10 Great Sci-Fi Shows That Tried to Be The New Lost, But Still Failed Miserably

Since ending in 2010, the ABC series *Lost* has inspired many science fiction shows to try and recreate its captivating story and impact, but none have really succeeded. Created by J.J. Abrams, Damon Lindelof, and Carlton Cuse, *Lost* was a huge hit during its six seasons (2004-2010). The show followed the survivors of a plane crash who were stranded on a mysterious island with strange forces and dangerous inhabitants. Attempts to recapture the magic of *Lost* have been made repeatedly, but rarely with lasting success.

Ever since Lost finished airing in May 2010, it’s been a major inspiration for many other TV shows. Several series have attempted to capture what made Lost so popular – things like a large, interconnected cast of characters, a story that jumps around in time, a focus on mysteries and the supernatural, and the struggle to survive in unusual circumstances. However, recreating the unique appeal of Lost has proven difficult, and numerous shows that have premiered since then haven’t quite managed to become the next big hit like it. Here are ten sci-fi shows that have tried.

10) Alcatraz (2012)

Created by J.J. Abrams after the popular show *Lost* ended, *Alcatraz* featured the inmates and staff of Alcatraz prison suddenly reappearing in present-day San Francisco, despite vanishing in 1963. Like *Lost*, the show jumped between different time periods and even brought back Jorge Garcia (from *Lost*) as Dr. Diego Soto. He worked alongside Sam Neill’s Emerson Hauser and Sarah Jones’ Rebecca Madsen to find the returning prisoners. While *Alcatraz* had the potential to be the next big mystery show, it didn’t fully develop its story, focusing too much on the initial puzzle and ultimately failing to meet viewers’ hopes.

9) The I-Land (2019)

The 2019 Netflix series, *The I-Land*, follows ten strangers who find themselves on a deserted island with no memories of their past. While the show’s island setting and large cast brought *Lost* to mind, the central mystery was resolved too quickly to develop into a similarly complex, long-term story. Unlike *Lost*, which was known for its clever writing and layered plot, *The I-Land* offered a slow, confusing narrative that didn’t live up to the standard of its sci-fi inspiration.

8) The River (2012)

Originally created as a replacement show for ABC, *The River* clearly aimed to capture the same audience as *Lost*. The series followed Lincoln and Tess Cole (played by Joe Anderson and Leslie Hope) as they searched for Tess’s husband’s missing father, Dr. Emmet Cole (Bruce Greenwood), deep within a mysterious and unexplored part of the Amazon rainforest. However, with only eight episodes, the show’s storyline felt underdeveloped. The shaky, “found footage” style was also seen as a cheap trick, and ultimately contributed to its low viewership and cancellation.

7) Fringe (2008-2013)

Anna Torv played FBI Agent Olivia Dunham in the TV show *Fringe*. The show followed her as she led a team investigating strange, unexplained events, often using unconventional science, and explored the idea of a parallel universe. Like the final season of *Lost*, *Fringe* built a complex mystery, posing many questions that unfolded gradually. Fortunately, *Fringe* ran for five seasons, allowing it to reveal its secrets. Many episodes were self-contained stories that contributed to the larger, ongoing plot – a technique *Lost* also used with its flashbacks. While *Fringe* was well-received, it didn’t achieve the same level of fame or cultural impact as *Lost*.

6) La Brea (2021-2024)

The TV show *La Brea* began with a similar dramatic premise to *Lost*: a large section of Los Angeles suddenly collapsed into a giant sinkhole, leaving those caught inside stranded in a prehistoric world. The show told its story across multiple time periods, using both science fiction and magical elements to build mystery. While creator David Appelbaum has said *Lost* inspired *La Brea*, the series only ran for three seasons and received a more lukewarm reception, with reviews ranging from positive to negative.

5) The Society (2019)

A group of teenagers finds themselves completely alone in their town after everyone else vanishes. They quickly come together to build a new community and figure out how to survive on their own. The show shares similarities with *Lost*, particularly in how the survivors create their own society, but it’s set in a city instead of a tropical island. Like *Lost*, it features a large cast, a puzzling beginning, and a gradual reveal of secrets. Unfortunately, *The Society* was cancelled after just one season, leaving its central mystery unsolved and preventing it from reaching its full potential.

4) Revolution (2012-2014)

J.J. Abrams’ work on *Revolution* strongly echoes his hit show *Lost*, particularly in how both series rely on intriguing mysteries to drive the plot. While the mystery in *Revolution* was different, the show clearly aimed to capture the same sense of enigma as *Lost*. *Revolution* focused on a large group of characters and their personal stories, much like *Lost*, and even featured Elizabeth Mitchell, who starred in both shows. However, despite Mitchell’s involvement, *Revolution* didn’t achieve the same level of success.

3) FlashForward (2009-2010)

I always thought *FlashForward* was so interesting, but it really reminded me of *Lost*. It had that same big group of characters and a really complex, mind-bending mystery. Like *Lost*, it jumped around in time, revealing bits and pieces of everyone’s past and showing us glimpses of the future. What fascinated me most was how both shows wrestled with the idea of whether we truly have free will or if everything is already decided. It was fun seeing familiar faces too – Dominic Monaghan and Sonya Walger were both in *Lost*! I recently read a memo from the book’s author, Robert J. Sawyer, where he analyzed why *FlashForward* didn’t quite reach the same level of success as *Lost*, and it was a really insightful look at what could have been.

Sawyer pointed out that *FlashForward* moved past its initial disaster surprisingly quickly, unlike *Lost*, which spent a long time focusing on the plane crash – arguably until the survivors started living in the caves. He also felt the show didn’t explore the flashforwards of characters beyond the main group, which made the global disaster seem less impactful. Sawyer even suggested a dramatic possibility: that the flashforward in the season one finale could have actually killed anyone *not* wearing a QED ring, allowing season two to become more similar to *Lost* with a smaller, more focused story. However, the show never went in that direction.

2) The 100 (2014-2020)

The TV show *Lost* wrapped up at the right time, even though its finale sparked debate, ultimately giving fans a sense of closure. In contrast, *The 100* didn’t know when to end, and many viewers felt it went on for too long. *The 100* began with a group of young offenders returning to Earth nearly a century after a nuclear disaster, where they had to build a new society, encounter dangerous inhabitants, and simply survive. Though the show featured a strong ensemble cast, including Henry Ian Cusick, who previously played Desmond Hume on *Lost*, *The 100* stretched its plots too thin and didn’t fully develop its characters’ stories.

1) Manifest (2018-2023)

From the beginning, *Manifest* shared similarities with *Lost*: passengers on Montego Air Flight 828 experienced a time jump of five years during a flight. When they returned, they found they had strange abilities to foresee events, and had to figure out what happened to them while also adjusting to a world where everyone believed they were gone. Though the show blended supernatural mysteries with relatable human stories over four seasons, and was initially cancelled by NBC before being continued on Netflix for a final season, it never quite reached the same level of popularity as *Lost*.

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2025-09-18 21:36