Anybody know how far ahead of the strike this episode was written? Because of the double cliffhanger, Sayid exposing Michael Danielle and Karl being shot would have been good cliffhangers if this was the season finale due to a prolonged strike. Not to mention all of the unresolved issues and questions raised by the previous seven episodes. Was it written in anticipation of a prolonged writer's strike, or was it one of the middle of the season cliffhanger episodes they loved to do? Just curious because it seems curious that the episode that could have potentially been the season finale had the cliffhanger and was filmed before the strike.

I don't see it as a season-ending cliffhanger, my guess is that they were already going on a strike, and most of the script was done by a homeless person paid 3$.

I think this episode is full of skipping from place to another, and random stuff that doens't work well.

The script was written when there were whispers of a strike going on. The rumblings of big problems between the WGA and the networks had been going on for a while, so maybe the producers just thought it a good idea to have a cliffhanger in the bag, just in case.

Considering this was the last script completed before the strike, I'd say it was finished only days before the strike was decided.

most of the script was done by a homeless person paid 3$.
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LOL.
I think that was confirmed

I don't see it as a season-ending cliffhanger, my guess is that they were already going on a strike, and most of the script was done by a homeless person paid 3$.

I think this episode is full of skipping from place to another, and random stuff that doens't work well.

Okay I totally disagree with the sentiment, since I enjoyed this episode despite it's flaws, but that being said, that was pretty funny! :clapping:

I remember reading that they worked on the script normally, as if the strike wasn't about to happen. They didn't want to change any of the story, even in the case that it was the last episode of the current season, a la Heroes.

I remember reading that they worked on the script normally, as if the strike wasn't about to happen. They didn't want to change any of the story, even in the case that it was the last episode of the current season, a la Heroes.

Yes I believe I read that as well. The writers kept writing the scripts as if there wasn't going to be a strike.

It's a helluva coincidence that the episode with the cliffhanger could have if the strike had gone a different way been the season finale. At the same time the writers love the middle of the season cliffhanger, remember The Man from Tallahassee.

Does this answer your question? ;)

"Lost" writers: "Like putting down a 'Harry Potter' book in the middle" (http://weblogs.variety.com/wga_strike_blog/2007/11/lost-writers-li.html)

November 05, 2007

Lindelof and Cuse hit the picket line at 8:30 a.m. with plans to spend several hours. The scribes said the spent much of the weekend putting the finishing touches on episode eight of “Lost,” submitting the script to the network on Friday and tweaking it over the weekend.

“We finished writing by mid-afternoon yesterday,” said Cuse, who noted the script was ready to be shot.

I think every episode ends with a "cliffhanger". Some just happen to be bigger than others.

Does this answer your question? ;)

"Lost" writers: "Like putting down a 'Harry Potter' book in the middle" (http://weblogs.variety.com/wga_strike_blog/2007/11/lost-writers-li.html)


I love how the article says a small cliffhanger. Like a couple of characters getting shot and Sayid turning Michael in to the captain are small cliffhangers.

What would they consider a big cliffhanger?

What would they consider a big cliffhanger?
I think three characters being held prisoner and three possibly being killed in a hatch explosion could be considered a big cliffhanger. Or the losties finally winning a major victory over the others and call rescue only to have us(the audience) realize through Charlie's call to Penny and the flash forward that the freighter isn't about rescue.

I don't see it as a season-ending cliffhanger, my guess is that they were already going on a strike, and most of the script was done by a homeless person paid 3$.

Then he was grossly overpaid.

I wish we could use Daniel's time contraption to go into the future 2 or 3 years just to see if Lost is canceled because I have a really bad feeling not just about the direction of the show, but how it is being told, the mindfraks in the story and the ratings.