June 6, 2008 - After a stunning conclusion to the show's third season, the bar was raised and much was expected of the fourth season of Lost. With the final three seasons reduced to sixteen episodes each (now slightly adjusted due to the writers' strike) and a clear finish line in 2010, the creative team could now focus on telling their story without having to worry about how many episodes they had left to work with. Season four is the first to benefit and delivers a faster paced and leaner story that expands the Lost universe in some unexpected ways and delves into the mystery that was introduced at the end of last season.

The "flash-forward" at the end of last season introduced an exciting new way in which Lost stories could be told. The use of these flash-forwards continues through the fourth season, revealing that even more Oceanic survivors made it off the island and also introduces an intriguing conspiracy of silence regarding those who weren't so lucky. This storyline is the backbone of the fourth season as we discovered who was fortunate enough to escape the island and who was left behind. This is arguably the series' best story arc since the mystery surrounding the hatch and is a well-developed, tightly paced narrative that actually has a satisfying conclusion at the end of the season. Don't expect everything to be answered, this is Lost after all, but the story comes together quite nicely.

Desmond (Henry Ian Cusick) in ''The Constant''
- ABC
Desmond (Henry Ian Cusick) in ''The Constant''
The benefit of a shortened schedule is apparent and this season has far less "filler" than previous outings. Less episodes means that every minute of screen time becomes that much more precious and the outcome is a season that doesn't have what we'd consider a bad episode in the bunch. Even this season's Kate-centric episode is decent when compared to previous years' worst outings. There are plenty of episodes that you will want to revisit here, including the pivotal "The Constant" that is a game-changer when it comes to the series' mythology. It also features Henry Ian Cusick's best performance as Desmond to date and one of the more memorable Michael Giacchino scores. The rest of the season is filled to the brim with moments that will have any Lost fan riveted.



Continue on to Page 2 of our Lost: Season 4 review.