I’ve been rewatching Lost on Netflix. The first time around, I loved the show. Yes, at times it was frustrating, with the seemingly meandering story and the THOUSANDS of unanswered questions, but I like sci-fi/fantasty/out-there shows, so I enjoyed it nonetheless. As much as I loved it the first time through, it has been SO much better this time around.

The first time through, I was so caught up in the story, trying to make sense of it, that I missed a lot of the production details. Replaying it, though, I can look at not only what is told, but how it was told. I didn’t realize how well done it is. Sure, some film/theater student can probably nitpick it to death, but I was really struck at how well the main characters were developed and portrayed: the depth of emotion, the growth of the characters, etc. I also missed how well the producers handled the emotional scenes, such as the many reunion scenes. One of the most touching was the scene on the sub where Jin and Sun die. After all they’d gone through, the devotion Jin shows in sacrificing himself so he won’t leave was truly touching.

It’s a pretty big investment of time to rewatch all of the episodes, but I’m so glad I did, as it’s almost like watching a completely different show.

I’ve never been a union fan — I’ve often been quite vocal about that.  In case you don’t know, the  Writer’s Guild of America recently went on strike.  What makes this strike more obnoxious is that it’s knocking my favorite show, The Office, off the air. The strike only serves to prove my point about unions, though:  They’re in it for the money.  Says, the Flying Dunce, Sally Field (emphasis added):

[Writers] are not being allowed to participate in the future of the business. This can be a very lucrative field, but also incredibly insecure for all of the artists, writers, actors and directors.

They don’t want safer working conditions or more humane hours as was the case back when unions were respectable.  They want more money, plain and simple.  Here’s the deal:  if you work for someone else and create a work product for that person, then he gets to decide what’s done with it.  I don’t get royalties from software I write;  I get a paycheck.  If you don’t like that, don’t work for someone else.  Start your own studio.  You get no sympathy from me you greedy knuckleheads!