Lost and I, we have a tempestuous relationship. I like the characters and the high-concept element of the plot but have little patience for the show’s occasional trips to Self-Indulgenceville (a banal land populated by 6th season Buffy and every celeb reality show ever produced). I don’t want to watch a show that’s going to dance around the same mystery for seasons, teasing the audience with a Grand Plan even as the risk of an anti-climactic ending grows with each episode. I want shows that continually evolve, that solve old mysteries while creating new ones, and there were moments in Lost — let’s call them “the majority of season 3″ — when it seemed as if the show was endlessly circling a black smoke monster, polar bear, Dharma hatch mystery.
And then there was season 4, with a finale that damn near forced me to take back every bad thing I’ve said about the show. Nearly. There will always be Nicky and Paulo to kick around, after all.
Of course, the one week I need to take off is the same week the season finales start to air and the networks hold their upfronts. More on the latter later this week, but I can at least write a bit about the former. What to do when I’m so far behind that I have no hope of writing real posts on each show? TV haiku, of course!
Supernatural
Sadly, it turns out
My ESP is broken:
Dean did go to hell
Survivor
Which is more shocking,
The final vote, or the fact
The show is still on?
The Office
Did you cringe or laugh?
All hour, I couldn’t choose.
The season’s best ep.
America’s Next Top Model
The plus-sized girl wins!
This would only matter if
She won a career.
And a few bonus ones, for shows that kicked off their finales with the first of a two- or three-parter.
Lost
Oceanic Six
Clearly shown, though I still think
The baby’s a cheat.
House
Great mystery, but
Why did the show stoop to use
A cheap strip club scene?
Bones
Stalkers and Idols
And Eighties karaoke
Hard to go wrong there.
Sometimes, there is a fine line between surprising the audience with a completely unexpected plot development and jumping the shark, but when a show does it right, the viewers will be discussing it for weeks, and sometimes years, after the fact. I’m not talking about some “Bobby in the shower” kind of plot twist, either. The best twists manage to utterly surprise the audience while still being necessary to the plot. Often, looking back, it’s clear the writers have been preparing us for multiple episodes — even seasons — and we just never knew which clues to look for. Here, then, are 5 great plot twists that spring to mind.
Warning: Spoilers ahoy. Read at your own peril and use the scroll bar liberally if necessary.
5. Lost, Season 3 Finale
Why the twist was great: The show was treading water, returning to flashbacks we’d seen before and revealing precious little new information — and the viewing figures reflected this. Then, Crazy Drunken Beardo Jack yelled that they had to go back to the island, and everything changed. Since most people thought the show’s focus was simply on whether or not they ever got off the island, no one really thought to ask what happened afterwards. It opened up a whole new element of the story, expanding the show’s possibilities and suggesting a very different endgame than the first three seasons had. Plus, it meant we never had to suffer through another “Kate-on-the-run” flashback again.
4. Dexter, Season 1
Why the twist was great: After Dexter spent a large part of the first season complaining that no one could ever really understand him, we should have seen this coming: Dexter has a brother, and his brother has the same questionable hobby of hacking people up into little pieces. This is a perfect example of a twist that made absolute sense and only furthered the plots and themes the show had been developing. When Dexter was forced to choose between the brother that wanted him to remain a cold-blooded killer and the sister of whom he was rather “fond,” his choice gave us hope that, perhaps, Dexter was a much nicer serial killer than we’d originally thought.
3. Melrose Place, Season 2
Why the twist was great: You can find out how old someone is by asking if they remember Kimberly ripping off her wig, because that scene was one of the defining moments of early 90s TV and is permanently ingrained in the minds of everyone who watched. Looking back, it’s hard to pinpoint exactly why. The scene relied on the cheesy synthesized tunes of which the show was so fond, which really should have taken us entirely out of the moment. However, up till this point the show had been an over-the-top relationship drama, more about swapping partners than rediscovering that the girlfriend with whom you’d cheated on your wife had returned from the dead with a horrible scalp scar from brain surgery. When that wig got ripped off, we knew the show was about to rewrite all its own rules, and that was fabulous.
2. 24, Season 1
Why it was great: Once, many years ago, 24 was a really good series. Now, it’s become something of a parody of itself, with a new! shocking! plot twist thrown into every episode, usually leading to some sort of gaping plot hole through which you could fly a DC-10. There was a time, however, when it seemed like the writers actually planned the season arc in advance and there wasn’t yet an entry in the 24 drinking game for “a mole is found at CTU.” When Nina, Jack Bauer’s co-worker and close friend, was revealed as the mole before shooting Bauer’s wife, the audience was stunned. It was the first betrayal, and the first death of a major character. These days, you may get that every other episode, but there’s no time like the first time.
1. Battlestar Galactica, Season 3
Why it was great: You knew this would be here, didn’t you? Of course it would be. Although I toyed with the ending of the pilot episode, when cloned Boomer suddenly appeared out of nowhere, it just didn’t have the same emotional impact as the end of the third season. We all knew, or at least suspected, that the remaining Cylons were aboard the Galactica, but perhaps we were hoping that it wouldn’t be characters we actually liked. Also, the viewers expected one, or maybe two Cylons to be revealed at a time, and the show went and dropped four of them on us, all of them with some connection to the remainder of the cast. If that’s not enough, we also have to question the significance of the very Earthly Jimi Hendrix tune. They didn’t actually rewrite the rules mid-show, but it sure felt like they were playing a whole new game.
Embedding is disabled on the YouTube clip, but you can watch it here.
What about you? What plot twists do you remember? And let’s try to keep the comments somewhat spoiler-safe by putting any show titles in bold for skimming ease. Thanks!
It’s that time again: the Thursday night marathon. I’ve been training for several weeks now, and soon I might be able to do it all in one sitting, if I could only train the cats to deliver snacks between shows.
I was thinking that I should drop Supernatural from the night’s #1 spot, if only for some variety, but then they had to go and give me a zombie episode. Mmm, brains. Plus, Dean is still trying to break the curse, which is rather annoying when we all know he’s not going to hell. (CW, 9:00)
I actually really liked last week’s episode of Lost, though I’m not entirely sure why. Perhaps it was because I was drunk, but more likely it’s due to the various plot elements coming together at long last. They’ve suckered me back in, haven’t they? (ABC, 10:00)
Speaking of getting sucked back in, I’m still enjoying Grey’s Anatomy. God, we’re one of those couples, aren’t we? I bitch about it all the time, but we’re never really breaking up. At least, not this season. (ABC, 9:00)
The Office has fallen a bit on the priority list, though I still like it. I’m a bit worried that Michael is evolving from a clueless, insecure and slightly desperate man into a buffoon. I’m keeping a close eye on the show, just in case. (NBC, 9:00)
Finally, there’s Ugly Betty, which is free-falling on this list. I hate the crazy Renee storyline, I hate the Betty/Gio/Charlie/Henry quadrangle and I hate the pregnancy storyline. But at least I still love Amanda. (ABC, 8:00)
What’s not on the list? Sadly, The Invisibles. Like Plattie, I was underwhelmed by the first episode of the BBC comedy and don’t think I’ll be going back. Feel free to watch for me and let me know if I judged too quickly. (BBC1, 9:00)
Are you feeling the Battlestar Galactica love the way I am? Does Friday seem really far away? To tide you over, here are two crazytheories on who might be the final Cylon. Since I think every possible character has been repeatedly guessed by now, I’m going out on a limb and saying that it’s gotta be that kid they saved from New Caprica in the pilot. Admit it — no one would see that coming
Want more? How about the BSG cast drawn in the style of the Simpsons? The Wire has also been given the Simpsons treatment.
Forget all those other Lost questions. Defamer has uncovered the island’s greatest mystery: what happened to all the body hair? The Lost showrunners turned up on Jimmy Kimmel, where they avoided answering that or any other question. It was just like watching the show itself.
The brothers of Supernatural discover that the dead have one hell of a long-distance calling plan when Dean gets a phone call from their dear, deceased daddy. Based on the clip below, it’s going to be a terribly serious, angsty episode, but that isn’t going to stop me from watching. (CW, 9:00)
The Invisibles premieres tonight in the UK. My dedication to all things Buffy means that I must check out each new show featuring a former cast member, but this thieves-in-Devon comedy, starring Anthony Stewart Head, sounds good enough to watch on its own merit. Plus, it’s the one show I get to watch as it airs. (BBC1, 9:00)
We finally get a plot line for The Office set in the actual office, when Michael decides to give Stanley an attitude adjustment. I’m sure that will work out well for all concerned. (NBC, 9:00)
On Lost, things go wrong for the castaways. I’m sorry, was that a spoiler? (ABC, 10:00)
I’m a bit uncertain about the direction in which Ugly Betty is taking the Renee character (it’s the wacky mentally ill sister, doing all sorts of crazy things!), so this one dropped a bit on the viewing priority spreadsheet. Okay, I don’t actually have a spreadsheet yet, but if the networks keep adding shows to Thursday, I’m going to need one. (ABC, 8:00)
Surprisingly, I rather enjoyed last week’s episode of Grey’s Anatomy, though it would have been infinitely better if Izzie had been one of the patients. Who contracted a painful illness. And then died. This week is all about the returning former love interests, with Addison and Rebecca making appearances. (ABC, 9:00)
Check out a clip from this week’s Supernatural after the jump.
Do the many unanswered questions and convoluted plots on Lost drive you to drink? Pop Vultures has your back, with an easy game you can play along with at home. However, we do not take any responsibility if you have to phone in sick the next day — this game is not for the faint of liver.
The rules of the Lost drinking game are far simpler than the show itself, though they do require a well-stocked liquor cabinet.
To my great joy, the Thursday night glut is back! Tonight marks the return of enough scripted programming to keep you sitting in front of your TV till 2:00 am, just to keep up with all the televised goodness. In celebration of this fact, I’m starting a new daily post, listing all the shows on my personal schedule. No more will I hide behind some misguided pretense that I actually have a life; for you, my fellow vultures, I will confess just how many hours of TV I actually watch. Don’t judge too harshly.
Of course, there is so much new stuff on tonight that I must prioritize my viewing, since there’s no way even I can sit through six hours of TV at a stretch. The plan? Start with the first show and work my way down the list.
Supernatural: The brothers pay a visit to the set of a paranormal reality show. Supernatural tends to be at its best when it plays with genres and pop culture, so this is an easy top pick for the night.
Ugly Betty: The gang is back, in all their catfighting, backbiting, comedic glory. A surefire palate-cleanser after Supernatural’s gore.
The Office: The show doesn’t seem to have hit its stride yet in its return, but I’m a long ways from giving up on it. Tonight, Michael and Dwight find new ways to humiliate themselves in the Big Apple, while the rest of the Scranton employees are forced to work on Saturday. Rebellion is sure to ensue.
Lost: It’s back! I will never be one of the true Lost faithful, but I am never able to completely escape the lure of this show. I’ll be tuning in tonight to see who lives, who dies, and just how ridiculous the question:answer ratio becomes.
Grey’s Anatomy: I WILL stop watching it. I WILL. Just…not tonight. With the residents competing in a surgical contest, there is a chance it will return to some of its fun-loving, light-hearted ways. Plus, we’re guaranteed some quality Bailey time, since she’s the judge. I plan to see this show through the end of the season. If at that point, I still don’t care about anyone but Bailey, I’m giving up on it. Really.
I’m a geek. I assume this is common knowledge, but it doesn’t hurt to restate the obvious. I was reminded of my geek-like status this weekend, as I curled up on my sofa with an entire Whedonverse of comic books: the last two Buffys, all the Angels, and the first Serenity.
Now, it’s been fairly well-established that I am Joss Whedon’s bitch (although even I won’t defend Season 6 of Buffy). I think he possesses a unique creative sensibility, and, since the death of Angel, I have sorely missed having a Whedon show to look forward to each week.
Reading the Angel comics reminded me of one thing Joss did better than anyone: he hurt the audience. No, really. He frequently killed off likable characters, or corrupted them in some way, or forced Riley on us for an entire season. He never seemed to be bound by what the audience wanted, and the shows were stronger for it.
Lots of shows kill off good characters, but they’re usually given lengthy arcs leading up to that sacrifice, providing a sense that the death has been dramatically earned. Not so with Whedon — any fan of his shows can remember several times when characters were there one minute, gone the next. Whedon once claimed that he gave the audience what they needed, not what they wanted. Arrogant as hell, sure, but it worked for him. It was one of the reasons I tuned in each week, why I would refuse to answer the phone or the door for that hour. (Also, see above re: geek.) I never knew what would happen, and every episode had the potential to surprise.
Most shows don’t hurt the audience. They don’t want to take the risk. I remember watching an early episode of Lost, when Ethan hangs Charlie in the jungle. He seemed to be very dead, and I was quite excited by this — and, at that point, I didn’t even have anything against Charlie. Neither was it my dormant gothic tendencies asserting themselves; I was excited to think that this was a show that would dare to kill off its main characters. It would mean that anything was possible. Of course, once they cut him down, he sputtered his way back to life, and no number of dead Shannons or Ana Lucias could make me forget that cop-out. The show didn’t dare to hurt me.
Veronica Mars had its moments, but, of course, it’s canceled. Prison Break throws twist after twist at its viewers, but it’s only hurting me by keeping T-Bag alive for another season. Even my beloved Dexter can be a fairly predictable serial killer. Show after show aims for dramatic impact without really daring to cross that line and upset its viewers.
It’s television’s weakness. In order to keep their audience, shows need to please the viewers and are therefore wary of taking risks. Unfortunately, it doesn’t matter how many cliff-hangers or crazy twists or new characters a show brings in; if they’re not willing to shock the viewer, the emotional impact will always be limited. You want to gut us? Give us what we don’t want. We’ll thank you for it later.
What shows hurt you so good? And are there any current shows that would benefit from being a bit more Whedon-esque?
Published by Marcia on February 26, 2008
in dramas.
Right, people. Let’s talk Lost.
I must first confess that I am not one of the Lost faithful. I like it well enough, and some episodes have been incredible. On the whole however, I find the questions to answers ratio frustratingly high and wish, just once, they’d wrap up a storyline in a somewhat conclusive manner (and no, Nicky and Paolo don’t count). I’ve given up on the show more than once, but it somehow always lures me back in. Shirtless Sawyer may have something to do with that.
However, even more powerful than half-naked Sawyer was the producers’ promise to wrap up the entire story within 48 episodes. There was a plan! Some may claim there’s been a plan all along, but considering that Michael Emerson (Ben) was only supposed to be in a handful of episodes in the second season and is now a major player, I am dubious. Still, the show clearly had an endgame in place now, and while rambling, love-triangle obsessed Lost causes me to reach for the vodka bottle, focused, urgent Lost is plenty intoxicating on its own. In other words, I really like season 4.
