The obsession with J.J. Abrams’s brainchild “Lost” is all–consuming. Blogs, forums, fan sites and many a drinking game have been invented to channel the near–religious feelings of frustration and glory fans feel for their favorite, frenzied show.

Since I am not a “Lost” acolyte, I feel slightly out of the loop. What is it about this show that makes viewers worldwide swoon and stuff popcorn in their mouths during scenes of high tension?

And so I departed on a quest to discover the truth of “Lost,” and in the process found a young castaway, Miss Jessi Schatz, ’12, a “Lost” devotee of many years.

This is her story.

KB: So how long have you been… interested in “Lost?”

JS: I watched the pilot episode the day it premiered (September 22, 2004). Ever since I saw that band of people on the island, I’ve felt like I was one of them.

KB: What is it about this show that makes you such a loyal viewer? Aren’t the constant plot twists exhausting? The plane crash, the Others, the jumps in time…

JS: I wouldn’t say exhausting, I’d say exhilarating! I love the surprise of each twist and turn, and every time I close my eyes I see Sawyer in front of me. Most of the time, sans shirt…

A pause occurs for dreamy looks and giggling.

KB: (clears throat) So, what exactly is going on in this, the final season?

JS: Well, the castaways are out of the groovy seventies and are back in the present. But now we’ve got, like, two alternate realities going on, and it is freaking me out.  One of the realities has them on the island, still dealing with one another and bickering like children, and the other one has them off the island, sorting out their troubles and serendipitously running into one another again. What’s really happening? I don’t know, but I still watch.

KB: Has “Lost” jumped the shark? Do you watch for nostalgia or because you are really basking in the glow of Abrams’s ingenuity?

JS: I would say…Oh, gosh. Hmm, let me think about how I want to answer this. I don’t think it’s jumped the shark, per se. I’m still really invested in the characters, and they’ve stayed true throughout the entire series.
The creators originally planned for six seasons, so it’s good to see the story coming full circle and not being dragged out. Also, the mythology is still intriguing, and I watch to connect the dots.

KB:  Do you think “Lost” is truly original? Or has Abrams gone for shock value? Are you ever disappointed with the direction the show has taken?

JS: I think “Lost” is very original because it works on so many different levels. Sometimes I am disappointed, but mostly over small issues they later clear up.  At first, the time traveling thing was confusing, but over time my doubts were dispelled because eventually the plots fit into the mythology, and it’s clear that all of the plotlines have a point.  Also, I trust the creators. I want to attack them with love.

KB: Are there any discrepancies about “Lost” you feel the need to clear up? Any opinions you’ve overheard that have kept people from watching the show that are really unfounded and incorrect?

JS: Lots of people think that they just make it up as they go, and it’s all random and none of it makes any sense. I firmly believe that they have the whole thing planned out and it will fully unravel at the end. There will be a denouement.

KB: That’s deep.

JS: So is my love for the show.

Jessi Schatz currently resides on a remote island in the Pacific with a large antenna. She likes Dharma Peanut Butter and enjoys visitors, so long as they scare her for at least two weeks before revealing themselves.

The final season of “Lost” airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on ABC.