The Lost TV show has a strange reputation. The series was one of the biggest things on television when it first aired and the ground-breaking ways it changed the format of TV storytelling are still seen today. However, by the time the series ended, the reception of the show was a lot more mixed. There are still plenty of fans who count Lost as one of their favorite shows of all time and enjoy rewatching it years after the finale. However, these fans might have ignored some of the more glaring flaws that were obvious to others.
It is not hard to see what some people love about Lost as the premise is immediately exciting and the cast is filled with complex characters making a thrilling ensemble. The show also delivered some unforgettable TV moments that remain impactful now. However, with the show's great ambition came areas where they faltered. From the show's endless mysteries to the controversial storytelling choices to where the series ended up, some problems with Lost are hard to look past.
15 There Was No Endgame In Place
The Series Lost Its Way Or Didn't Know Where It Was Going From The Beginning
When kicking off a television series, it is unfair to think that the showrunners would know how the story is going to end from the beginning. In the case of most shows, there is no idea about how long it will last and, therefore, how much story they will need to come up with to make it to the end. However, with a show like Lost which is all about a central mystery – discovering the truth about this island – the showrunners should have had an idea in place.
The more Lost went on, the more it became clear that they were making it up as they went along with no direction of where it was heading. It is possible there was an idea that needed to be modified somewhere down the line. However, without knowing where the story was heading, the show simply became, ironically, lost. This was most evident in season 3, which was filled with flashbacks that added nothing of note to the overall story.
14 Asking Questions Without Having Answers
Lost Kept Introducing Mysteries That Didn't Mean Anything
One of the things that helped Lost become so popular in the first place was the intriguing questions it would introduce. Audiences tuned in each week to get more clues and figure out the many mysteries that were beginning to build up. However, the mysteries eventually became less about building the story and more about filling in the gaps in the story with something that was ultimately unnecessary.
The more mysteries that were introduced that took the story in a completely new direction, the more it became clear that the show didn’t really have answers for all of these and they would not cleverly connect in a way that made for a big reveal. When the survivors discover a massive four-toed foot of a statue that was destroyed some time ago, it is not exciting, but rather frustrating, as it becomes clear this is another pointless detail thrown into the increasingly murky story.
13 Losing Touch Of Key Characters
The Ensemble Suffered Under A Complicated Story
As exciting as the building mysteries of the show were, one of the things that drew audiences in from the beginning was the incredible ensemble. Lost delivered many characters who became some of the most beloved television personas of the 21st century. It was exciting to see all these different personalities forced to live together and work together while also getting some insight into who they are through the flashbacks in each episode.
However, as the story of Lost grew more complicated, the focus of the characters got more and more narrow. Jack and Locke became essential to the story, while other characters who were not as involved in those aspects were reduced. Charlie’s departure from Lost was a direct result of this, as actor Dominic Monaghan itted he was frustrated with the lack of screen time Charlie was getting. The show was beginning to sacrifice beloved characters for convoluted storylines.
12 Getting Too Deep Into Mythology
The Story Grew Unwieldy
The brilliance of Lost’s ensemble also highlights another sad truth about the show in that it could have leaned into the characters and avoided the confusing storyline. The idea of a show about people surviving a plane crash and being stuck on an island offered an exciting ensemble piece. Adding in a potential monster lurking in the jungle and other mysterious people already on the island, there was more than enough to make for an exciting show.
However, Lost got bogged down in growing the mythology of the island and adding more and more layers to the story. With the battle between Ben Linus and Charles Whitmore, the history of the Man in Black, and the magical abilities of some of the survivors, the show grew out of control. With it being so confusing in the end, it highlighted that the simpler direction would have been the more satisfying one.
11 The Others Quickly Became A Problem
The Mystery Islanders Went From Exciting To Dull
The reveal that there were other people already on the island and that they were not plane crash survivors added a terrific threat to the story early on. That only became more exciting with the reveal that one of these “Others” infiltrated the Oceanic group of survivors and was posing as one of them. Ben Linus obviously became a popular character when he was introduced as part of the mysterious group, but the show quickly lost its footing with this storyline.
It seems like the show kept changing their minds about whom these people were and how dangerous they were. First, they were villains who kidnapped children, then they were allies who helped out. Were they part of Dharma Initiative or did they replace them? In the end, the Others were simply lumped in with the rest of the survivors to the point where it was hard to where they came from.
10 Overly Complicated Storytelling
The Time Travel Elements Proved A Step Too Far
From the beginning of the show, Lost was not afraid to confuse viewers with all the mysteries they were throwing at them. From the monster lurking in the jungle to the mysterious hatch to the presence of others on the island, there was a lot to contend with.
However, given the simple setting of the show and the fairly standard storylines, this was easy enough to follow in the first seasons. However, this became more confusing as time went on. Lost introducing different time travel elements added a lot of confusion to the series and that is where it lost a lot of viewers.
By season 5, the writing had turned increasingly complicated and messy. With some things on the island taking place in different timelines while also showing various storylines off the island, it was easy to lose track of where the story was at any given moment and thus became harder to be invested in.
9 The Whole Final Season
The Finale Was Let Down By What Came Before
For a TV show that has had so much build-up over the years with mysteries and unanswered questions, there was a lot riding on its ending. The finale of Lost has a mixed reputation with many calling it a disappointment.
However, similar to Game of Thrones' ending, the issue with Lost was less about the finale itself and more about the flawed final season. The tone of the show had changed drastically with the fantasy and sci-fi elements growing to such an extent that they began to outweigh the characters.
The mysteries and unanswered questions also continued to pile up with new subplots and characters being introduced when viewers were really looking for things to be wrapped up. There had been a common complaint from the beginning of the series that it seemed like the writers were making it up as they went along and the final season didn't help to dispel that idea.
8 The Messy Answers
Big Build-Ups Led To Half-Hearted Conclusions
Lost was known for its excessive number of mysteries and many of them were initially very intriguing. The smoke monster and the polar bear were two early signs of some truly compelling things to be revealed later on. However, not only did the show take far too long to address many of its mysteries, but the answers they gave were usually disappointing.
the kind of disappointing reveal that longtime fans of the series grew frustrated with
The polar bear is a prime example of 's disappointing answers as it is one of the first things to truly put the characters on edge to question how a polar bear made it to an island like this. There were even clues peppered out elsewhere in the show, including a comic book, that the polar bear was extremely important.
However, the ultimate reveal is that the Dharma Initiative simply brought the polar bear along for unknown scientific reasons. That's the kind of disappointing reveal that longtime fans of the series grew frustrated with.
7 There Are Some Major Pacing Issues
The Show Struggled To Maintain Momentum After Big Moments
The Lost pilot kicked the show off with one of the most exhilarating first episodes of a series ever. There were many who wondered how the show would be able to sustain such an exciting pace over the course of the 20+ episode season. The reality soon set in that it was not in fact able to.
While there were some great Lost episodes that were filled with thrills and twists, there were also many that felt like they added little to nothing to the storyline. "Filler episodes" can sometimes be an easy criticism to throw at a show when they simply have quieter character moments as opposed to action. However, Lost would seem to fluctuate between intense momentum with exciting reveals only to begin treading water with empty hours of television.
Filler Episodes That Are Still Great |
Season and Episode |
|---|---|
The Moth |
Season 1, Episode 7 |
Adrift |
Season 2, Episode 2 |
...And Found |
Season 2, Episode 5 |
Exposé |
Season 3, Episode 14 |
Left Behind |
Season 3, Episode 15 |
Meet Kevin Johnson |
Season 4, Episode 8 |
The Little Prince |
Season 5, Episode 4 |
Some Like It Hoth |
Season 5, Episode 13 |
Lighthouse |
Season 6, Episode 5 |
In a way, it was the show's own popularity that hurt it in this respect as, given how obsessively fans watched and waited for the next clue, these lesser episodes began to stand out a lot more. Lost likely would've thrived more on modern TV where seasons are typically closer to 10 episodes than the 20 or so that were expected in the 2000s.
6 Inconsistent Quality
Seasons Would Ebb And Flow In Of Watchability
While awards are not the only measure of a show's success, there is an interesting anecdote that highlights some of Lost's issues as a series. Lost came onto the scene as a massive hit with viewers and critics.
During its first season, it was hailed as a television masterpiece and won the Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series. Yet after its second season, the show was not even nominated in that category. This became the struggle for the series over the years.
the inconsistency of the storytelling overall makes many people stop short of actually hailing it as an all-time great show.
The show would lose audiences with its unending and seemingly pointless mysteries, only to introduce a new twist that would suddenly make things interesting and then subsequently lose its way all over again. Fans can look back on the show as having some great moments, but the inconsistency of the storytelling overall makes many people stop short of actually hailing it as an all-time great show.
35 Mysterious Shows To Watch If You Liked Lost
Lost is amongst the elite in the realm of really good, really memorable television hits. For more mysteries, fans should watch these shows.
