download.jpg

The newest Honest Trailer centers on the TV show Lost, and makes fun of the show's many unanswered questions. Close to two decades after its premiere, Lost is still a hallmark of peak TV, ambitious storytelling, and contains one of TV's most controversial finales. The JJ Abrams-produced series about a group of plane crash survivors on a mysterious island aired on ABC from 2004 to 2010 and still has a dedicated cult following. The large ensemble cast included fan favorites like Evangeline Lilly, Daniel Dae Kim, Dominic Monaghan, Matthew Fox, Jorge Garcia, Josh Holloway, and many more.

Unsurprisingly, the Screen Junkies team dunks on the series for its confusing plot lines that eventually "[fold] in on itself like a question singularity." But the biggest jabs come from pointing out the similarities to other series, like Gilligan’s Island and even Abrams's romantic college drama Felicity (that time-travel plot really hinted at what was to come in Abrams's future work). The writers also pointed out the repetition within the Lost itself, from the character types ("the tortured doctor who ultimately turns out to be a likable hero," "the tortured con man who turns out to be a likable hero," etc.) to repeated episode formats.

The Honest Trailer also points out the things Lost did first: "audience favorite anti-heroes," "genre-driven viral marketing," and "unpredictable character deaths," all of which have become a staple of event television. Despite the famously convoluted storylines and unanswered questions, Lost is still a fan-favorite series for many people as it truly was a milestone in broadcast television. Like all Honest Trailers, this one makes fun of the show, but even Screen Junkies points out how easy it is to get sucked in by the show-stopping moments and mind-boggling cliffhangers.