Lost remains one of the greatest shows of all time, and while it sort of stumbled before the finish line in terms of story and mystery, the relationships were always well-written and intriguing. In fact, you could certainly argue that Lost was never about the “mysteries” or the “island,” but the characters and relationships. In fact, that has been argued. Many times. Often by Lost fanboys.
That said, no one can deny the perfect character writing behind this show, and we’re here to look at some of the greatest, and worst, relationships in the show’s history. And not just romantic relationships. We’re including all sorts of stuff here.
Behind: Desmond & Penny
When it comes to the quintessential Lost relationships, no one can deny that Desmond and Penny are the tip top of the ladder. Even though he was introduced in the second season, Desmond quickly became a fan favorite, and he and Penny’s relationship became the de facto heart of the entire series.
In fact, the episode “constantly” mentioned as being the best - season 4’s The Constant - is a very Desmond and Penny-centric episode, and its ending is powerful enough to leave even the manliest and heartless among us in tears. It’s great stuff, bruthah.
Rejected: Kate & Jack
Let’s face it - Lost is way better than traditional love triangles. But that didn’t stop them from forcing one into the show, like a couch that is way too big for a doorway, but you somehow manage to squeeze ’er in there anyway. Now, there’s nothing inherently wrong with love triangles, but in Lost’s case, it was just pure laziness. Kate and Jack had absolutely zero chemistry together, and their being together was simply meant to extend the boring love triangle nonsense with Sawyer. No one bought them together, and in fact, many were rooting against them. Let’s scratch this one from our memories.
Behind: Locke & Jack
Now if you want to see a good relationship, look no further than Locke and Jack. One of the biggest themes of the series was the constant struggle between faith and science, and this theme is perfectly represented in the characters of Locke and Jack. Jack is a doctor, and therefore, very scientific, believing that everything has a purpose and a function. On the other hand, Locke is very spiritual and believes that everything happens for a reason, especially crashing on the island. What results are some of the greatest and most thematically relevant scenes of the series, and it is always fascinating to watch and debate.
Rejected: Nikki & Paulo
The legend of Nikki and Paulo is one of the most infamous things regarding Lost’s infamous third season. And the entire series, for that matter. Wanting to expand the cast and integrate the other survivors, the writers introduced the couple Nikki and Paulo, and they sort of just shoved them into the series like we wouldn’t even notice!
One day, they’re just sort of…there, acting like they’ve been a part of “the group” the entire time. Fans weren’t having it, and Damon Lindelof later admitted that it was a mistake including them. They were written off in response, and the entire audience cheered in unison.
Behind: Sawyer & Juliet
Juliet was another late addition to the cast that fans immediately took to. And, to everyone’s surprise, she and Sawyer became an item. And it was awesome. Their relationship was one of the highlights of the otherwise divisive fifth season, and it really hammered home that Sawyer could be a good person. And when Juliet was taken from him, it left him, and us, utterly devastated. Maybe it was the writing, maybe it was the chemistry between Josh Holloway and Elizabeth Mitchell, but either way, this was a fantastic late addition to a series beginning to crumble under its own weight and ambition.
Rejected: Kate & Sawyer
And here we come to the other half of that God forsaken love triangle - Kate and Sawyer. Granted, Kate had far more chemistry with Sawyer than she did with Jack, but it was still a bit of a foul ball when it should have been a home run. Maybe it was just that everyone quickly grew sick of the love triangle drama, or maybe it’s just because no one really liked Kate in the first place, but this relationship grew very tiring very quickly. When Sawyer finally shut Kate down in season six, we couldn’t have been happier. Although we did have to suffer through six seasons to get there…
Behind: Charlie & Claire
Wasn’t early Lost just so much simpler? Whether you personally liked them together or not, there’s no denying that Charlie and Claire’s relationship was one of the biggest and most important factors of the early seasons of Lost, particularly season one. They were the kids of the group, and they wanted nothing more than to just roll in the sand and chill on the beach together. Charlie also proved to be a great dad to Claire’s baby, and he often did anything for the two of them…including sacrificing himself to ensure their escape. They are one of the cutest and most innocent couples on the show, and we loved them.
Rejected: Michael & Walt
At first, Michael and Walt seemed like interesting characters. Michael was a lonely father trying to bond with his distant son, who had been taken from him at a young age. Fittingly, the island seemed like their own little oasis, a place they could remain together and bond without interference from the outside world. However, fans quickly grew irritated with Michael’s needy personality and his constant screaming of WAAAAAALT!!! It quickly became a meme, and everyone grew sick of their presence. Luckily, they were written off in season two, and everyone was spared the headache.
Behind: Locke & Ben
Let’s be honest here - anything relating to Locke is adored by the fanbase. He’s just the coolest. Just when Locke’s character was beginning to grow a little stale, in comes his uneasy alliance with Ben. This not only revitalized interest in his character, but it gave rise to the one of the most interesting relationships and storylines in the show. Like his relationship with Jack, Lock and Ben remain incredibly uneasy towards each other, and neither really trusts the other. However, they are both reliant on each other, and this strange dichotomy creates some of the greatest tension in the series.
Rejected: Sayid & Shannon
When it comes to the romantic relationships, few were as unanimously rejected as Sayid and Shannon’s. For one thing, they shared absolutely zero chemistry together, and every scene with the two of them fell flat. Fans also despised that Sayid was placed with Shannon in the ending church scene, as they felt he deserved to be with Nadia. Their relationship made no sense, and it was likely concocted purely to make Shannon’s death more emotionally impactful. Only, no one cared about Shannon or her lame relationship with Sayid, so the whole thing just came across as contrived and irksome.
