For those who haven’t been snagged in yet by Lost, a quick backgrounder. The show is about a flight that goes down in the middle of nowhere, a seemingly uncharted island. The survivors quickly realize that a rescue team will never find them since they were off-course when the plane crashed. They must find a way off the island on their own. But the obstacles are numerous, and they include an invisible force that could well be a monster of some kind, others on the island, the mystical will of the island itself, and the survivors’ own issues and bickering as they clash against one another.

It’s a great set-up, as we see elements of action, survival, and even horror movies, come into play. It’s all handled deftly, and you get the feeling that you are watching an epic film at times because of the scale of the show’s production and the largeness that you feel. Whereas most TV shows have your usual sets, Lost typically has you seeing them braving the jungles. It’s a far cry from good old Gilligan’s Island. Along with the events on the island, each episode we are given more back story on one of the characters. These flashbacks function almost as short stories. And then there are the various relationship developments on the island as this person likes another, then fights with them, then they make up and fight with someone else. Then someone dies, but he isn’t really dead. And in that sense it functions like a soap opera. But, as has been said, Lost is the only soap opera that you’ll catch macho guys talking about at the office as they stand around the water cooler.

After bringing home the Emmy for Best Drama, the new season of Lost sees the show upping the ante even more. The hatch has been blown and they find the remnants of a project called the Dharma Initiative. Here we see a ticking clock that could well hold the fate of the world, or merely be a cruel trick. There’s a heightened sense of The Others on the island, a building paranoia, especially as they have taken Michael’s son Walt. And Walt, who was shown in the first season to have the first inklings of paranormal powers, makes appearances in disturbing ways.

The show’s love stories continue, and one can only wonder where these will go since the survivors who landed on the other side of the island come into play. Michelle Rodriguez’s Lucia was shown in the first season chatting up Jack at the bar. They have both arisen as the leaders of their groups, and this set-up makes for some interesting tension to come.

That’s where Lost has become masterful; whenever it answers a question, it throws several more at you. For example, there’s the question of the hatch. What’s inside the hatch? That was the question that propelled much of the latter part of the first season with the opening of the hatch ending the season. Now we’ve seen what’s inside, but that has only served to bother us more, as we find out that this isn’t merely some random deserted island, but it is a place that has been watched and studied. But why? For what? And where are these scientists now? Did they leave? Or die? What’s next?

And so as the second season continues, one would do well to tune in every week. Also, if you need another hook to get caught by, surprise, surprise, another one of our survivors dies tragically. Who? Why? And then more questions to come. Some things just ain’t fair.