Lost Producers at Comic Con

Well, folks, the last "official" Lost news for the foreseeable future took place yesterday at the San Diego Comic Con, where Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse took audience questions. Some intrepid young souls captured the event and posted the videos you see below on YouTube. A bit of context - just before these recordings started, D and C said the bells on their desks were there for each guy to ring if he thought the other was about to give away too much.

So what did they reveal? A few things...

• Libby's story will be told this season.
• Rousseau's flashback will either be late this season or next season, but its timing will be linked to some other plot point.
• Ben did not intend to get captured in Rousseau's net when we first met him, and the destination to which he was headed and what he was going to do there will be revealed.
• The explanation for smokey will come, but it will be like the revelation that Kate really wanted the get the toy plane in that some people might think, "really? that's it?"
• "Cerberus" on the Swan hatch map is a reference to smokey, but it's not the monster's only name.
• "CV" on the Swan hatch map stands for "Cerberus Vent," meaning spots where smokey surfaced from underground.
• The series will not end with Jack and Kate as we saw them in the finale. Flashforwards will come from time to time, and it will not always be abundantly clear how far in the future they will be.
• Flashforwards have been planned since late in season 1, as there can only be so much interesting backstory for these characters.

Anyway, you see the discussion for yourself. But even if you don't want to watch just the talking heads, check out the last video below - apparently raw footage from another DHARMA orientation film...

Michael's back!

Quick bit of news came out today at the Television Critics' Association Fall Preview pow-wow with ABC. While saving most Lost news for tomorrow's San Diego Comic Con panel, the network exec who spoke confirmed that everyone's favorite Machiavellian dad, Michael (Harrold Perrineau, pictured here) will be returning to the case in Season 4. More juicy tidbits are expected with Damon and Carlton address their adoring throngs in San Diego Thursday, so stay tuned...

Emmy Snubs Galore!

So the Emmy nominations were announced this week, and the magnificent 3d season of Lost was largely snubbed.

Kudos to the academy for the nomination of Michael Emerson (Ben Linus) in the best supporting actor category, which he simply must win (even over fellow nominee Terry O'Quinn (John Locke)). And while technical awards are much less interesting amongst the Emmys, I salute the directing and editing nods for the season finale, "Through the Looking Glass." The surprise flash-forward was the most deftly executed plot twist on TV this season.

But the abysmal third season of Grey's Anatomy got a Best Drama nomination over Lost? And Boston Legal, that, while fine as a farcical comedy with occasionally serious overtones, is hardly great "drama" by any stretch? If ABC's other powerhouses - Desperate Housewives and Ugly Betty - are considered "comedy," than so should Boston Legal be. And the Sopranos...okay, historically one of the best shows on TV, but the slow, plodding final season(s) didn't hold a candle to 80% of Lost's episodes this year.

Granted, it's hard to judge Lost by the submission of a single episode (which is how Emmy judging goes). But all it takes is one viewing of either "Not in Portland" or "One of Us" to know that Elizabeth Mitchell (Juliet Burke) was a shoe-in for Best Supporting Actress. The omission of Ms. Mitchell from the list of nominees is further proof of the sheer pointlessness of the Emmys as any true gauge of the state of the television art form.