When 'Lost' was in its prime, it was must-watch television. Remember first watching it, found it remarkably easy to get into, was hooked from the start and was on Season 3 by the end of one week. The general consensus is that the final season is a disappointment and cannot disagree.
Season 4 was a solid season, with high points such as "The Beginning of the End", the three part finale and particularly "The Constant" and the only disappointments (though they were still decent) being "The Other Woman" and "Eggtown". "Because You Left" couldn't be a better way to start Season 5. Definitely among the stronger 'Lost' season openers and one of the most confident and most settled. All the episodes of the season ranged from good to brilliant from personal opinion.
"The Incident" is a killer season finale, the best episode of Season 5 and for me the best since "This Place is Death". It has pretty much everything that 'Lost' is all about. It's taut and thought-provoking, with utterly gripping on-island events and a huge amount of emotional impact and shock that wasn't felt anywhere near as much in the previous Season 5 episodes. It does brilliantly in providing new mysteries and questions which adds further to the intrigue and there are parts that leave you floored, especially one of the show's most didn't-see-that-coming-at-all plot twists.
On top of all that, it advances characters and shows plot progression rather than repeating itself or being filler. There are surprising moments and also illuminating ones, complete with the ending that will burn in the memory forever.
Also found "The Incident" to be a non-stop thrill ride of insane entertainment value, edge of your seat tension, unsettling spookiness and very emotional moments. The more dialogue-driven parts is a case of it being thought-probing, relevant and adding a lot rather than slowing things down and rambling.
Can't fault the performances, which are uniformly superb.
Nor the stylishness and atmosphere of the visuals (some of 'Lost's' most cinematic), nor the effectively understated and chilling use of music, taut writing and the tightly controlled direction (one of the best of the season and perhaps of the show).
In summary, incredible. 10/10 Bethany Cox
