And this new proprietary “Lost” obsession grew symbiotically with things like mainstream entertainment blogs (and their comments sections) and Twitter, until now there is a vast body of shared commentary and speculation that often seems to overshadow the show itself. Why bother writing fan fiction when you can feel as if you had a hand in the real thing?

It’s clear that the rise of “Lost” geekdom has encouraged fans, and critics who should know better, to celebrate the mythology  the least important element of the show, from a dramatic standpoint  while glossing over things like pacing, structure, camerawork and acting. (With a few exceptions, notably Terry O’Quinn, as Locke, and Henry Ian Cusick, as Desmond, the performances have been undistinguished since the first season, which may have as much to do with the conception of the characters as with the actors themselves.)

And while we can’t know what’s in the minds of the executive producers Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof, they’ve devoted a lot of screen time in Season 6 to providing the fans with answers (when they haven’t been introducing new questions). Some fans, though, might have been happy to make do with fewer answers if it meant they could have a simpler, easier to follow, more exciting final season.

In fact, the scenes set in Los Angeles in the alternate timeline Mr. Cuse and Mr. Lindelof concocted for this season  blasted by the commentariat because they haven’t yet yielded up their secrets  have been more stylish and interesting to watch than the island scenes that have focused on resolving the outstanding plot points.

Among the best evidence that something new is happening with “Lost” is the fact that so many people, if their online comments are true, will be willing to change their judgment of the entire series based solely on how well the final two-and-a-half-hour episode satisfies their need for answers. Forget the first 119 hours  if you don’t tell me what happened to Walt, none of it will have mattered.

Similarly revealing is the carping over whether Mr. Cuse and Mr. Lindelof knew from the start where they were going to take their story. It’s a meaningless question with regard to evaluating the show  all that matters is what they have actually put on screen. But that would mean paying attention to the show itself, rather than your feelings about the show.