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Lost

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 13, age appropriate for kids over 18; suggested age 14.

  • Is it any good?

    4.0
  • Common Sense says

    Excellent, scary drama for fearless families.

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 14–18

The good stuff

  • Messages:

    Adjusting to life on the island brings to mind "survival of the fittest." As the series progresses, there is unity among survivors -- they work together for food, shelter, support, through language barriers and in attempts to get off the island. Later seasons introduce much more manipulation by other characters with very complex agendas. One character is an unwed mother.

What to watch out for

  • Violence:

    Many wounded/dead. Main character found hanging from tree; man sucked into a plane engine; injuries include bloody guts and gashes. Some bloody dead bodies, as well as shooting, kidnapping, arson, and murder. Some medical imagery.

  • Sex:

    Kissing and some sexual activity implied; actual liaisons are rare, and when they happen, nothing sensitive is shown.
  • Language:

    An occasional "hell," "ass," or "damn."
  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Drinking; one character battles a heroin addiction.

What Parents Need to Know

This review of Lost was written by Jill Murphy

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, 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.

Families Can Talk About

Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
  • Families can talk about death and disaster, which are prominent themes within the series. 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. Families might also want to talk about the idea of fate, which plays a pivotal role on the show. Do you believe everything happens for a reason?
Did this review help you decide?

Will your kids tune in?

Have you seen it? Review It!

More on Lost

What’s the Story?

Take a couple 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 grownup 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 the past of each character with flashbacks to what led them onto the fictitious Oceanic Airlines Flight 815 and eventually, to the island. Slowly, viewers discover their fate was no accident, and there are connections between the remaining passengers.

Is It Any Good?

The interlocking puzzle of characters, secrets, and endless discoveries can make for an enticing family drama. Lost could be considered the television 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 any violence that occurs along the way.

There are a few Web sites that offer fun, interactive ways for families to discover hidden clues and share ideas of what might happen next week/season, including www.oceanicflight815.com and abc.go.com/primetime/lost.

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Our Members Say

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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Parent Reviewer
    Lives in Florida
    I rate this title on for age 12 and give it 5.0
    • My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages

    I love this show...there has never been any better. Its probably because of the mystery and conversation starters that come about. Now, as for my kids, I donnot let them see it alone nor do they watch new episodes with me. Because of the world we live in, I have filter all shows/movies before they can watch...this goes for LOST too.

  2. I rate this title iffy for age 11 and give it 5.0

    I started watching this when I was ten with my parents. It's my favorite drama but there is a lot of violence and gore. Very little language. I think this this is perfect for 13 and p and mature 11 year olds;; looking back I think I was mature but maybe a bit freaked by the show. There are some scary things, i.e. the smoke monster and the plane crash in general.

  3. Teen Reviewer Age 15
    I rate this title on for age 14 and give it 5.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages
    • Good role models

    Great messages, just edit it a little

    I love this show, wonderful messages and plot twists. Only problem: can be inappropriate and very violent at times. But these are few, so if you watch it with your kids and skip the parts you don't want them to see. This show can lead to great family discussions about loss, evil vs good, acknowledging your mistakes, etc. I highly recommend it!

  4. Teen Reviewer Age 15
    I rate this title on for age 10 and give it 5.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages

    BEST TELEVISION SHOW EVER.

    Best show ever. Teaches us things about ourselves while having all the action and adventure of movies, but times 100. There's some inappropriate scenes for anyone younger than 10 or 11, but hey, that's life on an Island for 108 days!

  5. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    I rate this title iffy for age 14 and give it 5.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages
    • Good role models

    Ok... Just to start off, LOST is an incredibly captivating, intriguing show about an airplane that crashes on a mysterious island. A lot of the review focuses on the fact that it has quite a bit of intense gore. Through out the series it gradually dies down, but comes back up again. So, yes, there is violence, and a little bit of inappropriateness, however, what they failed to notice was the LARGE idea on faith, science, and symbolism. None of this is bad, but the understanding of it may be confusing. The fact that the island was occasionally idealized as "hell", and that John Locke, and Jack Shepard disagree on the fact of letting the island define your future. I just hit quite a few points, however, the main point is focused on questioning of faith, and when and when not to lean on the idea for support. The show is amazing, but may be a little much for younger viewers. Plus the story is VERY confusing. following it is like following a maze... good ol' fun...

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