...as in the guys from "Nobody's Watching," that internet/YouTube phenomenon! Check out their latest video, a brilliant and hilarious tribute to Lost. It even features a cameo by Maggie Grace! Watch this spectacular video on YouTube. If you like what you saw, make sure to check out the rest of their videos at www.nobodyswatching.tv. (10:20 PM)

   The numbers (no, not those numbers) are in. Last night's episode of Lost, Every Man for Himself, received a bump in viewership from last week. Zap2It pegs its overnight ratings at 10.3/15, while Mediaweek reports estimated viewership at approximately 16.80 million, once again (barely!) beating CBS' Criminal Minds to win its time slot. (12:19 PM)

   When the hit ABC television show "Lost" needed a laboratory to film a flashback involving Elizabeth Mitchell (Juliet), there was one obvious location: the new state-of-the-art research building at the John A. Burns School of Medicine in Kakaako.
   Yesterday was the first time a production of this magnitude had ever been shot on the University of Hawaii campus, and big questions loomed: Would the crew disrupt years of scientists' research by moving specimens or temporarily cutting power to temperature-controlled projects? And what about the misconception that cadavers graciously donated to the medical school's Willed Body Program would be used as props?
   All concerns quickly disappeared as the production staff made every effort to address the university's requests.... Read the full story here. (11:28 AM)

   Dallas Jessup's original idea to make a self-defense video for teen girls was cheap and simple.
   She planned to enlist her mother, Maggie Jessup, and a video camera.
   But one phone call led to another and, before she knew it, the home movie had turned into a production. It ended up taking six months to complete, $500,000 in donations to support and even attracted a plug from a couple of actors on the hit TV series "Lost."
   The movie, "Just Yell Fire," premiered at Cinetopia in Vancouver earlier this month and it's generating some media buzz nationally....
   ... With such great luck, they decided to keep asking for more. Aulani Wehage, who works at Clackamas Community College, secured the campus as the set for the film. Then she made another call to family in Hawaii where one of Catherine's cousins is the set manager for ABC's hit drama "Lost."
   The cousin told members of the "Lost" cast about the project. Evangeline Lilly and Josh Holloway agreed to participate. Volunteers in Hawaii filmed the roles Lilly and Holloway played and sent the footage to Portland to be included in the project....
   ...You can download the 45-minute self-defense film "Just Yell Fire" at www.justyellfire.com.... Read the full story here. (11:24 AM)

   Once again, a new Lost episode airs tonight, and this one's entitled Every Man for Himself: Sawyer discovers just how far his captors will go to thwart any plans of escape he and Kate might have, and Jack is called upon to scrub up in order to save the life of one of "The Others." Meanwhile, Desmond's behavior begins to perplex the survivors when he starts construction on an unknown device. Before the episode airs, go ahead and register at LostTV-Forum so you can chat and discuss the episode as it airs. (11:21 AM)

   Maybe I've been a little distracted by October baseball, but I'm beginning to lose track of "Lost" (9 p.m., ABC, TV-14). Or maybe "Lost" is beginning to lose me.
   I've been with it through the initial survivors, I grew to like the folks from the other side of the plane, I jumped like a white rabbit down the hole to the hatch and even got slightly caught up in the filmstrip antics and Kaypro-era computer chicanery of the Dharma Initiative. But now I'm confused. So, the Others live on the other side of the island in a condo community? What's up with the book club? Why do they always listen to Petula Clark? At least they have CDs there.
   Faced with so much odd, unexplained ephemera, I find myself craving flashbacks to the inner life of some of our old friends. Is it a good thing or a bad thing when an interlude shot entirely with Korean subtitles is the most compelling part of a show, as it was two weeks back?
   I've invested this much time in "Lost," so I can handle new weirdness. But what really disturbs me is the amped-up soap-opera angle between Sawyer and Kate. We always knew "Freckles" had a thing deep down for the bad boy. But sequestering them in bear cages and making them work the rock pile (he shirtless and she in a skimpy shift) is too much. The tight close-ups of their sweating faces and longing looks framed between the bars of their bear-cage prisons seems like something out of a bad adaptation of an overwrought romance novel.... Read the full story here. (10:25 AM)

   Who are the Others? Where are Michael and Walt? And what about crazy Rousseau?
   And now, the really big riddle: Why has "Lost" lost a fifth of its audience since last season?
   That question has been generating lots of buzz lately. Not only is average viewership for "Lost" down more than 20 percent since last season, but this past week, CBS' "Criminal Minds" beat "Lost" in total viewers. (WEBMASTER'S NOTE: The final ratings numbers are in; Criminal Minds did NOT beat Lost in total viewers.) While the ABC drama is still in first place among 18- to 49-year-olds -- it still reels in a little over 16 million viewers -- it has shed 5 million viewers from a year ago (nearly 3 million since the third-season premiere on Oct. 4).
   But even as television critics, avid "Lost" fans and disillusioned dropouts debate that baffling offscreen mystery -- a very good subject for another day -- "Lost" arguably remains the most influential television drama in many a moon. And this is not so surprising, actually. Throughout TV history, many groundbreaking dramas, including "Hill Street Blues" and "Twin Peaks," have had a far bigger impact on the medium than their ratings would suggest.
   Almost everywhere you zap nowadays, you'll find a show, new or old, that in one or more ways owes a debt to "Lost."
   Let's look at its top four contributions to TV today.... Read the full story here. (10:19 AM)

   "Lost" is coming back after its hiatus, and we now know when....
   ...ABC made a couple other scheduling moves Tuesday, setting a February return date for "Lost" -- which will then run uninterrupted through the end of the season -- and giving "Boston Legal" a one-time-only airing in its old Sunday timeslot next month.
   "Lost" will return to the schedule on Wednesday, Feb. 7, almost exactly three months after its final fall episode airs Nov. 8. The scheduling strategy is an effort by ABC to avoid repeats of the heavily serialized show; it has three more episodes to go in its initial run this fall and will have 16 weeks of uninterrupted episodes when it returns.
   Another serial drama, "Day Break," will take its place starting Nov. 15.... Read the full story here. (10:34 PM)

   It's Lost night tomorrow night, with a brand new episode entitled Every Man for Himself. AOL Television once again has some video previews to whet your appetite. Check these Flash videos here and here. (9:46 PM)

   The U.S. National Security Agency has been eyeing viewers of TV's popular series, 'Lost' and 'CSI,' as potential recruits.
   Fans overwhelmingly responded to NSA help-wanted ads aired in the Washington-Baltimore market during the two shows this fall, the Baltimore Sun reports. NSA Human Resources Director John Taflan told the newspaper in a written statement the ads brought thousands of hits to its Web site.
   It's obvious why the NSA targeted viewers of 'CSI,' the CBS franchise about forensic science, but the choice of ABC's 'Lost,' about a disparate group of plane crash survivors marooned on a mysterious island, is not as clear.
   Longtime CIA officer Ron Marks told the Sun 'Lost' is a good choice because it reaches an 'audience that's interested in problem-solving and thinking differently.'
   The NSA is looking for recent college graduates and high-tech industry employees with skills in computer science, languages, engineering and math. Read the full story here. (11:23 PM)

   Devoted followers of Lost and CSI have untapped spy potential.
   At least, that's what the National Security Agency thinks.
   The super-secret spy agency launched its first television recruitment campaign during local airings of the fall premieres of Lost and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation in a drive to reach a new pool of potential recruits in the Baltimore-Washington area.
   "It was the demographic we were looking for," said NSA spokesman Donny Weber, who said the commercial was aimed at college students and professionals in the region's high-tech corridor, where competition for the best and the brightest is fierce.
   The ad prompted a surge in interest among would-be recruits, with nearly 4,000 visiting the NSA's Web site after seeing the commercial, John Taflan, the agency's director of human resources, said in a written statement....
   ... The placement of the NSA commercial surprised some intelligence professionals. Describing Lost as a television variation on "Dungeons and Dragons," CIA veteran Ron Marks said its viewers are exactly the ones the NSA should be recruiting.
   "What a wonderful way of reaching an audience that's interested in problem-solving and thinking differently," he said, noting that U.S. intelligence agencies have done little to reach out to the growing number of computer gamers and other teenage technophiles.... Read the full story here. (11:21 PM)

   At yesterday's panel discussion on "Lost," nobody was giving away any of the popular TV show's upcoming secrets.
   Still, more than 300 fans who showed up for the event at the Regal Dole Cannery Stadium 18 theaters went home pleased, happy to have seen and heard three of their favorite stars in person and learn many behind-the-scene tidbits about the show's production.
   For instance, Jorge Garcia, who plays Hurley, can't believe anyone thinks he's the same guy in those local KFC commercials. The Shakespearean-trained Michael Emerson, who was Henry Gale but now is Ben Limus, thinks the best villains are often very likeable, like his own character. Henry Ian Cusick, the Scottish-Peruvian actor who portrays Desmond, now thinks of Hawai'i as home.
   And that snowy flashback scene of Pittsburgh on the show recently? It was really shot near Honolulu Harbor using tons of ice trucked in from a refrigeration company in the area, said producer Jean Higgins.... Read the full story here. (11:17 PM)

   "Lost" actor Jorge Garcia has a fairly basic explanation for the show's staggering success: "We just showed up, and the audience showed up with us."
   Yesterday, several hundred people showed up at the Louis Vuitton Hawaii International Film Festival for a "Lost" seminar in the Regal Dole Cannery Theaters. As usual, those in the know were tight-lipped about where the show was going, but producer Jean Higgins and several cast members graciously answered questions for 90 minutes. Afterward, nobody left before politely mobbing the stars for pictures and autographs.
   Michael Emerson (Henry Gale/Ben), Jorge Garcia (Hurley) and Henry Ian Cusack (Desmond) joined HIFF executive director Chuck Boller and Higgins for an interactive experience tackling both serious and superficial topics.... Read the full story here. (7:54 PM)

   Fans of the US television drama Lost who do not have a satellite dish are to be left as bereft and confused as the characters in the show after BSkyB shelled out an estimated £20m to snatch the rights from Channel 4. Sky yesterday revealed it had bought the rights to the next two series of the glossy US hit about the survivors of the crashed Oceanic Flight 815, which has enthralled fans on both sides of the Atlantic with its outlandish plot twists and cliffhangers.
   The show was a big hit when it was first aired in the UK by Channel 4 last summer. Ratings for the opening show peaked at 6.4m, with the first series watched by an average of 4.1m. The second series, which has inspired a range of theories from fans including the possibility that the characters are trapped in a giant scientific experiment, has fared less well with audiences averaging 2.8m.
   But the programme remains one of Channel 4's biggest audience pullers and is one of the most popular shows in the US, where the third season premiered on ABC earlier this month. It is one of the most high-profile programmes to switch sides since Channel 4 itself lured The Simpsons away from BBC2 in a deal worth an estimated £700,000 an episode.
   Sky, which previously poached another US hit, 24, from its terrestrial home on BBC2, said it would use its full range of digital channels, websites and mobile phone offerings to ensure fans never missed an episode. Channel 4, understood to have been paying up to £200,000 an episode, is believed to have passed up the chance to continue airing the series once it became clear that Sky was prepared to offer several times that figure. It hopes Ugly Betty, a new US hit for ABC adapted from a Colombian telenovela, will prove a ready-made replacement. Read the full story here. (6:05 AM)

   Lycos, Inc.(http://www.lycos.com/), an entertainment destination for creators and consumers of quality content, today announced the following information from The Lycos 50(TM), the 50 most popular Internet search results for the week ending Oct. 14, 2006. For a complete list of The Lycos 50(TM) and for in-depth text of The Lycos 50 Daily Report, go to http://50.lycos.com/. Readers of The Lycos 50 can also share their thoughts on Internet trends and pop culture on The Lycos 50 Blog located at http://lycos50.tripod.com/blog/.

The Most-Searched Primetime TV shows for week ending Oct. 14, 2006:
1) Scrubs
2) Dancing with the Stars
3) Lost
4) CSI
5) Veronica Mars
6) Smallville
7) Heroes
8) Desperate Housewives
9) Survivor
10) The Office

   Often, the television shows creating the most buzz on the Internet are not necessarily shows that reach the most viewers. Despite having passionate cult followings online, series like "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Angel" frequently lingered at the bottom of the Nielsen ratings. On the Lycos 50 this week, "The Rachael Ray Show" and "Scrubs," are the television shows that have generated the most interest with web users, above ratings powerhouses like "Grey's Anatomy" and "CSI." ("The Rachael Ray Show" is not listed above as it is not a primetime program.) "Scrubs" generates 71 percent more search activity than Neilsen ratings winner "Dancing with the Stars," while cult shows like "Veronica Mars" and "Smallville" overpower Nielsen successes like "Criminal Minds" and "Without a Trace" with web users.
   Meanwhile, some programs like "Lost" have achieved both ratings success and online buzz. Search activity for "Lost" is 134 percent stronger than online interest for "CSI."
   NBC's new show, "Heroes," is the most popular new program with web users, while ABC's "Ugly Betty" is the most popular with Nielsen viewers, but registers barely a blip in online interest. "Desperate Housewives," remains popular in online and offline ratings, as do "CSI," and "Survivor." In addition, "The Office" continues to achieve both online and offline ratings success. Read the press release here. (6:01 AM)

   At 9 p.m., although ABC's deteriorating Lost continues to own the hour among adults 18-49, CBS' competing Criminal Minds inched past the thriller in total viewers for the first time ever. Lost averaged an 11.3/17 in the overnights (#1), 16.07 million viewers (#2) and a 6.5/16 among adults 18-49 (#1). The vastly improved Criminal Minds came in at an 11.1/16 in the overnights (#2), 16.10 million viewers (#1) and a 4.5/11 among adults 18-49 (#2). Read the full story here. (1:32 AM)

   It's Lost night once again, and AOL Television has previews for tonight's episode, Further Instructions. Check out these videos: Mute and The Sacrifice. Don't forget, register (for free!) and discuss the episode as it airs at Lost-TV Forums. (6:46 PM)

   He's gone from Middle-Earth, playing Merry in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, to the middle of nowhere, playing Charlie Pace on ABC's hit drama Lost, and now actor Dominic Monaghan is appearing in a new wildlife ad for PETA. In the ad, Dominic encourages everyone to "Share the World," saying, "Your actions can and do have an impact on the natural environment around you. Please consider a humane solution to wildlife issues in your community or in your own back yard."
   Dominic got involved with PETA's campaign because, as he declares in his exclusive interview with PETA, "One of the things I am most passionate about is the idea of wild animals' natural environments just being slowly decimated by human beings." Watch the interview here.
   As more open land is lost to development every year, animals are forced to live in closer proximity to humans. Tragically, millions of wild animals are killed each year by poisoning, trapping, and countless other cruel methods. Learn what you can do to help wildlife in your area.
   Enter to win! One fan will win seasons 1 and 2 of Lost—starring Dominic and fellow cast members Matthew Fox, Josh Holloway, and Evangeline Lilly—on DVD and a PETA T-shirt signed by Dominic! (6:41 PM)

   The third episode airs tonight on ABC at 9/8c. The episode is entitled Further Instructions. The fates of Locke, Eko and Desmond are revealed after the implosion of the hatch, while Hurley returns to the beach camp to tell the tale of what happened when he, Jack, Kate and Sawyer encountered "The Others." Meanwhile, Claire is shocked to find Nikki and Paulo in Jack's tent. Register (it's FREE!) and discuss the episode after it airs at Lost-TV Forums (10:54 AM)

   This season's Others story line is creating a new population boom on Lost.
   In tonight's episode (ABC, 9 ET/PT), the series finally reconnects with established characters Locke (Terry O'Quinn), Charlie (Dominic Monaghan), Claire (Emilie de Ravin), Eko (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje), Hurley (Jorge Garcia) and Desmond (Henry Ian Cusick), absent since May's cliffhanger.
   "We feel like Jay Leno, who has a garage full of fancy cars and can only drive one every day," says executive producer Carlton Cuse. "We have a garage full of fancy, wonderful actors, and we just don't have as much time to drive each one as much as we want to."
   The season's first two episodes focused on The Others, including Ben (Michael Emerson) and newcomer Juliet (Elizabeth Mitchell), and the crash survivors caught by or chasing them.... Read the full story here. (9:51 AM)

   In anticipation of the third season of "Lost," ABC News Senior National Correspondent Jake Tapper sat down with executive producers and writers J.J. Abrams, Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse to talk about the show, the mythologies, and its place in TV history.
   What follows is an edited transcript of that conversation.... Read the full story here. (9:47 AM)

   The word "Hollywood" may conjure images of glamour, parties, wine and cheese; one shot and you hit it big or lose it all. Behind the scenes, it's a different situation. Javier Grillo-Marxuach, supervising producer of Lost and graduate of Carnegie Mellon University, is coming to tell potential Hollywooders the ins and outs of his career as part of the Alumni Reading Series on Saturday at 8 p.m. in the Adamson Wing of Baker Hall.
   "Javi," as he likes to be called, began his life in Puerto Rico and moved to Ann Arbor, Mich., at the age of 10. He graduated from Carnegie Mellon in 1991 with a B.A. in creative writing and literary and cultural studies and went to the University of Southern California for his master's degree.
   Grillo-Marxuach's big break came when he was studying at USC and working at Kinko's. NBC came around to recruit a junior executive, and Javi chose to take them up on their offer because, he claimed, "I wanted to buy a laserdisc player and Kinko's wasn't paying too well." Though this job did not envelop Grillo-Marxuach in his true passion, writing, he used this opportunity to launch his career. No one should worry about getting an agent in order to make it, according to Grillo-Marxuach. Instead, "[You should worry about] whether you have chops as a writer.... Read the full story here. (9:43 AM)

   Dedicated to expanding its network and channel brands across multiple platforms and connecting viewers with their favorite shows anytime and anywhere, Disney-ABC Television Group and Verizon Wireless announced today that ABC will offer its full-length music videos for "Desperate Housewives," "Grey's Anatomy" and "Lost" on Verizon Wireless' V CAST service. The videos, currently available on V CAST in the V CAST Showcase Channel, are free to V CAST customers with a monthly subscription.
   The "Grey's Anatomy" music video features the hit song "How to Save a Life," from Epic Records' band The Fray. The video combines scenes from season three of ABC's top series and The Fray's title track video from their gold debut album, "How to Save a Life." In addition, Verizon Wireless customers can access the ring tone and Ringback Tone for "How to Save a Life."
   The song made famous by the Kinks, "You Really Got Me," with a new recording by Jerry Brunskill, is the background for the women of Wisteria Lane. The music video features footage from the "Desperate Housewives" Dirty Laundry campaign directed by Matthew Rolston and scenes from season three.
   "Lost" features Sony BMG artist Brian McFadden, and "Demons" from his debut album "Irish Son." The music video combines scenes from the first two seasons of the hit series and a sneak peak of season three.
   John Harrobin, vice president of digital media for Verizon Wireless, said, "ABC continues to be an innovator with their programming and we are
thrilled to offer our customers this new format that combines scenes from hit shows and popular music. Millions of customers with V CAST-enabled phones can now get these music videos and the entertainment they want while on-the-go."
   "We have a great relationship with Verizon Wireless and are excited to offer one-of-a-kind music videos from 'Desperate Housewives,' 'Grey's Anatomy' and 'Lost' to V CAST customers," said Bruce Gersh, senior vice president, business development, ABC Entertainment and Touchstone Television. "Focusing on enhancing a viewer's relationship with our television brands by combining great music with our exceptional programs will build awareness and affinity."
   Michael Benson, senior vice president, Marketing, ABC Entertainment, said, "Having the videos at people's fingertips whenever they use their V CAST-enabled phone is a great opportunity to have them connect with our hit
series in a new and entertaining way. Music triggers their emotions and can create awareness of the show on a different level."
   Verizon Wireless customers with V CAST-enabled phones can sign up for a V CAST VPak for $15 monthly access that offers customers unlimited basic video -- including ABC music videos in the V CAST Showcase Channel -- and there are no airtime charges to download, stream or watch V CAST video. Application download and content fees apply for 3D games and premium video.
   For more information on V CAST from Verizon Wireless and the ABC music videos, please visit http://www.getvcast.com. (12:05 AM)

   Fans and viewers of the hit ABC television series Lost have learned to expect the unexpected, as have the show's stars, who admit that they rarely know what will be happening with their characters or the story.
   When Oceanic flight 815 crashed, on its way from Sydney, Australia to Los Angeles, 48 survivors found themselves on an island of harsh terrain, cruel weather and dark secrets, with only each other to depend on for survival. Much has happened in the months since then and, in the season three premiere on October 4, Jack (Matthew Fox), Kate (Evangeline Lilly) and Sawyer (Josh Holloway) struggled to understand why the mysterious Others, who they have discovered share the island with them, have taken them captive.
   Although they can't give away any details, two of the show's stars, Daniel Dae Kim, who plays Jin, a fisherman's son who married Sun (Yunjin Kim) and had to go to work for her wealthy father as a result, and Jorge Garcia, who plays Hugo "Hurley" Reyes, winner of $156 million in the lottery, did reveal a few hints to MediaBlvd. Magazine, in regard to what can be expected in season three.... Read the full story here. (12:02 AM)

   It's such a distant memory, a long-lost expression of faith, that maybe it takes a TV-time-warp moment to relive it. There it was, in the final seconds of Wednesday night's "Lost" : footage of the Red Sox' 2004 World Series win. The "Others" played it to Jack, to prove they were in contact with the outside world.
   In the storied world of "Lost" mythology, that little Red Sox cameo has major consequences. It tells us that the island exists in real time . ("Or does it?" says executive producer Carleton Cuse, and we should admit it: We still know nothing.) It tells us that miracles manifest in unexpected ways. ("I guess a guy getting up and walking out of a wheelchair is one thing..." says executive producer Damon Lindelof, a Yankees fan.)
   But to the show's ever-questioning mass of fans, the biggest fallout might be this: It proves that producers aren't making this stuff up as they go along.
   In other words, they always knew that the Others could watch off-island TV.... Read the full story here. (9:24 AM)

   When the producers of a television show are as secretive as the ones for the ABC smash hit Lost, it leaves fans and the media on a constant quest to find out what could happen next. As the unexpected twists and turns have played out over the last two seasons, viewers have kept coming back for more.
   Now in its third season, Lost has all new secrets to explore, including the four-toed statue, discovered on the island at the end of last season. Often vague in their answers, executive producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse speak with MediaBlvd Magazine, revealing a few hints about what viewers can expect when they tune into the new season.... Read the full story here. (9:23 AM)

   Josh Holloway, who plays sexy con man Sawyer on "Lost," sometimes worries that the ABC show's twisty, secretive plot will put him out of work.
   "Everybody in the cast worries about being killed off, and we wouldn't know until they handed us the script... three days before shooting," the 37-year-old actor says in the November issue of Men's Journal magazine.
   "It's a sensitive issue. People have houses here, kids in school. Most of us aren't in our twenties anymore."
   Holloway's Sawyer has developed into both a villain and a fan favorite.... Read the full story here. (9:18 AM)

   The No. 1 TV program of the night in Adults 18-49 for the second week in a row, ABC's "Lost" won the 9 o'clock hour in Total Viewers (16.7 million) and Adults 18-49 (6.7/17). Among Adults 18-49, "Lost" (6.7/17) beat out second-place CBS' "Criminal Minds" by 52% (4.4/11) and third-place NBC's "Biggest Loser" by 123% (3.0/8).
   "Lost" qualified as Wednesday's No. 1 TV program across the key adult demos (AD18-34 - 5.6/16, AD18-49 - 6.7/17 and AD25-54 - 7.4/17) and among Teens 12-17 (4.2/14).
   Compared to where it ended last season, "Lost" was up in viewers and young adults (2006 May Sweep = 15.7 million viewers & 6.6/15 in Adults 18-49). In fact, excepting last week's season opener and the season finale in May, "Lost" attracted its largest audience since February and its second-highest Adult 18-49 number since April - since 2/15/06 and 4/5/06, respectively. Read the full story here. (6:52 PM)

   At 9 p.m., CBS' Criminal Minds actually moved ahead of ABC's Lost in the overnights, while trailing in total viewers by just 180,000 - an amazing accomplishment (and a cause of great concern for ABC once new Taye Diggs drama Day Break temporarily steps in for three months in November). Take a look:

Wednesday 9 p.m.
Lost (ABC)
Overnights: 11.4/17 (#2), Viewers: 16.66 million (#1); A18-49: 6.7/17 (#1)

Criminal Minds (CBS)
Overnights: 11.9/17 (#1), Viewers: 16.48 million (#2), A18-49: 4.4/11 (#2)

   While Lost is certainly still is garnering attention, notice the erosion from the year-ago evening:

Lost (ABC)
10/12/05 – Overnights: 14.0/20 (#1), Viewers: 21.66 million (#1), A18-49: 9.4/22 (#1)
10/11/06 – Overnights: 11.4/17 (#2), Viewers: 16.66 million (#1), A18-49: 6.7/17 (#1)
Percent Change – Overnights: -19, Viewers: -23, A18-49: -28

   And, to make matters worse, Lost declined from the second half of Dancing With the Stars (Overnights: 13.6/20, Viewers: 19.52 million; A18-49: 5.1/14 at 8:30 p.m.) by 16 percent in the overnights and 2.96 million viewers. Should ABC be concerned? Personally, I would be. Read the full story here. (6:48 PM)

   Lost airs at 9/8c tonight! The second episode of the third season is entitled The Glass Ballerina: Sayid's plan to locate Jack places Sun and Jin's lives in grave danger. Meanwhile, Kate and Sawyer are forced to work in harsh conditions by their captors, and Henry makes a very tempting offer to Jack that may prove difficult to refuse. Discuss this episode after it airs at LostTV-Forum. (7:03 PM)

It's Lost night again, and AOL Television has two previews to whet your appetitie: How Dare You and Building a Fire. (7:01 PM)

   Dominic Monaghan can't hide. Pretty much everywhere and anywhere he goes, someone recognises him, chats him up, requests an autograph and/or asks him to pose for a photo.That happens when an actor connects with two show-business phenomena, as Monaghan has done first with "The Lord of the Rings" (2001-2003) and again with the current ABC hit "Lost."
   It has, Monaghan acknowledges during a telephone call from his Los Angeles home, taken some getting used to.
   "I think, after 'Rings,' I was in a position to understand (fame) a little bit better and avoid the pitfalls to a certain extent," the actor says. "I've continued to become more and more of a private person as the business and professional sides of my life have become more and more successful. I think that's inevitable.... Read the full story here. (5:01 AM)

   It's J.J. Abrams' TV world, we just watch it.
   The prolific executive producer has three shows on ABC - "What About Brian" (Mondays at 10 p.m. on WCVB, Ch. 5), the new drama "Six Degrees" (Thursdays at 10 p.m.) and the hugely popular "Lost" (Wednesdays at 9 p.m.). All are serialized dramas with story lines that continue through multiple episodes. When Abrams was running "Felicity" and "Alias," he would constantly get notes from the network to make episodes of those shows more stand-alone. But this season - from NBC's "Heroes" to CBS' "Jericho" - is all about the serialized drama.
   "It was so patently verboten to do serialized storytelling that the idea that there may be too many serialized shows on the air is just ironic for me," Abrams said during a recent conference call with reporters.... Read the full story here. (6:23 PM)

   Dominic Monaghan, the Lord of the Rings actor who plays former rock star and heroin addict Charlie Pace on ABC's hit show Lost, is grumpy. He told reporters this week that he sometimes gets fed up with working on a show with such a large ensemble cast, because it makes getting screen time a political process.
   "It's tough being involved in a shoot with a large cast," he told Bang Showbiz. "Just the sheer politics can drag you down. It's like, 'So-and-so is not getting screen time. So-and-so is not showing up on time. So-and-so isn't behaving well on set.... Read the full story here. (4:22 AM)

   What happened to "Medium" and "Scrubs"? Where's "King of the Hill"? Why isn't "24" coming back until after New Year's again? And what's this talk about "Lost" and "Prison Break" taking breaks? Why isn't "The OC" on, and why is "Crossing Jordan" going off next week?
   Let me explain.
   Several shows that aren't on the fall network schedules haven't been canceled; they're just waiting in the wings to go on later in the 2006-07 season.
   The reason is reruns....
   ...ABC will make some fans mad by airing several weeks of "Lost," which just started Wednesday night, and then pulling it off the air. That will allow the island refugee show to return early next year with no reruns so it can give "American Idol" on Fox more of a run for the ratings.
   Filling the "Lost" gap will be "Day Break," a short-run drama with Taye Diggs about a detective who finds himself reliving the same day over and over.... Read the full story here. (4:19 AM)

   The No. 1 TV program of the night, ABC's third season premiere of "Lost" drew an average audience of 18.8 million viewers and a 7.7 rating, 19 share in Adults 18-49, overshadowing its closest 9 o'clock time period competition (CBS' "Criminal Minds" = 15.2 million & 4.2/10).
   Topping last season's finale, "Lost" drew the series' largest audience since January (1/25/06) and its highest Adult 18-49 number since February (since 2/15/06). Compared to its average during the 2006 May Sweep in the hour, "Lost" was up by 20% in Total Viewers and by 17% in Adults 18-49 (2006 May Sweep = 15.7 million viewers & 6.6/15 in Adults 18-49). Read the full story here. (12:19 AM)

   "Lost" remains a huge hit for ABC, but the "The Nine" may not be.
   The season premiere of "Lost" averaged a strong 7.5 adults 18-49 rating last night, according to Nielsen overnights, matching last spring's finale average. But "The Nine," the highly touted new drama leading out of "Lost" at 10 p.m., lost 38 percent of that lead-in for a 4.6 rating and finished second in its timeslot, behind CBS's "CSI: NY."
   By comparison, last year the premiere of "Invasion" lost 29 percent of "Lost's" audience in their season premieres. But "Invasion" dipped well below that as the season went on, and was canceled after one year.
   "Lost" averaged 18.5 million total viewers and "Nine" averaged 11.96 million.... Read the full story here. (10:58 PM)

   The good news for ABC was a midweek victory, with a first-place finish in the overnights (and most likely total viewers and adults 18-49 when the fast national results are released). But the third season-premiere of the still dominant Lost came down considerably from it's year-ago opener. Lost averaged a first-place 12.3/18 in the overnights, which comparatively was down by 18 percent from its year two debut (Overnights: 15.0/21 on Sept. 21, 2005). Yes, folks, this could be concerning, particularly given that ABC is foolishly putting new Taye Diggs drama Day Break into the Lost time period for three months beginning in mid-November.... Read the full story here. (12:32 PM)

   Fans of the hit ABC television series "Lost" hope to have a number of questions answered with the start of the third season this Wednesday night. Some questions may include "What do Jack and Kate have planned?"
   "Does the look they gave to one other after their capture seems to mean something? Or Is the big magnet just gone?"
   "Will it be heard from again? Or are Will and his dad coming back?"
   The answer to those questions could be given by Farmington native Gregg Nations, script coordinator for the show. He has worked as a writer on a number of television series, including "The District," "Sister, Sister," "Love Monkey," "Pig Sty," and "Nash Bridges."
   As a writer for "Nash Bridges," Nations worked with Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof. Cuse and Lindelof later collaborated to write the pilot for "Lost," which tells the story of plane crash survivors marooned on an island, which may (or may not) be deserted.
   Nations watched closely, as did many others, the first season of the show. Prior to the start of the second season he was contacted by his former co-writers about the position of script coordinator. With the complexities in a show such as "Lost," Nations is an extremely valuable asset. And to start off on the show he took about a month to create the documents needed.
   "I was a fan of "Lost" to begin with, so I was up to speed on all of the first season episodes. However, watching the show as a fan and watching the show as a script coordinator are two different things. I went back and read every script and re-watched every episode. There had been no character bibles or island/flashback timelines created, so I created them, taking notes as I read the scripts and watched the episodes. I realized that we had a lot of characters and a lot of specifics about each character to track, so I created the bibles and timelines with that in mind," he explained.... Read the full story here. (11:44 AM)

   J.J. Abrams is one busy man.
   The Lost creator directed the Tom Cruise summer movie Mission Impossible III and is ramping up production on a new Star Trek movie, which he also might direct. He has also committed to being more involved in Lost this season, along with overseeing his sophomore show What About Brian and the new series Six Degrees.
   The harried TV mogul sat down for a teleconference with reporters yesterday.
   Abrams said that after complaints last season that Lost's narrative suffered from too many reruns and episode breaks, he wanted to run it in one unbroken block, starting later in the season.
   "We thought about running it in one chunk like 24, but the network was clear they wanted something for the fall, he said. "Lost is being run masterfully by Damon [Lindeloff] and Carlton [Cuse] ... But we can't promise we won't make you crazy this season.... Read the full story here. (11:42 AM)

   Conference calls are tricky. There could be three or 10 or 76 other people waiting to ask Lost creator J.J. Abrams about his show.
   I take a chance, assume I'll get two questions and don't start by asking about secrets from tonight's premiere.
   Big mistake.
   After some 45 minutes of press conference, during which I'm almost peeing myself with anxiety over my pent-up question while others want to talk about Abrams's other shows, What About Brian and Six Degrees, it's clear no one else cares about any secrets and revelations. Thus we'll have to wait until tonight to find out whether the reports from those who saw the Hawaiian premiere a couple of days ago are correct....
   ...For the record, my useless question pertained to the decision to split the season in two; six episodes now, the rest in the new year to quell fan irritation over reruns. Did they consider doing it 24-style and running all the episodes without breaks?
   "We did and the network was clear they wanted something for the fall, so that's why we found a way to begin the season in the fall with a sort of mini-series run and begin again for the remainder of the episodes."
   Exciting stuff.... Read the full story here. (11:25 AM)

   The third season of Lost finally starts tonight (9e/8c)! The episode is entitled "A Tale of Two Cities," written by JJ Abrams and Damon Lindelof, and directed by Jack Bender. Everyone is talking about the show's first five minutes, so be sure not to miss that! Ready to talk about the show? Visit the Lost-TV Forums and REGISTER NOW! Enter the chat room during the episode, and when it's done rant and rave about it on this thread. Hope you watch and enjoy the episode! (2:11 PM)

   The best is back.
   Not quite at its best, mind you. I prefer Lost when it's less claustrophobic and more optimistic than it is in Wednesday's much-anticipated third-season premiere. But whether you love this episode or not (and some assuredly will), there is just something about the show's sweep, reach and audacity that lifts Lost so far above the run-of-the-mill norm, it might as well be on its own island.
   If you doubt that claim, all you have to do is watch the astounding opening segment of this episode, written by Lost co-creators Damon Lindelof and J.J. Abrams. In one eye-popping five-minute stretch, they and director Jack Bender encapsulate the show's signature style and appeal: the contrast of beautiful scenery with hideous events, the note of tension that plays under even the most seemingly benign behavior, the images that seem to be one thing and turn out to be another, and the characters who cry out for further exploration.... Read the full story here. (1:17 PM)

   Editor's note: The following story contains spoilers about the new season of Lost.
   As cliffhangers go, the May season finale of Lost hardly belongs in the same class as "Who Shot J.R.?" But the 15 million diehard fans of the most dissected series on television couldn't care less. They want more.
   If producers Carlton Cuse, Damon Lindelof and J.J. Abrams are doing their jobs right, they'll give viewers answers to questions that have mystified and enthralled since the smart, Emmy-winning series was last seen in May. Of course, they'll also need to leave some questions unanswered and introduce new ones when Lost returns tonight at 8(Central).... Read the full story here. (1:11 PM)

   In final moments of its second season, ABC's "Lost" revealed that in an arctic location somewhere two men were alerted to electromagnetic activity on the island, and alerted the lover of one of the island's inhabitants. For the first time, viewers saw the outside world, and the possibility of rescue became very real.
   Or maybe not. In Entertainment Weekly's fall TV preview issue, one of the executive producers, of "Lost," Carlton Cuse, said, "That scene obviously suggests a new direction for the show." His writing partner Damon Lindelof said, "Hanging over the storytelling in season 3 is this idea that there is an outside world... or is there? I mean, what did we see?"
   Reading those final four nonsensical words, I knew I was done watching "Lost." I mean, what was I thinking? Once the overlords of "Lost" finally allowed the show to take off running in an actual direction, they plan to haul out their increasingly thin smoke and cracked mirrors once again.... Read the full story here. (1:06 PM)

   J.J. Abrams was ready to jump on a plane to Hawaii Tuesday to begin work directing a mid-season episode of "Lost" that he promises "is going to be mind-blowing."
   Instead he was on the phone with reporters to discuss the third season of the show, which begins tonight.
   "It's the biggest, most depressing thing," he said about missing the directing opportunity.
   But it wasn't because he had to talk to reporters. "It's because of the work on the other shows."
   Besides the hit "Lost," Abrams is producing two other shows for ABC this season - the drama "Six Degrees," which began Sept. 21, and "What About Brian," which starts a second season Monday.... Read the full story here. (1:01 PM)

   The countdown has started.
   In 108 minutes (actually a little less than 24 hours) you must enter the numbers into the microcomputer processor (you must be watching ABC), or the timer will roll over into heiroglyphics (you'll miss the third season premiere of Lost) and, in all likelihood, the world will end (this is actually true).
   That's right, the hiatus is almost over. The first big chunk of the third season of Lost is finally going to air!
   The Internet is buzzing with anticipation: a back-and-forth battle between uploaders and ABC's C&D orders is taking place on YouTube over clips of the premiere episode, fan forums are ablaze with interview snippets and spy photos that reveal plot information, and Blogcritics' very own Jackie has put together a rundown of spoilers, rumors and speculation on the first three episodes of the season. Just so that I'm not adding to the din of pre-season spoilerage (and because I'm trying to stay pretty spoiler-free myself — you should, too, it's more fun!), The Mind is going to stay out of that game altogether, and instead do a little retrospective reminding us of why we're excited about the new season in the first place. And so, I present to you: The Top Five Episodes of Lost (so far).... Read the full story here. (1:00 PM)

   "Lost" is the best drama on network television -- or the most infuriating. It is a fiendishly clever, culturally literate jigsaw puzzle -- or a pile of enigmas teetering on brink of collapse from the weight of its own impenetrable mythology.
   It is the future of television with its empire of spinoff projects and byzantine web of Internet sites. Or it's a crass corporate construct designed to maximize profits for ABC.
   Actually, it can be argued that "Lost," which returns for its third season tonight (9 p.m., Ch. 7), is all of those things, often at the same time.
   What can't be disputed is the series, with its group of air crash survivors stranded on an island of mysteries, is the most talked-about and dissected show on television. While it doesn't draw the audience of a "CSI" or a "Grey's Anatomy," it has a passionate and large (an average of 15.4 million weekly viewers) fan base whose obsession with detail borders on cult worship.... Read the full story here. (12:58 PM)

   Lost, the most infuriating show on television, will return tonight. Don't ask me what's happening on that weird island with counting computers, a polar bear and more coincidences than coconuts. I'm not even sure it's a real island anymore. And I'm not sure I care.
   Sometime last season, I think around the time Charlie turned to baptism by force, Lost started to lose me.
   Someone with a secret can taunt me for only so long before I just want to poke him in the eye.
   Instead of resolutions, viewers get endless questions: Why are they all there? Who are the Others? What does electromagnetism have to do with anything?
   Do you know how frustrating it is to have a conversation with someone who only asks questions? How boring and one-sided it becomes? How it can make you crazy?
   Grrr.... Read the full story here. (12:56 PM)

   It's here. Another season of "Lost," the ever-mysterious drama about the lives of an improbable collection of castaways (or are they?) on a deserted island (although it turned out not to be) where everyone has a secret and nothing is as it seems.
   And the last two points are the only sure things.
   As the show kicks off its third season tonight at 9 on ABC with "A Tale of Two Cities" (note the literary reference), here are some important plot points from season two that viewers need to know.
   After killing Ana Lucia (Michelle Rodriguez) and Libby (Cynthia Watros), Michael (Harold Perrineau) blamed their deaths on the Other, formerly known as Henry Gale (Michael Emerson), whom the castaways were holding prisoner in the Hatch. Michael let Gale go and agreed to deliver Jack (Matthew Fox), Kate (Evangeline Lilly) and Sawyer (Josh Holloway) in exchange for Michael's son, Walt (Malcolm David Kelley). Hurley (Jorge Garcia) went along, too. A battle with the Others ensued. Jack, Kate and Sawyer were overcome; their heads were covered with shrouds and they were bound together. Hurley was turned loose to warn the rest of the castaways to stay away. And Michael and Walt were last seen sailing off into the night on a raft.... Read the full story here. (12:54 PM)

   Just how popular is ABC's drama Lost? Over 15 million viewers tune in weekly (according to Wikipedia) to watch Jack, Kate, Hurley, and the other survivors of Oceanic Flight 815 grapple with monsters, "The Others," and their own personal demons as they each adapt to life stranded on the remote island. Although at times I find myself getting lost while watching the show, I can't help but feel captivated by the events that unfold. For the last two seasons, I've seen Locke's close encounter with the "black fog"; the annoying love triangle between Kate, Jack, and Sawyer; the sudden deaths of Ana-Lucia and Libby; the reuniting of Bernard and Rose; Hurley's dream that seems all too real; and those numbers—4-8-15-16-23-42—that pop up everywhere.
   And with Season 3 airing today (Wednesday, October 4), I have so many questions that need to be answered: Did Locke and Desmond survive the explosion? What will "The Others" do to Kate, Jack, Hurley, and Sawyer? But most importantly, and you could have guessed it since this is PCMag.com, what gadgets do the castaways need in order to either get off the island, or just enjoy their plane-wrecked measly existence a little bit more? Oh, I've got recommendations for each one of them.... Read the full story here. (12:51 PM)

   Who are The Others, and what do they want with Jack?
   It's the most precarious predicament looming over Lost as the hit ABC drama that is averaging 15 million viewers a week returns tonight (9 ET/PT) for a third season of island mystery and adventure.
   This balmy August day, star Matthew Fox (Jack) is seated in his trailer, having just wrapped an emotionally draining season-premiere scene, another pre-plane-crash flashback with his character's former wife, Sarah (Julie Bowen).
   The earlier part of Fox's week was spent shooting island scenes of being trapped like a mouse by The Others, the treacherous tribe so far portrayed as dirty, barefooted, heavily armed hillbillies. He'll spend much of his time under control of The Others before the series goes on hiatus after a Nov. 8 cliffhanger, then returns in February.
   Despite his character's fragile mental state, Fox, 40, can crack a smile. Sprouting whiskers he intends to grow into a heavier beard as his character remains in captivity, Fox says, "I honestly think it's going to be the best year yet. I can tell by the way the producers are talking about the year ahead that the show's going to do a lot of things it hasn't done.... Read the full story here. (5:00 AM)

   Good news for "Lost" fans, aside from the fact that the show returns Wednesday: He doesn't come right out and say it, but co-creator J.J. Abrams strongly implies that he and the show's writers know just where this season is going.
   Abrams, after a year spent mostly away from the show while he was directing "Mission: Impossible III," co-wrote the third-season premiere with fellow creator Damon Lindelof, and he says he'll direct an episode at some point later in the season.
   "For me, writing the first episode with Damon was just an absolute joy, getting to write those characters again and be inside the heads of those characters," he says. Here's the kicker, though.... Read the full story here. (1:56 AM)

   Touchstone Television, a division of Disney-ABC Television Group, and McFarlane Toys invite fans of the worldwide phenomenon Lost to be among the first to purchase action figures based on their favorite Lost characters. The exclusive signing event will take place at the Toys "R" Us International Flagship store in New York City. The event will be held on Monday, November 6, from 4P.M. to 7P.M.
   During the event, a principal Lost cast member (to be announced) and McFarlane Toys creative force and Spawn creator, Todd McFarlane will autograph purchases of Lost Series 1 action figures. This will be a ticketed event and details on the ticketing process will be announced at a later date on Spawn.com. Autographs will be limited to Lost action figures.
   Toys "R" Us Times Square is excited to debut the highly anticipated line of McFarlane Toys' Lost action figures, which depict everyone's favorite castaways from the hit ABC show.
   McFarlane Toys' Lost Series 1 captures six compelling characters from the show's first season: Jack, Kate, Hurley, Locke, Charlie and Shannon. This series of six-inch action figures will include a detailed prop reproduction central to each character's story, enabling fans to "own" a piece of the show's mythology. As an added bonus, voice chip technology brings the figures to life with quotes taken directly from classic Lost episodes.
   Take a look at pictures of these action figures here.
   About McFarlane Toys Grammy- and Emmy-winning producer/director Todd McFarlane, best known as the creator of Spawn and the founder of Spawn.com, is the creative force behind McFarlane Toys. The international award-winning company is one of America's top action figure manufacturers with several successful television- and movie-licensing tie-ins, including Oscar-winning animated feature film Tim Burton's Corpse Bride (Warner Bros), Hanna Barbera (Warner Bros.), Alien Vs. Predator (20th Century Fox), and The Simpsons (FOX) figures. McFarlane Toys also makes official league-licensed figures for baseball, football, basketball and hockey within its Sports Picks™ line, as well as Legends lines in all four sports. McFarlane Toys added a new dimension to its already expanding product line with the launch of McFarlane's Pop Culture Masterworks bringing stunning three-dimensional realism to some of the most recognized images in music and film by re-creating iconic movie posters and album covers including Metallica's Master of Puppets, Jimi Hendrix's Are you experienced?, Elvis' Aloha Elvis, Jaws, Friday the 13th and Alien. Visit www.spawn.com for more information.
   About "Lost" "Lost" was created by Jeffrey Lieber and J.J. Abrams & Damon Lindelof. Abrams, Lindelof, Bryan Burk, Jack Bender and Carlton Cuse serve as executive producers. "Lost," which is filmed entirely on location in Hawaii, is from Touchstone Television. The series' third season premieres Wednesday, October 4, 9:00-10:00 p.m. (ET/PT) on ABC.
   About Toys 'R Us Toys "R" Us is the world's leading specialty toy retailer. Currently it sells merchandise through more than 1,400 stores, including 587 stores in the U.S. and 652 international toy stores, including licensed and franchise stores as well as through its Internet site at www.toysrus.com. Babies "R" Us is the largest baby product specialty store chain in the world and a leader in the juvenile industry, and sells merchandise through 239 stores in the U.S. as well as on the Internet at www.babiesrus.com. (11:44 PM)

   URGE is MTV Networks' new digital music service.
   In addition to offering millions of songs and unlimited downloads for your PC or portable music player, URGE features hundreds of frequently updated playlists and music feeds, exclusives from MTV, VH1 and CMT, and original editorial and blogs from some of the best minds in music. URGE is available for free download at URGE.com.
   In anticipation of the Lost series premiere, URGE has come up with a playlist that is equally quirky as it is enigmatic. Highlights include: Weezer's Island in the Sun, Brian Eno's Burning Airlines Give You So Much More, and the theme from Gilligan's Island. (http://track.deep-focus.net/r/fd30be6f791d8e402d5d6b67b5b07306/) (11:34 PM)

   Lost returns for its third season tomorrow, and AOL Television has a bunch of preview clips and assorted goodies to keep you satisfied. You can check out this preview, one entitled Escape, and one entitled Demons.
   They have also ut up a series of video interviews with the cast: Matthew Fox, Josh Holloway, Terry O'Quinn, Michael Emerson, Carlton Cuse, and JJ Abrams. They also have a couple of character vignettes, one for Sawyer and one for Kate.
   AOL Television would also like to know: Can LOST Find the Buzz Again? Let them know what you think. (11:09 PM)

   Why do we love to get lost in "Lost"?
   Most so-called "serialized" dramas fade from favor as plot lines fail to resolve, mysteries lead to more mysteries and stories get more complex.
But we couch potatoes have bonded with the 48 survivors of Oceanic Air Flight 815, connected inexplicably before the crash and now trapped on a Pacific island with a polar bear, weird black smoke, a convoluted science experiment and the ever-hostile Others.
   Our hunch: It's the flashbacks. These looks back at the castaways' pre-crash lives solve tiny mysteries without giving away too much. Fans get a sense of closure in each episode, even as the overall Lost mythology just grows larger.
   Even so, it's not too late to get Lost. With the season premiere coming Wednesday (9 p.m. WRTV), here is a primer, complete with a peek at what may be coming, based on network press statements, Web sites and more.
   But be warned: What follows is a minefield of spoilers with a boatload of inside information.... Read the full story here. (9:08 AM)

   Lost, one of the world's top TV shows, was almost shot in Australia.
   The producers of the series, which is set on a mysterious tropical island in the Pacific Ocean, had their eye on shooting the entire show in Queensland, but Hawaii, with its visually dramatic oceanside mountains, was selected at the "eleventh hour".
   New Zealand was also short-listed as a potential shoot location following Peter Jackson's success with his Lord of the Rings trilogy.
   Lost executive producer Bryan Burk said an expedition party was scheduled to fly to Australia in 2004 to search for potential locations to shoot the series, but never made it.... Read the full story here. (9:05 AM)

   If you want to get a "Lost" producer angry, just float the idea that the people who crash landed on the island really died, and they are all stuck in purgatory to atone for their sins.
   "It is not purgatory," says, well, everyone from creator J.J. Abrams to producers Damon Lindelof, Carleton Cuse and Bryan Burk. "How many times can we say that?"
   Apparently, not quite enough.
   The producers have shut down theories that Walt, the young boy who seems to have psychic powers, is just manipulating all of this. And they flatly deny that this is some sort of dream, and we'll all wake up next to Bob Newhart's TV wife at the end of the series.
   Hardcore "Lost" viewers analyze everything that happens in an episode as if they were decoding classified government information. Even casual viewers of the show can't get past the six-degrees-of-separation connections between all the passengers and the sci-fi aura that permeates the island.... Read the full story here. (8:25 AM)

   Thousands of fans of swamped Waikiki to get a glimpse of the stars of ABC's castaway drama "Lost" and see a preview of the third season.
   The entire cast of the show attended the red-carpet event Saturday night to promote the new season of the series, which airs in the United States on Wednesday. The show is filmed in Hawaii.
   The crowd welcomed each cast member with loud cheers, and some lucky fans got their autographs.
   Before the first episode of the third season was shown on the big screen, producers asked that the audience keep quiet about it until after it airs on regular TV.
   Cast members said they were flattered by the overwhelming reception from the local crowd.
   "Believe it or not, this doesn't happen every day," said Terry O'Quinn, who plays Locke on the show. "I'm not used to it, but I don't mind it. I've never been to a Hollywood premiere, but can't imagine anything surpassing it."Read the full story here. (8:23 AM)

   Tanner Tokuyama had the home-made T-shirt ("I'd Rather Be 'Lost'"), the DVD sets, the official magazine and, of course, the digital camera. The only other thing he needed for last night's special "Lost" screening at Sunset on the Beach was his favorite actor's attention.
   "Michael!" shouted Tokuyama from behind the steel barricade as Michael Emerson ("Henry Gale") strode down the sand-strewn red carpet. "I came here for you!"
   In fact, thousands of "Lost" fans packed Queen's Surf Beach last night for a special advance screening of the hit show's Season III premiere (five days before the national broadcast premiere) and a chance to see the show's stars in person.
   Tokuyama, a 19-year-old University of Hawai'i student from Hono-lulu, had been at the beach since 10 a.m., part of a devoted group of "Lost" fans hellbent on meeting their favorite cast members.
   And after eight sweaty hours in the sun, Tokuyama was prepared to pull out the stops.
   "Michael Emerson," he shouted in mock-groupie voice, "I love you!"
   Attention secured.
   "Oh, you do not!" Emerson shot back, grinning widely.... Read the full story here. (9:58 PM)

   Thousands of people packed Kuhio Beach and lined the barricades for a glimpse of their favorite "Lost" stars last night at Sunset on the Beach, transforming a patch of Waikiki into a bit of Hollywood.
   The red carpet (atop a platform in the sand) affair attracted media from around the world, familiar and new faces from the hit ABC series, and devotees of the perpetually mysterious show.
   About eight seniors from St. Andrew's Priory staked out a prime space against the barricades at 9 a.m. yesterday morning hoping for autographs and photos with their favorite stars.
   As the sun set, the crowd welcomed every star with cheers. Small group of fans screamed out the names of characters, which usually earned the actor's attention and a friendly visit.
   The day-long wait paid off for the Priory seniors, who were well rewarded for their efforts when nearly all of the cast members stopped in front of them and they were able to shake hands and get pictures and autographs with many of them.... Read the full story here. (9:53 PM)

   On the morning after the Emmy Awards, Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse, the two men in charge of the ABC drama "Lost," gathered, as is their weekday custom, in Mr. Cuse’s office on the Disney lot.
   As pirates - costumed cast members for the third installment of "Pirates of the Caribbean" - strolled around the parking lot behind them, the two men ate breakfast burritos and fruit cups, kibitzed about the awards and mapped out their strategy for the long day ahead.
   They had to trim 22 minutes from an early version of the series's Oct. 4 season premiere, help writers raise the dramatic intensity of the fifth episode, return calls from the studio and make a casting decision on a secondary character. With the director and several of the producers, who were on location in Hawaii, they had to review every patch of dialogue and direction in the season's third episode. They needed to mollify an actor and his agent. And sometime during the day they had to work on the sixth episode, which they were writing themselves. All before Mr. Lindelof's very pregnant wife, Heidi, went into labor, which seemed like it might happen at any moment.
   That, in a sense, was the easy stuff. It all related to the making of the actual show, a purposefully ambiguous drama about the survivors of a plane crash somewhere in the South Pacific. But overseeing the show itself is just one part of the ever-proliferating responsibilities that the "show runners" of a hit series now bear.... Read the full story here. (9:50 PM)

   Blame it on "Hill Street."
   Or maybe it was "Dallas."
   Wait. Was it the WJM-TV crew in Minneapolis?
   Regardless of which prime-time show did the most to make large ensemble casts fashionable, today's TV series are taking the trend to a whole new level. For many series, even eight is enough no more....
   ...ABC's "Lost" has 13. (That doesn't include Michael and Walt, last seen sailing away from the island, who also appear to have departed from the credits.)
   It's small wonder that Hawaiian police arrested a couple of "Lost" players last season for driving under the influence. Too much downtime invites idle actors to drown their sorrows while pondering the inequities. "He's had four flashback episodes this season, and I've only had one."
   Clearly, the more characters a show's writers have to "service," as they say, the harder it is to keep everybody happy. And that includes viewers. It can be frustrating, or at least baffling, when regulars disappear for several episodes.... Read the full story here. (9:27 PM)

   Last we left them, the rag-tag castaways of ABC's island thriller, "Lost," were having a tough time.
   After murdering Ana-Lucia (Michelle Rodriguez) and Libby (Cynthia Watros), the traitor Michael (Harold Perrineau) had led Jack (Matthew Fox), Kate (Evangeline Lilly) and Sawyer (Joshua Holloway) right to the Others, where they awaited their fate on a dock. When next we see them, Jack will be in a glass box and Kate will be in an examining room, courtesy of Henry Gale (Michael Emerson), the Others' wily leader.
   Meanwhile, Michael and his son, Walt (Malcolm David Kelley), have sailed off into the distance - if you are wondering if they escape, neither is a regular cast member in season three. As for the others:
   Pregnant Sun (Yoon-jin Kim), her husband Jin (Daniel Dae Kim) and Sayid (Naveen Andrews) are planning to rescue the captives' rescue on a beautiful sailboat. With all these available modes of transportation on this so-called "desert" island, it's a wonder anyone is still hanging out.... Read the full story here. (9:25 PM)