‘Lost’ reactions live on

(ABC Studios)

With 20.5 million US viewers watching the series finale to the fantasy adventure television show in the US May 23, the last episode won the night in the ratings.

While good for a typical Sunday night, it didn't beat its own highest viewings and is far from the all-time record for M*A*S*H's 1983 finale which attracted 105 million viewers. But the figures do not represent the current state of television with fans recording the two-and-half hour "The End" for later viewing or those who will watch on Hulu.com at their convenience.

For fans who missed the show: http://www.hulu.com/watch/151655/lost-the-end

The Twitter universe was buzzing about Lost by mid-afternoon Sunday in anticipation of the show's conclusion, according to the NY Times. There were 437,613 tweets from 2 pm to 2 am per analysis by Wiredset, a digital advertising agency, which stated the number is "a conservative estimate."

Tweets also surged during commercial breaks, indicating fans were engaged in the show, not casually watching. A typical Lost episode generated an average of 27,000 tweets. Reactions ranged as widely as reviews with one fan believing it was "The greatest ending of all time!"

Show creators Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse and cast members joined the post-show party, "Aloha to Lost" offering three versions of alternative endings, with some surprise twists, including a version that imitates The Sopranos finale.
The alternative endings: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyKyjeRodd4&feature=player_embedded

While the episode answered six years of questions, it also left theories to be pondered, keeping the discussions alive. Over six seasons and 121 episodes, Lost may have ended but one question that remains unanswered is whether there will be a film version of the successful series.

RC