Falling Debris

We have to go BAAAAAACK! Where? To... the island... in Lost. Time to get ready for Lost's sixth and final season by catching up.

It's really no surprise that we're talking about Lost a second third fourth time; it's captured the hearts and minds of such a wide audience without much explanation.

Lost is a recurring topic around here for several reasons. It's science fiction that involves philosophy and and mythology. It's a unique blend of classic storytelling and post-modern serial drama that has had audiences glued to their TVs for five years. It's making sci-fi popular again. In an era of TV dominated by "reality shows" and medical/law procedurals, Lost has planted itself as one of the few remaining mainstream sci-fi series at the moment. And that has mostly to do with "the reality of it all" with survivors and having no resources, but also the intruiging mystery surrounding the island and its past.

I recently marathoned all five seasons (instead of going home for Christmas) just to keep everything fresh in my mind. It's such a heavily serialized show and that's what divides those who love it and those who can't get into it. It must be watched in order and preferably as fast as possible. It's practically 24 on an island. I've had discussions with many people on this subject and they were either an addict who never misses an episode, or completely unintersted in what it's about. At the very least, the requisite of having no life prevents them from getting interested.

Unfortunately for the series and its fans, there are just too many questions and not enough time to answer. The final season will have 18 episodes, a number that has been modified several times since the contract for six season was finalized, mostly because of the WGA strike and then realizing that they ran out of track (train reference). Likely, what will happen is that JJ Abrams will just spill the beans on every fan question after the finale like he did with Cloverfield.

Lost is ultimately a well written show plagued with terrible execution, which is hard to justify when most of the story was organized very early on. It's not like they're flying by the seat of their pants as they go (regardless of evidence to the contrary). Even though I am disappointed with Lost's progress, I will follow it to the end and most likely buy whatever gigantic Blu-ray set comes after. I do give it credit for doing what Heroes could not, which is make pulp fiction popular again. And for anyone who doesn't think it is, you are exactly why it's doing suc ha good job at it.