It was my favourite show while it was on. It had this strange ability to double as an intellectual, subtext-laden high-concept show, as well as a brainless popcorn-munchin' guilty pleasure. Crazy plot twists, double-crossings, dramatic love triangles, explosions, cheap cliffhangers... mixed with thematic, sophisticated character-based storytelling, with no end of religious, philosophical and literary references? Count me in. From the outside it seems like trash, but when you get into it you realise it's a really smart show.
It is the worst victim of the 'paying out a show you've never seen' phenomenon. I will defend this show forever from all undue criticism made by people who haven't even watched it. It had a reputation of raising 5 new mysteries per episode and never ever answering any of them. This is a fair criticism, though a lot of the questions were kind of self-answering as the series went on. Sometimes you needed to put a bit of thought into it and come to the conclusions yourself. But it is ultimately disappointing when things that seem like a big deal at the time turn out not be a big deal at all.
LOST is overall a great piece of work, but its flaws are very, very apparent. I think that a lot of burden fell onto the final season of the show, having the end date announced three years in advance.The first five seasons were totally awesome but then it seemed to choke on the final one. Maybe it was starting to unravel behind the scenes for a while. Still, as late as season 5 each episode was very tightly written and stuff was happening! Season 6 was definitely below the standard.
By the end, I was both satisifed and dissapointed.
The way the finale season, and indeed the finale, closed Jack's series-long character arc was superb. "Ab Aeterno" (the long-awaited Richard episode) was one of the best in the series. I found the background myth of Jacob and the "smoke monster" to be really good, although their centric episode "Across the Sea" didn't seem to be executed quite right.
The finale itself was a great epsiode of TV. I laughed. I cried. Yeah, I cried an awful lot. I was satisfied by the emotional renions of the characters (the one between Sawyer and Juliet was the best one). The finale gave me a heavy emotional feeling that left me feeling touched for days.
The solution to the 'alternate timeline' (that it was a place the characters went to after death to sort out their lives' issues) was more interesting and satisfying than the parallel universe idea.
What disappointed me?
I wasn't disapointed by the lack of answers in the final episode. I could tell big explanations weren't coming as season 6 kept going at its slow pace, and I wasn't expecting a big twist that would magically clear up every tiny unresolved thing over the years. The biggest question for me was simply how the series was going to end.
New characters were useless and unlikeable (I'm looking at you, temple guys, and Zoe!) existing characters were ruined (Sayid! Claire! What did they do to you?) and the whole season just wasn't that enjoyable to watch.
Also, the ending of the show explicity endoresed a politically correct, multi-faith worldview - sappy ideas about love and community as the way to eternal peace - it was heaven without God. And while no-one said the 'h' word, it was kind of implied. I don't appreciate fiction that preaches at me and tells me what to think. But it is admirable that it actually addresses matters of faith. Most shows aren't brave enough to go there.
It is a great show that I would recommend to people, it's just disapointing that once you finish season 5 you don't really have anything to look forward to, as you've already seen the best stuff. It's kind of like:
Season 1-5: distinction+
Season 6: pass
Seems kinda harsh, but you know, it's pretty much how I feel.
I still count it as one of my all-time favourite shows, though Breaking Bad has since taken over its spot at no. 1. I look foward to forgetting about it and watching it again in 20 years and re-living the magic.
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