I think the show would have been more enjoyable if they DIDN'T announce that the show was ending (even if it was) and just ended it. Clearly they wanted to max out the ratings by counting down how many shows were left, but that then gets people frumpy about how little time is left and how much ground they still have to cover to unravel all the mysteries. And while most of us understand we won't get all the answers, I suspect we all want something that ties everything together that has some modium of plausibility.
That being said, in my opinion in poker parlance, this show has gotten me a bit confused. Say we the viewers stayed in a hand because we had invested a fair amount in the big blind and added a few chips as the betting progressed (following the show in the beginning and early on) while the producers were the clear chip leader. Then the flop came and we ended up with two pair (a decent hand but far from spectacular). But we were still very cautious because a lot of hands could beat us given the flop (in addition to any three of a kind say there were flush, straight, and straight flush possibilities).
The producers kept betting representing either a big bluff or a big hand (or at least a decent chance of a monster hand). Well, the turn came and say we viewers now hit a full boat on what otherwise was a so so hand to now make it a very strong hand (all the years of following the show, coming up with theories, long threads reviewing what had happened, etc.). There were still flush, straight, and straight flush possibilities but now we weren't worried about the first two.
With only the river left (and all these years of watching the show passed), the producers are still upping the bidding and we are pot committed so we pretty much have to go all in and hang around until the end. However, as the cards lay we know that only a better full house, 4 of a kind, or a straight flush can beat our hand. Given the cards on the table, say we can rule out a better full house. That leaves only four of a kind or a straight flush (and neither one could actually have already happened).
So here we are near the end of the hand (show) and are going all in and the only outs for the producers seem to be drawing to catch the 4th of a kind or drawing to hit a straight flush . . . and in either case the producers probably should not have stayed in the hand for so long. If the producers were bluffing, we have the goods to call their bluff.
Already all in, it seems like the producers need to catch a card in these last 12 episodes to tie everything together, yet for that to happen the viewers are going to have to get a bad beat. It almost seems at this point that a lot of people are curious what the producers were thinking -- taking our poker hand where we now feel that we have the upper hand and why they stayed in the hand.
For me, as the years went on in this show, I think the issue I had was it went from borderline unbelievable to really, really unbelievable. In essence, some of the things potentially could have happened, and while pretty much unexplainable, we could suspend disbelief for long enough that it made the show mysterious and enjoyable as it was still somewhat grounded in reality. Sure, some things were pretty whacky (an island with magical properties), but the rest of the show was mostly believable.
By that I mean, if this were a court case there was enough going on that a partially plausable scenario could be presented in a court of law that a judgment or a decision could be crafted based on the story that was presented. But all these years later they have messed with timelines, alternate realities, have the same character in different eras (or even the same era) and it has gotten so unbelievable that IMO what kept the show riveting early on has kind of fallen by the way side.
For exsample, now we have a formerly paralyzed bald guy that died, came back to life, turns into a smoke monster, and could be the devil incarnate. OK, sure, whatever you say. Like others, I will watch to see what happens, but my commitment to this show and my backing just isn't what it once was.
They have developed this show with so many intricate, interwoven characters and story lines that it will be hard for them to have an ending that will appease most people. They can't have a simple, cheesy ending as the show was never that basic. They probably are running out of time to have a sophisticated ending that captures all the various complex issues so they will be forced to leave a lot of loose ends. I'm afraid they have painted themselves into a corner and whatever they come up with to end the show, a huge majority of people will be angered and disappointed.
That being said, any guesses on how they will end the show?