Summary
- Lost introduced many characters with unclear and unnecessary storylines, detracting from the central conflicts of the show.
- Nikki and Paulo were unpopular characters in Lost, added to shake things up but felt unnecessary and poorly executed.
- The ambitious nature of Lost led to unresolved mysteries, confusing character arcs, and a decline in quality over the seasons.
Lost was an ensemble TV show with many intricate character backstories and dynamics, but there were certain characters whose stories remained unclear for the entirety of the show. The supernatural drama series follows the story of a group of plane crash survivors who find themselves on an island that holds more secrets than they could possibly imagine. Lost season 1 is one of the tightest seasons of TV in history, and the pilot had viewers hooked from the very beginning. However, with each passing season, the show became less grounded in reality and more unbelievable for audiences.
Often, these characters served a specific purpose, being used as plot devices rather than existing as fully developed individuals.
The main characters in Lost are the best and worst of the series, and even if their storylines become confusing and contradictory, the series tried to keep some consistency in their traits and origin stories. Most characters with unfinished arcs were introduced later in the series. Often, these characters served a specific purpose, being used as plot devices rather than existing as fully developed individuals. Lost had many timelines and realities to contend with over the years. This made it difficult to remember the importance of each character, and equally easy to forget the ones that didn't make sense.
The wildest twists in Lost involved disruptions of the show's internal logic and canon, so the characters were forgotten about are hardly the biggest faults of the show. However, it's indicative of a larger issue with the series. Lost attempted to tackle too many arcs and incorporate a multitude of characters, which ended up decreasing the quality of the central conflicts and protagonists on the show. Lost revolutionized television in many ways with its famous flash sideways and forward incidents. Due to this, it's impossible to discuss Lost without bringing up the shortcomings of the extremely ambitious series.
Watch Lost on Prime Video or Hulu.
6 Nikki & Paulo
Played by Kiele Sanchez & Rodrigo Santoro
Few if any audience members were sorry to see Nikki and Paulo's characters killed off on Lost. The pair were always together due to their romantic relationship, so it's only right to discuss their arcs and unnecessary stories in conjunction. After spending several seasons with the cast of Lost, the creators attempted to continue pushing the boundaries of the show by introducing new characters to shake things up and initiate conflict. However, when Nikki and Paulo were created in season 3, they felt more unnecessary than interesting. The island had more pressing issues than their domestic disputes and bland backstories.
However, why they keep the existence of the Pearl Station a secret, as well as the nefarious plans of the Others, from the rest of the survivors, is mysterious.
Though their relationship is largely straightforward, their purpose and any intrigue they might have created make no sense. The pair end up dying because Nikki paralyzes Paulo with a spider bite, and then is accidentally bitten herself. Thinking they're already dead, a few of the other characters bury them alive. It's a gruesome death they didn’t fully deserve. However, why they keep the existence of the Pearl Station a secret, as well as the nefarious plans of the Others, from the rest of the survivors, is mysterious. Nothing in their motivation indicates they have something to gain from these actions.
5 Claire’s Psychic AKA Richard Malkin
Played by Nick Jameson
Claire (Emilie de Ravin) is one of the most disappointing characters on the show because of how much promise she had, only for her to get pushed to the sidelines. When the audience first meets Claire, she's nearly nine months pregnant and has been traveling from Australia to the U.S. to bring the child to their adoptive parents. In the flashbacks to Claire's past that the show employs for all its characters, she had gone back and forth many times about whether she wanted to keep the baby. During a difficult time, she seeks out a psychic, Richard Malkin.
He gives her a distressing reading and insists that she should keep the baby. However, he then changes his mind and tells her she should go to America, essentially ensuring that she will be in the plane crash and end up on the island. A Lost season 2 deleted scene shows Malkin admitting he didn't have psychic powers, but the fact that it was cut from the show proves the creators didn't want that to be a canonical part of the story. While this omission does make Claire's backstory more mysterious, it leaves Malkin's story open-ended and erodes his importance.
10 Disappointing Lost Mysteries That Seemed Really Important At First
Lost was known for continuously introducing new mysteries. By the show's end, mysteries of varying importance weren't resolved in a satisfying manner.