A nice break from talking about U2: I’ve been giving interviews on the finale of Lost, which I frankly think is one of the greatest things ever on TV. Lost has engaged us with big stories, and taken us seriously as people capable of reading, thinking, and discussing. It’s wrestled with the post 9-11 world, with issues like torture and rendition and the use of violence to protect yourself and your tribe. It’s given us wonderful characters from a wide world of cultures and races to follow, boo, and cheer.
And Sunday, it’s over. Boo. Cheer.
My predictions for a California journalist this morning about the last show were fun. I love being an entertainment pundit. Here’s what I said:
Everything I’ve read suggests the ending is going to be hard for anyone to figure out beforehand, but I’d guess in broad terms the show will be true to its core–people who were lost will have the chance to become found, in space and in their own lives. I suspect that there may be redemption extended even to the villain, Smokey, and that Jack may do something sacrificial, although that’s not much of a stretch. It might be nice, in fact, to not have him be a martyr.
We’ll know more, of course, shortly. But in the interest of explaining Lost to folks who haven’t got it, or who have let it slide–or perhaps to open some more discussion, I want to offer two things: First, check out my buddy Chris Seay’s The Gospel according to Lost, a spiritual reading of the show’s first five seasons that will help you understand its sixth and final season.
And second, you might want to check out the lesson I did on Lost for The Thoughtful Christian, an excerpt of which I provide below: great possibility for group discussion, church lessons, what have you. A wonderful Father’s Day gift as well, I’m sure. (Disclosure: I was paid to write this lesson. But I don’t get paid any more if you buy it.)
Happy viewing to all my fellow Losties! And a few thoughts on the show:
Lost has been called (by the London Times) “the most maddening show on television” and (by TIME magazine) “the future of television,” but however you think about the show, this big-budget, high-concept series has changed the way we experience television—and has also, perhaps, changed some of those who experienced it. When we watch television or go to the movies, often we are seeking the opportunity to escape into a story—to laugh, to be frightened, to have our feelings engaged in some powerful and diverting way. But because they come to us in the shape of stories, even the most enthralling of dramatic entertainments will often connect us to real-world moral issues, to realistic ethical dilemmas, and to new ways of understanding our beliefs, since story is always how we make sense of our experiences and those of others.
Great television shows are powerful in this respect, because in serial drama we gain ongoing opportunities to observe the lives of characters. Diane Winston notes how in a long-running television series, viewers interact with the characters over an extended period of time, and “the experience of watching, and responding to, TV characters’ moral dilemmas, crises of faith, bouts of depression, and fits of exhilaration gives expression—as well as insight and resolution—to viewers’ own spiritual odysseys and ethical predicaments.”[1] Thus, a show like Lost, which deals with both existential and topical issues over the course of its six seasons, offers us a prime opportunity to begin a journey of exploration alongside its characters.
Lost, created by J.J. Abrams (Alias, Star Trek), Jeffrey Lieber, and Damon Lindelof is one of the most honored—and discussed—television shows of recent memory. Since its premiere on September 22, 2004, Lost has attracted a huge and devoted fan community who watch episodes, debate questions and hints, and seek out additional information and interaction online. The show has won Emmy, Golden Globe, and many other awards, and been named by TIME magazine as one of the 100 best shows in TV history. TIME media critic James Poniewozik has called the show “a moving, literate popcorn thriller that weaves dozens of characters lives into a story of interconnection, redemption, and grace,” and certainly this mixture of entertainment, a large and multi-cultural cast, and powerful themes has led to huge viewing audiences, and to followers in new media such as online viewing, the iTunes store, and on DVD, where Lost’s first seasons were bestsellers. [2] Lost’s popularity has also been international; Lost-watching became a phenomenon in Britain after its introduction there, and in a recent worldwide study of television popularity in twenty countries, Lost was named the second most watched television show around the world. [3]
Although Lost employs traditional narrative patterns (the stuck on a desert island motif, for example, has been used by shows as varied as Gilligan’s Island, Lost in Space, and Survivor), Lost goes well beyond the usual treatment in showing us the lives of people making a place and a community for themselves; it also suggests so many parallels with our everyday lives—and with the recent experiences of those of us in the post 9-11 world—that it is both fantastic wish-fulfillment and gritty chronicle of the world as it is.
Given the relevance of its topics, Lost can prompt powerful discussion about good and evil, conflict, faith, free will, and the importance—and difficulty—of doing the right thing. In this class session, we’ll be introduced to the characters and concerns of the series, watch scenes from the series, and discuss questions closely related to them. In the process, we’ll explore theological and ethical questions as well as social and political ones: What should be done to create a just and secure society? What is the nature of evil? What is the relationship between faith and free will? Can we ever be irretrievably lost? What does it mean to be righteous?
Lost is a great entertainment, offering powerful performances from attractive and engaging actors, beautiful sets and production values, mysteries to ponder, easter eggs to find. Still, to focus only on the entertainment and ignore the challenging questions would be to lose much of Lost’s appeal; as with other great dramatic works that discuss issues of faith and conscience, our own faith—and our consciences—should be engaged as we consider this show and the issues it raises.
[1] Diane Winston. “Introduction.” Small Screen, Big Picture: Television and Lived Religion. Ed. Diane Winston (Waco, TX: Baylor UP, 2009), 6.
[2] James Poniewozik. “Why the Future of Television Is Lost.” TIME, Sept. 24, 2006. Accessed at http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1538635-2,00.html
[3] “CSI show “most popular in world.’” BBC News, July 31, 2006. Accessed at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/5231334.stm
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