structure of the series itself has already caused debate and requires the commitment of the audience (Cascajosa, 2005). In short, it seeks a participatory construction of the story that will be composed with each episode.

We could define Lost as a series that gives us many answers and questions, which would be quite accurate, considering the number of forums dedicated to studying the mystery of the plot. But I prefer to define it as a series that stimulates the imagination, playing with elements that are never seen. Hidden messages, symbols, signs, clues, hiding the truth for the viewer to find (De la Torre, 2006: 12).

Under this premise, the theoretical research is justified. Lost’s transmedia construction not only completes the plot and takes the format to other media, but is also an intrinsic part of the plot itself. This kind of procedure has become the following:

A common underlying trend that manifests itself both in television narratives and in many digital forms, such as video games and websites. It is the need for procedural literacy, a recognition by consumers that any mode of expression follows particular protocols and is fully committed to that form. (Mittell, 2006: 39)

Sometimes, the viewer cannot fully understand a plot unless he or she has previously known its transmedia component. For this reason, “Lost goes beyond television narrative. The series is one of the most impressive transmedia story-telling experiences ever” (Maguregui, Piscitelli and Scolari, 2011: 15). Simultaneously, the moment of expansion and communicative convergence exploited by Lost’s fan phenomenon makes it ideal for establishing the first transmedia construction in a virtual world.

3.1. Narrative continuation in online episodes

In 2007, between the premiere of the third and fourth seasons, the creators of Lost decided to bet on transmedia content through different media and strategies. We can also say that these releases coincided with a reduction in the number of episodes in the following seasons that “was recovered with the creation of additional content and experiences of enjoyment in other media and platforms” (Guerrero-Pico and Scolari, 2016: 190). An example of these are the webisodes created for the virtual context. At first, these episodes were announced for the winter of 2006. They were halting the broadcast of the television series in the middle of the third season. Nevertheless, the different negotiations, the choice of the creative premise, and the mode of diffusion of these works delayed the launch.

Difficulties during individual negotiations with Lost actors delayed the production of the mobisode series, which was finally distributed as Lost: Missing Pieces during the strike that paid $800 to each of the writers and directors for each of its 13 episodes (Menéndez, 2011: 723).

The chosen strategy for this transmedia action was developed in collaboration with the mobile phone company Verizon. On these devices, the episodes could be enjoyed exclusively six days in advance before appearing on the ABC website. They functioned as a gift for fans of the series. They offered small scenes that made it easier to wait for the new season. In addition, the action was posed as a game in which viewers had to discover where the plot of each webisode fit into the story.