LOST: The End??

In case you have been hiding under a rock somewhere in the world, then you may have heard that the series finale of LOST is coming to an end on Sunday. For most people, this does not register even a small blip on his or her radar. But for those of us who have spent the last six seasons(read: six years) engrossed in this television masterpiece, it is the end of an era, and the end of a personified relationship with a tv show, and the characters that we have grown to love(and hate).

If it was asked to a random person on the street, "What is LOST about?", they would probably reply, "about people in a plane crash on a tropical island somewhere." And although they would be right to a point, they would be mostly wrong. LOST is about relationships. It is about the relationships between families, between strangers, between us and the unknown, between us and something greater and beyond us. It is a show about perspective, and how one person's perspective is not the only perspective. Lost is a show about love. It is a show about war. It is a show about death. It is a show about destiny.

To call LOST a "show" sells this entertainment spectacle very short. It is a show, as in, something that ABC shows us on television weekly. But it could probably be more accurately called an "experience." LOST cannot be adequately explained to a person. It can only be understood by someone who has experienced it. There are countless forums to discuss each episode of LOST and what it means for the overall story. There are many different views on what certain symbols mean throughout the LOST narrative. There are many different books that are alluded to(directly and indirectly) throughout the series, which somehow have influenced the direction of the show. There are videos throughout the internet where fans have taken much time and effort in order to create their own interpretations of what is going on and what they hope will happen before the end. Does this sound like a normal television "show"?

There are many different themes that run the course of the show, but probably the most important and overarching theme of the series is, "faith vs reason". How much of life should we live based on faith, and how much of life should we live based on reason? This dichotomy is portrayed mainly through two specific characters, Jack Shepherd and John Locke. They wrestle with each other(figuratively and literally at times) between destiny and logic. Free will and pre-destination. Which side ultimately wins out? You have to watch LOST.

As I said earlier, this television show is about relationships, and you can't have relationships without characters. And for my money, you can't have a more diverse and beloved set of characters than have been brought out in LOST. Every character has their own set of fans. There are people who love the characters of Jack, Sawyer and Kate, and others who are partial to Locke, Ben, and Juliet. There are people who love the story of Jin and Sun, and Sayid. There are people who identify with Claire, and Charlie. All for very different reasons, but all for very valid reasons. Personally, I can see a bit of myself in each and every character, the good and the bad stuff. They are me, personified through a dozen different characters. Whether its the fun loving Hurley, or the faith driven Locke, or the person who wants to avoid and run from confrontation in Kate, or the reluctant leader in Jack. Each person relates to me, and I believe that is one of the reasons why the show is beloved by the fans. The relationship between the characters, and the viewers.

I am sad to see my favorite television show go. It has changed the way people tell stories on television. Am I a little extreme when it comes to my adoration of LOST? Perhaps. It effects everyone differently. I could talk for hours and hours with other "Losties" about their experiences and observances. I could write pages and pages about the show, every week. However, when it is all said and done, I think the question that people would ask is, "why should I watch LOST?" Well, I can't really tell you. Its just something that you have to experience. When Sunday night comes and goes, I truly believe that the LOST will not end, but rather its just the beginning for people who to experience it again in a whole new way.