LOST: Reflection on Lost

As Lost airs its final episode tonight. I thought I should look back and reflect on what made this show so great. Enjoy the finale!

FIVE REASONS WHY LOST IS ONE OF THE BEST TELEVISION SHOWS EVER CREATED :

1 The showrunners knew how it would end.

Ever since working out a deal with ABC on how many episodes were left, the creators brilliantly began a slow reveal of answers to many of the islands mysteries. Before this was accomplished three years ago, they were unsure how to proceed; they described it as running a marathon without knowing the distance which messes up the pacing. I have had complete faith in this series because I am confident that Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse know what their doing.

2 The characters are fully fleshed out.

While cool stuff happens on/off the island, this show has always been character-centered. With the help of ‘flashes’ we have learned so much about all these characters and what makes them tick.

3 They are willing to change the formula.

Moving from flashbacks to flashforwads to sideflashes was a creative way to keep things fresh on Lost. I like showrunners who are unafraid of taking risks.

4 They know how to start and end an episode.

Each episode began with something usually out of place and had a fun twist to start the story. Each episode also finished off with something that usually got me saying out loud, “What just happened?” followed by the Lost title card and bong sound. I’ve watched every episode since it began and it has always made anticipate the next airing.

5 They are not afraid to kill off key cast members.

Jack was supposed to die in the pilot episode; they decided to keep him around. Many others were not so lucky. There has been quite the body count on Lost, and not just small recurring characters either. No one was safe and that makes the stakes much higher and more fun to watch.

FIVE FAVOURITE EPISODES:

1 The Constant (Season 4, Episode 5)

Desmond goes back and forth in time with a phone call from Penny being the only thing that grounds him. Brilliant editing with a powerful love story.

2 Walkabout (Season 1, Episode 4)

Locke’s yells of “Don’t tell what I can’t do” are still heartbreaking as it is finally revealed that he has been in a wheelchair for the entire flashback. Awesome twist.

3 Pilot (Season 1, Episode 1 & 2)

It’s more like a movie that a TV show. Lots of action, lots of character introduction, lots of mystery. This is one of the best pilots I have ever seen. It’s practically flawless.

4 Happily Ever After (Season 6, Episode 11)

Charlie inadvertently wakes up Desmond from his sideflash and pushes Desmond to start waking up others, including mowing down wheel-chair bound Locke.

5 There’s No Place Like Home (Season 4, Episode 14)

Michael blows up, Sawyer sacrifices, Sun screams, donkey-wheel gets turned, the island moves. That’s a lot of stuff to pack into an hour.

FIVE FAVOURITE SCENES :

(NOT FOUND IN FAVOURITE EPISODES)

1 Not Penny’s Boat

(Through the Looking Glass, Part II Season 3, Episode 23)

They did a real job of Charlie’s death scene. Brave and sad.

2 Desmond Introduction

(Man of Science, Man of Faith Season 2, Episode 1)

The start of the episode looks like a 70’s flashback. No wait it’s Desmond, the one living inside the hatch that Locke and Jack just opened. Awesome.

3 Book Club Interruption

(A Tale of Two Cities Season 3, Episode 1)

The start of the episode looks like a Benjamin Linus flashback. Not wait, they are on the idland and Oceanic 815 is splitting in two. Welcome to New Otherton.

4 Locke’s Nightmare

(Deus Ex Machina Season 1, Episode 19)

Locke has a trippy nightmare with him in a wheelchair, his mom pointing and a bloody Boone repeating, “Theresa falls up the stairs, Theresa falls down the stair.” Creepy.

5 Submarine Body Count

(The Candidate Season 6, Episode 14)

In a matter of minutes, Sayid sacrifices himself with a bomb, Lapidus get beaned in the head with the sub door, and newly reunited Sun and Jin end up in their watery grave. Four characters dead. Didn’t see that coming.

FIVE FAVOURITE CHARACTERS :

1 Desmond Hume

He’s the key to everything. His love story is the heart of the show. His episodes are always trippy. I love the way he says “brutha”.

2 Benjamin Linus

What a wonderfully complex villain. You never know what he’s thinking. He can be both heartless and kind. His bulging eyes are unnerving.

3 Hugo “Hurley” Reyes

How can you not root for this guy? He is such an innocent and good-natured man. Love that he sees dead people. Dude.

4 James “Sawyer” Ford

How can you not like a street-smart hustler? I also share Sawyers dislike for Jack. Great hair. Love the nicknames.

5 Miles Straum

Love his every man for himself attitude. Perfect amount of sarcasm, like a mini-Sawyer. He’s a ghostbuster. Love his conversations with Hurley.

FIVE FAVOURITE QUOTES :

1 From The Whole Truth (Season 2, Episode 16)

BEN (as Henry Gale): Of course, if I was one of them -- these people that you seem to think are your enemies -- what would I do? Well, there'd be no balloon, so I'd draw a map to a real secluded place like a cave or some underbrush -- good place for a trap -- an ambush. And when your friends got there a bunch of my people would be waiting for them. Then they'd use them to trade for me. I guess it's a good thing I'm not one of them, huh? You guys got any milk?

2 From Exodus, Part II (Season 1, Episode 24)

ARTZ: What, am -- am I boring you?

HURLEY: Huh?

ARZT: You know what? I'm -- I'm sorry, I'm so... I'm sorry that I'm not cool enough to be part of your merry little band of adventurers.

HURLEY: What?

ARZT: I know a clique when I see it. I teach high school, pal-y. You know, you people think you're the only ones on this island doing anything of value. I've got news for you. There were 40 other survivors of this plane crash. And we are all people, too.

HURLEY: Dude, this is all in your head.

ARZT: Really? Then you explain to me why Kate gets the best pieces of wreckage to build her shelter? And the Korean guy? Does he catch fish for everybody on the Island? No, he does not. He doesn't. And some of us have actually lost weight while we were here. Now, would mind telling me where you're hiding the carbs because I can't figure...

3 From The Hunting Party (Season 2, Episode 11)

LOCKE: [to Sawyer] Does any of this look familiar from when you were coming back?

SAWYER: Well, yeah, there's my favorite leaf. How could I forget this place?

4 From 316 (Season 5, Episode 6)

LAPIDUS: [Coming out of the cockpit. He's clean shaven and doesn't have a bandage on his forehead.] Well, hello, Doc. Small world. [Jack exhales] What are you doing going to Guam?

JACK: What are you doing here, Frank?

LAPIDUS: Well, I picked this gig up about eight months ago. I fly this route all the time. Sometimes I take the big birds into New [Noticing the group in first class]... Delhi. Is... that Sayid? And Hurley. Wait a second. We're not going to Guam, are we?

5 From Whatever Happened, Happened

(Season 5, Episode 11)

MILES: What the hell are you doing, Tubby?

HURLEY: Checking to see if I'm disappearing.

MILES: What?

HURLEY: "Back to the Future," man. We came back in time to the island and changed stuff. So if little Ben dies, he'll never grow up to be big Ben, who's the one who made us come back here in the first place. Which means we can't be here. And therefore, dude? We don't exist.

MILES: You're an idiot.

ENJOY THE FINALE!