The Myth of Viewership

The New York Times published an article today about the mythologies of shows like "Lost" and "Heroes". The article doesn't say anything new, though it does hilariously refer to the shows' fanbases as "smart, socially awkward adults and all 12-year-old boys."

Yet the underlying premise of the article -- the cultural impact of this new breed of television shows and the people who follow them -- is interesting. I am curious to find out whether the trend continues, or viewers get tired of waiting several years for the big payoff. "Lost" has created an enormous and complex mystery over the last two and a half seasons, and it's unlikely that the conclusion of the series will be able satisfy expectations.

Unlike "24", which builds suspense over the course of one season, "Lost", and now "Heroes", unfold over the entire course of the series. It's a much more ambitious project, though both shows take short cuts by using mystical themes to develop intrigue. The danger of relying too heavily on mystical, supernatural, or religious themes to create suspense is that it offers an easy way out of the mystery. On "24", there is ultimately some actual person or persons behind the central terrorist plot. The culprits must have the means, motive, and opportunity to carry out the attacks, and the writers have to be creative in how these facts are revealed to the audience so as not to spoil the surprise. It's much too easy for the writers on "Lost" to blame everything on the all powerful yet unknowable island monster. It's also boring.

"Lost" has experienced significant growing pains as viewers have demanded that creators provide more answers instead of adding yet another layer of mystery. The ABC promotional department seems to be bribing viewers into watching: "This week, you'll finally find out what the fuck is going on! We promise!"

I should note that "Lost's" creator, J.J. Abrams, is not new to frustrating and confounding his viewers. As the creator of the spy thriller/family drama "Alias", Abrams created a bizarre and ultimately unsatisfying mystery involving a Renaissance-era Nostradamus and his wacky predictions. By the time Alias went off the air, viewership had dwindled to members of the Jennifer Garner Fan Club, and that's about it.

Already, ratings for "Lost" have fallen signifcantly since the first season.

Yet, I'm still tuning in tonight to see if the show can hook me the way it did in the first season. That's the real advantage of doing suspense on television -- you can make people watch even when they wish they didn't want to.