The most recent episode is an example of one that polarizes the fan-base. Jack (Matthew Fox), the main character of the series, is nowhere to be found. Instead, the episode revolves around a few of the survivors grouping together in order to try and repair a broken- down van they find in the middle of the jungle.

Which television series has referenced Mamma Cass, Dostoevsky and Chewbacca all in the same season? Ill give you a hint: it starts with Lost, and ends with - well, no ones really quite sure how its going to end.

There has been a lot of criticism over the direction Lost took this season. It has the lowest ratings in the shows history, and some complain the story is progressing far too slowly. Others claim that the writers are making up stories as they go along, with no clear idea of how the show will end.

The first season of the show revolved around the survivors of a plane crash trying to cope with the mysteries of the island they are stranded on. The second season introduced a series of hatches built on the island and the shadowy organization known as the Dharma Initiative.

This third season seems to be about the growing tension among the survivors of the crash, along with the introduction of a whole new group of people on the island, who may or may not be remnants of the Dharma Initiative.

Lost is a unique entity in television history. Few programs have ever seamlessly transcended mediums in the way Lost has.

Web sites of fictional companies that exist within the universe of the show, novels written by a man who died in the series-starting plane crash, and phone numbers that fans can call and further delve into the enigma of the program are just a few of the ways in which Lost has really revolutionized and redefined what a television series can be.

Despite all of this, there seems to be a growing panic over the fact that the ratings for the show have been on the decline.

There is no denying that ratings for the show have substantially decreased since its first episode. The September 2004 pilot had an amazing 20 million viewers, which is roughly double what the show is pulling in now.

However, before we pull out our torches and try to sacrifice the show to the television gods, lets get a few things straight.

Since the show has started, the way Americans watch television programs has drastically changed. Over the past season, abc.com has posted the most recent episodes of their shows online for the publics viewing pleasure. This free method of watching a television series gives viewers the ability to miss the show when it originally airs, while being able to catch up on their own time.

One must also take into account the growing popularity of both legal and illegal downloading services. Each episode is offered for $1.99 on iTunes hours after they originally air. Along with this, the word BitTorrent has become a part of the American vernacular.

One also cannot discount the importance of DVD sales. As one of the highest-selling television series, many fans would rather wait until they can watch a season in its entirety.

Articles claiming the downfall of Lost appeared after the Feb. 14 episode, which had two million fewer viewers than the previous week. However, these articles failed to mention that Feb. 14 was Valentines Day, a day not usually known for massive television viewing.

The most recent episode is an example of one that polarizes the fan-base. Jack (Matthew Fox), the main character of the series, is nowhere to be found. Instead, the episode revolves around a few of the survivors grouping together in order to try and repair a broken-down van they find in the middle of the jungle.

Some may say this episode was filler and had no impact whatsoever on the overall story. Others will see that this episode enforced many of the themes already presented in the series, such as the influence of absent fathers and accepting the inevitability of death.

Creators of the show have gone on record stating that their plan has been for the series to be around 100 episodes long. If this is true, then Lost is just reaching its halfway point.

Because of this, it would be premature for anyone to claim the show as a success or a failure. Like any piece of art, one must wait until it is finished in order to step back and truly examine what has been placed on the canvas in front of them.

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