Collider has published a listicle highlighting sci-fi television shows the writer feels have been unfairly overshadowed by the cultural impact of "Lost", the ABC series that popularised the "mystery box" storytelling format of interlocking mysteries and complex mythology. The piece argues that while newer favourites such as "Dark" and "Severance" are sometimes considered superior to "Lost", the eight shows featured are excellent in their own right but never achieved the same level of mainstream recognition.

Among the entries discussed are "Taken" (2002), a Spielberg-produced miniseries spanning generations and an alien encounter narrative condensed into just 10 episodes; "Westworld" (2016–2022), HBO's ambitious series praised for its first season and production values despite later losing narrative focus; and "The OA" (2016–2019), a Netflix original noted for its cult following. The full list totals eight shows, though the remaining five titles are not detailed in the available excerpt.