I've been reading a lot of ...
Question: I've been reading a lot of the chatter in the wake of the
Lost finale, and one horse that continues to be beaten is the "problem" of Walt growing too fast for the show. People have been talking about the need to get rid of the character or recast the little guy playing the part. I really think it's ridiculous. I don't think the little boy playing the part should be booted for growing. Life happens. It reminds me of shows (and fans) freaking out when actresses get pregnant. The shows should just incorporate it or just cover as best as they can and ignore the rest. Another example was the whole "oh, no, Angel and Spike are getting too old!" nonsense. Life happens, even to actors. I would hate to see Walt go for a stupid reason. Does too-old Walt really drive you crazy, or am I just too fond of
Malcolm David Kelley?
Answer: The problem isn't that the actor's growing, of course, it's that time moves slower for the
Lost castaways than it does for the TV audience, and for the people in the cast. An adolescent actor who grows up too fast (think the boys on
Malcolm in the Middle) can throw off the visual reality of the series, so I understand the concern. For me, the best argument for writing Walt and Michael off the show is that Michael's story line effectively ended when he confessed the murders of Ana Lucia and Libby to his traveling companions. While his actions were justified in part by his desperation to be reunited with his son, I don't see how he can be reconciled with any of the island's tribes at this point. I try not to live in the world of spoilers, so I'm not sure what rumored fates are befalling this father-son team. But if that boat was their exit strategy, and it avoids the trap of having to portray Walt as a youngster while the actor is growing older by the week, so be it.
