Confirmed Dead
{{For|the process of confirmation of death|Death certificate}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2020}}
{{Use American English|date=April 2020}}
{{Infobox television episode
| series = Lost
| image =
| caption =
| season = 4
| episode = 2
| director = Stephen Williams
| writer = Drew Goddard
Brian K. Vaughan
| guests = Jeff Fahey as Frank Lapidus
Mira Furlan as Danielle Rousseau
Tania Raymonde as Alex
Blake Bashoff as Karl Martin
Marsha Thomason as Naomi Dorrit
Lance Reddick as Matthew Abaddon
Zoë Bell as Regina
Fisher Stevens as George Minkowski
Jill Kuramoto as Female anchor
Necar Zadegan as Translator
Azure McCall as Mrs. Gardner
Kanayo Chiemelu as African man
| production = 402
| airdate = {{Start date|2008|02|07}}
| episode_list = List of Lost episodes
| season_article = Lost season 4
| prev = The Beginning of the End
| next = The Economist
}}
"Confirmed Dead" is the second episode of the fourth season of ABC's serial television drama Lost and the 74th episode overall. It was first aired on February 7, 2008, on ABC in the United States and on CTV in Canada.
The episode includes the first appearances of the main characters Miles Straume and Charlotte Lewis and the supporting character Frank Lapidus. Ken Leung played Miles Straume, Rebecca Mader played Charlotte Lewis and Jeff Fahey played Frank Lapidus. The actors were given fake scenes when auditioning to limit the leak of story information or spoilers. Mader and Fahey were different from the writers' visions of Charlotte and Frank, but the writers changed the characters to suit them. Also, the role of Miles was changed for Leung. The episode was written by co-executive producer Drew Goddard and co-producer Brian K. Vaughan and directed by co-executive producer Stephen Williams.
The beginning of the episode is set on December 21, 2004, or 91 days after the original characters crash-land on a tropical island from Oceanic Airlines Flight 815. During the show, flashbacks introduce the island's latest arrivals – four people from an offshore freighter who landed on the island. The main action is of John Locke (Terry O'Quinn) leading his group to the Barracks. He begins to find out why Ben Linus (Michael Emerson) is afraid of the newcomers. "Confirmed Dead" was watched by 17 million Americans and received generally positive critical reception as reviewers praised the introduction of the new characters.
Plot
The episode's five flashbacks focus on the reactions and activities of the freighter's crew who made contact with the Oceanic 815 survivors; Daniel Faraday (Jeremy Davies) is shown crying while watching a newscast confirming the deaths of all Oceanic 815 passengers. His caretaker asks why he is crying, and he answers that he does not know. Miles Straume (Ken Leung) is a medium hired by an elderly woman to remove the ghost of her grandson from her home. After conversing with the spirit, Miles finds a hidden cache of money and drugs. Charlotte Lewis (Rebecca Mader) is an anthropologist who finds a polar bear skeleton bearing a Dharma Initiative collar buried in the Tunisian desert. Frank Lapidus (Jeff Fahey) is an alcoholic who was originally scheduled to pilot flight 815. He phones the Oceanic hotline while watching the newscast and claims that the footage of the plane wreckage being aired on television is not authentic, while Naomi Dorrit (Marsha Thomason) is shown in a posthumous flashback, criticizing her employer Matthew Abaddon (Lance Reddick) for his choice in her coworkers.
After Daniel parachutes from a failing helicopter onto the island, he uses Naomi's phone to contact George Minkowski (Fisher Stevens) on the ship that he came from. The next morning, on December 22, 2004, two of the flight 815 survivors – Jack Shephard (Matthew Fox) and Kate Austen (Evangeline Lilly) – help Daniel find his colleagues, as the rival group led by Locke attempts to do the same. Jack and Kate find Miles, who demands to see Naomi's body, and reasons that Naomi was killed by Kate as Naomi said a code on the phone before dying. Kate confesses then that Naomi was killed by John Locke. Locke's group finds Charlotte, takes her prisoner, and disposes of her tracking device. Daniel's third colleague, helicopter pilot Frank, fires a flare into the sky, leading Jack's group to him. Frank tells Jack's group that he managed to land the helicopter intact. After finding out that Juliet Burke (Elizabeth Mitchell) is one of the Others, Miles demands to know where Ben (Michael Emerson) is, as locating him is the freighter crew's primary objective. In Locke's group, several people become discontent with Locke's revelation that he is following the instructions of Walt Lloyd (Malcolm David Kelley), who had left the island a month earlier, and they also question why Ben is being kept alive. Locke holds him at gunpoint, and Ben starts to reveal information about the Kahana crew, specifically Charlotte's identity and that he has a spy aboard the ship.
Production
While casting the "freighter folk" – the nickname that Lost
Rebecca Mader's audition scene was a fake flashback and she was disappointed that it was not used for the show. The character's name was spoiled months in advance of broadcast. Charlotte was originally envisioned as an American; however, the writers preferred Mader's natural English accent to her fake American accent and they changed Charlotte accordingly. Lost
Most or all of the episode was shot from September 11 to 23, 2007 and filming overlapped with the following episode. The Tunisian desert scene was filmed on location in Oahu, Hawaii, like the rest of the episode, at a stone quarry with industrial fans blowing fake sand. A typical Lost episode contains fifty visual effects shots. Among scenes created entirely or partially with effects are the opening scene of "Confirmed Dead", which shows what appears to be the wreckage of 815 underwater and the scene from Daniel's perspective as he parachutes from the helicopter to the ground. In Frank's flashback, he drops a toy plane, which spirals into a small aquarium. This shot was not intended to use effects; however, "it's impossible to get a toy plane to spiral the way you want it to", according to supervisor Mitch Suskin. A tank with still water and rocks on the bottom was filmed and the plane was added in editing. Suskin said that creating effects for "Confirmed Dead" "was slightly too leisurely" because the episode aired over four months after post-production began.
In fall 2007, Lost
Reception
"Confirmed Dead" was watched by 15.292 million American viewers live or recorded and watched within six hours of broadcast, ranking Lost seventh in the weekly chart. It was watched by a total of 16.963 million viewers, including those who watched within seven days of broadcast; this number went toward the year-end season average. The episode received a 6.5/16 in the key adults 18–49 demographic. In Canada, it ranked sixth for the week with 1.702 million viewers. In the United Kingdom, Lost was watched by 1.2 million viewers – a larger audience than that of the season premiere. In Australia, "Confirmed Dead" brought in 853,000 viewers, ranking seventy-first for the week. American critics were sent screener DVDs of "The Beginning of the End" and "Confirmed Dead" on January 28, 2008, with instructions not to reveal major plot points in reviews. Among the journalists who gave vague and positive reviews were Mary McNamara of the Los Angeles Times, Maureen Ryan of the Chicago Tribune, Diane Werts of Newsday and Tim Goodman of the San Francisco Chronicle. According to Oscar Dahl of BuddyTV, "Confirmed Dead" "was met with almost universal love from the Lost fan base" and according to Jon Lachonis of UGO, the new characters were well received by the fan scene.
Alan Sepinwall of The Star-Ledger wrote that "after an underwhelming pre-credits sequence ... this sucker moved, and lots of things happened. We met our four new regulars, squeezed in useful flashbacks about [them] and even found out the real reason they're on the island ... The flipside of all this business is that 'Confirmed Dead' didn't have the same emotional resonance as '[The] Beginning of the End' ... but you clearly can't have everything in every episode." Time
References
{{reflist|1=30em|refs=
Jensen, Jeff "Doc", (February 20, 2008) [https://ew.com/article/2008/02/22/lost-s4-mind-blowing-scoop/ "Lost: Mind-Blowing Scoop From Its Producers] ", Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved on March 17, 2008.
Lachonis, Jon "DocArzt", (February 13, 2008) "[http://www.ugo.com/tv/lost/?cur=rebecca-mader Rebecca Mader Lost Interview] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080320042956/http://www.ugo.com/tv/lost/?cur=rebecca-mader |date=2008-03-20}}", UGO Networks. Retrieved on March 16, 2008.
Lindelof, Damon (writer) & Cuse, Carlton (writer) & Bender, Jack (director), "The Constant". Lost, ABC. Episode 5, season 4. Aired on February 28, 2008.
Lindelof, Damon (writer) & Cuse, Carlton (writer) & Bender, Jack (director). "Live Together, Die Alone". Lost, ABC. Episode 24, season 2. Aired on May 24, 2007.
Littleton, Cynthia, (October 12, 2007) "[https://variety.com/2007/more/news/lost-the-weight-of-the-wait-1117974014/ Lost: The Weight of the Wait]", Variety. Retrieved on October 13, 2007.
Jensen, Jeff, (August 29, 2007) "[https://ew.com/article/2007/09/03/lost-producers-their-five-new-actors/ Lost: Five Fresh Faces]", Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved on August 30, 2007.
Ausiello, Michael, (August 19, 2007) "[https://www.tvguide.com/news/Exclusive-Sopranos-Scene-stealer-8359.aspx Sopranos Scene-Stealer Gets Lost!]", TV Guide. Retrieved on January 23, 2013.
Malcolm, Shawna, (February 7, 2008) "[https://www.tvguide.com/news/lost-new-characters-38564.aspx Lost Exclusive: Meet Four New Characters!]", TV Guide. Retrieved on January 23, 2013.
Sanchez, Roland, (February 8, 2008) "[http://abc.go.com/primetime/lost/index?pn=podcast The Official Lost Video Podcast]", ABC. Retrieved on March 17, 2008.
Lindelof, Damon & Cuse, Carlton, (March 21, 2008) "[http://ll.media.abc.com/podcast/audio/itunes/LOST_409_audio_podcast_8ea5441e-65f4-4d96-ad4d-4e2de171b95e_1604375.mp3 The Official Lost Audio Podcast]", ABC. Retrieved on March 31, 2008.
Jensen, Jeff, (August 27, 2007) "[https://web.archive.org/web/20070829192553/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20053479,00.html Lost Scoop: Jeff Fahey Joins Cast]", Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved on August 27, 2007.
Keck, Will, (February 13, 2008) "[https://www.usatoday.com/life/people/celebwatch/2008-02-13-mader-sidebar_N.htm Meet Three More of the 'Freighter People' from Lost]", USA Today. Retrieved on March 16, 2008.
SBK & Cabin Boy, (February 29, 2008) "[http://www.wtks.com/pages/lost_podcast.html?feed=247390&article=3346303 Lost Interview with Charlotte (Rebecca Mader)]{{dead link|date=January 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes}}", WTKS-FM. Retrieved on March 9, 2008.
Ausiello, Michael, (February 15, 2008) "[https://www.tvguide.com/news/Lost-Newbie-to-8462.aspx Lost Newbie to Kristen Bell: 'Thanks for Turning Down Charlotte!']", TV Guide. Retrieved on January 23, 2013.
Jensen, Jeff, (August 29, 2007) "[https://ew.com/article/2007/09/03/lost-producers-their-five-new-actors/ Lost Producers on Their Five New Actors] ", Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved on August 30, 2007.
Ausiello, Michael, (August 1, 2007) "[https://www.tvguide.com/news/Lost-Introduces-8447.aspx Lost Introduces the Other Others!?]", TV Guide. Retrieved on January 23, 2013.
Ausiello, Michael, (August 8, 2008) "[https://www.tvguide.com/Ask-Ausiello/070808 'Ask Ausiello' on Lost, Friday Night Lights, Bones and More!]{{dead link|date=January 2013 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes}}", TV Guide. Retrieved on January 19, 2008.
Kubicek, John, (October 16, 2007) "[http://www.buddytv.com/articles/heroes/heroes-exclusive-kristen-bell-12506.aspx Heroes Exclusive: Kristen Bell and Tim Kring Reveal Season 2 Spoilers]", BuddyTV. Retrieved on October 24, 2007.
Kexk, Will, (February 24, 2008) "[https://www.usatoday.com/life/people/celebwatch/2008-02-24-Rebecca-Mader_N.htm Mader Makes Her Mark as Latest Lost Cast Member]", USA Today. Retrieved on March 16, 2008.
Nichols, Katherine, (February 19, 2008) "[http://starbulletin.com/2008/02/19/features/story01.html Hero or ... Lost Actress Rebecca Mader is Clueless About Her Character's Motivation But Loves the Role] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080330072623/http://starbulletin.com/2008/02/19/features/story01.html |date=March 30, 2008 }}", Honolulu Star-Bulletin. Retrieved on March 16, 2008.
Dos Santos, Kristin, (February 8, 2008) "[http://www.eonline.com/gossip/kristin/detail/index.jsp?uuid=c628ccf6-3cf0-413d-938e-d690942fb0b6 Meet the New Girl]", E!. Retrieved on March 16, 2008.
{{cite podcast|url=http://ll.media.abc.com/podcast/audio/itunes/LOST_510_audio_podcast_5de8e99f-8d9b-410b-a8bb-9393a9f91e0f_2041378.mp3 |title=The Official LOST Audio Podcast: March 19th, 2009|website=American Broadcasting Company (ABC.com).|host=Cuse, Carlton; Lindelof, Damon|date=March 19, 2009 |access-date=March 19, 2009}}
{{cite magazine|url=http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2009/03/lost-exclusive.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090325073543/http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2009/03/lost-exclusive.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 25, 2009 |title=Lost exclusive: War erupts over Charlotte's real age! |author=Ausiello, Michael |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |date=March 23, 2009 |access-date=March 25, 2009 |author-link=Michael Ausiello}}
Perez, Mario, (September 11, 2008) "[http://www.abcmedianet.com/web/display/display_item.aspx?item=ph/htm/110897_266.htm Jeremy Davies, Matthew Fox and Evangeline Lilly Asset Display Photography Caption Information] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090111152448/http://www.abcmedianet.com/web/display/display_item.aspx?item=ph%2Fhtm%2F110897_266.htm |date=January 11, 2009}}", ABC Medianet. Retrieved on March 16, 2008.
Harada, Wayne, (September 27, 2008) "[http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2007/Sep/27/il/hawaii709270313.html Lost Takes Over Cassis, Brings Chinatown Snow]", Honolulu Advertiser. Retrieved on March 17, 2008.
Perez, Mario, (September 19, 2008) "[http://www.abcmedianet.com/web/display/display_item.aspx?item=ph/htm/111004_071.htm Jeff Fahey Asset Display Photography Caption Information] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090111152451/http://www.abcmedianet.com/web/display/display_item.aspx?item=ph%2Fhtm%2F111004_071.htm |date=January 11, 2009}}", ABC Medianet. Retrieved on March 16, 2008.
Sinclair, Lara, (February 14, 2008) "[http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23209038-26077,00.html Lost Fans Reunite in Drama Online] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20080217225645/http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23209038-26077,00.html |date=2008-02-17}}", The Australian. Retrieved on March 17, 2008.
Connelly, Michael Alan, (January 31, 2008) "[https://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2008/01/we_decode_the_lost_online_game.html Lost Billboard Purchaser Ordered 'Vandalism']", Ames Tribune. Retrieved on March 17, 2008.
La Gesse, Bobby, (January 9, 2008) "[http://www.midiowanews.com/site/tab1.cfm?newsid=19182861&BRD=2700&PAG=461&dept_id=554432&rfi=6 We Decode the Lost Online Game for You] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080121020734/http://www.midiowanews.com/site/tab1.cfm?newsid=19182861&BRD=2700&PAG=461&dept_id=554432&rfi=6 |date=January 21, 2008}}", New York. Retrieved on March 17, 2008.
Lindelof, Damon & Cuse, Carlton, (March 10, 2008) "[http://ll.media.abc.com/podcast/audio/itunes/LOST_407_audio_podcast_2639b9f3-d701-4360-b0d4-ae298886bd2d_1591126.mp3 Official Lost Audio Podcast] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120210185441/http://ll.media.abc.com/podcast/audio/itunes/LOST_407_audio_podcast_2639b9f3-d701-4360-b0d4-ae298886bd2d_1591126.mp3 |date=February 10, 2012 }}", ABC. Retrieved on March 1, 2008.
Jensen, Jeff "Doc", (February 20, 2008) "[https://ew.com/article/2008/02/22/lost-s4-mind-blowing-scoop/ Lost: Mind-Blowing Scoop]", Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved on March 17, 2008.
ABC Medianet, (February 12, 2008) "[http://abcmedianet.com/web/dnr/dispDNR.aspx?id=021208_04 Weekly Program Rankings]". Retrieved on February 21, 2008.
ABC Medianet, (February 12, 2008) "[http://abcmedianet.com/web/dnr/dispDNR.aspx?id=021208_03 Weekly Primetime Ratings Report]". Retrieved on February 21, 2008.
BBM Canada, (February 12, 2008) {{cite web|url=http://www.bbm.ca/en/nat02042008.pdf |title=Top Programs – Total Canada (English) |access-date=February 22, 2008 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090225131032/http://www.bbm.ca/en/nat02042008.pdf |archive-date=February 25, 2009|format=PDF}}
Holmwood, Leigh, (February 18, 2008) "[https://www.theguardian.com/media/2008/feb/18/tvratings.television Kingdom Reigns Over The Last Enemy]", The Guardian. Retrieved on February 21, 2008.
Dale, David, (February 21, 2008) {{cite web|url=http://blogs.sunherald.com.au/whoweare/archives/2008/02/the_ratings_rac_75.html |title="The Who We Are Update: Week 8" |access-date=February 22, 2008 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080226071706/http://blogs.sunherald.com.au/whoweare/archives/2008/02/the_ratings_rac_75.html |archive-date=February 26, 2008}} The Sun-Herald.
McNamara, Mary, (January 31, 2008) "[http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2008/Feb/01/en/hawaii802010327.html Lost in the Moment]", Los Angeles Times. Retrieved on February 2, 2008.
Ryan, Maureen, (January 29, 2008) "[http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/entertainment_tv/2008/01/lost-shockers-a.html Lost
Werts, Diane, (January 30, 2008) {{cite web|url=http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/tv/ny-ettell5555593jan30%2C0%2C2205345.column |title="Review: Lost Finds Itself Again in New Season" |access-date=March 24, 2008 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080324130130/http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/tv/ny-ettell5555593jan30%2C0%2C2205345.column |archive-date=March 24, 2008}}, Newsday.
Goodman, Tim, (January 30, 2008) "[http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2008/01/30/DDAFUO57I.DTL Want to Get Lost? There's Still Time as Season Starts]", San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved on February 2, 2008.
Dahl, Oscar, (February 11, 2008) "[http://www.buddytv.com/articles/lost/lost-confirmed-dead-reader-rea-16535.aspx 'Confirmed Dead' Reader Reactions]", BuddyTV. Retrieved on March 10, 2008.
Sepinwall, Alan, (February 7, 2008) "[http://blog.nj.com/alltv/2008/02/lost_confirmed_dead_who_ya_gon.html Who Ya Gonna Call? Miles!]", The Star-Ledger. Retrieved on June 21, 2008.
Poniewozik, James, (February 8, 2008) {{cite web|url=http://www.time-blog.com/tuned_in/2008/02/lostwatch_weve_got_company.html |title="Lostwatch: We've Got Company" |access-date=February 13, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080213170314/http://www.time-blog.com/tuned_in/2008/02/lostwatch_weve_got_company.html |archive-date=February 13, 2008}} Time.
Jensen, Jeff "Doc", (February 7, 2008) "[https://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20177008,00.html Chute First, Ask Questions Later] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201222032854/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20177008,00.html |date=December 22, 2020 }}", Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved on March 15, 2008.
Dos Santos, Kristin & Godwin, Jennifer, (February 7, 2008) "[http://www.eonline.com/gossip/kristin/detail/index.jsp?uuid=0f9b7623-0229-4af4-a33d-f51749d5f973 Welcome, New People! (Please Don't Shoot the Losties)]", E!. Retrieved on March 10, 2008.
{{cite magazine|last=Stafford|first=Nikki|date=February 8, 2008|title=We Meet the 'Rescuers' ... and Find Out Who They're Really Here For|magazine=Wizard}}
{{cite web|last=Carabott|first=Chris|date=February 6, 2008|url=http://tv.ign.com/articles/849/849603p1.html|title=Four New Characters Join the Cast|website=IGN|access-date=March 10, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080208115019/http://tv.ign.com/articles/849/849603p1.html|archive-date=February 8, 2008|url-status=dead}}
{{cite web|last=Dahl|first=Oscar|date=February 8, 2008|url=http://www.buddytv.com/articles/lost/lost-the-unexpected-adventure-16483.aspx|title=The Unexpected Adventure|website=BuddyTV|access-date=March 10, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171211104956/http://www.buddytv.com/articles/lost/lost-the-unexpected-adventure-16483.aspx|archive-date=December 11, 2017|url-status=dead}}
{{cite web|first=Michael|last=Ausiello|author-link=Michael Ausiello|date=February 7, 2008|url=https://www.tvguide.com/news/Big-Problems-Weeks-8078.aspx|title=My Big Problem(s) With This Week's Lost|website=TV Guide|access-date=January 23, 2013}}
{{cite web|last=Rawson-Jones|first=Ben|date=February 10, 2008|url=https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/ustv/a89507/s04e02-confirmed-dead-89507/|title=S04E02: 'Confirmed Dead' Review|website=Digital Spy|access-date=June 21, 2008}}
}}
External links
{{Wikiquote|Lost (TV series)#Confirmed Dead .5B4.02.5D|"Confirmed Dead"}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20110318153321/http://abc.go.com/shows/lost/episode-detail/confirmed-dead/80712 "Confirmed Dead"] at ABC
- {{IMDb episode|0994359}}
{{Lost episodes}}
{{Featured article}}
Category:2008 American television episodes
Category:Lost season 4 episodes
Category:Television episodes directed by Stephen Williams (director)