By Kevin McCarthy
Unfortunately, I wasn't able to TiVo Wednesday's episode of LOST, as it overlapped with AMERICAN IDOL, a show so reviled by yours truly, I'll save my invective for a future review. Yes, ABC actually allowed the beleaguered LOST and its wavering fan base to contend with the ratings juggernaut that is IDOL – and the final episode, no less. I've remained loyal to the series and I watch every episode. And, I imagine for most LOST die-hards, the choice to watch tonight's episode over the blueballs-athon that is an AI season finale was a no-brainer. But for those of you whose DVRs were available to record ABC's mystery-drama, I'll make a point of keeping this review spoiler-free.
This episode might be my favorite Jack flashback to date. Actually, the season finale as a whole was an absolute blast.
Penned by executive producers Damon Lindelof and Carleton Cuse, episode "Through the Looking Glass" was a double-length event that for me really hearkened back to the spectacle of the pilot. I watched it with my father (who's completely uninitiated when it comes to the series), and he seemed to really enjoy it. [Note to self: LOST is possibly the worst show to watch with a father. It features more daddy issues than Tim Burton's entire catalog.] But for those of you familiar with the show, Lindelof and Cuse spin a story that's constantly aware of the convoluted context that makes LOST so ensnaring. What we get is the culmination of a good run at the end of the season that addresses the bigger issues in the series – and the answers that viewers have been pushing for.
Well, not all of them. Though the pace of the episode was much the same as it has been all season, the finale's additional running time allowed the plot to advance – yes, advance! For the first time since perhaps the first half of the season, I wasn't wondering afterward, "Okay, so what has honestly been said about the big picture?" And, the episode was exciting. LOST thrives on the uncertainty of its characters, and this season began to resemble 24 with its predictable crisis-resolution format. The finale entertained because I felt the creators were prepared to do anything to their characters. To some extent, in fact, they did. I don't mean to oversell this to you guys. We're talking about LOST here, and if that's not a good enough explanation, it's important to remember the series has been picked up for three more years.
That's a good thing. The ending, if taken singularly, represents one of the greatest cop-outs in television history. This review might’ve been a lot darker if the future of the series was at all in question. But, I'm choosing to accept the conclusion of the season on the basis that I seriously doubt the sincerity of the show's creators. If this sounds a lot like denial, that's because it is. It's like Wile E. Coyote catching the goddamned Road Runner. But for those of you who stayed tuned in for the show's entirety, I'm sure you understand the potential for months of cranky blogging. I'm just not ready to abandon my post yet – especially after LOST has proven that it has a lot of juice left. If my opinion has yet to sway you to watch this episode, I'll break my promise and throw in a spoiler: Ben gets his ass kicked.
Finally I'd like to invite all of you who caught the ep to weigh in on the ending. Do you think the show is really going to go there or are we going to get some sort of Desmond-like palimpsest? My money's on the latter. And for all you DVR owners out there, venture forward at your own risk.