10 Best ‘Lost’ Episodes, Ranked
More than 20 years ago now, Lost kind of redefined what could be done on network TV, ironically not long before network TV itself kind of lost out to streaming, which took off in a big way during the 2010s. It’s fun to look back on Lost as a bit of a last hurrah for this kind of television: a show that aired every year, had episodes released weekly, and contained a high number of episodes per season (sometimes more than 20).
With six seasons and 121 episodes, any attempt to highlight the best of Lost will result in some unfortunate omissions, but that’s just the reality of doing something like this. Every episode should be watched, if you’re new to the show, but these are the best nonetheless, all serving to show what a wonderful survival/adventure/drama/sci-fi/mystery/thriller/fantasy series Lost could be. Also, two-part episodes are included here as single entries, just to make things (hopefully) less confusing, unlike Lost, which was rather gleefully willing to get more confusing as it went along.
10
“Numbers”
Season 1, Episode 18 (2005)
It’s pretty wild that it took this late into Season 1 for the beloved Hurley to get an episode entirely dedicated to him and his backstory, but better late than never. “Numbers” is also focused on one of Lost’s most enduring mysteries: those titular numbers, which are seen on the island and also played a key role in Hurley’s life before he became stranded on said island.
The flashbacks here are very engaging, as is the adventure deeper into the heart of the island that the numbers send Hurley on, in effect. Also, Locke is up to his usual vague yet intriguing chicanery, but the always fascinating linking of the past to the show’s present, all the while focusing on Hurley, is what makes “Numbers” stand out as a highlight of Lost’s first season.
9
“Live Together, Die Alone”
Season 2, Episodes 23 and 24 (2006)
Season 2 of Lost definitely complicates things, compared to Season 1, but not to the excessive extent that might’ve turned some people off the later seasons. Lost was never just about surviving on a deserted island, but that was something that proved compelling early on, with Season 2 retaining some of that feel without being quite as desperate to find things to do within the formula as Season 3 (Season 4 onwards, on the other hand, saw Lost moving away from the island, kind of, in some bizarre ways).
But to stay on Season 2, it ends pretty fantastically with the two-parter “Live Together, Die Alone,” making up one of Lost‘s very best episodes. Some people end the season in a good place, but others have their fates left up in the air, with a decent number of cliffhangers to be found by the finale’s end. But “Live Together, Die Alone” is also willing to offer some more straightforward satisfaction, including elaborating on what caused the plane crash at the beginning of the show, and suggesting more than ever before that some kind of rescue is coming.
8
“The Candidate”
Season 6, Episode 14 (2010)
To elaborate on what makes “The Candidate” a significant episode of Lost would be giving too much away. And sure, the show is old at this point, but it still feels wrong to spoil everything, given how much Lost relies on surprising viewers and subverting their expectations. So, “The Candidate” is a game-changer, and that’s maybe all that needs to be said.
Well, you could also say that it’s an underrated episode, though it does end in a way that causes a somewhat understandable level of division. It’s bold, even for an episode that occurs so late in the show’s final season, with it seemingly being designed to suggest that nothing is safe during Lost’s endgame, and that during the last four episodes to follow, well and truly anything can happen.
7
“The Man Behind the Curtain”
Season 3, Episode 20 (2007)
Okay, for all the talk just now of not spoiling anything, it does have to be said that “The Man Behind the Curtain” is mostly a great episode because of the reveals/explanations it has regarding certain things. But the title is what it is, so you have to expect that, to some extent. It’s still Lost, for better or worse, so any answers come with further questions, but you have to take what you can get.
Principally, “The Man Behind the Curtain” sheds light on Benjamin Linus, giving the enigmatic character some time in the spotlight, and the opportunity to have some prominent flashbacks for the first time. The history of the DHARMA Initiative is explored more, as a result, and there’s further information on the Others, ensuring this one is a very valuable episode. It has a pretty dynamite ending, too.
6
“Walkabout”
Season 1, Episode 4 (2004)
It’s got some serious competition, but “Walkabout” is a highlight of Season 1 for sure; if not the best episode, then certainly one of them. The focus is on Locke here, and his backstory could well be the most interesting of all the characters introduced in the first season, especially when flashbacks here reveal just how much Locke was changed by the mysterious plane crash that kick-started the whole thing.
There’s a reveal here that’s one of the first big twists of the entire show, and the way it’s done is just so perfect. Sure, the show gets considerably more high-stakes after “Walkabout” (say around the end of Season 1), but this episode is pretty much perfect, as far as early single-character-focused ones go. If it doesn’t make you fascinated in Locke for the remainder of Lost’s duration, nothing will.
5
“The Incident”
Season 5, Episodes 16 and 17 (2009)
The fifth season of Lost is a pretty messy one, considering it has two different timelines and a good chunk of the whole thing has people jumping through time. As mentioned before, Lost got really weird during its final three seasons, but at least Season 5 manages to conclude on a strong note, thanks to the excellent two-part finale “The Incident.”
The chaos that defined much of the season does get resolved here, but it comes at a cost, and then the whole thing ends in a way that just adds more intrigue… but that’s okay, considering there’s one more (also weird) season of Lost to go at this point. “The Incident” is one of Lost’s most ambitious and borderline-unwieldy hours, but for wrangling all of Season 5’s preceding events into order and delivering something emotionally satisfying right at the end, it deserves to be held up as one of the show’s best episodes.
4
“The Constant”
Season 4, Episode 5 (2008)
There’s an argument to be made that Desmond is Lost’s single best character, and the episodes centered around him and his unusual backstory often proved to be among Lost’s greatest hours. This is something that can certainly be said about “The Constant,” which is one of the rare episodes of the show that could almost be appreciated as its own thing… emphasis on “almost.”
“The Constant” isn’t self-contained by the standards of most shows, but it is by the standards of Lost, with many main characters not appearing here. It’s largely focused on Desmond and his mind-bending quest to have his consciousness stop jumping backwards and forwards in time. Lost is often heavy on sci-fi concepts, but rarely to the extent of “The Constant,” and the way a unique sort of time travel is explored here makes the episode one of the show’s very best.
3
“The End”
Season 6, Episodes 17 and 18 (2010)
Probably the hottest take here, but “The End” is honestly phenomenal as far as series finales go, and the way it gets ridiculed sometimes is ridiculous. In concluding a flawed show, there are things here that aren’t ideal, maybe, but it does sometimes feel like people were expecting answers to literally every mystery Lost brought up, and when “The End” didn’t answer everything that was still up in the air, it got hit with accusations of being unsatisfying.
What “The End” does offer is catharsis, and a fitting note to leave all the main characters – both those who died seasons ago and those still alive – on. Also, so many questions are answered either here or earlier in the sixth season, making Lost’s conclusion satisfying on multiple fronts. It’s honestly hard to imagine someone watching all six seasons of Lost and then this two-part finale without feeling at least a little moved by the whole thing emotionally.
2
“Pilot”
Season 1, Episodes 1 and 2 (2004)
What’s a better episode than the Lost finale? Why, the Lost pilot, of course, which was also eventful enough to warrant being a two-parter. This one just throws you into the action straight away, depicting the all-important plane crash in a heart-racing way. The most impactful sequences here are still harrowing when watched today, and in 2004, this was well and truly out-of-this-world stuff.
The obviously yet cleverly titled “Pilot” also does a remarkable job at introducing so many key players, and even before most of them get extensive flashbacks, you’ve already got a pretty good idea of who they are… well, to some extent. This opening episode of Lost is almost like blockbuster television, and still feels about as big as network TV ever got. It was a confident way to kick-start a show, and it’s still one of the best opening episodes of any TV drama ever made.
1
“Through the Looking Glass”
Season 3, Episodes 22 and 23 (2007)
Part of the reason why Lost is one of the best shows of the 21st century so far is because of “Through the Looking Glass.” Plain and simple. This two-parter is about as good as television gets, successfully ending a sometimes shaky season on a note that couldn’t have been stronger. There’s catharsis, tragedy, and surprise here, all in equal measure, with two sequences here (at least) probably ranking among the 10 greatest scenes in Lost history (if you know, you know).
The final scene shifts the status quo so dramatically that it really has to be seen to be believed. And, of course, to appreciate it, you need to watch the first three seasons of the show. But what a way to end things, and what a moving, intense, and heartbreaking episode overall. The pilot promised greatness (while also being great), and such greatness was never on display more prominently than it was in “Through the Looking Glass.”
