Lost to me has pretty much become a cautionary tale in how not to run an arc-y drama. I'm mostly concerned that my shiny sparkly love of the moment, i.e. Heroes, may end up treading a similar path, but thankfully, the producers of Heroes seem actually interested in giving fans answers.

I think I still have it on my TiVo season pass, but I am paralyzed with not caring too much.

I think the Heroes people have explicitly cited Lost as their own cautionary tale, so their mistakes will likely be different ones.

The main difference for me as a viewer is that Heroes seems interested in telling a story, while Lost seems interested in maintaining an air of mystery.

Good point. Heroes reads more like an adventure to me, and Lost a mystery.

The main difference I see between the two is how much the question prompted by the premise of the shows, in Lost's case "Why did the plane crash and what's up with the island?" in Heroes, "How did these people get powers?", needs to be answered for the plot of an episode to move forward.

I don't think it needs to be answered much at all for Heroes. It's much more interesting watching the smaller qestions get answered. With Lost, it seems that if we don't learn anything more about what caused the crash, then what's the point of the whole thing?

I don't think it needs to be answered much at all for Heroes. It's much more interesting watching the smaller qestions get answered. With Lost, it seems that if we don't learn anything more about what caused the crash, then what's the point of the whole thing?

I'd go further to say that if HEROES never answered the question, I wouldn't care (and prefer that to a lame answer) whereas lame answer or not, if LOST never answers the question (or doesn't start answering some things in ways that don't JUST lead to more questions), I'll have felt pretty strung along. Well, I mostly do already, but I still enjoy the ride because I like most of the actors and their characters. I'll probably stick with it unless (until?) they pull a genie out of their butt or something like that.

I'd go further to say that if HEROES never answered the question, I wouldn't care

Agreed. I mean, is being bitten by a radioactive spider the most interesting thing about Peter Parker?

I'll probably stick with it unless (until?) they pull a genie out of their butt or something like that.

I've never given up on a show before 5 seasons, so I'll probably stick with it, too. But I'm at the point where I'm watching it to mock, not to flail.

I'll probably stick with it unless (until?) they pull a genie out of their butt or something like that.

OMG I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU INVOKED THE BUTT GENIE. Take it back! Take it back!

t /still traumatized after several years

OMG I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU INVOKED THE BUTT GENIE. Take it back! Take it back!

I love the butt genie! It's just such a pure example of WTF?!?!? that I can't help loving it.

It almost makes Superboy-Prime PUNCHING A HOLE IN REALITY AND RAISING JASON TODD FROM THE DEAD look reasonable.