Lost - The Complete Second Season (DVD, 2006, 6 - Disc Box Set)

Everyone has an opinion of course. Reading the other reviews, it seems that there's some consensus that Season 2 is not quite up to the same standard as Season 1. Personally, I disagree. I love everything about both seasons - I'm hard pressed to find anything more compelling on TV. I think there are three reasons why people may feel a little let down with Season 2...

First, there are several more cast members added to a show that already has an island full. With the addition of survivors from the tail section, it starts to feel a bit crowded with not enough time spent on your favorites. Many people dislike Ana Lucia - the hotheaded ex-cop who tends to shoot first, but I like the characters being rather complex. Yes, she's nasty. Yes, you want her to get her just reward. But you'll have to admit that when she's face to face with an known "other," literally passing her knife back and forth without ever flinching, you have to admire her nerve. An interesting, if unlikable character.

Second, even though there are many things revealed in the show, including what caused the crash, what's in the vault, why there was a plane filled with drugs and priests, what was Kate's real sin, what happened to Walt, and why Jack is no longer married just to name a few, there's a feeling that this rabbit hole just keeps getting deeper and deeper! For me personally, I love that. With each new unexplainable twist, I'm pulled in that much further. When the black smoke swirls up to Mr. Eko, and they meet face to face, I'm thinking... "Cool, I wonder how this is going to play out." I can't begin to say that I understand everything, but that's what keeps me coming back.

And finally, perhaps people are a bit let down by Season 2 because nothing ever goes quite the way you think it will, or perhaps would like it to. The characters all have unique personalities - intentionally imperfect and complex. Like the classic soap operas, the writers have pulled you in, tied you to things in a personal way. The dynamics are such that things are always turbulent... there is little time for catching your breath (save for the single episode where Hurley gets to give out food at the end of the show). You toggle from side to side... should Jack and Kate get together, or does she fit better with the bad guy Sawyer. Will Mr. Eko and Locke combine forces to be the powerful jungle-savy team they could be, or will ideology force them to become enemies. Will Michael ever find his son, or could it be to everyone's benefit if he remained lost.

At the end of the day, you will of course have to be your own judge. But for me personally, I find LOST to be a fascinating piece of television. I hope you'll enjoy Season 2 as much as I did. I also think that Season 2 gets better as it goes along.