Shows like Lost have such an overarching story across its six seasons that it feels like every episode is important in some shape or form. While that's relatively true since even forgettable installments include bits of character development or backstory, there are a handful of episodes that could be considered filler.
These episodes don't further the overall story of the series by much so some fans say they can be skipped. However, many of these filler stories are better than they're given credit for and feature aspects that make them worth watching for first time viewers and those rewatching them.
The Moth (Season 1, Episode 7)
For the most part, it's hard to consider any season 1 episode as filler since audiences are still so new to this world that everything feels interesting to them. That said, "The Moth" is something of a standalone episode as it centers on Charlie being trapped in a cave with Jack while going through withdrawal.
Before his season 3 arc that culminated in a heroic sacrifice, Charlie wasn't the most popular character so that doesn't help this episode. It does shine a light on who Charlie is as a character and Dominic Monaghan delivers some of his best work of the entire series. Throw in an intriguing side story involving Sayid, Kate, and Boone trying to get a signal out and this one remains entertaining.
Adrift (Season 2, Episode 2)
The biggest problem with "Adrift" is the way that it feels like a bit of a drag after such an exciting season 2 opener. Fans everywhere wanted to know what was going on in the Hatch but things had to slow down to tell the story of Michael, Walt, Jin, and Sawyer on the raft.
On a first watch of the series, this can be particularly frustrating. On multiple viewings though, getting answers takes a backseat and you can enjoy a harrowing experience for the characters from the shark mystery to the eventual cliffhanger of Jin running from the "Others."
...And Found (Season 2, Episode 5)
At a time when the show was kind of firing on all cylinders, an episode focusing on Sun losing her wedding ring seems like a miss. Though that might be the case on paper, this episode ends up being wildly entertaining on both the first and repeat viewings.
Jin and Sun fans get to witness the adorable first meeting of the beloved couple, which makes a lackluster flashback plot worth watching. The island shot of the Others' feet as they walk by with one kid dragging a teddy bear makes for chilling stuff as well.
Exposé (Season 3, Episode 14)
One of the biggest criticisms of season 3 was the inclusion of Nikki and Paulo, two characters who randomly showed up and acted like they had been on the island since day one. Giving them their own episode seemed like a mistake on paper but it worked out well.
While retelling key moments with them in the background was a bit goofy, the way in which the characters were ultimately killed off was shockingly grim. The overall episode is entertaining despite being unnecessary and does feature the return of Ian Somerhalder as Boone.
Left Behind (Season 3, Episode 15)
The middle of season 3 is where the filler episodes struggle the most as the writers were trying to pad out the story since they didn't know when things would end. Once they got that confirmation, things moved along better so even a filler story like "Left Behind" became engaging.
Seeing a flashback where Kate and Sawyer's past lover Cassidy happened to have met just felt like too much of a coincidence but thankfully, the plot on the island worked much better. Juliet and Kate being handcuffed together led to some great character moments including Kate's reaction to learning that Jack sent her away because she broke his heart.
Meet Kevin Johnson (Season 4, Episode 8)
The previous episode ended with the big reveal that Michael was Ben's man on the freighter, working as a deckhand named Kevin Johnson. It made for one of the show's better endings and had viewers excited for the follow-up but it didn't really do much in terms of advancing the story.
That can be frustrating the first time around because the backstory really only fleshes out some of what happened to Michael once he left the island and by then, Walt was no longer an important part of the plot. Still, Harold Perrineau does great work and this episode won an Emmy for Sound Mixing.
The Little Prince (Season 5, Episode 4)
A lot of the early episodes of season 5 involved figuring out what was going on with the Oceanic Six and who they consisted of. This installment helped shine a light on that and showcases how much of a mother Kate has become for Aaron.
Her fear that Clarie's mother knows the truth about Aaron sends her to do some intriguing and unexpected things but the real kicker of this episode is on the island. The constant time jumps lead to pure chaos which is wacky to see unfold, especially when Jin meets a much younger version of Danielle Rousseau.
Some Like It Hoth (Season 5, Episode 13)
The biggest complaint that fans have about "Some Like It Hoth" is that it treads on familiar ground. Nearly every character on the show has some kind of daddy issue from Jake to Kate to Hurley to Locke to Walt and so on. So some eyes were rolled when Miles also had a bad relationship with his father.
Of course, the fact that his dad was Dr. Pierre Chang of the Dharma Initiative makes for a fun little storyline. It might not have been a particularly new story but putting the focus on a fun character who was still mostly new to audiences at the time makes for an episode worth rewatching.
Lighthouse (Season 6, Episode 5)
It's almost painful to think that some episodes of the final season are filler. Fans had waited years to get answers and they hoped every installment of season 6 gave them something to grab onto. "Lighthouse" explained that Jacob had been watching the main characters for decades but it didn't do much else.
Seeing Jacob's methods can be a bit less interesting than imagining it but this still feels like a story that had to be told. There was also the flash-sideways storyline that marked the first time things really started to fall apart in that world.
Source:gamerant.com