So you had to figure that sooner or later I was going to bring Lost into my summer long discussion about MacGuffins, mysteries, and storylines, right? After all, I’m a little obsessed. Beyond my own fascination with the show, however, it is a perfect program to look at when talking about MacGuffins — after all, a new one is introduced just about every week on the show.
Being, at it’s core, a mystery show, it’s really not a surprise. The question is, how does Lost manage their mysteries? I think it depends on who you ask.
Personally, I love the slow burn of Lost. I’ve never been one to complain about not getting answers to one of the many questions on the show. I’m patient enough to enjoy the ride and theorize along the way. Of course, that isn’t the case with everyone. I know many people who just couldn’t take it and gave up on the show, frustrated with the seemingly endless pile of mysteries. I may love the show (nearly unconditionally), but I understand where the haters are coming from.
Honestly, I believe that Lost really turned the corner (as so many others do) when the producers were able to set an end date. I tend to believe them when they say that they’ve known the full story of Lost since the beginning. I’m not quite sure what they would gain from lying about it. In setting an end date they were able to intricately plan how each of these many, many mysteries will wrap up and tie together.
The big question remains, however: how is everything going to wrap up? I think that Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse are either going to end up complete heroes, or they are going to have an angry mob of fans hunting them down if the end is not satisfying. I’m hoping for the former.
There is one point that I want to bring up. I think that the writers should get credit for how well the show has managed their MacGuffins up to this point. Over the course of the series, the mysteries and mythology has not gotten in the way of the storytelling like it has on other shows (Alias, for example). In fact, I think Lost has perfectly used the mysteries of the show to tell the stories of the characters. During the first few seasons, the show featured flashbacks, informing the audience about the history of the characters while mirroring the action on the island. Some examples include Locke’s miraculous recovery from his back injury, Hurley’s experiences with the numbers, and Desmond’s past with Widmore — just to name a few.
As time went on in the show, these flashbacks turned to flashforwards, which were equally effective. Again, more often than not the mysteries of the island served to advance the arcs of the characters rather than stifle or confuse them. This was seen as well in season five when time travel became a prominent part of the show. By employing time travel, the show was able to probe the depths of several characters (including Daniel and Charlotte), that I don’t think the show could have through flashbacks alone.
All the mysteries make for fascinating and intriguing stories that almost always focus on the characters of the show before the mythology. Perhaps that is why the burn is so slow. Unlike other shows, Lost has kept in mind that “it’s about the characters.”
Clacked by Bob Degon
on Aug 03, 2009 @ 12:00 EST5EDT
But can you honestly tell me what the correct ending should be? Should it be happy? Sad? or bittersweet?
If you reset the story and have everyone survive (including those that have died) then what was the point of the last 6 years?
If you have everyone died, then you have the same problem as above. The bittersweet ending will have the fans arguing till the end of time!
The Soprano’s got the ending exactly right, because in that story you couldn’t end it without doing an injustice to what had happened previously.
Anything else other than a Donny Darko ending would be unsatisfying. Altruism is part of the show.