It has officially been confirmed that MGM+’s From will end its run with season 5. While it is sad that such an incredible horror series will finally conclude its run, the show’s confirmed end ensures it avoids repeating Lost‘s biggest mistake. While this news does not guarantee From’s two upcoming seasons will be as good as the first three, it suggests that its creators know exactly what they are doing.
From its early moments, From has been compared to Lost. Some have even touted it as the perfect Lost replacement. The comparison is not even surprising because From not only features one of Lost’s leading stars, Harold Perrineau, as its protagonist but also brings together key creative forces from Lost, including Jack Bender and Jeff Pinkner.
Even from a storytelling standpoint, From dabbles with similar themes of survival, confinement, and guilt while unfolding a closed and isolated setting that is riddled with supernatural mysteries. Unlike Lost, though, it looks like From is setting its eyes on a far better and less divisive ending, which could prevent it from tainting its own legacy.
Unlike Lost, MGM+’s From Will Not Outstay Its Welcome
Lost was initially planned to have a three-season run. Even the show’s writers had pitched a three-season arc to ABC. However, after the show became widely successful, the studio became apprehensive about ending it so soon. Given how some incredible story beats in Lost show up in seasons 4 and 5, it is arguably good that its run was extended.
However, it is also hard not to deny that Lost started losing steam towards its final arc and struggled to end on a satisfying note.
After setting up one mystery after another throughout its runtime, Lost struggled to bring well-rounded closures to many underlying story arcs. Some of its biggest mysteries remained unresolved, while even characters felt incomplete. Owing to this, many viewers argue that Lost should have ended way sooner, and its final arc should have been planned well in advance.
Similar to Lost, From has not held back from leaving viewers with one compelling mystery after another. This even prompted many to believe that it would eventually meet the same fate as Lost. However, the fact that its creators are already seeing season 5 as the end, even before season 4’s premiere, suggests that it will close on a satisfying note.
Unlike Lost, From is also not being stretched beyond its natural narrative lifespan. This will allow its creators to stick to a clearly defined narrative roadmap they have planned for its story. While only time will tell how From’s upcoming seasons will turn out, it will likely remain tight and consistent with its storytelling because of its pre-panned ending.
From’s Planned Ending With Season 5 Can Give Harold Perrineau’s Character A Better Resolution Than Lost
Josh Holloway, Daniel Dae Kim and Harold Perrineau on the beach in Lost
Harold Perrineau’s Michael had one of the best written arcs in Lost’s earlier installments. However, the central motivation for the character, which revolved around his bond with his son, was gradually dropped. The show even antagonized him before writing him out with a sudden and unsatisfying death scene. All in all, what started as a great character arc was eventually ruined by a hollow and forced sacrifice.
Perrineau himself was vocal about how his character was treated in Lost towards the end. Although he later reconsidered how Lost’s Micheal was treated, it is hard not to agree with his previous criticism surrounding how his character’s arc ended.
In From, Harold’s Perrineau’s Boyd Stevens has had an incredible arc so far. As From season 5’s trailer has hinted, his story will be ridden with even more layers and moral complexity, potentially making him even more intriguing as a character. With a planned season 5 ending, From will also seemingly give Boyd a far better conclusion than Lost gave to Michael.