tv on dvd: a very good thing

Over the past five nights, DH and I have watched the first 19 episodes of the first season of Lost. (If you've been wondering where I've been...)

I can see why my friend Tom bailed on it; it's definitely silly -- beyond silly, even.

But I like it. I'm completely engrossed by the characters, and I'm enjoying how they're all finding ways not to go crazy.

The last episode we watched tonight was Deus Ex Machina, which gave Terry O'Quinn (Locke) a chance to really show off his acting chops... but I think I enjoyed Sawyer's needing, and getting, glasses, even more. I appreciate the balance of humor and drama on this program. I like how each character has good and bad traits; no one's wholly a saint or a sinner. The characters all seem compellingly real as a result. However, I still don't get why Sayid would ever have anything to do with Shannon, but maybe that's just my little Sayid crush talking. I also think Boone is too stupid to live; apparently so did the writers.

Anyway, 5 more episodes to go and we're caught up. It's a bit weird being in mid-Season 2 and already knowing certain things, like who's not around anymore -- we're left wondering, "Is this when [someone] dies?" Stuff like that. It's good to fill in the blanks.

Generally, I think it's fantastic that they are making current series available on DVD quickly. For us, it allows us to catch up on shows we didn't get into when they first started -- like "The Sopranos" and "24" -- and then continue with new seasons whenever they begin. We are slowly, slowly evolving to an all-on-demand entertainment distribution system. Things are going to be very interesting in the entertainment industries over the next couple of decades. The old networks have to do something or they won't survive; they are starting to figure that out. I'm sure it will be a bumpy ride for a while, but I have faith that the market will figure out a good solution for us all.