The cast and producers of Lost spoke this morning at the TCA press tour about the show’s final season, set to premiere on Feb. 2. Showrunner Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof announced that Michael Perrineau (Michael) and Cynthia Watros (Libby) will be back during the climactic sweep of story — two characters we thought were dead. “The season premiere picks up right after the finale,” said Cuse, and then begged off from elaborating.
When the cast was asked about the premiere, Josh Holloway (Sawyer) said, “It’s big,” and Emilie de Ravin (Claire) added, “I had to read the premiere three times for it to make sense.” Her choice of words was interpreted by press (and Lindelof) to mean that the premiere is confusing. “That’s not helping!” Lindelof said with a laugh. “Get ready to be confused, America!” (The actress quickly clarified that the premiere is packed with info and developments, not that it’s incoherent.)
Cuse promised season 6 will be accessible for viewers who dropped away after the first couple seasons but are curious about how the whole series will turn out: “We’re doing something different in the narrative that doesn’t require deep and vast knowledge to get.” He said that those well-versed with season 1 will be well-positioned to be entertained by the final season. Cuse added that the end of Lost is not designed to launch a spin-off or continuation of the series, saying, “There’s no implanted sequel, no backdoor pilot.”
In addition, Cuse hinted that some upcoming promotions will offer more season 6 teases, and mentioned that mysterious bottles will be showing up with some clips from the premiere.
The cast and producers also talked about favorite moments or episodes:
Emilie de Ravin (Claire): “My favorite moments are when we’re all together, the original cast, hanging out like the old days. It’s nice getting back to that now [with the scenes the actors are shooting].”
Daniel Dae Kim (Jin): “The finale of the first season, the launching of the raft.”
Josh Holloway (Sawyer): “I like group scenes. They take two, three days to film. But if you position yourself just right while they’re shooting, you can cut up and have fun. I’ve become quite good at positioning myself to have that kind of fun.”
Evangeline Lilly (Kate): “Sangria Thursdays. It’s become a Season 6 tradition.” Her fave episode: “Do No Harm,” in which Claire gave birth and Boone died. “That episode that sort of culminated everything the show represented. I remember thinking ‘This is something I am proud to be part of.’”
Terry O’Quinn (Locke): “Sitting under the banyan trees, listening to Naveen [Andrews, aka Sayid] as he plays guitar and everyone sings.”
Michael Emerson (Ben): “I have many fond memories of breathless confrontations in small rooms. Jacob’s hatch, Widmore’s bedroom.” He said his defining moment was Season 3, when Ben took Sawyer up to the ridge and revealed they were on Hydra Island “Standing on the cliff, trading quotes from Steinbeck, and I had a rabbit in backpack. It was so absurd and majestic.”
Jorge Garcia (Hurley): The moment that came to mind was “the comet hitting Mr. Cluck’s and I’m laying there and they’re throwing raw chicken parts at me.”
More Lost news — plus my Doc Jensen column — later this week here at EW.com. PLUS: Keep following Michael Ausiello’s ongoing coverage of Press Tour.
I want to use this medium to personally thank President Barack Obama (even though the man has no clue that I even exist) for having the courage to fall back and allow “Lost” to premiere on Feb. 2nd as scheduled. He’s a true “Lost” fan at heart. ;o)
Well, he IS from Hawaii, where they film, so it’s good for his home state’s commerce.
His approval rating is at a low. If he would have pre-empted LOST, Lost fans would have made sure he was out of office in 2012..lol!
supposed dead characters are back – why??? – why is this show still on the air
YES, I’M HERE TOO – to all the LOST lovers – GET LOST
Hey, I think I told you to shut the f*** up on another article. What exactly is your problem?
She has no life. You’re just egging her on. Ignore is the best solution for a person like herself.
You did Kevin, but the small minded are sometimes learning impaired.
Dearest Kevin – right now you are my problem – ever hear of the phrase “freedom of speech” it’s my freedom to say “GET LOST LOST”
No one denied your right to freely speak like an idiot Carole.
For what it’s worth, Freedom of Speech doesn’t mean what you think it means. For starters, it just keeps the government from throwing you in a hole for being a malcontent. It has nothing to do with being a troll on a webforum.
The best thing to do with people like that is to just ignore them. All they’re looking to do is rile up as many people as they can. It’s a gleeful exercise for them. If you ignore them, then you don’t give them the satisfaction. Their lives are so boring and meaningless that this is what they do for entertainment. Carole probably isn’t even her real name–hell, it’s probably not even a woman to begin with. As they say, ignorance is bliss.
Anger management – can’t we all just get along!!!
GAD. . .so sad, it can’t be that bad, so much anger- just be glad. LOST is back – in just a tad. Love, Peace, and forever Lost
Sally…Schaumburg IL?
why yes indeed, did i plant a seed?
obviously an NCIS fan
paige – no I hate NCIS too
Wow, Carole just hates everything and everybody! Hooray!
Heey!! No dissing NCIS! It’s an entertaining show.
But we’re talking Lost here, which I also love. Carole, if you hate the show so much, why even comment??
Then again, I understand why you hate it, it’s probably too complicated for you, what with all the high-brow references, right? Yup, thought so.
Carole’s bitter because other people love something she doesn’t. She’s too daft to follow complex plotlines, so to compensate she convinces herself the show is bad. Why is the show still on the air, Carole? Because you’re an awful person and this is the universe’s way of showing you that. Reap reap, sow sow, b*tch.
TV is suppose to be entertaining – what is so entertaining about a plane crash – yes, oh yes dear LOST LOVERS – I’m sure your life would be more entertaining if you were on the plane that crashed.. “FREEDOM OF SPEECH” means that I can say what I say and you can say what you want – so do me a favor – comment about the show and stop calling me the name you give your lover…
plane crash? That’s how they got there, it’s not the plot of the show. That’s like saying E.T. was about a spaceship. Dolt….
Brian youre the man!
If you watched the show you’d know. Since you don’t, why display your ignorance so proudly?
No one said the characters are back, Einstein. The actors are back, and the characters will appear in flashbacks, and/or as part of the time travel narrative.
That being said, I think someone of your intellectual capacity is more suited for Jersey Shore on MTV. Just because you could be outwitted by a doorknob doesn’t mean the rest of us can’t enjoy something a little more visceral and thought provoking.
Have fun not fitting in life…
Unless they actually did manage to reset things.
Carole.. don’t get mad at us because your husband or wife left you, because you have misplaced anger issues.. and you have more time to work on making yourself fatter and uglier. Lost is the best show to come along in a long time. If you don’t like it.. then you get lost.. Go post on Pork Rinds Weekly, you disgusting cow.
Yes, we all know your here, Carole, but what I’m always curious about is why someone clicks on a link for an article about a show they hate. Isn’t a waste of your time and energy on something you care nothing about?
Ah, it would be, Bryan, but you don’t understand the depths of the troll mind… Oh, what am I saying? She’s not even shallow.
Another thing…wouldn’t it make sense that people who love the show are on here commenting on an article ABOUT the show???
CANNOT. WAIT.
Libby is back!! Finally, at last, we will learn her true backstory! And happy that Michael is back too – maybe now that he “redeemed” himself in the old Lost timeline, maybe he’ll be better off in the new Lost timeline of Season 6.
I REALLY doubt we’re getting any more backstory on Libby. Cuse and Lindelof have denied it a number of times. I think we’re just meant to assume that her husband’s death caused her to have some sort of mental break, and that’s how she wound up in Santa Rosa.
Everybody comments about how Libby got INTO Santa Rosa. Isn’t anybody curious about what happened AFTER Santa Rosa? Like how did Libby get from the hospital to flight 815? Why was she in Australia? Why was she not on the list of people that The Others were kidnapping from the tailsection?
EXACTLY. What is needed is an explanation of the coincidence between a) giving the boat to Desmond b) knowing Hurley at the mental hospital and c) winding up on Flight 815. So who was she working for? Widmore? Jacob? THAT’S what we want to know– her role within the island mythology, and her allegiences to the various powers-that-be.
Hey folks,
New the group, just been doin a marthon recap before the premeire(lovin the blu ray).Since you guys are talking Libby (who was AWESOME). Has anyone discussed how her ex-husband David is also probably Hurley’s best bud Dave?
Remember Dave insisted, when he came to tempt Hugo (as a halucination) to join the “cliff swan-diving” club that he was indeed real at the hospital (saying “Photoshop…Kinkos??” as the reason for his MIA-ness in the photo). That and since all on Lost is usually 180 deg from what we’re given, i’m bettin Dave was of the flesh (in the Cuckoo’s Nest) and he was Libby’s husband.
I’m really curious (like Clint said) as to how she went from a drooling bag of rags (complete with bad dye job) to being this coherent, intelligent hottie before they gave the last boarding call for 815.
Like i said, i’m new, so please use the short-bus gloves with me for the first few posts until i can get caught up with y’all ….Gonna be fun. Latah!!
I second honoring the President for not clashing with Lost Season 6 premiere. CAN NOT WAIT!
Libby is back? i thought that they’ve been saying forever that she wouldn’t come back because the actress was mad or something? I know they’ve said they wouldn’t be explaining her being in the mental hospital…
I don’t remember hearing anything about her not coming back. And I thought she was in the mental hospital because her husband died and she went temporarily crazy.
I expect Cynthia will be back briefly, don’t expect a back story for sure. Honestly, I have always felt that the loss of her husband was explanatory enough for her breakdown and subesequent hospitalization. I don’t think anything can be added by her backstory at this point. I just think it will be very moving to see so many of our original “family” back together. I am still hoping crazy ol Michelle Rodriguez will make a cameo!
Yes, I agree that it is self-explanatory why she was IN the mental hospital. The BIG mystery is what happened AFTER the hospital. How did she get onto Flight 815? What was she doing in Australia? What was it about her that kept her off the list of people that The Others were abducting from the tailsection. These are the real mysteries. I can’t believe more people don’t see these holes and aren’t more curious about them.
I had a feeling all along, as did many others, that the story of Cynthia being too bitter to return to the series was just another of the producer’s many red-herrings. After all, she agreed to return in season 4 (which she did) but was cut short by the writer’s strike.
Hey, leave us Lost fan be. We know a good show when we see one!
As for why are supposed characters back? Because this is LOST, baby and these are long-lost characters, never quite forgotten, and much beloved.
So there!
As for dead characters coming back – my Lost fanaticism will be complete if Charlie, Claire and Boone come back too. It wouldn’t be the same without them!
Don’t forget Mr. Eko…I miss Mr. Eko.
Yes! I sooo want more Mr. Eko, but I’m pretty sure Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (hey! I think I spelled that right!) is gone for good.
All three of those actors are supposed to appear
carole, please take your own advice. great, glad your here too, no go back to your cast and cathy comics.
Michael is back? Do not want.
If Jughead did what it was supposed to do, no way around that. I don’t want Shannon to come back, but thankfully so far, I have not heard anything about her, although I can’t figure out how they’d be able to have Boone alive and not Shannon.
One spoiler out there is that there will be a significant twist in the Boone and Shannon storyline so maybe Maggie could not make it back (she’s just been cast in a new film) but I hope she will be back even for 5 minutes.
I’m surprised about Michael coming back too given Harold P’s nasty comments when he was killed off, but I am nevertheless glad he will be back, and maybe they can wrap up Walt’s storyline through Michael.
His comments were nasty. He just said he was disappointed with how the character (and the job) turned out. Who wouldn’t have felt that way?
They said there’s no implanted sequel, hunh? They also said LOST had nothing to do with time travel, a couple of season back.
btw it’s Harold not Michael Perrineau…don’t you have proofreaders at EW…lol
Stop playing with the internet, honey. Adults are talking.
Carole’s Mom- thank you!
haha!
Wow . . . firstly, to Carole, why don’t you go back to watching JERSEY SHORE and leave those who can appreciate good and challenging television alone? Just because we are given freedom of speech doesn’t automatically mean that we SHOULD speak, as you so ably proved.
Next, YAY for Cynthia and Harold coming back! I hope this means we’ll get closure on both their stories.
@Carole
You are the one who should get Lost! If you hate the show, move on!