Lost Bosses Solve "True Mystery," Talk of "Utter Suckiness" and Tease a Super-Sawyered Season

It's rather impossible to share much of what was discussed at Lost's TCA Winter Press Tour session on Friday, since to do so would delve into the first few episodes — the third of which was screened for reporters just before exec producers Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof took the stage. Here, though — and to supplement my teasy afternoon Facebook updates — are some Dharma-approved sound bites:

Lost's "True Mystery" Revealed!
Coming off of Richard Alpert's appearance in this season's Episode 3, Lindelof refuted one press person's contention that Nestor Carbonell wears too much eyeliner (especially when projected on the Hilton ballroom's 20-foot screens). "We had the same [observation] you did, but he does not wear any mascara, no eyeliner, nothing." Cuse chimed in to call Carbonell's distinct eyes "the true mystery of Lost."

Cane Almost Soured Lost's Master Plan
Speaking of Carbonell, had CBS' Cane found success a year ago (instead of tanking in short order), the Lost bosses would have had to resort to "Plan B, which would have been catastrophic," says Lindelof. Since the final two seasons rely heavily on the ageless Alpert, the show decided to avoid such another scare and secured Carbonell's services through Season 6.

The Secret to Their (Avoiding) "Suckiness"
Though ABC has gone on record as saying they would of course welcome lots more Lost than currently is planned, the producers stand by the decision to wrap things up after 34 more episodes. "When we got to Season 3, the show had reached a point where we knew it was trending [toward] utter suckiness," said Lindelof. "We had a decision to make — choose an end date."

It's the "Season of Sawyer"
Acknowledging that last season's focus on the Oceanic 6 robbed Sawyer of some screen time, the execs promise a reversal on that unfortunate shift. "Sawyer has a lot to do" as one of the castaways left behind, says Cuse. Adds Lindelof, "Josh [Holloway] has been doing amazing work this year."

Why Lost Probably Won't Find an Emmy this Year
Team Darlton are the first to admit that Emmy voters like tidy, digestible episodes, and that's why Lost finds little love at the awards show. And looking ahead, nothing from this coming season will fit the blue ribbon panel's criteria. "If the first episode of Lost that you ever see is the first episode of Season 5, you will not understand a majority of it."

The Logo Is Loaded
Surveying the newest show logo — as projected onto the ballroom wall — the boys explained that the cityscape within the letters of "Lost" represents how "at least for the first part of this season, you're getting a split between [stories about] the people at home and the people who are on the island." But only for the first part of the season?

Who Ordered Jin?
"You'll definitely see Jin this season; [Daniel Dae Kim] is a series regular," promises Cuse. Wasn't he aboard the freighter as it went kablooey, though? "We're not saying he's currently alive, but...."

As for Michael....
Walt's dad, however, might not be as lucky as Jin — if only because Harold Perrineau is busy starring on the midseason ABC series The Unusuals. "I'm working for the same network so anything can happen," says the actor. "You never know what Carlton and Damon are going to do."

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