My TV Fanatic cohorts, M.L. House and Mr. Probst make decent points about the Lost finale:

Yes, action on the island was difficult to care about because the rules and developments felt so arbitrary. And, yes, the reveal of the Sideways World as a form of Purgatory felt disconnected from storylines that were the main focus of season six. Or the entire show in general, for that matter.

But why be negative? Lost was never a perfect show, merely an ambitious one, unlike anything seen on television before. The finale continued this tradition. Consider these positives from it:

• Amazing acting. Even when I knew when island enlightenment was about to take place, I was moved to tears. First, Sun and Jin got me. Then, Kate and Claire. Finally, Sawyer and Juliet. Elizabeth Mitchell and Josh Holloway formed such chemistry over such a short period of time that even when I knew exactly what Juliet was gonna say about meeting for coffee, I reached for Kleenex.
• Incredible direction. The final scene, where Lost interspersed Jack's greeting of dead friends with his death on the island, should be shown in every Directing 101 class around the world.
• Character connections. Admit it, you feel silly wondering about the Dharma food drops and other minute details now, don't you? Lost created a universe of layered, complicated characters unlike any depicted on TV. We went on a ride with these individuals for six rich seasons, culminating in scenes many of us will be rewinding on our DVR for weeks to come: an enlightened Locke telling Jack “I hope that somebody does for you what you just did for me;" Jack finally embracing his father; Locke forgiving Ben. Great moments, well-earned all around.
• The show spoke to us. More than anything, Lost rose to prominence because fans loved to debate it and discuss it online, at work, in restaurants. In many ways, we're responsible for its success; not just because we watched, but because we became immersed in it. In this way, the finale didn't just speak to Jack, it spoke to all of us: we aren't dead, but we are part of a community that relied on each other and had an incredible, memorable experience with a group of strangers.

That's what I'll take with me. I look forward to hearing your comments and to meeting my friends tonight to discuss the finale, some of whom I didn't know when Lost premiered.

We might not be moving toward any light together, but we are moving toward a life without Lost - and if we don't relive it together, well, we're gonna drink alone.

Eric Hochberger is the programmer of TV Fanatic, so please forgive his mediocre writing. His programming is far better. Follow him on Twitter and/or email him. Just don't request threaded comments. They're coming.