Living Down Lost

IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN LOST PLEASE GO WATCH IT NOW INSTEAD OF READING THIS BLOG. (SPOILERS AHEAD)

In 2004 JJ Abrams and Damon Lindelof created a phenomenon. Lost took over, it was the show everyone watched. An epic of 6 seasons, the show tells the story of Jack Sheperd, Kate Austen, Hurley, Sawyer, John Locke, Sayid Jarrah, Clair Littleton, and the other 70 survivors of Oceanic flight 815. They wake up amid the wreckage of their plane on a remote (possibly nonexistent) island inhabited by very old, very dark supernatural forces.

Along with the supernatural forces that have been on the island for basically eternity, there were also other obstacles the island used as pawns. Such as Benjamin Linus, and other castaways washed up on shore. The Darma Initiative was an experiment that was able to find the island and harness some of its unexplainable power. Leftovers from the extinct 1970's Initiative litter the island in the form of Polar bears, unopenable hatches, and many Darma Stations.

With twists, turns, and huge reveals, Lost was a true drama, keeping viewers on the edge of their seats up until the very end. Which led to a controversial finale Lindelof has been apologizing and beating himself up over for 4 years now. When Breaking Bad  ended, Lindelof used the opportunity to ruminate on his own epic finale and make peace with his fans in an interview:

“I’m sick of myself for continuing to beat this particular drum, so I can’t imagine how sick of it you are. If it’s unpleasant and exhausting for me to keep defending the Lost finale, aren’t you getting tired of hating it? And so … I, like Walter White, want out. To be free. And to grant you the same.“I’d like to make a pact, you and me. And here’s your part: You acknowledge that I know how you feel about the ending of ‘Lost.’ I got it. I heard you. I will think about your dissatisfaction always and forever. It will stay with me until I lie there on my back dying, camera pulling slowly upward whether it be a solitary dog or an entire SWAT team that comes to my side as I breathe my last breath.“And here’s my part: I will finally stop talking about it. I’m not doing this because I feel entitled or above it — I’m doing it because I accept that I will not change hearts nor minds. I will not convince you they weren’t dead the whole time, nor resent you for believing they were despite my infinite declarations otherwise.”

When all is said and done we have to look at Lost as a piece of art. It doesn't belong to the fans, it belongs to the person who made it, who labored to create it, stayed up late at night trying to find the best story. So I think we should leave poor David Lindelof alone.

Four years later, the world still isn't over Lost, however. JJ Abrams and David Lindelof's new show is still fighting backlash from the Lost finale. Headlines like "Damon Lindelof Promises You His New Show Won't End Like 'Lost'," are still being written for articles about their new show The Leftovers.