Fans of Yellowjackets absolutely must watch this 21-year-old sci-fi survival show that has defined the genre for decades. Yellowjackets, which began in 2021, proved to be incredibly popular, with a current 92% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes and Yellowjackets season 4 already in the works.
There are many aspects of Yellowjackets that have made it such a success, from the brilliant performances by the Yellowjackets cast of characters to the air of mystery in the show, not to mention how harrowing the characters’ survival plot is. Yet, all these factors make one iconic survival show a must-watch for Yellowjackets fans.
Lost Is The Quintessential TV Survival Drama
Released in 2004, Lost remains one of the most well-known survival shows of all time, and its lasting impact on TV shows, particularly those involving survival, sci-fi elements, and mystery box approaches, is evident. Although Lost is, on the surface, the story of a group of people who survived a plane crash (similar to Yellowjackets), it became so much more.
With risk-taker J.J. Abrams at the helm, Lost became a mind-bending exploration of a mysterious island with centuries of history as a place of violence, scientific anomalies, and eventually god-like beings as well. In addition to that, Lost featured characters with true depth and complex dynamics, all of which made it feel like something truly new.
Like Yellowjackets, The Supernatural Plays A Big Role In Lost
Although it took several seasons for Lost to get to some of its most bizarre choices, it was clear in the very first episode that this island wasn’t what it seemed and was far from being a typical deserted island. Even in the pilot, the survivors of Oceanic Flight 815 had already gotten their first exposure to the Smoke Monster.
These sci-fi elements of Lost are one direct connection between this show and Yellowjackets, as the latter contains plenty of the supernatural as well. In fact, the opening scene of Yellowjackets, with a character running terrified through the wilderness as haunting sounds seem to follow her, is highly reminiscent of Lost.
Lost Is Divisive But Still Deserves Its Icon Status
It’s true that Lost is not without its criticisms. For example, the Lost finale remains controversial (although that is frequently due to a misconception that the characters were dead the whole time, which is not the case). More significant criticisms of the show often relate to the unsolved mysteries in Lost, resulting from the mystery box style of the story.
Even so, Lost is iconic for a reason, and it’s truly a fun watch. In particular, fans of Yellowjackets will enjoy the survival storyline and mysterious nature of Lost, and, if they haven’t already, should give the show a chance.
