Mar 05 2010
Five Reasons Why Lost’s Alternate Reality is a Waste of Time
So an ongoing debate in our Lost episode review comment section has to do with whether or not the “parallel universe” aspect of the show is a waste of time. I’m of the opinion that yes, I think it’s going to be relevant, somehow, but it’s taking up too much time in the final season with pretty useless subplots that don’t get us anywhere.
I was all set to write an impassioned defense of this theory, and then I saw someone more eloquent than myself did it for me. Meredith Woerner over at io9 has a post title “Five Reasons Lost’s Parallel Universe is a Waste of Time,” and though I usually feature columns from other other sites, I’m going to point you over there as it’s a worthwhile read, and sums up most of my thoughts on the matter.
Here’s a quick excerpt that ties into the picture above:
“Sure, we were all happy to see Martin Keamy’s shit-eating smile again, but what was the point? Same goes for Rose popping up at Hurley’s temp agency. I think we all went, “Hey, that’s cool,” but the enjoyment from these winky little fan nods lasts about as long as our laughter at a cat fighting to get out of a box on Youtube.
Plus, they cheapen some of the past awesomeness these characters went through. Let’s not forget Keamy MURDERED Ben’s daughter in a pivotal, “holy shit, Lost is awesome” moment. Watching him ask Sayid if he wants eggs and then taking a bullet to the chest isn’t rewarding, nor is it really as justified as watching the smoke monster having his way with him after he’s murdered Alex. What is the point? Sure, this is cool, but how about instead of making us some eggs, you scramble up a few answers? There’s no reason why the parallel universe can’t be a question-answering aid.”
True, true. Read the rest of the post here.
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I feel people should shut the hell up and stop complaining. Wait for the season to finish before you start bitching about everything. So far this season reminds me of season 2. It wasn’t as good when I watched when it aired but when I watched it on DVD it improved.
Sean I disagree. For a show where they promo every episode as “the time for questions is over”, then really, get on with the answers.
I don’t care about Keamy. And I sure as hell don’t care about non English speaking Jin again. Ugh. If Sayid was half a badass as is he is played out to be he would pick up one of those thugs guns and straight up killed Jin in the fridge. No witnesses now!
Great article and you’ve once again made my day Paul. n_n;;
Oppsy I also wanted to note that in interviews Matthew Fox said that –
” A third of the way through the final season, the two time lines will be “solidified into one” and “will be very linear – no more flashbacks, nothing.”
In my mind and I’m just spitballing here, that perhaps Lost has tricked us into thinking that there are 2 separate timelines AND MAYBE the truth of the matter IS that Smokey won and destroyed The Island and reset the timeline, SO we’ve already seen how the series ends in “LA X” it’s just a matter of getting there. Remember, Smokey did promise Sayid Nadia and Claire her baby…maybe LA X is Smokey making good on his promises. MAYBE…but that’s just a spitball theory.
o.o
Paul you da man! Thanks again.
“And so help me, if they are as flippant about who Jacob really is as they were about this new lighthouse, ["I guess we were never looking for it"] I will burn my own apartment to the ground.”
My favorite part of the article.
I really, really hope they consolidate things and start answering things soon. I’m hearing a lot about episode 9 being pivotal, and a Richard flashback…flashsideways…whatever. So I’m eagerly anticipating that.
I think what has most fans upset so far this season is the slow pace and lack of promised answers. After the “Jacob has a thing for numbers” line and the “I guess we just never noticed the giant lighthouse” segment, i think we are all afraid that a lot of things are going to be lost in the shuffle once things pick up. If that happens all fans will blame these flash sideways segments for eating up so much time every week.
The creators knew when they were ending the show years ago. I would certainly hope they planned everything out accordingly. There really is no credible excuse not too.
As it’s been said before, this will be either the greatest, or worst series finale in television history. I hope for the best.
@ NY not NYC
The writers aren’t in control over what is said in the upcoming episode ads. That shit is handled by ABC and they’re the ones doing the whole “time for answers” nonsense. So still, stick with the show and let it finish before you complain.
i think she had some valid points in the article, but here is the main reason i disagree:
yes, we are revisiting characters in a way where we are being REMINDED of them and maybe trying to say a farewell to everyone one at a time instead of shoving it all into a last episode. i am delighted to see how some characters are drastically different in the alt universe (ben, keamy, etc.)… and i hope that they continue to show us these so we get our final “special time” with the survivors we all have grown to care about so much. i like the little added spice of non-survivors, too.
i do agree that throwing dogen in jack’s alt reality was useless, however it showed that he was with his son again instead of banished to the island so his son could live. it was giving us a happy ending for dogen BEFORE we even knew he had a tragedy.
i know everyone is going to argue about this until the very end (and probably after), but i’m extremely glad that i can say i am satisfied with the season so far.
i would like to know what everyone else wants answered above all else. name the top 3 answers you want, here are mine:
1. Richard Alpert – how/when did he come to the island (black rock) and how did he come to be the “advisor”.
2. Good vs. Evil – is that the root of the show and is that what it’s all been leading up to? is that what changes time.
3. Widmore and Ben – do they finally get to have it out? does Desmond go back to the island to help one of the sides?
That’s about it. FORGET the numbers, it’s not that big of a deal. i would like an explanation, but not if it takes away from the questions i want answered. every LOST fan is different.
also, if you’re interested… there is this blog of this guy (or girl?) who has never seen an episode of LOST started watching this season… he/she blogs after each episode and says what they think is happening. it’s pretty hilarious and a cool perspective:
http://neverseenlost.wordpress.com/
Interesting stuff here.
I’ve got three, but they kind of branch into many things:
1) Why did Clair think there was a difference between Christian-that-was-Esau and Locke-that-is-Esau? (She knows Locke isn’t Locke, but she thinks Christian (who should be the same thing that Locke is now) is her father)
answer 1) I think this would really explain or lay out the how of the body snatching – can Jacob do it? Why did Esau want Jack to run around the jungle at the start (chasing ‘Christian’)? Where’d Christian’s body go? Was it ever even on the island? In the casket? Then who moved it? Just who was that dude that lured Claire away from camp that night, and was Island Christian always Esau?
2) Did the Island really give Ben the tumor because he moved the forest-dwelling-others into the barracks-dwelling-others (addition of technology makes for bad things?)
answer 2) A Yes/No on a higher power of the island and it’s desire to maintain a ‘nature’ existence. Is it the boy? Was that who was in Jacob’s cabin that hates technology (and flashlights?) Who said ‘help me’ to Locke way back when? How did the cabin move when Hurley ran into it? Just when did the ash circle break and was that keeping Smokey out or in? Is it Smokey that wanted Locke’s help and hates technology? Is the season ending going to be hitting the smoke monster with a flashlight?
3) Why were the original ‘Others’ (they that killed all of Dharma and moved in) so fearful / angry at the original ‘Losties’? It seems Ben was like, hey was a plane crash, we should attack, scare, manipulate, and even shoot some of them, because, uh, uhm, they’re not us? Makes no sense.
The others knew about Jacob’s list, it’s been referenced many times in the show, so, why not just show up en masse without guns and, like, invite the crashed plane of survivors into your company? You know who Jake wants to talk to, you can easily weed out the bad ones (Ben’s killed Others before to get to Juiliette), and pow, too easy.
Everyone hating each other for the sake of hating each other is the weakest plot point in the show, imho.
Except for the other stuff, like the complete write off of Walt, the explanation of ‘the numbers’, the teleportation effects of the Island, who shot the flaming arrows, and countless other curve balls that just went out to nowhere…