Ever since ABC aired the feature-film-worthy pilot episode of LOST in September, 2004, I've been hooked. I have never missed a first-run episode, and while I'm a tremendous LOST fangirl, I wish I weren't the only member of my household to watch the show as it's one that cries out for discussion, argument, and rehashing. And at midnight last night, after I'd come home from work and turned on TiVo to see the producers kill off three of the series' lead characters, oh, how I wanted to talk about it with somebody, to cry with somebody over the loss of Jin and Sun and Sayid. Instead I read Doc Jensen's special immediately-post-show column to get me through today when his weekly re-cap column appeared. And now it has. I started to read "Sunk," then decided to take a break - to have more time for savoring - and write a quick blog about my feelings on LOST's ending in three more weeks.
Essentially I'm in pre-mourning, and have been ever since February when the first of season six's eighteen episodes aired. As a result I started reading Doc Jensen's online columns about the show so as to broaden and deepen my LOST experience before it all comes to an end. Although I'm a devoted watcher and have occasionally watched the sub-titled episodes that air when ABC has nothing better to show before new episodes, I've rarely gotten involved in the plethora of official/semi-official/unofficial LOST content available online.
Don't get me wrong...I think all the web tie-ins are pretty brilliant, but that level of involvement requires a keener eye than I have when I follow a TV show. I don't notice half of what other people do when they watch LOST, but when I do, I'm pretty damn proud of myself. Which is why I cannot fathom the bottomless fount of knowledge that exists in Jeff Jensen's head about the various philosophies, religions, writings, and other references that are a part of LOST, either as parts of major story or character arcs or in the multitude of little easter eggs created for viewers.
This isn't the first TV show I've loved. There are too many sit-coms - from Barney Miller to Seinfeld to Flight of the Conchords - to list - but outside of Star Trek: TNG, Twin Peaks, The X-Files, Highlander: The Series (which I came to, admittedly, late), The Sopranos, and Mad Men, I've never been so devoted to a drama as I have been to LOST. I gave up on E.R. when Dr. Mark Greene died, and stopped watching NYPD Blue after they killed off Detective Bobby Simone, but never have I been tempted to stop watching LOST, not even when they killed the Hobbit Charlie. I've been willing to turn myself over to the imaginations of the show's producers because LOST is the finest show ever to air on television. Even though stuff flies over my head on a regular basis, the storylines, character arcs, production values, and, in particular, the moral ambiguity that floats around...all of it contributes to a show I doubt we'll ever see the likes of again.
Even so, I'll obviously continue to muddle through my days after the two-and-a-half-hour finale scheduled for Sunday, May 23rd. I'm sure Jeff Jensen will as well, but what's he going to do with all that extra time on his hands besides making up for countless hours of lost sleep? And, if you're a LOST fan, how are you feeling after last night's episode, and the upcoming end of an era?
3 comments:
I hear you - there will be a huge void left when LOST is off the air.
On one hand, I can't wait to see the ultimate resolution of a show that's kept me on the edge of my seat for six seasons. On the other...no more Lost? :cries:
No matter what the writers threw at us, I haven't been tempted to leave. Not even when they killed Boone...or Charlie...or Locke (technically speaking) or now Sayid :sobs: or Sun and Jin :more sobs but tragic romance points: I trust that, in the end, it's going to be worth it all. Moments like Penny and Desmond's reunion (at Christmas, no less) make that promise and borrowing from Real Locke, I trust the island.
My post-finale plans are set. After the final episode, DH and I are popping in the season one DVD and starting the whole thing over again.
I also have no one in the house that watches LOST so imagine Bob's surprise when he found me sobbing after I finished this weeks episode. I loved that Jin didn't leave Sun but OMG painful. I'm mad at Sawyer, not surprised that Sayid died but surprised by 'the 70's porn guy' biting the dust. I really thought there was more for him.'
I have no clue what to do after LOST - I'm hoping the creators of this show have another something grand up their sleeves. I did survive the end of Battle Star Galactica (the newest one). You might enjoy that - I think it was the first of shows to show moral ambiguity and the aftermath of decisions. I can't say I loved the way the story ended but with time I understand it.
BSG went in with a 4 year story ARC they knew it would only be that many years (I think it became 5 because of the writers strike).
I'm glad there is an 'end' instead of a show that just fades into the background.
Still, I'm going to be sad but I'm thinking there will only be 2 people standing at the end and they might be the 2 that started it all. Sad.
CindyS
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