I have figured out

[rivkat]

It's because the m.o. of everyone on the show is to not answer reasonable questions. Not even with tidbits like "I can't answer that because I don't know," or "I can't answer that because X will hurt me if I tell you." I like mysteries well enough, but I am such an academic that the idea of people willfully obstructing others' search for knowledge -- just for "power" or "control" instead of something understandable, like "so I won't get sent to jail for murder" -- grates on me like a rasp. If there is a larger project, the people in the know should explain it. What would be lost, except narrative tension, by explaining? As far as I can tell, the show has no diegetic reason that the Dharma bums should be so cryptic.

Now, I also dislike the Evil Overlord speech explaining all plans before the elaborately planned death. But that's because the Evil Overlord should just kill the heroes already. If, as is apparently the case, the Dharma bums have reason to keep the castaways alive, then they should explain already. There's a teeny chance that explaining might avert the need for all the elaborate cages. At least an explanation -- hell, even a plausible lie -- could divide the ranks.

So there's (1) a character problem -- I hate smug characters who won't explain, as if they deserve to know more than the rest of the world -- and, (2) I think, a writing problem -- I can't shake the feeling that there are no explanations forthcoming because the writers don't have any.

I feel better now! Bye, Lost!

Comments

[boji.livejournal.com]

I dumped lost when they opened the hatch at the end of Season One and faded to black like I'd been pretty sure they would. Damn shame too cos Josh Holloway is pretty frigging gorgeous but... I also didn't care about the characters enough and as a character driven viewer that is a problem.