fripodding and lost: “the constant” composed by michael giacchino

You would think this friPod post would’ve been posted a couple weeks ago along with my LOST reflections that I posted all of that week. But I figured I’d talk about Michael Jackson instead since the date fell on a friDay. Why not honor one of the greatest, right?

But I don’t want to overlook one of the greatest TV shows and one of the greatest composers of our time.

Oscar winner: Michael Giacchino.

If you are not as musically-versed as other people I know (I don’t know everyone and everything either, especially composers), but he is the man behind the music of many movies and TV shows I’m sure you’re aware of. By the way, the Academy Award he won was for the movie Up. Yes, go watch that again and listen to the brilliance. Other places you may have heard him: Star Trek, Alias, Fringe… pretty much anything J. J. Abrams related, actually. I’ll add that he does considerable work for Disney/Pixar as well. So you may not have heard of him, but you’ve heard him.

Anyway, rather than pick apart all the themes of LOST, I will just pick my favorite. And it might be easy to remember since it’s from what many consider the best episode of the series. I might contend that it might not be the most recognizable, but on the same token, pretty much any score you hear from LOST, if you are a true fan, you know it’s from the show. And if you are a true Lostie, you know what character(s) is attached to the theme, when it was played and/or what’s going on when it happens.

Click to watch episode

One of the pieces that I love the most is what iSaac call’s “The Constant” which is from the very episode of the same name. Need a refresher of the famous tear-jerking scene that made the awesome brutha one of the show’s most favorite characters? Of course you do. (For those who don’t know anything about what I’m talking about, we find our hero, Desmond, having his conscience flash back and forth through time. He is told that these flashes will get worse and eventually kill him unless he is able to lock onto something that exists in both times he’s flashing to—a constant—which can be an object or a person, anything that will allow him to pretty much keep him sane and consequentially alive. His constant is estranged girlfriend, Penny, who was the only girl he truly loved, lost, and knew he would reconnect with her somehow by any means necessary. He hasn’t seen or spoken to her for years, and being trapped on the island didn’t help matters. But Penny had been on a mission of her own to find him. Much to her delight, as well as Desmond being surprised himself; a simple phone call (which was very complicated to get to) changed everything. It’s much easier if you just watch the episode for yourself.)

I’m pretty sure everyone can agree that without the score, that scene wouldn’t be as powerful. Granted, the scene is very strong on its own… but I think its one of the greatest moments in the show and I just love listening to this piece and being reminded of it. Plus, it just sounds awesome. And then at the end of it, I begin to wonder… who will be my constant?