Netflix viewers have just weeks left to watch 'addictive' survival thriller Lost

First airing in September 2002, the show begins with the crash of Oceanic Flight 815 on a remote island in the South Pacific. 

The surviving passengers must band together to survive, but they quickly discover the island holds dark secrets – including a smoke monster, a group known as the "Others", mysterious scientific experiments and elements of time travel.

The story shifts between events on the island and a series of flashbacks that reveal the characters' pasts. 

Central figures include Jack Shephard, a troubled doctor; Kate Austen, a fugitive; John Locke, a paraplegic who mysteriously regains the ability to walk; and Sawyer, a conman with a tragic past.

With a large ensemble cast spanning the six seasons, the main stars of the show include Matthew Fox as Jack Shephard, Evangeline Lilly as Kate Austen and Josh Holloway as James "Sawyer" Ford.

Joining them are Jorge Garcia as Hugo "Hurley" Reyes, Terry O'Quinn as John Locke, Naveen Andrews as Sayid Jarrah, Daniel Dae Kim as Jin-Soo Kwon, Yunjin Kim as Sun-Hwa Kwon, Emilie de Ravin as Claire Littleton, Dominic Monaghan as Charlie Pace, Harold Perrineau as Michael Dawson, Ian Somerhalder as Boone Carlyle and Maggie Grace as Shannon Rutherford.

Lost received significant praise from critics, particularly in its early seasons, and is widely considered one of the most influential TV series of the 21st century.

The New York Times once called it "one of the best things TV has ever given us," while others revisited the series during lockdown and found it still retained the magic. 

After a rewatch, The Guardian concluded it was still "the best show ever", praising it as "a terrific character piece with some wonderfully developed love stories, some great timey-wimey stuff and, in Ben Linus, a glorious villain."

If critical acclaim isn't enough, TV audiences have long sung the praises of this beloved series.

Across its six-season run, Lost holds an impressive average Rotten Tomatoes score of 86% – with season two even earning a perfect 100%.

One fan called it "one of the most mysterious, magical shows ever presented," adding: "Nearly every episode delivered mind-blowing twists that left me transfixed and begging for more. I hated seeing it end."

Another viewer described it as "an intriguing puzzle that fills in its missing pieces with the compelling humanity of its castaways – an instantly addictive thrill ride with a big beating heart."