On Sept. 22, 2004, Oceanic Flight 815 disappeared over the Pacific. On Feb. 2, 2010, it landed safely in Los Angeles.
And so begins the end of a six-year journey with television’s most ambitious drama.
After a season finale in which the writer’s literally made it so that anything — even a polar bear riding a tricycle out of the jungle — could fall in line with the show canon, the answer is now clear. In its steadfast journey to the end of the series in May, the show that turned linear storytelling on its head is posing the question, “What if?” What if the show never happened?
The sixth and final season and of “Lost” presents an alternate reality — the characters never crash on the island. Instead, they arrive safely at their destination.
It’s an exploration of opposites. Cursed lottery winner Hurley is now the luckiest person in the world. Locke gets to go on the walkabout he was denied in episode four’s initial flashback. It all makes for clever storytelling on a show with flashbacks, flash-forwards and even time traveling.
So far, the handling of this new trick is masterful, with quality writing and surprising interactions between characters. It turns what could be rote into something fresh.
Lest you think the entire season is going to be a rehash, show runners Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse are having their creative cake and eating it, too. “Lost” will be pulling double duty — testing a new storytelling device and sending the main characters back to the present timeline on the island. There, they will be answer the series’ biggest mysteries on-island. And answer they will. With only 16 hours of content left until the final cut to black, the show is plowing forward with a purpose.
Three years ago, amid criticism that the show was spinning its wheels, an end date for the series was negotiated with ABC. Almost unheard of with popular television series, this allowed the show to pace itself and unravel the master plan on Cuse and Lindelof’s own terms. In the two and a half years since, the show has answered questions, raised new ones and remained the most inventive drama on broadcast TV.
The Feb. 2 premiere was full of revelations, deaths, humor and a heaping dose of eye-popping action. In other words, it was typical “Lost.”
The show may not reach the viewership it did during the first season, and the chance to pick up new viewers without confusing the heck out them is nonexistent. But there is plenty for existing fans, who will have to buckle up and enjoy the ride they’ve spent six years strapped into. “Lost” is on the way to descent, but not without doing a barrel roll first.
For those still on board, “Lost” airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on ABC. Past episodes from the entire series are also streaming on Hulu.com for a limited time.