The following review was previously “Lost.” Only excerpts have been found.

Season six is here, and it’s been a long time coming for “Lost” fans. Waiting more than a year made many fans of the hit ABC drama antsy for new episodes. “Lost” has now arrived, and the series is bigger and better than ever. With a darker tone than previous seasons, fans can expect a lot of heartache in the coming weeks.

The premiere featured a handy one-hour recap that went over five seasons’ worth of information about the characters, plots and settings. Ripe with twists and turns that would make even the smartest people in the world scramble to find spoilers, this new season looks like it won’t be disappointing. The terrific premiere episode titled “LAX” centers itself in two main locales, the mysterious island and Los Angeles’ airport. Diehard fans and newcomers will be hard-pressed to find another television show more addicting this year, based on what has already happened during the two-hour series finale kickoff.

This new episode shows that “Lost” bucks that trend of fading in and out of popularity. A major reason for the show’s continued popularity is how the characters are interconnected. Ever since the first episode, countless characters have been introduced, complete with their own distinct personalities and life stories.

The series’ main characters are a resilient bunch. For the past five seasons, they have been trying to get off the island that just won’t let them go. In a nutshell, “Lost” deals with the immediate aftermath involving Oceanic Flight 815’s crash on a deserted island. The survivors of the crash, most notably the main characters Jack, Kate and Sawyer, band together to survive paradise in hell. Fending off polar bears in warm weather, avoiding the “others” — different groups of native people — and dealing with the secrets of the Dharma Initiative, “Lost” is nothing less than an epic adventure.

Tuesday night’s premiere continues to juggle the dozens of main storylines and subplots introduced to audiences throughout the show’s history. It is nothing less than remarkable that the series’ writers have been able to tie in seemingly random events in such a cohesive way. Unlike the NBC drama “Heroes,” (rumored to be cancelled after this season), which also features a nontraditional, nonlinear system of storytelling, “Lost” has kept its ego in check. It isn’t convoluted or reuse the same old, same old storylines.

“Lost” may offer glitzy effects and terrific sets, but much of the episode’s appeal comes from its drama. All in one episode: a long simmering feud is brought to the boiling point, a love triangle resurfaces and characters meet their demise. These emotions are widespread — from elation to hatred. Jack and company beautifully capture the full gamut of human emotion, keeping the unfathomable twists and turns in check.

“Lost” is a show that doesn’t just cater itself to the much-desired 18-34 demographic. Older audiences will find out that the show is engaging, well written and technically outstanding. Full to the brim with drama, the premiere episode “LAX” is a worthy installment to an already legendary television show.

Without being too convoluted, LAX is a good first step in putting the finishing touches on a terrific show. Since so many diversions to the show’s plot take place every episode, the only real mystery seems to be this: How will the story tie up any loose ends? With a rumored movie in the works and the current season just heating up, this is only the beginning.