LOST, But Still Not Found

The season 4 finale of LOST just hit credits, and my head is still reeling. But really, this is no surprise. It happens almost every time I switch on the television Thursday nights. No pills or hallucinogens are needed for this writer to feel as if the brain was departing the head. Only an hour long dose of Jack, Kate and The Numbers. Television as a medium is one that has always been looked down upon by the various other entertainment communities- somehow the lack of direct payment mixed with the detachment of viewing in one's own home leads to an assumption that when the remote hits the power button, the experience is rendered null and senseless. LOST has broken every one of these boundaries. 

Years ago, The Sopranos proved that TV could be an edgy and provocative art-form; even garnering a showing (the first of its kind) in the Museum of Modern Art. LOST has shown that television can be an experience. To turn on to ABC at the show's commencement and off at its conclusion with no thought between each episode is an impossibility to any dedicated viewer. There are the typical water cooler discussions, yes, but entire meeting circles have been formed in communities for the sole purpose of exploring LOST theories and possibilities. The creators of the show have perfected a viral marketing campaign that has illustrated just how powerful the medium can be; ranging from billboards, to fake television commercials, and fictional company websites. A full-length fiction novel, Bad Twin, was even published some time ago, and has become a revealing source for deciphering the show. 

For those of you uninitiated in the LOST universe, this is one of the few times that I would not lend you a DVD or invite you over for a viewing of a preferred show. You would be as confused as the castaways were when they first encountered The Others. Over the past 4 seasons, so much mythology and popular culture has been packed into the script, it is nearly impossible to cram episodes together without wikipedia opened up on the computer to search for the nearly constant references both Biblical and Hollywood. LOST tests its viewers. One must not only be able to comprehend what is occurring on the show itself, but also within their own culture. 

With a set episode limit and ending date, LOST has become tighter and more impactful than ever before. It is a true show for the digital age; one that brings people together not only at the coffee table, but through its numerous fan sites and blogs regarding theories and characters. I for one am a firm believer in the mirror/dark matter theory; a possibility that seems almost affirmed after tonight's finale. But who knows? Most predicted Ben would find himself in the fabled coffin, but we were the ones who were buried alive. And oddly enough, it feels extraordinary.