Many people laugh at the amount of time I spend watching and writing about Lost, but I prefer to think of it as a hobby. It is not an obsession; it is a television show that appeals to my detail-oriented nature and inner conspiracy theorist.

There are many levels of fanaticism, and I exist in the lower echelons of the extremely passionate fanbase. Trust me, I read other Lost blogs after I post mine each week. There are some VERY dedicated fans who either analyze the show for a living or don’t sleep at night. I do not frequent or comment on message boards, and my site is not solely focused on just Lost. I’ve never referred to myself as a Jater (Team Jack + Kate) or Skater (Team Sawyer + Kate).

Am I justifying my interest? No. Would I attend a Lost convention? Yes. But I wouldn’t wear a costume.

I love that DriveShaft only had one hit song, and yet the title of this episode was “Greatest Hits.”

It was fascinating to see Alex kill her father’s beloved white bunny for dinner…I kept hearing Elmer Fudd’s “Kill the wabbit, kill the wabbit” in my head.

This is the first time we hear Alex question whether Ben is really her father. Has she always had that suspicion? Why now?

Why would Sayid, who is the communications officer, send Jack to lead their people to a radio tower? It would make more sense that Sayid went there to try to unjam the signal…

Yet another pre-crash connection: Charlie saves Sayid’s girl Nadia in the alley in London. Remember that Locke met her in a Season 1 flashback; he was inspecting a house she was buying.

Was Ben lying when he said that Jacob wanted him to go to the beach a day early? Did he go see him after shooting Locke, or was he summoned? I think it was because Ben figured out that the Losties have his tape recorder and found out about his plans.

The fake deaths of Flight 815 passengers were elaborate; who would go to that length to make the world believe that those folks are dead, and why?

Let me get this straight, in the three months since the crash, there has been enough time in the outside world to compile, release and market a Greatest Hits album?

Does anyone actually know what happens when the yellow flashing light gets pushed? Are we assuming that it activates a rescue helicopter?

If Naomi’s helicopter crashed, how is it that a rescue copter will reach the Losties? How does it break through the invisible bubble that is seemingly surrounding the island?

Back in Desmond’s first flashback earlier this season, he ran into Charlie playing guitar on the streets of London. In last night’s episode, Charlie was playing the exact same song (“Wonderwall” by Oasis). On both occasions, it suddenly started pouring rain, which is VERY Lost.

Nice little wink-wink, nudge-nudge at Dominic Monaghan’s former life as a hobbit…the ring.
Who was lying about the Looking Glass hatch being abandoned and flooded? Did Ben lie to Juliet or is she lying to the Losties?

Is Ben aware that the Looking Glass is occupied? Perhaps those women live down there because they know about Ben and his ovary-obsessed crew.

Just who are the women down in the Looking Glass? Leftover Dharma folks who avoided Ben’s teargas purge? Original Hostiles who refused to join Ben’s freaky team?

Or did the women in the Looking Glass have responsibilities like Kelvin and Desmond did? Were they there to simply keep the signal jammed, or another menial task?

I have a feeling that the blonde woman who first pointed her gun at Charlie in the Looking Glass was none other than…Annie, Ben’s childhood girlfriend.

In the first season, Charlie specifically said that he couldn’t swim. In one of Desmond’s flashes, he saw Charlie drown trying to save Claire. What’s with the discrepancies?

Did Desmond really have one of his flash forwards? Was his plan to take Charlie’s place all along? Has he known about the Looking Glass hatch?

Karl took a boat to notify the Losties that the Others are coming – was he on the other side of the island or were the Others camping on the smaller island near the Hydra Hatch? That might explain why they didn’t hear the explosion that Jack and Danielle set off…

Ben’s theory that he healed because of Locke obviously holds no merit. He left Locke for dead and is walking on his own.

Where is the other end of the cord? We now know that it leads to the Looking Glass hatch, but where does it start? Is it providing electricity or just anchoring the hatch to the island?

Where is Tom (Ben’s right hand Other)?

Will Desmond’s flashes continue after being knocked out? Will they continue if Charlie does die?

So Bernard the Dentist is an excellent marksman. Interesting.  

LINGERING QUESTION

What the hell did Ben tell Kate during their breakfast on the beach at the beginning of this season? Does it have something to do with her strange behavior toward Jack and Juliet lately? Is she secretly working with the Others? Was she blackmailed like Michael was, and if so, will she have to shoot one of her own to save her own life or someone else’s? Would she choose Sawyer over Jack?

ALICE IN WONDERLAND

Next week’s episode is called “Through the Looking Glass,” obviously referring to the underwater hatch. The title of the episode is also the name of the sequel to Alice in Wonderland. The allegory continues!

The book Through the Looking Glass is about mirror themes; time running backward, opposites, etc. Which is also VERY Lost.

Charlie fell (swam) down the rabbit hole (underwater hatch).

The Dharma symbol on the Looking Glass hatch is a white rabbit.

Ben had a lifelong obsession with a white rabbit.

I’m sure we’ll see more literary references next week.

Below are brief descriptions about additional new shows (since my last post on Monday), as well as links to watch previews of all (The CW and FOX previews are not available online yet).

ABC http://abc.go.com/fallpreview/schedule
CBS http://www.cbs.com/primetime/fall_preview_2007/
NBC http://www.nbc.com/Fall_Preview/

The Big Bang Theory
CBS
Hot girl bonds with nerdy neighbors (geeks are VERY popular next season). With Kaley Cuoco (8 Simple Rules…) and Johnny Galecki (Roseanne). Written by Chuck Lorre (Two and a Half Men).

Carpoolers
ABC
Guys from the same neighborhood carpool to work together and discuss life. Desperate Housewives in a car? With Jerry O’Connell (Crossing Jordan). Written by The Kids in the Hall alum Bruce McCulloch.

Cavemen
ABC
Cavemen living in contemporary Atlanta battle stereotypes…about cavemen. Seriously. Directed by Josh Gordon & Will Speck (Blades of Glory).

Gossip Girl
CW
Good looking private school kids in NYC. I’m sure it will be referred to as ‘The OC East.’ Written by The OC’s Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage. Narrated by Veronica Mars herself, Kristen Bell.

Moonlight (a.ka. Twilight)
CBS
Vampire works as a private investigator. Again I ask…seriously? The trailer did nothing for me, but the lead (Alex O’Loughlin) sounds exactly like Drama from Entourage (Kevin Dillon). With Amber Valletta (Hitch).

Reaper
CW
Slacker works as bounty hunter for the devil. With Rick Gonzalez (a.k.a. that guy with the hair you recognize from The Rookie and Coach Carter). On the plus side – the pilot was directed by the infamous Kevin Smith and the show’s executive producer is Grey’s Anatomy’s Mark Gordon. Co-written by Tara Butters (Law &Order: Special Victims Unit).

The Return of Jezebel James
FOX
I will watch anything with Parker Posey and Lauren Ambrose (Claire from Six Feet Under). From the mind of Amy Sherman-Palladino, the executive producer of Gilmore Girls.

Wild at Heart
CW
Yet another British adaptation. Vet moves his family to South Africa. Apparently it’s a comedy. Starring Rutger Hauer! Also with Brett Cullen, a.k.a. Goodwin the Other from Lost. Written by Michael Rauch (Love Monkey).

Women’s Murder Club
ABC
Female detective, reporter, Assistant DA and medical examiner work as a team to solve crimes.  Based on James Patterson book. With Angie Harmon (Law & Order) and Laura Harris (Dead Like Me). Written by Angel scribes Elizabeth Craft and Sarah Fain.

RENEWED

24 (FOX)
Ghost Whisperer (CBS)
How I Met Your Mother (CBS)
The New Adventures of Old Christine (CBS)
Notes from the Underbelly (ABC)
Numb3rs (CBS)
October Road (ABC)
One Tree Hill (CW)
Smallville (CW)
Supernatural (CW)

CANCELED

According to Jim (CBS)
The Class (CBS)
Close to Home (CBS)
George Lopez (ABC)
Jericho (CBS)
What About Brian (ABC)

We will find out which of our favorite shows have been picked up for another season, and also hear about new series’ that may or may not be given the green light.

Here is a tentative preview, followed by news about existing shows.  Keep in mind that at any moment, the cast and plot of any given show below might change before debuting in the fall.  

NEW SHOWS

Babylon Fields
CBS
Joan of Arcadia’s Amber Tamblyn plays a woman that went to heaven and came back from the dead. Pilot directed by Michael Cuesta (Dexter, Six Feet Under).  

Back to You
FOX
Kelsey Grammer (Frasier) and Patricia Heaton (Everybody Loves Raymond) play news anchors that have a love/hate relationship. Was called Action News until recently. Pilot written by Christopher Lloyd (not the actor, the Frasier scribe) and Steven Levitan (Just Shoot Me), and directed by James Burrows (Will & Grace).

Big Shots
If the women of Sex and the City were top male execs, this would be that show.  With Michael Vartan (Vaughn from Alias) and Dylan McDermott. Was called Perfect Gentleman until recently. Pilot written by Jon Harmon Feldman (Reunion) and directed by Charles McDougall (The Office).

Bionic Woman
NBC
British actress Michelle Ryan stars an athlete with super strength. With Katee Sackhoff (Battlestar Galactica). UPDATE: Click here to watch a preview on YouTube.

Cashmere Mafia
ABC
Does this sound familiar – four friends, set in NYC, created by Darren Star?  It is Sex and the City, but this time the four women are executives.  Lucy Liu, Miranda Otto (The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King), Bonnie Somerville (Kitchen Confidential ) and Frances O’Connor (AI).  Pilot written by movie scribe Kevin Wade (Maid in Manhattan, Working Girl) and directed by movie director Peyton Reed (The Break-Up).

Chuck
NBC
Computer geek with spy secrets implanted in his brain becomes a government agent. From the writer and director of The O.C.  UPDATE: Click here to watch a preview on YouTube.

Dirty Sexy Money
ABC
This is the one, mark my words. From the mind of Craig Wright, the man who wrote for Six Feet Under AND Lost. Stars Six Feet Under’s Peter Krause stars as the lawyer to a rich, scandal-prone family. Pilot directed by Peter Horton (Brothers & Sisters ). With Samaire Armstrong (Entourage, The O.C.), Donald Sutherland, Jill Clayburgh, William Baldwin and Brooke Smith (a.k.a. the girl in the well in Silence of the Lambs).

Eli Stone  
ABC
From Everwood creator/Brothers & Sisters producer Greg Berlanti, who describes it as follows: “a Field of Dreams-type drama set in a law firm where a 30-something attorney begins having larger-than-life visions that compel him to do out-of-the-ordinary things.” With Jonny Lee Miller (a.k.a. the ex Mr. Angelina Jolie), Loretta Devine (the chief’s wife on Grey’s Anatomy) and Victor Garber (Alias).

Journeyman
NBC
A reporter time-travels to help people in trouble. UPDATE: Click here to watch a preview on YouTube.

Life
NBC
Detective serves prison term for crime he didn’t commit and is given a second chance on the force after being released. UPDATE: Click here to watch a preview on YouTube.

Lipstick Jungle
NBC
A show about 3 of New York’s 50 Most Powerful Women. From the writer and producer of Sex and the City. Brooke Shields, Kim Raver (24, The Nine) and Lindsay Price (Pepper Dennis).

Los Duques
CBS
Being billed as the Latin version of Brothers & Sisters. With Jimmy Smits, Nester Carbonell (a.k.a. Richard Alpert on Lost), Hector Elizondo, and Rita Moreno. UPDATE: This show has been officially named Cane.

The IT Crowd
NBC
Adaptation of a British comedy about geeks in the IT department of a large corporation. Stars Joel McHale (who hosts The Soup on E!) and Rocky Carroll (Chicago Hope). Pilot written by Just Shoot Me alum David Guarascio and Joe Port.  

Miss/Guided
ABC
Comedy about woman who returns to work at her high school as a guidance counselor. It’s about time that Judy Greer (Arrested Development) got her own show! An Ashton Kutcher production. Pilot directed by Todd Holland (Malcolm in the Middle, Wonderfalls).

Nurses
FOX
Grey’s Anatomy, but with a focus on nurses rather than interns. Starring Sara Rue (Less Than Perfect) and Eliza Dushku (Tru Calling), with Carlos Bernard (24) and Lynn Redgrave. Pilot written by Return to Me screenwriters Samantha Goodman and Andrew Stern.

Private Practice
ABC
This is the Grey’s Anatomy spin-off, following Addison (Kate Walsh) to LA. Written by series creator Shonda Rimes and Buffy scribe Marti Noxon.

Pushing Daisies
ABC
Everyday guy has the power to bring people back to life. From Heroes/Dead Like Me/Wonderfalls writer and producer Bryan Fuller.  Pilot directed by Barry Sonnenfeld (Men in Black).

Sam I Am
ABC
A psychiatrist coming out of a coma doesn’t remember that she wasn’t a nice person. Starring Christina Applegate, with Jean Smart (24) and Jennifer Esposito (Related ).

The Sarah Connor Chronicles
Follows the life of Sarah and John Connor after Terminator 2.  Starring Lena Headey (300) and Thomas Dekker (a.k.a. Claire’s not-gay friend Zach on Heroes). Pilot written by film scribe Josh Friedman (War of the Worlds) and directed by David Nutter (The X-Files).

Swingtown
CBS
Swinging couples in the 70’s [and I don’t mean dancing]. With Molly Parker (Deadwood), Grant Show (Melrose Place) and Jack Davenport (a.k.a. Norrington from the Pirates of the Caribbean movies). Pilot written by Mike Kelley (The O.C.) and directed by Alan Poul (Six Feet Under).

Them
FOX
Aliens who fall in love with humans (only on FOX). But at least the pilot was directed by Jonathan Mostow (Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines) and co-written by David Eick (Battlestar Galactica).

Viva Laughlin
British import is about a family that runs a casino. Stars Hugh Jackman! With Melanie Griffith. Pilot directed by Gabriele Muccino (The Pursuit of Happyness).

CURRENT SHOWS

Friday Night Lights
NBC
Has been renewed (sweet!), and will air next season on…Friday nights. UPDATE: Unfortunately, the show will air at 10pm on Friday nights. WTF?? Why renew it if just to bury it in a dead zone of viewership?!

Heroes
NBC
In addition to the show being renewed, there will be a spin-off called Heroes: Origins. We will meet a new set of characters that discover their special abilities. The difference is that we will get to choose our favorite new hero (a la American Idol), and the winner will then join the cast of Heroes during the 2008-09 season.

The Office
NBC
Has been renewed, and there will 5 hour-long episodes next season. UPDATE: NBC is killing me. They’ve moved The Office to 9pm on Thursdays…opposite Grey’s Anatomy.

Scrubs
NBC
Has been renewed.

Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
NBC
Has not been renewed. Such a damn shame.