Here come da judge!

Here come da judge!

Oct 05

A wise writer friend predicted, after LOST’s first season, that the backlash would begin in season three – as cool as the show was and as hot as the show was, he contended that the straights couldn’t roll with the show for more than two seasons. It may well survive beyond season three, but the whining would begin at that time; and holy shit, he was right.

I’m just calling bullshit on Dahnart’s whole piece – the ongoing mystery, the waxing and waning of things that keep us wondering, that whole sine wave of a comic-style plot, is the major conceit of the show. The show is entirely about wondering what is going on and what will happen next. That’s the whole point.

It would be like complaining that you weren’t going to watch 24 any more, because, oh, those writers think they’re so clever, making every episode a single hour of rough real-time. Or complaining that Oz had too many shankings.

Somehow, soap operas have survived for decades on the same principle as LOST, only in a much suckier way – a never-ending story, where twists and turns abound, threads are dropped without explanation, only to be revived years later, to keep things moving and to keep viewers on their toes. And nobody complains.

You try it in primetime, and suddenly your writers are hacks.

Whatever, Andy. I think your Mom’s calling you to dinner and Prison Break (you know, that show where every season is about… a prison break.)