Yes.
LOST fans out there will recognize that quote from last night's momentous final episode. I don't watch much television. In fact, I made a conscious decision two years ago to give it up for the sake of the writing, but I allowed myself two exceptions: Jeopardy! (because it's a brain exercise, of course) and Lost.
I had to keep watching Lost. So for six seasons I've been a faithful, if sometimes frustrated, fan. And yes, I will relate this post to children's books because everything, everything, my friend, relates to children's books in the end. That's one goal I've always had with this blog.
Lost was one of the most literate and intelligent TV shows ever created. What other show could include references to Watership Down by Richard Adams, The Stand by Stephen King, Ulysses by James Joyce, Catch-22 by Joseph Heller, Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men? Along with numerous other masterpieces by the likes of Shakespeare, Homer, Ayn Rand, Vonnegut, Flannery O'Connor. And of course, let's not forget The Bible.
But, wait! None of those are children's books! Ah...
So this is where we reach the good part. In a recent L.A. Times article, Damon Lindelof, one of the show's creators and producers (along with Carlton Cuse) said:
If one book was most influential on the show, it was probably “Alice in Wonder
land.” "To say there is only one is unfair," said Lindelof, "but we keep coming back to 'Alice in Wonderland' thematically. That was a book that both Carlton and I remember very specifically as children. It was a gateway drug to sci-fi and fantasy in many ways." They also reference the Narnia books by C.S. Lewis, and Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle In Time.
So there, my friends, was one good reason to watch Lost.
Here's another. A lesson for aspiring writers of children's books:
Create memorable characters and the audience (i.e., your readers) will go along for the ride, no matter how bumpy or far-fetched the story occasionally seems.
Goodbye, Lost. It's been a fascinating ride.
Anyone else out there a Lost fan? What did you think?
Lost was the most intelligently written television show I have ever experienced. Last night's episode left me with chills (though I remained skeptical until the very end). Damon and Carlton achieved goosebumps, tears, etc. and it was all about the characters. Without their fantastic characters, the show would have been "lost." Loved it!! Sad to see it end.
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