Preparing for the End of Lost

For years now those of us who have been fans of the ABC show Lost have had quite a ride. There were times when the show seemed so frustrating, so infuriating, and so slow-moving that it was a big question if any of the answers would ever be forthcoming. Now, as the second-to-last show has been shown on ABC on Tuesday night and the series finale is approaching on Sunday, it is time to prepare for something we were never sure would happen. It is time to prepare for the end.

What can fans expect? What is going to happen? One thing is for sure, it will be what the series has always been. It will be fascinating and it will be frustrating. It will be well-written and well-acted, but it is likely to send your head spinning, leave your jaw hanging open and probably leave scars across your scalp from scratching your head.

One thing that fans need to prepare for is something that no one wants to think about. There will be more death. In fact, it is virtually a foregone conclusion that one or more main characters will die. We have already suffered the loss of so many. In one episode, two weeks ago, the writers took out three main characters that had been there since the beginning. Then, two weeks later, more characters were killed. During the big showdown between good and evil, more are going to die. That's just a sad fact of war and, let's face it, there is a war happening here on this island.

Another thing that fans are going to have to prepare for is the fact that all of the answers to this show will not be presented in a nice parcel, neatly tied in a bow. If you are a fan with a list of questions and you think the final episode will answer each and every one, you are going to be very, very disappointed. If this show has done one thing throughout, it has been to leave more questions than it answers. Time and again huge answers have come, only to leave more questions. The writers and producers of this show want fans to be talking about it and asking questions for years after the final episode. I think a Lost movie somewhere down the road, years from now, would not be out of the question. So, be prepared for big questions to go unanswered.

The ending is going to frustrate many. That has been something you could bank on for several seasons. There is just no way that a show this complicated and that has been building, for so long, so intensely, is going to have a conclusion that makes everyone happy. People are going to debate the ending for years to come. There will be those who accept it and those who hate it. There will be those demanding more and there will be those who just go on to find something else.

The series has ups and the series has had downs. For a time, before the writers and producers sat down with ABC executives and determined when the show would end, it looked like it would meander all over the place. There were huge missteps, such as the episode with the diamond-stealing couple who end up buried alive because of spider venom. There were long stretches where it seemed nothing happened and then suddenly, seemingly at random, there would be a huge revelation and many characters would die at once. It seems likely such a thing will happen in the series finale.

Whatever happens, the fans of Lost need to prepare for post-Lost syndrome. What will fans do with their Tuesday nights now? What will they replace it with? Of course, the entire series will eventually be available on DVD. So, fans will be able to watch the entire series from the beginning again, with knowledge of the ending, and see where there were clues and how they fit together. In truth, it is the kind of show that begs for that kind of second viewing. Some fans will try to find other shows, but there seems very few that can match the level that Lost set. The sad truth is that most of us will just have to settle for that empty spot in our viewing life. Maybe it's time to take up a hobby.

One thing is also for certain and that is the fact that this show is likely to gain popularity once it is over. Already there are people who are just now ordering the first couple of seasons via Netflix and other DVD services. Expect there to be Lost conventions and people who dress like the characters for years to come. The actors will be able to attend these conventions and sign autographs for money for years, even if they never get another acting job again. A cult of Lost has already formed and it is likely only to grow.

Should there be a movie, it will become a cult phenomenon. People will get in line days before the movie opens and they will wait with baited breath and in anticipation for whatever it might reveal. It has happened before, and it could happen here.

Right now, there are now plans for movies. There are no plans for the writing team to replace the show. JJ Abrams is working on a movie and reportedly another TV show, but it seems unlikely to be in the same vein as Lost.

We fans will have to prepare to have enjoyed the ride. We will have to accept that we shared this experience and enjoyed the writing and the acting. We will shake our heads at the craziness and then sigh with pleasure as we realize how it all came together. Mostly, we will be thankful we stuck with it from the beginning and had such a helluva good time watching it all unfold.