LOST: Dharma You, Sky One

While it’s infuriating that Lost was robbed from C4 by Sky, the real blow for me was to see just how brilliantly Sky marketed their victory while at the same time selling the new series to existing and potential viewers. I’m assuming that those of you who haven’t seen the new billboard are either infirm or too busy watching re-runs of the first two seasons on your iPod as you walk to work (watch out for that lamp post … what lamp post … BANG). Like all the best marketing it’s simple, direct and no matter how much I want to throw VHS copies of “Invasion” at it because I am now bereft of one of my favourite shows, I don’t - it’s damn clever. The dark blue, green and black Lost colouring, the bold Lost font and just one word. FOUND. Okay, it says “on Sky One” underneath it, but hey, who’s counting?

Nevertheless, while I admire the Sky marketing team for the great job of sticking their fingers up at rivals Channel 4 and, no doubt, getting the Great British public to sign up and tune in, I for one shall be doing no such thing. About two years ago, I got rid of Sky. Great programming I grant you, but once Freeview came along, pretty pricey. For me, it’s a luxury product (though if Murdoch’s content buyers team keep pulling off master strokes like this, it’s in danger of becoming a necessity).

The tragedy now faced by non-Sky subscribing Lost fans has been well documented on blogs, websites, nataional newspaper letters pages and so on. Wednesday night double-bills on C4 and E4 were something to get excited about. I had the opportunity to Limewire it like anyone else, but refused, opting instead to watch it in like we were still twentieth century boys (and girls) – on TV, with the family, a community event (like the Silver Jubilee, but on a weekly basis and without the cake … not like the Silver Jubilee at all, now I come to think about it). At least ten minutes on Thursday mornings were devoted to “oh my god, did you see Lost” conversations with friends at work. Now, those moments are Lost (sorry, got this far, but couldn’t get through it without one, could I), forever.

Yes, we can buy the DVD when it comes out in the New Year. Yes, we can ask our flash mate with Sky to record it. Yes, we can Limewire it. But it won’t be the same. It won’t be a shared experience that brings like-minded obsessives who care that that shark in the first series had the Dharma Initiative symbol emblazoned on its fin and want to know why.

But I’m not taking this lying down. No siree. To mark my protest, from this Sunday and throughout the entire third series, I shall be keeping a weekly log of exactly what I’m doing when, if the world were a better place, I should be watching Lost. Maybe I’ll be baking a cake. Or ironing a shirt. Maybe a Michael Palin travel documentary will present itself to me on BBC Two. Or maybe, as I expect, I’ll simply be weeping into a pint of warm bitter. We’ll just have to wait and see. Each log will be emailed to Sky as punishment for their misdemeanours (I reckon they have the potential to be quite tedious).

You can catch my “LOST Without It” Logs right here. So long, fellow passengers. So long.