The Romance of Lost…
Whether you love it or hate it, you can’t deny LOST is one of the hottest shows on TV. I confess, I became hooked (and I do mean hook, line and sinker!) from day one. I mean hey, I like disaster/stranded-on-a-desert-island scenarios just as much as the next viewer, but when I saw the previews for the pilot, I knew I just had to watch. And now into the fourth season, I can say beyond a shadow of a doubt, I’m caught up in the story — every Wednesday I’m glued to the TV for one full hour, and no one had better disturb me! I mean wild horses could not drag me away. There could be a four alarm fire burning in the house next door, with sirens blazing, and my eyes would still be centered on the boob-tube…okay, so maybe I’m exaggerating here, but not by much… LOL
But what is it about the survivors of Oceanic Flight 815 which is so bloody fascinating? Is it the beautiful Hawaiian scenery? The plethora of unusual characters who all seem to be connected in some way? The danger which lurks around every corner? The fabulous eye candy? (Sawyer and Jack.) Of course all of that does make the show great, but the most important thing of all is the storyline… Ah yes, now we see the direction I’m going—the writing! Truly I think it can be said for any TV show, the writing is at the core. If you don’t have good writing, you don’t have a good story, and therefore, no audience (okay, there have been some shows who have defied that logic but then there is always an exception to the rule).
What I truly love about LOST is it makes you think. Okay, so I’m one of those people who loves to speculate, and this show gives me plenty to speculate about. What is this all about? Who is behind the island’s “security system” and why? What do the “Others” want with the survivors? Why does everyone seem to be connected? Like I said, I love a good mystery. (What can I say, I was raised on it.) Which brings me back to the writing—without an intriguing storyline and fascinating characters, LOST wouldn’t exist.
So what does LOST have to do with Romance? Think about the last really good romance you read…what was it that drew you into the story? What compelled you to turn the next page, and the next? Was it the fascinating characters? The little twists and turns in the plot? To me, a good romance is one with an edge, a little mystery to entice you deeper into the story, a twist here, and turn there, so your not always sure where the author is leading you and the characters and that’s how I write all my stories. Who truly is the bad guy in A Knight of Passion? Is Reynard (the hero) truly a murderer who’s kidnaped an innocent Rianna?
So you tell me…what was the last good romance you read? Did it have a touch of mystery? Intrigue? Adventure? Murder? What keeps you “glued” to the pages? And do you love or hate LOST?
Ingela F. Hyatt
