It’s been almost 20 years to the day since “ Lost” premiered on ABC (September 22), which means the drama series created by J.J. Abrams, Damon Lindelof, and Jeffrey Lieber is once again making TV headlines for its major anniversary.
To celebrate two decades of a show that undeniably changed the television landscape, TV critics Emily St. James and Noel Murray penned “ Lost : Back to the Island,” a series of essays taking readers through the series one episode at-a-time from pilot to finale. With over 100 essays and 40 that are intentionally longer to add further context to key moments in the series, Murray and St.
James mirror the journey of viewers watching “Lost” for the first time (or the second, or fourth, or tenth, or more). This is not a show whose ending perfectly mirrored the beginning, but it was also not borne of a time when shows like that were the norm. With its chronological analysis, “Back to the Island” illustrates how much that evolution and growth was an integral part of the overall “Lost” experience and what makes the series so indelible to this day.
Yes, there were questions left unanswered by the end — but how would we talk about “Lost” today (if at all) if everything were tied up with a neat bow? Below, an excerpt from the book underscores the thrill of these mysteries, and exactly why they took a backseat to the magnificent character work and performances being done in every episode. “The Answers You Came For” is the essay .