My final thoughts on LOST

I've thought about it long and hard. I mulled it over and gave it a few days to sink in. And I've come to the conclusion that I did not like the LOST finale.

The entire 6th season of LOST was disappointing. It raised more questions than it answered. It felt drawn out and protracted, like the writers didn't know what else to give us. So instead of revisiting old storylines or cleverly tying up loose ends, they gave us 15 more episodes of "WTF" and "who is that" and "what does it all mean."(And, if I can get nitpicky here for a second, what the HELL did that Asian zen master and his temple have to do with anything? They spent how many episodes on that plot arc and it went absolutely nowhere. That's a fail, LOST.)

And then came the Finale. The episode where we thought we'd finally get some answers. At least that's what I thought. I really believed they would finally explain how the island can move in space and time, how it/Jacob drew people to it, the science behind it all. Why is Desmond so special? How did the island's power come to be on the island? How did Jack know he was supposed to go back and protect the island? Why was (real) Locke so emotionally attached to it? And those are just the broader, more fundamental questions I have about the show. What about smaller nuances, like the fake plane crash that Widmore orchestrated--how was that ever explained? Or how Jin survived the freighter explosion. Or what happened with Sawyer's daughter and Aaron.

I realize now that all that stuff isn't important. Yes it all happened, the Dharma Initiative and the time travel, it all happened and it was real. But the show was never about the island--it was about people. I see that now. It was about relationships and bonds and life experiences and how flaming darts and a crazy French woman can bring strangers closer together.... so close that they create a special place in their collective subconscious to return to with each other after death. It's moving and I acknowledge the significance. I just can't get over the fact that for 6 years, the writers made it seem like it was about the island. Smoke monsters and donkey wheels and polar bears, oh my! What does it all mean? It doesn't matter what it means. All that matters is that Jack and Kate and Claire love each other and will never forget about each other.

Not what I was expecting, LOST. Not what I was expecting at all. I'm disappointed =(