Lost (TV series)

Lost is an American science fiction adventure drama television series created by Jeffrey Lieber, J. J. Abrams, and Damon Lindelof that aired on ABC from September 22, 2004, to May 23, 2010, with a total of 121 episodes over six seasons. It contains elements of supernatural fiction and follows the survivors of Oceanic Airlines flight 815 (flying between Sydney and Los Angeles) after the plane crashes on a mysterious island somewhere in the South Pacific Ocean. Episodes typically feature a primary storyline set on the island, augmented by flashback or flashforward sequences which provide additional insight into the involved characters.

Lindelof and Carlton Cuse served as showrunners and were executive producers along with Abrams and Bryan Burk. Inspired by the 2000 film Cast Away, the show is told in a heavily serialized manner. Due to its large ensemble cast and the cost of filming primarily on location in Oahu, Hawaii, the series was one of the most expensive on television, with the pilot alone costing over $14 million. The fictional universe and mythology of Lost were expanded upon by a number of related media—most importantly a series of mini-episodes, called Missing Pieces, and a 12-minute epilogue called "The New Man in Charge".

Lost has regularly been ranked by critics as one of the greatest television series of all time. The first season had an estimated average of 16 million viewers per episode on ABC. During the sixth and final season, the show averaged over 11 million U.S. viewers per episode. Nevertheless, the series finale received a strongly polarized reaction from both fans and TV critics alike.