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I’ve been a Lost fan since the first episode, compelled and captured by the action, the ensemble cast, the interlacing stories only partially explained in flashbacks, the struggle between the rational and faith represented in Jack Shepard and John Locke (and since Jack has always irritated the crap out of me, Locke won by default. He is also sexier than Jack, who to me at least, has the sex appeal of a wrung-out dishrag) and although I’ve more than occasionally wished for it is a bit more lighting of the night scenes because I can’t see what’s going on, even that just added to the charm. I’ve loved that they’re not afraid to kill people (although I wasn’t a fan of Nikki and Paolo’s demise – it seemed unnecessarily mean and cruel), I’ve loved the mysterious plane, Jacob’s cabin, Ben, Juliet and the Others, Sawyer wandering around without a shirt, all bad boy in need of a good woman to love him and the Smoke Monster. Let’s not forget the Smoke Monster. Thoroughly chilling. I’ve loved that we have no idea what’s going on, although it’s been fun to try to figure it out, I’ve loved that it’s taken its time, brought back story telling – true storytelling – to television and I’ve even loved the frustration that happens every time we get one answer, which inevitably brings up another half dozen questions. And then last season when they started with flashforwards, I was captivated yet again and let’s just say it’s been a terrific ride. There have been times I questioned my dedication, thought briefly of wandering off because it was getting a bit much and then they’d hook me again with some new development.

Until this season. I’m disenchanted.

To be fair, over the last couple of years, I’ve become increasingly disenchanted with television in general. I don’t know if I all of a sudden hit a certain maturity level or maybe it was television that hit a certain immaturity level, but I’ve become pickier about how I want to spend my time in the evening. Less accepting of crap, bad writing or ridiculous acting (hello Horatio) and would rather read, write or watch a movie. And because I work in evening (have to chop my workday into two, part morning and part evening, to prevent injury), I frequently find myself in a position where it takes me 2-3 days to watch a movie and I’m forever behind on programs I’ve taped (because I try to avoid watching TV live as commercials infuriate me) and… long story short, over the past couple of years, I’ve been dropping TV shows every season by twos and threes and by now, there’s very little left.

Which brings me back to Lost. I was completely addicted last season and beyond upset that we’d have to wait until January 09 to see what happened next and it turns out that by January 09, I didn’t care so much anymore. But I still tuned in and I don’t know if it’s because it’s rather Jack and Kate heavy or the extended absence has enabled me to look more closely at the show, but I’m not so charmed anymore. In fact, I’m downright annoyed. Because is it just me or does the pace seem to have slowed down even more? It seems to me that they’ve adopted the Y&R school of conveying Meaning by having characters stare portentously into the middle distance while the camera zooms in so close you can count their nose hairs and then they hold that pose, seemingly not even breathing, for what feels like half an hour before they cut to commercial and it makes me want to scream at the TV. Move. It. Along! The bleedin’ show would’ve hit its final episode by now if they didn’t linger so excessively! And maybe it’s because the episodes have been a thoroughly confusing, so confusing that it’s taken me until last week’s show to begin to figure out what’s going on and despite Sawyer wandering around shirtless in a scruffy beard for about 80% of the season so far, I’m sure there’s a still photo of him somewhere on the Internet that will give me the same experience. Without the frustration. Without having to count nosehair. And without wanting to slap Jack senseless whenever he self-importantly comes onto my television screen breathing though his nose and what happened to Sun’s acting ability and where’s the dog and good lord, I hope Michael doesn’t come back and the only truly fun thing about last week’s show was the Smoke Monster and…

In other words, I believe I’m done.