On February 2, the ABC hit show Lost premiered its sixth and final season.  As a Lost fan, I have to say that I’m excited for the season but heartbroken knowing that the show is at its end.  The anticipation for the first episode of the season was indescribable, and when the show came to its conclusion all I could think about is watching the next episode.  But did the episode leave a good impression on everyone else?

Well, that’s to be decided considering only 12 million people watched the premiere.  That’s 600,000 more than last year’s kick off, but last year was the worst debut in the history of Lost.  Of course, viewer loss is common as time progresses with TV shows, so a decreasing audience for the program isn’t an indicator that Lost failed.

As for the 12 million that did watch the premiere, they are probably stuck in a huge cloud of confusion.  For starters, some survivors seem to have successfully detonated a hydrogen bomb that would keep the Oceanic flight from crashing onto the island.  But within the next few minutes the characters that supposedly blew up the island are still walking around on it fine and dandy, which leads them to believe that the bomb didn’t work.  It seems as if these poor people are in two different universes, leading two completely different lives.

In addition to the unpredictable time lapses, it seems as if two people have resurrected from the dead.  Even though we now know that John Locke (played by Terry O’Quinn) hasn’t really come back to life, and that a force of the island possesses his body, the fact of it all is still extremely confusing.

If you don’t follow Lost as avidly as people like myself, you probably find the show a complete waste of time.  People ask me all the time, “How can the people still be on the island?”  And, “What’s so special about an airplane crash?”  The truth of it all is simple.  Lost is more than a Gilligan’s Island spin-off.  It’s a tale of themes and lessons that we all confront as humans at one point in our lives.  Lost tells a story of people doing unselfish things for the benefits of others.  It’s about the mysteries of fate and destiny.  This show has done more than entertain me: it has made me realize that everything happens for a purpose.

So whether you watch Lost or not, just note that it has left a huge impression upon its viewers of the world.  Fans need to take in this feeling of confusion right now, because in a few months they will have nothing else to ask.  As Lost fans, we don’t care how the season ends, because we don’t want it to end.  Knowing all the answers doesn’t always satisfy you.

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