22 Years Later, ‘Lost’ Does 1 Thing Better Than Every Other TV Show

Several decades after Lost premiered in 2004, there is still one major reason why the series holds up. Most fans have a pretty complicated relationship with the sci-fi series. We remember the joy (and pain) of watching the iconic pilot episode, which finds the survivors of Oceanic Flight 815 stranded on a creepy island. There are other high points, like Hurley’s (Jorge Garcia) lottery storyline (those numbers still haunt us), and the bonds that the main characters form.

Unfortunately, some moments still feel disappointing, and fans still have a long list of questions. Was the polar bear mystery explained well enough? Why did the show have to end on such a corny note? You might feel that the six-season sci-fi series has plot holes and an upsetting ending. Or perhaps it remains a favorite series, and rewatching is still a rich experience. Skipping the Season 3 episode “Exposé” is always a good idea, though. Either way, there’s one perfect thing about Lost that can’t be ignored.

No Other TV Show Can Match the Incredible Flashbacks on ‘Lost’

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Ignoring the polar bears, unpopular (an understatement) series finale, and any other element that still angers fans, Lost is still impressive because of its unforgettable flashback scenes. The show’s storytelling would be pretty vague, generic, and boring without them. Sure, it’s exciting to see the characters on the island, especially since they learn they’re not alone, meet the Others, and find the Hatch by the end of Season 1. But it’s even more exciting to find out who they were before this shocking tragedy.

Imagine what Lost would be like without these emotional flashbacks. In Season 1 alone, we find out Sayid Jarrah (Naveen Andrews) helps Nadia Jaseem (Andrea Gabriel), his friend from when they were young, whom he’s in love with, when he’s supposed to hurt her. Jack Shepherd’s (Matthew Fox) complex relationship with his father, Christian (John Terry), is explored. Hurley’s numbers are also introduced, and that’s an important part of his arc since they ruin his life, allowing the show to explore mental health and questions of fate. But perhaps the most striking flashback is when a psychic lets pregnant Claire Littleton (Emilie de Ravin) know that something might happen to her baby in the future.

Just try not to feel a chill run down your spine when you remember Claire’s anxiety over her unborn baby and the terrible plotline when the Others kidnap her son. This flashback not only shares the beginning of Claire’s motherhood journey and her determination to find happiness for herself and her son, but it also makes the island feel even more frightening and dreadful.

When fans think about Lost, they might remember the Dharma Initiative and all the complex surprises that the island has in store for the characters. But can anyone forget about these crucial flashbacks? Besides Claire’s emotional backstory, viewers also learn that John Locke’s (Terry O’Quinn) long-lost father tricked him into donating a kidney and then disappeared in Season 1, Episode 19, “Deus Ex Machina.” It’s not quite as horrible as Charlie Pace’s (Dominic Monaghan) death scene (ugh), but it’s still one of the most brutal moments of the entire series. It also makes the finale work at least a little bit since it makes us think about how the characters have created their own family for themselves. Since so many of them had traumatic childhoods and disappointing relatives, it’s nice to think that they found safety and peace with each other. You know, when they weren’t running from the Others or trying to escape the island.

However, instead of getting rid of the flashbacks after Season 1 or simply repeating the same formula, the rest of Lost makes them even more interesting, creative, and haunting. Season 2 continues Hurley’s fascinating lottery story arc, and Season 3 shares a smart connection between Claire and Jack. The Lost Season 6 “flash sideways” might not be overwhelmingly popular… but they make viewers think, and they feel fresh.

Since most don’t love Lost Season 6, it might not be considered a sci-fi series that improves every season. Still, those early flashbacks make us feel everything that the characters have gone through deeply and intensely. Now that we know all about their sadness, dashed hopes, and insecurities, their intense journey on the island means a lot more. Do they want to get home? Do they actually want to stay on the island because of everything they’ve found there? There aren’t any simple answers here. When other TV shows introduce flashbacks, it’s easy to groan and wonder if there was another way to tell this specific story. In contrast, the flashbacks on Lost are beautiful.