The writers of ABC's Lost TV show had no regrets about ending the show when they did. Created by JJ Abrams, Damon Lindelof and Jeffrey Lieber, Lost follows the survivors of Oceanic flight 815, an airliner that crashes on a mysterious island. The island seems to have a strange connection to all the survivors, and unravels their lives throughout the series. Part sci-fi, part supernatural and part action-thriller, Lost was one of the most popular TV shows of all time, running for six seasons and a total of 121 episodes. Showrunners Lindelof and Carlton Cuse served as the head writers throughout the series, which has been both praised and criticized for revealing one mystery after another, with seemingly no end in sight.
The show starred Matthew Fox, Evangeline Lilly, Josh Holloway, Terry O'Quinn, Daniel Dae Kim, Naveen Andrews, Emilie de Ravin, Yunjin Kim, and Harold Perrineau. It also featured a massive array of guest stars throughout all six seasons, many of whom moved on to star in a variety of successful projects afterwards. JJ Abrams went on to be a major Hollywood film director, working on both the Star Trek and Star Wars franchises, while Lindelof later worked on features like World War Z and The Hunt, as well as the hit HBO shows The Leftovers and Watchmen.
During a guest appearance on The Storm Podcast, Lindelof said that despite the continual build up of unsolved mysteries from episode-to-episode, the writers knew that Lost was going to end at season 6. In fact, he said the team had made the decision quite early on, midway through season 3, and that they had no regrets in ending it when they did. Lindelof said that, if anything, the writers wish they could've gone the other way and ended it sooner. Read his comments below:
"There was never any regret on our part. There was no moment where we were like, 'oh, maybe there should be a season 7. If anything it was the other way around, like could we convince them to end it in five."
While Lost was a serialized show, it was one of the first to break the bonds of continuity, leaning into flashbacks of the survivors that tied into their present-day stories. These storylines always seemed to tie together in a significant way, often relating to the island itself. Lost was also a show that reminded viewers that no character was ever safe. Many fan favorites were killed off from season to season, creating a tension that wasn't really seen again until HBO's Game of Thrones. By the time the show reached its finale, viewers were so invested that it seemed near impossible to conclude in a way that would please everyone. Lindelof vowed not to comment on the Lost finale for a long time after it aired, in order to let viewers absorb and reflect on their own, rather than have someone tell them what it was all about.
Lost was nothing short of a pop-culture phenomenon, and while it would often perplex, confuse and frustrate viewers with each new mystery, the suspense, performances, characters and depth of story kept the intrigue at an all-time high with each new season. Fans couldn't wait to see what would happen next, but over time it became like a journey through the desert with nothing but a mirage to follow. However, the final season did bring a sense of finality and answered the majority of questions that were posed throughout the show's run. The show still left much to debate, though, which is a testament to the compelling nature of what the creators made. Lost is a rewarding show that makes for a great re-watch, especially with those who haven't seen it, and it continues to beckon fans to return to the island again and again.
Source: The Storm Podcast