In today’s Globe, Getting ‘Lost’ [pdf] discusses the “mythology” TV show and its grasp upon the “collective unconsciousness” of a subset of the viewing public. And yet, as a piece of that culture, there’s a problem along its pathway to a larger role:

It would be quite an exaggeration to suggest that mythology shows, which include “Angel” and “Farscape,” are as enduring as the myths we’ve inherited from the ancients. In thousands of years, Sydney on “Alias” will be electronic dust, while the goddess Diana may still be alive in our cultural memory — the name of a moon shuttle company, perhaps. Television is a medium of transience — less so, as it stretches its shelf life on cable, DVD, and Internet fan sites, but still fleeting. And while myths are told and retold and kept alive by interpreters, TV’s mythology shows are told only once. Attempts to duplicate them and expound upon them can lead to copyright problems. Even fanfic is discouraged by studios; disclaimers must appear on stories, and no profits may be collected for them. But still these shows have ancient archetypes at their root, as they update and perpetuate them.