As the passengers from Flight 828 return for Manifest's final season, viewers are anticipating the beginning of the end. What started when the travelers returned after 5 years aboard a missing plane has evolved into a complex and fascinating mystery.
With the supernatural drama coming to its conclusion, fans of the show can find comfort in the several similarly-plotted programs across streaming platforms. From shows focused on disappearing flights like Lost to time-bending puzzles like Dark, here are the best shows to watch akin to Manifest.
The Leftovers (2014-2017)
Stream On HBO Max
The Leftovers occurs three years after an event called "the Sudden Departure," where 2% of the global population suddenly vanished without any explanation. In the aftermath, the residents of Mapleton, New York, led by police chief Kevin Garvey, grapple with their losses as they try to move on.
While both Manifest and The Leftovers feature disappearances, The Leftovers differs in its scale and its tendency to lean more towards the emotional fallout of the event than the supernatural occurrence itself. Manifest characters like Michaela and Ben are more concerned with unraveling the truth themselves, whereas the town from The Leftovers primarily turn to religion for answers. The show appeared on several top ten "best shows of the decade" at the end of the 2010s, including that of IndieWire, The Hollywood Reporter, and Rolling Stone.
The OA (2016-2019)
Stream On Netflix
The OA focuses on Prairie Johnson, a young woman who resurfaces after having been missing for seven years. Blind when she disappeared, Prairie can now see, and while she is reluctant to talk to law enforcement, she recounts her story to a group of gathered disciples who she asks to help her find other missing people.
Smaller in scale than Manifest, The OA follows a similar story arc filled with supernatural happenings and uncovered secrets. In addition, both Prairie and Manifest characters Zeke, Cal, and Michaela gain superhuman powers as a result of their experiences. When the show was canceled after two seasons, a vocal group of fans pushed back, raising the funds to install a billboard in Times Square which urged Netflix to renew the series (per IndieWire).
Lost (2004-2010)
Stream On Hulu
In the aftermath of a crash from a plane going from Sydney to Los Angeles, Lost follows the survivors as they explore the mysterious island that they've landed on. As the show unfolds, more and more questions arise about the nature of their arrival and the island's history.
Considered one of the most confusing TV shows according to Reddit, Lost shares many similarities to Manifest, including the disappearance of a plane, unexplainable occurrences, and a web of affected characters. While Lost's plane crashes and Manifest's returns, both disappearances ultimately result in time travel that affects the passengers. Over its six seasons, Lost amassed an enormous audience, capped by a polarizing series finale.
Fringe (2008-2013)
Set in the fictional 'Fringe' division of the FBI, Fringe tracks the efforts of the squad's team to solve unexplained mysteries tied to a parallel universe using speculative science. While it began as a procedural, Fringe evolved into a serialized drama as the show progressed and explored the world's mythology.
Alike in the way it bends time, Fringe's similarities to Manifest also pop up in the comparable partner dynamics between father-son characters like Walter and Peter in Fringe and Ben and Cal in Manifest. Although Manifest toys with alternate realities through the introduction of 'death dates,' Fringe takes it a step further by having the team grapple directly with characters from other timelines. After a rocky first season, the show settled into consistent critical praise over its five-season run.
Into The Night (2020-)
Stream On Netflix
Netflix's first Belgian series, Into The Night begins when a hijacker takes over a red-eye plane from Brussels. However, his actions save the passengers on the plane from the sunlight, which thanks to a global event now kills everything it shines on.
Both set on planes, Into The Night maintains the same air of mystery as Manifest while it dives into various conspiracies involving the passengers. That said, Manifest's cast of characters work hard to figure out their mystery while the passengers of Into The Night initially have little time to look for answers. Thanks to the show's success, a spin-off featuring survivors on a submarine called Yakamoz S-245 debuted in April 2022.
Travelers (2016-2018)
Stream On Netflix
In a near post-apocalyptic future, Travelers traces a group of special operatives as they go back in time to prevent society's collapse. Taking over bodies that are about to die, the 'travelers' use their hosts' pre-existing lives as cover so that they can carry out missions from the Director, an AI robot observing the timeline from the future.
Both shows are able to have their characters balance solving their mysteries with the drama of their everyday lives. Led by Eric McCormack as FBI Agent Grant McClaren, one of Travelers' best characters, the show's time-jumping and subversion of death also make it an easy pairing for fans of Manifest. Travelers enjoyed favorable reviews during its three seasons and carried a sizable fanbase.
FlashForward (2009-2010)
Stream On ABC
Based on the novel of the same name, FlashForward revolves around several people following a mysterious event that causes everyone on the planet to black out for just over two minutes. During these blackouts, people witness visions of their lives six months in the future, or a "flashforward."
By featuring "flashforwards," the network drama's main event bears similarities to that of the 'callings' on Manifest from the plane's passengers. Furthermore, both shows feature law enforcement officers affected by the event that use their positions to investigate the circumstances of it. Canceled after one season, many fans thought the show was one that deserved a reboot.
The 4400 (2004-2007)
Currently Unavailble
Against the backdrop of Washington's Mount Rainier, The 4400 starts when a group of 4,400 people appears in a ball of green light who had previously disappeared. Following their arrival, the National Threat Assessment Command, a department of DHS, tracks the group's activities to figure out why they've returned.
Not only do The 4400 and Manifest share a similar beginning premise, but both groups who reappear develop neurological powers over time. As a result, the groups of affected people on both shows are being tracked by the government to ensure they aren't going to be a threat. The show ran for four well-received seasons, before being canceled due to the ongoing Writers Guild strike at the time.
Dark (2017-2020)
Stream On Netflix
Starting in the fictional village of Winden, Germany, Dark observes a range of characters as they pursue the truth behind a series of child disappearances. However, as they get closer to finding answers they unravel a larger conspiracy involving time travel that spans back generations.
One of the best international sci-fi series, Dark's shocking twists and turns mirror those of Manifest, exploring vanishings and their effects on multiple groups. With similar amounts of characters overall, Dark focuses primarily on the events' effects on four local families while Manifest covers its entire passenger log. Praised for its detail, Dark's intricate timeline never overshadows the show's themes of loss, resilience, and family, themes also heavily prominent in Manifest.
The X-Files (1993-2002, 2016-2018)
Stream On Hulu & Freevee
The X-Files follows FBI agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny), a believer in aliens, and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson), a medical doctor and skeptic. Together, they aim to close unsolved 'X-File' cases and come to a conclusion about their unexplained phenomena.
Placed next to Manifest, The X-Files explores many similar mysteries involving disappearances, the supernatural, and people affected by the unknown. The X-Files additionally features Mulder's overarching quest for answers about alien life motivated by the disappearance of his sister during his childhood, similar to Olive's experiences with her disappeared brother Cal on Manifest. The show received widespread critical and viewer popularity and included eleven seasons and two movies over the course of its run.
Source:gamerant.com