( continues...) to have these other characters come in — it's added an interesting new energy both to the show and our experience. It's palpable.''
Lost's impressive evolution has been fueled by other (friendly) tensions as well. Season 1 was largely shaped by the like-minded compatibility of co-creators Abrams and Lindelof: fantasy fans, comics geeks, and all-around pop savants. But since Abrams accepted his impossible mission, Lindelof has been piloting Lost with his friend and longtime colleague Cuse. Their collaboration is most clearly evident in season 2's Jack-Locke reason-versus-faith theme, inspired by the spiritual worldviews of Lindelof (Jewish and empirical-minded) and Cuse (Catholic and willing to leap beyond logic). ''The collision of our perspectives plays out on the show,'' says Cuse, who cites Narnia as one touchstone for the kind of fantastical otherworld Lost is trying to create. ''Both of us are searching for the answers to the bigger questions of how you lead a meaningful life, and we've chosen to use the show to explore those questions.''
The other defining dialogue taking place behind the scenes at Lost is the one between its writers and viewers. In response to ''blowback'' from fans irked by May's revelation-light season finale, Lindelof and Cuse aired that orientation film earlier than originally planned. Yes, the Lost boys can be a little defensive — but they also operate out of a keen awareness of how cult entertainment is processed post-Twin Peaks and X-Files. Moreover, they are plotting ways to take the show-audience rapport to the next level. Their vision for Lost — inspired by videogame culture — is to create a communal experience fed by multiple streams of information: first and foremost, the show, but also websites (check out thehansofoundation.org), cell-phone ''mobisodes,'' and soon, novels and online games. ''With most shows, the 'watercooler moments' are what you see on screen. With Lost, what gets people talking is what they think they saw. A Dharma Initiative logo on a shark. Sayid on a TV in Kate's flashback,'' says Lindelof. ''The greatest thing about Lost is that people can own it. They can plug in, engage, interact, and imagine.''
Indeed, the cast realizes that the creators have plotted something unprecedented for a television show. ''Ultimately, Lost is a journey into the unknown,'' says Akinnuoye-Agbaje, sounding quite a bit like his on-screen alter ego. ''It's a journey of trust that must be honored, but you have to also take it on faith.'' Lindelof agrees: ''We have a guy who has to push a button every 108 minutes, for no clear reason — and no one is questioning us on this! That never ceases to amaze us.'' Adds Abrams, who plans on upping his involvement after M:I3: ''At the pit of exhaustion from directing Mission: Impossible, all I could think about — all I wanted to do — was write or direct another episode of Lost. Put it this way: If I hadn't helped create it, I would be a fan — and I'd be absolutely furious with myself for not thinking of it first.''