Sixth season finds popular show getting ‘Lost’

“Lost’

ABC

Tuesday, 9 p/m/

Starring: Matthew Fox, Evangeline… “Lost’

ABC

Tuesday, 9 p/m/

Starring: Matthew Fox, Evangeline Lilly

Grade: B-

So, we are 11 episodes into the last season of one of the greatest cultural events to happen to television in our lifetime. That means there are only six episodes of “Lost” left, and with so little time to go until it’s all over, I can’t help but say I’m disappointed — and confused — with the sixth season.

In a series that has piled mythology on top of mystery, sprinkled with a huge ensemble cast and exotic island locales for six years now, it isn’t unreasonable to expect at least some of the loose ends to be tied up before the finale — a two-hour epic event slated to air on Sunday, May 23.

The creators are running out of time, however, and it’s my unfortunate opinion that this season has been the most patience-testing exercise in devotion I have ever endured. Not only have few questions been answered — instead, new ones are continuously raised — but the general quality of what was once can’t-miss television has been reduced to small moments in an episode that makes you say, “Yeah, that was almost as good as what ‘Lost’ used to be.”

Quite simply, the show is becoming increasingly harder to continue to love.

In the aftermath of last season’s (literally) explosive finale, our ragtag group of plane crash survivors find themselves in the present — finally — with a lot to deal with. There’s the Man in Black (assuming the body of deceased John Locke) and his tendency to turn into the Smoke Monster and kill people. There’s the group of temple-dwelling followers of Jacob, who disappear almost as soon as they are introduced, offering no explanation to why they are on the island.

And then there’s Claire, making a reappearance two seasons in the making, who looks seriously in need of a hair stylist.

To say that there has been little plot progression this season would be a lie: Viewers have learned a lot about Jacob and the Man in Black, what their mission is for the island and, as of last Tuesday’s Desmond-centric episode “Happily Ever After,” we have gained insight into the importance of the gratingly annoying flash-sideways plot device.

Now, I have faith that my questions will be answered — there’s too much pressure on the creators for them not to enlighten people. What I take issue with, however, is the severe decline in quality this season has experienced, almost increasingly with each episode.

The writing for “Lost” writing used to be revered for avoiding melodramtic territory, and for letting characters become relatable amidst a science fiction-y atmosphere that threatens to chomp the scenery (and everything else) with it’s mysticism. Now, lines of dialogue are so forced and obvious that they inspire countless more groans than gasps.

Sayid, Jack, Kate and Sawyer in particular have been especially irritating, and it seems like the actors behind the characters we used to love are losing patience in the show as quickly as viewers are.

Though the episodes have, for the most part, disappointed with their poor writing, directing and acting, a few choice hour-spots have reminded viewers why “Lost” became so popular in the first place.

Desmond’s episode was heart-touching (as they usually are) and gave context for what will presumably be a driving narrative force of the final episodes, and “Sundown” gave us one of the series’ most terrifying moments as the Smoke Monster ravaged the Jacob-less temple.

“Ab Aeterno,” which detailed Richard’s initial arrival on the island, was spine-tingling good television — the best of the season — giving viewers scene after scene of ramped-up suspense in addition to the tidy metaphor of the island as a half-full bottle of red wine.

Though it may seem a little disheartening to package up so much mythology into a minute explanation, I hope that this can be elaborated upon as “Lost” enters its final days. It has been a rough season so far — I hope it isn’t fallacious to believe that it can only get better.