I think there will be more LOST.
Damon Lindelof, co-creator and executive producer of ABC’s LOST.
When LOST aired its finale in 2010, its ending pretty much ruled out a sequel. The show’s main character died. Actually, the whole cast died. Sort of. (It was a little confusing.) So it’s hard to imagine a sequel picking up where LOST left off.
A LOST renewal could, potentially, tell the story of what happened to The Island after Jack’s death. whoever’s left. But while the show’s fan-pleasing epilogue already revealed who’s now running the Island–Hurley, Ben, and Walt–it also wrapped up a lot of the show’s mysteries and spoiled the fun. Besides, who wants LOST without Jack or Locke? Did anyone like AfterMASH?
A sequel just wouldn’t work. But there’s another way to go back to The Island: to hit the reset button. To reboot the whole narrative, starting from the plane crash. After all, Hollywood loves to recycle.
But you couldn’t just retell the exact same story. What would be the point? The viewers would already know what’s coming–every plot twist and cliffhanger would be spoiled, ahead of time. As I wrote earlier, this is what makes it difficult to watch LOST in reruns.
No, instead, a LOST reboot should adhere to the Battlestar Galactica model. Revive a cult classic series, but don’t follow its original plot line slavishly. Instead, work in clever references for the hardcore fans, but tell a new story from scratch.
What would this “new story” look like? Since this is LOST we’re talking about, that story would likely mash genres together–adventure, drama, and science fiction. It would undoubtedly take place on a tropical island. Ideally, producers would commit to a fixed number of seasons from the start; that way, they could meticulously plan and pace the plot. By nixing the typical renewal/cancellation cycle, the network could help eliminate the filler that too often derailed the show’s first run.
All that being said, as much as I loved and miss LOST, it’s too soon to think about a reboot. Everything’s still too fresh. The Battlestar reimagining premiered twenty-five years after the original went off the air.
So… mark your calendars. You’ve got a ticket on Oceanic flight 815… for September of 2035.
Matt Hauger 