In this week’s New York Magazine, Emily Nussbaum wraps up her Lost chronicles with a last word on the finale and the series in general — which, she concludes, failed. Here’s her take on the late introduction of Jacob and Smokey:
It redefined everything we’d watched as a game played by manipulative gods. Jacob smirked and wore Jesus robes. His brother, the Man in Black, was the evil Smoke Monster. While the pair were not named Cuse and Lindelof, it was hard to ignore the resemblance, since Lost’s characters — like its fans — had been revealed as the pawns of narrative overseers who spoke in riddles, were hard to trust, and continually reassured them to be patient, the end was near.