Lost

 Review

Common Sense Media says

Excellent, sometimes scary drama for fearless families.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

Kids say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this complex action/sci-fi drama includes many startling, sometimes violent sequences -- starting with the chilling airplane crash that kicks off the first episode (and is revisited more than once). Other potentially upsetting scenes include injuries, fatalities, kidnappings, shootings, and fights. Important characters are threatened and sometimes killed. Characters are shown drinking (particularly in flashback sequences), and one character is a heroin addict. There's kissing and some sexual activity, though nothing too sensitive is shown. Most of the characters have dark secrets in their past, including murder.

  • Adjusting to life on the island brings to mind "survival of the fittest," though, as the series progresses, there's unity among survivors -- they work together for food, shelter, and support in attempts to get off the island. That said, there's also plenty of manipulation, deceit, betrayal, insecurity, anger, and more.
  • The characters are all deeply flawed, with big secrets -- part of the show's agenda is to help them overcome the issues that have plagued them their whole lives. But many are committed to doing the right thing -- or at least helping those that they deem friends. Later seasons introduce much more manipulation by characters with very complex agendas.
  • Many wounds/dead bodies. A key character is found hanging from tree; a man is sucked into a plane engine; injuries include bloody guts and gashes. Some bloody bodies, as well as shootings, kidnapping, arson, beatings, and murder. Some medical imagery.
  • Kissing and some sexual activity implied; actual liaisons are rare, and when they happen, nothing sensitive is shown.

What's the story?

Take a couple of handfuls of survivors -- some family, mostly strangers -- crash them onto an island with a traumatic plane wreck, and give them little sign of hope, a mystery in the jungle, and no sign of rescue; add a pinch of Gilligan's Island, a smidge of Survivor, a sprinkle of grown-up Goonies, a dab of 24, and a generous serving of originality to taste. This is what being LOST is all about. Each episode adds a building block to the mystery surrounding the survivors. Viewers are slowly introduced to each character's past via flashbacks to what led them onto the fictitious Oceanic Airlines Flight 815 -- and, eventually, to the island. Slowly, viewers discover that the characters' fate was no accident, and there are connections between the remaining passengers.


Is it any good?

 

The show's interlocking puzzle of characters, secrets, and endless discoveries can make for an enticing family drama. Lost could be considered the TV version of a board game. There are compelling questions left at the end of each episode and vast amounts of room for interpretation. The blend of mystery and drama in Lost is enthralling and tends to overshadow the violence that occurs along the way.


Explore, discuss, enjoy

  • Families can talk about death and disaster, which are prominent themes here. Is the show optimistic or pessimistic? Are the characters intended to be role models?

  • Talk about the idea of fate, which plays a pivotal role on the show. Do you believe everything happens for a reason?

  • The mystery of the island and the embedded clues are a big part of the show, and sharing theories about the happenings on the show can be a fun way for teens and parents to share the viewing experience.


This review of Lost was written by
Teen, 13 years old
February 25, 2011
 
Good for everyone
Great family show. It is appropriate for children against popular rating. It may get a little bit too violent at points but everything else is fine. Just no toddlers, 6 and up should be fine.
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Kid, 9 years old
April 9, 2011
 
Anyone who is mature can watch.
OK I'm not interested in it like my sister. For sex, people do have sex. And "Shannon" was in a bikini laying on a towel, and she removed her bikini top. The girls dress inappropriately sometimes too. Language, b-tch, d-mn, h-ll, d-mmit. Violence, blood, people die, but its not like real violence people! People fight a lot for negative messages. And "Charlie" was influenced badly by his brother to take drugs.
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Teen, 16 years old
November 12, 2010
 
One of my favorite shows. I say It's fine for anyone above 10 or so with family and 12 and up should be fine watching alone. Just not the 6th season because it was terrible ;)

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Teen, 16 years old
January 5, 2011
 
BEST TV SHOW IN THE ENTIRE USA
It had some inappropriate content, but all I can say is: BEST FRIKIN TV SHOW EVER!!!
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Teen, 15 years old
February 11, 2010
 
Perfect for 9 and up
This show is my favorite show. There will never be another show so amazing as Lost. There is a lot of violence(well, more gore than really violence), and the role models aren't exactly the people you would want your kids to become. But the show is extremely good, the plot pulls you in deeper and deeper every episode. If your kid is under 9, you might want to have them out of the room while you watch it, because there is scary things in it. But if your kid is over that or is mature enough to watch it, go ahead.
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Teen, 14 years old
June 3, 2010
 
Best TV Show Ever?
Never before has a show developed characters like Lost. Never has a show with such intriguing mythology come to television. Never before have we cared about the lives of characters like we do in Lost. The majority of Lost fans cried at the end of season 3 when our favorite drug addict bit the dust. The ending was, of course, very controversial. It provided incredible closure to the series and characters, but left many big questions unanswered. To me, the ending was everything it was supposed to be. It did not answer every question, but I would take closure over questions any day. Best Show Ever? In my opinion, yes.
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Parent
February 15, 2011
 
great series to watch as a family
We watched the dvd series as a family, and any questionable content turned out to be a great gateway for family discussions. Of course, island mystery theories were the biggest topic. While I would not have wanted my 10 year olds watching it on their own, it was fine in a family setting.

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Teen, 15 years old
February 21, 2011
 
BEST EVER FOR YOUNG ADULTS TO ADULTS
I love lost it is the best teen/ adult series out there and perfect for any night be careful though once you watch one you will never want to stop!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Teen, 13 years old
May 4, 2011
 
Awesome
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Adult
October 8, 2009
 
Love LOST! Just beware... it may be too much for ages under 13.
LOst is one of the best series I've ever watched! I hate that it will be ending. With that said- it can be very violent and sometimes a little too on the edge with the sex scenes. So use "common sense" if you have young ones- this show can be intense and probably over their heads anyway. Ages 13 and up will enjoy- sometimes you just may have to screen an episode if you are concerned with the sexual/violent content. The acting is top notched as well as the music, and storyline. COOOOOL show- if you're not LOST- I recommend buying all the previous seasons- and get ready for the finale- season 5 is coming up! No doubt- it will be excellent!
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This review of Lost was written by
TV rating:TV-14
Network:ABC
Cast:Dominic Monaghan, Evangeline Lilly, Matthew Fox
Genre:Drama

This review of Lost was written by
 

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