8 Mystery Shows Better Than Lost

As one of the most iconic mysteries of all time, Lost has found its place in television history, but there are definitely mystery shows that are better than ABC’s most divisive hit of the 2000s. Lost, which was created by Jeffrey Lieber, J. J. Abrams, and Damon Lindelof, debuted in 2004 and captivated audiences for the rest of the decade. Whether you watched the series from its earliest moments or jumped in later on, the series was always in the public consciousness, especially for premieres, sweeps episodes, and finales. The massive, supernatural mystery that Lost was built on was ever-changing.

While Lost has gone on to become one of the most revered shows of its time, the series faced a ton of criticism while it was on the air, and plot holes are far easier to spot in hindsight. Regardless of what people have found to be wrong with the series, it created an incredibly compelling mystery that was rooted in a disaster story, and continued to twist and turn throughout its six-season run. Blending classic mystery and modern quirks, Lost was a show that took inspiration from others and inspired future series, pushing for better shows to follow.

8

True Detective

An anthology series that follows intense investigations, True Detective is an HBO series that premiered in 2014. A tremendous first season proved that the format of the series, which crossed through multiple timelines, worked well for audiences. The first season of the show starred Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey, giving the series a bit of cache from the start, with both actors leveraging their star power in the roles.

Each season of True Detective has featured a different case and a different cast, keeping things fresh as it has moved through its stories. While Lost features heavy supernatural elements to make its core mystery more mysterious, True Detective focuses on the meticulous work that comes with unraveling a tightly wound mystery. The series is able to use layered clues that develop through time in order to make its mysteries compelling, focusing on logical shock over spectacle.

Release Date

January 12, 2014

Network

HBO Max

Showrunner

Nic Pizzolatto

7

Watchmen

Credit: MovieStillsDB

HBO’s Watchmen, created by Damon Lindelof who produced and wrote on Lost, was a gritty adaptation of the hit graphic novel by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. Introducing new mystery elements into the pre-existing world, Watchmen starred Regina King as Angela Abar, putting her in a fascinating role that helped shift her career in an intense moment of cultural change.

Watchmen’s comparisons to Lost often surround the fact that Lindelof was a creative force behind both shows, with some explaining that Watchmen represents the best lessons Lindelof learned from making Lost. With several mysteries at play throughout Watchmen, the plot could’ve easily become convoluted or difficult to follow, but the series was able to connect its threads without issue. The ambitious storytelling behind Watchmen makes it a far more balanced series than Lost.

Release Date

March 6, 2009

Runtime

163 minutes

Director

Zack Synder

• 

  Malin Akerman

  Laurie Jupiter / Silk Spectre II

• 

  Dan Dreiberg / Nite Owl II

6

Stranger Things

Credit: Courtesy of Netflix

As one of Netflix’s biggest original series, Stranger Things premiered in 2016 and took the streaming platform by storm. A large-scale supernatural series that feels deeply cinematic in its storytelling, the series follows a group of friends in Hawkins, Indiana as they investigate a series of strange events stemming from their friend’s disappearance. Through a sprawling story told over five seasons, Stranger Things investigates the mysterious Upside Down, a parallel dimension that changes their lives.

While Stranger Things and Lost both feature mystery box storytelling, encouraging their viewers to think and theorize about what the hidden mystery of the show truly is, Stranger Things takes a slightly different approach to their narrative overall, which ultimately solves some of Lost’s biggest problems. By using its core cast of characters to solidify a narrative beneath the supernatural elements, Stranger Things has a clearer understanding than lost of where it’s headed, which makes it stronger.

Release Date

2016 – 2025-00-00

Network

Netflix

Showrunner

Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer

• 
  

5

Black Mirror

Another anthology series that changes from episode to episode rather than season to season, Black Mirror debuted in 2011, showing the dark side of a technology-heavy life. With each episode of the series telling an encapsulated story, the show has been able to visit different tropes and devices, making it a truly unique experience. With massive stars and emerging talents working together through different episodes to build a tremendous series, Black Mirror is an exciting anthology.

While Black Mirror and Lost likely appear to be completely different in nature, both shows feature a deep sense of darkness surrounding their core subject material. Lost, as it isn’t an anthology, has a dark core story that does feature moments of hopeful or light for its characters. Black Mirror, on the other hand, weaves compelling, dark mysteries that are intense and typically offer payoff within the span of an episode. Because of its definitive nature, Black Mirror is the superior mystery.

Release Date

December 4, 2011

Network

Channel 4, Netflix

Showrunner

Charlie Brooker

• 
  

• 
  

4

Dark

A German series that ran the course of three seasons from 2017 through 2020, Netflix’s Dark is one of its most compelling mysteries. The series begins with a child’s disappearance in a small town, but it gradually evolves into something so intricate and intense that viewers are often shocked by the depth of the show’s lore. Dark involves time travel and interconnected generations, spanning through a family’s deep, dark history.

Executing a similar style to Lost, Dark is one of the shows that is most frequently compared to the 2000s hit as a modern approximation. While Dark’s story is a tighter, more even-paced one that was constructed tightly prior to the three-season run, Lost has similar elements of supernatural mystery that crop up throughout the series. Although Lost likely had to shift and move throughout its production, Dark’s ability to stick to its narrative upfront makes it a better show overall.

Release Date

2017 – 2020

Network

Netflix

Showrunner

Jantje Friese

• 

  Louis Hofmann

  Jonas Kahnwald

• 

  Lisa Vicari

  Martha Nielsen

• 
  

3

Fringe

As a series that was on the air at the same time as Lost, Fringe’s similarities to the ABC show don’t stop at their timeline. A series created by J. J. Abrams along with Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, Fox’s Fringe follows FBI agent Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv) as she teams up with scientist Walter Bishop (John Noble) and his son Peter Bishop (Joshua Jackson) as they explore unexplained phenomena, with the show’s mythology expanding well beyond the standard procedural.

Created in the wake of Lost’s success, Fringe was able to take the lessons learned from the original hit and put them into practice in real-time. With a tight mythology and an in-depth understanding of the characters, the world, and the changes of the universe they were facing, Fringe creates a compelling mystery with several shifts throughout the 5-season series. Its attention to detail, and its reward for viewers noticing that attention, makes the series superior to its predecessor.

Release Date

2008 – 2013-00-00

Network

FOX

Showrunner

Jeff Pinkner

• 

  Joshua Jackson

  Peter Bishop

• 

2

Twin Peaks

A mystery wrapping itself in a dozen other mysteries, Twin Peaks is one of the best mystery shows of all time. The series begins focusing on the death of Twin Peaks teen Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee), but as the investigation cracks wide open, FBI agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) finds he has far more to understand about the town, its residents, and what’s been happening to them. Transforming TV storytelling, Twin Peaks is a one-of-a-kind series.

While Lost definitely took lessons from Twin Peaks, there was very little chance that the 2000s phenomenon would be able to top it. The series made itself known quickly with its aesthetics and quirky characters, but Twin Peaks, at its core, is a tightly wound long-term mystery that was well-designed from early on. Without time to spin out of control because of its short run, Twin Peaks remains one of the best mysteries of all time.

Release Date

1990 – 2017-00-00

Showrunner

Mark Frost

1

The Leftovers

Another series created by a Lost alum, The Leftovers is a three-season series created by Damon Lindelof and Tom Perrotta, who wrote the novel that the series is based on. Focused on those who are left behind after a supernatural event causes 2% of the population to suddenly disappear, The Leftovers explores the psychological trauma that its cast experiences, as well as the investigation into the mystery of the show itself.

While Lost and The Leftovers definitely share a lot of DNA, the latter show is able to move through its story in a more painstakingly intense way. Though Lost had many moments that felt like a gut punch because of their heaviness, The Leftovers leans into those moments and really wrings them out. Emphasizing grief, faith, and human connection, The Leftovers’ mystery is often more compelling than Lost’s because of its rich humanity.

Release Date

2014 – 2017-00-00

Showrunner

Damon Lindelof

Writers

Damon Lindelof, Tom Perrotta

• 

•