Lost (2004 - 2010): Review By ejk1

It's always a toss-up on how well a series finale turns out. The series finale of "Angel" is the one that sticks out in my mind for the good, and I still consider it one of the finest hours of television history. On the flip side, the series finale of "Roseanne" was dreck, absolutely annoying, and basically erased all of what occurred during the last season. I'm not kidding, it made the twenty or so episodes that came before it meaningless. This brings me to last night's series finale of "Lost," which oddly aired on Sunday night, instead of in the show's usual Thursday slot. I suppose this has to do greatly with the fact that the episode clocked in at two and a half hours, and also ABC's desire for huge ratings. So, the question posed is this: Did "Lost" end on a high note, or was it a disappointment? The answer, in my opinion, is that the "Lost" series finale was an emphatic high note, ending a great series known for its mysteries in a true to form style.

Before I get to the highlights, let me first say that there may be spoilers ahead, but I will try to keep them at a minimum. Now, I will address some of the possible gripes people will have with the ending(SPOILER ALERT):

1) Where was Walt? His story was never finished! Many people wanted to know what was going to happen with him, and why he was special. We'll never know the answer to that question.

2) What was Smoky/Locke's real name? This was something I was very interested in, and never got a definitive answer. To be honest, I thought the answer would come two weeks ago, when Smoky and Jacob were children, but it did not materialize. I should have known that his name was going to be withheld after that episode.

These are the only two gripes I had, and really, they are small problems. Walt hasn't been on much since season two, and Smoky's real name isn't necessary- he's evil, which is pretty much all that we need to know. By all means, if someone has another problem, let me know.

As for what was good, well that was everything else. If you've been watching the last few episodes, you know that everything on the island is dependent on the bright light shining in the middle of the forest. Jack and his crew begin their trek towards it, while Smoky searches for Desmond, hoping to that he could extinguish the light, thereby destroying the island. Of course, Smoky takes about ten seconds to find Desmond, in what I must say is a surprising location- the hut of Bernard and Rose, who have found bliss on the island. It was good to see these characters again, and particularly found Bernard's appearance humorous, at least for his looks. He looked like a rugged outdoorsman, which made me laugh because Sam Anderson, his portrayer, has made a living playing a sharp dressed jerk-he was Principal DeWitt on "Growing Pains," and Holland Manners on "Angel."

After gaining control of Desmond, Smoky led him towards the light. It was here that a great confrontation between Jack, the newly chosen, and Smoky occurred. Smoky may have voiced the opinion of many in the audience when he said that Jack being the chosen one was a little more than predictable, but then again, how else could "Lost" have ended besides Jack vs. Locke? Unsurprising, but definitely necessary. SPOILER ALERT-- When Jack told Smoky he was going to kill him, it may have been one of the best moments of the series. Anyways, Jack and Smoky decide to let fate take its course, and allow Desmond to do what he was brought to do, which was--SPOILER ALERT FROM THIS POINT ON (until further notice)--to turn and lift a huge stone out of the light. This had grave consequences for the island, as it began to crumble. What came next was a tremendous fight between Jack and Smoky, in which Jack prevailed. Jack, accompanied by Hurley and Ben, went back into the cave to replace the stone in its proper position. Before doing this, Jack made Hurley the chosen one in charge of protecting the island. Jack then saves Desmond and sacrifices himself by putting the stone back in place, while being electrocuted. Jack staggers through the woods and collapses, but is able to see the plane carrying James and Kate fly to safety before he dies.

Of course, interspersed between this story is the parallel world plot, which turned out beautifully. What was thought to be a parallel world was actually the afterlife. It was heart-warming watching characters come together thanks to Desmond and Hurley. Seeing Shannon and Sayid together was excellent, as was the scene when Jin and Sun regained their memories. This was a nice touch, as all the characters came to remember their lives, and then met at a church. It is there that Jack's father explains that they are all dead, but have come together in a place that is special to them. Jack then embraces his friends. What made this scene so poignant is that it was spliced with Jack's death on the island. It is made to look like Jack is watching this occur in his mind. This was done wonderfully.

END OF SPOILER ALERT. To sum up, "Lost's" series finale was excellent. The story hit the right notes, and was paced well. The acting, especially that of Matthew Fox and Terry O'Quinn, was superb. On an ensemble show, Fox and O'Quinn stood out from the first episode, which is why it was fitting that the show revolved and evolved around their conflict. As for the replay value, like most episodes of the show, this requires multiple viewings. One needs to watch it again so as to make sure nothing is missed. "Lost" started as a phenomenon, and unlike many shows limping to the end(I'm looking at you, 24), it ended as strongly, if not stronger than when it began. With all the mysteries of "Lost," only one truly concerns me: Now that it's over, will we ever see something like it again?