On the 10th anniversary of the series finale of Lost, I decided to rewatch the entire show, having not watched it since it originally aired. I remember being enthralled by this show, from beginning to end, and it felt like the right time to return to the island, and to the people, of Lost.
A lot's happened in my life in 10 years. I've lost both parents, an uncle, two of my best friends, and even my cat, and so the ending of Lost really, really hit hard this time. I think back to the backlash when the show ended. "They didn't explain anything", "see I told you they were in limbo/heaven/hell the WHOLE time!", etc etc. Those criticisms are, of course, wrong. Usually made by people eager to savage the show or who failed to grasp the concepts explored and revealed in the final season.
Everything that we ever needed to know is explained in the final season of Lost. We learn what the island is. We learn why the survivors of Oceanic 815 were called to the island. We learn the backstory of Jacob and the Man in Black, the origin of the smoke monster, the history of the ageless Richard, the importance of the numbers, and much much more. Anything that isn't explained, didn't need to be. We don't learn of the origin of the island, because the characters didn't know, nor did they need to. In fact, we only learn as much as the oldest characters know. And that's enough. Then we see the 'sideways flashes' in Season 6 are in fact a construct created by the survivors to find each other again when they eventually pass, and not an 'alternate reality' as we're led to believe initially. This is all explained clearly! The island was real. Their lives were real. And their deaths, were also real.
Binge watching the show across 6 seasons was a way to enjoy the adventure of Lost that I hadn't experienced before, and it was amazing. No waiting 7 days for a new episode, or months for a new season. Heartbreaking, and exhilerating. And the final shot of Jack laying on the island to die, with Vincent beside him for company, as we see the plane fly overhead taking Kate, Sawyer, Miles, Richard and Frank away to safety, and to live out their lives, is a mirror of the shows opening shot from Season one, and is heart wrenching. I cried a lot on the second watch, moreso than the first time I watched it 10 years ago. Life happens, nothing can stop it, and it changes us with every moment. Lost has secured it's place as one of the greatest stories ever told in the medium of television. 10/10 for the entire series.
A lot's happened in my life in 10 years. I've lost both parents, an uncle, two of my best friends, and even my cat, and so the ending of Lost really, really hit hard this time. I think back to the backlash when the show ended. "They didn't explain anything", "see I told you they were in limbo/heaven/hell the WHOLE time!", etc etc. Those criticisms are, of course, wrong. Usually made by people eager to savage the show or who failed to grasp the concepts explored and revealed in the final season.
Everything that we ever needed to know is explained in the final season of Lost. We learn what the island is. We learn why the survivors of Oceanic 815 were called to the island. We learn the backstory of Jacob and the Man in Black, the origin of the smoke monster, the history of the ageless Richard, the importance of the numbers, and much much more. Anything that isn't explained, didn't need to be. We don't learn of the origin of the island, because the characters didn't know, nor did they need to. In fact, we only learn as much as the oldest characters know. And that's enough. Then we see the 'sideways flashes' in Season 6 are in fact a construct created by the survivors to find each other again when they eventually pass, and not an 'alternate reality' as we're led to believe initially. This is all explained clearly! The island was real. Their lives were real. And their deaths, were also real.
Binge watching the show across 6 seasons was a way to enjoy the adventure of Lost that I hadn't experienced before, and it was amazing. No waiting 7 days for a new episode, or months for a new season. Heartbreaking, and exhilerating. And the final shot of Jack laying on the island to die, with Vincent beside him for company, as we see the plane fly overhead taking Kate, Sawyer, Miles, Richard and Frank away to safety, and to live out their lives, is a mirror of the shows opening shot from Season one, and is heart wrenching. I cried a lot on the second watch, moreso than the first time I watched it 10 years ago. Life happens, nothing can stop it, and it changes us with every moment. Lost has secured it's place as one of the greatest stories ever told in the medium of television. 10/10 for the entire series.