10 Harsh Realities Of Rewatching Lost, 19 Years Later
A look back at Lost proves that the show’s problems were there from the start. From sloppy writing to some problematic storytelling elements, Lost was never the masterpiece that viewers hoped it would be when the show debuted.
Lost Wasn’t As Diverse As It Seemed
Lost received a lot of acclaim back in 2004 for the show’s diverse cast. However, a rewatch proves that this praise was misguided. For one thing, most of the show’s main characters were white. Additionally, the allegations surrounding showrunner Damon Lindelof’s racist behavior toward actor Harold Perrineau proved that Lost’s creators weren’t too concerned with cultural sensitivity. Meanwhile, Lost forgetting about Walt despite his pivotal role during the show's earlier seasons highlights just how problematic the show’s attitude toward race was.
Harold Perrineau and Malcolm David Kelley as Michael and Walt on a boat in Lost
Lost Had Too Many Unanswered Mysteries
From a polar bear that randomly appeared on the island to an inexplicable Smoke Monster to the unclear significance of Hurley’s infamous numbers, plenty of Lost's mysteries were solved sooner or later. However, the show also had a lot of enigmas that were straight-up forgotten about or ignored. The questions of who was shooting at Sawyer in the flash-forwards or what happened to Jack’s planned army were left unanswered by the end of the series. Instead of addressing these unanswered mysteries, Lost busied itself with new subplots.
An image of a polar bear in front of the Lost logo
Lost Lasted Way Too Long
The revelation that the characters were trapped in a form of purgatory was part of Lost's original plan, but ABC insisted that the series could last for 10 seasons before this big revelation. Anyone who spent a few minutes online during the show’s heyday could have predicted how this would pan out, since this classic twist was the first ending most viewers online guessed when the series began. Despite this, Lost’s showrunners still ended up dragging out the story over six seasons, a foolhardy decision that made the finale a far weaker affair.
Matthew Fox and Evangeline Lilly as Jack and Kate smiling at each other in the finale on Lost
