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Jul

26

Perrineau returns to ABC

By Ron Wynn | Filed Under Television 

Two seasons ago ABC’s Lost was hailed as the future of television. The show about survivors of a plane crash on a mysterious island won a Best Drama Emmy, and was praised for doing such unconventional (for a weekly series) things as having a large, rotating cast rather than a regular core unit, opting for slow-moving episodes with cryptic clues rather than a storyline that ended each week, and forcing its audience to endure unexplained sequences, mystery figures and unresolved dilemmas. It was also credited along with 24 of ushering in a new wave of serialized dramas and productions.

But things change quickly in today’s television universe, and now Lost is neither a critical darling nor audience phenomenon. The strategy of splitting the show into two installments at various points of the season proved a ratings failure.

The serialization wave was also mostly a disaster, mainly because the networks lacked the necessary patience to let shows build ratings and audiences refused to take chances on programs that might end long before they ever reached any meaningful conclusion. The very things that once made Lost seem inspired were now being blamed for its dropping audience share, most notably the notion it didn’t seem to be about anything.

ABC decided it was time to take action. They announced the show would end in May of 2010 , and that the split-season gimmick would be discontinued effective immediately. They made more news yesterday by announcing the return of Harold Perrineau’s character Michael to the show for the 2008 season. Perrineau made a big splash with his exit at the end of the second year, not only departing on a boat with his son Walt (Malcolm David Kelley) but also blowing away two other survivors Ana Lucia (Michelle Rodriguez) and Libby (Cynthia Watros) in the process. While ABC Entertainment President wanted to delay the announcement until today and make it at Comic-Con, he was prodded into issuing it ahead of schedule by nervous TV critics anxious for anything fresh.

Ironically Criminal Minds, the show that eventually forced Lost to switch gears, has had its own problems lately. The strange departure of principal actor Mandy Patinkin resulted in the show’s producers later issuing their own statement after Patinkin’s rather unclear statement only served to fuel rumors about a salary squabble. It also left CBS in a tough position, forced to make a unexpected personnel move on a program that had been experiencing significant audience growth and popularity despite being consistently ripped by most TV critics.

By comparison, Lost has usually been highly praised. Though the first half of last season was disappointing, the show bounced back nicely during the second half, and its cliffhanger conclusion was creatively powerful and conceptually effective. There’s talk the forthcoming year will move things ahead and work backward, exploring the futuristic scenario of people being off the island before returning to the present setting.

Whatever happens, at least Lost is again being discussed in a positive manner. Meanwhile, it’s former nemesis Criminal Minds is now the show in jeopardy.

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