Getting Lost
Why TV's "Lost" is worth finding (and refinding)
It’s a pop culture curse, the model of how not to end a series, JJ Abram’s loudest albatross, and Damon Lindelof’s sleep paralysis demon.
It’s also my favorite television show of all time.
Let’s talk about “Lost.”
I’m going to break with popular convention and go full spoiler mode in this piece, but it’s coming from an inclusive place: whether you’ve seen “Lost” before or not, you’re welcome here. Important pro-spoiler factors to keep in mind:
There are 121 episodes of “Lost” - even if some things are “spoiled”, the volume of content ensures it’s impossible to be spoiled on everything
It premiered 22-years ago - well past the cultural statute of limitations on spoilers, plus you probably know the big ones already
It’s a soap opera wearing a sci-fi hat - been spoiled on the polar bears? Stay for the rich back stories
This show gets so bonkers spoilers will barely resonate with first-time viewers - “Is this the first time John Locke meets The Man in Black?” “Does the guilt horse not show up until season two?” “Oh hey, it’s Billy D. Williams!” See what I mean?
And as you might have heard, the no-spoilers completionism route is not necessarily the best way to consume “Lost.” If you’re looking for a technically complete sci-fi saga that answers every question it poses, this is not the show for you (might I suggest Battlestar Galactica?) But if you enjoy rich storytelling, compelling characters with dynamic relationships, and truly lush cinematography, I’m here to tell you why it’s time to get “Lost.”
It’s Gorgeous
On my most recent rewatch of “Lost” I could not get over how dang beautiful it was. Every scene leapt off the screen: verdant foliage in ten shades of green; otherworldly mountain bluffs; the inimitable glow of Hawaii’s golden hour. Shot on film with a budget of $4 million per episode, the latest Netflix original cannot compare to “Lost” when it comes to aesthetics. Even if you’re not into the plot, you’d be hard pressed to find a nicer looking show to fold laundry to. Massive bonus: no AI! Most of the effects are practical, and when they’re not its reassuringly obvious.
“Lost” is from the era when the goal was “Make a lot of money”; spend a lot to make something look great, trust the quality will bring in an audience, repeat. See also “Sex and the City”, prestige television from the time where “prestige” was HBO’s whole deal. The first season of Lost is over 20 episodes long, and every single episode has at least one scene that will take your breath away. Compare that to shows nowadays that take five years to make eight episodes that look like pixel-fucked nonsense (sup, “Stranger Things”?) See also “And Just Like That…” from the era of “Make ALL the money by spending as little as possible and then 18% less than that.”
It’s Character-Rich
In a nutshell, the premise of “Lost” is after their plane crashes on a deserted island, the passengers struggle to survive while realizing they may not be strangers after all. Can you imagine anything more intriguing?! Walt met John at the airport! Sun saw Hurley on tv! And don’t even get me started on Jack’s dad. While the plotlines get more and more kooky (truth serum, anyone?) the phenomenal cast’s performances keep their characters grounded and approachable (and none for Nikki and Paulo bye.) Keeping up with who-knows-whom-from-when-and-why is one of the most enjoyable parts of watching “Lost”, and the depth and breadth of each character make it both challenging and totally worth it.
Have you ever had a chance encounter with a stranger that feels weirdly familiar? Ever make up back stories for the people in line at the coffee shop? Enjoy “Six Feet Under”? Or “Downton Abbey”? Any long-running daytime soap? You’re going to like “Lost.”
It’s a Good Story
And not in the bizarre ending of "Game of Thrones” way #justice4Dany. “Lost” is original IP, a new story told creatively with completely unexpected twists and turns. I’m not saying it’s perfect by any means (looking at you, Jack’s tattoos.) But it’s something new, and I didn’t realize how thirsty I was for something that wasn’t a reboot/prequel/spin-off. Plot lines get dropped, questions go unanswered, Bai Ling is criminally miscast, but at least it’s weird in a unique way.
It’s the line in the sand that made the finale so divisive: are you here for answers? Or are you here for a story? Ultimately “Lost” is a story about love. Themes of science vs faith, good vs evil, destiny vs free will are all explored but it always comes back to love. Does love exist out of time? Where’s the line between sacrifice and martyrdom? What can “home” mean and how far are we willing to go to protect it? (Can you believe this show aired in primetime? For free?!) If any of those questions unlocked your curiosity cabinet, “Lost” is for you.
I know “Lost” has it’s problems. It carries the painful ignorance of early 2000’s television with regards to its non-straight white dude characters, including ableism, racism, sexism, and fatphobia. Not all 121 episodes are narrative homeruns. They had no clue what to do with Walt after season one.
But it’s brave, which is something you don’t see very often these days. It takes big swings. It tries. And it makes mistakes, and sometimes it covers those mistakes in diamonds and buries them alive (hehe.) This kind of world building and storytelling is a rarity in today’s television landscape. And in our current environment of daily unprecedented events some good ol’ fashioned escapism might be just what the doctor ordered.
And that doctor just might be Dr. Jack Shephard.
You seem to be suggesting that **we have to go back** to really understand and appreciate this masterpiece