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The following "Treehouse News" posts appeared weekly on the official The Lost World Discussion Board.

Started during the production of the third series by Nick Jacobs, Assistant Story Editor on The Lost World, the messages provided information about upcoming episodes, production news, and behind the scenes tidbits, giving fans a rare chance to hear from the people involved in the creation of the series.

With the demise of the official site and message board, I've reposted the messages here.

TREEHOUSE NEWS 07 11 02

SEASON FOUR PRODUCTION

By now, we're certain everyone can recite this section by heart. About the only thing missing from the mix is the "official" announcement of the first day of principal photography. Off the record, lots of great things going on behind the scenes involving actors and videos and… just about everything. But since this is the official board, we can't say anything here until every "t" is crossed and "i" dotted. So bear with us, and keep the champagne and root beer on ice…

As always (you may all join in), completely unofficially and subject to change, the first episode of Season Four is scheduled to air the week of September 30.

DAVID ORTH CHAT AT WWW.TLWADDICTS.COM

HmmŠ this section sounds familiar, too. All we can say is summer schedules play havoc with everyone's availability. So, as always, just as a reminder, be sure to bookmark this site:

www.tlwaddicts.com

That's where the David Orth chat will take place soon, we hope. In the meantime, watch this space for announcements of other chats in the weeks ahead…

SEASON THREE BROADCAST SCHEDULE

Each week, Treehouse News lists the next four episodes to air in the U.S.

Summer reruns continue with:

07/08/02 - 07/14/02 Episode 311 "Ice Age"

07/15/02 - 07/21/02 Episode 312 "The End Game"

07/22/02 - 07/28/02 Episode 313 "Phantoms"

07/29/02 - 08/04/02 Episode 314 "The Secret"

FOR THE RECORD: TLW Newsletter

If you like finding out more about The Lost World, be sure you sign up for the online weekly newsletter from New Line. In addition to details and photos from the coming week's episode, it always includes an INSIDE SCOOP FROM TREEHOUSE NEWS detailing some of the fascinating background detail that goes into the series. This week, find out just how plausible it is for life to exist at temperatures below freezing. Ever hear of certain animals with antifreeze for blood? You will at the link below, when you sign up to subscribe today.

http://www.lostworldtv.net/

FOR THE RECORD: Convention News

A big box of convention goodies (including one or two small items not mentioned last week) has gone out to the organizers for the charity auction. Everyone on the show wishes Chicago was a bit closer to Queensland, and passes along their best wishes and thanks.

BEHIND THE SCENES FOR THIS WEEK'S EPISODE: "Ice Age"

From the beginning of the season, everyone knew this was going to be a tough episode to make, for two important reasons. First, it was going to be the first of several episodes which would have to be made without Malone and Veronica. Second, the production team would actually try to pull off a technical feat which had been discussed since Season One -- making the Plateau look cold.

The temporarily diminished main cast was a concern because of the extra pressure on Peter McCauley, Rachel Blakely, and Will Snow. Almost all TLW episodes involve splitting up the main cast. A great example is "The Knife," in which Roxton and Marguerite never appear in a scene with the others until the Tag. Not only does this story-telling style allow us to keep at least two story threads going, helping build excitement and tension (we hope!), it eases scheduling. Again, in the case of "The Knife," on a particular day it was possible to have the Main Unit film Will and Rachel at the Inland Sea, and the second unit film Jennifer O'Dell at the base of the Treehouse, giving Peter a chance to re-record dialogue in the sound studio, while giving David Orth time to alter his schedule so he would be available for the night shoot required for his scenes in the London Street location.

However, for "Ice Age," not only were Peter, Rachel, and Will together for most of the story, during the shooting of those scenes there was little else the rest of the production crew could do, except film the few scenes that involved only the guest stars. As always, though, the production team gave their usual 120% effort to create a schedule that worked, and Peter, Rachel, and Will once again didn't let the pressure of that schedule affect their work.

As far as making the Plateau look cold, we seem to recall that the production team's first reaction to the "Ice Age" story was something along the lines of, "You've got to be kidding." But after a spirited concept meeting in which many ideas and solutions were bounced back and forth, a tremendous production design was developed, ranging from the eerie icy blue color of the aliens' skin, to the judicious use of mist and fog. As for those freezing scenes in which Challenger, Marguerite, and Roxton are shivering so convincingly, keep in mind that the location temperature rarely dropped below 80 degrees, and that's before the hot, bright movie lights are turned on.

There's at least one other fun story that can be told about "Ice Age," specifically about the intriguing chain-mail outfit worn by the alien queen. The outfit came from an unusual shop in Sydney catering to… um… certain adult pursuits. For reasons which we are sure are completely professional, TLW's incredibly creative costume designer seems to have a fairly detailed knowledge of the shop's… ah… inventory, and promptly had two sets of chain mail shipped to the studio. Why two sets? Well, in the production draft of the script, Marguerite was supposed to appear in the queen's garb after she was taken captive in the ice hive. However, upon seeing the outfit, Rachel Blakely's comment was something along the by-now-familiar lines of, "You've got to be kidding," and so Marguerite only wore the headgear.

NEXT WEEK: News, updates, convention countdown, and plus Behind the Scenes on "The End Game."

J&G

TREEHOUSE NEWS 07 18 02

SEASON FOUR PRODUCTION

Premises for a little more than half the season are in place and the first four episodes are shaping up nicely. All we'll say for spoilers now is that episode 401 will probably be titled, "Heart of the Storm, Part II," and will begin a split second after last season's cliffhanger. But then, you all knew that anyway…

Though there's been no change in the initial production schedule, it's obvious principal photography won't be beginning on July 22, though we all hope it won't be too long after. That might affect the current broadcast schedule which calls for the first episode to air the week of September 30, but not by much. Right now, Episode 403 is slated to be the Hallowe'en ep, with the long-awaited revelations of Episode 404 perfectly suited to kick off the all-important November sweeps.

And just in case anyone thinks they might have missed an announcement, all of the above is, as always, unofficial and subject to change. But keep that champagne and root beer chilled…

DAVID ORTH CHAT AT WWW.TLWADDICTS.COM

After the convention, we'll finally be able to reconcile our schedule and David's. Thanks to everyone on the board - and to David! - for your patience, and bookmark this site:

www.tlwaddicts.com

Other chats are still being planned, as well.

SEASON THREE BROADCAST SCHEDULE

Each week, Treehouse News lists the next four episodes to air in the U.S.

Summer reruns continue with:

07/15/02 - 07/21/02 Episode 312 "The End Game"

07/22/02 - 07/28/02 Episode 313 "Phantoms"

07/29/02 - 08/04/02 Episode 314 "The Secret"

08/05/02 - 08/11/02 Episode 315 "Finn"

FOR THE RECORD: TLW Newsletter

If you like finding out more about The Lost World, be sure you sign up for the online weekly newsletter from New Line. In addition to details and photos from the coming week's episode, it always includes an INSIDE SCOOP FROM TREEHOUSE NEWS detailing some of the fascinating background detail that goes into the series. This week, discover another unexpected connection between the Plateau, the Beaker People, and our old friends, the Druids. Hint: It wears a black cloak and carries a scythe. Find out more at the link below, when you sign up to subscribe today.

http://www.lostworldtv.net/

FOR THE RECORD: Convention News

Here're a few more details about the items that have been sent to the con organizers for the auction and/or the raffle.

JENNIFER O'DELL'S SCRIPTS

These scripts are not only signed, they are Jennifer's personal production scripts. That means they are the actual, one-of-a-kind scripts that were given to her during preproduction and filming, and that she used to prepare for her part. The scripts contain all the different colors of pages used to indicate revisions, with Jennifer's scenes and dialogue highlighted. A few pages even have her handwritten notes. Also, comparing the scripts with the final episode will reveal lines that have been cut and scenes that have been reordered in post-production.

The scripts are "Out of Time," "Trophies," and "London Calling" (also signed by us). Jennifer has been very generous in making these true collector's items available, and we hope you will bid appropriately! (Remember, the more money raised for Make-A-Wish, the better the press release announcing what TLW fans have done. How's that for turning up the pressure?)

NEW IDEA MAGAZINES

New Idea is a weekly Australian magazine covering celebrities and we've included two copies of the issue with Will Snow and Kim Kilbey on the cover, and an article about their wedding inside. We notice that a copy has already been donated for the raffle, so perhaps these can be used as additional raffle prizes.

THE MAKING OF STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE

A few Treehouse News postings back, we mentioned this book which we wrote several years ago, because of an appendix describing the television writing process. The book is out-of-print, but we've included a signed copy with the appendix marked.

AND FINALLY… THE BIG CONVENTION SURPRISE

… is Tara's to reveal. But we haven't talked with her recently, so we'd like to point out that it's likely going to be an even bigger surprise than she thinks. How's that for a tease?

NEXT WEEK: If it's a bit less hectic, we'll try to get back to Behind the Scenes. But much more importantly, with any luck we might finally be able to drop the "unofficial" bit…

Have a great convention!

J&G

TREEHOUSE NEWS 07 25 02

A slight change of pace this week...

Very hectic and busy, so this will be a much abbreviated edition of the News.

THANK YOU

First and foremost, congratulations and thank you to the organizers, attendees, and supporters of the First Lost World Convention. Your enthusiasm means a lot to everyone in the cast, crew, and production staff (many of whom are reassembling - unofficially! - as we post this). We'll find a place in our new production offices to hang that wonderful signed poster to inspire us all through the coming (unofficial) season. (P.S., don't let this get out, but we know the attendees won over the executive producers, Jeff Hayes and Guy Mullally. Both of them said they'd just say hello, then ring off after five minutes or so and leave the work to the cast. But as you all noticed, they stayed on till the end, thoroughly enjoying themselves and a chance to "meet" the show's fans. Well done, everyone!)

SEASON FOUR PRODUCTION

Season Four, by the way, is still unofficial, even as preliminary work begins. In twenty-five words or less: A great number of people in many companies in several countries all have to agree on the precise wording of a handful of documents. And when they do, you'll hear it here first.

SEASON THREE BROADCAST SCHEDULE

Each week, Treehouse News lists the next four episodes to air in the U.S.

Summer reruns continue with:

07/22/02 - 07/28/02 Episode 313 "Phantoms"

07/29/02 - 08/04/02 Episode 314 "The Secret"

08/05/02 - 08/11/02 Episode 315 "Finn"

08/12/02 - 08/11/02 Episode 316 "Suspicion"

FOR THE RECORD: TLW Newsletter

If you like finding out more about The Lost World, be sure you sign up for the online weekly newsletter from New Line. In addition to details and photos from the coming week's episode, it always includes an INSIDE SCOOP FROM TREEHOUSE NEWS detailing some of the fascinating background detail that goes into the series. This week, find out what makes this week's episode a rarity. (Could it be because it features a device which Challenger did NOT invent?) Find out more at the link below, when you sign up to subscribe today.

http://www.lostworldtv.net/

NEXT WEEK: Probably just as hectic, but we'll try to get back to some Behind the Scenes tidbits, Chat schedules, and try once more to delete that annoying "unofficial" word.

J&G

TREEHOUSE NEWS 08 01 02

SEASON FOUR PRODUCTION NEWS

For the first time, we have to report a glitch in preparations for Season Four. It's not bad news yet, but because of the fast-approaching schedule crunch we're facing, it could be of concern. To head off any unfounded rumors, here are the details.

As Treehouse News reported many months ago, TLW was renewed in the US by New Line back in January of this year. What that renewal meant was that if Coote/Hayes and Over the Hill Gang were able to arrange the financing for Season Four, New Line would buy it for broadcast in the US market. That was the first major step in moving ahead with Season Four.

Coote/Hayes and Over the Hill Gang did arrange a financial package for Season Four and as was also reported in Treehouse News (and by CAP) many weeks ago, that package was approved by the Australian government. (In fact, that financing package was just mentioned in this Tuesday's Hollywood Reporter, which had a special section on film and television production in Australia.)

All that good work meant we had a cast and crew eager to come back for a fourth season, production partners with the financial backing to fund a fourth season, and a US syndicator committed to broadcast a fourth season. Talk about a change from last summer.

But with all those major elements in place, the minor details among the production partners remained to be negotiated. That's what's been happening over the past few months, and that's why we've always been careful to say that Season Four is unofficial. Until each of those minor details is signed off on by everyone, technically Season Four can not go ahead.

The good news is that there is now only one final detail to be resolved. And the bad news is that the two sides who have to reach agreement on that detail so far haven't been able to find a way to do so. Ironically, this detail has nothing to do with Season Four, but is instead related to the status of the existing 66 episodes.

Now, before anyone decides to start a letter-writing or e-mail campaign, it's best to know that this is not the kind of situation than can be affected by well-intentioned lobbying. Everyone sitting around the figurative negotiating table believes in the show, and knows that from a business standpoint, a fourth season makes financial sense. So there is no one who still needs to be convinced that TLW is a worthy series deserving of renewal.

Nor is this a case of nameless "suits" making heartless decisions without thinking about the viewers. The two sides currently at an impasse both have legitimate reasons for their positions, and have been engaged in marathon meetings and conference calls trying to find a way to reach an agreement both can live with. There are no "bad guys" in this situation, only responsible business people trying to do what's best for their respective companies.

What everyone on the production is waiting for now is a decision that will be based strictly on numbers that already exist - audience and advertising rates. Over the next few days, some critical spreadsheets will be run, and the bottom line results could very well decide if that last business detail can be agreed upon in a way that's fair to everyone, or if it will remain unresolved.

Executive Producer Jeff Hayes told us today that the answer would most likely come by next week.

If this last business detail can be resolved, then the final roadblock will have been removed and Season Four will commence production as soon as possible. If the detail can't be resolved, then it is unlikely that production can begin in time for Season Four to meet its current broadcast schedule.

As of this posting - around 1:15 AM PDT, Thursday, August 1 - no one involved in the final set of negotiations yet knows what will happen. But, Jeff Hayes also told us that it is nowhere near time to give up. And as the person who, with his partner Greg Coote, pulled TLW out of the fire at the very last minute last season, he should know. He will also call us as soon as he hears what decision has been made, so we can post the news immediately on the official board.

On a personal note, we first started checking in on this board last summer, and, like all of you, were dismayed by the many rumors that caused so much uncertainty and concern. At one of our first meetings with Jeff Hayes and Guy Mullally in Australia at the beginning of Season Three, we suggested that we set up a weekly official posting on the board, so that the fans would have a dependable source for news about TLW, and - most importantly - would know their show wasn't being made by a bunch of faceless producers who didn't care about their audience.

We've all been delighted at how well Treehouse News helped to do just what we hoped it would - provide rumor control and reassurance, and, even more satisfyingly, provide a personal connection between the people who make TLW and the people who enjoy it.

For the most part, we've been able to share good news with you over the past year. But, for us to live up to our commitment of being a dependable source for news about the show, we also have to share this potential hiccup with you, too.

As Jeff Hayes says, Think good thoughts, and be assured that we will post a Treehouse Update the instant we hear more news.

Now on to regular business. . .

SEASON THREE BROADCAST SCHEDULE

Each week, Treehouse News lists the next four episodes to air in the U.S.

Summer reruns continue with:

07/29/02 - 08/04/02 Episode 314 "The Secret"

08/05/02 - 08/11/02 Episode 315 "Finn"

08/12/02 - 08/11/02 Episode 316 "Suspicion"

08/19/02 - 08/25/02 Episode 317 "The Imposters"

FOR THE RECORD: TLW Newsletter

If you like finding out more about The Lost World, be sure you sign up for the online weekly newsletter from New Line. In addition to details and photos from the coming week's episode, it always includes an INSIDE SCOOP FROM TREEHOUSE NEWS detailing some of the fascinating background detail that goes into the series. This week, take a bite out of the Ouroboros before it takes a bite out of itself, and find out just what connects the old tail-devourer with someone's family estate. Find out more at the link below, when you sign up to subscribe today.

http://www.lostworldtv.net/

BEHIND THE SCENES FOR THIS WEEK'S EPISODE: "The Secret"

Once again, we have to be quick this week, but we know we have to say SOMETHING about this one, so here goes...

The seeds for "The Secret" were definitely planted in the Season Two episode, "Survivors." When we came to write "Survivors," Guy Mullally had just become Executive Producer, and the wide latitude Guy gave us in this episode reflects to us the wonderful change in tone that came to the show once he took charge of the Story Department.

From the first time the two of us saw the pilot episode of TLW, we knew there was more to Marguerite Krux than met the eye. We were particularly taken by the way she walked into Challenger's lecture and offered to fund his expedition without listening to anything he had to say. To us, that clearly implied she knew something about the Plateau. We also took note of the fact that she was able to personally fund the expedition. To us, once again, that implied she had methods of acquiring money that were probably a great deal less risky that traveling to an unknown area in South America, which meant she wasn't undertaking the mission for wealth. (Though that was a good cover story.)

So, almost from the first day we started work on Season Two, we kept raising the question: What was Marguerite's real motive for coming to the Plateau?

A quick round of elimination led us to what we felt was an obvious conclusion Ð she was after something personal. It also struck us that since Marguerite had many layers, often contradictory ones, it would be interesting Ð and revealing Ð if the personal item she searched for had no intrinsic value. And that led us to the idea that Marguerite had come to the Plateau for information.

But in Season Two, how she had learned of the Plateau, and what the information was, we still didn't know.

Then came Season Three, and many wonderful opportunities to dig deeper into the characters. In fact, it soon became apparent that the members of the Challenger Expedition were exploring themselves as much as they were exploring the Plateau. And it was their shared goal of discovering truths about themselves that really helped them bond into a family.

Since it was now clear that each member of the expedition was involved in a quest for identity, we realized that the perfect information for Marguerite to desire was information about her past Ð her identity. Again, we experienced that wonderful moment of discovery as we realized that this woman who had so many different personae, simply used them as a shield because, at her core, she didn't know who she really was.

From a practical standpoint, though, it was difficult to come up with an appropriate scenario in which Marguerite's birth certificate ended up on the Plateau. So that's when we realized that she was, instead, searching for a rare artifact which she could then trade for her birth certificate.

At that point, the story truly did write itself, and we had great fun weaving in all sorts of pulp fiction motifs (which as you should all know by now, we love).

Shanghai Xan is indeed a nod to Ð and perhaps a cousin of Ð that insidious villain known variously as the Spawn of Hell, the Pivot of Mystery, and The Face That is No Face, Hanoi Xan. Other Buckaroo Banzai nods in the episode include Roxton's mention of Xan's "veritable league of world crime," and his reference to Xan's "bravos." (FYI, in a different Season Three episode, there is another major Buckaroo Banzai connection, and we are very surprised that no one has yet caught it. So until someone does, we'll never tell.) (While we're at it, and since this was the episode in which it was introduced, we're also surprised that no one's figured out the Trion yet, and the connection it suggests between two certain characters.)

For the record, there is a timeline of Marguerite's many adventures prior to embarking on the Challenger Expedition that makes them all make sense. . . mostly. Moreover, we also know what's on that birth certificate, and have the story for the Season Four episode that will peel back that next layer of Marguerite's (and someone else's) past.

That's it for this week. Stay tuned for Treehouse Updates to be posted as soon as we know anything.

NEXT WEEK: More of everything, and Behind the Scenes on "Finn."

J&G

TREEHOUSE NEWS 08 08 02

SEASON FOUR PRODUCTION NEWS

We hate to say it, but all of a sudden, things aren't looking good for Season Four. Once again, to keep rumors from exploding, here are the latest details.

As we summarized last week, TLW was renewed in the U.S. last January, and Coote/Hayes and Over the Hill Gang put together the financing package required to produce 22 new episodes. Unlike last summer (when the fate of Season Three was uncertain even before the last episode of Season Two went before the cameras), this season's production ended on a high note, with everyone confident of returning. In fact, the Story Department had already begun working on the first episodes of Season Four.

Still, as in any complex, international business deal, there were many small details to work out, and until they were, we had to keep saying that Season Four remained unofficial. As of about two weeks ago, only one last detail remained to be finalized, and that's the sticking point.

For business reasons we won't go into today (mostly because we don't have the space!), the production of Season Four hinges on the status of the existing 66 episodes from the first three seasons. One distributor agreed in principle to sell all rights to those episodes to another distributor, so that eventually all 88 episodes (perhaps increasing to 110 after Season Five), would be controlled by a single entity. Unfortunately, the two companies have not as yet been able to determine a fair price for those existing episodes which both sides can accept.

So where does that leave us as of today? In an extremely tight situation.

On the positive side, the two distributors are still talking past the deadline both had set, indicating their willingness to explore all options as thoroughly as possible. As we stated last week, there are no bad guys in this unfortunate situation. Everyone involved appreciates the show and has no desire to effectively stop its production. But the representatives on both sides must also be responsible to their two companies' best interests.

On the negative side, we are approaching a "drop-dead" date which represents the last possible day we can begin production on Season Four and still meet our broadcast schedule.

What happens next and when? We don't know. But it's not time to give up. As Executive Producer Jeff Hayes told us this week, "Nothing's impossible." And, as we said last week, since Jeff Hayes and his partner, Greg Coote, pulled off a brilliant, last-minute save last year, if another save is possible, they're the ones who can do it.

So, for right now, there's really nothing any of us can do except wait for business decisions to be made. And we promise that when that final decision comes through, you won't have to wait to find out what it is. Jeff Hayes will call us and we will post the news here right away.

On the bright side, all the cast are back in Australia, and the writers, art department, and key production personnel are standing by, eager to get back to work.

Keep thinking good thoughts. As someone in a similar situation once said, "It's not over yet!"

SEASON THREE BROADCAST SCHEDULE

Each week, Treehouse News lists the next four episodes to air in the U.S.

Summer reruns continue with:

08/05/02 - 08/11/02 Episode 315 "Finn"

08/12/02 - 08/11/02 Episode 316 "Suspicion"

08/19/02 - 08/25/02 Episode 317 "The Imposters"

08/26/02 - 09/01/02 Episode 318 "The Elixir"

FOR THE RECORD: TLW Newsletter

If you like finding out more about The Lost World, be sure you sign up for the online weekly newsletter from New Line. In addition to details and photos from the coming week's episode, it always includes an INSIDE SCOOP FROM TREEHOUSE NEWS detailing some of the fascinating background detail that goes into the series. This week, check out the science-fiction history of post-apocalyptic worlds like Finn's own New Amazonia. Find out more at the link below, when you sign up to subscribe today.

http://www.lostworldtv.net/

BEHIND THE SCENES FOR THIS WEEK'S EPISODE: "Finn"

A great deal of thought went into the decision to add a new member to the cast. The initial impetus was the realization that there would be a few Season Three episodes in which both Malone and Veronica would not appear. (As a condition of the tax incentives granted to Australian television productions, TLW was limited to having only one non-Australian actor per episode, for a total of 22 non-Australian actor appearances. Jennifer O'Dell committed to 15 episodes, David Orth to 7, but since they would appear in some episodes together, that meant that to keep to 22 non-Australian appearances in total, there would be some episodes in which neither could appear.)

At first, the producers and the Story Department discussed bringing back a previous guest star as a continuing character. Tribune was everyone's first suggestion, but would entail considerable expense in make-up -- not just for Jerome Ehlers, but for his stunt doubles in action scenes -- as well as adding to production complications for make-up repair and actor availability. Plus, no one was confident that Jerome could be persuaded to spend six months in uncomfortable lizard prosthetics!

Another early suggestion was to bring back Jack, the fast-talking wheeler-dealer from "Mark of the Beast." On the one hand, the character might have become TLW's Quark. But, on the other hand, he might also have become our Dr. Smith, and so was ultimately ruled out. (Though Tribune and Jack both remain high on the list of characters to bring back for standalone episodes.)

Developing a new character remained on the backburner until Episode 311, "Ice Age," the first to feature only Challenger, Roxton, and Marguerite. Though everyone was pleased with the final result, TLW's fast-paced production schedule had created a real burden for Peter McCauley, Will Snow, and Rachel Blakely. Yes, they could easily carry more episodes on their own, but the increased screentime would eventually take a toll. Thus, Executive Producer Guy Mullally began to focus on the next episode that would have neither Veronica nor Malone: #115.

Guy is intrigued by time travel, especially as it relates to the Plateau. Thus, when he decided to make the new character a person from the future, no one was surprised. Indeed, knowing the Big Story, it even made a great deal of sense. And what made even more sense was the inspired casting of Lara Cox, who had previously played an Amazon in the Season Two episode, "Amazons."

"Finn" was an unusual episode in that it was shot for a few days before the Christmas hiatus, and then completed two and a half weeks later when production resumed. The break was fortunate, because Lara Cox had to contend with running in boots that were the wrong size, and bashing herself with an early prototype of Finn's crossbow that weighed a ton, and left her bruised every time she had to run with it on her belt. However, those inconveniences were corrected by the time production resumed.

One final revelation about Finn is the origin of her name. Executive Producer Guy Mullally has told us how he came up with it, and out of our deep and abiding respect for him, we will not repeat that story. Someday, however, at a future Lost World convention, get him in a good mood and he might spill the beans. It will bring a whole new perspective to that age-old question, "Where do writers get their ideas?"

NEXT WEEK: A resolution to our own Behind-the-Scenes cliffhanger, we hope!

J&G

NO NEWS UPDATE 08 16 02

Friday night in LA and once again, nothing new -- good or bad -- to report on the status of Season Four. (If you're new to what's going on, use the SEARCH link in the upper right-hand corner of your screen to check out the last three Treehouse News postings.)

On the positive side, Jeff Hayes remains committed to delivering Season Four episodes for the fall season, and everyone on the team is good to go.

Unlikely to be any developments over the weekend, but we will post as soon as we hear anything.

Have a great weekend full of positive thoughts!

J&G

TREEHOUSE NEWS 08 22 02

SEASON FOUR PRODUCTION NEWS

First and foremost, there's still hope.

To recap... TLW was renewed in the U.S. for Season Four last January. By July, all the production funding had been secured. But, until all the final business details had been signed off on, Season Four remained unofficial. Since those details appeared to be routine, the Story Department began working on the first scripts and production schedules were drawn up. And then, the final detail became an impasse between two distributors. One wants to buy the first 66 episodes, the other wants to sell them, but so far they have been unable to calculate a price which both companies can accept. For more detailed information, check the last three postings of TREEHOUSE NEWS.

Now, this is where we stand today, August 22, 2002.

On the negative side, though still unofficial, it's looking extremely tight for new episodes to air in the U.S. for November sweeps. That's the rating period that helps determine ad rates, and TLW's solid performance in last year's November sweeps period was one of the reasons New Line announced their renewal of the series so early this past January.

On the plus side, and to answer some questions that have come up on the board about "decision deadlines," if new episodes are not produced in time for November sweeps, it does NOT automatically mean the end of the series. Though nothing has been officially announced yet, New Line will likely continue to run repeat episodes in the existing weekly time slots. In the meantime, new contingency plans are being considered for airing new episodes later in the broadcast season. In fact, another Coote/Hayes production, FLIPPER, once missed an entire season, then returned for two more, so Jeff Hayes is very familiar with the process. Also, it's worth noting that long delays between seasons have also been experienced by THE SOPRANOS and WITCHBLADE without harming either series, and similar delays appear to be a growing occurrence in non-network television.

So, though there's no good news to report today, there's still nothing bad, either, and everybody behind the scenes is continuing to work hard to get the fourth season up and running.

As always, we'll be standing by to keep bringing you the latest updates as events do or don't happen.

SEASON THREE BROADCAST SCHEDULE

Each week, Treehouse News lists the next four episodes to air in the U.S.

Summer reruns continue with:

08/19/02 - 08/25/02 Episode 317 "The Imposters"

08/26/02 - 09/01/02 Episode 318 "The Elixir"

09/02/02 - 09/08/02 Episode 319 "Tapestry"

09/09/02 - 09/15/02 Episode 320 "Legacy"

FOR THE RECORD: TLW Newsletter

If you like finding out more about The Lost World, be sure you sign up for the online weekly newsletter from New Line. In addition to details and photos from the coming week's episode, it always includes an INSIDE SCOOP FROM TREEHOUSE NEWS detailing some of the fascinating background detail that goes into the series. This week, find out more about time travel - another Challenger flight of fancy, or a concept with a surprising basis in fact?

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BEHIND THE SCENES FOR THIS WEEK'S EPISODE: "Imposters"

As we promised way back during this episode's first run, it really is an unusual episode in that Challenger, Marguerite, and Roxton are missing for most of the story, at a time in the series when Veronica and Malone were also off on other adventures. Only the newest character, Finn, was on hand for the entire story.

The impetus for this episode originally came from the show's production needs. Our harried line producer (there is no other kind) suggested half-jokingly, half-seriously, that the only way he could make the production schedule work for the last few episodes was to film one episode without the cast, freeing them to do reshoots, pick-ups, and ADR for other episodes. We all laughed - nervously - but the wheels started turning in Guy Mullally's head.

Since the beginning of the third season, we had been reminding Guy that he had to write an episode in which the explorers returned to the "Outlaw" cave on the one-year anniversary of that Season Two adventure, to see if a new reality once again appeared on the other side. The question was, what kind of new reality? One early suggestion we had was that this time, a duplicate Challenger expedition could come through the cave, from a darker parallel world where World War I still raged -- a Lost World version of the classic Star Trek episode, "Mirror, Mirror."

But Guy, who had created Finn and has big plans for her, suddenly saw a way to give the line producer what he needed - and hadn't really expected to get - in addition to developing an important aspect of Finn's backstory to which he had briefly referred in the episode that introduced her: "Finn." Guy, who is as generous as he is talented, is the first to say that the person who helped him bring all the story elements together was director Catharine Miller, who in an early story discussion with Guy suggested that when Kayle walked out of the cave, Finn should recognize him. The rest is future history.

Why does the Story Department consider an unusual episode like "The Imposters" to be such an important element of the Big Story? Well, for now, all we can say is that will become much clearer during Season Four, when a certain demon is tentatively scheduled to make a return visit to the Plateau. A certain prop which appeared in this episode and one other is also due for another appearance that will make its importance known. And while we're talking about Season Four stories - if all goes as planned - the explorers will be making yet another visit to that unusual cave on the anniversary of "The Outlaw" and "The Imposters," and this time Guy and we know exactly what they'll find there. Fingers crossed, a few months from now, so will you!

NEXT WEEK: What can we say, other than the story continues and you'll hear it here first.

J&G

TREEHOUSE NEWS UPDATE 08 23 02

SEASON FOUR MOVING TO PLAN B

Jeff Hayes officially announced today that though Coote/Hayes will not produce new episodes of TLW for this fall, the series is not over yet. Instead, Coote/Hayes is now exploring the possibility of producing new episodes for broadcast beginning in January, 2003. We'll have more details on this positive development in next week's regular Treehouse News.

In the meantime, TLW will not disappear from the airwaves. New Line will continue to air Season Two and Season Three episodes (and perhaps Season One, as well) in the show's existing time slots.

Now that the broadcast deadline pressure is off, there won't be any day-to-day developments to report for a while, but Treehouse News will continue to appear each Wednesday night on the official board, to keep everyone up to date with the show's status and ongoing plans for Season Four.

CONVENTION PRESENTS

On a completely different note, today we had the fun of giving Jeff Hayes and Lisa Churchhouse the huge banner and all sorts of other good things from the first Lost World Convention. They are overwhelmed and touched by the ongoing support of all the TLW fans, and will see to it that the cast presents are sent to Australia at once. In addition, Lisa will take digital photos of the giant Thank You card and the banner, and distribute them by e-mail to everyone on the crew. And she guarantees that when (thinking positively) Season Four starts production, that banner is going up on the office wall so she can take another photo of the whole crew with it.

Thanks for all your support everyone Ð it does make a difference.

J&G

TREEHOUSE NEWS 08 29 02

SEASON FOUR PRODUCTION NEWS

The good news/bad news is that nothing has changed since our last update.

As we posted late last week, here's where things continue to stand:

1. There will be no new episodes of TLW for the fall.

2. Over the next year, TLW will not disappear from the airwaves because New Line will broadcast repeat episodes from Seasons Two and Three, and possibly Season One, in the time slots they sold for Season Four. We expect to have the new broadcast schedule soon, and will post it here.

3. As far as Coote/Hayes and Over The Hill Gang are concerned, the series is not cancelled, merely delayed. The two companies are trying to develop a deal structure which will allow them to film a complete fourth season of 22 episodes, with production beginning in January, 2003.

This delayed Season Four is NOT definite at this time, but it is what everyone is working hard to accomplish.

It could be many weeks before we know if Coote/Hayes and OTHG will be successful in getting Season Four into production, so be patient. (Something we've all had a lot of practice at.)

4. We'll continue to post Treehouse News every Wednesday night (and Updates whenever circumstances warrant) until we all know how things are going to turn out.

For more detailed information, check the last four postings of TREEHOUSE NEWS.

http://www.lostworldtv.net/lwubb/Forum1/HTML/006383.html

http://www.lostworldtv.net/lwubb/Forum1/HTML/006500.html

http://www.lostworldtv.net/lwubb/Forum1/HTML/006667.html

http://www.lostworldtv.net/lwubb/Forum1/HTML/006854.html

GOOD NEWS RE THE OFFICIAL SITE

Lisa Churchhouse told us today that New Line has officially confirmed that this site -- and the board -- will be kept running for at least the next year, which is a great vote of confidence from New Line about the future of TLW's appeal.

In September, we'll start investigating how to incorporate the many suggestions that have been discussed recently about adding new content and features, such as a separate forum for fanfic discussions, and easily accessible postings for FAQs and fan activities (convention news, auctions) that won't scroll off the board. We'll report on this in a few weeks.

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT...

Lisa Churchhouse also mentioned today that if their travel schedules work out, both Jeff Hayes and she would be delighted to attend the TLW convention in Los Angeles next year. Hanging that wonderful poster in the L.A. office must be having an effect...

SEASON THREE BROADCAST SCHEDULE

Each week, Treehouse News lists the next four episodes to air in the U.S.

Summer reruns continue with:

08/26/02 - 09/01/02 Episode 318 "The Elixir"

09/02/02 - 09/08/02 Episode 319 "Tapestry"

09/09/02 - 09/15/02 Episode 320 "Legacy"

09/16/02 - 09/22/02 Episode 321 "Trapped"

FOR THE RECORD: TLW Newsletter

If you like finding out more about The Lost World, be sure you sign up for the online weekly newsletter from New Line. In addition to details and photos from the coming week's episode, it always includes an INSIDE SCOOP FROM TREEHOUSE NEWS detailing some of the fascinating background detail that goes into the series. This week's topic is all about the scientific basis of Challenger's elixir, chock full of "accessory factors" we understand.

Follow the link below to subscribe today.

http://www.lostworldtv.net/

BEHIND THE SCENES will return next week. Sorry to disappoint everyone hoping for more "Elixir" details, but if it's any consolation, Will and Rachel covered all the good stuff in the conference call.

NEXT WEEK: Behind the Scenes on "Tapestry," and, as always, the latest news from the front...

J&G

TREEHOUSE NEWS 09 05 02

SEASON FOUR PRODUCTION NEWS

As expected, there were no developments over the days leading up to the holiday weekend, nor is anything anticipated for the short work week in progress. So that leaves TLW just where it's been the past few weeks - in a holding pattern.

As posted before, this is the current situation:

1. There will be no new episodes of TLW for the fall.

2. Over the next year, TLW will not disappear from the airwaves because New Line will broadcast repeat episodes from Seasons Two and Three, and possibly Season One, in the time slots they sold for Season Four. We expect to have the new broadcast schedule soon, and will post it here.

3. As far as Coote/Hayes and Over The Hill Gang are concerned, the series is not cancelled, merely delayed. The two companies are trying to develop a deal structure which will allow them to film a complete fourth season of 22 episodes, with production beginning in January, 2003.

This delayed Season Four is NOT definite at this time, but it is what everyone is working hard to accomplish.

It could be many weeks before we know if Coote/Hayes and OTHG will be successful in getting Season Four into production, so be patient. (Something we've all had a lot of practice at.)

4. We'll continue to post Treehouse News every Wednesday night (and Updates whenever circumstances warrant) until we all know how things are going to turn out.

For more detailed information, check these previous postings of TREEHOUSE NEWS.

http://www.lostworldtv.net/lwubb/Forum1/HTML/006383.html

http://www.lostworldtv.net/lwubb/Forum1/HTML/006500.html

http://www.lostworldtv.net/lwubb/Forum1/HTML/006667.html

http://www.lostworldtv.net/lwubb/Forum1/HTML/006854.html

THE NEW IMPROVED OFFICIAL SITE

In a great vote of confidence from New Line about the future of TLW's ongoing appeal, this site will stay up and running for at least the next broadcast year. We're also happy to report that thanks to the real technical wizard behind this board, a fourth forum will soon be added, probably by the end of this week, specifically for discussion of fan fiction and other creative fan efforts.

Also, our technical wizard has informed us that each forum has an "announcement" feature, so that news and other postings of ongoing interest can be put at the top of the board and not scroll down. These announcements will start appearing over the next few weeks, and will likely be different for each forum. For example, the announcement in "Talk About Lost World" might have the latest status of the show and information about upcoming conventions, chats, and auctions. The announcement in "Talk About Specific Episodes" could include Frequently Asked Questions about the characters and ongoing story developments, and "Talk About the Actors" might include FAQs about our cast and all-important mailing addresses!

We will also be able to update some of the content on the main board, though that's a more complicated procedure, and we won't be tackling that for several weeks.

In the meantime, please keep posting suggestions. The members of this board have created a remarkable community of fans from around the world, and everyone at Coote/Hayes is pleased to support you as best we can.

SEASON THREE BROADCAST SCHEDULE

Each week, Treehouse News lists the next four episodes to air in the U.S.

Summer reruns continue with:

09/02/02 - 09/08/02 Episode 319 "Tapestry"

09/09/02 - 09/15/02 Episode 320 "Legacy"

09/16/02 - 09/22/02 Episode 321 "Trapped"

09/23/02 - 09/29/02 Episode 322 "Heart of the Storm, Part 1"

FOR THE RECORD: TLW Newsletter

If you like finding out more about The Lost World, be sure you sign up for the online weekly newsletter from New Line. In addition to details and photos from the coming week's episode, it always includes an INSIDE SCOOP FROM TREEHOUSE NEWS detailing some of the fascinating background detail that goes into the series. This week's topic details some intriguing facts about Challenger's favorite precious metal - iridium.

Follow the link below to subscribe today.

http://www.lostworldtv.net/

BEHIND THE SCENES FOR THIS WEEK'S EPISODE: "Tapestry"

As many have suspected, the first inkling that Roxton had a not-so-pleasant secret of his own from the Great War first came to the two of us during the writing of the last episode of Season Two, "Into the Fire." As planning for Season Three began, we started working on the notion that Roxton's secret would be connected to Marguerite and her role in the war (think of the Zeppelin, the prison, the military secrets...), and that somehow the two of them HAD to have come close to meeting years before Challenger's lecture. For several months, the idea of secrets being passed at an embassy's costumed ball seemed to us like a wonderful flashback sequence, but the way into that story -- connecting it to events on the Plateau -- didn't become apparent.

Then Jeff Hayes gave one of his traditional inspiring directives - "Guys, we have to save some money on the last episodes." One way to save money in television production is to make what is called a "bottle" show. (A bottle show is an episode which takes place almost exclusively in existing sets, to save construction costs. Also, usually the fewer sets the episode requires, the better because that limits moving the production crew. A "company move" can take hours because it involves packing all the lighting, sound, camera, wardrobe, and catering equipment, transporting it, then unpacking everything and setting it up again in the new location. During a company move, everyone's still being paid, but no film is being shot, so part of the producers' job is to plan the most efficient times to move.)

One of our first thoughts for a bottle show was an episode that would take place entirely in the Treehouse. Instantly we had visions of a villain holding everyone hostage on a dark and stormy night, and that great Humphrey Bogart film, "Key Largo," sprang to mind. (Guy Mullaly's idea for a bottle show was to trap Roxton and Marguerite in a cave for half an episode, which just goes to show how much good can come from a budget crunch!)

Even as we started to think about who our story's villain would be and why he was holding the Explorers hostage, our "Key Largo" story - which didn't exist - was plugged into the schedule as Episode 319. Because of Jennifer O'Dell's schedule, that was also the episode in which Veronica was set to return from her expedition with the Zanga to discover the meaning of the strange symbol on Summerlee's mask, as set up in Episode 314, "The Secret." We loved that added element because it brought Veronica back with a bang - she would be the perfect choice for the person who helped save the hostages because she wasn't around when the villain struck. Also, 319 would be the episode in which Veronica and Finn finally met, and we all knew that meeting had to be an all-out fight which would eventually lead to friendship.

From those elements, our story developed literally as a tapestry of interlocking secrets, with Roxton, Marguerite, and Challenger each having their own wartime connections to the stolen iridium. (Why iridium? Wait for Season Four and an episode that begins with an unusual encounter on the shore of the Inland Sea.) But, because of the flashbacks, our "bottle-show" story began to spread beyond our original idea of setting it mostly within the Treehouse. Now we also needed a basement interrogation room in London... along with several jungle locations... a crashed transport plane... and the pilot's hut. But fortunately, as usual, the art department and production planners came through and pulled off yet another on-time and on-budget miracle with the enthusiastic help of director Geoffrey Nottage, who had earlier directed "Eye for an Eye" and "Finn."

In the end, "Tapestry" became one of our favorite episodes of the season. Julian Garner, who had played Roxton's older brother in Season One, gave a stellar performance as Drummond, the tragic pilot. Plus, Peter McCauley, Will Snow, and Rachel Blakely skillfully allowed us to glimpse Challenger, Roxton, and Marguerite as they were years earlier, before they had become the family of friends we know today.

Keeping our fingers crossed as we write this, if there is a Season Four, we hope to see more flashbacks into our Explorers' pasts, and discover more about all the other secrets they've been hiding from each other - but not from us!

NEXT WEEK: Behind the Scenes on "Legacy," and, as always, the latest news from the front...

J&G

TREEHOUSE NEWS 09 12 02

SEASON FOUR PRODUCTION NEWS

This week's official word from Coote/Hayes Productions is: "They're working on it!"

As posted before, this is the current situation, unchanged from last week:

1. There will be no new episodes of TLW for the fall.

2. Over the next year, TLW will not disappear from the airwaves because New Line will broadcast repeat episodes from Seasons Two and Three, and possibly Season One, in the time slots they sold for Season Four. We expect to have the new broadcast schedule soon, and will post it here.

3. As far as Coote/Hayes and Over The Hill Gang are concerned, the series is not cancelled, merely delayed. The two companies are trying to develop a deal structure which will allow them to film a complete fourth season of 22 episodes, with production beginning in January, 2003.

This delayed Season Four is NOT definite at this time, but it is what everyone is working hard to accomplish.

It could be many weeks before we know if Coote/Hayes and OTHG will be successful in getting Season Four into production, so be patient. (Something we've all had a lot of practice at.)

4. We'll continue to post Treehouse News every Wednesday night (and Updates whenever circumstances warrant) until we all know how things are going to turn out.

For more detailed information, check these previous postings of TREEHOUSE NEWS.

http://www.lostworldtv.net/lwubb/Forum1/HTML/006383.html

http://www.lostworldtv.net/lwubb/Forum1/HTML/006500.html

http://www.lostworldtv.net/lwubb/Forum1/HTML/006667.html

http://www.lostworldtv.net/lwubb/Forum1/HTML/006854.html

ONGOING SITE IMPROVEMENTS

Last week marked the beginning of a brand-new forum for the site -- Talk About Fan Fiction and More. It's THE place to go to talk about the latest fan-fiction postings, as well as all other fan-created work. Please note that old and new fan-fiction and related posts that turn up in other forums will be transferred to the new forum on an ongoing basis. Also, please don't post actual examples of fan fiction and other creative work on the new forum. But do feel free to post links to other sites where fanfic and other creative work can be found.

Another addition to the site is the Announcement feature, which now appears in Talk About The Lost World, and Talk About Fan Fiction and More. Announcements are single-message, closed posts that are always available in the upper left-hand area of the first directory in each forum. Because Announcements never scroll off the page, they're the first thing to check whenever you log on to see what's new.

In the weeks ahead, we'll be adding Announcements to Talk About the Actors and Talk About Specific Episodes. For those forums, we'd like to feature Frequently Asked Questions, so if anyone has a set of FAQs to contribute to the site, we'd be happy to accept them. Simply post them as a topic in Talk About The Lost World as SUGGESTED FAQs.

SEASON THREE BROADCAST SCHEDULE

Each week, Treehouse News lists the next four episodes to air in the U.S.

Summer reruns continue with:

09/09/02 - 09/15/02 Episode 320 "Legacy"

09/16/02 - 09/22/02 Episode 321 "Trapped"

09/23/02 - 09/29/02 Episode 322 "Heart of the Storm, Part 1"

09/30/02 - 10/06/02 Episode Y401 "The Journey Begins"

FOR THE RECORD: TLW Newsletter

If you like finding out more about The Lost World, be sure you sign up for the online weekly newsletter from New Line. In addition to details and photos from the coming week's episode, it always includes an Inside Scoop from the Treehouse News detailing some of the fascinating background detail that goes into the series. This week's topic offers a clue to the mysterious lines of earth energy that have played a part in several episodes. "Ley Lines"... "Layton"... coincidence or another hidden connection?

Follow the link below to subscribe today.

http://www.lostworldtv.net/

BEHIND THE SCENES FOR THIS WEEK'S EPISODE: "Legacy"

In story conferences, the two of us often talk about the two great quests in TLW. The first is the Explorers' efforts to find a way home. The second is Veronica's efforts to find out what happened to her parents. From a dramatic standpoint, it's the second quest that offers the most opportunities for suspense because -- let's admit it -- we all know that if the Explorers ever really succeed in leaving the Plateau, it probably won't happen until the last episode of the last season. (And yes, Guy and we have had many discussions about how that will come to pass, and some of the groundwork has already been laid in several episodes.)

However, because Veronica's discovery of her parents' fate doesn't imply the end of the series, that quest offers more chances for taking the audience by surprise. If in Episode 405, for example, someone says, "I know a way off the Plateau," we can all be pretty confident that there's going to be some trick or misdirection or disaster involved to keep the Explorers from realizing their dream. However, if in the same episode, someone was to say, Veronica - I know how to find your mother, well, then, we really don't know what might happen, do we?

And that's why when we joined the series in Season Two, we began thinking more and more about Veronica's parents.

By the end of Season Two, we were pretty sure that there was more to the disappearance of Veronica's parents than anyone suspected. And we knew that the most logical explanation for Veronica's almost supernatural tie to the Plateau was that it was her true home. And what made it her true home was that her mother had been born there, too.

We first ran this idea past Jennifer O'Dell early last summer, when no one really knew if TLW would be returning for Season Three. Jennifer was very enthusiastic, and thought the idea fit in very well with her own interpretation of her character. Plus, she especially liked our suggestion that if we ever did do a flashback episode about Veronica's childhood, she could play Veronica's mother!

Flash forward to the last round of story planning for Season Three, and Executive Producer Jeff Hayes's directive that we needed to save money in the last few episodes. As we mentioned last week, one way to save money is by making a "bottle" show, and Guy Mullally's "Trapped" really filled that bill. Another way to save money in television production is to come up with a story that can be easily scheduled. One example of that kind of episode is "The Imposters," in which the main cast appear for only a few scenes. Another example is "Suspicion," in which the main cast don't really get involved in the story until Act Two. And a third way is to have different actors play the main characters - which brings us to the "Veronica Flashback" story in which Annaliese Woods plays Veronica as a child.

"Veronica Flashback" was added to the production schedule at the same time last week's episode, "Tapestry," appeared as "Key Largo Story." Right -- that meant we now had to write two episodes back to back, but as a great philosopher once said, We'll sleep when we're dead. Or was that Guy Mullally?

For all that "Legacy" was intended to help ease the schedule by reducing the workload on the main cast, because Jennifer O'Dell had two roles to play, it made her schedule almost unbearably tense. Keep in mind that toward the end of any season, scenes from several different episodes might be shot in the same day. Since, for the most part, the cast's wardrobe and hairstyles don't change very much from episode to episode, it's usually a simple matter for one of the main cast to finish a scene from one episode, change a shirt, then go on to do a scene from a different episode. Since Veronica usually has no changes in wardrobe or hair, Jennifer O'Dell can often go from scene to scene and episode to episode with little time required for make-up and costume adjustments.

However, for those days Jennifer played Abigail Layton, Jennifer's schedule was brutal. Not only did she need completely different wardrobe, she had to spend precious hours having her hair restyled. (Here we have to call out the spectacular work done by Jennifer's stylist, who created her intricately braided "Protector" hairstyle. It was an exceptional piece of work accomplished under an impossible deadline, and made a fantastic contribution to the rich look of the episode.)

To top off the extra pressure that Jennifer was under, "Legacy" features a complex fight sequence when Veronica takes on Mordren (wonderfully staged by the stunt coordinators, Jennifer, her stunt double, and guest star David Roberts). Jennifer, who had just endured the complex fight scene from "Tapestry," when Veronica confronts Finn, ended up with some impressive bruises of her own after her Mordren fight. As Jennifer said, that was a day she didn't have to do her workout.

For all the detailed planning that goes into making an episode of TLW, truly some of the most satisfying moments are those that simply arise unannounced. Every episode of TLW has enlightening moments that were not in the script, but come directly from the actors. "Legacy" is no exception.

The touching "funeral" sequence in the episode's tag became movingly more personal because of the instincts of Peter McCauley and his fellow cast members. As Veronica speaks to her father by his gravestone, Peter approaches with flowers, which he had "borrowed" from the set dressings. Then, though it was not rehearsed, while the cameras were rolling, Peter hands some of the flowers to Rachel Blakely, Will Snow, and Lara Cox. One after the other, the actors follow Rachel's lead and place the flowers on the gravestone -- a very true and pure emotional moment that came from the actors, made all the more touching by the fact that it happened spontaneously, with no discussion beforehand. Standing ovations for all.

NEXT WEEK: Behind the Scenes on "Trapped," and, as always, the latest news from the front...

J&G