Why I’m Still Watching

Last night’s LOST was cataclysmic. Not because of the plot or character revelations, but because I have never seen a fanbase so universally up in arms from one event. This goes beyond the Nikki and Paulo backlash, because nobody expected anything out of those characters, and most people had a pretty good idea that they were done for after their debut. This episode, though, people were nuts with anticipation. The Man in Black! Flocke! Jacob’s Nemesis! Would we finally get a name for him? If Jacob was the guardian of the Island, what was MiB doing there? Why did he want to kill Jacob? Why couldn’t they kill each other? I was one of them. I was looking forward to getting some answers about the nature of the Island (although I hoped they would just build on the cork metaphor, which I liked).

So I watched it. And that’s about all I did. I wasn’t really captivated, but I was anticipating some big revelation. Character relationships were revealed, the “Light of the Island” shown, the smoke monster born, and Adam and Eve identified. And that was about it. By the time “V” came on <shudder…>, I found that most of the questions I expected to have answered remained a mystery.

At this point, people flipped. Twitter exploded, and TV bloggers demanded Lindelof and Cuse’s heads. The acting was criticized, the characterization was criticized, the writing was criticized. People wanted answers, and with a single line at the beginning of the episode, it was clear that they would not be given.

Well, so what? So there are still questions? What’s new? That’s what LOST is, questions. The questions, the nature of the Island, I’ve always seen these as secondary to the characters. That’s what made the show great in the first place. These characters had a chance to make new lives, to confront their mistakes, their fears. They were simultaneously deep and one dimensional, with the backstories adding layers of conflict. That was the real purpose of the Island. It forced each character to face themselves. The Island’s mythology, its power, these were things that each character grappled with. Everyone on the plane had their baggage (pun intended), and the Island brought it to bear (again, pun intended).

There is no doubt that LOST’s creators and writers have led us on a wild trek bridging genres and themes. They have posed many questions and answered few. But in the end, I see LOST as a story of trials and redemption. Smoke monsters, magic buttons, and underground frozen donkey wheels are great entertainment, but the real reasons I’m still watching LOST are the living, breathing people who asked the same question we’re asking now - “Where are we?” I don’t know what the Island really is, but I know what it stands for: A second chance.