God Only Knows: Destiny and Divinity in Lost, Battlestar Galactica, and Game of Thrones

Richard Leydier examines how three major television series from the 2000s and 2010s—Lost, Battlestar Galactica, and Game of Thrones—incorporate themes of destiny and divinity. He argues that as serialized storytelling evolved from episodic, time-bound formats to sprawling multi-season arcs, writers increasingly relied on supernatural or divine forces to maintain narrative coherence. Lost (2004–2010, 6 seasons, 121 episodes), created by Jeffrey Lieber, J.J. Abrams, and Damon Lindelof, uses an island purgatory where two spirits, Jacob and the Smoke Monster, manipulate predestined characters. Battlestar Galactica (2004–2009, 4 seasons, 73 episodes), created by Ronald D. Moore, follows human survivors fleeing Cylon robots in search of Earth, guided by a monotheistic God. Game of Thrones (2011–present, 30 episodes as of 2014), created by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss and based on George R.R. Martin's novels, features multiple gods but ultimately reveals the author as the true omnipotent deity. Leydier suggests the polytheistic themes reflect the collaborative nature of TV writing, and notes the American context where religion and democracy intertwine.