Penfold_X's Fandom Journal

I am almost incoherent in my love for the latest season of Lost. Seeing the face of my favorite character worn by the big bad is fairly wigsome, but other than that, it's been complete awesomesauce. Lindelof, Cruse, and their team are walking a fine line, managing to genuinely answer questions, without answering everything (and so keeping it interesting), and managing to make it all hang together in a coherent whole. The characters we love have grown, but the growth is natural and not merely to service a plot or entertain bored writers (like, say, angelic Starbuck, or Angel S5 magic mindwipe).

Though I doubt everything was planned from the beginning, they are paying meticulous attention to continuity (essential when you're asking folks to suspend as much disbelief as a fantasy/scifi series typically does), rewarding long-time fans with resolution to even comparatively trivial plot threads, while moving toward a larger resolution that is a natural outgrowth of the story thus far. Characters have authentic, realistic, often deeply affecting motivations, that play directly into the larger plot and themes. ( spoiler for last night ) And besides that, it's just excellent, well-acted drama, from a cast that was mostly selected because of their skill rather than their surgical enhancements.

I'm certain setting a specific time limit on the show, then taking months to write a discrete set of focused arcs was central to achieving the quality of the final season. The Lost team should send Ronald D. Moore, Russ Davies, Chris Carter, et al. an instruction manual.

Total Bliss!:
Returning shows snagging official pickups are laffers "Girlfriends" and "The Game" and dramas "Smallville," "Supernatural" and "One Tree Hill." CW picked up "Everybody Hates Chris" for a third season earlier this spring.

As expected, execs at the Green net Tuesday called the producers of "Gossip Girl," "Reaper" and a remake of Blighty family drama "Wild at Heart" (still untitled at the CW) to give them the good news. After some last-minute snags, comedy "Aliens in America" also got the go-ahead Tuesday afternoon.

I'm mildly bummed about the fate of Veronica Mars (which seems to be cancellation), but nothing can bring me down from my Supernatural high.

ABC's schedule is a bit of a yawn (Full Press Release). Most of their new shows appear to be frothy, female-oriented dramedies in the vein of Grey's Anatomy, a show I despise. I'm mildly interested in Pushing Dasies, a "forensic fairytale" about a man who can bring the dead back to life with a single touch (partly because Kristen Chenowith will support), and I'll give Big Shots a try just because Josh Malina is in it (though the premise, a sort of male Sex in the City, gives me hives).

And Cavemen? WTF?!

I'm happy Lost and Ugly Betty are back, but that's about as far as I see ABC and me developing our longterm TiVo relationship.