One of TV's best-ever sci-fi shows comes to Netflix soon – 20 years after its debut

Netflix gets Lost

Lost (screengrab)
(Image credit: Bad Robot)

Netflix is adding one of the biggest, most popular and most talked-about sci-fi shows of the 21st century to its streaming library (in the US) very soon, confirming that it might be the best streaming service for nostalgic TV. 

Lost is coming to the streaming platform in its entirety on 1 July, offering the chance to sink into the paranoid world of this ragtag group of survivors as they fight to stay alive after crash-landing on a mysterious island. 

Episode one of Lost first premiered way back in 2004, if you can believe that it's 20 years old already. And if you're blissfully unaware and missed it, then now's your chance to get your teeth into one of the best-rated sci-fi series ever to grace TV – now in boxset format!

Lost was pretty much a sensation from the moment it debuted, with a first episode that goes absolutely gangbusters thanks to an immersive and explosive plane crash sequence that isn't even finished once the survivors are on the ground. From there, the journey is only really just beginning, as those survivors band together (or try to).

Amazingly, Lost sustained its good reviews for many years, too, with all of its first five seasons coming out with roughly similar Rotten Tomatoes scores from critics, and some scraping the top of the 90% range. 

Where things got a little more controversial was when the show's ending rolled around, but after dozens and dozens of episodes of interesting setups, twists and shocks, it was always going to be hard to please everyone as it wrapped up. 

We won't go into details since plenty of people won't have ever watched it, but suffice it to say that you'll have fun coming up with some theories about how things are going to end, and some of you might well end up being right on the money. 

With seasons that stretched to huge 25-episode totals, there's also loads of Lost to enjoy, since it's from a time before prestige TV shows were almost exclusively eight-to-10 episodes per season. There are also some real stars to see in their younger days, or in smaller parts than you might think, from Evangeline Lilly to Dominic Monaghan. 

So, if you've ever been curious to check out Lost, you're about to get the perfect chance, with just under a month left before Netflix has the whole show streaming for you. And if you don't think it's sci-fi at first, you'll soon change your mind...

Max Freeman-Mills

Max is a freelance writer with years of experience in tech and entertainment. He's also a gaming expert, both with the games themselves and in testing accessories and consoles, having flexed that expertise at Pocket-lint as a features editor. He has tested all manner of tech too, from headphones and speakers to apps and software.