CouchSlobs - A Monument To Human Idleness

Contrary to Roberta, I was pretty much annoyed by the previous season of “Lost”.

Mind you, it was obvious from the moment Oceanic Flight 815 slammed onto Mysterious Island that “Lost” will be a high-concept series: a kind of show whose impact can only diminish once the plot begins to unravel. But, it’s viewer’s right to always look for that Holy Grail of the Airwave Wasteland: TV series that constantly evolves while nevertheless staying true to the concept that made it popular. It’s plotline at the edge of chaos, if you will: change it too much, and you alienate your audience. Change it too little, and you bore them.

But even in that first, glorious season of “Lost”, when I eagerly awaited any clues about island’s monster or the content of The Hatch, dark shadow of “X Files” loomed in my memory. While being similarly eerie and mysterious, adventures of Mulder & Scully also featured a highly complicated meta-plot. This, over time, grew into fumbling, stumbling giant that fell flat on it face while audience changed channels.

What worried my even more was when I realized during Season Two of “Lost” that the writers are already stalling the plot, rushing it only for a mid-season and season’s finale. While “X Files” was only gearing up for it’s truly bizarre and paranoid tripping in it’s second and third season, “Lost” was already being stretched thin. By the end of Season Three, I actually decided to give up on the “Lost”, especially after seeing amazingly rich plots of series like “Veronica Mars” or even simple but effective storyline of “Supernatural”.

But here is the Season Four of “Lost” and, sure as hell, I’m watching it. Why? Maybe I’m just one of those annoying completist consumers - the kind who, after finding out that their favorite novel is set in the same world as whole bunch of others, feel horrible urge to read each and every one of them, no matter how bad they are. Maybe I’m just a TV bitch who needs his fix. Maybe it’s my sister’s enthusiasm that won me over.

But I love to believe it’s because of the Locke’s missing kidney. They’ve been talking about that fucker for past three seasons now, so, when it finally turned out that that very kidney (or lack thereof) was the only thing standing between Ben’s shooting and Locke’s certain death, I actually smiled. One piece of a puzzle fell into place, and, like in a good detective story, world once again made sense.

So, I’m putting “Lost” on probation. For now.

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