Why I Loved LOST

Back in high school, I remember one Christmas where my brother came home from college raving about this new TV show. My brother has suggested many shows to me over the years. And, if I'm being honest, many of them have gone in one ear and out the other. But this show he made the point of buying himself the DVDS and watching the first episodes with me. I don’t remember which cliffhanger finally hooked me, but by the time my brother left after Christmas, we’d already binged almost the whole first season of LOST.

LOST is possibly one of the most controversial fandoms I’ve been a part of (though the toxicity of Star Wars, Marvel, and Harry Potter come to mind as well lately). The final season in particular seemed to rub people the wrong way (I still have a hard time comprehending how so many people misunderstood the series finale). Regardless as to what other people think of the series, I still love it (and probably want to rewatch it again soon) and here’s why:

Continuity: With only a few exceptions, LOST did a great job of providing overall continuity with their overlapping character stories. With flashbacks, flashforwards, and present-day Island time, there are a lot of details to keep track of. And the writers did (as did the fans). It was also rare that they even recast a character (they’d more likely exclude the character than recast them). 

Theories: LOST came out at the perfect time, in the days of online message boards and fledgling social media. Online communities were buzzing after each episode trying to discern the mystery behind Adam and Eve, the Orchid Station, or the infamous Jacob. I ended up with a few online “friends” on those message boards who I was always excited to see theories from. So with the mysteries and the theories came a sense of community (which I desperately needed in high school).

Characters: With such a large cast, it would be difficult to flesh out and develop them all. But even with a beginning cast of fourteen people, it was interesting to see each of them get their own spotlight throughout the show. Sure some of them got bigger spotlights, like Jack and Kate, but besides a couple exceptions, like Libby and the Freighter gang, we got a solid backstory and character development for every major player, even recurring characters like Rose and Bernard. In the end, the show wasn’t about the Monster or DHARMA; it was about the people. 

LOST is one of those shows that has so many layers and each time I watch it I feel like I understand it better. There are some shows I can watch once and be done, but there are others that have possibly infinite rewatch potential. LOST will definitely be rewatched again.