LOST

There are so many interpretations and reasons as to why the tv show "LOST" has been so successful and addictive, that I find it hard to know where exactly to begin. I know that Lost finished some time ago, yet it was brought up in a conversation the other day, as I was trying to explain to someone I just met what exactly had happened on that show - a futile attempt it would prove to be later on. It did made me realise though, that Lost is a tv phenomenon that has touched the lives of all its viewers and we are cursed (like Hurley) to carry its stigma for the rest of our lives.

Lost is about the crash of Flight Oceanic 815 on a mysterious island, following the survival of 42 passengers and their dealings with the island's weird phenomena, its seemingly hostile inhabitants and of course, their relationships with each other. The opening episode is one of the most grasping to be ever shown on tv. A plane crashes. There are dead bodies, despair, agony and blood everywhere. Lost creates more deaths in its Pilot episode, than most tv shows do throughout their entire life span. It immediately grabs the viewer, it creates tension, drama, suspense. Screw the f-reality shows like "Survivor". This is as real as it gets.

Only there should be no survivors after such a horrible crash. There should be no island in that part of the ocean. There should be no polar bears in a tropical island or weird noises tearing down trees. Add more suspense and a lot of mystery and sci-fi action in there, and the viewers are already glued for the next few episodes -at least. Then throw in some cliffhangers. In fact, throw in a few in each episode. Who doesn't love a good twist? Most movies barely have one - at the very end of the film. An episode of Lost has one every quarter of an hour. No time for the viewer to glance off the screen. No time to pee, fetch some pop corn, or yawn. It keeps you right at the edge of your seat. Blink, and you just might lose the meaning of the entire episode. As for the poor bastard who would dare knock on my door or call my phone, let's just say the island monster fury was nothing compared to mine!

Then of course come the characters. Perhaps the most important ingredient of the recipe. They can't get more weak, more complex, more human than the way Lost portrays them. If you wish to watch a show about super-humans, this is not the one for you. Lost makes its characters feel real. Jack Shephard is no Jack Bauer. He weeps, he laughs, he eats, he yells, he pees, he showers, he gets laid, he is a leader and he is probably the most broken character of all. There is not a single viewer who could not find a character to associate with. The writing, producing, directing and acting of these personalities makes us love them, hate them, sympathize with them and even in some cases, desperately want to punch them (Benjamin Linus of course).

The Lost characters feel, think, act and react - sometimes selfishly, sometimes foolishly, other times for the "Greater Good" - whatever that may represent to each character. And we get to know exactly why they do what it is they do. Here enter the flashbacks, who shine light on the characters' lives prior to the island. Who are they, how did they get there, why are they the way they are now? The "flashback" mechanism is quite prominent in Lost and makes us feel and associate with the characters even more. It makes us understand their reasoning, their logic, their emotions. And let's be honest, we have all thought of a past memory at some point in our lives, when faced with a similar situation or an important decision - something which perhaps became a lot more enhanced after watching Lost!

Finally, throw in the "flashforwards", play with irony around a little bit, keep adding to the mystery, kill a main character (or two or three) every now and then, build on suspension, throw in some new characters, keep formulating unpredictable plot twists and make your viewer become part of the island and its survivors, and you have in your hands one of the most successful tv shows ever. Many people complained that the ending was disappointing for three reasons. First reason was that they didn't get it. If you don't understand it, come to me and I can explain pretty much anything to you. If you keep missing the point though and fail to understand the basics, such as that Jack and Claire were half-siblings, then why the fuck have you been watching this for the past six years? Go back to watching Glee or something.

The second reason is because not all questions had been answered by the end. Ok, fair enough, there are a lot of mysteries still hanging out there, problems not resolved, plot-holes not filled in and parts not explained. In defense to the show and its producers though, what the hell did you expect? That Jacob would gather everyone around a camp fire and start answering questions, while Jack was leaning on Sawyer's shoulder and Kate was sitting on their lap? Lost is a show about life (and death). And we only ever get a fraction of our questions answered throughout our lives, so why would Lost be any different?

The third reason, which comes from those who somewhat understood the concept but are too arrogant/ignorant/narrow-minded/simply hurt that the show is over, is that "Lost was a never a religious show, so why THAT particular ending?". First of all, there is no mention of god, heaven, Jesus, the Elysian Fields, St Mary, Buddha, Zeus, hell or any other deities at the end of the show. We simply witness the characters in an imaginary world (love the twist there), after death, until they are finally re-united and "ready to move on", which happens through a doorway in a church, towards the light. Yes, it does hint to heaven. No, we don't really know what is happening to them afterwards, so you can interpret it any way you like. 

Then come the viewers who claim to be "atheists" hence their disappointment at the ending. Who cares? When you write a show, you can conclude it any way you like! And please don't tell me you believe that there is an island somewhere out there that is able to shift positions on the earth, that it shoots people back and forth in time, that it cures paralysis and cancer, BUT the ONLY problem is that you don't believe in god, therefore the show lets you down. Lost has been a sci-fi show from the start and it tackles and depicts a lot of genres and aspects of life: survival, relationships, deception, science, drama, parenthood, drug addiction, death, illnesses, mystery, fright - the list is endless. And of course, an important aspect that may not be present in most of the viewers' lives: the paranormal. Which is where the afterlife truly belongs.

For six incredibly amazing years, Lost has created a landmark on the tv history. It is a show that will not be soon forgotten. It is not a perfect show, but it is close to that. It is captivating and moving. Well done to its brilliant team, its writers, directors, crew, producers and actors. Thank you for this unique experience.

There is, however, one burning question that is still stuck with me: Why weren't any of the survivors smokers?