So Carlton and Damon wrote this episode. Out of curiosity, I looked into how many episodes they've written together. Here's the basics:

Season One:
01x19: Deus Ex Machina
01x23: Exodus, Part One
01x24: Exodus, Part Two

Season Two:
02x05: ...And Found
02x07: The Other 48 Days
02x10: The 23rd Psalm
02x14: One of Them
02x17: Lockdown
02x21: ?
02x23: Live Together, Die Alone

Season Three:
03x06: I Do
03x11: Enter 77
03x19: The Brig
03x22: Through the Looking Glass

Season Four:
04x01: The Beginning of the End
04x05: The Constant
04x12: There's No Place Like Home, Part One
04x13: There's No Place Like Home, Parts Two and Three

Season Five:
05x01: Because You Left
05x06: 316
05x07: The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham
05x11: Whatever Happened, Happened

So, here are the statistics for how many episodes these two have worked together on, compared to how many total episodes were included in each season:

Season One:
Total # of episodes: 24
Total # of episodes co-written by Carlton and Damon: 3
Percentage of episodes this season written by Carlton and Damon: 12.5%

Season Two:
Total # of episodes: 23
Total # of episodes co-written by Carlton and Damon: 7
Percentage of episodes this season written by Carlton and Damon: 30.4%

Season Three:
Total # of episodes: 22
Total # of episodes co-written by Carlton and Damon: 4
Percentage of episodes this season written by Carlton and Damon: 18.2%

Season Four:
Total # of episodes: 13
Total # of episodes co-written by Carlton and Damon: 4
Percentage of episodes this season written by Carlton and Damon: 30.8%

Season Five:
Total # of episodes scheduled: 17 (?)
Total # of episodes aired so far: 11
Total # of episodes co-written so far by Carlton and Damon: 4
Percentage of episodes this season written so far by Carlton and Damon: 36.4%

So, it appears to me, at least so far this season, that the writing team of Carlton and Damon have cranked out a higher percentage of episodes than in any of the previous seasons so far. What does this mean?

And when you examine specifically WHICH of the episodes Carlton and Damon have written together, I believe one could argue that they are all very critically important as far as the plotline of the series, as well as in touching on certain critical and complex issues, for example: time travel.

Should we expect these two to continue this track record this season? Will we continue to see a "Carlton and Damon" episode every third time? Interesting stuff, I think...

Interesting thread! I tend to like their epis, although I admit to being surprised they wrote And Found, which didn't seem to fit into their overall style much. I certainly hope they keep cranking out more episodes this, and next season. They're the ones with the answers, after all! :D Seems they've written every Finale since S1, too.

Oh, and I think when you team them with Director Jack Bender, it's gold. I wonder how many episodes the three have done together.

I think they are going to be concentrating more on the remaining episodes because simply its the REMAINING episodes. It's their baby for all extensive purposes.

There's only what 20 or so hours left? So they have a lot of questions that need to be answered so I think they are just taking everything into their own hands to try and answer all of them as clearly and concisely as possible.

Interesting thread. I definitely think the upswing is probably because we are getting to the home stretch. I'm really curious how many of the writers know the end game--that might have something to do with it, if some of the writers only have part of the story.

Edit to add: "...and Found" has a lot of foreshadowing and mythology stuff in it. Sun losing and finding her wedding ring while they are separated...Eko and Jin seeing the mysterious children's legs...great example of karma, too. It's a good Jin episode.

I'm really curious how many of the writers know the end game--that might have something to do with it, if some of the writers only have part of the story.


That's a very good point. I find it interesting to consider that only Damon and Carlton can speak at length about what to put in these specific episodes because they are literally the only ones who truly know where the series is going.

As Sauk said, these are all pretty mythology driven episodes (and therefore some of my favorites :)), so it's a definite possibility.

Oh, and I think when you team them with Director Jack Bender, it's gold. I wonder how many episodes the three have done together.
"Ask and ye shall receive." Heh. Here are the episodes that Damon and Carlton wrote and Bender directed:

Season One:
01x23: Exodus, Part One
01x24: Exodus, Part Two (season finale)

Season Two:
02x23: Live Together, Die Alone (season finale)

Season Three:
03x22: Through the Looking Glass (season finale)

Season Four:
04x01: The Beginning of the End (season opener)
04x05: The Constant
04x13: There's No Place Like Home, Parts Two and Three (season finale)

Season Five:
05x07: The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham
05x11: Whatever Happened Happened

Thanks for that, Saukkomies. I hope they do more episodes with Bender. I see they've done season finales, and I truly feel the Constant, with the phone call was some of the best acting and directing I have ever seen, movies included. Bender really has a way of ratcheting up the tension and bringing out emotions.

I also think that they write these episodes because they like to be the ones responsible for a lot of the backlash some episodes create. For example, The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham was a very polarizing episode for the fan community. I think it's admirable that they will take the fall for any issues (aside from Charlotte's age which took a little prodding.)

I have no problems with any of the episodes and agree with a lot of your opinions in this thread. One thing is for sure is that they, and everyone else in the writer's room, are some of the best the entertainment industry has to offer.

I have no problems with any of the episodes and agree with a lot of your opinions in this thread. One thing is for sure is that they, and everyone else in the writer's room, are some of the best the entertainment industry has to offer.

I agree. It's a great team of writers. :thumbup1:

Season Five:
05x01: Because You Left
05x06: 316
05x07: The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham
05x11: Whatever Happened, Happened

i find this interesting because other than because you left, these episodes were suppose to be chock full of information of what happened to the o6 in their return to the island, but all were very vague with many questions left unanswered. they either left questions unanswered or left each character vague enough for way too much speculation. i loved all these episodes because i love lost and could not wait to find out what happened to aaron, why kate gave him up, how did hurley and sayid happen on the flight and how did locke persuade all of them to return. everything was unsettling, as far as i'm concerned. now when i see that those two are writing an episode, i get sick to my stomach thinking they are only going to give us half the answers and maybe never answer the rest.

316......who convinced hurley to return and who is behind sayid's arrest, really?
jeremy benthem.....seriously? this was embarrassing. a few moments with each survivor and locke moves on, only to be so distraught that he tries to hang himself. doesn't listen to widmore and trust ben. stupid. very much of a let down.

whatever happened happened....really? we're suppose to believe that kate decides to give aaron up just like that after the grocery incident. i can believe she wants to return to the island for claire, but the mysterious "don't ever ask me about aaron again" quote from another darlton, 316, was way too dramatic for the reason she decided to return. aaron with his grandma!!!! shocking!

it's like sitting at a meal famished and only having a carrot on the plate. left unsatifsfied.

I love Darlton. It's their baby. They know the beginning and the end. I love the whole gotcha style and how they play with the audience and deliberately try to confuse us though the point is always there somehow. Ben saves Locke and then strangles him, himself. LOL. Classic Darlton. WHH already in the bag and they were probably laughing their heads off as Sawyer fans moaned about Kate not sparing him a second thought, off Island, even though they had seen SNBH, and what do they do, gotcha-WHH.

It is hilarious. Especially when you read articles after this episode with so many people backtracking. You would have thought after all these years, we would know better than to pre-empt or pre-judge. Lost is not over till the season finale airs. Come to no conclusions about anything, till the season is over. That has been my motto since season 2 and it's worked well :)

I prefer linear storytelling but having seen the confusion this non-linear style throws viewers into, I have developed an appreciation for it. My belief is, they DO get their message across and though they leave red herrings to confuse us, the message is always there and as with WHH, we are only always a few episodes away from getting the gotcha episode.

I hope they write ALL the episodes in the final season. It's endgame time and it's the masters that need to captain the ship as we start our final leg/lap.

I hope they write ALL the episodes in the final season. It's endgame time and it's the masters that need to captain the ship as we start our final leg/lap.
I too love the Carlton/Damon combination. But I also have totally enjoyed some of the episodes they didn't write. But I'm sort of weird - some of my all-time favorite episodes received some of the worst criticisms and lowest "Rate the Episode" ratings. For instance, one of my all-time favorites was episode 03x09: "Stranger in a Strange Land (http://lostpedia.wikia.com/wiki/Stranger_in_a_Strange_Land)", which was written by Elizabeth Sarnoff (http://lostpedia.wikia.com/wiki/Elizabeth_Sarnoff) and Christina Kim (http://lostpedia.wikia.com/wiki/Christina_M._Kim). This was one of the most unpopular episodes ever, but I was completely blown away by it and loved it. Still do.

So, although I totally and completely dig Carlton and Damon's episodes, I still like to see episodes written by other Lost writers - they add extra elements that Carlton and Damon aren't always the best at portraying. Each writer has his or her own style and talents, and it's great that we get to see a mix, I believe.

So, although I totally and completely dig Carlton and Damon's episodes, I still like to see episodes written by other Lost writers - they add extra elements that Carlton and Damon aren't always the best at portraying. Each writer has his or her own style and talents, and it's great that we get to see a mix, I believe.

I love all the writers and have to agree with you that I like the fact episodes are written by our entire team.

One thing to consider is that the majority of the episode and all of the scenes/beats and some of the key dialogue is written with them all sitting in a room together. Only then is a writer/writing team assigned to go and write the entire exchanges of dialogue. (The Kim/Sarnoff team got an undeserved bad rap. I just watched "The Whole Truth" yesterday--excellent character episode and now, in retrospect, key to the mythology.)

As I've said elsewhere, part of the problem is often viewers look at episodes only as individual tiles and don't realize the writers are writing for the mosaic. They go "what is the point of this stupid filler blue piece" and don't realize it is actually going to be part of the mosaic's eye.

As I've said elsewhere, part of the problem is often viewers look at episodes only as individual tiles and don't realize the writers are writing for the mosaic. They go "what is the point of this stupid filler blue piece" and don't realize it is actually going to be part of the mosaic's eye.
I completely agree with you, Devera. I have never once believed that Lost has ever had a "filler" episode. Not one.

I think that some fans like the science fiction/time travel/out-there-physics stuff. Other fans like the romantic/relationship stuff. Still others like the mythological/faith stuff. And yet others like either the humorous Hurley goofy stuff, or the Sayid shoot-em-up stuff.

So when a particular fan sees an episode that doesn't really include his or her particular "stuff", then he or she jumps to the conclusion that it must have been a "filler" episode.

But then there are fans like I, who like ALL THE STUFF! Not only that, but I do not dislike any character. I even like Charles Widmore, fer cripes sake! And so I've never been dissappointed with a single episode of Lost - it's all great, all the time, in my opinion. :biggrin:

I completely agree with you, Devera. I have never once believed that Lost has ever had a "filler" episode. Not one.

I think that some fans like the science fiction/time travel/out-there-physics stuff. Other fans like the romantic/relationship stuff. Still others like the mythological/faith stuff. And yet others like either the humorous Hurley goofy stuff, or the Sayid shoot-em-up stuff.

So when a particular fan sees an episode that doesn't really include his or her particular "stuff", then he or she jumps to the conclusion that it must have been a "filler" episode.

But then there are fans like I, who like ALL THE STUFF! Not only that, but I do not dislike any character. I even like Charles Widmore, fer cripes sake! And so I've never been dissappointed with a single episode of Lost - it's all great, all the time, in my opinion. :biggrin:

That's exactly how I feel--I love all of it! Well, I wouldn't want to hang out with Widmore...but he's entertaining to watch! :biggrin:

But then there are fans like I, who like ALL THE STUFF! Not only that, but I do not dislike any character. I even like Charles Widmore, fer cripes sake! And so I've never been dissappointed with a single episode of Lost - it's all great, all the time, in my opinion. :biggrin:

Total agreement from me. OK, I admit I was disappointed with a couple about mid-way through Season 1, but I look back at them and realise they're great too.

And Widmore is probably my favourite character. Either him or Ben. Or Hurley, or Sawyer. Or probably Desmond, or Jack. Or Kate, or Daniel, or Sayid. Or Mr Eko, or Ana Lucia, or Shannon, or Vincent. Basically, I love it all. Never quite understand it when someone doesn't.

I love Darlton, I love the whole writing team, I love it all! :heart:

This thread has been an interesting read. I could add something from the episode rankings that we have all done over the years on the board (only seasons 2-4 - season 1 didn't have them and I have not touched season 5 yet). See my old thread here (http://forum.thefuselage.com/showthread.php?t=100765) for my methods, caveats, and such.

I will add the overall ranking I determined for each episode, as compared to the rest of the episodes in seasons 2-4 (out of 57 total)

Season Two:
02x05: ...And Found - ranked 55
02x07: The Other 48 Days - ranked 32
02x10: The 23rd Psalm - not ranked (can't remember why, might not have been a poll)
02x14: One of Them - ranked 42
02x17: Lockdown - ranked 20
02x21: ? - ranked 27
02x23: Live Together, Die Alone - ranked 21

Season Three:
03x06: I Do - ranked 49
03x11: Enter 77 - ranked 14
03x19: The Brig - ranked 4
03x22: Through the Looking Glass - ranked 5

Season Four:
04x01: The Beginning of the End - ranked 12
04x05: The Constant - ranked 1
04x12: There's No Place Like Home, Part One - ranked 13
04x13: There's No Place Like Home, Parts Two and Three - ranked 15

I don't think these rankings demonstrate that the Darlton penned episodes are necessarily the most favored by fans. It does get me thinking that there is another analysis I should do after S5, the looks at the rankings by character-centricities however....

Also, btw, I think their percentages went up because the total number of eps per season has gone down. If they can write every few eps in a cycle, fewer cycles yields a higher percentage. :)