Thoughts you, many concerned with the manufacturing of “Stranger in a Unusual Land” have since acknowledged that they knew the episode was going to be a low level for the sequence. It’s not that they didn’t care, however relatively that the episode was largely the results of circumstances past their management. Nonetheless, that doesn’t imply they have been above utilizing that despised episode to their eventual benefit.
How “Stranger in a Unusual Land” Saved Misplaced
In an interview with USA Right now, Misplaced co-creator Damon Lindelof reiterates that he additionally feels “Stranger in a Unusual Land” is a nasty episode however asks folks to be only a bit kinder in direction of it. In line with Lindelof, the episode was the results of “many alternative circumstances” that contributed to it being as unhealthy because it was. Mentioned circumstances embrace a “unhealthy casting choice,” a “unhealthy premise choice,” and a “unhealthy flashback story.”
Nonetheless, the largest contributing issue to the episode’s varied woes was the truth that the present’s creators nonetheless needed to adhere to extra conventional community TV manufacturing necessities that didn’t profit their extra serialized sequence. That they had requested ABC to permit them to set a firmer finish date for the present that they might step by step construct in direction of by way of fewer, extra significant episodes. ABC disagreed and seemingly felt that extra Misplaced was good Misplaced.
That’s till they noticed “Stranger in a Unusual Land.” In a 2009 interview with author Alan Sepinwall, Lindelof remembers that he sat in on a notes name with the community concerning “Stranger in a Unusual Land” and heard them say what many have since mentioned: “We don’t like this episode.” Lindelof provided the form of candid response which you could solely get away with if you’re in artistic management of the most well liked sequence on tv.
“We don’t prefer it, both, but it surely’s one of the best we are able to do if we’re not shifting the story ahead,” Lindelof mentioned. “That is the way forward for the present: how Jack acquired his tattoos. The whole lot we’ve been saying for 2 years about what’s to come back, is now all right here on the display screen. You argued that an hour of Matthew Fox in emotionally-based conflicts, it doesn’t matter what the flashback story is, it’ll be superb. However now that we’re doing his ninth flashback story, you simply don’t care.”
“Stranger in a Unusual Land” was the proof that Lindelof wanted to persuade the community that they wanted to have the ability to set an finish date for Misplaced. With out that finish date, they – and us – have been most likely going to should endure by way of much more episodes like that. ABC finally agreed and allowed the showrunners to share their define for a six-season model of the sequence.
