The latest issue of Wizard asks “Is ‘Lost’ the greatest sci-fi show of all time?” I can answer that in two words: Um … no. I don’t know where the magazine ranked “Lost” in its top 25 — it was wrapped in plastic and I refuse to purchase an issue that asks such a stupid question on the cover.
My blog is mostly positive when it comes to TV. That’s because I write what I know, I know shows that I watch, and I watch shows that I like. But sometimes I keep a show on my viewing schedule out of cultural duty — like “Lost.”
Before I blast “Lost” — and then allow “Lost” fans to blast me in the comments section — let me first say that I like some things about it. No other show can boast a deep roster of personalities like Hurley, who calls everyone “dude”; Sawyer, who has a vaguely insulting nickname for everyone; the recently deceased Daniel Faraday, who chewed on every word before he said it; and the formerly deceased seeker-of-the-truth John Locke.
I like the island. “Lost” is filmed in Hawaii and it seems very pleasant.
And I like the ambitious mythological scope, something not seen in a mainstream hit since “The X-Files.” I think that’s why “Lost” has entered the realm of things we’ve all agreed we won’t criticize, like religion and people who recently died. And I think that’s why Wizard overrates “Lost” — the editors love having an ambitious show to write about, because otherwise they’d be covering “Wipeout” or “CSI: Miami.”
But I can’t think of a current show with less dramatic momentum than “Lost.” After a strong first season, Season 2 was about meeting the Tailies, none of whom are still around (Bernard is still alive, but the writers forgot about him), and entering the hatch, which isn’t around either. Season 3 was about Ben, who eventually merged with our original group of survivors, and a second island, which is now unimportant.
That year’s finale is revered for switching from flashbacks to flash-forwards. But regardless of what order you’re telling the story in, it still has to be an engaging story. If I stacked the paragraphs of this blog entry from last to first, it would not reveal new depths of insight.
Season 4 asked “Who are the Oceanic Six?” It turned out to be Jack, Kate, Hurley, Sun, Sayid and baby Aaron. So what? The answer to that “big question” was more irrelevant than the Tailies and the hatch combined.
The current season is about time travel, with half the group in this decade searching for the mysterious Jacob and half the group in the 1970s working for the Dharma Initiative (the only game in town if you want a steady paycheck). Richard, who is perpetually 35 years old, is amusingly in both groups. (A character who doesn’t age should be the center of the story, but his eternal youth is taken for granted by everyone around him — a prime example of “Lost” missing the point.)
Also this year, Locke died at the hands of Ben, but his return to life was so talked about that it was no surprise when it happened. In another episode, the young Ben was taken in by the Others; again, not too shocking since we already know he becomes the leader of the Others.
We meet people, people die (or the writers put them on the bench), people talk about how weird the island is. People brood about how much their life sucks (Jack) or perk up about how much it doesn’t have to suck (Locke). But while I may know what’s happening — Jack and Co. are gonna set off bomb to blow up the past so their plane never crashes — I sometimes feel like I’ve watched 99 episodes of people walking through the jungle and pointing guns at each other.
And when the bomb does go off in Wednesday’s season finale, we’ll probably flash forward to Jack and Kate back in the USA meeting up with an older Sawyer and Juliet. (See how weird time travel is?) I’m sure the makeup will look great, but I still won’t know why I’m supposed to care.
“Lost” fans, please tell me what I’m missing.
(The two-hour season finale starts at 8 p.m. Central Wednesday, preceded by one of those “previously on” shows at 7 p.m. The show can also be viewed later in the week at ABC’s “Lost” Web page.)
Comments
You know, I actually share a lot of your opinions about Lost. I have felt cheated by this show since season 3 but continue to watch because of the time and effort that I have already invested in the show. I find myself complaining after nearly every episode.
You have hit the nail on the head regarding the lack of excitement in the show. I was just telling a co-worker the other day that it is not exciting to find out these answers anymore because we already know the end result.
All of this brings me to believe that the writers of Lost are in fact, lazy. Basically they finished the show in 3 or 4 seasons but when tasked for more, they simply inserted time travel into the equation and can now do anything they want, however, instead of doing something interesting like continuing the story in the future etc, they went backwards and retold the same story again. Basically, the flashback idea is now the show itself.
The season finale revealed a surprise or two, and had an ending that of course will force any watcher to continue next year.. however in the 9 or 10 months beforee the show continues again.. I will have lost interest.# Posted By Shaune | 5/14/09 12:02 PM
You sum it up nicely when you say they are retelling the same story again. I feel like the story isn’t really moving forward; it’s more like it’s moving in circles. Kind of like how the characters are always wandering around the island and ending back where they started. Or in a new place that’s related to something we already know about. So the foot statue has an alligator head. Great, but why should I care? Since the first season, there have been very few moments of “Wow, I didn’t see that coming.”
Compare this season of “Lost” to “Fringe.” The “Fringe” season finale genuinely had some wow moments, like when Walter is standing over Peter’s grave (thus explaining the disconnect between father and son — his actual son died, and Peter is actually the Alternate Peter; that is pretty darn cool). And of course the final shot of the Twin Towers in the alternate reality; that’s powerful stuff, and it sets up limitless possibilities for next season.
I’ll watch next season of both shows. With “Lost,” it’s because, well, I’ve come this far so I might as well finish. With “Fringe,” it’s because I know they are breaking some interesting new ground.# Posted By John Hansen | 5/14/09 12:31 PM
I watched the first 3 episodes of Fringe and quit. With all of the talk lately I might have to watch the whole thing online or when it hits DVD.# Posted By Shaune | 5/14/09 11:41 PM
“Fringe” started slow, then after the Christmas break, it got really good. Yes, do yourself a favor and watch the last 11 episodes on Hulu. With “Fringe” being this good, we don’t have to pretend we like “Lost” anymore.
I feel kind of bad saying that, because, for example, Josh Holloway gave a good performance in the finale. But all the running around, fighting each other and shooting each other and killing each other … I really expect more out of human beings, even the fictional kind.
That having been said, what’s the deal with there being a Dead Locke and an Alive Locke? Any theories? The Alive Locke seems to be more assertive and more evil than from before he was dead, so maybe some other entity has made themselves look like Locke. That’d be the obvious sci-fi theory.# Posted By John Hansen | 5/14/09 11:54 PM
I guess my understanding of the ‘alive’ Locke was that he was in fact the friend/enemy of Jacob from the beginning of the Finale’s episode. I hope I am wrong because that basically meant that all of the sudden Lost was using Posession, Shape Shifting, or some other ridiculous feat to finish their story.
Or… after thinking about it. Locke could have always been the other guy, living manyof years in a different form waiting for this chance.
Finally, if Jacob is basically a god, why did he die from a simple stab to the gut? Even Sayid didn’t die immediately, and he was shot!# Posted By shaune | 5/15/09 1:50 PM
Well, the pre-death Locke and the post-death Locke are clearly different people. Terry O’Quinn plays the new Locke in a smiling, arrogant manner, whereas the old Locke was always brooding and down on himself. But as far as why they are different people, yeah, it’s probably a shape shifter.
A lot of religions have gods who take human form, so it could be that Ben killed Jacob’s human form, but the god lives on somehow. From the way he manipulated everyone’s lives through his little cameo appearances (and the fact that he doesn’t age), Jacob is clearly supernatural on some level. Maybe some of my religious friends can weigh in on the Jacob issue.
I’m surprised that Jack and Sawyer didn’t kill each other, the way they were going at it. The constant fighting and shooting on “Lost” is absurd; if they had just talked things through, they could’ve come to an understanding, and everyone could’ve shared the island in peace. From week to week, “Lost” shows the worst sides of humanity, even among the “good guys.”# Posted By John Hansen | 5/15/09 2:01 PM