More than any other show, the biggest critics of 'Lost' are, ironically enough, it's biggest fans. We invest ourselves in the show and, often times, feel unfulfilled. Why?
What makes an episode of 'Lost' good?
What makes an episode of 'Lost' bad?
After watching 'Enter 77', my goal was to reason why or why not I liked certain episodes.
Therefore, I decided that the best way to break down the series was by what questions they asked/answered.
The way I saw it, there were 4 tiers of questions:
Tier 1: The Backbone
1. Will they get off the Island?
The question in TIER 1 are the driving force of the show; without these questions, thered be no Lost. Over everything else, Lost is the story of plane-crash victims marooned on some unreachable island and their struggle to escape back into the real world. Above all, this is why people watch Lost.
Tier 2: The Game Changers
The questions in TIER 2 directly affect the backbone question in TIER 1
1. Why are the Losties on the Island?
a) science experiment
b) Desmonds time loop
c) fate
d) inside hurley's head
e) literally, magnetic pull
f) a million other theories
2. How will the Losties (as a whole) survive while on the island?
a) their well-being- food; fun; etc.
.If the Losties dont have enough food then they wont survive to make it off the island. If the Losties know theyre in a science experiment, they can partake in the proper actions to overthrow it and get off the island.
Tier 3: Supporting Arcs
The questions in TIER 3 are supplementary to TIER 2. Therefore, logically, they relate somewhat to the backbone of the show. However, this connection grows increasingly hazy.
1. Who are the Others? The Dharma Initiative?
a) What are they trying to achieve?
b) What is their history?
c) Why are they so hostile?
2. What happened when the sky went purple?
Tier 4: Plot-related INDIVIDUAL character arcs
TIER 4s questions are individual: they affect one person and their ability to get off the island, but not the fate of the entire group.
1. Will Charlie Die?
2. Will Kate rescue Jack?
3. Will Michael sell out his friends to get his son back?
Tier 5: Minor Details
If a TIER 5 question is answered (or alluded to) it will only maybe advance a TIER 3 question (and therefore 2, 1, etc).
1. What are the particular customs of The Others?
a) What is the Juliet/Ben dynamic?
b) Were they on a separate island?
c) Do they have a sub?
Tier 6: Non-plot related character arcs
TIER 6 questions do not relate to TIER 1 (whether the Losties will get off the island) at all.
1. Are Jack/Claire related?
2. Who will Kate choose?
3. What do Jacks tattoos mean?
4. Why is Locke in a wheelchair?
5. Is it Jins baby?
Every episode should advance the backbone of the show. I dont care about questions actually being answered; I would just like them alluded to. When an episode fails to relate back to the initial question, then its deemed bad.
For example: Stranger in a Strange Land alluded to only questions in TIER 6 and 5
TIER 6
What do Jacks tattoos mean?
Does Kate still care about Jack?
Does Karl miss Alex?
TIER 5
What are the customs of the others (trial, branding)
Where do the others live?
This episode had nothing to do with whether the Losties will ever make it off the island. (It could be argued that it had to do with Jack making it off an island, however that would go into TIER 4 as that is an individual action). Because it didnt affect the backbone of the series, it became an inconsequential episode.
On the other hand, Enter 77 dealt with questions in many tiers.
TIER 1
Sayid wanted to restore communication to the outside world; Locke blew up the Hatch
TIER 3
It related to who the Others were, and what happened when the sky went purple.
Even if we didn't get specific answers, at least it dealt with topical questions.
This gets to my point: Most don't want to get off the island anymore. And, more so, only Locke actively DOESN'T want to get off the island. The rest of the characters are absolutely apathetic.
For example:
Kate wants to rescue Jack. This is well and good, but it is small compared to the overall backbone of the story.
Charlie wants to stay alive, but once again, this story-arc doesn't relate to the backbone.
The only characters that show even the slightest desire to get off the island are Sayid, Desmond and Claire.
That is why those three (plus Locke as the anti-hero) should be the focus of the series; because it is this story (will they ever escape) that differentiates Lost from other
shows. If I wanted to know who Kate chooses, or who Sun's baby's daddy was, I'd watch Desperate Housewives or Grey's Anatomy.
And, I didn't write this to complain as much as I did to analyze why I complained in the past; and to have as a guide to organize my ideas about Lost in the future.
What makes an episode of 'Lost' good?
What makes an episode of 'Lost' bad?
After watching 'Enter 77', my goal was to reason why or why not I liked certain episodes.
Therefore, I decided that the best way to break down the series was by what questions they asked/answered.
The way I saw it, there were 4 tiers of questions:
Tier 1: The Backbone
1. Will they get off the Island?
The question in TIER 1 are the driving force of the show; without these questions, thered be no Lost. Over everything else, Lost is the story of plane-crash victims marooned on some unreachable island and their struggle to escape back into the real world. Above all, this is why people watch Lost.
Tier 2: The Game Changers
The questions in TIER 2 directly affect the backbone question in TIER 1
1. Why are the Losties on the Island?
a) science experiment
b) Desmonds time loop
c) fate
d) inside hurley's head
e) literally, magnetic pull
f) a million other theories
2. How will the Losties (as a whole) survive while on the island?
a) their well-being- food; fun; etc.
.If the Losties dont have enough food then they wont survive to make it off the island. If the Losties know theyre in a science experiment, they can partake in the proper actions to overthrow it and get off the island.
Tier 3: Supporting Arcs
The questions in TIER 3 are supplementary to TIER 2. Therefore, logically, they relate somewhat to the backbone of the show. However, this connection grows increasingly hazy.
1. Who are the Others? The Dharma Initiative?
a) What are they trying to achieve?
b) What is their history?
c) Why are they so hostile?
2. What happened when the sky went purple?
Tier 4: Plot-related INDIVIDUAL character arcs
TIER 4s questions are individual: they affect one person and their ability to get off the island, but not the fate of the entire group.
1. Will Charlie Die?
2. Will Kate rescue Jack?
3. Will Michael sell out his friends to get his son back?
Tier 5: Minor Details
If a TIER 5 question is answered (or alluded to) it will only maybe advance a TIER 3 question (and therefore 2, 1, etc).
1. What are the particular customs of The Others?
a) What is the Juliet/Ben dynamic?
b) Were they on a separate island?
c) Do they have a sub?
Tier 6: Non-plot related character arcs
TIER 6 questions do not relate to TIER 1 (whether the Losties will get off the island) at all.
1. Are Jack/Claire related?
2. Who will Kate choose?
3. What do Jacks tattoos mean?
4. Why is Locke in a wheelchair?
5. Is it Jins baby?
Every episode should advance the backbone of the show. I dont care about questions actually being answered; I would just like them alluded to. When an episode fails to relate back to the initial question, then its deemed bad.
For example: Stranger in a Strange Land alluded to only questions in TIER 6 and 5
TIER 6
What do Jacks tattoos mean?
Does Kate still care about Jack?
Does Karl miss Alex?
TIER 5
What are the customs of the others (trial, branding)
Where do the others live?
This episode had nothing to do with whether the Losties will ever make it off the island. (It could be argued that it had to do with Jack making it off an island, however that would go into TIER 4 as that is an individual action). Because it didnt affect the backbone of the series, it became an inconsequential episode.
On the other hand, Enter 77 dealt with questions in many tiers.
TIER 1
Sayid wanted to restore communication to the outside world; Locke blew up the Hatch
TIER 3
It related to who the Others were, and what happened when the sky went purple.
Even if we didn't get specific answers, at least it dealt with topical questions.
This gets to my point: Most don't want to get off the island anymore. And, more so, only Locke actively DOESN'T want to get off the island. The rest of the characters are absolutely apathetic.
For example:
Kate wants to rescue Jack. This is well and good, but it is small compared to the overall backbone of the story.
Charlie wants to stay alive, but once again, this story-arc doesn't relate to the backbone.
The only characters that show even the slightest desire to get off the island are Sayid, Desmond and Claire.
That is why those three (plus Locke as the anti-hero) should be the focus of the series; because it is this story (will they ever escape) that differentiates Lost from other
shows. If I wanted to know who Kate chooses, or who Sun's baby's daddy was, I'd watch Desperate Housewives or Grey's Anatomy.
And, I didn't write this to complain as much as I did to analyze why I complained in the past; and to have as a guide to organize my ideas about Lost in the future.
