So here we are…the morning of May 23, the day in which LOST, season 6 and the series as a whole, is finally coming to an end. It has been quite a ride over the last 6 seasons, with lots and lots and lots of ups and downs.
Season 1 will forever live on as a pinnacle of television success due to its wonderful character development, solid writing, and exceptional intrigue. While many will and do argue that the remainder of the series has been something of a let down, I, for one, have enjoyed the wild ride. Independent of expectations, it’s been entertaining and captivating throughout.
Regardless of the poor decision making by the producers (see: Nikki and Paulo), the unfortunate and disjointed 3rd and 4th seasons (see: WGA strike), and the introduction of many, many more questions than answers, LOST will always have a special place in fans’ hearts.
Thus, I present the top 10 excuses reasons why I don’t care if tonight’s series finale is disappointing:
10. I’ve been watching the show for 6 years and need closure, regardless of how unsatisfying it may be.
9. Richard Alpert’s persistent use of manscara.
8. The plethora of pop culture, film, philosophy, and literary references that have been packed in.
7. The Ace of Cakes’ LOST 100th episode celebratory cake.
6. Sawyer’s endless barrage of nicknames.
5. Dharma beer and all of the other awesome assorted Dharma goods.
4. Some Like It Hoth – I mean, come on. Hurley re-writing (and explaining) Star Wars?! Too awesome.
3. The countless hours spent theorizing and commiserating with friends and coworkers over the past 6 years.
2. Season 1 – makes up for nearly every bad episode ever since.
1. OK. You got me. I’m really hoping it does not suck.
I’m with you man. Wrapping a TV series of any kind is probably one of the most challenging endeavors for writers. You simply can’t please everyone, and above all NOTHING could possibly reconcile 6 years of waiting – mainly because a story would never take 6 years without the demands of TV execs, ratings and ad revenue. I’m going into this without the expectation that everything will be “wrapped up in a neat little package” (a la Homer Simpson from the Rear Window spoof episode). Considering what this show is ultimately about, how could they answer everything? There will be many remaining questions, most small, but big ones that are more important. It’s like when people try to answer the question “Who created God?”, which only defers the real issue (as Jacob stated, every answer will simply lead to more questions).
I’m looking for closure in the characters’ lives, but not in the mystery of the island. The mystery is what will preserve the interest in this story forever, and what will seal this series’ fate as a truly memorable and uniquely sublime experience. That is, if you are into a little self-inflicted pain now and then. Cheers to LOST!! Thanks for the ride!