I've just finished watching Lost Season One. Here's my thoughts on it (spoiler free for UK readers).
The short review: I loved it.
It is undeniably bonkers...
...swerving into melodrama and over the top plot devices, but it didn't hurt my enjoyment one bit. It frequently had me laughing out loud, not only at its true funny moments (eg Hurley's story), but also at its outrageous plots and twists.
The acting and production values are great as you'd expect(?) from a big budget US TV series. And the characters themselves are varied and entertaining. I enjoyed the backstory flashbacks as a technique to reveal more about the characters, they added a good pacing to the overall story, breaking up the adventures on the island quite nicely.
I also like the endless questions which get raised in this season, with none of the answers ever present! To be honest I don't really expect all of the answers to be satisfyingly explained, ever. But that's okay. The X-Files was at its best when everything was just a clue and the explanation was a let down. The same with Babylon 5, seasons two and three being superb, with clues but no answers, then the disappointment of season four (culminating in the dreadful "get out of my galaxy speech"). Maybe Lost will surprise me and have some good answers, but to be honest I don't care at the moment, I'm just enjoying the ride.
Bring on season two!
