A Tale of Two Finales

[Rollo Tomassi]

So the only two television shows I've watched with any regularity or loyalty over the past eight years both came to conclusion in the past 24 hours. Sure I watch a lot of TV shows on DVD that are still on the air, but I don't actually make the effort to watch them as they air.

Except two.

Lost. and 24.

I know a lot of you, most of you don't watch Lost and/or haven't appreciated its allure over the past six seasons. I, however, am a diehard unapolegetic LOSTIE and have been since the first episode. I'll admit the first couple episodes got my attention because of the seemingly randomness of the "mysteries" of the island (What's that noise? Is it a dinosaur? What's with the polar bear? Who left the radio message? etc) but the episode that actually hooked me was "Walkabout". When John Locke rolled his wheelchair out from behind the desk and yelled "Don't tell me what I can't do!" my stomach flipflopped at the potential of the greatness of this series. And then as each season progressed and changed course with each seasons finale and the next seasons opening (I mean the entire opening sequence to season two with Desmond is such a "yeah buh WHA?" I still am amazed at its perpindicularity to what viewers were expecting.) So, finally we came to the end last night, and in the back of my mind, I was steeling myself for dissappointment. There was no way this could live up the hype and expectations building for six years. And yet, as it unfurled, I found myself becoming immensely satisfied with each passing moment. Starting with Jin and Sun's "realization" and awakenings, and each subsequent couple (Shannon and Sayid, Claire and Charlie, Sawyer and Juliet, and on and on) getting their deserved happy endings. And with a conclusion that was still open-ended and "mysterious" enough to remain a emblematic hallmark of the entire series run yet still find the balance of closure and a thematic bookend that literally evoked the very. first. shot. of the pilot, it was a finale that I was very happy with, despite being bittersweet in the knowledge there would never be any more LOST. Ever.

So with this sense of enrichment I had received from LOST, I tuned into "24"s series finale with a bit more optimism. Granted, this series had been more "miss" and less "hit" with me as Lost was. I didn't even finish Season Six and the last two seasons haven't achieved the greatness of the first couple seasons, but I'm a huge Jack Bauer fan and it was still entertaining. I guess part of me was looking for a Shakespearian ending to the saga of Jack Bauer that is sorely lacking in modern storytelling. And the events leading up to the finale suggested a similar "bookend" to the series that Lost had deftly captured the previous night. After all, originally Jack Bauer was coerced into having to assassinate the Presidential Candidate in his very first adventure. Wouldn't it be ironically fitting that he would maybe go out in much the same way, actually having to assassinate (or at least make it look that way) the REAL president and make the ultimate sacrifice for his country? Again, I began steeling myself for just such a moment. And partially almost hoping the producers would have cojones to give Jack Bauer the final send off that so many classic heroes have enjoyed. From Achilles to Robin Hood to Sherlock Holmes. And with but a few moments left, it looked like maybe it would happen. Alas, greed took over and the potential rewards of spinning the TV series off into a successful Film Franchise outweighed any satisfying conclusion storywise. So now we have Jack Bauer as basically the uber-fugitive. On the run from the Russians who want him dead, as well as our own Govt. and presumably every government and law enforcement agency in between.

*RASPBERRY* I give the series finale of '24' a great big "Feh." for not being savvy and brave enough to give Jack B. the conclusion he deserved and a great big "Huzzah!" to Lost for giving Jack Shepard exactly that.

[anarky]

I haven't heard any comments yet on the 24 finale. Everyone seems divided on Lost. Most of the intelligent people I know who followed it seem to love it.

Me, I just want a fucking finale of some sort to Deadwood already. Come on, David Milch! Come on, HBO! You guys know the fucking ratings were there, finish the show!

[Rollo Tomassi]

Personally, my favorite ending to "24" was the season 3(?) ending, where Jack gets into his car and basically just breaks down and starts crying because he's so emotionally drained from everything. It was just a very raw and very "real" moment. If they hadn't already blown that ending so early in the series, THAT would have been a better series finale.

Agreed on Deadwood.

[Diabolical]

Good riddance to both.

Lost was boring from the beginning and 24 had a cool premise but chose to beat it to death.



The finale of a quality show like Law & Order is something to be sad about.

[Sleazer]

I've never watched an episode of Lost or 24 but for as much as I've read about them in various outlets, I feel like I've seen them.

Deadwood was the most perfect show I've ever followed, in my eyes they only made one misstep...just one and I'm not referring to the lack of a planned finale.

[vynsane]

i'll read this in a few months when i've actually watched LOST. my wife decided she wanted to watch it last week, and added it to our netflix cue. we've watched on episode so far.