Between the time-jumps, dead ends and red herrings, the labyrinthine story structure of ABC's hit series LOST is simultaneously infuriating and wholly engrossing. I've been hooked on this series since its premier episode in 2004, and I've always feared the (inevitable?) day when LOST "jumps the shark." Not for the first time, something is telling me this has already happened.
Season 5 started with more action and urgency in the storytelling than we've been used to and it added an extra nail-biting dimension that made me wish the series had always been like this. In short, six of "The Island's" castaways made their way home to civilization only to discover that they must all go back to save those they left behind. With a window of only 36 hours, the survivors, scattered to the four winds, must reunite, get on a plane and hope to hell it crashes back on the island. But even before they get on the plane, something strange happens.
Now I don't mean something strange happens to the characters (because something strange ALWAYS happens to the characters), I mean something happens to the show. It... slows... down. It... feels... different. And... it... scares... me. Suddenly they're explaining things (something we've been asking for) and veils of mystery are being lifted from the island. The problem is, I need the mystery, I need to be kept in the dark. Trying to decode the cypher that is the mystery of LOST is what keeps me watching every week and jabbering like a madman at the water cooler every Thursday morning. For the last three weeks, my fellow LOST-watchers and I have simply said, "Did you watch LOST? Yeah, it was pretty good." Just a few weeks earlier I was scribbling timeline theories on notepads and arguing temporal causality.
So as much as I thought I wanted answers, it turns out I don't. I don't want to watch "good" episodes. I want to go back to screaming "what the hell just happened?!?" at the screen and scouring the internet for answers, rumors and subversive theories. Part of me is afraid that the producers (in giving the audience what we asked for) have taken away what we need. But then, the other part of me is saying, just wait. They're only lulling you into a false sense of security and then WHAM, once again I'll be dazed, confused and screaming "what the hell just happened?!?"
At least, I hope so.
Update (3/21/09): Oh tra-la! As hoped, last week's episode, "Namaste" calmed my fears and got me all excited about the rest of this season. It was tense, action packed and full of unpredictable twists and turns. Can't wait for next week's show!
I have to say I was pretty disappointed when the Oceanic 6 had to return to the island and all they did was get on a plane and then there's a flash of light. I waited two seasons for a big time warp or secret passage or dangerous journey back. But, nope, a little flash of light and "we're baaaaack."
ReplyDeleteAlso, what was with the "My nose bleed is gone. We've stopped time traveling!" comment. I think the problem is they've not just taken the mystery out but solved the mystery with Scooby Doo-like writing.