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.[1][2][3][4]
Lost and The X-Files have been cited as early examples of mystery box TV.[5] Other examples of the mystery box genre include Dark, Fringe, Westworld, Heroes, Manifest, 1899, Stranger Things, Yellowjackets, and From.
J. J. Abrams and Damon Lindelof have been cited as examples of creators of multiple mystery box shows.[6][7]
References
edit- ^ 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.
- ^ "How Manifest Succeeds Where Other Mystery-Box Sci-Fi Shows Have Failed". pastemagazine.com. 8 November 2022. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
- ^ Johnston, Dais (11 November 2022). "'1899' review: Netflix's ambitious 'Dark' follow-up is a drag to watch". Inverse. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
- ^ Herson, Kellie. "The biggest mystery on TV is how every show became a puzzle box". The Outline. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Stewart, Sophia (22 May 2018). "The Evolution of the Mystery Box". Film School Rejects. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
- ^ "Hey, J.J. Abrams: It's time to open up the mystery box". The Week. 20 August 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
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