Why You Should Watch Lost on ABC

Watching ABC's hit TV show LOST, now entering it's third season, is sort of like religion; you can be an devoted fanatic who spends all their free time researching the intricacies of its structure, you can stay out of the circus and enjoy the view from the sidelines, or you can even be some where safely in between- either way, you will be entertained.

I know so many people who love LOST with a simple, child-like faith that comes from plainly watching the majority of its Wednesday night episodes. I also know fans who go above and beyond the call of the general viewer; who have registered names in all of the frillion message boards dedicated to the show; who download the latest podcasts for insights into the plot; who know the newest clues to the interactive game; and who understand without any explanation what I mean when I say: "Fenry", "Easter Eggs", or the familiar goof question, "Did you see the logo on the shark?"

The nearly phenomenon status of the show might leave those who missed the boat wondering what the big deal is. Originally promoted as the story of several survivors of a crash on an international flight from Sydney to Los Angeles, the true intrigue began for most about the time that the invisible monster/dinosaur/smoke thing uprooted trees and slaughtered the pilot - that's just the second episode.

From there the plot thickens, with detailed back stories of the main characters; haunting memories often containing eerie connections to other survivors own puzzling pasts. The discovery of underground hatches, among other island landmarks, creates an intense brainteaser involving the crash site. Then there is the fact that the island has more inhabitants than a big invisible monster - try a band of ruffians that kidnap, and kill, survivors, and who may just be extremist scientists in disguise.

As Lost takes on a slightly sci-fi tone in season two, the characters' interwoven paths and the real-time mystery of the happenings of the island truly have a little something for everyone. There is the quintessential love triangle, tension between good guys and bad guys, and all the other tell tale markings of a great nightly drama. But perhaps what makes Lost so relatable to its audience is the colorful cast diverse enough that the viewer can identify with at least one character at all times, whether it's the soldier, the doctor, the drug-lord slash priest, the hunter slash guru, the addict rock star, the single mom, the overweight mentally ill lottery winner, the foreign couple whose marriage is on the rocks, or the conman. LOST enthusiasts are just as varied; from pre-teens, to twenty-something techies, to middle aged teachers -even young moms like me! I suspect that it is precisely these one or two word labels that Lost intends to dispel, pulling back the curtains on the characters through back-stories and current events, revealing that humans are much more complex upon further investigation.

There are a series of threaded themes to Lost: fate, destiny, faith, guilt, survival, prejudice, healing, good verses evil, and the list continues, but wouldn't be complete without the theme of being, well, lost. The characters aren't simply "lost" physically, on a mysterious island that cannot be found on any map, they are also lost mentally, spiritually, or relationally. Many theories about the show's design involve the idea that these characters must rectify their pasts in order to find resolution for their inner turmoil. But don't bring up some of the many termed "noobie" theories -i.e. it's all a dream, or worse, they are all in purgatory-without dealing with the proceeding Napolean-like, "GOSH!" that will ensue. Producers have long since assured fans that there will be no cheat in the end, and perhaps all of the hypothesizing will not have been in vain.

So why should you watch the show Lost? If you haven't been convinced yet, I dare you to go rent the first season. If you've been loosely following the show, I encourage you to make a date with your TV set Wednesday nights for some mind-bending new twists promised in the first six episodes, (which are being aired like a mini-series, followed by a 12 week hiatus so that fans can enjoy the next 18 episodes rerun free!).

The old cliché might just make a fitting kicker: Don't just take my word for it, watch it for yourself. See if you don't get lost in LOST!