Going through “Lost” withdrawal during this eight-month hiatus? Devastated that your favorite desert-island mystery won’t be returning to the airwaves after its series finale this May? Fear not, because ABC is confident that it has a solution for you. Since first airing five promo spots of its newest sci-fi mindbender “FlashForward” during an April 2009 episode of “Lost,” ABC has been aggressively targeting the show’s fans with endless reminders that “FlashForward” might be the heir to the throne of indulgently confusing network thrillers.

This seems logical enough — on paper, the premise of “FlashForward” (airing Thursdays at 8 p.m.) really does sound like “Lost 2.0.” According to the show’s premise, on Oct. 6, 2009, the entire planet lost consciousness for 137 seconds, during which time most people experienced a vision of what they would be doing on April 29, 2010. The mass loss of consciousness caused tens of millions of deaths and widespread panic.

In the devastating aftermath of the event, Los Angeles-based FBI agent Mark Benford (Joseph Fiennes) hatches a plan that, he hopes, will help solve the mystery of what caused the blackout. With the help of his partners at the bureau, he launches a web site called “Mosaic” that asks citizens of the world to post answers to the popular post-blackout question: “What did you see?”

Answers to the question range from the mundane — sitting on a toilet reading the sports section — to the inexplicable, as one character experiences a vision of his reunion with the daughter whose remains he thought he buried years ago. Using the database, Mark and company gain access to clues that should help in their investigation.

The catch? Mark was motivated to set up this web site and begin the ensuing investigation only because he saw himself working on it in his vision. Each clue that he finds to explain the blackout — every cryptic Post-it and creepy photograph — is a clue that he already saw on the investigation board in his flash-forward. The audience can only wonder whether Mark saw his flash-forward because he was destined to spearhead the investigation, or whether Mark chose to spearhead the investigation only after seeing his flash-forward.

Mark’s motivation for understanding the blackout is more personalthan most of his co-workers know. A recovered alcoholic, Mark saw himself taking shots from a flask as he worked on the puzzle. And his wife Olivia, played by Sonya Walger, saw herself with another man.

Thus, just like in “Lost,” questions of free will versus determinism abound against a pseudo-scientific backdrop of time travel, with plenty of inter-character drama thrown in for spice. And, like its supposed predecessor, “FlashForward” seems to delight in the opportunity to confuse its audience.

Not to worry, though, just like J.J. Abrams, “FlashForward” showrunners David S. Goyer and Brannon Braga promise audiences that they know exactly where the show is going, down to the last shot of the last episode.

And the similarities don’t stop there. In its first five episodes, “FlashForward” has, both intentionally and unintentionally, paid homage to countless “Lost” mainstays. There’s the unexplained and out-of-place kangaroo that hops past Mark in the pilot (polar bears, anyone?). Not to mention that two “Lost” alums, Walger and Dominic Monaghan, have lead roles on the new series.

But some of these winking nods, like the Oceanic Airlines billboard in the background of one pre-blackout shot, are overkill. In the end, ABC’s attempts at forcing the notion of a “Lost” companion down the throats of viewers are really quite off-putting. After all, how can you compare a show in its infancy to the mini-empire that “Lost” has become in its five overwhelmingly successful seasons?

The answer that ABC has failed to see is that you can’t. To tote any show as the new “Lost” is to set viewers up for disappointment. Indeed, after premiering at No. 1 in the Nielsen ratings in the competitive 8 p.m. Thursday time slot (beating out even “Survivor: Samoa”), “FlashForward” slowly lost a significant portion of its viewers over the following three weeks (though the fourth week brought a very slight increase).

And, while most critics have given “FlashForward” a positive reception, few have refrained from mentioning that other sci-fi show. The question of whether this will be an adequate replacement threatens to overshadow the otherwise complimentary reviews. The endless “Lost” echoes have already detracted from much of the new show’s individual brilliance.

So please, ABC, get rid of the Oceanic billboards, nix the kangaroos, stop name-dropping “Lost” in the promotional materials. And for God’s sake, don’t shove “FlashForward” into the former “Lost” time slot once it goes off the air in May.

While the “Lost” hype may have been a strategic way to draw attention to this newcomer, it is time to let one of this season’s most promising new shows develop an identity of its own.

Here is a list of reviews (good AND bad, but there aren’t any bad ones! Links to reviews after the jump…

• Hollywood Chicago
• The Washington Post
• San Francisco Chronicle
• Cincinnati.com
• Idaho Statesman
• Chicago Now
• Baltimore Sun
• Inside the Bay Area
• Pop Matters
• Media Life Magazine
• Tampa Bay Magazine
• Canada.com
• The North Bay Nugget
• NJ.com
• WE Love TV
• Seatle PI
• Eclipse Magazine
  

FlashForward, ABC’s intriguing new drama (premiering Thursday at 8/7c), chronicles a frightening world event in which everyone loses consciousness simultaneously for two minutes and 17 seconds. During that time, each person experiences a “flash-forward” to the same date about six months into the show’s future: April 29, 2010. FBI agent Mark Benford (Shakespeare in Love’s Joseph Fiennes) leads the investigation into the phenomenon. “The opportunity to get off a horse, out of a flouncy shirt, into a guy that wears a gun on his hip and some cuffs on the back of his belt, I’ll tell you, that’s quite nice,” the actor says. Let’s answer some burning questions about the show that many critics (including us) are calling the next Lost.

Is this a Lost spin-off of any sort?
No, but I think it’s fair to say that ABC sees this show as a companion piece to Lost, which will of course wrap up its six-season journey in May 2010. FlashForward is actually based on a novel that hit bookstores long before Darlton’s island drama ever existed. The show takes its major themes from this book, but the plots diverge sharply on some points. For example, in the book, the characters see a vision of themselves 21 years into the future. “We were both so taken with [the book]. It stayed with us for eight years,” says co-executive producer Jessika Borsiczky Goyer. “What if you could know your destiny? What if you could know where your choices would lead? What would you do about it if you could know?”

Where do I know that guy/girl from?
I know — there are a lot of familiar faces in the cast, right? Sonya Walger, Penny from Lost, plays Olivia, a surgeon who is also Mark’s wife. Courtney B. Vance (Law & Order: Criminal Intent), John Cho (Harold and Kumar) and Seth McFarlane (yes, that Seth McFarlane, the creator of Family Guy) play Mark’s FBI colleagues. Swingtown’s Jack Davenport, ER’s Alex Kingston and Mad Men’s Peyton List all have small roles in the pilot episode; Lost’s Dominic Monaghan (R.I.P., Charlie) and Gabrielle Union have been added to the cast, but will not appear until Episode 3. Plus: A kangaroo appears in the pilot, and believe it or not it’s a recurring character too.

Does this series have a predetermined end date like Lost does?
No, but co-executive producer Marc Guggenheim promises that we’ll see April 29, 2010, by the end of the first season — in fact, we’ll see it on April 29, 2010, which is, as luck would have it, a Thursday. “The significance of the date is one of the mysteries of the show,” he teases, but emphasizes that it won’t be the last episode of the season.

What do people see during their flash-forwards?
One character describes her flash-forward thusly: “I dreamt there were no more good days.” That said, it’s not all bad news. The producers have broken down the show’s characters into three categories: those who fear their future vision; those who want their future vision to come true; and those who are indifferent or just plain confused about what they see.

The visions themselves run the gamut from the sublime to the ridiculous: One character, who is desperately single, sees herself having a sonogram. Another sees himself reading the paper on the toilet. A recovering alcoholic falls off the wagon. Dead people are alive. Most frightening of all, some people see nothing — and what does that mean exactly?

Mark’s flash-forward serves as a repository of clues to solve the mystery of the mass blackout, as we see him examining a wall pinned with significant words, documents and photographs, and how they are interconnected. It’s a real Easter eggy scene, sure to be pored over by conspiracy theorists.

Is this the next Lost?
That remains to be seen, but it’s certainly as intriguing. “We would be thrilled with half the rabid fan base of that show,” says co-executive producer David S. Goyer. “We should be so lucky.”

Source: TV Guide

The “flash forward” is a TV-show concept made popular by Lost. Now flash forward has its own TV show, as the Flash Forward TV show is the first to try and succeed Lost. ABC has both Flash Forward and V as new TV shows that could take over Lost’s bizarre sci-fi throne when the island disappears for good in May 2010. But Flash Forward has to survive its first year first, as the highly anticipated TV show starts television’s newest puzzling mystery tonight.

The premise of the Flash Forward TV show is that the whole world experiences the title concept one day, flashing ahead six months into the future for over 2 minutes. In many cases, the glimpses are horrifying, and have already begun to come true. Therefore, the rush is on for an FBI agent and many others to stop this future from happening, if they can.

A year and a half after Lost was changed forever with the concept of a flash forward, Flash Forward seeks to be the TV show that follows and surpasses Lost’s footsteps. The shadow of Lost has already been well covered – especially since two well known Lost cast members are in this show.

Sonya Walger, a.k.a. Lost’s Penny Widmore, has a major role as the wife of the lead character, Joseph Fiennes’ FBI agent. Dominic Monaghan, who played the dearly departed Charlie – who might not be quite departed yet – will appear on Flash Forward in the weeks ahead. Recognizable names like John Cho, Courtney B. Vance, Jack Davenport, Gabrielle Union, Brian F. O’Byrne and many others are also on board.

The Flash Forward TV show stands to be the latest philosophical action/sci-fi show, which puts the future pieces together while stopping to ask if the future can, or should, be changed. Lost did this all last season, and fans are still scrambling to piece it together. For Flash Forward, since it is a new show, it may be hurt by being so confusing.

Source: Associated Content

All the hype is right. Flash Forward really is the new Lost. After the premiere on September 24, get ready to read into things and obsess over subtle details. It’s totally compelling.

Flash Forward opens in the middle of a crash, just like Lost did. The Greeks called it “In medea res.” We get all our character development visually in scenery and encounters. It’s the professional way to set things up. Not the most nuanced, but not insulting.

The flash forward is an easy to understand occurrence with deeply complex and profound ramifications. Seeing the future means different things for different people, some hopeful, some horrible, some so unknown it would make you crazy. You don’t want it to end because there are so many possibilities. You don’t want to take a week off from thinking about it.

The characters are smart. They know exactly how to analyze this situation. There’s no time wasted explaining it. They get right to it. Compiling flashes of news is a fascinating protocol to outline the future. They address permutations like time zones. Some people’s flashes are humorously mundane.

There is good action for TV. Cars flip, roll into some interesting places, stuff explodes, people get crushed. It looks epic, if in more fleeting moments than the feature film equivalent. It definitely holds up with 24, Prison Break, Alias, Terminator, etc.

It’s not just about the potential consequences of the event either. I’m into the chaotic aftermath immediately following the big accident. It’s not I Am Legend but you see some survival, some self-centered defense and just plane wreckage.

The flash itself is a haze. We get a sense of what’s going on but it’s dream-like enough that it’s mysterious. We’ll definitely be filling in gaps week by week, probably obsessing over red herrings and overanalyzing irrelevant details. The flash happens in some really inopportune situations too. Some people just have an inconvenience, others end up in some serious sh*t.

A mistake with The Nine was that there really wasn’t that much new to reveal. So we got five more minutes of posturing during a standoff. Here, we may see each person’s flash in different weeks, so that’ll be new. By the time they go through everyone, they’ll have a new flash to start.

Some details I noticed, which you’ll appreciate after you see the premiere:

• It’s funny to notice generic brands. Looters hit Voltage City for free electronics.
• Spoiler alert: There’s a kanagroo in downtown L.A. That beats Fringe’s cow.
• They do say “Flash Forward” in the episode. I like when they say the name of the show in the show.
• Question: On April 29, does everyone black out again or just live the 2 minutes they foresaw?

The characters played by Joseph Fiennes and Sonya Walger have a shtick of saying negative things as terms of affection. That’s not cute to me. Negativity is powerful. There’s no substitute for honest love.

Anyway, I’m hooked. I hope they never explain why this happened. It should just be the gimmee. This is what happens. We’ll have fun with it, but creating some technobabble reason will rape it of it’s powerful impact. Unless it’s really, really good.

Source: Crave Online