We have to go back : the great 'Lost' rewatch

So a while ago I did this decade's big 'Lost' rewatch. I'd been meaning to get round to doing it for a while now, but those first few weeks of lockdown, filled with so many sleepless nights, proved to be ideal for this undertaking. It should be said that 'Lost' is quite probably my all-time favourite series, I think it's probably the greatest show ever made, but truth be told I'm not big on watching TV, really. Sometimes I do it, but it's quite rare that I watch anything bar reality shows like 'Pawn Stars' or 'American Pickers'. Hey, it's something that's fun to watch, not very taxing on the brain, and so yeah - if and when I do turn on the TV, that's what I watch. Also 'Modern Family' and 'Brooklyn 99' re-runs.
This, together with 'Six Feet Under' and maybe most of 'Battlestar Galactica' are shows that I absolutely love and return to every now and again.
I began in earnest, devouring season one in a couple of days, maybe. As that season wound to a close, I started anticipating things that I knew were coming, but don't ask me why - sometimes it felt like I was watching some bits I'd never seen before, and every now and then there'd be a scene that I remembered in a particular way, and it played out way different. There's a scene in season three, if I remember right, that involves both Sawyer and Kate, and I remembered Jack being there as well. It turns out he wasn't. And I also remember absolutely hating every single scene Nikki and Paulo were in, because there didn't see much reason for them to be there except for eye candy, and because I kind of remembered there being an inordinate amount of scenes they were in, but... not really. They're not absolutely essential to the overall story, but nor are they detrimental to it. And they were in far fewer scenes than I actually remembered. I also remember Keamy's presence on the island to be far more comprehensive and even agressive - there are a number of scenes I thought I remembered, but they also didn't happen at all. I also seem to remember - somewhere in the first couple of seasons, maybe - there being a wee while where Sawyer had kind of short hair, but a couple of episodes later he had his trademark long hair again? And this is true - I remember an episode largely dedicated to Matthew Abaddon, and guess what? Never happened!
But back to the show itself... man, what to say? First off, that ensemble cast is amazing. I'll even own up to the fact that I've had a huge man-crush on Matthew Fox since his 'Party of Five' days. Jack - his character - is one I'll always love, it is just that good. But standouts - even moreso this time round - were Sawyer and Hurley - polar opposites of each other, physically and in terms of character, but they delived their roles with such gravitas that they tend to command your attention. Kate - I love Evangeline Lilly to death - is such an amazing character. In fact, I'd even go so far as to say that she's probably the most human character in the show, the most honest. The female ensemble is just to powerful, really. Sun, Claire, Rose, Charlotte, Penny - and Juliet.
Ah, Juliet. Now, if I'm honest she got to me a little bit on my first time watching 'Lost'. And that was because - not to spoil anything to those who may have not seen it yet - she was not a very... hmmm... kind character to some of my favourites, at least not to being with, It wouldn't be until season 5 - oh oh oh, what a season that was! - that Juliet began endearing herself to me. Watching her character arc unfold with a different perspective truly helped me gain more insight into her role. The same thing also happened with Ben - I hated Ben, I truly despised Ben. Now I loved him - though he was a deeply flawed and spiteful character, he's played with such gusto on screen that I couldn't help but relish his presence whenever he came in.
The show is infamous for its ending, some - like me - loved it, others hated it, and some just didn't get it. I remember the first time I watched the ending, I had to do it again immediately afterwards because I wanted to see if I had taken the right cues from the story, and to see if I'd gotten it. I did, but  watching it again - I seem to remember some things that didn't happen at all. Ah, memory, you fickle thing.
All this hastened my decision to order Mondo's release of the 'We have to go back' concert held in Dublin. Michael Giacchino's score to 'Lost' is an outstanding work of genius that is truly integral to the show itself. I daresay that no other show ever had music such as this, so deeply impactful and so deeply felt in the very mood of the show. From the music surrounding the iconic 'Lost' logo to the incidental music and theme to the Smoke Monster, it's absolutely so ingrained, like it becomes a character unto itself. When the audio was first uploaded to Youtube some months ago, I was listening to it regularly. And when Mondo announced this release... yeah, it became one of my most wanted records. The huge problem is that they're based in the US, and they ship from there, so there are always some taxes that could be levied, what with customs and whatnot. I took the plunge and ordered it anyway, and to my eternal surprise - this is my second straight order from the US that doesn't come with additional charges to be paid.
I leave you with a snippet of one of the most beautiful songs there, as well as some pics from the whole package itself, including the records and booklet. - apparently, no I don't. Blogger isn't uploading my videos and I can't seem to properly set up the pictures so that they don't seem like Edward Scissorhands himself tried to have a go at it. Ah well, so much for that.