Ever since it first appeared on screens in 2004, Lost has been emulated by countless other shows. Following the survivors of a plane crash as they uncover various mysteries on a desert island, Lost captivated audiences around the world almost instantly. Sadly, Lost became an example of a great TV show that was terrible by the end, but despite its disappointing finale, the ABC show outlived even its own massive success. It is often credited with revolutionizing the format of modern television, focusing on wider story arcs rather than dedicating itself to an episodic format. In that sense, Lost is one of the most influential shows in modern history.
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Understanding how popular Lost was during its run is key to understanding why so many shows in the years since have tried to recreate its magic. Since it ended, many TV shows have tried to be the new Lost and failed, while others have found success but not managed to recreate Lost‘s unique brand of tense drama. While several sci-fi shows have attempted to emulate Lost, some were able to do so to much better effect than others.
5) Travelers (Netflix, 2016-2018)
One of the very few truly great time travel TV shows, Netflix’s Travelers is criminally underrated. Its high-concept story concerns survivors in a post-apocalyptic future who are able to project their consciousnesses back through time, living through hosts with the intention of preventing the apocalypse. After running for three seasons across 34 episodes, Travelers was prematurely canceled.
Travelers could easily have become the new Lost, had it found a way to reach a wider audience. For all its narrative potential and mysterious plot developments, Travelers simply didn’t land high enough viewership to reach the levels of popularity enjoyed by Lost. As great as the show could have been, its ratings also led to its cancellation, dooming it to never quite reach its full potential.
4) Under the Dome (CBS, 2013-2015)
Although there are many great Stephen King movies, there aren’t as many noteworthy TV shows based on the iconic author’s works. One of the lesser-known attempts to bring a King story to life on the small screen is Under the Dome, which aired on CBS between 2013 and 2015 before coming to an end. Despite initial ratings seeming promising, viewership fell off sharply in the show’s second and third seasons.
The decline in ratings is a big reason why Under the Dome couldn’t be the new Lost. Although it contended with similar themes, including a central mystery and a heavy emphasis on the survival of its characters, Under the Dome simply wasn’t as captivating as Lost. Maybe that’s because its story was adapted from a Stephen King story rather than being original like Lost, but it simply couldn’t capture lightning in the same way.
3) FlashForward (ABC, 2009-2010)
There are several sci-fi TV shows that deserved another season, but few stand out as strongly as FlashForward. Its premise was relatively simple: a mysterious event causes the world’s population to get a two-minute glimpse six months into the future. Its story focused on a number of characters attempting to unravel the mysteries surrounding this event, as well as understand the future they saw during that two-minute window.
In fairness, FlashForward could easily have been the new Lost. Its unique premise featured a great deal of mystery and suspense, and it was gripping from its very first scene. As the showrunners had no idea it was being cancelled, it’s an example of a TV show that ended on an annoying cliffhanger, with the season one finale setting up an exciting follow-up that never came. Had FlashForward continued, it could have reached the same heights as Lost while also fitting into the same niche, but it simply wasn’t to be.
2) Manifest (NBC, 2018-2021 & Netflix, 2022-2023)
An incredibly recent example of a show that came close to filling Lost‘s shoes, Manifest was almost there when it came to global success. First airing in 2018 on NBC, Manifest ran for three seasons before being cancelled, only to be picked up by Netflix for a fourth and final season. Its story follows the passengers and crew of an airliner who suddenly reappear more than five years after their plane went missing.
In terms of the overall thrust of its story, Manifest was clearly emulating Lost. The problem with that is that Lost‘s countless twists led audiences to grow somewhat tired of TV shows that take too many turns, and Manifest couldn’t hit the same viewership figures as the show it evoked. While Manifest earned itself some popularity and success, it just never quite lived up to the level of hype that once surrounded Lost.
1) The 100 (The CW, 2014-2020)
2014 saw the release of The 100, which is undoubtedly one of the most successful shows on this list. It ran for 100 episodes over seven seasons, so its ability to attract viewers largely speaks for itself. Reasonably successful though The 100 was, it never quite reached the same heights as Lost, even though the shows shared some similarities.
The 100‘s story, which followed a group of 100 juvenile detainees sent to a post-nuclear apocalyptic Earth, shared some thematic similarities with Lost, and the execution of its premise shared more. The focus on interpersonal drama, survival, and sci-fi twists drew some similarities between the two shows, although The 100 ultimately came off far worse. It’s not a bad show by any metric, but The 100 is yet another sci-fi TV show that tried and failed to be the next Lost.
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