Monday, May 24, 2010

Playlist: Lost (Series Finale)

As a Lostie from Episode 1, this was as big as TV events get. After six seasons of snowballing mythology, I was amped for nothing less than an epic dash to the finish line and must admit a part of me feared the creators’ ability to maintain control of their own monster. However, as someone who never jumped ship at the introduction of yet another thought-provoking plot twist, I should have known that Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindeloff, the minds behind the island, always rose to their self-issued challenges. I have no doubt they flew most of the way by the seats of their pants, but they consistently found new ways to feed my thirst for answers while salting my curiosity with bigger questions.

But this isn't about the series as a whole. This is about "The End." Without adding another review to the load your server is already lugging around today, I will say that they pulled it off. Honestly, I don't know what more they could have done. They gave us an unambiguous resolution to the Island storyline while preserving the integrity of the continuity--everything that happened really happened, no time travel or alternate reality easy way out swerves. And they also didn't cheapen the main storyline with their sideways arc, which I think only strengthened the Island "reality" and gave it more retrospective weight.

Sure, the journey wasn't perfect. I'm sure they'd like to go back and recon some decisions they made early on as they were feeling their way (Walt, for example). But that's the problem with series TV. And it's why we have director's cuts of movies. And it's what makes the destination that much more rewarding.

It didn't work for you? Why? Seriously, let me hear a specific reason. And I'd love to hear what you would have done differently.

8 comments:

  1. Cuz Lost if fer gayfers. I woulda made them all get sex changes then marry each other. Also, I haven't watched the finale yet, and I only just read the very first paragraph of this, but it was well written.

    Love always,
    Brattney

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  2. who is Brattney?...anyway...I have always been fascinated with lost...I never saw a single episode but wondered if it would be worth it...I figure I was gonna get screwed by this show since the creators were as Frank said "flying by the seat of their pants"...which to me means they were making shit up as they went along...I already invested 2 seasons into a show like this with a bad ending and that was Twin Peaks...God I hope Treme and Madmen pay off

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  3. Brattney, thanks for writing. Not sure I agree Lost is for gayfers. Sure, I got choked up, like, 5 or 6 times there at the end, I mean, ok, bad example.

    Ok, I see your point. Crap.

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  4. I havent heard the term Gayfer in years...is Brattney from NYC or something...?...good job...real good job...and I say that only sometimes would I term Frank a "Gayfer"...probably when we are doing the podcast...I would also consider myself a "Gayfer"

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  5. Yeah, I tried to listen to one, and I agree, gayfers to the maximum-extreme. The best part was about the hot sexy girls. I loved that intro. Then people started talking, and I got distracted cause I remembered I could be doing something else. I might go back and listen to the hot sexy girl jam later though.

    Braaaaaattley

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  6. The more you write...the more I hate...but thanks for the input

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  7. All I know is dude wanted comments on his blog thingy, so comments is what he is getting. GO LOST!

    B-Money.

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  8. Great...keeo them lively and keep the Single malt spirit...it seems liek you have had a few in your day anyway

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