Science behind Jericho

Show like Jericho really needs scientific consultant(s) so it won't derail
like "Lost" who started in the "sci fi" category and gradually changed to
"fantasy" before the first season ended.

Steven L....

The gradual introduction of far-out stuff (like precognitive dreams and
telekinesis) wasn't inadvertent "derailing" but deliberately planned.
Abrams had been warned by ABC to soft-pedal the supernatural stuff in
the early episodes until Lost could hook a solidly loyal audience.

Having said that, Lost does contain numerous technical errors, not all
of them science-related. For example, several of the characters have
had run-ins with the law, yet Lost has made several errors in depicting
how law enforcement works. They need experts in several fields, not
just science, for a show with a scope as sprawling as Lost.

jayembee...

At what point was LOST ever science fiction as opposed to fantasy?
What, exactly, was science fictional about it?

Steven L....

Science-fiction elements on "Lost" include:

- "geologically unique electromagnetism" (cf. Kelvin's speech to
Desmond; the signal detected by Penny's men)

- polar bears genetically engineered for tropical climates (cf. the
Blast Door Map)

- the other Hanso and DHARMA research projects, about which we'll
probably learn more in future episodes (cf. Blast Door Map and "Lost
Experience" website)

From the preview, the second episode will deal with fallout. I can see
everyone in town need move into mine. But when I heard someone shouting "We
need to seal the mine in two hours, or everyone will die", it worries me
that the producers will not do the science right.

Steven L....

The producers have claimed to the news media that they have carefully
reviewed their depiction for technical accuracy. We'll see.

With science-fiction TV shows (and "Jericho" is at least "speculative
fiction"), it's still a rarity to have paid technical advisers. (Star
Trek was the first science-fiction TV series to employ technical advisers.)

jayembee...

And it worries me that you blanketly assume that ignorance on the
part of characters on the show indicates ignorance on the part of
the writers.