We're currently experiencing what many to be the Golden Age of television. Shows like Game of Thrones and Succession have captured zeitgeist, dominating office conversations on a daily basis
But before these cultural behemoths there was another. A literal game-changer that shaped the way television could be made.
Lost was a TV show that was so ahead of its time that it suffered from what modern day television is praised for.
There were storylines that would take months if not years to pay off, blink and you'll miss it Easter eggs that ended up being crucial plot points, and cliffhangers that left fans of the show on edge for weeks.
nothing will ever match the feeling of an unhinged bearded jack shephard desperately saying we have to go back and realizing that lost changed the rules and did THAT pic.twitter.com/fl3Z7sik2Q https://t.co/4dFtguSnru
— victøria h (@filmforvictoria) January 9, 2023
The finale aired 13 years ago this week, and an awful lot has changed since, but the show itself still holds up.
If Lost were to come out today, and be released in exactly the same way, there's every chance it would go down as one of the greatest TV shows of all time.
Social media has done a lot of damage. Some of it irreparable, and some of it we won't see the extent of for years to come.
But the rise of sites like Twitter and Instagram have changed the way media has consumed, arguably for the better.
Be it a sporting event or a big TV show or movie, the second you're done watching something, you can immediately get online and discuss your thoughts with millions of other people. Some will even live-tweet big TV episodes and commentate in real-time.
Just this year, with shows like Succession and The Last Of Us, entire newsfeeds are dominated by memes, fan theories and other bits of content relating to major TV shows.
A Lost opportunity
Lost truly would have been the perfect TV show for this era, and it's such a shame it missed out by just a few short years.
Sure social media existed while Lost was still on the air, but it wasn't what it is now or even anything close.
If it was, every single member of the Lost cast would be a Hollywood megastar. Instead, the majority of them faded into relative obscurity.
The Constant aired 15 years ago today..
One of the best episodes in TV history. #LOST pic.twitter.com/pxBWYosxR6— LOST (@TheLOSTFans) February 28, 2023
There would have been endless TikTok theories and Twitter Spaces discussing what was happening on that crazy island, and it would have really enhanced the viewing experience for those who got involved.
Some argue that the creators behind the show didn't really know what they were doing, and there are bits of evidence to suggest that they were making up as they went along, but it made for damn good television. Just a few years too soon.
But in the era of reboots and sequels, who knows what the future holds. Or the past. After all, time didn't mean a whole lot on that island.
Feature image via IMDB
See also: "Guy Was An Interior Decorator!": 22 Years On From One Of The Best Sopranos Episodes
