It's been 10 years since ABC drama Lost left our screens for good, but what were the deciding factors behind it ending after six seasons?
Showrunner Carlton Cuse, who also worked on this year's Netflix fantasy Locke & Key, sat down with The Independent to discuss "two problems" Lost faced during its run.
Related: Will a Lost reboot ever happen? The latest on a possible revival
The 61-year-old explained: "The driving forces behind us really pushing to get an end date for the show were two problems we had: one – we didn't know how long the mythology had to last, and secondly, we were running out of flashbacks for the characters.
"So, when we did Jack's [Shephard, played by Matthew Fox] flashback where he's in Thailand with Bai Ling – one of the episodes that would not be on my list of favourites – we felt it was time to end the show."
Watch Now Lost (2005)
Meanwhile, Cuse also weighed in on Lost's "revolutionary" aspects, adding: "We opened the door for other types of shows and certainly closed-ended television – we had the good fortune of ending Lost on its own terms.
"I think that's certainly one revolutionary thing that is really significant. We were the first show in the era of network television where we determined our end date.
"Prior to that, shows died of their own accord – you'd just ride the horse until it dropped dead beneath you. Maybe some people didn't love the ending, but we at least did give the audience an intentional one."
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Reporter, Digital Spy
Dan is a freelance entertainment journalist. Beginning his writing career in 2014, Dan's work first graced the pages of cult publications Starburst magazine and Little White Lies before moving onto Total Film, Digital Spy, NME and Yahoo Entertainment.
In the film and TV universe, he kneels at the altar of Jim Carrey, Daniel Plainview, Mike Ehrmantraut and Paulie Walnuts.
