Watching Lost

Michael Ausiello at TV Guide has some great scoop about Paulo and Nikki from the producers of Lost, and he answers some fans’ questions about the finale, Jack and Juliet, and the Kate-Sawyer-Jack issue. If you dare, check it out after the jump.

According to Ausiello:

Lost cocreator Damon Lindelof is conceding for the first time that the introduction of Kiele Sanchez and Rodrigo Santoro’s characters could have been handled better. “When you look at the way that it was executed in the first six episodes, mistakes were made,” he admits. “Maybe the mistake that was made was for them to be in the Eko episode so prevalently. Maybe we should have just kept them in the background and let Charlie and Jin go on that trek, because we’re more invested in them. But you make the decision saying, ‘Have they made enough of an impression by just shouting out a line here, or a line there, knowing that the payoff isn’t going to come until mid-season?’” Lindelof also notes that viewers are supposed to dislike Santoro’s alter ego. “But like any character on the show, hopefully when you learn more about [Paolo], your opinion will change.”

Question: Can you tell me something new about Lost? Anything big or small would be great!— Joshua
Ausiello: Would you settle for ginormous?! After Lost’s press-tour session on Sunday, Carlton Cuse revealed to me exclusively that he and Damon Lindelof are parting with tradition and not code-naming this season’s top-secret finale scene after a Jewish bread product. (To recap, Walt’s kidnapping in the Season 1 finale was known as “The Bagel,” Season 2’s introduction of Penny was known as “The Challah” and this season’s climactic game-changer was slated to be called “The Matzo.”) “We’re actually not calling it ‘The Matzo,’” Cuse said. “We’re calling it ‘The Snake in the Mailbox.’ We were just joking about how scary that would be if you came home and you stuck your hand in the mailbox and there was a snake in there. So we thought, ‘Well, that’s actually a good metaphor for the surprise of our Season 3 ending.’” And this, my friends, is where things get really spoilery. [Spoiler alert] When I asked Cuse if he could drop any hints about “The Snake in the Mailbox,” he offered up this fraktastic piece of prattle: “I think Penny and Desmond’s relationship will become something that will be a part of the season finale.”

Question: Could you give us some info ’bout the future Skate on Lost?— Jeannette
Ausiello: As I strongly hinted at a few weeks ago, Kate’s Jack/Sawyer dilemma is far from resolved — despite what happened in that cage last fall. “It would be a bad assumption to assume [the triangle] was over,” warns Carlton Cuse. “For that moment in time, Sawyer was the right choice. But that’s not the end of it, but any means whatsoever.”

Question: Will the Jack-Juliet relationship develop into something more than just captor-hostage story line?— Natalie
Ausiello: Most definitely, says Cuse. “The relationship and the chemistry between these two characters is something we’re really interested in as writers. Juliet is a really intriguing character. It’s not entirely clear how good she is or how bad she is. What are her underlying motives? What is her history on the island? And I think her relationship with [Jack] is something that is going to be really compelling as we run into the later part of the season.”

Anyone with a little sense should know that Kate’s choice can’t be a simple one. Honestly, I’m not even sure it matters to me anymore. Sure, the love-triangle is interesting, but I’ve become more intrigued by everything else in the show, like WHY things are happening. However, I am waiting patiently for my questions to be answered, and the producers keep assuring us that they WILL be answered eventually. That’s all I need. Also, I’m dying to find out just who or what the “snake in the mailbox” will be in the finale!

Also, there are TONS of spoilers at SpoilerFix. Check them out if you just have to have more!

Lost, spoilers, Paulo, Jack, Juliet, Kate, Sawyer, The Matzo, The Snake in the Mailbox