Wow. The recent announcement that the series Lost has a definite end-point (48 episodes left, spread over three 16-episode seasons) seems to have liberated the writers from whatever it was that caused them meander for the past year or so. Tonight’s season-ending episode was both the end of the beginning of the series, and the beginning of the end. And by turning one of the series’ core story-telling devices inside-out, the writers have both satisfied — and shocked — longtime fans. I’ll admit it: They’ve got me locked-down for 48 more episodes, easy, after tonight.