If there must be another Lost series, how can the franchise be rebooted and succeed? Lost has a unique place in the television pantheon. Risky, divisive and still a heated topic of debate to this day, Lost nevertheless retains a certain iconic status in that its characters and setting still resonate strongly within the cultural consciousness. Over the course of its epic, six season journey, Lost undoubtedly experienced some low points, but the detailed mythology and stellar cast of characters steered the series through any periods of stormy weather.
Despite the reverence in which Lost is still held, very little in the entertainment industry is sacred, and a Lost reboot is gradually becoming an inevitability. ABC bosses, Lost producers and former cast members have all had their say on whether another Lost series should happen and what form they believe it should take.
Many fans would argue that the best thing to do with the Lost franchise is leave it well alone. For better or worse, Lost stands by itself as a unique and striking piece of television that ends in ambiguous, but still conclusive, fashion. Unfortunately, there's a cash cow waiting to be milked, and it'll surely only be a few more years before confirmation of a Lost reboot arrives. But how can such a series avoid disappointing Lost's dedicated fans?
Lost's Characters Are The Heart Of The Show
The best way to do a Lost reboot is not to do a reboot at all, but a sequel. This is because the original Lost cast are so deeply integral to the show's success that a completely new bunch of characters could never replicate that same chemistry or audience connection, and would make a reboot feel like an entirely different series altogether. When analyzing Lost, its easy to talk about the head-scratching mysteries and the shocking twists, but these were merely icing on a cake comprised entirely of vividly-drawn characters.
With Jack, Kate, Sawyer, Locke, Sun and dozens more intricately balanced personalities, even Lost's detractors would have to admit that the show is a shining example of an ensemble cast executed to perfection. And without those strong relationships, Lost's polar bear mystery and the time travel surprise wouldn't matter. It speaks volumes that season 4's "The Constant" is regularly voted as Lost's best episode; there are no grand reveals and plot development is relatively minor until the very end, but the love story of Desmond and Penny drives the episode to the pinnacle of Lost's canon and stands out in a patchy season dogged by an ill-timed writers' strike.
Although the shows are worlds apart in terms of content, rebooting Lost with a brand new cast would be akin to rebooting Friends. Without the central 6 figures, any other grouping of actors wouldn't be deserving of the Friends title. Although this is more obvious with the sitcom genre, the same is true for Lost, and a complete reboot might as well be called something completely different. Like The I-Land.
Avoiding Direct Comparisons To The Original Lost
It's inevitable that any future release under the Lost banner will be compared to the original series in some capacity. The problem an outright reboot presents is that not only will fans be comparing the quality of the new series to the original, but also the content. Watching a rebooted Lost, fans would soon find themselves preempting every single story beat. Instead of strapping in and enjoying the ride, as audiences did when Lost made its original debut in 2004, viewers would soon find themselves saying, "when do the Others show up?" "I bet Jacob did that" and "don't worry about that creepy kid, he'll be gone next season."
With an audience constantly seeking parallels between old and new, writers of a Lost reboot would be incredibly restricted in what influences and inspiration they could from the original series, and would no doubt be driven further away from the source material in an attempt to try and retain an air of unpredictability.
On the other hand, a sequel would only have to deal with the weight of expectation that comes with the Lost tag. The story itself would be completely new territory for both the franchise and the viewers. Despite being constrained by 6 seasons' worth of continuity, a sequel would at least enjoy the freedom of a having an audience that isn't waiting on the edge of their seats for their favorite event from the classic Lost series to happen.
The Original Lost Already Paved The Way For A Sequel
Lost ends conclusively, but it does establish a path to potential follow-up. Firstly, it's known that Jack and the gang were far from the first group Jacob brought to the island, and similar stories had played out all across history. Additionally, Lost ends with Hurley and Ben protecting the island as a dynamic duo. The obvious route for a sequel would be to have another villainous presence befall the island and threaten the world, forcing Hurley into bring over a new group of unwitting castaways to help solve the problem, similar to Jacob years prior.
This setup would allow a new Lost series to introduce fresh main characters, while still retaining members of the old cast. Claire's son Aaron, and any offspring of Kate and/or Sawyer have could be included to deepen the ties to Lost's history, and their parents could feature in starring or guest roles, depending on how well the actors' careers have been faring. This mix of new and old characters provides the freshness of a reboot, but the benefits of a sequel, but the formula is far from infallible. Heroes Reborn took a similar route and proved to be largely unsuccessful, although some might argue that Heroes was a dead franchise long before it attempted a comeback.
Visiting the island in the years after the original Lost series with Hurley as a guide and other familiar faces to anchor the cast would also allow for various lingering mysteries to be furthered. Even a decade down the line, many fans still have questions about Lost's ending and concepts such as the Heart of the Island and the Mother still offer plenty of room for exploration.
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Lost certainly doesn't need another installment, but if such a project ever did come to fruition, a sequel series featuring a mixture of old and new faces feels like the only workable way forward. The format would bring back Lost's most vital element - the characters - and avoid any unnecessary parallels to the original. And since there are already story points from Lost's finale to pick up on, it might be a shame to waste them.