Lost in the latest campus craze

It was initially F.R.I.E.N.D.S. And then, for a fleeting while, it was That 70’s show. South Park, Desperate Housewives and other teeny-weeny sitcoms wouldn’t quite figure in that kind of elitist popularity list, but were popular nevertheless.

Times have changed, and the latest craze in the campus is the TV series ‘LOST’.

These crazes typically start through WOM – Word of Mouth. Some wacko with a generous heart, a super fast computer with extra oozes of space, and a determination that’s best used elsewhere lays his hands on well, anything he could get to watch. For the most part, the story ends there. But some-lucky-times, things break open and word spreads beyond that single dark murky corner room. This happens only if the wacko decides he can get a fair share of attention and veneration for being a hub. Success stories of the past were vintage stories that were every bit worthy of success – the likes of Fight club, Before Sunrise and Blair Witch Project. If the WOM involves a hush-hush or mentions among big-boys circles, there’s a good chance of it becoming a success.

This time though, it’s different.

The trend has caught on early. And pretty fast at that. ‘Lost’ has given respite for many a soul with truckloads of adrenaline and energy stashed away in remote corners of the body waiting to explode. You could expect nothing less if big-boys are made to sit and learn, and do just that. The hours of cricketing or footballing or Forrest-Gump style jogging across golden-yellow, dry, winding and uneven hillock roads in the campus wouldn’t quite curtail all the adrenaline within. You know, it’s the in-thing that just has to break open.

And that’s exactly why ‘Lost’ is probably the most spoken about multimedia stuff this point of the year. No one maintains a word-of-the-week survey out here, but I’d give the credit to ‘Lost’.

Yours truly got a chance to get a sneak preview, and was truly fascinated. Boy, it’s like THE serial we were (unknowingly) waiting for a long time. Most of the other TV serials suck. F.R.I.E.N.D.S was hit (I give it that), but too much of attention-grabbing, it-always-works kind of teen and relationship-based jokes got into the head. I give it all the credit, but it’s just that it became so predictable once you are wired to the brain of the characters. I just couldn’t convince myself to sit through the whole stuff. I needed something that’s entertaining, exciting, adventurous, thrilling, charming and riveting.

‘Lost’ is all that, and much more. Even after 40 minutes, you’d want more. [You better be in the B-school second year with much lighter schedules]

The setting

A bunch of good looking men – and women, ofcourse, from a force-fitted section of a multi-cultural society take a ‘Castaway’ style crash and are left in a remote island, 1000 miles away from civilization. No food or water – truly lost – women wailing and panicking – big boys start fighting – a criminal crops up – creepy sounds set in – they find the last message sent 16 years back – other weird things happen. And yeah, before I forget - XXXL size ‘The Edge’ type creatures come out of nowhere and wreak havoc. You know - the bits and pieces of a perfect thriller.

Verdict

It’s a thorough thriller. The rest of the sitcoms were good, but this one is good, and makes you watch more, which is very, very unusual.

Turn on a multi-channel speaker; put the volume – the bass, dude! – to full; feel the thump; get, set and go. The sound effects alone could make all the difference between serials made for middle-age-aunties (with all due respect! ... guess I suck at diplomacy) and ones for action-oriented alpha-males!

P.S: You can call this a tribute to all Lost fans out here in Planet-I.