Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Here's to a spoiler-free sixth season of Lost. Given the substantial amount of new information Lost has provided viewers, as well as the seemingly infinite amount of time to discuss said info, how can a Lost fan best spend his/her time? A review will tell.
Reviewed by
Ben Cordes
Lostpedia.com
Coming up on its third birthday, Lostpedia is the only fan-created website I would deem essential for Lost lovers. Since its inception, Kevin Croy's creation has expanded and evolved, and even been absorbed by Wikia, Incorporated. It's now home to over 25,000 users who have collectively created and maintained 5,000+ articles, apart from running forums, posting blog updates, and Tweeting the latest Lost news. Back in 2005, Lostpedians were also privy to spoilers, as the community had not yet decided to ban them altogether. (Spoiler hounds can still visit DarkUFO's website for their fix.) The decision to disallow information on future episodes catapulted Lostpedia's status to the ultimate spoiler-free source for Lost material.
When I think Lostpedia, I think depth. Episode articles are given such extensive thought and research as to include not only a full synopsis, but also general trivia, production notes, cultural references, recurring themes, and literary techniques employed therein. Character articles will have you both reminiscing on your favorite past events and remembering long-forgotten moments in Lost history. If you're reeling about non-subtitled, foreign language-spoken words and phrases, look to Lostpedia for the fastest translations. And how about those whispers heard throughout the jungle? Did you know that Lostpedia has an entire collection of transcribed whispers? Those transcripts alone can invoke enough curiosity to keep readers digging through articles for hours. Group articles also exist to appease those looking for enlightenment about, say, the Others or the folks from the freighter. Rather than having to look up each individual member of the DHARMA Initiative, Lostpedia offers the option of researching the organization as a whole. Every inch of the Lost universe is covered by similar means, and when you're finished taking in Lostpedia's wealth of information, you can posit theories and engage users in active discussion.
Coinciding the website's increase in popularity is its growth in credibility. Certain privileged members of the Lostpedia staff have been fortunate enough to conduct interviews with Lost's cast and crew. Among those interviewed are Michael Emerson, Jorge Garcia, Carlton Cuse, Damon Lindelof, and an innumerable amount of supporting cast members. These interviews, amongst other unique content, set Lostpedia apart from other major Wikia sites. This is a Wikia that attacks the show from all angles, whether by means of alternate-reality game coverage, full-fledged articles for even the most minute mythological recurrences throughout the series, and going above and beyond to provide new content every day, regardless of Lost being on hiatus. Count on Lostpedia to further educate yourself on the landmark series. They'll be your constant.
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