So why am I just now writing a blog post about it? Well, I think I needed some time to process the finale before I felt like I could write about it. See, when I started the 30x30 Challenge a little over a month ago, I was an episode or two into the final season of the show. (I know, I was about four years behind the rest of the world and didn't even start watching "Lost" until it showed up as a live streaming option on Hulu Plus and Netflix). And you know what's funny? When I told people that I had started watching it, almost everyone said, "Oh, don't bother" or "Just stop now" or "There's no need to watch it after season one or two." But I didn't listen. I watched. I got sucked in. I cried during nearly every John Locke and Jin and Sun episode. I finally understood the meaning of "Not Penny's boat." And I grew fascinated with the elusive characters of Desmond Hume and Benjamin Linus.
So I kept watching. And I kept wondering. Would they ever get off the island? What would happen if they stopped pushing that button? Would Desmond and Penny ever be reunited? Was Ben Linus a good guy or a bad guy? Was John Locke a good guy or a bad guy? How did the island keep moving and traveling through time? What happened to Claire? Why did they have to come back to the island? Was John Locke really dead? How did Sayid come back to life? Who/what the heck was the Smoke Monster? WHAT ABOUT THAT DARN POLAR BEAR? And again, would they ever get off the island??
As I got closer and closer to the end of the series, I hoped these and more questions would be answered. But fortunately, I didn't hold my breath. Enough people had told me that I would be disappointed by the finale that I wasn't really sure what to expect. Then, finally, my husband (who had already seen the whole series) and I pushed "play" and started watching the last episode of the last season. And it seemed pretty good. But with 15 minutes of the episode left, as Kate was sitting in the car with Jack and telling him that he can go into the church whenever he is ready and that everyone else is waiting for him inside, Taylor paused the show.
Me: "Why did you pause it?"
Taylor: "Well, before we watch the end, I just want you to remember how good the show has been so far. And remember how much you have loved the characters."
Uh-oh. That sounded like a disclaimer to me.
Taylor: "In fact, we can stop it right now. You don't even have to watch the last 15 minutes."
Me: "What? Honey, I have to watch it. I mean, I can't watch six seasons of the show and not watch the last 15 minutes. Besides, it's on my 30x30 list to finish it."
Taylor: "Okay, I just wanted to be sure..."
And he pushed "play." In disbelief and total confusion, I watched. I listen closely. I tried to take in all of the information I could to figure out what was going on. But then, it ended. It ended with little explanation or conclusive evidence of what all had really happened on the island.
Taylor stared at me as my jaw hung open and my brow grew furrowed.
Taylor: "Well...?"
Me: "Uh... well... I have no words."
Almost a week later, I still don't have many words. I won't say that I hated it, or that the ending was downright horrible, but I will say that I am frustrated. There were so many questions left unanswered, and what bothers me the most is that I feel like the writers really didn't have any answers for many of those questions. They just kept creating mysteries to keep the show interesting, then finally realized that they had to end it, but had no explanation to end it. So they just ended it.
Regardless, I'm glad I watched the show. The scenery and special effects were great. I loved the acting and the character development. And I was intrigued by the mystery and the storytelling. But it will be a while before I jump into another relationship with a J.J. Abrams TV show. Because let's face it... when it comes to TV shows, that man just breaks my heart.
For those of you who have watched "Lost," what do you think about the series?
JJ Abrams is a great beginner, but not so great at ending series. same with alias!
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