LOST

[Husker_x]

SECOND WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD! AAAAHHH!

So tonight was the night, and I just got done watching the overlong and commercial-laden series finale for LOST, arguably the most followed TV show of the new millennium. I came to the game late. It was only last summer when I had a needle running from Netflix streaming to my arm and was pumping four episodes at a time when I could manage it. That lasted for about three seasons. The fourth marked a subtle shift in my response to the show. The fifth was more than a slight hiccup. Fears turned to doubts and ultimately to cynicism.

Which brings us to the sixth. Here is where I felt that the show completely lost its way. The vivacious characters seemed sapped of color, the writing became more contrived with each passing episode, and at long last what had begun to happen way back in season four came to a head: I completely lost interest in the mystery of the island. The first reason was I failed to see what was so special about it. So there's a light underneath a waterfall and a smoke monster occasionally pops out of it. Several characters allude to the fact that if the smoke thing ever got off this particular patch of electro-magnetic sand, something bad would happen. They never say what, mind you, but it sounds official.

Episodes rambled along, offering up pittance reveals that always seemed to raise more questions than they answered. But ah! There's a finale. A bloody two and a half hours (minus the two hours of commercials). Certainly by the time we're finished all this mystery will be cleared up. We'll know what the island is, what the smoke monster is, what these 'flash-sideways' are. Or will we? Here's what I was hoping to discuss with any fellow LOST fans. For me the finale raised more questions than it answered. Besides the weak final battle between Jack and Fake Locke, the ending at the church left me with a few burning questions. Maybe someone out there has the answers.

1. What was the island? Given that there was no obvious physical threat, was it some kind of metaphor for the human condition? The simplest explanation that I can come up with is that it really was a cork bottling light which was being hunted by a cloud of black smoke. Well whoopie ding.

2. Did they die in the original crash? Again, it seemed clear enough that this wasn't the case, but the explanation for what actually happened to Jack and his merry band was very nebulous.

3. Were any of the events in the flash-sideways actually happening in reality, or was it an artificial reality which apparently needed to take an entire season, yet ultimately ended up refuting itself when we find out it was a mass-psychosis of dead people who are in pre-game warmups for a cheery afterlife?

I'm getting tired now. Unfortunately for me the finale was too murky and melodramatic to save the show which peaked too early and suffered a slow decline. I got the sense that the writers shot from the hip early on and didn't necessarily have this ending in mind from episode one. Ask Stephen King how that can bite you in the a$$. Tying up loose ends can become a desperate struggle, and I think the show not only struggled, but tried to whitewash its near incomprehensible narrative.

 

[808Husker in KCMO]

I took it as they died in the original plane crash. Being that all of the individuals were flawed in some way (Jacobs explanation), I saw the island as some sort of compassionate purgatory where the passengers were able to find redemption and love.

 

[epocSoN]

I took it as they died in the original plane crash. Being that all of the individuals were flawed in some way (Jacobs explanation), I saw the island as some sort of compassionate purgatory where the passengers were able to find redemption and love.

I don't want to tell you that your wrong or anything, but I disagree.

Everything that happened in the show, minus the flash sideways was reality. The flash sideways was a purgatory of sorts, built so all the members that shared the experience could move on to an afterlife together. Connecting reality in the flash sideways represented the characters finally being ready to move on after they died.

Here is my beef with the last season of lost. The reason why the audience was so captivated with the show was its incredible scientific mysteries. We were introduced to so many awesome scientific questions throughout the first few seasons that many of us refused to stop watching in hopes of getting some answers.

And during the last season what do they do? They flip the show on its ear and turn it in to a character piece. Completely ignoring the scientific explanations that the show owed the audience from seasons 1-5. The last season now focused on the individual characters, which for me seems like a cop out to what hooked many of us in during the first few seasons.

I'm not upset about the final episode. I understand that they did what they had to do. It's just unfortunate that thats the direction the show had to head to find its resolution.

 

[808Husker in KCMO]

I dont mind being wrong. I like your explanation of it too.

 

[VA Husker Fan]

I agree with 808, though the creators say it isn't, so I guess we are wrong. To me, that's the best explanation for the smoke monster and all that other wacky stuff happens that wouldn't be found in real life.

epocS, season one was mainly on the character development and very little on the science, and that's what hooked many people. I thought it was fine to get back to that.

 

[Bradr]

Let me start by saying that I am confused by the show's ending, and anyone who tells you otherwise needs to be taken with a grain of salt.

***SPOILERS***

With that said, I have been looking around for answers, and a few things have been brought to my attention that make sense to me.

1. The show's ending was left somewhat open ended to allow people to make their own deductions. There are so many goofball opinions out there and everyone seems to think that their opinion is right. (Edit: In nooo way attacking anyone on here. I just laugh at how many different things I've seen)
   
2. It would seem conclusive by all that everyone in the final scene was dead, and headed on to some final place of happiness and contentment - the "Next Phase".
   
3. The show's cast has 2 versions of reality. The alternate "waiting room" reality (where Jack has a kid, Sawyer is a cop, etc) and the normal reality. According to Jack's father in the later scene in the church "Everything that happened before the alternate reality was real." This would indicate that the "memories" that came back to each lost character was the "real" reality. The "waiting room" alternate reality was some type of coping mechanism/segway/pergatory for the Lost characters to be able to be able to meet up again in the afterlife, and then move on together.
   
4. So when Jack bled out in the forest, he died - this was his actual death. When Jack went to his "waiting room alternate reality," the other characters may have been there for quite awhile, or potentially not arrived for a very long time - as is possible in the case of Hugo taking over as the Island's protector. In any case, after each died, they went to the "waiting room" alternate reality. Since this reality is timeless, large spans of time to you and me would not affect their perceptions in this place.
   
5. The main character shared a very strong bond of friendship and considered their time together as "The most important time of your life" according to Jack's father. Because of this bond, the characters subconsciously? created the alternate timeline to occupy themselves while each waited to find one another.
   

What does not make sense to me is the following:

1. Ditto on the island - black smoke, time travel, polar bears, bright light in the well, regeneration, whole island teleportation, immortality of certain characters, being able to see reflection in the lighthouse mirror, etc, etc, etc
   
2. If the final scene was a group of very close friends moving on together, why was Penny there? She had little interaction with most of the characters, aside from a small amount of time on a boat.
   
3. What's the deal with Charles Whitmore, his british wife who always seems to know more than she's letting on, and the astrophysicist son?
   
4. Is Ben not getting to go on/going to hell? He couldn't go inside. Maybe he had more important people in his life.
   
5. Miles, Anna Lucia, Charlotte are in the alternate reality but not the church?
   
6. Michael, Eko, Walt aren't in the alternate reality at all?
   
7. What is the symbolism of the dog? Am I making connection where there are none?
   
8. Once Jacob and the man in black were having a conversation and Jacob said something about "everything else just being progress." What does that refer to? Is the island some kind of semi-ethereal proving ground where those with deep flaws can go to find redemption?
   

I guess my main disappointment comes from lack of scientific answers. The whole ending explained nothing of the island, only the alternate reality.

 

[Husker_x]

I guess in my long rambling I failed to mention something, and it happens to be that I agree with pretty much everything that's been posted. The Lost finale didn't seem to ANSWER anything except for the mysteries that were brought about in season 6. As such, it only superficially felt like a series finale, and it never drew the main question to a definitive conclusion. From the second Jack opened his eyes on this island, we've been wondering just what the hell is going on around here? And the series didn't answer that question. For that reason I'm amazed that people would regard Lost as even in the conversation as the greatest show ever, and especially that the finale would even be considered a success, much less the best success in TV history.

 

[Bradr]

I guess in my long rambling I failed to mention something, and it happens to be that I agree with pretty much everything that's been posted. The Lost finale didn't seem to ANSWER anything except for the mysteries that were brought about in season 6. As such, it only superficially felt like a series finale, and it never drew the main question to a definitive conclusion. From the second Jack opened his eyes on this island, we've been wondering just what the hell is going on around here? And the series didn't answer that question. For that reason I'm amazed that people would regard Lost as even in the conversation as the greatest show ever, and especially that the finale would even be considered a success, much less the best success in TV history.

I almost feel like they made it vague for the sole purpose of letting everyone come to their own conclusions - as not to let anyone down. And by sitting on the fence, they let a lot of people down.

Count me as disappointed. And I stayed up a good hour past my bed time to watch the ending, and another hour trying to find out what the hell just happened. I need a coffee.

 

[Husker_x]

I guess in my long rambling I failed to mention something, and it happens to be that I agree with pretty much everything that's been posted. The Lost finale didn't seem to ANSWER anything except for the mysteries that were brought about in season 6. As such, it only superficially felt like a series finale, and it never drew the main question to a definitive conclusion. From the second Jack opened his eyes on this island, we've been wondering just what the hell is going on around here? And the series didn't answer that question. For that reason I'm amazed that people would regard Lost as even in the conversation as the greatest show ever, and especially that the finale would even be considered a success, much less the best success in TV history.

I almost feel like they made it vague for the sole purpose of letting everyone come to their own conclusions - as not to let anyone down. And by sitting on the fence, they let a lot of people down.

Count me as disappointed. And I stayed up a good hour past my bed time to watch the ending, and another hour trying to find out what the hell just happened. I need a coffee.

Ditto, ditto, ditto. I don't mind supernatural fiction at all; in fact I really enjoy it. What I hate, though, is when the viewer and the producers have a silent understanding that certain mysteries are going to be solved, and instead they give me a lot of soaring violins and religious imagery, as if that is somehow supposed to make up for the fact that I'm sitting here going, "Wait...WHAT?" It's easy for an artist to 'leave things up to the viewer.' It's difficult to meet expectations. The ending was a copout, and I too am very disappointed.

 

[AndyDufresne]

I guess in my long rambling I failed to mention something, and it happens to be that I agree with pretty much everything that's been posted. The Lost finale didn't seem to ANSWER anything except for the mysteries that were brought about in season 6. As such, it only superficially felt like a series finale, and it never drew the main question to a definitive conclusion. From the second Jack opened his eyes on this island, we've been wondering just what the hell is going on around here? And the series didn't answer that question. For that reason I'm amazed that people would regard Lost as even in the conversation as the greatest show ever, and especially that the finale would even be considered a success, much less the best success in TV history.

Your expectations for serialized television drama are much higher than mine. The series featured original ideas, deep characters, and lots of mysteries and excitement. The ending may not have been the most satisfying in the world, but I appreciate what Lost brought to an industry full of mostly terrible reality shows and copycats of the same doctor/lawyer/cop shows that we've seen hundreds of times. I think the series peaked at season two or three, but I still watched religiously enjoyed most every minute of it.

 

[epocSoN]

I agree with what you guys are saying. There are many things that were not explained that forced the viewer to make their own explinations, which was fine. But there were also things that were not addressed that I thought needed to be, most of what has already been mentioned in this topic.

Would you guys have liked the episode more or less if the alt timeline / purgatory timeline was never shown?

 

[VA Husker Fan]

I agree. You have to think they had a vision or their own interpretation of how it ended, but maybe they screwed up and couldn't make it work. If you give a definitive ending, and people spot holes in it, you lose. But if you leave it vague, and people come up with their own theories that get shot down, you just sit back and smile like they still just haven't figured it out.

Or maybe the producers couldn't agree on the ending. Or maybe they were just winging it the whole way.

 

[Husker_x]

I guess in my long rambling I failed to mention something, and it happens to be that I agree with pretty much everything that's been posted. The Lost finale didn't seem to ANSWER anything except for the mysteries that were brought about in season 6. As such, it only superficially felt like a series finale, and it never drew the main question to a definitive conclusion. From the second Jack opened his eyes on this island, we've been wondering just what the hell is going on around here? And the series didn't answer that question. For that reason I'm amazed that people would regard Lost as even in the conversation as the greatest show ever, and especially that the finale would even be considered a success, much less the best success in TV history.

Your expectations for serialized television drama are much higher than mine. The series featured original ideas, deep characters, and lots of mysteries and excitement. The ending may not have been the most satisfying in the world, but I appreciate what Lost brought to an industry full of mostly terrible reality shows and copycats of the same doctor/lawyer/cop shows that we've seen hundreds of times. I think the series peaked at season two or three, but I still watched religiously enjoyed most every minute of it.

Seasons 1-3 were about as good as TV gets. The problem is Lost was billed as a supernatural/thriller/MYSTERY show. When you want to do mystery fiction, the ending becomes even more important than it already is. Failing to answer questions in a mystery show and at the last minute telling your audience, "Well it was a character show all along" is a sad way to shirk your responsibilities as a storyteller. I have my theories on why they did what they did, and they mostly involve a scattered writing room that never had an ending in mind when they began. Lost is not a pure mystery show; a lot of time was devoted to character development. I think even that aspect lagged in the last season, but Lost was not JUST a character show.

Lost was the peak of network TV. I think it ultimately collapsed under the weight of its own overwrought plot devices and the writers took the easy way out and answered nada.

 

[epocSoN]

I guess in my long rambling I failed to mention something, and it happens to be that I agree with pretty much everything that's been posted. The Lost finale didn't seem to ANSWER anything except for the mysteries that were brought about in season 6. As such, it only superficially felt like a series finale, and it never drew the main question to a definitive conclusion. From the second Jack opened his eyes on this island, we've been wondering just what the hell is going on around here? And the series didn't answer that question. For that reason I'm amazed that people would regard Lost as even in the conversation as the greatest show ever, and especially that the finale would even be considered a success, much less the best success in TV history.

Your expectations for serialized television drama are much higher than mine. The series featured original ideas, deep characters, and lots of mysteries and excitement. The ending may not have been the most satisfying in the world, but I appreciate what Lost brought to an industry full of mostly terrible reality shows and copycats of the same doctor/lawyer/cop shows that we've seen hundreds of times. I think the series peaked at season two or three, but I still watched religiously enjoyed most every minute of it.

Seasons 1-3 were about as good as TV gets. The problem is Lost was billed as a supernatural/thriller/MYSTERY show. When you want to do mystery fiction, the ending becomes even more important than it already is. Failing to answer questions in a mystery show and at the last minute telling your audience, "Well it was a character show all along" is a sad way to shirk your responsibilities as a storyteller. I have my theories on why they did what they did, and they mostly involve a scattered writing room that never had an ending in mind when they began. Lost is not a pure mystery show; a lot of time was devoted to character development. I think even that aspect lagged in the last season, but Lost was not JUST a character show.

Lost was the peak of network TV. I think it ultimately collapsed under the weight of its own overwrought plot devices and the writers took the easy way out and answered nada.

That was exactly my point. They took a mystery show and turned it into a character piece for the final season.

 

[Bradr]

Hehe, and you want cop out?

How about in the alternate reality, when the characters were being given their "awakening's." There's a scene where Sayid and Charlotte meet outside of a bar and when they touch, they remember. But apparently, Boone and Hurley were already "awakened." However, Boon'es most meaningful time on the island (before he died) was with Locke, who was not awakened yet. So there was a Round Robin of failed logic to awaken the characters at that point, so the creators just decide to make Boone already know what is going on.

I see it anyway.