Lost almost had a very unexpected spinoff, reveals star Ken Leung. Premiering on ABC in 2004 and running for six seasons, Lost famously follows the survivors of Oceanic Airlines Flight 815, which crashes on a mysterious island somewhere in the South Pacific Ocean. Though the series went off the air over a decade ago in 2010, it remains in the public consciousness due to its various unexplained mysteries, controversial ending, and all-around perplexing plotlines.
Among the show's original survivors introduced in season 1 is James Ford, better known by the alias "Sawyer" due to his past as a con man. Despite his conniving and selfish ways, Josh Holloway's anti-hero quickly became a fan favorite because of his sarcastic sense of humor and later, his unlikely heroism. In Lost season 4, Leung joined the show as Miles Straume, a member of the scientific team that arrives at the Island on the freighter, Kahana. Miles, who was recruited for his abilities as a medium, shares Sawyer's love of sarcasm. During Lost season 6's flash-sideways narrative, Sawyer and Miles are partnered up as LAPD detectives, the two developing a buddy cop dynamic.
During a recent interview with The Independent promoting Industry season 2, Leung revealed that Lost almost had an unexpected spinoff. When asked if he would be interested in returning for a Lost reboot, Leung revealed there was once an idea for a "True Detective-style spinoff" centered on Sawyer and Miles. Read what Leung shared below:
I know there was an idea being kicked around where Miles and Sawyer would have a True Detective-style spinoff, but that would be so much its own thing that it wouldn’t feel like continuing‘Lost. But on the face of it, sure. There’s nothing about Lost where it’s like, "I never wanna do that again." So yeah, maybe. I would love to go back to Hawaii. When I think of Lost,’I don’t think of the show as much as I think of Hawaii. But I guess it depends on where they wanted to take it and who was coming back.
Why There Hasn't Been Any Lost Spinoffs
Though Leung didn't reveal many details about the seemingly scrapped Lost spinoff idea, his reference to True Detective indicates it would have been set during season 6's flash-sideways narrative when Miles and Sawyer were partnered up as police officers. This alternate timeline was revealed to be a form of purgatory where the characters reunited after death before "moving on" together during the series finale. However, if Leung and Holloway are both willing to return, there is no reason why Lost couldn't revisit this narrative with a spinoff. Plus, Miles playing the Rust to Sawyer's Marty sure sounds like a fun dynamic.
No matter how tantalizing the True Detective-style spinoff may sound, it is unlikely to happen. Since Lost ended in 2010, fans have been wondering about potential spinoffs, though creators Damon Lindelof and J.J. Abrams, along with showrunner Carlton Cuse, have remained steadfast in their commitment to not revisit the series in an attempt to protect their original ending. While this means fans likely won't be treated to Miles and Sawyer's True Detective-style spinoff, it's probably for the best to let an acclaimed series like Lost stand on its own.
Source: The Independent