Answers are coming. With a fixed end now in sight, the creative brains behind cult heavyweight Lost have finally started to explain the show's many head-scratchers, but are still dishing out plenty of new twists to keep us on our toes. Last season ended with the show's first flash-forward, revealing that some of the castaways eventually make it off the island. But who finds salvation? As actor Naveen Andrews (Sayid) explains, the cast is just as clueless as the rest of us.
What did you think of the shock twist at the end of season three? "I can't remember it actually. What happened? Oh God yeah, the main one. I guess it put the frighteners on the cast because everyone started thinking 'if people are getting off the island, will I be one of them?' I think that's what most people were concerned with, quite frankly."
And are you missing Dominic Monaghan on set? "Yes. I've got no-one to do Alan Partridge with now, so it's a sad loss."
The quality of season three came under quite a lot of criticism from fans of the show. Was that a viewpoint you shared? "Oh, completely yeah, because it really did seem like it was meandering somewhat and that the writers were winging it. Both Carlton [Cuse] and Damon [Lindelof] during that time were lobbying the network to end the show, which they managed to achieve - we now have a definite ending after season six - so the quality can't do anything but improve. I hope."
Do you worry that Sayid will be killed off before the end? "It's not something that I worry about on a daily basis, no. It's like crossing the road and worrying about being run over by a bus. They've had plenty of opportunities to do Sayid in, so it's not something I really think about."
What can we expect from season four? "You see the characters splitting into two groups, and one group moving off with Jack and the other with Locke. I guess there will be the much more anticipated flash-forwards. We know about Jack and Kate and I guess the audience will get to find out who else gets off the island."
I've heard that Sayid is among that number... "Oh, erm... well... that's an interesting rumour. It would be nice, wouldn't it?"
This week's episode is Sayid-centric. What can we expect from it? "You'll see him in a completely different light. It threw me for a loop when I read the script. I was genuinely surprised about the direction they took with Sayid on that one. Very pleased."
Do we learn anything new about him? "It's a good episode because it shows these complexities again. He's obviously somebody who's used to violence but he's a romantic as well, and I guess you see that in the episode. Strangely enough, you will see where his loyalties lie as well. It should be a bit of a shock actually."
And is there a new love interest? "Yes, there is. She's beautiful!"
Do you think Shannon could return at any point? "God, at this rate anybody can come back as a bloody ghost. I don't think so, unfortunately, but it would be great if she came back, wouldn't it?"
Perhaps at the end of the series? "Yeah, a kind of collection of ghosts. Having a party!"
What's your take on the writers' strike? "From what I've heard it seems to be coming to a close and I think they've agreed to have a resolution some time shortly, which means we should be coming back to work around the end of March. I think a lot of people are relieved about that, if that actually happens."
Has the break given you time to pursue other projects? "Oh God no, I've been seeing my family and chilling out."
A well-deserved rest. "For me personally, yes. For crews and our own crew over in Hawaii it's been a bit of a nightmare. Think about it, if you're a crew member - makeup, wardrobe, whatever - you're not going to get anything out of the resolution because it's between the writers and the studios. But yet you have to stop working, and you're not going to get paid. It's been much, much more traumatic for them."
Do you think the eight completed episodes should have been saved until the remaining eight were ready? "No, I was really pleased that they just put the eight out now because people are just hungry to see it. I think the ratings proved that position quite well."
Not long now until the end of the show altogether. How do you feel about that? "Well, not long now... 40 episodes seems like a long time to me! But yes, I am happy about a fixed ending because it can't do anything but improve the quality of the writing."
Do you have any theories on how the show will end? "I know where, geographically, the show will end but I don't know any more details than that."
When did you discover that? "At the same time that I got the script for my episode."
Can you tell us more? "No. I'm so sorry, I can't say any more. I really wish I could. Forgive me!"
