Before Directing ‘Star Wars,’ J.J. Abrams Created This Genre-Defining Sci-Fi That Is Now a Hit On Netflix

Twenty years ago, television changed forever. In September, ABC debuted the very first episode of Lost, a drama and mystery series that became an instant hit due to a series of factors. Produced and co-created by J.J. Abrams — who later went on to direct and produce the Star Wars sequels — the series launched the careers of actors like Evangeline Lilly (Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania) and Josh Holloway (Yellowstone) and now is getting re-discovered on Netflix.

Lost chronicled the day-to-day lives of the survivors of Oceanic flight 815, which crashed on an island in the middle of nowhere. Apart from having to learn how to put their differences aside to survive the harsh environment, they all have to try to overcome their traumas in order to deal with the island itself: an eerie place full of strange events and unexpected creatures.

J.J. Abrams directed the pilot episode from Lost, which is to this day referred to as one of the best pilots that were ever made on television. The episode starts immediately after the plane crashes, and depicts the desperation of all passengers who are trying to understand what happened while helping the injured and mourning the ones that died in the crash. To add insult to injury, they start to explore the island and come across a dead polar bear, a strange radio transmission and the sound of a monster that sounds massive.

Why Was Lost So Popular?

One of the reasons why Lost became a hit on television was because viewers were desperate to find out what the heck was happening on the island and if the survivors were a part of a social experiment or not. On top of that, viewers also tuned in every week to get shocked at the show’s twists and to find out more about the characters that they came to love — each episode was centered on one character and revealed some information about their past through flashbacks, sometimes with shocking connections with the events on the island.

Lost revolutionized the way people watch TV because every new episode prompted viewers to go on forums and dissect every frame of it, aside from searching for clues about the events on the island on interviews, web episodes, games and anything that could help figure out the sort of sci-fi or magical events that were taking place on the island — and outside of it afterward. The series ran for six seasons (from 2004 to 2010) and ended with an episode that greatly divided fans’ opinions and prompts discussions to this day.

You can stream all episodes from Lost now.

Lost

Lost follows the survivors of Oceanic Flight 815, which crashes on a mysterious island in the South Pacific. The diverse group must work together to survive while uncovering the island’s many secrets, including a hidden hatch, a smoke monster, and other supernatural elements. Known for its complex narrative structure, the series includes flashbacks and flashforwards that provide deeper insights into the characters’ backstories and their lives off the island. As they navigate the island’s dangers and mysteries, the survivors form bonds and face challenges that test their limits and reveal hidden truths.

Release Date

September 22, 2004

Cast

Evangeline Lilly , Naveen Andrews , Henry Ian Cusick , Daniel Dae Kim , Harold Perrineau , Dominic Monaghan , Emilie de Ravin , Jorge Garcia , Josh Holloway , Michael Emerson , Terry O’Quinn , Matthew Fox , Ken Leung , Elizabeth Mitchell , Yunjin Kim

Seasons

6

Creator(s)

J.J. Abrams , Damon Lindelof , Jeffrey Lieber

Network

ABC

Showrunner

Damon Lindelof , Carlton Cuse

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