5 Sci-Fi Shows That Wished They Were Lost

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Since its debut in 2004, Lost has been widely copied by other television shows. The series, which followed plane crash survivors unraveling mysteries on a remote island, quickly became a global phenomenon. While many fans were disappointed with how the show ended, Lost ultimately surpassed even its own popularity and is remembered as a groundbreaking series. It’s often credited with changing the way television stories are told, moving away from self-contained episodes and towards larger, season-long narratives. Because of this, Lost remains one of the most important and influential shows in television history.

The huge popularity of Lost explains why so many TV shows have tried to capture its appeal ever since it ended. Many have failed to live up to the original, while others have found success but haven’t quite matched Lost‘s intense and mysterious atmosphere. Several science fiction shows have attempted to follow in its footsteps, with varying degrees of success.

5) Travelers (Netflix, 2016-2018)

As a total movie and TV buff, I have to say that Netflix’s Travelers is one of the best time travel shows ever made, and it’s seriously slept on. The premise is so clever: it’s set in the future after the world has basically ended, and these survivors figure out a way to send their consciousness back in time, inhabiting other people’s bodies to try and change things and prevent that future from happening. It only ran for three seasons and 34 episodes, which is a real shame, because it was canceled way too soon.

Travelers had the potential to be as popular as Lost, with its intriguing story and many mysteries. Unfortunately, it didn’t attract a large enough audience. Despite its quality, low ratings ultimately led to its cancellation, preventing it from fully realizing its potential.

4) Under the Dome (CBS, 2013-2015)

While Stephen King’s stories have inspired many successful films, fewer of his works have become memorable TV shows. One example is Under the Dome, which aired on CBS from 2013 to 2015. The show started with good ratings, but viewership dropped significantly in its second and third seasons.

One major reason Under the Dome didn’t achieve the same success as Lost was declining viewership. While both shows shared similar elements – a core mystery and a focus on characters trying to survive – Under the Dome just didn’t grab audiences in the same way. Perhaps adapting a Stephen King novel, instead of creating an original story like Lost, contributed to this, as it couldn’t quite recreate the same level of excitement and intrigue.

3) FlashForward (ABC, 2009-2010)

Among all the sci-fi shows that ended too soon, FlashForward is particularly memorable. The show began with a strange occurrence: everyone on Earth briefly saw two minutes of their lives six months in the future. The story then followed various characters as they tried to figure out what caused this event and what their visions meant.

It’s a shame that FlashForward didn’t become the next Lost. The show started strong with a compelling mystery and kept viewers hooked right away. Because the creators didn’t know it was cancelled, the first season ended on a frustrating cliffhanger, promising more story that unfortunately never materialized. With a continuation, FlashForward had the potential to be as successful and similar to Lost, but it wasn’t meant to be.

2) Manifest (NBC, 2018-2021 & Netflix, 2022-2023)

The show Manifest came close to capturing the magic of Lost and achieved considerable popularity. It originally aired on NBC in 2018, running for three seasons before being cancelled. Luckily, Netflix revived it for a fourth and final season. The series centers around the passengers and crew of a plane that mysteriously reappears after being missing for over five years.

The show Manifest heavily borrowed from the storyline of Lost. However, Lost was known for its many surprising twists, which eventually led viewers to become less interested in shows with constant turns. Manifest couldn’t achieve the same level of popularity, despite finding some success of its own, and never quite reached the heights of Lost’s initial buzz.

1) The 100 (The CW, 2014-2020)

The sci-fi series The 100, which premiered in 2014, was a major hit, running for seven seasons and 100 episodes – a testament to its popularity. While successful, it didn’t quite achieve the same level of cultural impact as Lost, despite sharing some common themes.

The show The 100, about 100 young criminals sent to a devastated Earth after a nuclear disaster, had a lot in common with Lost. Both shows centered on the relationships between characters, the struggle to survive, and unexpected sci-fi elements. However, The 100 didn’t quite live up to the standard set by Lost. While it wasn’t a bad show, it’s another sci-fi series that aimed to replicate Lost‘s success without achieving it.

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2025-11-09 19:42