The Greatest Stories Ever Told: XIV

LOST

Live together, Die alone.

"Why do you find it so difficult to believe?"

"Why do you find it so easy?"

"It's never been EASY."

No matter what your thoughts on the show itself, there is no disputing that LOST is a phenomenon that is unparalleled in the entire history of television. No single show has had the kind of acclaim, devotion and rabid fan-base that LOST has garnered. Whether it deserves it or not is a matter of personal opinion, and I realize that with the inclusion of this entry in my list I have lost the good faith of some of you, and everything I have said prior or will say hence is now null and void in your eyes.

Well, you’re wrong.

Let me preface my thoughts with this: Disliking a thing based on the number, behavior, or quality of people who like said thing is a stupid reason not to like said thing (There is only one exception to this rule: The Pittsburgh Steelers). I’m not a hypocrite. For example, I enjoy – for the most part – the Twilight Saga. While I think there are massive flaws with the books and the story is nigh shallow, they are entertaining. I must give credit to Stephanie Meyer, not for her writing, but for creating a story that has resonated so strongly with so many, whether for good or ill. However, the sheer volume and obnoxious fanaticism of the “Twi-hards” did not dissuade me from being entertained by the story itself. I have seen all of the films thus far, and will continue to do so until the story comes to its conclusion.

There are many that have told me they might actually watch LOST if it weren’t for its fan-base. Granted, people take things too far sometimes, but this could be said about many things. There are also those who have told me they won’t watch LOST because of the absurdity of the bits and pieces of what they’ve heard of the plot. Again I say, this could be said of many things, and to take story elements out of context and call them absurd is a fallacy. Let us not forget the parable of the blind men and the elephant. Take any part out of context in a story and it will likely seem absurd. But when you see the whole picture, it is brilliant, beautiful and masterful.

To wrap up my defense and move on to why LOST is so epic, I will say two things: First, the polar bear is there for a perfectly logical reason. And second, you have no idea what you’re missing.

Right. There.

To try and sift through six seasons of an expansive story and try to find the reasons why it has affected and captivated me is quite a task. But when I think about it, it all comes down to one thing: The duality of Jack Shepherd and John Locke. Their personal journeys, their reasons for sticking to their beliefs, their reasons for changing those beliefs, and their ultimate collision with each other is something that I’ve never seen done so well in a television show. It is the quintessential battle between good and evil, light and darkness, faith and despair. The beautiful thing about the show is that it doesn’t come down too hard on either side, but lets the viewer explore and develop their own thoughts and opinions as to who the hero is. Jack and Locke are far from simple men, and at times, each displays the light of which we are all capable, as well as the darkness. As much as they battle with each other, they also battle with themselves.

LOST is the only television show that I’ve seen that can so perfectly balance the entertaining nature of the medium but still delve deep into the rich history of literature, philosophy, religion and pop-culture that we are surrounded with. The setting of a mysterious island is perfect, for as the characters explore and discover the island itself, they explore and discover these concepts through their interactions with each other.

In the process of making this list, I came to the conclusion that good characters or not enough to cut it. I also came to the conclusion that a good plot isn’t enough, either. It is only when you have great characters caught up in a great plot that you truly have a great story. LOST has this union in abundance. No other show I’ve seen has such a broad and wonderful cast of characters. Flawed as they are, they are all the more memorable and loveable for their pasts, their mistakes, their struggles and ultimately, their triumphs. Though many times their triumphs and their ends are one and the same (“NOT PENNY’S BOAT”).

Jack’s man-of-science is in constant contrast with Locke’s man-of-faith, and as a viewer, I was constantly torn between the two, which is brilliant, because this contrast is a constant thing in my own life. And when they are both dropped on the island, a place of seemingly wondrous and enormous mystery, it creates the perfect backdrop for their mutual struggle. To be caught between what we see and what we believe, between what we know the world is and what we believe the world could be, between who we have been and who we could be in this place, that is the heart of LOST. To be ripped from a world where nothing makes sense and dropped into a world that every instant displays the miraculous potential we have together, that is the heart of LOST. The interconnectivity of the characters begs viewers to question the nature of our connections to each other and what fate’s role is in each of our lives.

Whether it’s Desmond’s search for his lost love, Michael’s plagued relationship with his son, Jin and Sun’s struggle to love each other purely, Charlie’s chance to prove his worth, Hurley’s escape from the things that haunt him, Sawyer’s desire to love and be loved, Jack’s need to fix things, or Locke’s journey to find himself, LOST never loses its characters within the mythos, but uses it to bring these characters to their limits, to find out who they really are. Sadly, not all of their stories end well, and the life of John Locke will forever be one of the most heartbreaking and memorable things I’ve seen in television. I’d like to believe that somehow, some way John Locke found his peace at the end, but the show doesn’t make any guarantees. But maybe it was simply Locke’s fate to teach Jack to believe, and in the end, that made all the difference.

Finally, LOST might be the only television drama that I’ve seen that not only has a perfectly executed premier, but also a perfectly executed finale. As a writer, I believe stories have a mind of their own in a way. I firmly believe there is no other way LOST should have, or could have, ended. Any other way would have been betrayal. Not of me as the viewer, but of the characters themselves. It was perfect. It was beautiful. And as heart-wrenching as it was to see it end, it’s just a testament to what an incredible journey it was to experience this show and see these characters grow and change. Great stories should entertain, make viewers question, and encourage viewers to explore and discover themselves. LOST does all three.