15 shows to watch after you binge Lost

There’s an old rule in TV that when a show becomes a hit, you’re going to see copycats. So when Lost exploded onto TV screens as a monster success in 2004, it’s no shock that networks were quick to copy it. Sadly, too many of these would-be clones couldn’t come close to Lost’s success, failing to make their mythology or storytelling compelling enough for viewers and the majority didn’t last one season.

Yet there are a number of shows that can appeal to Lost fans. Most are pretty blatant in the setup of folks traveling and somehow trapped in a strange place. Others utilize some great mythology and are backed by a terrific cast to work well. With Lost on Netflix again, it’s time to enjoy the best of shows inspired by it, and these 15 shows definitely appeal to anyone who loves Lost’s unique storytelling style. 

Once Upon a Time

It’s easy to forget that when Once Upon a Time debuted in 2011, few gave it a chance. A storyline mixing fairy tale characters cursed to forget their identities in a small town with little-known actors? The doubts were huge but the series ended up becoming a surprise smash. That first season was terrific in the twists and turns, while the next six still provided lots of magic, backed by that superb cast (especially Lana Parrilla as Regina aka the Evil Queen).

Each season amplifies the thrills with trips to Neverland, Wonderland, Oz, and more. It brings in scores of characters, including those from Frozen, with fun special effects to boot. The mythology gets deeper and more complex, with romances and changes abounding. Even the controversial last season had some good story in it. Of all the Lost clones, this was one of the best, and it's still a magical series to enjoy.

Streaming on Disney+

Manifest

Originally airing on NBC and then on Netflix, this series has a fantastic hook. A plane takes off from Jamaica in 2013, but when it lands in New York, the passengers are stunned to discover it’s now 2018. As they adjust to a world that’s moved on, they also wonder just what happened to them. They also realize they’re having strange “callings” that push them to help others. The time travel turn is a unique one, and the series does a stellar job of capturing it. 

The cast also helps with each season amping up the mysteries and action with a plot that even includes Noah’s Ark of all things. It can get nuttier as it goes on and the jump to Netflix changes some of the production. However, it did wrap up with a finale answering all questions and thus remained a series that took off well and stuck the landing for a fun ride. 

Streaming on Netflix

Heroes

Heroes sadly lands near the top of lists of “shows that were great in the first season but then fell apart.” However, that reputation isn’t totally justified as the last three seasons may not have reached the heights of the first, but still had some good plots. The idea of people suddenly blessed with powers was intriguing and the first season had a layered mythology and plentiful twists to rival Lost at its best.

It was helped by that stellar cast of now-famous names like Hayden Panettiere, Milo Ventimiglia, Masi Oka, and Zachary Quinto, whose murderous Sylar was one of the scariest villains on television. It may have faltered in the later run, yet it still had some compelling turns on the powers and was building up to a better finale when it was axed. If nothing else, that first season alone should be respected for its amazing power of storytelling.

Streaming on Peacock

Yellowjackets

One of Showtime’s hottest series in years, this starts off much like Lost as a plane of female soccer players crashes in the woods in 1996. 25 years later, the survivors are still coping with what they did then as some secrets of that ordeal are haunting them. The timelines bounce back and forth, exposing some shocking turns and the truth of one incident can be jarring.

The actresses are terrific in both eras with Christina Ricci, Juliette Lewis and Melanie Lynskey in the present while the younger stars do a fine job showcasing them in the past. It’s stunning to see how these women changed and it’s clear every one of them was broken by this experience. Each season is a dark ride to be sure but also a fascinating one that draws you in wonderfully.

Streaming on Showtime

The Wilds

This show looks like a mix of Lost and Yellowjackets as a plane of teenage girls crashes on an island. They struggle to survive with flashbacks showing their lives beforehand and the secrets they carry. What sets it apart is that the whole thing is a grand experiment with the girls being watched by a shadowy organization with flash-forwards of a possible rescue.

Season 2 adds a new cast of boys and deepens the mystery of why this is all happening. It’s a compelling story with some dark turns in the flashbacks, backed by good actors. It’s a bit of a shame it ended after two seasons with so many questions unanswered, but it does showcase some strong stuff right up the alley of any Lost fan.

Streaming on Prime Video 

Westworld

Another show that was a sensation in its first season only to drop in popularity afterward, this HBO remake of the 1970s sci-fi movie is still a great watch. In the future, visitors can experience a theme park based on the Old West populated by robots that look and act like real people. When some of those androids start gaining independence, it sets the stage for a wild war. The first season is genius in storytelling, complete with a shocking twist regarding one main character and the time period we’ve been watching.

True, season 3 is a major comedown in storytelling as the move into the real world doesn’t work as well as one hoped, and season 4 is too convoluted, which led to the show's cancellation. Yet the actors are still stellar, especially Evan Rachel Wood and Thandie Newton who justly won an Emmy for the role of Maeve. That first year deserves attention and it's little wonder it was a sensation as the type of complex storytelling only HBO can provide. 

Streaming on Max

The 100

This CW series may well be the best sci-fi show the network has ever produced. A century after a nuclear war ravaged Earth, the survivors live in a space station. They decide to send 100 juvenile criminals to the planet to see if it’s habitable. As it turns out, not only is it, but there are also scores of tribes with their own power plays in mind. Rather than the typical CW teen melodrama, we get some violent and moody storytelling.

The show is truly daring with major characters being killed off over its run and a deepening mythology. Eliza Taylor is terrific as heroine Clarke while the rest of the characters provide some good work, too. The 100's run all the way to its remarkable finale makes this arguably the most underrated sci-fi show of the last decade that deserves more watch.

Streaming on Netflix

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The fact this stars Lost’s Harold Perrineau makes it a good candidate for this list. He’s the self-appointed sheriff and mayor of a small township in Middle America that looks like a great place to stay…until you find out you can never leave. When a family is trapped, they soon discover the town is surrounded by woods packed with deadly creatures. 

Just what is happening with this town is the crux of the series as the society grown in its limits are divided along social and even religious lines. There are some dark turns and character deaths and it’s often scarier what we don’t see with the threats in the forest. It’s a highly underrated show that more than lives up to Lost’s legacy in terms of wild thrills. 

Streaming on MGM+

Dark

This German series has become a huge hit on Netflix and it’s not hard to see why. It begins with children vanishing from a small village in what looks like a typical kidnapping case. It soon grows into time travel with multiple periods shown off and parallel worlds. It's all tied to four families who have some serious issues. 

The show is captivating with an incredible mood and gorgeous cinematography pushing it on. The actors are also top-notch, and the storyline goes in directions you’re never ready for. It’s a terrific show that fits its title and is one that any Lost fan can enjoy.

Streaming on Netflix

Silo

A big recent success on Apple TV+, this adaptation of the novel takes place in a future where Earth has somehow been rendered uninhabitable. Survivors reside in a massive underground city that barely seems held together. After a friend dies, an engineer (Rebecca Ferguson) is on a quest for the truth that uncovers a lot of secrets, including what’s really happened on the outside.

The show balances different timelines and builds up the multiple mysteries, with Ferguson being terrific in the lead role. There’s also Tim Robbins in a strong supporting part with other characters and a gut punch of a season 1 finale. Season 2 should only make it better to mark another top sci-fi drama for Apple TV+

Streaming on Apple TV+

Wayward Pines

FOX has a history of shows that fly under the radar but kudos to them for taking a chance on this series in the first place. Any show from the twisted mind of M. Night Shyamalan is going to be weird and this is in spades. Season 1 has Matt Dillon as a Secret Service agent who wakes up in a strange town where a former ally (Carla Gugino) acts like she’s a longtime resident and no one can leave. It’s already strange even before the wild twist that makes it better.

Season 2 has a new cast of characters led by Jason Patric with an even more daring plot and building on the strange storyline. To say more would be spoiling what makes it so good as both seasons combine for a wonderful underrated horror thriller that was one of the cooler FOX shows of the 2010s.

Streaming on Hulu

The Ark

In the midst of its second season, this Syfy series deserves a lot more eyes on it. A century in the future, a ship is taking colonists from a ruined Earth to a new planet. A massive disaster hits that kills pretty much the entire senior staff and almost all technicians. In other words, anyone who knew how to handle the mission is dead, leaving the rest of the low-level crew members to figure out what to do.

Rather than pull together, the crew is soon bickering among themselves over power, resources, and whether to keep going to return to Earth. The conflict heats up as suspicions fall on just what caused this and season 2 delves more into the battle of the survivors. It’s more sci-fi yet still a good choice for those who enjoy a tale of survivors soon clashing with a major turn at the end.

Season 1 is streaming on Peacock. Season 2 is airing on Syfy.

The Leftovers

Produced by Lost’s Damon Lindelof, this HBO series was a massive critical favorite. It takes place a couple of years after 2% of the world’s population (roughly 140 million people) vanishes without warning. Those left behind continue to mourn them while wondering what happened to them as some cults grow, including the bizarre Guilty Remnant. The first season can be a bit too dark and moody yet it's worth watching.

Season 2 is much better, the writing is sharper and the focus on the various character developments and moving on after this tragedy. The cast is wonderful with Justin Theroux and especially Carrie Coon, who really deserved Emmy consideration for her turn. The ending is one of the best of any sci-fi series and it helps that it goes out with just 28 episodes rather than dragging things out. Its own following proves this show is a more than worthy follow-up to Lindelof’s more famous series.

Streaming on Max

Snowpiercer

Finally releasing its long-awaited fourth and final season, this TNT/AMC show nicely expands on the 2014 movie. An attempt to stop global warming backfires and sends Earth into a new Ice Age. The survivors are on a train circling the world where the rich live in luxury while the poor are stuck in the back. It’s not long before the class warfare erupts into full rebellion.

The second season amps it up with another train and Sean Bean making a fantastic villain. It also introduces a subplot of possible survivors and more compelling clashes. The final season should bring this amazing journey to a close and top off a fantastic futuristic series that puts the Lost feel on tracks.

Seasons 1-3 are streaming on AMC+. Season 4 is airing on AMC.

Class Of ‘07

Wrapping up with a show that’s a lot funnier than others, this Prime Video Australian series puts a fun spin on “split off from society.” After becoming a laughing stock for her appearance on a dating show, a scientist (Emily Browning) cuts herself off from society only to discover a massive tidal wave is about to crush Australia. As fate would have it, she stumbles on her all-girls high school reunion just as the wave hits.

While the focus should be on the girls finding ways to survive and get back to what’s left of civilization, it’s not long before old grudges and secrets start coming up and the ladies divide right back into the old high school cliques. It’s hilarious at times with Browning, Megan Smart and Caitlin Stasey topping the terrific cast. The ending is also fun, so this deserves a watch to show how even the end of the world can’t get folks to change from their high school lives.

Streaming on Prime Video

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