What is a line... Another Direction

A line is a direction another line is another direction.
But i didn't actually mean that.
Aswell as looking at sequence photography i wanted to look into the idea of a line being a connected series of events/actions in the form of the consequences of these events and what not. I guess simply, a story.
This happened and because of that this thing happened. The idea of action and consequence.
I am as we speak undergoing an experiment, but its top secret, well for the moment it is. For now its under wraps.
Basically i thought id look at plots for big TV dramas, like 24, Lost and Prison Break. As these are based on the notion of action, then the action being the consequence of that action. Often being dragged out for far too long.

looking firstly at Lost, the general plot behind this waste of time is a plane crashes somewhere in the south pacific, the survivors end up on this mysterious island. Straight away the premise has an action and consequence,
Action; plane crashes
Consequence: survivors left on remote island
the programme continues to unfold, giving us more actions from the island and survivors, both in present day and the past of the characters, which in turn confuses the whole situation as the consequences are vast and awfully long winded.
Can a line be referred to as action and consequence?
How can i visualise this?
Can i use TV dramas like lost as examples to produce visually?

....i know nothin!