Mystery Box Show
In episodic television, the term mystery box show or puzzle box show refers to a genre of high concept fiction that features large and complex stories based on enigmatic happenings and secrets, with multiple interlocking sub-plots and sets of characters that eventually reveal an underlying mythos that binds everything together. ''Lost'' and ''The X-Files'' have been cited as early examples of mystery box TV. Other examples of the mystery box genre include ''Dark'', ''Fringe'', ''Westworld'', ''Heroes'', ''Manifest'', ''1899'' and ''Stranger Things''. J. J. Abrams and Damon Lindelof Damon Laurence Lindelof (born April 24, 1973) is an American screenwriter, comic book writer, and producer. Among his accolades, he received three Primetime Emmy Awards, from twelve nominations. In 2010, ''Time'' magazine named him one of the ... have been cited as examples of creators of multiple mystery box shows. References Television terminology Television genres {{TV-stub ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Episodic Television
In television and radio programming, a serial is a show that has a continuing plot that unfolds in a sequential episode-by-episode fashion. Serials typically follow main story arcs that span entire television seasons or even the complete run of the series, and sometimes spinoffs, which distinguishes them from episodic television that relies on more stand-alone episodes. Worldwide, the soap opera is the most prominent form of serial dramatic programming. In the UK the serial began as a direct adaptations of well known literary works, usually consisting of a small number of episodes. Serials rely on keeping the full nature of the story hidden and revealing elements episode by episode, to encourage spectators to tune in to every episode to follow the plot. Often these shows employ recapping segments at the beginning and cliffhangers at the end of each episode. The invention of recording devices such as VCRs and DVRs along with the growing popularity of streaming services has made ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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High Concept
High concept is a type of artistic work that can be easily pitched with a succinctly stated premise. It can be contrasted with ''low concept'', which is more concerned with character development and other subtleties that are not as easily summarized. The origin of the term is disputed. Terminology High-concept narratives are typically characterised by an overarching "what if?" scenario that acts as a catalyst for the following events. Often, the most popular summer blockbuster movies are built on a high-concept idea, such as "what if we could clone dinosaurs?", as in ''Jurassic Park'' or ''Air Force One'' explained as "''Die Hard'' on a plane". High-concept narratives differ from analogous narratives. In the case of the latter, a high-concept story may be employed to allow commentary on an implicit subtext. A prime example of this might be George Orwell's ''Nineteen Eighty-Four'', which asks, "What if we lived in a future of totalitarian government?" while simultaneously genera ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Lost (TV Series)
''Lost'' is an American science fiction drama television series created by Jeffrey Lieber, J. J. Abrams, and Damon Lindelof that aired on ABC from September 22, 2004, to May 23, 2010, over six seasons, comprising a total of 121 episodes. The show contains elements of supernatural fiction, and follows the survivors of a commercial jet airliner flying between Sydney and Los Angeles, after the plane crashes on a mysterious island somewhere in the South Pacific Ocean. Episodes typically feature a primary storyline set on the island, augmented by flashback or flashforward sequences which provide additional insight into the involved characters. Lindelof and Carlton Cuse serve as showrunners and are executive producers along with Abrams and Bryan Burk. Inspired by the 2000 Tom Hanks film ''Cast Away'', the show is told in a heavily serialized manner. Due to its large ensemble cast and the cost of filming primarily on location in Oahu, Hawaii, the series was one of the most expen ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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The X-Files
''The X-Files'' is an American science fiction on television, science fiction drama (film and television), drama television series created by Chris Carter (screenwriter), Chris Carter. The series revolves around Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson), who investigate X-files unit, X-Files: marginalized, unsolved cases involving paranormal phenomena. The original television series aired from September 1993 to May 2002, on Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox. The program spanned List of The X-Files episodes, nine seasons, with 202 episodes. A short The X-Files (season 10), tenth season consisting of six episodes ran from January to February 2016. Following the ratings success of this revival (television), revival, ''The X-Files'' returned for an The X-Files (season 11), eleventh season of ten episodes, which ran from January to March 2018. In addition to the television series, two feature films have been release ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Dark (TV Series)
''Dark'' is a German science fiction thriller television series co-created by Baran bo Odar and Jantje Friese. It ran for three seasons from 2017 to 2020. The story follows characters from the fictional village of Winden, Germany, as they pursue the truth in the aftermath of a child's disappearance. They follow connections between four estranged families to unravel a sinister time travel conspiracy which spans several generations. The series explores the existential implications of time and its effect on human nature. It features an ensemble cast. ''Dark'' debuted on 1 December 2017 on Netflix; it is the service's first German-language original series. The second season was released on 21 June 2019, while the third and final season was released on 27 June 2020. ''Dark'' received critical acclaim, with praise for its tone, visuals, acting, casting, musical score, and the ambition and complexity of its narrative. The series' ending also received critical praise, with many calli ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Fringe (TV Series)
''Fringe'' is an American science fiction television series created by J. J. Abrams, Alex Kurtzman, and Roberto Orci. It premiered on the Fox television network on September 9, 2008, and concluded on January 18, 2013, after five seasons comprising 100 episodes. An FBI agent, Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv); a genius but dysfunctional scientist, Walter Bishop (John Noble); and his son with a troubled past, Peter Bishop (Joshua Jackson), are all members of a newly formed Fringe Division in the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Based in Boston, Massachusetts, and under the supervision of Homeland Security, the team uses fringe science along with traditional FBI investigative techniques to investigate a series of unexplained, often ghastly occurrences, which are related to mysteries surrounding a parallel universe. The series has been described as a hybrid of fantasy, procedural dramas and serials, influenced by films like ''Altered States'' and television shows such as ''Lost'', ''T ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Westworld (TV Series)
''Westworld'' is an American dystopian science fiction western television series created by Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy for HBO. It is based on the 1973 film of the same name written and directed by Michael Crichton, and, to a lesser extent, its 1976 sequel, ''Futureworld''. The series premiered on October 2, 2016. The story begins in Westworld, a fictional, technologically advanced Wild-West-themed amusement park populated by android "hosts". The park caters to high-paying guests who may indulge their wildest fantasies within the park without fear of retaliation from the hosts, who are prevented by their programming from harming humans. Later on, the series' setting expands to the real world, in the mid-21st century, where people's lives are driven and controlled by a powerful artificial intelligence named Rehoboam. Nolan and Joy served as showrunners. The second, third and fourth season followed in April 2018, March 2020, and June 2022, respectively. Nolan and Joy planned ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Heroes (American TV Series)
''Heroes'' is an American superhero drama television series created by Tim Kring that aired on NBC for four seasons from September 25, 2006, to February 8, 2010. The series tells the stories of ordinary people who discover that they have superhuman abilities and how these abilities take effect in the characters' lives as they work together to prevent catastrophic futures. The series emulates the aesthetic style and storytelling of American comic books, using multi-episode story arcs that build upon a larger, more encompassing narrative. It was produced by Tailwind Productions in association with Universal Media Studios. It was filmed primarily in Los Angeles, California. Four complete seasons aired, ending on February 8, 2010. The critically acclaimed first season had a run of 23 episodes and garnered an average of 14.3 million viewers in the United States, receiving the highest rating for an NBC drama premiere in five years. The second season of ''Heroes'' attracted an averag ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Manifest (TV Series)
''Manifest'' is an American supernatural drama television series created by Jeff Rake that premiered on September 24, 2018, on NBC. It centers on the passengers and crew of a commercial airliner who suddenly reappear after being presumed dead for five and a half years. It stars Melissa Roxburgh, Josh Dallas, Athena Karkanis, J.R. Ramirez, Luna Blaise, Jack Messina, Parveen Kaur, Matt Long, Holly Taylor, Daryl Edwards, and Ty Doran. In October 2018, NBC ordered further episodes for the first season and subsequently renewed the series for a second season that aired in 2020, and again for a third in 2021. In June 2021, the series was canceled by NBC after three seasons. The series was added to Netflix shortly before it was canceled and immediately topped the viewing charts, persuading Netflix to renew ''Manifest'' for a fourth and final season consisting of twenty episodes, with part one premiering on November 4, 2022. Plot While traveling from Jamaica to New York City, Montego A ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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1899 (TV Series)
''1899'' is a multilingual German period mystery-science fiction television series created by Jantje Friese and Baran bo Odar. It premiered on Netflix in November 2022 and received generally favourable reviews. The series was cancelled in January 2023. Premise Set in 1899, the series follows a group of European emigrants travelling from Southampton, UK on a steamship named ''Kerberos'' to start new lives in New York City, US. Cast and characters Main * Emily Beecham as Maura Henriette Franklin/Singleton, a neurologist and one of the first female doctors in the UK, travelling alone to America * Aneurin Barnard as Daniel Solace, a mysterious man who boards the ''Kerberos''. * Andreas Pietschmann as Eyk Larsen, the ship's weather-beaten captain * Miguel Bernardeau as Ángel, a wealthy Spaniard traveling with Ramiro * José Pimentão as Ramiro, a faux Portuguese priest traveling with Ángel * Isabella Wei as Ling Yi, a mysterious young woman from Hong Kong, traveling with Yuk ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Stranger Things
''Stranger Things'' is an American science fiction horror drama television series created by the Duffer Brothers, who also serve as showrunners and are executive producers along with Shawn Levy and Dan Cohen. Produced by Monkey Massacre Productions and Levy's 21 Laps Entertainment, the first season was released on Netflix on July 15, 2016. Its second, third, and fourth seasons followed in October 2017, July 2019, and May and July 2022, respectively. In February 2022, the series was renewed for a fifth and final season. Set in the 1980s, primarily in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana, the series centers on a number of mysteries and supernatural events occurring around the town and their impact on an ensemble of child and adult characters. It stars Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Finn Wolfhard, Millie Bobby Brown, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton, Cara Buono, Matthew Modine, Noah Schnapp, Sadie Sink, Joe Keery, Dacre Montgomery, Sean Astin, ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Damon Lindelof
Damon Laurence Lindelof (born April 24, 1973) is an American screenwriter, comic book writer, and producer. Among his accolades, he received three Primetime Emmy Awards, from twelve nominations. In 2010, ''Time'' magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world. Lindelof is best known as the creator and showrunner of numerous critically acclaimed television series, such as the ABC science fiction drama series ''Lost'' (2004–2010), the HBO supernatural drama series '' The Leftovers'' (2014–2017), and the HBO superhero limited series ''Watchmen'' (2019). Lindelof was also a writer on the CBS crime drama series '' Nash Bridges'' (2000–2001) and the NBC crime drama series ''Crossing Jordan'' (2001–2004). He co-wrote the films ''Cowboys & Aliens'' (2011), ''Prometheus'' (2012), ''Star Trek Into Darkness'' (2013), ''World War Z'' (2013), and ''Tomorrowland'' (2015). Early life and education Lindelof was born in Englewood, New Jersey, the son of Susan ( ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |