ABC’s Lost - Season 4 Episode 3 - The Economist

Even if you’re not a fan of ABC’s Lost – a science fiction television show about a group of airline passengers who crash on a mysterious – and treacherous – island – it’s likely that you know someone who is. With its in-depth character development, nail biting suspense, and tantalizing hints of what lies behind the curtain, Lost is undeniably compelling, and Thursday’s episode, titled The Economist, was no exception.

Told from the point of view of Sayid, a morally gray former Iraqi soldier, this episode left us with more questions than answers – par for the course when viewing Lost. Rich in ethical gradients, filled with suspense, and peppered with science – the formula works, and the creators of Lost have used it to full effect. This season, they’re digging a little deeper – adding ‘flashforwards’ instead of flashbacks, introducing more off-island characters, shedding just a little more light onto the physical properties of the island. In some shows such tactics can seem cheap and contrived, but Lost feels fresh and new this season. Case in point – even after three seasons of watching Sayid, I still didn’t know what he would choose at the climax of the episode. Lost could never be accused of becoming too predictable.

With the writer’s strike over, Lost fans can give a small sigh of relief. The plotline of this innovative television show will not be held hostage for profits, and we no longer have to fear ignorant ‘scabs’ stepping in and ruining the story in a misguided attempt to conclude the series. That doesn’t mean we can completely relax, though. In the back of our minds, anyone who has loyally watched Lost has wondered if the writers really have an ending in sight, or if they’re making all of this up as they go along. Add to these doubts a late season premiere, a few unresolved love triangles, and episode after episode of answers that only lead to more questions, and you’ve got yourself a sinkhole of viewer mistrust.

And yet, I can’t stop watching. I don’t want to miss even one second of the snail-paced storyline, one seemingly irrelevant flashback, one instance of Hurley saying ‘dude’. It may all be a hoax. It might be canceled any day. But this sci-fi geek is keeping the faith.

Not that I haven’t wavered, just as the quality of the episodes has fluctuated over the years. I have thrown my hands up at the screen, have exclaimed ‘we’re –nowhere-‘ as the credits rolled. I have even declared that I had given up, that I would no longer be watching Lost after a particularly abysmal episode in Season 3 . Inevitably, though, another fan reels me back in. And that right there is a large part of the draw of this show – endless message board fodder as we theorize and pick apart each scene, sometimes frame by frame, trying to detract some hidden meaning.

To those of you who have given up, or never watched in the first place, now is a great time to jump in. After two seasons of little forward movement, Lost seems to be back to the slow but steady and engaging pace of Season One. ABC’s site presently has an hour-long recap to bring old and new viewers alike up to speed. Don’t have an hour? No problem – YouTube has a Lost in 8 minutes that will give you the quick and dirty version. Either way, you can quickly delve into new mysteries, new characters, and new nail biting moments every week. Or, if you’re a ‘details’ person (read: obsessive dork), the season DVDs are rich in cast commentary and special features to squeeze every ounce of content (of which plenty is buried deep) from each episode.