Are we thinking too hard about these theories?

I was introduced to Lost last Spring, and got Season 1 from Netflix and devoured the season as fast as I could watch it, 8-12 episodes at a time. Then, season 2 came, and I got into it even more. I just rewatched the first 2 seasons, and like the rest of you have been obsessed with what the heck this show is about. I started doing some online research the other day about the show and was blown away by the depth of research many of you have put into the show and how many theories there are.

But, I wonder if all these things are just distractions? Just to pose the question, are all these supposed connections real or just red herrings to distract the viewers from figuring out the purpose of the show? Some of the theories and research are pretty whacked out, and I just think to myself how the heck anyone could put together such a complex puzzle of a show in as little time the producers had to make the show back in 2004. Are we thinking about this show too much? I think the viewers are getting as distracted as the characters and not looking at the real purpose behind the show (while the characters continually fail to recognize why they are there). I think the show is about facing personal inadequacies and coming to grips with them.

My theory so far is that the people on the island are basically in an unethical and lawless psychological experiment at the behest of The Others, but that the Dharma initiative failed and the Others are what is left. (Although who is still dropping food with Dharma labels?) "Henry Gale" was a masterful manipulator of the other characters, especially Locke. Ethan manipulated the blond pregnant woman to convince her to give up her baby. And, I am quite curious about Hurley's girlfriend, the psychiatrist. She faciliated a romance to start between her and Hurley. She was also in the mental hospital as a patient (or was she faking it and stalking Hurley like she stalked Desmond to give him the boat?). But...she also was the one to give Desmond the boat to get to the island. Is she a Dharma plant? And, are many of the things that happen actually guided dream imagery, and characters we think are dead aren't actually dead, but their role in the story ended, therefore they are taken out of the experiment.

I wonder if these characters were groomed to all be on the same flight. But then again, how do you pull something like that off? I just think that the solution to the 'why' behind this show is not going to be some hyper complex web of relationships, but one elegantly simple explanation that ties it all together. I think we aren't seeing the forest, we are just seeing lots and lots of trees.

You know, also, when I look at these theories, I don't see anything about the super-rich woman who loved Desmond, and why at the end of season 2 these two guys in some arctic place detect the signal from the island when the hatch implodes. Was her father one of the founders? Did the father make sure he ended up there because Desmond wouldn't leave his daughter alone? Is she still looking because she knows what her father did? (Ah, these distracting trees...)

I bet the producers and writers on the show are just yucking it up about all of us trying to figure this show out. I can see them surfing these forums and laughing about how they've got us all so wrapped up in this show. Perhaps WE are the experiment! But I sure do appreciate the mental workout it gives me and everyone else about what the show is actually all about.

What is the POINT of this show? I think when we know that, we will understand the unknowns.

Good Thoughts. I believe the purpose of LOST is quite simple....
1. To Entertain us
2. Cause us to rethink some of our preconceived notions about people and morality.

First and foremost the producers/writers seek to provide interesting, complex characters. People we find interesting, and want to know more about. Characters we can care about.
Then they provide us with a smorgasbord of possibilities. Some based on reality, others based on sci-fi theories. This stimulates our imagination and the possibilities are endless.... To me this is the crux of this show. It is fun to try and guess where it may be headed. Sometimes I am dead on, other times I am so far off on my theories it is laughable. (and I do laugh)

Then, they mix it up by making us rethink our initial impressions of people and thier character. We like to think of things in black and white/ good/bad. This show makes us rethink that. People are a combination of all these things. We all must struggle with inner demons, bad decisions, weakness, strength.

I think this show is smart, and fun and interesting and I just love the ride it is giving us. Sometimes I do think we over analyze this show. Instead of just enjoying the rollercoaster ride we are being treated to, we look to pick it apart and examine the parts, the designer & his intentions, and the blueprints searching for hidden clues.

i think i have to agree with you speleojeff,its nice to think there is some spectacular theory out there that explains everything in the show.but i to think people do get distracted by the mythology in the show,the guys on this site and on others are genius brilliant minds.maybe it is all quite simple and we are just supposed to enjoy the human element.another great thought on a great site.cheers

I do not think it is possible to "over" think Lost. There is a time and a place for everything, God, family, work, and Lost.

I dunno. I think I really love the whole not seeing the forest for the trees idea. I, too, think the show is meant to be enjoyed and we get way too complex on our conspiracy theories. Yes, the island is inhabited by strange, psychotic natives. It has a freaky monster that likes to kill off our favorite characters and as a whole scare the crap out of every survivor. There are experiments and an unidentified sickness, plus a crazy French woman we have seen far too little of. AND there is interwoven into all of this the idea that "It's a small world after all."

I think we all need to rewatch the previous seasons without theories and trying to figure it all out. I think if we watched it for the sheer joy of watching it in all it's complexity, then I think the simplicity would hit us all like a brick wall. At which point, we will have figured out God, the universe and the meaning of LOST!

Mcguffins?? Hitchcock?? Isn't that what he called his "red herrings"? Pay no attention to the man behind the curtan--

I don't make it a hobby of mine to theorize about the show. I just enjoy it, and especially discussing and sharing thoughts with other fans.

it's funny that we may be overthinking what the writers say is simple, yet with all the theories out there, none seems to be right in the writers view. I love the comment by one writer that the show can be figured out with a clue from the first 15 minutes... that to me is a huge red herring. Why would a show that is tackling something so huge leave such a bone to find, when they had earlier said it would take 7 seasons to describe.

I just love the show and have given up theorizing, I'm just a follower now, enjoying every minute of a well written, well cast, well acted drama.

first 15 minutes of the Whole Series? As in the Pilot? I posted something about the pilot episode aswell.

i agree with those who think there are clues everywhere. Just being in this forum shows me that We all catch different small details. We all interperet the Large Details differently. But this allows us the ability to take it all in. You dont have to make theories if you dont want to... but its always good to have someone point out something you missed.

Again. This show is HUGE and EXPENSIVE to make. If a shot makes the final cut and we see it. I garantee everything we see in that shot is there for a reason... big or small.

of course I'll be coming up with theories, I just may have to keep them in my head, my roomates kill me when i think of something, because I think of something new each week.

But yes, the devil is in the details, keep sweating them.