Happy LOST Day!

Today's an auspicious occasion. LOST, the complete muthafunkin' series, is being released. Commence your happy-dances.

I'm well aware that some folks were underwhelmed by the final season, and as I've said previously I can't blame them. There's a lot to love there, but there's also an increasing sense of frustrated/frustrating ambiguity that most people (myself included) weren't expecting at all.

We entered Season 6, aided and abetted by ABC's nefarious marketing department, convinced we were going to get ANSWERS, ANSWERS, ANSWERS! Instead, we got .....answers?

If you're like me, who found much of my enjoyment from the show in puzzling around its various mysteries, references, allusions and pop culture debris, then the final season served as a summation of all that had made LOST both energizing and aggravating. The answer to the puzzle was more puzzle, to put it too-simply.

And I loved it, warts and all.

Work on Back to the Island: The Book continues apace, and now that the complete collection has been released I'll be incorporating what we learn from that set into the text. But primarily what I'll be doing (at first) is simply enjoying a dip back into this show's singularly-intoxicating world. I know that many of you will be doing the same thing, and I'm looking forward to talking about it.

Have you picked up the set yet? Have you watched its special features? I'll be providing a space for us to talk about them in the near future. Consider this post an initial exclamation point of excitement. In the meantime, I encourage you to use the link in the sidebar to pop over to Verbosity, where I'm now posting regularly.

Back to the Island: The Mailing List

So it turns out that gmail is, like, the worst when it comes to Mass Mailing.

Since I'm not savvy with the technology, I had no idea that this was the case.

I'm looking into some simple, free/cheap services to help me get the first email out to those of you on the Back to the Island mailing list, and should have things worked out by weeks' end.

Best,

MMorse

Lost & Found: And The Winner Is....

The first show to be renewed on Lost & Found has been chosen!

Click here to discover its identity.

Lost & Found Is Here

The Lost & Found introductory column has been posted as Lost-withdrawal methodone. Please vote!

Lost: Odds and Ends

Morning, all.

The first "Back to the Island: The Book" email will be going out soon. If you haven't signed up for the mailing list, you can do so by shooting me an email at WhatIsWater@gmail.com. By expressing interest in the book you'll recieve updates, exclusives, contest stuff, and probably some baking recipes.

For those of you who haven't already seen them, head on over to io9 and watch the original audition tapes of folks like Jorge Garcia, Josh Holloway and Matthew Fox.

Or, if you're feeling a little more script-oriented, check out the scripts for the Pilot episode, Two For The Road, and Fire and Water (for some reason, Lost's writers enjoyed peppering their scripts with copious F-bombs).

Got any fun Lost links to share? Post them in the comments!

And if you haven't had the chance to pop over and check out Verbosity!, my new non-Lost site, might I suggest that you give it a try? Today we're offering up a fresh-baked game of Pass The Sentence.

Have a great week, all.

Verbosity! Is Here

Hola, everybody!

After almost a full year of pouring my Lost-related thoughts into this here blog, I'm making the transition to wider, wilder pastures. Today marks the debut of Verbosity! - my new, all-inclusive site.

Before you shut down the computer for the weekend and head out into the shimmering summer sun, might I suggest that you bookmark it? I'd be pleased as punch if some of you decided to make the move over there with me. Head on over and check it out, if you're so inclined. You'll get some sense of what to expect, and you'll have the opportunity to submit your own sites and blogs to me for inclusion in the sidebar.

Finding such an intelligent, (com)passionate, entertaining audience for my musings has been, without a doubt, the most rewarding part of my Back to the Island gig. If your interest in my ramblings ends with Lost allow me to say thank you, sincerely, for your time and your comments. This site will remain up and running, occasionally updated, and open to all of you. As I work on Back to the Island: The Book, I'll post updates and thoughts here, and I'll notify folks of that stuff on Verbosity! so it doesn't get lost.

Enough with the excess verbiage. This isn't goodbye. This is hello.

Best,

MMorse

The End (S6, eps. 17 & 18)

The column for The End has let go for your reading pleasure on Chud.com.

It's been an honor and a privilege, everyone. I hope it's enjoyed.

Verbosity Is Coming

Those of you interested in following me to my new digs - a blog site meant to host all manner of writings unrelated to Lost - should consider dropping by here on Friday.

Back to the Island will remain exactly as it is, and will continue to be updated with new/interesting information about the show and with info on the progress of my book.

The End: An Update

Hola, all.

The good news: I'm really enjoying this column. I think you will too.

The bad news: It won't be up until Tuesday morning, after the Memorial Day holiday weekend.

Why? Well, it mostly comes down to me deciding that I don't want to post it in two parts. At this point, what was Part I is in pretty good shape, but the structure of the whole thing sort of demands that it post as one (enormous and over-long) piece, and Part II is still an ill-formed, shambling mess (moreso than usual). It also comes down to my wanting more time with it. There's a lot I want to say, and I'd like to say it well.

I don't see this as being a huge deal in terms of "missing the window of discussion" on the finale, since folks are still hotly debating it all over the 'net. That's not going to change over the next 2-3 days, and I feel comfortable taking the time to construct the entirety of it for your (and my) pleasure. I do, however, realize that some of you really look forward to my ramblings and so I apologize for the delay.

I hope that's understood, and as always I appreciate your patience with me.

Thanks,

MMorse

Your Back to the Island Teaser Quotation for The End

“Real rebels, as far as I can see, risk disapproval. The old postmodern insurgents risked the gasp and squeal: shock, disgust, outrage, censorship, accusations of socialism, anarchism, nihilism. Today’s risks are different. The new rebels might be artists willing to risk the yawn, the rolled eyes, the cool smile, the nudged ribs, the parody of gifted ironists, the “Oh how banal.” To risk accusations of sentimentality, melodrama. Of overcredulity. Of softness.” – David Foster Wallace, E Unibus Plurum