I still remember the first time sitting down and watching a marathon of the first season which sadly was not my introduction. My first episode of Lost was actually season one's finale, which started a tradition of friends and media spoiling the show for me. Fight as I might to avoid it I couldn't get away from the news of what happened show to show, but it really didn't matter. The thing that has always drawn me to the show was the characters. In the end it really was the characters that were showcased with a bunch of great steps along the way. And I couldn't ask for a better ending.
Rabbit trail for a second: my personal favorite is those people (I can think of a few off the top of my head) that use my liking a television show and how it ended as a personal attack against me and really...beside pissing me off and revealing your stupidity that you can sustain intelligent conversation without resorting to vocal barbs...it is what is. You don't have to agree with me. Just don't think that your soap box is any better than mine.
Whew...back. :)
From the beginning this show unveiled character information in small nuggets that kept us coming back because we were invested in the characters themselves. The polar bears, smoke monster, Black Rock, and other details were just peripheral used to drive the story along. You couldn't exactly keep a show going to 6 years in the current climate of television with just interesting characters. It never works. Just ask Joss Whedon. But in this the creators found the glue that held this thing together. Viewers can't deny that you picked your favorites, followed them through the ups and downs, and when all was said and done you were cheering for Sun, Jin, Hugo, Jack, or one of the many others (those are my favorites btw).
The ending was not perfect. Most people who have had actual conversations with me about their feelings on the ending of the show have a valid argument. The ending could be seen as a cop out. The truth though, is after going over the details of the show I've stored away in my brain I can't see a single base covered that didn't make sense. This isn't like the show ended and unvalidated all the actions of the characters throughout. Each step was taken with determination and purpose, and I for one can say that covering that many bases is something to be applauded. The way the show ends with the players each finding bliss in their own personal Heaven, Shangri La, etc is much in tone with what the show has always done. This shows second purpose was always raising questions. And well done because even in the end we are left scratching our heads which to me is a joy.
The weaknesses are there though. The polar bear I've mentioned before almost becomes an afterthought when you compare it to the big deal it was in the first season and its reveal later in the desert. Jacob and his brother were honestly a bit of a let down. The time travel portion of the story, while amazing (loved the idea of energy transference into different vessels as opposed to actual matter movement which is impossible as we know it) becomes little more than a fun stop along the trip. Even Sun and Jin (my two favorite characters in the whole show) become this over extended emotional draw when I think they really were so much more. And Aaron...Jin and Sun's daughter...what about those kids?
So not perfect. Never will be. Stop for a second and think about how impossible it is to please all the fans with the ending to something that has endeared itself to such a following. Not going to be easy to close that down and make everyone happy. This still ranks up there for me. I think about the 3rd season the show runners saw that the show was broken and did the best they could with creating interesting stories that I would easily rank up there with classic The Prisoner or Twilight Zone. Does it make my top rank? Never...I don't think anyone can beat the joy I had with the last episode of Battlestar Galactica or even Buffy which both made me tear up. But in the scheme of tv serial storytelling Lost accomplishes quite a bit without giving us a Dallas ending. Just imagine how you would feel if it was all a dream...
Bravo gents...now on to Fringe and Breaking Bad...my last two good shows I'm enjoying right now. And no I won't watch Glee. I'm taking a stand. :)
J...
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