Doctor Doctor" I got a stupid grin on my face singing to myself the Thompson Twins "Doctor! Doctor" and imbuing the "Burning Burning" line with extra meaning.
Sawyer was going to be a suit wearing city-slicker, but they liked Josh Holloway after he blew a line and kicked a chair in anger. They thought it worked having the character more rough.
ReplyDeleteClaire was originally meant to be a surrogate mother.
This is one I assume most people have heard, but just in case: Josh Holloway apparently was also fed up trying to make it in LA and was planning to pack up and leave. He basically went to the audition scruffy and had some attitude because he quit caring... and there you go.
ReplyDeleteRomans 8:15: For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba! Father!"
ReplyDeletespirit of slavery leading to fear = Smokey?
spirit of adoption = Jacob?
Sons and Fathers?
Hmmmm.....
Romans 8:15:
ReplyDeleteFor you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba! Father!"
spirit of slavery leading to fear = Smokey?
spirit of adoption = Jacob?
Sons and Fathers?
Hmmmm.....
Ever heard about the mythical island of Hawaiki? Me neither. But it is very important in Maori beliefs. And that sounds familiar:
ReplyDelete"All these traditions and versions represent Hawaiki as a special place full of mystical power and regenerating force – the source and origin of life itself."
Apparently, it is also their underworld. Interesting.
More here: http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/hawaiki/1
P.S.: Sorry for the double post up there. Sometimes I can't seem to post things under a name. (The Tintin and Arzt-info was mine.)
Citizen K, my first guess at Hawaiki was an online encyclopedia where anyone can edit and post information about the US' 50th State.
ReplyDeleteBut your explanation is much more interesting and relevant. :)
Has anyone else seen this artist who has created a poster / one-sheet for each episode of the first two seasons?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.flickr.com/photos/28863833@N07/sets/
He just finished Season 2 and is purportedly proceeding through to the end of the series. Really cool, simple iconography.
I think my favorites are the 23rd Psalm and Lockdown from Season 2.
Morse you should hit him up and see if you can get some sort of reciprocal link thing going on between your recaps and his posters.
Good suggestion, Miles. I think I'll do just that.
ReplyDeleteI'm the guy who mentioned the tidbit about Sun. Keep in mind I read it back when the show as in its first season. But I'm pretty sure the rumour is accurate. Also:
ReplyDelete- I can't remember if this has been mentioned before but the writers had wanted Lance Reddick (Matthew Abaddon) to play Mr Eko. He was unable to take the part (I think he might have been doing The Wire at the time) so the role went to his one time OZ cast mate Adewale Akkinoye Agbaje (spelling?)
- The role of Michael, I believe, was written specifically for Harold Perrineau. Harold also stared on OZ as series regular and narrator Agustus Hill. Hill was an inmate at Oswald State Correctional Facility who briefly shared a cell with undercover cop Mobay (Redding). Mobay was trying to uncover a drug dealing organization in OZ led by inmate Adebisi (Agbaje).
- Željko Ivanek who played Juliet's ex husband played Governor Devlin on OZ
- Ken Leung also had a one episode role as a new inmate on OZ
- Terry O'Quinn once acted opposite François Chau (Pierre Chang) on an episode of JAG (you can find it on youtube.
Just watched the JAG clip of O'Quinn and Chau. Guess what O'Quinn's name is? General Boone! : )
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-zW3ObUnPA
i am fairly sure that the kid that played young locke who met alpert is the same kida few years later that plays young sawyer when he met jacob!
ReplyDeletesome things that i have picked up along the way
ReplyDeleteaside from jorge, matthew fox and dominic monaghan also auditioned for the role of sawyer.
due to Yunjin Kim having the part of Sun written for her, they also wanted her to have a husband, thus Daniel Dae-Kim received his role as Jin.
upon getting the role of Jin, Kim had not spoken fluent Korean in a very long time and had to re-learn much of it. contrary to Jin, he speaks immaculate english
Mr. EKO's name was originally Emeka but was changed to Eko by Adewale during discussions with the writers. it has some significance to him, but it escapes me at the moment.
Mr. Eko was originally going to have a MUCH bigger, for fleshed out role and possibly would still be around, but Adewale wanted out of his contract. He apparently didn't even want to film the two episodes of season 3 that he is in, but finally gave in. last year he apologized for his behavior towards the people of LOST, which was apparently bad, and said he would love to come back in some context during this last season. /crosses fingers
When ana-lucia was killed, the writers didn't think that the audience would be emotionally attached enough, and that is why they killed libby as well.
zoe bell's character on the freighter (can't recall her name but she was reading the upside down book and threw on some chains before jumping into the ocean) was apparently going to be revealed as Namoi's girlfriend, but the writers strike that season took out that and apparently much more backstory in regards to the freighter folk
this one is probably well known, but michael emerson was originally only supposed to have a 3 episode arc and that was it. upon enjoying his performance, they created the character of ben.
whew, thats a good bit. if i think of any more, i'll def bring em.
Both Matthew Fox and Nestor Carbonell went to Deerfield Academy.
ReplyDeleteThis stuff is great, guys.
ReplyDelete"Mr. Eko was originally going to have a MUCH bigger, for fleshed out role and possibly would still be around, but Adewale wanted out of his contract."
This is pure speculation, but I suspect he would be fulfilling Hurley's "ghost whispering" duties, at least in part. It's either that, or they wanted Eko to be the one who's imitated by the MiB.
"zoe bell's character on the freighter (can't recall her name but she was reading the upside down book and threw on some chains before jumping into the ocean) was apparently going to be revealed as Namoi's girlfriend, but the writers strike that season took out that and apparently much more backstory in regards to the freighter folk."
This confirms my speculation during season 4 that the bracelet Naomi wears was given to her by Zoe Bell.
Michael was originally set to return during the Season 3 finale, but those plans fell through due to a scheduling conflict with Harold Perrineau, and his personal reluctance to return to the show.
ReplyDeleteRegarding Eko's storyline:
ReplyDeleteIn one of the podcasts (or an interview) i heard Damon said that they had a critical arc for Eko to play, but that the actor (i'm not going to look up his spelling) wanted off the show so badly because he didn't want to live in Hawaii. Back when Eko first died, I remember reading something where the actor commented that he was compelled to take the role because it was a priest and played against the type of thug he usually portrayed. He was pretty much disgusted when he learned he was playing a thug who posed as a priest.
I think at the time, the redemptive arc of the show was less apparent since most season one characters were re-battling their demons and the arc of the show was really not clear. So perhaps after a few seasons 3-5 and "getting" what was going on, he realized what he missed out on.
Damon also said that they had to take Eko's storyline and force it on another character. I always wondered if it was John Locke. but I like the idea that it may have been Hurley. In addition to Yemi (whose appearance to Eko in a dream i think could HAVE BEEN Yemi, but whose waking appearance was clearly Smokey), he saw Ana Lucia in a dream right after she died.
Of course, in Season 2, Hurley had already been established as seeing Dave in LA. And I'm currently of the opinion that Dave was a dead person - maybe Hurley's first - not an imaginary friend.
Sayid is another candidate for Eko's storyline, I suppose. That would have been very dark and in keeping with the actor's apparent concerns.
But i have to wonder, If Eko stayed on the show, what would have happened to Locke, or Sayid, or Hurley, or whomever it was.
Though I'm pretty sure Eko's storyline would not have found him traveling back to find a happy life with Juliet in Dharmaville.
It's interesting to hear about all of these intentions, although with the exception of how season 4 truncated many of the stories, I'm pleased with how things have worked out in the Lost universe. Even though the writers wanted Mr. Eko to be around for a much longer time, I really enjoyed how his arc worked out, especially since it gave us a great Smokey moment and some more information on how he works. When I was in the moment, I was really upset that Adewale wanted to leave, since I loved the character of Eko. But looking back from Season 6, I'm glad that this is the way that it worked out, simply because of the information that we gained from Eko's dealing with the MiB. Yet more proof that the writers are extremely good at working through difficult times to tell the story that they want to tell, and compellingly at that.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure this has been mentioned, and would be surprised if this was not noticed ... the poster for Season 6 the Lost Supper had 3 different releases. The 1st was like the traditional Last Supper, where all character are looking at Locke in the savior spot. The 2nd all characters were looking at the camera, and the 3rd is a bit more interesting. They are all engaged in their "own" activities (I'm sure set up that way) that look to have some meaning. I suggest you check it out. View the pic here:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.bscreview.com/wp-content/gallery/lost-last-supper-3/lost-last-supper-poster-3.jpg
I'm sure you already know this but the actress that Played Ben's mother is his wife in real life, Carrie Preston.
ReplyDelete