LOST Series Evaluation? (NO SPOILERS PLEASE)

[Solo4114]

Ok, so, I've literally never seen an episode of LOST. I've heard plenty about the show, but never watched any of it. I was always reluctant to start watching the show for fear that it would (like Carnivale and Twin Peaks) get canceled without ever resolving the storyline(s), or would (like X-Files and, for many, BSG) have a crappy, unsatisfying ending. I wasn't about to waste 6 seasons worth of viewing on a show that wouldn't satisfy.

So, now that the finale has aired, I have two basic questions for the folks who watch the show. Remember, I have NEVER seen the show, and this will help decided if I bother watching, so please NO SPOILERS. Ok? Thanks.



1.) Did the LOST finale (and last season) sufficiently answer the various "mysteries" posed by the show, or did it leave the audience hanging?



2.) If the show/season answered the mysteries, did you find them to be satisfactory answers, or did they come across as lame? IE: "Haha! It really WAS Purgatory all along!!! SUCKERS!!!" or "God did it" or "Pam was just dreaming while Bobby was in the shower."




I'll post a similar question again in another month, just to see if folks have changed their minds.

 

[knightdriver2001]

After watching it last night, I vote your #2.

6 Years of my life gone forever. :cry

 

[letmebestormy]

I'm not sure it's possible to answer your somewhat leading questions without giving spoilers so I'll just say this:

To me, it was one of the best tv shows ever and the finale showed why. As far as 'answers vs. mystery', your happiness with the show and the finale really depends on the individual viewer and where they place themselves on that slider I suppose. In my opinion, Lost is much more powerful leaving some mystery out there. If you're someone who needs everything explained like midichlorians, you might not be happy with the mystery. And in the end, these little questions and answers that everyone (myself included) has....well, they're just not important.

What happened, happened.

It's a show about life, death, good, evil, love, and....letting go.

It will get my recommendation every time.

 

[Guri]

1.) This is tough because 'sufficiently' and 'left hanging' are subjective terms. I would say both yes and no. For me personally I felt it was sufficient even though I was left hanging.

Sufficient because the answer of 'why did this happen to these people' was there. I got a lot more out of the series emotionally than I ever expected because they successfully and very satisfactorily wrap up each individual character's storyline so that even those I really didn't like, I got who they were and was pleased with their 'end' last night.

I was left hanging on the details of 'how this happened to these people'. Maybe they could have and should have explain more of the science, and had one more episode to fill in the gaps... it certainly left me wanting more.

2.) I actually thought the mysteries that were explained were pretty clever and combined with the method of the story telling it was incredibly interesting and original. I wouldn't say there was anything lame or 'gotcha' about it. I think they set out to keep people guessing and tug at their heart strings and make them think - for all the really mindless, cheap, formula driven entertainment out there, this show is a far cut above.


Advice I would give to anyone getting into LOST would be - focus on why the characters are there more than how and you'll enjoy it more... even though some of the 'how' is pretty intriguing, it's simply not the point.

 

[Egon Spengler]

Some of 1 and 2. A lot of questions wern't answered, but I like it that way and was hoping that not everything would be resolved. Sometimes a mystery is more interesting and fun than knowing everything.

The ending was perfect.

OOPS.---EDITED-

I can say more but then it will lead to some spoilers.

 

[Guri]

EGON! The third sentence is a total spoiler! You should edit that... let him wonder. :lol

 

[Capn_Jack_Savvy]

Save yourself the time by watching the last recap they ever produced which was for all five seasons. Follow this up by watching season six.

After that you should be OK. Better yet if you just watch the two hour show that was on before the final episode you could save yourself about another 20-22 hours of your life (and alot of money renting/buying the DVDs.)

 

[Westies14]

Not saying much about what happens (some was "answered," some was not), I will wholeheartedly endorse the show. It's really well-done character stuff and one of the best things ever created for television, in my opinion.

 

[jackdoud]

As long as you go into it knowing that the show is about the characters and their lives and not the island or anything that goes on there then you'll be good.

I waited until the start of season 6 to watch anything and then caught up in time to watch the finale. The series was entertaining but I think the "huge fans" got more out of it by having the endless disscussions than someone who just watches it alone. I'd say at least watch it with someone else who hasn't seen it as it will give you someone to discuss things with who won't go off on all the existing theories.

 

[Solo4114]

You guys make it sound a LOT like Galactica. Big multi-season buildup about various mysteries (IE: "What's the Island?" "What's the Smoke Monster?" "Why's there a polar bear?" "What was in the bunker?" etc., etc., etc.), much of which either isn't explained, or is explained in a sort of half-hearted way, with the ultimate answer being "It's the characters, stupid."

Is that accurate?

 

[Moviefreak]

I find the die hard fans will sit back and just call it genius.

They will argue til they are blue in the face about plot lines, and incredible meanings. I think the producers had an idea for an ending, and just went anywhere they could with the seasons, knowing they will just wrap it up like they did, leaving so much unanswered.

And of course, those die hards, not having answers, read into it much deeper and see much more in the story than intended.

 

[Pwrsrce]

I'm a die hard LOST fan...Loved it each and every week...But after last night I have to say:

1. Not really...maybe a little...definitely left some thing hanging

and

2. Many "mysteries" are actually answered along the way, and I found most of those answers to be very satisfactory...Unfortunately, I didn't find the answers at the very end of the finale that compelling.

Hope that helps,

Jason

 

[WebChief]

I thought it was brilliant! I'm not one that needs to have every mystery explained...I like the fact that they left plenty up to the individual viewer to make up their own explanations as to what was happening and why.

Like others have said, it was a show about characters not scientific or mystical happenings. If you go into it wanting to know why A + B = C then you'll be disappointed.

 

[Moviefreak]

What I find funny, is that they peope who call this brilliant writing, and say that mysteries do not need to be answered, are the same ones who will pick apart an Indiana Jones or new Star Wars film. They will get so in depth about how the plot has holes, and that the ending went off in a tangent, and blah.... blah...blah.. They will go on and on.....

This story was all over, yet they call it genius. But if a mediocre film came out and it left so much of the story unexplained, these people would be all over it. But, since they followed it for so long and invested so much time in it, they seem to feel obligated to praise it. Yes, it was entertaining along the way..... but we thought it had some form of direction. I am left with the bad taste in my mouth because it didn't resolve a lot.

 

[vaderdarth]

It was one of my all time favorite Series Finales.

 

[WebChief]

What I find funny, is that they peope who call this brilliant writing, and say that mysteries do not need to be answered, are the same ones who will pick apart an Indiana Jones or new Star Wars film.

Interesting.

I called it brilliant and you're 100% wrong about how I view "an Indiana Jones or new Star Wars film".

 

[ihs]

...I am left with the bad taste in my mouth because it didn't resolve a lot...

It may not have resolved what you wanted, but it did indeed resolve quite a lot.

I went into the finale fully expecting to be disappointed, but left very satisfied. I fully expect to go back and re-watch the series again in the future.

 

[knightdriver2001]

It was one of my all time favorite Series Finales.

As much as last nights finale disappointed a bit, This is not to hard to argue with as most
finales from TV shows leave much to be desired. It's rare that you get a good one.

 

[Capn_Jack_Savvy]

Polar bear! Walt was reading a comic book and that was one of the last things he saw. Somehow the island connected with Walt's memory. I think it was just fluff for the episode considering that was episode 2 (or was it in the pilot?) Left unanswered because the writers didn't know what direction to take it other than tangent the storyline to "glam" the audience but really confuse them more!

 

[Capn_Jack_Savvy]

Good show endings...ER, Saint Elsewhere, Hill Street Blues!!! (Dangit I just aged myself!)