I grew up watching shows like Gilligan's Island, Swiss Family Robinson, and so forth, so when the reality show "Survivor" came out, it was a natural show for me to enjoy. Granted I don't think I would enter the show, but the whole idea of how to survive appealed to me. So naturally, when American broadcasting station ABC announced the show "Lost" in 2004 I was hooked and eagerly looked forward to the show.
Without giving any spoilers, the show centers on how a group of people function and survive on an island that is unlike any other. Their plane has crashed, and they soon discover they are not alone.
Now as it happens the show isn't so much about Survival, heck even the CBS series Survivor teaches you more actual survival skills. The people on LOST have it easy, they actually manage to find food, peanut butter and such, or it drops on them from the sky. Not to mention they get a lot of things off the plane itself. At any rate, the show is dynamic and strong, based on how the people interact with each other and the many mysteries built into the show.
One of the reasons I think it is successful is because many people like dramas, they like the personal interaction. The show very likely surpassed the writers and producers dreams of success. They were not counting on one factor. I believe this factor is something that LOST, unlike so many other shows has done. I think LOST may have increased the intelligence of the viewers. Even if only by one IQ point here or there.
People who normally watch mindless television where every question is answered pleasantly within an hour are now not getting answers for weeks, if ever. As such, people are trying to fill in the blanks and put the pieces together for themselves even more than they would in a hour long murder mystery show. People are entering discussions with others about various mysterious subjects in LOST. Connecting the dots for themselves. Stretching their minds into areas they never have before. The writers even allowed people to go down one path of thought before switching it up, without causing people to gasp in disbelief that the solution was entirely improbable, too convoluted, or dumb.
Not since the 1970's show, Dallas, asked "Who shot J.R?" has there been such an ongoing buzz about a show, the only thing is, where Dallas had one question, LOST, has many. Lost is pushing viewers to look at things in a new light, who is good, who is bad, it all depends on your point of view, or which side you are one. In this respect it even becomes a slightly political show.
When a show makes you think, then it allows you to expand your brain. IQ is not about knowledge, learning things does not make you smarter. IQ is about logic. Solving mysteries also hinges on ones ability to remember, perceive, and be logical. As such LOST has pulled regular viewers in and forced them to think on a slightly higher level than most shows. For this I applaud LOST, and consider it to be one of the most important Television shows ever.
