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Mystery box show

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Television series with complex plots based on mysterious secrets

"Mystery box" redirects here. Not to be confused with Puzzle box.

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, The OA, Heroes, Manifest, 1899, Severance, Stranger Things, Yellowjackets, and From.

J. J. Abrams and Damon Lindelof have been cited as examples of creators of multiple mystery box shows.

Reception

Mystery box shows have met with a mixed reception from viewers. Viewers are drawn by the lure of the mythos of the program, but can lose interest if the program sets up too many mysteries, but fails to resolve them in a satisfying manner or takes too long to provide answers to questions. Given that television programs often run multiple seasons, but also may be canceled at any time, creators must balance how many they answers they wish to provide within a particular season of a program vs. withholding certain answers for later seasons. These problems can be exacerbated if mysteries are set up without there any being any clear outline for future development of the program.

The mystery box genre has also been criticized as having become overly pervasive and for favoring tantalizing viewers with mysteries and questions over actually developing worthwhile characters and plot. When done well, however, mystery box shows can be highly successful, drawing massive ratings as well as providing strong online buzz and discussion for a program.

References

  1. Power, Ed (21 November 2022). "From Lost to 1899: the headache-inducing rise of 'mystery box' TV". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  2. "How Manifest Succeeds Where Other Mystery-Box Sci-Fi Shows Have Failed". pastemagazine.com. 8 November 2022. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  3. Johnston, Dais (11 November 2022). "'1899' review: Netflix's ambitious 'Dark' follow-up is a drag to watch". Inverse. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  4. Herson, Kellie. "The biggest mystery on TV is how every show became a puzzle box". The Outline. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  5. Grauso, Alisha (5 March 2021). "Debris Can't Be The Next X-Files Until It Fixes Its Modern Sci-Fi Problem". ScreenRant. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  6. Stewart, Sophia (22 May 2018). "The Evolution of the Mystery Box". Film School Rejects. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  7. "Hey, J.J. Abrams: It's time to open up the mystery box". The Week. 20 August 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  8. Stewart, Sophia (22 May 2018). "The Evolution of the Mystery Box". Film School Rejects. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
  9. "Is anyone else concerned that they are introducing too many mysteries and not enough answers, and that the show might be cancelled before we get any closure?". Reddit. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
  10. "The biggest mystery on TV is how every show became a puzzle box". Metafilter. 30 March 2019. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
  11. Power, Mia (15 August 2022). "What Does the Mystery-Box TV Show Look Like in 2022?". Trillmag. Retrieved 13 December 2024.


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