I only hope this line is true when it comes to this show!
There’s an old rule in the theater: If there’s a gun on the wall in the first act, you better use it by the third act.
In other words, don’t put extraneous “stuff” in the story and leave people wondering why it was there. This goes for writing, as well (short stories, novels, whatever). If you introduce a character, prop or situation, it should propel the story in some way. If it doesn’t, take it out.
As of this moment, there are three episodes left of the show Lost. When this posts, it will be down to two. Four and a half hours is most definitely not enough time to tie up loose ends, and the writers have said in previous interviews that they don’t intend to answer every question. While I’ve been a loyal viewer since part-way through the first season, and I’m dying to find out what this is all about — I still have absolutely no clue! — I’m getting more and more frustrated as I realize what’s going to be left unsaid.
Some questions:
Where’s Walt?
Why did The Others make Michael shoot Libby and Ana Lucia?
What happened to most of the characters who stayed on the island when the Oceanic 6 left?
What is the point of most of what happened in the first three seasons?
I mean, come on! So much STUFF happened in this show and then we never heard a thing about it again. Characters just vanished. A few returned, but most didn’t. I know the writers and producers have said that they knew where they were going all along, looking back, I highly doubt that’s true. I think they were flying by the seats of their pants and because of that, while the show remained engrossing, the story telling lacked cohesiveness. I hate being frustrated by movies, TV shows or books. I hate that I think I’m going to be disappointed by this show.
I hope they prove me wrong.
Next week, I will know for sure. I’ll let y’all know what I think then. All I know now is, there were an awful lot of guns on the wall in the first act that have yet to be used.
The cast of Lost (or part of it, anyway).
I guess this just is one more cultural phenomenon I totally missed. (Joining every other one). I have not watched even a single episode of this show – even by accident.
So just to be contrary and upsetting, I hope every character dies, for reasons that are never explained to the audience. Ever.
So … you WANT me to have a nervous breakdown, then?
Ok, here’s your answers:
Walt is in NY with his grandmother. Michael didn’t have to shoot them, he chose to, had he not shot them, he wouldn’t have been able to let Ben (Henry) escape. Most of the characters that have disappeared died. As for the first 3 seasons, I feel they build the story. All the crazy stuff makes perfect sense to me now. James and I just Episode 9 of Season 6 and I feel like it gave me more perspective on the purpose of the island and why people keep ending up there. I think it also helps that we just started watching the series a couple weeks ago. Watching all together makes it easier to make sense of it.
I know where Walt is. It’s where he’s not that’s the problem. He was oh so important to the island and The Others and now you don’t even hear about him at all. What was so important about him? Like I said, I think they were making things up as they went along and have dropped the things they didn’t know what to do with.
I’ve been a writer my whole life. That happens to me a lot, but I would never try to sell it to an audience.
Watching *it* all together makes it easier to make sense of it.
We will know everything we need to know when the show ends next Sunday.
Some things aren’t important. That “gun” rule doesn’t always apply for television. Some it is just there to keep the show fun or dramatic, or what have you.
The big things, the things that DO matter will be explained. We found out last night (which, of course you didn’t know when you wrote this) who “Adam” and “Eve” were, and that they weren’t just there for the fun of it.
Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse have had a plan all along. I firmly believe that. Some things have changed as the show did. Some characters just didn’t work out and were cut. That happens. But the basic premise, what is the island, why are they there, why were THEY chosen? Carlton and Damon have known where this was headed all along. This season has proven that to me.
I absolutely disagree with you about the gun rule. It’s a fundamental rule of GOOD storytelling, no matter the genre. You don’t put things in just for fun. Everything should have a purpose in moving the story along.
I don’t think they should have raised questions they weren’t going to answer. No matter how small those questions were. It wreaks of amateurishness to me, which is sad for something of such high quality otherwise. But, like I said, maybe they’ll prove me wrong in the end. It’s not looking good, though.
Well the next episode is called “why they had to die” or something like that…so I am hoping that addresses a lot of your questions – and mine! That said- I am giving the writers a long leash until the VERY last episode. In that one- I wanna know close to everything.
I’m still hoping! I’ll be really angry if they don’t. I read an interview yesterday with the guy who plays Jacob. He said they won’t answer everything, but they’ll answer most of the really big questions. They better answer ALL of the really big questions!!!
I do find it significant that Jacob and the MIB are 2,000 years old. Of course, that’s pretty obvious.
[...] written twice in the last couple weeks about it, too, in case anyone’s interested in that: here and [...]