Lost (ABC)

Take a couple of handfuls of survivors -- some family, mostly strangers -- crash them onto an island with a traumatic plane wreck, and give them little sign of hope, a mystery in the jungle, and no sign of rescue; add a pinch of Gilligan's Island, a smidge of Survivor, a sprinkle of grown-up Goonies, a dab of 24, and a generous serving of originality to taste. This is what being LOST is all about. Each episode adds a building block to the mystery surrounding the survivors. Viewers are slowly introduced to each character's past via flashbacks to what led them onto the fictitious Oceanic Airlines Flight 815 -- and, eventually, to the island. Slowly, viewers discover that the characters' fate was no accident, and there are connections between the remaining passengers.

The show's interlocking puzzle of characters, secrets, and endless discoveries can make for an enticing family drama. Lost could be considered the TV version of a board game. There are compelling questions left at the end of each episode and vast amounts of room for interpretation. The blend of mystery and drama in Lost is enthralling and tends to overshadow the violence that occurs along the way.