LOST Finale: Final Take

I waited a week before re-watching the LOST finale to see if my first impressions changed, only to find that my original conclusion—the show was all about the characters—is even more obvious the second time through. I had a tear or two in my eyes throughout that first viewing, mostly during the final few scenes. Last night, I was in tears for most of the final hour, and many spots during the first. All of the characters I had grown to love and care about over the past six seasons, each of whom was indeed “lost” when they arrived on the island, found their way to redemption. Jack saved the island, ensuring that life would go on and in the process finally accepted that death is a part of life; Kate proved to herself that she could be a better mother than her mother was; Sayid accepted he was a decent person worthy of forgiveness despite his past transgressions; Sun and Jin proved true love never dies; Sawyer learned how to trust; Hurley became the caretaker he was always meant to be; Locke’s faith was rewarded when he believed enough to let go; Ben learned he still has things to learn.

Fans will continue to debate the overall message of LOST for years to come, and none of the conclusions that evolve from those discussions will be proven right or wrong. We all take away from the show what it gave to us on an individual basis. There is no absolute interpretation—and therein lies the point. As in real life, LOST was about life, death, and everything that happens to us in between.  

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Disney and ABC studios for seeing what I know was an incredibly expensive and risky project through to the end. So often good programs appear and then disappear without warning, leaving fans frustrated. As incredible as it seems, LOST never achieved a regular spot in the top 10 or even top 20 shows for much of its run, yet ABC stuck with it, just as they promised they would. I’ve watched an incredible amount of television over the years, but I can say here and now without a doubt that I never enjoyed any program as much as I did LOST. And so, as Elvis would have said, thank you, ABC. Thank you very much.