Wow. I want to right something meaningful here, but I'm pretty much speechless. I really don't know what to say. Maybe I'll be able to write something coherent tomorrow morning.

But suffice it to say, when Lost is "on" there is NO show on TV that can beat it for pure entertainment value. I was literally on edge for the whole show, stressed out of my mind for the characters. It's a bloody tv show! And yet I care about these characters.

Producer Damon Lindelhof, who shares screen writing credit for this episode is a freaking genius. This finale made Tim Kring's Heroes finale look like a cheap imitation (apologies Kring, Heroes is my favorite new show of the season).

The arc that they just setup for the show is just brilliant. I'm so excited for the potential new format (assuming they continue with this format established in the finale). But assuming this is the case, I'd expect to see episodes set in "civilization" with flashbacks to the island. In the first 3 seasons, the castaways were "lost" from the world. Now, it seems, they will be "lost" from the island (and trying to get back to it). We'll see. This is almost like the formula that 'The Nine' attempted earlier in the season, and failed with.

I hope Lost can pull it off. Despite the uneven quality of season 3, the producers really pulled things together in the last several episodes. If they can continue where they left off, we're in for a good start to season 4.