David Fury

David Fury, co-executive producer of ABC’s upcoming SF series Lost, told SCI FI Wire that one of the most mysterious characters on the new series about plane crash survivors stranded on a mysterious South Pacific island is the island itself. "It is very interesting and has its own mythology that will hopefully unfold over many seasons," Fury (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) said in an interview. "We are hearing and seeing very odd occurrences, like a polar bear on the island. How does something like that happen in the South Pacific?"

While Lost is an amalgam of different genres, including SF, Fury explained that realism is the key in making it all work. "What we are trying to do is make sure everything has a very Scully explanation," Fury said, referring to the X-Files character. "This is not a show about the supernatural, despite the fact that we have a very huge creature that likes to eat people. Despite the surreal, bizarre aspects of the island, there will be an explanation for it. It may not come for a very long time, but certain information about the island will explain how things are possible. We’ll try to root it in real science or real pseudo-science. There will be no mystical reason or an island of monsters. The island has been around for millennia, and many people have found themselves on it, and as far as we know, nobody has ever gotten off. There is also the possibility of others being on the island, they just haven’t seen them yet. And we’ll never know how big this island is. It could be enormous, but odd things will keep them from knowing the full length and breadth of it. It’s an interesting little allegory. It will be very mysterious."

Lost, which was co-created by Alias’ J.J. Abrams, balances a core cast of 11 main characters, led by Matthew Fox (Haunted) and newcomer Evangeline Lily. That many characters gives the creative team a lot to explore, Fury said. "We are discovering there are so many stories to tell," he said. "There will be burgeoning romances that will be handled in a credible fashion and triangles, and not to get soap opera-y, but things are going to happen. Also, the show will always be from the perspective [of] the people on the island, so we never see the outside world, except from their perspective. We’ll see how things go, whether or not other people can arrive on the island. There could be an errant parachute, but certainly not the Harlem Globetrotters," he said with a laugh. "I hope people recognize this is a show that is unique and compelling, because there will be lots of surprises." Lost premieres on ABC at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Sept. 22.