Lost from the beginning (NO SPOILERS)

[C_Miller]

I really wanted to love the finale but I am still feeling conflicted about it months later. I accept that it was a show about characters, and honestly that was always my favorite part of it, but the reveal of what the flash-sideways was just wasn't all that satisfying to me. It felt too...spiritual. I guess I'm too practical to have truly enjoyed it. I didn't hate the flash-sideways story now, but the whole thing just seemed kind of pointless. If I watched the last season again I would probably skip the flash-sideways parts as I know that they don't really lead to anything except everyone meeting up in a church. It did get me teary eyed but at the same time, as Christian was explaining things, my heart kind of sank as I thought, "oh, well that's kind of boring." It felt like learning the whole season had been someone's dream or something. Just not very satisfying.

The island parts were very good I thought. I loved watching the action and the final scene was quite moving. Overall I just feel a little disappointed about the last season and the finale. Not necessarily because they didn't spell out all the mysteries, but because...well, I'm not sure why. It's just not something I can look at and say I truly loved it or thought it was awesome. It was just alright, nothing amazing.

It was rather spiritual, but this was a show that has been about as pro-spiritual since the start. If the show was trying to balance the man of faith/man of science thing evenly, then I suppose it failed there. Locke always seemed to have the open mind to the Island being special while Jack, the man of science and reason was very closed minded. I'll have to go back through the series, but I remember liking how the show treated religion very well. I'm not religious at all, but it's kind of a cheap shot to attack religion. Way too easy.

This finale, to me, made sense as to what they were leading up to from The Pilot.

 

[C_Miller]

But Ben and Hurley are both dead at the end of the series.

yeah. So is everyone.

 

[Starbreaker]

So something eventually happened to them. They eventually die, so aren't immortal.

 

[startrekwatcher]

I have no problem with a character-driven drama. But LOST wasn't a purely character-driven drama. For better or worse, the writers chose to saddle it with a complex mythology that included dozens and dozens of initially intriguing mysteries. It also went out of its way in how it was structured to play mindgames with the audience plot-wise with all the out-of order sequences, the limited context, multi-perspectives etc. Looking back now it was more about playing games with the audience and in that context the whole series was a game they played with the audience and that is cheap.

Now the writers would have everyone believe the series was only about the characters and in that case all the mythology-related stuff comes across as nothing more than distracting sound and fury that really didn't need to be included since it was all just one big MacGuffin and a waste of time.

A lot of writers who tackle a mythology in the beginning love it but as time goes on and they have no clue how to resolve it lose interest in it and act like it was an albatross around their necks. If that is how they feel they should have ditched it in the beginning. Afterall for decades there have been tons of traditional serialized primetime dramas that told nice character stories and had an ongoing plot arc that didn't have to resort to making an integral part of their tapestry a byzantine-like mythology. I'd rather L/C have just dispensed with the games and the mythology since it ultimately ended up being a major distraction since it amounted to so very little.

I'm glad so many fans of the show could get passd the way the mythology was handled but I think it still was a big hit against the show and made L/C look like bad writers. I mean when you introduce all these elements and don't bother to give them a satisfying resolution then that's lame. If you introduce something then commit to develop it all the way to the end.

And I hear all this talk of satisfying wrap-ups for the various characters but I just don't see it. What was so great about how Claire's story ended? Sayid's? Sun's? Desmond's? Kate's? A lot of the endpoints were so generic that they could have been interchangeable. Did it really matter who made it off the island on the plane? etc etc. Contrast this to the full circle character arcs DS9 gave to the bulk of its cast that nicely showcased the parallels and growth of the cast over the course of the series' life. And if they were really committed to the characters they wouldn't have tried to cram so many plot threads in an hour or rush scenes-- they would have let the series breathe and wouldn't have given it such an unwieldy-sized cast of characters that it was impossible to invest in all of them. It shouldn't have been about quantity but quality.

 

[Jaron]

So something eventually happened to them. They eventually die, so aren't immortal.

Just like Jacob, I'm sure Hurley eventually found a replacement and died (not necessarily in that order).

 

[DonIago]

And I hear all this talk of satisfying wrap-ups for the various characters but I just don't see it. What was so great about how Claire's story ended? Sayid's? Sun's? Desmond's? Kate's?

If you don't understand what's great about-

Claire finally getting off the island to be a mother again, with the help of the woman who was forced to become a mother in her absence.

Sayid finally realizing that he can be who he wants to be instead of what other people tell him he is.

Sun and Jin finally finding each other again...granted it's bittersweet, but they have the afterlife at least, and nobody ever promised that -everyone- would get a happy ending.

Desmond bringing everyone together in the afterlife and (presumably) finally giving up his cowardice and settling down with Penny and Charlie (their kid).

Kate...well, Kate finally settling down in general, heh.

Then I don't think anyone else here can explain it to you in a way that you'll find satisfactory.

 

[startrekwatcher]

And I hear all this talk of satisfying wrap-ups for the various characters but I just don't see it. What was so great about how Claire's story ended? Sayid's? Sun's? Desmond's? Kate's?

If you don't understand what's great about-

Claire finally getting off the island to be a mother again, with the help of the woman who was forced to become a mother in her absence.

Would anyone seriously let a loon like Claire go anywhere near Aaron let alone raise him? And we never see this reunion with her child. Besides Claire had already came to terms with keeping Aaron and being a mother years ago. This felt like a reboot of her character just to have the same net result play out in an even less satisfying way than it originally did.

Sayid finally realizing that he can be who he wants to be instead of what other people tell him he is.

It was poorly executed. We are led to believe he is lost to the darkness/infection and then the writers want us to believe in a mere matter of seconds he is able to overcome this possession and be a good guy. Face it Sayid was all over the map--who knows if he hadn't decided to blow himself up 5 minutes later he may have been evil again and killing the Losties.

Sun and Jin finally finding each other again...

This was one of the better handled elements even if the build-up to it was clunky and the event itself was abrupt. But I still can't say the arcs themselves that we witnessed over the course of the season were that great for these two characters. What did they actually do? Was any of it necessary to get them here and how did losing her ability to speak English or Jin being kidnapped play into this? Instead it felt like the writers had no idea what to do with them and just gave them pointless stuff to do.

Desmond bringing everyone together in the afterlife and (presumably) finally giving up his cowardice and settling down with Penny and Charlie (their kid).

That's pretty thin. Besides we already saw this in S5 when he was reunited with Penny and they were living together on his boat with Charlie. If they were going to bring him back into the story this season I would hope they had something more in mind than being yet another prisoner who really didn't contribute all that much to the story in the end other than to help Smokey nearly destroy the island before strangely enough falling off the map for the rest of the finale except for in the FSW.

 

[C_Miller]

Desmond helped Jack defeat the Smoke Monster. His power was connected to the Island and when Desmond extinguished it, being the only person who actually could extinguish it. He was the hero. And then after the finale (in the real timeline), he rejoined his wife and his son and lived a happy life where he possibly had more kids and grandkids. Was all of that explicitly said in the finale? No. But, I have filled in the blanks that make me happy. Sometimes that's what needs to be done with shows that are filled with mystery. Crazy fan theories are part of what made the show so fun. And in the end, they're what continues to make the show fun.

As far as Sayid goes, I was not a fan of what they did to him in the final two seasons, mostly because they were a bit too vague about it. He obviously wasn't a manifestation of the Smoke Monster, not are we quite sure if he was possessed. However, his death was exactly what they were working towards for his character. He had been battling whether he was good or evil for almost 6 seasons and at the end, he had all but gone to the dark side, but at the end, he realized he always had a choice and killed himself to save his friends. In terms of literature and story telling, Sayid was, in my mind, the most perfectly crafted character

 

[IndyJones]

The finale for me was quite an underwhelming and disappointing affair. Very average and lacking.

I'm shocked you feel that way.

*yawn*

 

[Hober Mallow]

Odo,

Now that you know what the flash-sideways are, if you think back to LA X, there were alot of clues there that we missed the first time around. When Rose tells Jack, "You can let go now." And then when Bernard makes it back from the bathroom, we see a sly smile cross her lips and she tells him, in tone suggesting she hasn't seen him in a long time, "I missed you."

 

[DevilEyes]

This wasn't the worst series finale I have ever seen but it is nowhere near as good as the true gems like TNG's "All Good Things", DS9's "What You Leave Behind", BSG's "Daybreak"--a show I had problems with and who botched their mythology too but Moore did manage to put together a satisfying and emotional swan song something LOST didn't.

I disagree. I thought that all 3 shows (DS9, BSG and Lost) had flawed, but still incredibly emotionally satisfying finales... However, out of those 3, DS9's flaws were probably the least prominent (it's only the Pah-wraiths stuff - everything else works) and most of its character arcs satisfying (except for Dukat becoming the red-eyed cartoon villain), while BSG finale was by far the most flawed and most infuriating in its plot resolutions, or lack thereof. Everything that you say about how disappointing Lost's resolutions were, is even more true of BSG, IMO.

 

[OdoWanKenobi]

Well, I think I've had enough time to gather my thoughts, don't you?

There's more I want to write, but for the moment, I'm going to give you my personal top ten episodes of the series. This is one hell of a difficult thing to do considering how many amazing episodes there were, and how arc based the show is.

10. The Brig
This show had coincidences up the wazoo. When Anthony Cooper popped up on the island, I was all ready to cry foul. It was too convenient, too ridiculous. Thankfully, they gave a good reason for him being there, and managed to satisfy two characters arcs at once. The revelation that Cooper is Mr. Sawyer is really one of the most believable coincidences on the show.

9. The Long Con
"There's a new sheriff in town boys. Ya'll best get used to it." With one masterfully executed plan, Sawyer pulled the rug out from under all of the castaways, out from under the audience, out from under ME! This is the episode that cemented Sawyer, a character I hated at first, as one of my absolute favorites.

8. Walkabout
WTF?!?! John Locke was in a wheelchair?
This is the episode where I knew I was in. This is the genesis of one of the most fascinating and tragic characters on television. The rest of the episode is good stuff, but it's the ending that truly makes this one great. Seeing Locke's back story really makes everything earlier click.

7. Ab Aeterno
Richard Alpert's backstory, everyone! One of the most beautiful episodes of Lost in more ways than one. First, the episode looks freaking amazing. There's some wonderful cinematography that gives this episode a real cinematic feel. Then, there's the story. Richard is instantly changed from a rather bland character to an incredibly tragic one. His reunion with his wife via Hurley had me in tears.

6. The Incident
This is one of those episodes that changes everything. First off: OMG! Jacob! Then OMG Locke isn't Locke! Ben got played like a fiddle! Not to mention the frantic action, things going kaboom, and then a nuclear bomb going kaboom and taking Juliet with it! The Lost writers have shown that they know how to craft one hell of a season finale. Amazingly, this episode, which might have been the greatest for a lesser show, wasn't even the best finale they did.

5. The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham
The last real Locke episode. Looking back at this episode, knowing what I know now, it's perhaps the most tragic episode of the series. It's the death of John Locke. The real, dead is dead, death of John Locke. The show would be lesser without him. Yes, O'Quinn would still be around, but John Locke was dead. And what about Ben? This guy has gone from villain to hero, to villain and back again so many times, that his strangling Locke in the final minutes was a real shocker.

4. Pilot
Every show has to start somewhere. To say that Lost hit the ground running is an understatement. This is the most kinetic gripping pilot of any show I have ever watched. Lost didn't need a season to warm up. Lost grabbed me practically from the first frame. That last line: "Guys, where are we?" That was a hook like no other.

3. The Constant
I love Desmond. Pretty much all of his episodes were great, and this one was the greatest. Desmond is bouncing wildly through time, and only perhaps his constant can save him. Those final few minutes are perhaps Lost's finest. I don't think I've ever been moved to tears so much by a show.

2. The Shape of Things to Come
I love Ben, too. This is the finest of his episodes, as well. Ben, who up until this point had seemed to be the chess master, makes a tactical error that costs him dearly. The wound that this made in his soul is one we would see him carry for the rest of the show. There's not just the human story. The action is ramped up to ten for this one. All in all it easily earns its high spot on this list.

So, one episode left. I'm betting I barely even need to tell you what it is. You can already guess which one by the fact that it hasn't appeared yet. My favorite episode of Lost is:

1. Through the Looking Glass

What else can I say? This one has everything! Action, suspense, tragedy! Three little words: "Not Penny's Boat" suddenly turn the hope of rescue into a harbinger of doom. Charlie makes the ultimate sacrifice, and makes my eyes gush like Niagara Falls. Jack and Locke take their final step toward being bitter enemies. Then, they were off the island, and we were watching a flash-forward all along! Nothing would be the same. Nothing. Well, except Kate. She would always suck. I'll submit that there a few episodes of any show ever made that are finer than this one.


So, there's my top ten. Honestly, if I were to write this list tomorrow, it could possibly change a bit, too. Lost has become one of my favorite shows. I've convinced some of my family to start watching it as well. It's kind of like I've already started a rewatch.

 

[Aragorn]

Now it's time to list your top ten favorite Nikki and Paulo episodes.

 

[Lindley]

Nothing would be the same. Nothing. Well, except Kate. She would always suck.

 

[OdoWanKenobi]

^ That's brilliant.

Now it's time to list your top ten favorite Nikki and Paulo episodes.

Alright, if you say so.

10. Expose
9. Expose
8. Expose
7. Expose
6. Expose
5. Expose
4. Expose
3. Expose
2. Expose
1. Expose

 

[DonIago]

At least some things about the show are pretty straightforward.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

So, one episode left. I'm betting I barely even need to tell you what it is. You can already guess which one by the fact that it hasn't appeared yet. My favorite episode of Lost is:

1. Through the Looking Glass

I have to say I'm surprised that this was your number one. I mean, I completely agree with what you said about the episode, but based on what you've said in reviews in general about Desmond and Penny and on what you said about this particular episode, I expected "Flashes Before Your Eyes" to be your number one (or in retrospect, somewhere in your top ten).

Nothing would be the same. Nothing. Well, except Kate. She would always suck.

Bloody fantastic and so utterly true!

 

[C_Miller]

Odo, since Lost was always character driven, I'd really like to see your take on all of the characters from throughout the show.

 

[DonIago]

I was surprised that "Live Together, Die Alone" didn't make the top ten myself. Not only is it a Desmond episode, but it's also a season finale and IMO highly rewatchable.

 

[OdoWanKenobi]

See? This is why it was so damn hard! There's so many other episodes I would love to have crammed in there! Flashes Before Your Eyes, Live Together Die Alone, The Man From Tallahassee, There's No Place Like Home, Dead is Dead, Dr Linus, Happily Ever After, The End, and more. There's just too much stuff. Like I said, that list could change on any day you asked me. Yesterday The Brig made the list, but today it could be Flashes Before Your Eyes.

This is perhaps a bit wrong of me, but I also felt like I didn't want to cram the list full of finales and Desmond or Ben episodes. While those were always highlights of the show, Lost has more to offer than just that. I wanted to give a fairer representation. I doubt many would argue The Constant being the greatest of the Desmond episodes, or Through the Looking Glass being the greatest of the finales.