Lost Finale, With Great Expectation

One of the joys of the return of cable service is the expectation of tonight's final episode of Lost.

This season has proved a turning point for the series. The first two years, and most of the current year were involved in laying out the mysteries of the Island and its inhabitants. It was rather like an extreme skier who must hike, his equipment on his back, to the top of the peak. It was work. Viewers had to learn who was who in the large cast; learn and wonder about an ever increasing number of connections among the "Losties"; puzzle out the strange phenomena of monsters and polar bears.

Over the last several episodes, it feels like we have now strapped on our skis and begun the exciting descent of the mountain. Questions are being answered. New plot twists and possibilities are revealed weekly. It is exhilarating and anxiety provoking at the same time, just like a descent through untracked powder on an unknown slope.