The LOST Writers' Island

Interesting to me btw, that Lost started out orriginally with only 4 of it's 14 main characters being women. And out of those 4, only 1, Kate, was a lead character. Don't know whether I chock that up to men writing the show but it makes sense. And looking at the new cast pictures for this season, they are back to that again. 4 women, in a prodominatly male cast. It's like they have a quota or something.

Now Sun has risen and become more prominent of late, and Kate's maintained her normal level of attention. Juliet and Charlotte have essentially replaced Shannon and Claire, 1 of whom was killed off and the other might as well have been for all the significant screen time she got. 

It's been discussed, by me, and others about why those 2 were neglected so much to the point where they were pretty much minor characters. And really how much time was devoted to learning about them? To figuring them out somewhat? By the time Shannon got a significant flashback, she was killed off. And over the course of 4 seasons, Claire has only had 3, and one of them was an on island one. I'm of the opinion they might have interested people more had they had more depth given.

Here's what we do know about them. Starting with Claire. We know how got pregnant and then was abandoned by the baby's father. A psychic told her only she could raise the chil.d That she was estranged from her parents. And then learned she caused the accident that put her mother in a coma. That her father is Jack's father Christian, and that she felt abandoned by him her whole life. And now, just as we got know Claire beyond Aaron, she wandered off into the jungle, sans her child.

What we knew about Shannon? A conniver, a manipulator. Self-absorbed and very self-concious. Even manipulated her step-brother on many occasions and seduced the poor sap. We learned that when her father died her step-mother pretty much turned her out, wanting her gone. Pretty much left her to take care of herself, when she really hadn't been shown how. Just as we were starting to get her, they kill her off. In by far one of the most pointless deaths on the show to date.

How much more would we have cared about them had they been given the time Kate was given, or Jack, or Locke. Or even people like Ana, or Ben. It was neglect, and in many ways a lack of knowing what to do with them beyond a certain point. And even Kate, simply became the object in a triangle, rather than her own person anymore. 

Shannon' outward personification of the island sexpot, hid deep insecurties which would've made for a good storyline arch for her.  Her bitchyness, like Sawyer's assholery, was a way to keep people away. They could've developed her growing independence from Boone, and made her a stronger character, actually gotten her involved in things. It's not that difficult really.  

Claire is the same way. Fear of her child ending up like her, abandoned by it's father. Or of anyone else pulling the same thing Thomas did. Claire's story simply didn't invlove much as else other than being a mother to Aaron, and Charlie's love interest. They could've emphasized her strength as a single mother, raising a child in a hostile environment, and let her take charge of herself, instead of other people looking after her.

If they had done this stuff they'd have had 4 strong females to contend with. And wouldn't have had to replace them every so often with new blood. I like Juliet, and jury is still out on Charlotte. Personally I think she brings back the bitchyness quotient that show had been missing since Shannon's untimely death.

But you wonder what happens when they can't figure out what to do with these women again. Will another one die? Disappear, or fade to the back. I certainly hope not. I want the women to be more important than mere plot devices, or love interests for the guys. I don't think that's too much to ask now is it?

I wont say anything about the dreaded love triangle, lol. That was the worst thing that could ever have happened to Kate.

But I will say, I think you have good points, especially about Shannon and Claire. I mean even Claire has been upstaged by her baby. Shes pretty much only good for being the pregnant chick and  then once Aaron came out it was about protecting him. We never got much of Claires story. I would have liked to learn more about her. Its a shame and I really hope shes not dead, but I fear she is now. And that is a true tragedy.

Shannons story was also just starting to get interesting when she was killed off. I think this show weighs too heavily on death. Its the easy way out. Kill them off and then you dont have to deal with loose ends. But in retrospect, it makes an even bigger mess.

The only woman I feel has truly grown and shown her true potential and strength as a force to be reckoned with is Sun. And possibly Juliet. I think we will see more of Sun and Juliet being leaders this season, which excites me. Its a shame it took this long to get them where they are right now though. That some characters, such as Kate are still living in denial land, still falling back on old habits of being Monica and protecting herself, and Aaron ofcourse, within a bed of lies, its kindof discouraging.

Im used to shows like Alias, where there are strong female leads, like Sydney Bristow. Who are also vulnerable but show such a fierce strength you cant help but look at her in awe. One reason I miss that show so much is because you dont see that often anymore. I realize Lost is trying to take a more realistic view of women, like for instance even Sun was an adulterer. Yes, they are flawed. But when you look at Lost, who are the hero's to you? Do any of the women take a first, second, or even third seat in that category?

And if we are still asking that question at this point in the game, there's most likely something wrong with this picture.

-- Edited by sawyersmine at 00:32, 2008-12-13

I guess to the hardest thing for me to accept about Kate is that shes always hiding behind someone. When Sawyers mad at her she runs to Jack, when Jacks mad shes with Sawyer, and then shes with Aaron in the future.

Who is the real Kate? Has she ever lived outside the existance needing approval of a man when she wasnt running?

Dont get me wrong, okay, it was nice to see Kate being selfless and caring for someone beside herself, but she did not face those charges for herself. Her sentance was whitewashed and incredibly unbeleivable for first degree, pre meditated murder, not to mention being on the run for years afterwards. The sentance was a joke. Aaron was always there and she was always hiding behind the mantra that Aaron needed to be protected. There wasnt much accountability for killing a man was there. And the most disturbing part is that Kate never felt guilty for killing Wayne.

You know Kate could have signed over custody of Aaron to one of the other losties, such as Jack or Sun, if she really wanted to be held accountable for her crimes. But shes still running. Even when shes trapped in her guilded cage, shes running from the truth, from reality. From facing her crimes.

I know many disagree with me and I hold unpopular opinion in some forums, but take for instance someone like Sawyer, he's been beaten, shot at, close to death, carrying around a letter for 25 years, haunted by the boar/ghost of Frank Duckett. Not to mention he punished himself amply by allowing torture to happen by Jack and Sayid and by trying to make people hate him. This is a man who has demonstrated guilt for his crimes. He has shown remorse, when he was conning Jessica and saw her little boy, he walked away.

Im just saying, there has been a difference in the attitude. There is a level of remorse there. I try to look at it objectively to find other characters who have committed crimes to see if they have handled their guilt similarily, so it looks like Im not picking on Kate, but I still see the guilt, when Sayid took off after torturing Sawyer, it was guilt based. When Michael tried to kill himself all those times for becoming a murderer, it was guilt based.

Anyway, Id really like to see Kate do something to demonstrate some level of emotion for her crimes, just show us some feelings, anything. Cause its disturbing and unhealthy for her if she cant come to terms with killing her own father, her own blood. Even if she hated him, a clinically sane person would feel soem level of guilt for taking another human life.

Omg Jaci you just said exactly what I was thinking on Kate. And your right, it hard to express an opinion like that in many forums. It's Not a popular one for some reason. 

The thing that disturbs about Kate is that lack of remorse for her wrongdoings. You can't just kill someone like that, especially blood and not have repurrcussions for it. It's like she's almost sociopathic in that sense. The way she went about killing Wayne was so cold-blooded, with the insurance policy and tucking him him and driving away. There was nothing emotional about that.

Out of all the people on there I honestly think she's paid the least for the things she's done. Getting off essentlally with a slap on the wrist for crimes like you mentioned. When you said she was playing Monica again you were so right, cause that's exactly what I saw with her with that house, and the makeup, flowing dresses. And as Lisa mentioned, barefoot as well. Living the lie she couldnt live before. A lie that not even Jack could live with it seems.

Like you said, it may not be a popular opinion but i think its dead on really. And i'd like to seem some remorse, some sacrifice before its too late.But I wonder if the damage has already been done there.

As far as Emilie goes, I think she was frustrated by her lack of story. I heard she requested time off for whatever the reason, and part of it might have been that. But the girl got the shaft big time and I can't really blame her.

Remorse is a powefful element on this show and you can't get redemptin without it. Everyone else, like Sawyer, Sayid, Sun, Jack etc have shown it but not her. Kate can justify every action she takes it seems. And the reality was like she said, she didn't kill Wayne for her mother, she killed him cause she was trying to kill that part of her. And in the end only showed that it was, and would always be a part of her if she let it be.