The debut of ABC’s pride and joy of the fall, “Flashforward,” felt a lot like a déjà vu (no pun intended. Okay, fine, pun totally intended). Here’s a show that has been hyped up by the network since last spring through obscure ad campaigns and, so far, appears to be delivering what it promised: an unsettling, psychological sci-fi drama about the nature of destiny with an excellent ensemble cast and a whole lot of promise. Four episodes into the season, it already has a devout fan base and is being hailed by some critics as the winner in this fall’s “battle royale” of new shows. Come to think of it, this sounds a lot like a show called “Lost.”
But let’s just hope the comparison ends there.
I remember when “Lost” first started gaining steam after its premiere in 2004. Despite having a cast of relative unknowns and an excessively complex plot, the show not only became a hit, but also a cultural phenomenon. It attracted viewers young and old, men and women, intellectuals and adrenaline junkies. ABC had developed a new, successful formula for television drama; now, five years later, “Flashforward” is being billed as the network’s new “Lost.” Certainly the plots of the two shows are very different, but its fundamental components – the ones that helped “Lost” succeed – are the same.
However, in recent seasons, “Lost” has begun frequently sabotaging itself and, much worse, alienating its legion of loyal viewers. When the (literally) incredible plot twists and turns started popping up at the end of each episode, so were raised dozens of questions to which the show’s viewers patiently waited for answers, expecting the writers to throw them even the smallest bone in each new episode.
Yet the writers slapped “Lost” fans in the face and neglected to answer the majority of these new questions, responding to them instead with, you guessed it, even more questions. Now, “Lost” is almost in its final season, and there is still a whole web of issues that has yet to be untangled. It’s no surprise that many of the show’s fans jumped ship long ago. As much as I love “Lost,” I don’t blame them for doing so. Personally, I plan to see this show to the end, but the plot seems nearly unsalvageable now.
With that nagging at the back of my mind, my number one fear for “Flashforward” is that the writers are going to head in the same direction as the writers of “Lost.” So far, the plot of “Flashforward” has been unfolding fairly seamlessly; while there is enough intrigue and mystery to keep viewers deeply interested, the show is taking a constructive approach to the story, demonstrating how the various pieces of the puzzle all fit together rather than simply introducing new elements of the mystery out of left field. Conversely, on “Lost,” the writers just seem to be producing episode after episode and plot twist after plot twist, seemingly without knowing where it is all heading. I hope that “Flashforward” does not suffer the same fate.
Until there is evidence that the writers of “Flashforward” are, in fact, just making it all up as they go along, I’m trying to be as optimistic as I can. I intend to savor my Thursday night “Flashforward” fixes and enjoy what I believe is the best new show on television. In the meantime, however, I’m praying that the plot doesn’t develop its own “Lost” syndrome in the future.
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