'Lost': Doc Jensen Goes Fourth!

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''Find 815'' certainly puts us in the proper frame of mind for season 4. The score and lighting of the video material are Lost-esque, and Sam, scruffy and haggard, gives off a Jack-in-the-future vibe. The whole enterprise seems to further embellish some important ideas that the season 3 finale established, particularly hints of conspiracy pertaining to Oceanic 815. However, there are some kinks. Maybe the biggest one is this: Jack's flash forward, which took place in April 2007, showed us that Oceanic had given ''golden tickets'' to the survivors of Oceanic 815 and that Jack was making extensive use of them. But per the chronology of ''Find 815,'' Oceanic didn't reopen for business until Dec. 31, 2007. Lost freaks being what they are, it will be tempting for them to wonder if perhaps this discrepancy is not a discrepancy but rather some kind of meaningful clue. Is this alternate reality game set within an alternate reality itself, one parallel to but different from the world in which the drama of Lost is unfolding? The answer is no: This discrepancy is just a continuity error. It might be helpful if ABC set up some kind of troubleshooting desk that clarifies these errors. Regardless, those who play ''Find 815'' would be wise to enjoy this otherwise engaging, well-produced ride without taking it too seriously. At the very least, embrace the lesson this writer has learned from the show itself: Not everything is a mystery.

If you're inclined to think that things like ''Find 815'' require waaaay too much work, I suggest doing what I do: cheat. Once every couple days, visit the ''Find 815'' sections at darkufo.blogspot.com or lostpedia.com or docarzt.com and read their recaps. If that still sounds tedious, check back with me later in the month; I'll recap the highlights.

Quibbles aside, I can't resist making some observations, predictions, and theories:

The significance of ''Sam Thomas.'' In the Bible, Samson was an Old Testament guy whose love for Delilah made mincemeat of his common sense. Sounds like our bearded ''Find 815'' hero. I also can't help making this stretch: Samson was famously hairy. Sam Harris is a famous atheist. Like I said, it's a stretch...at least, until you bring the surname Thomas into the equation. See, Thomas was the disciple of Christ who couldn't take on faith alone that Jesus had risen from the dead — hence, ''Doubting Thomas.'' Finally, the name Sonya is derived from the Greek word for ''wisdom.'' Add it up: a guy who shares names with flawed men of faith is seeking the veiled truths of his world via the pursuit of a woman synonymous with wisdom. Sounds essentially Lost-ish to me. Yep: The nutty Doc Jensen juices are starting to flow once again! (Why rain on my own parade by noting that there happens to be a producer named Samantha L. Thomas and most likely ''Sam Thomas'' was named in her honor?)

Sam Thomas is going to wind up on The Freighter. If you can recall the season finale (and if you can't, you're in luck: ABC is going to air it again on Jan. 30), there is a ship in the distance known in Lost circles as The Freighter that offers the hope of rescue for the Oceanic 815 castaways. My prediction is this: Sam's salvage vessel, the Christiane 1, will run into rough waters, maybe even sink, and Sam and the surviving crew will be rescued by The Freighter but quickly learn that their saviors are a shady and maybe even dangerous bunch.

The Maxwell Group will play a role in the fourth season of Lost. If you check out the website, you'll notice a faint swirling image in the center of the group's compass logo. If you squint — or simply adjust your screen settings — you'll see that the swirling image is actually a coiled snake. Ominous! And familiar. Remember our old spooky friend Ms. Hawking, the future-knowing lady Desmond encountered in the pawn shop during last season's time-travel episode? She was wearing a weird broach shaped like a curled serpent, or ouroboros. Could there be a connection between The Maxwell Group and this wise old timecop?

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While I was working on this column, my good friend Dana Sanders gave me a call. Dana is one of those Lost fans who only watches the show on DVD. He waits until the previous season comes out in the boxed set, then watches every episode over the course of a month. But after watching the third season, Dana seems ready to change his viewing habits. Super-charged by the season finale, he can't wait for the season 4 premiere. ''I'm even going on the Web and reading all these crazy theories from all these crazy fans!'' To which I replied: ''Welcome to the club.''

Which makes the possibility of a strike-abbreviated season all the more cruddy, what with Lost invigorated with new creative energy and public interest. Here's hoping a deal can be reached soon. As for our own little chapter of the big Lost club, look for weekly meetings to resume at the end of the month here at EW.com. In the meantime, feel free to e-mail me at JeffJensenEW@aol.com with questions, theories, or your own take on ''Find 815.''

Namaste!
Doc Jensen

Want more Lost ? See EW.com's exclusive extended Q&A with Matthew Fox