[RAM-bunctious]

Conversely, I feel like Lost is massively in the opposite category. They did get their massive up-front commitment for 6 seasons while in season 2. The character and thematic arcs are probably some of the best I've seen in TV, while handling a massive ensemble cast.

Heroes, I agree with you, no question.

[ethbr1]

The Wire was definitely a masterclass in this, as each season has dangling threads that seem so obviously picked up and driven in subsequent seasons, but nothing that's left dangling to an extent you're disappointed.

That said, it's also aided by primarily being a story about characters rather than plot.

I always thought Lost got a bad rap for that. It was actually a story about characters, but its fandom thought it was very much about plot. Hence the hate for the finale (which I thought was wonderful)

[mrkstu]

Lost SHOULD have been the opposite, but it instead just piled on new mysteries that were never answered except ‘Dallas’ Who Shot JR style- i.e. it’s just a dream (or in this case purgatory.)

[FearNotDaniel]

I'm pretty sure it was Bobby Ewing who turned out not to be dead at the end of the season, whereas JR was really shot (just not killed). However my memories of 1980s soaps are somewhat hazy, like most people here I was more interested in things like Z80/6502 assembly code than big-haired women catfighting in ludicrous shoulder pads [0].

However, genuine thanks for the Lost finale spoiler, I never wanted to watch beyond season 2 anyway as it already became rather tedious.

[0] https://youtu.be/BbDgPnXX9dQ?si=XecRP5goplpyEtIP

[mrkstu]

It was a shot of Bobby in the shower after supposedly being dead is my recollection- yep, found it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdOpQE5miP4

Referring to the 'Who Shot JR' part was a mixup on my part- was pretty young at the time and not actively watching weekly so I forgot which was which...