I'd planned on dropping some reader-based requests on you tonight, but I want to hold out a bit more in hopes of getting more feedback. As such, Lost fans, I'm going to offer a two-for-one: two topics in one entry. And you don't even have to pay extra. Wait, this site's already free? Man, you guys get a good deal. I'm gonna start charging Dharma dollars before year end.

Topic 1: You Write, Everybody!

Part of the reason that I'm holding out is due to the increasing size of the Facebook group for this site. According to that, there are quite a few of you that read here but don't comment. It's either that, or you just wanna be in the cool club over on Facebook. But that seems a little far-fetched, to be honest. I'm going with the "silent but deadly" theory: you're like Lost analysis assassins, unwilling to give away your presence until absolutely necessary. While, as Salt n' Pepa would attest, this is very necessary.

Here are the four topics again, for your perusal. Pick your favorite two and drop your comments below. If you've already submitted your vote, you need not do so again.

1) Swan Subterfuge. In "What Kate Saw," we learned that the orientation film for the Swan was edited, omitting information about the Swan computer. We know, although our Lostaways don't, who was behind this fanciful editing. But why was this footage edited? Why would using the computer for communication cause an incident? And how does the Blast Door Map fit into all this?

2) Making a List, Kidnapping Twice. We've gotten our first tastes of the many lists that have pervaded the show. Jacob's made some lists, and so has Ben. But are they the only two? Why bother actually writing them out, as opposed to merely committing them to memory? And just how long has this list-making been going on in the grand scheme of things?

3) The Good, the Bad, and the Dharma. Goodwin tells Ana Lucia that Nathan died because he was not a good person. Nice line of reasoning from a murderer. How do the various groups in Lost decide moral authority over others, and what does it say about the nature of the Island? Moreover, is the Dharma Initiative just another example of such moralizing or do they stand outside, as men/women of science?

4) Black Swan screaming in the dead of night. The main protagonist of the newest alternate-reality game for Lost goes by the handle "Black Swan." What is the significance of this, and how does it impact how we view both the Incident and the Dharma Initiative's goals as a whole?

One more thing: I'm setting the new membership goal over on Facebook at 150, so if you're a reader who's not on there, by all means join. If you have friends that you know love the show, invite them to join. If you're walking down a busy street, shout "WAAAAAAALT" or sing "You all, everybody!" and recruit anyone who joins along.

And when I asked for more commenters earlier, that wasn't some pathetic cry for more attention. It's a serious request on my behalf. We already have a pretty vibrant commenting crew here, but I'll wager there are a lot of you who can add a lot to the conversation here. I find that my best entries are inspired directly from reader comments. I don't pretend to have ultimate insight into this show; I need y'all to feed my input. I mean, how else am I gonna swipe your ideas and claim them as my own? Honestly.

This also extends, in a way, to our place in the online Lost universe. The idea that only one site can give you everything you need to slake your Lost thirst is downright silly. The very fact that I maintain a spoiler-free site means a good chunk of Lost fans avoid this site as if there were a Quarantine sign affixed to it. But I do want to make this one of the must-visit Lost sites on the interwebs, and one way to do that is give people an accurate sense of the smart, funny, and interesting community that's formed here since I took over nearly a year ago.

So while I want to grow the community over on Facebook, neither you nor I should forget that this blog is the nexus of this little part of the Lost fandom universe. So let your voice be heard, not only in terms of the specific request above, but in everyday entries. Think of this as the virtual extension of where you normally get together with friends to discuss the show: dorm room, coffee shop, penitentiary yard, etc. I'm not here to be the authoritative voice declaiming from on high: I'm here to provide a conduit for conversation in which you should all feel welcome to participate.

Topic 2: On the Fringe

If you're like me, you watched Fringe last night. I was curious to see if the show took place on Earth-JJ, and sure enough, there were enough shoutouts to other J.J. Abrams works, especially Lost, to tantalize even the most casual Lost viewer.

Now, Mr. Eko would undoubtedly tell me not to mistake coincidence for fate. But he's fictional, so I can ignore him. Here are some of the similarities I noticed last night while watching the semi-meh premiere of Fringe.

The Numbers were everywhere. Passenger 108 aboard Flight 627 (6+2+7=15) started the chain reaction. The Artist Formerly Known as Abaddon's office number? 4290 (4+2+9+ um, 0=15). The COO of Massive Dynamic has worked there for 16 years. I mean, they didn't even TRY to hide this. Speaking of Massive Dynamic...

...Massive Dynamic is established as a nominally benevolent organization that may have deep secrets buried amidst its humanitarian work. Hanso Foundation, much? Exactly, especially when you consider...

...the CEO of Massive Dynamic worked on experimental, government-funded research in the 1970's along with one of the show's protagonists. Were they called the Dharma Initiative? No, but...

...they did work on something called Kelvin Genetics. Kelvin, of course, is the name of the man who helped train Sayid to torture and taught Desmond how to trip the security measures inside the Swan. Some of those aspects overlap quite nicely with the academic interest of the Degroots....

...now, the Degroots' research yielded an Incident threatening life on the Island, whereas the work of Kelvin Genetics yielded a Pattern threatening life on this planet. A Pattern is nothing if not a series of incidents, no?

Anywho, there's a lot to enjoy about Fringe, even if it's not currently up to snuff with Lost. If you noticed anything I missed, be sure to let me know below!

Comments

So, what you're saying is the Facebook site is more the Swan Station to zap2it's New Otherton book club hang out?.... OK

Anyway, since I haven't been here for a while, add me to the Making a List, Kidnapping Twice and The Good, The Bad, and the Dharma list (ha - add me to the list). I'm thinking these two would tie into each other, with all the good people being the ones on the lists.

Also, this is going back a couple days, but did they ever say who Ana Lucia's baby daddy was? If not, that could be a big reveal down the line. If they did say who it was..... never mind.

A-Rob | Sep 10, 2008 5:58:47 PM | #

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I have to plead guilty of neglecting the blog and facebook group for a while, but I'm only trying to avoid desperation till january.

Regarding the topics, I'd love to discuss the editing of the swan orientation film and the good, the bad and the dharma, just because list making has been dissected before and I have no idea how you know the name of main character in the ARG (I thoght the recruits were the characters...).

sin laden | Sep 10, 2008 7:55:39 PM | #

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Okie dokie, I vote for #1 and #4, with an emphasis on #1.

I didn't catch Fringe, but from what I've seen from the previews, it does seem to have a Lost feel to it.

Btw, Test #4 is up on dharmawantsyou.com. It's another multiple choice. I don't know about you guys, but I'm about ready for some anarchy to start happening already.

JeffC | Sep 11, 2008 5:34:43 AM | #

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I hardly post here, but since you're begging for it...

I have to vote for more exploration of #2 and #3, which in my eyes are kind of tied together. The second list of tailies seemed to be the "good people" and I'm wondering why they needed good people, although, they aren't exactly rife with them over in New Otherton. And what makes someone "good" to them anyways? Ben thinks he's one of the good guys, and he goes around killing/branding people on a normal basis.

Kristin | Sep 11, 2008 6:44:54 AM | #

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Hey, I haven't posted in a while. Of these 4 topics, I would say 1 & 3. I'm confused by the whole 'we know who edited it' part. Am I forgetting a part of a later episode or was this in a mobisode?

As for the good and the bad. This seems a central question to explain the entire series. Wow, it is so loaded. Because it seems like everybody has shades of gray. Very, very dark shades of gray. Haha. Well, you have Ben saying 'We're the good guys,' and then in S4, it almost seems like he might be right. Except Widmore thinks he's doing good. And Jacob. And Christian, Jack, Locke, etc.

As for Fringe, I really enjoyed it, but it definitely is not close to Lost. At least not yet anyway. Lance Reddick is so good at being creepy and mysterious. I think he will be a solid supporting character in this, and clearly we haven't seen the last of him on Lost. We're only about 4 1/2 months away from the Season 5 premiere!

Kevin | Sep 11, 2008 6:49:20 AM | #

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I don't post on either site very often, and then we got blocked from Facebook here at work the other day anyway. I have to say I start my days looking to see what's going on here first.

I like #1 Swan Subterfuge. So when the orientation film was edited, why keep the splice and hide it, why not destroy it? Was it intended to be spliced back in at some point in the future? Did he edit the film "temporarily" and then die before he could fix it? Who was he trying to get to use the computer for communicating? Kelvin?

#s 2 and 3 are so deep that I am incapable of commenting that extensively while here at work. I have been meaning to move this whole Lost blog operation to the homefront anyway, so...

Fray | Sep 11, 2008 7:40:05 AM | #

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Long time reader, first time poster. Ryan, your powers of persuasion are simply Benjamin-esque. It's like you didn't ask me to respond, you made me want to respond...

My votes are for "Swan Subterfuge" and "the G, the B and the D".

Marc | Sep 11, 2008 7:53:40 AM | #

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I vote for 2) making a list, and 3)the good, the bad & the Dharma. I still want to know more about the kidnapping of all the kids. I know the history of not having children on the island, but is there more to it than that? And is it tied in to how children are too young to know good from bad and the Others want to influence them in the "right" direction.

As far as the good, the bad and the Dharma, people say, "all's fair in love and war". You can justify anything if you convince yourself it is for the "greater good." I want to know how the Others decide who is good and who is bad and what is the ruler they are using.

Patti | Sep 11, 2008 8:51:29 AM | #

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I never post because I am a horrib;e typist, so pardon all the mistakes..it just takes too long.
I am going to want to know more about #1 and #2- there are just so many unanswered questions there, especially about the "good" people and who is and isn't.
I love this blog and have been reading it from day one, so thank you Ryan and all who have such great insight to my favorite show (allright, obsession, I admit)My husband and I spent the summer and many many glasses of wine re-watching all three seasons and can't wait for S4 to come out this December. I will contribute when I can, though most of you seem to tackle all the questions/comments I may come up with much more eloquently. As far as Facebook, i will not be going there, social networking scares me.

sarahbree | Sep 11, 2008 9:44:52 AM | #

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oh yeah,as far as Fringe goes, not even close to Lost, but I do predict a melding of stories down the road...

sarahbree | Sep 11, 2008 9:46:31 AM | #

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Nice to see "others" posting here (LOL) today. Had to follow up with Patti's comment: "...who is bad and what is the ruler they are using."

I took that two ways and thought your wording was clever. Ruler = measuring stick or criteria; but also Ruler = Ruling Authority (Jacob? Ben? (not)Christian? someone else entirely?)

Both takes are equally intriguing to me.

And Marc, your comment RE: Ryan's Ben-esqueness made me snicker over my lunch. Snorting diet soda is most unpleasant, but thanks for the laugh.

Great to hear from everybody. Keep it up!!

DebC | Sep 11, 2008 9:55:27 AM | #

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Hey, so nobody answered my question:

" We know, although our Lostaways don't, who was behind this fanciful editing. But why was this footage edited?"

How do we know this? And who is it? Did I miss something or is this extra stuff?

Kevin | Sep 11, 2008 1:37:53 PM | #

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kevin- I believe they show kelvin splicing it in desmond's first flashback.

dena | Sep 11, 2008 4:16:00 PM | #

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Another long-time reader, first-time poster here. I've actually started to watch the DVDs again to catch up with your 'going back' reviews (which are great!)

#3 would have to be my first choice - I've always been intrigued by how "good" is defined on this show by the various characters/entities. Second choice - #1, because you bring up the Blast Door Map which completely fascinates me.

bandia | Sep 11, 2008 5:57:49 PM | #

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I definitely fall into the mostly lurking category. (I'm supposed to be grading, and I can only rationalize so much procrastination.) However, I do luuuuv reading the posts and comments here. I vote for topics 1 and 2.

Tempest | Sep 11, 2008 8:16:11 PM | #

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He wants you to WANT to respond, Marc.

JeffC | Sep 11, 2008 8:58:45 PM | #

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Kevin, in "Live Together, Die Alone" Kelvin tells Desmond that Radzinsky made the edits to the Swan orientation film. He never explains why.

JeffC | Sep 11, 2008 9:01:44 PM | #

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I'm another infrequent poster coming out of the woodwork because Ryan asked so nicely.
My votes are for #1, because the spliced video has always confused me, and #2, because the lists have always confused me.

Rick | Sep 12, 2008 5:24:50 AM | #

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Ryan, I faithfully read your entries but have never commented. Thank you for all the work you do.

I vote for #1 and #3.

splinter | Sep 12, 2008 5:52:53 AM | #

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Ryan, I've posted like crazy in these blogs. But I gots ta tell ya. The dude reviewing Fringe on this site, totally Pwnes you. Sorry.

Brian of the North | Sep 12, 2008 6:15:31 AM | #

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And, no, I don't need to lose extra stomach fat, magic Google-a-tron*!

*Google-a-tron is the new word invented to describe the magic Google window at the bottom of Ryan's blogs.

Brian of the North | Sep 12, 2008 6:18:14 AM | #

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Nice to "meet" all of you first-time commenters!

Ryan | Sep 12, 2008 6:23:07 AM | #

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Ryan,
Yes, I admit it, I'm a closeted reader and you and all your posters are to blame because you are all so intuitive about our Great Passion, Lost. All that said, I have to vote for 2 & 3. PS Love the titles: Black Swan screeming in the dead of night is just too funny! And yes, you should be paid for this. Get your people to speak to TPTB. If you're not sure who "your people" are, get with Ellen and AMEX, they'll fix you up.

MikieRC | Sep 12, 2008 7:50:39 AM | #

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I usually check the blog at work (don't tell) and our firewall apparently blocks the Google-a-tron because all I ever see at the bottom is a black square. (Though I do have a blue square below the black square that says "credit: Afterglide Media Thingy, LLC") So now I'm confused, is the blue square or the black square the Google-a-tron? Does that mean the black square is a black hole formed by the turning of the donkey wheel? And is it going to suck this blog (and Ryan) to the island?!?
Yea, I know what you're thinking, get back to work Rick. This is why I usually don't blog, it comes out as mindless insanity.

Rick | Sep 12, 2008 8:48:14 AM | #

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The "Afterglide" is Zap2It's Twitter feed, where various writers funnel their on-the-fly thoughts about TV into a centralized aggregator. It's blocked here at my work too, but it's worth checking out in general when you're at home.

I'm hoping this blog doesn't get sucked into the island, as the blogging platforms there look unwieldy at best. I'd kinda love an 'Execute' button for posting, however. That would rule.

Ryan | Sep 12, 2008 8:56:05 AM | #

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I've never posted here as some of you, but check the site every day at work before I can get started.

I vote for #1 and #3, since #4 may not even end up being part of the "canon" in the end. There's my vote!

If you start charging Dharma dollars, can we pay in Schrute bucks?

Lisa | Sep 12, 2008 11:21:31 AM | #

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Sounds like a fair trade to me!

Although now I have images of Dwight in the Dunder Mifflin conference room discussing the various ways in which he'd capture and/or kill the smoke monster.

"The Schrutes have a long, proud lineage of hunting exotic creatures: elk, moose, Tazmanian devil, Lithuanian badger. A simple smoke monster should prove mere sport to a genetically superior gamesman such as myself."

*cut to shot of Jim at the Swan computer, giving the camera an arched eyebrow*

Ryan | Sep 12, 2008 12:30:36 PM | #

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Ha, Lost meets The Office. We gotta have a post down the line of possible "special" crossover episodes of Lost.

A-Rob | Sep 12, 2008 12:40:38 PM | #

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I think there are a number of interesting crossover eps.

I smell an entry coming soon.

Ryan | Sep 12, 2008 12:54:41 PM | #

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"I find that my best entries are inspired directly from reader comments."

See guys, the above exchange is exactly what Ryan's been talking about. He needs us, so let's not let him or this blog down. Not that we need me to be the Lost blog cheerleader or anything, but to all the ones that posted for the first time, let this not be your last. My job can be boring (when there's no huge project) and I look forward to coming here and reading everybody's 2 cent everyday. So Ra Ra Sis BoomBa, Go Lost Posters! or something like that, you know what I mean.... :)

Tee | Sep 12, 2008 2:05:53 PM | #

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Wow -- look at all the first time posters. How did you know, Ryan, that so many were reading and not posting (do you have some powers we don't know about?) Well, its really good to see so many new names!

BOTN -- you said "the dude reviewing Fringe (who we all know) totally pwnes you! What is "pwnes"? Is that a new English word, because I never heard it!

Debra | Sep 12, 2008 3:01:54 PM | #

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Ryan, Lost crossover post is an excellent idea. I really hope you can find some rare YouTube clips to support the post!

JeffC | Sep 12, 2008 3:03:01 PM | #

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ZOMG I just found exactly that!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLyDKMg_MkM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wd2K_2DTaP8

JeffC | Sep 12, 2008 3:10:04 PM | #

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Hey Deb,
When somebody says that they "pwned" you it means that they kicked your ass.
The irony of BOTN's statement is that Ryan IS the Fringe recapper.
(btw, it is a very clever gimmick to get people to read the other review and I applaud BOTN for it. Only now I just ruined it. Damn.)

Diana | Sep 12, 2008 3:32:22 PM | #

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Diana, you are as subtle as a bottle of BTRWRTH across the head.

Brian of the North | Sep 12, 2008 6:27:00 PM | #

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LOL

JeffC | Sep 12, 2008 6:50:40 PM | #

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Well, since no one has probably read down this far (since the next blog has been posted), I don't think anything has been ruined, except to satisfy my own curiosity. If I wouldn't have asked I never would have known!

Debra | Sep 13, 2008 4:43:30 AM | #

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I'm definitely interested in #1 and #2. I love each of the flashbacks or episodes that tangle the lost world tighter.

Ryan: I love the blog. That's why I joined the facebook group. Its about the excellent commentary in a linear and logical way. Plus the sense of humour is excellent.

kate | Sep 13, 2008 10:42:13 AM | #

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I am one who reads this blog everyday - never misses - but also never comments. I used to, but I never felt like I was adding to the conversation - so now I just enjoy the read. I don't have a Facebook account, so I can't join yours - but I am there in spirit!

I will vote for #1 and #4. I am participating in the latest ARG, but I have no clue why. It's not very interesting or interactive. I don't have cheat codes, I don't have any Dharma points, and I have no clue why I am in the groups I am in.

As with everything in LOST, I am sticking with the ARG in the hopes it will get better. Let's hope so!

MK46 | Sep 13, 2008 1:41:40 PM | #

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BOTN - That is why I create the LOST btrwrth photos. :)

Diana | Sep 14, 2008 10:38:51 AM | #

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