thoughts on LOST
I want to write up my thoughts on LOST before I read too many other write-ups. Cut for spoilers if you haven't seen it, or don't care.
First thing, I have to mention the Target commercials. Those were brilliant. The first one I saw was the wild boar running through the jungle, followed by a shot of barbecue sauce. That made me giggle. The smoke monster/ smoke detector one was clever, but the keyboard one made me LOL. Loved it. They should win a Clio for that campaign.
As for the finale, I absolutely loved it up until the last five minutes. Hurley's Star Wars references, nods to past episodes, the numbers (table 23), flashes and parallels to the past (Kate delivering Claire's baby, again), Miles with the funny one-liners ("I believe in duct tape"). The reunions made me cry (especially Sawyer & Juliet). Sun and Jin remembering. Lapidus made it! And flew them off the island! Loved that.
It looks like they answered most of the questions in previous episodes, and saved the most confusing one for the very end. I was wondering what exactly the sideways universe was, and how it was going to be resolved. They presented it in a way that made me think it was an alternate timeline created by the explosion of Jughead, so I was really curious how it was going to mesh with the island timeline. I was a bit confused, and a bit disappointed, that it wasn't real in that everyone there was already dead, but didn't know it. I'm really glad, though, that the island was real, and that it didn't turn out to be purgatory or a dream. From the literary references on the show (The Third Policeman and Occurrence at Owl Creek, especially) I was afraid that was going to be the case, and I would have been a little mad if it had. OK, a lot mad. I wanted these people to really be having these experiences, for it to matter. Plus, they repeatedly stated that it was not purgatory.
I'm also a little disappointed that the whole thing turned out to be Jack's story, not the island's story or even that group of people's story. To me, Jack was one of the less interesting characters. I really should have seen it coming, though, with all the episodes devoted to his story that seemed to have little meaning otherwise.
I would still like to know what happened to the other characters who didn't die on the show, like the escapees on the plane, and Hurley & Ben. And of course Desmond. The last two especially felt unfinished.
I still think this is one of the best shows ever, with wonderful writing, great characters, interesting storylines, and some amazing storytelling. I mean, flash forwards! Time travel! Where else do you see stuff like that? Nowhere. They took us for an amazing ride, and I'm glad I went along. It was a smart show that assumed its audience was smart, which is so rare.
I'm sure I'll have many more thoughts about this, especially after I read all the other reactions and dissections of the show in the days to come, but I wanted to put down my initial reactions before I read them.
Discussion welcome! What did you think?
First thing, I have to mention the Target commercials. Those were brilliant. The first one I saw was the wild boar running through the jungle, followed by a shot of barbecue sauce. That made me giggle. The smoke monster/ smoke detector one was clever, but the keyboard one made me LOL. Loved it. They should win a Clio for that campaign.
As for the finale, I absolutely loved it up until the last five minutes. Hurley's Star Wars references, nods to past episodes, the numbers (table 23), flashes and parallels to the past (Kate delivering Claire's baby, again), Miles with the funny one-liners ("I believe in duct tape"). The reunions made me cry (especially Sawyer & Juliet). Sun and Jin remembering. Lapidus made it! And flew them off the island! Loved that.
It looks like they answered most of the questions in previous episodes, and saved the most confusing one for the very end. I was wondering what exactly the sideways universe was, and how it was going to be resolved. They presented it in a way that made me think it was an alternate timeline created by the explosion of Jughead, so I was really curious how it was going to mesh with the island timeline. I was a bit confused, and a bit disappointed, that it wasn't real in that everyone there was already dead, but didn't know it. I'm really glad, though, that the island was real, and that it didn't turn out to be purgatory or a dream. From the literary references on the show (The Third Policeman and Occurrence at Owl Creek, especially) I was afraid that was going to be the case, and I would have been a little mad if it had. OK, a lot mad. I wanted these people to really be having these experiences, for it to matter. Plus, they repeatedly stated that it was not purgatory.
I'm also a little disappointed that the whole thing turned out to be Jack's story, not the island's story or even that group of people's story. To me, Jack was one of the less interesting characters. I really should have seen it coming, though, with all the episodes devoted to his story that seemed to have little meaning otherwise.
I would still like to know what happened to the other characters who didn't die on the show, like the escapees on the plane, and Hurley & Ben. And of course Desmond. The last two especially felt unfinished.
I still think this is one of the best shows ever, with wonderful writing, great characters, interesting storylines, and some amazing storytelling. I mean, flash forwards! Time travel! Where else do you see stuff like that? Nowhere. They took us for an amazing ride, and I'm glad I went along. It was a smart show that assumed its audience was smart, which is so rare.
I'm sure I'll have many more thoughts about this, especially after I read all the other reactions and dissections of the show in the days to come, but I wanted to put down my initial reactions before I read them.
Discussion welcome! What did you think?