DOES?

Does LOST work as any of these genres?

1. Action series?

Yes and No. There was plenty of action including memorable explosions such as the Hatch, the ambush of the Others in the beach camp, Artz handling the TNT and the endless running through the jungle scenes. But some of the explosions or action sequences were unrealistic or mere twists to jump start a sagging plot line. The whole Jughead detonation to reboot the time line only accomplished a cliffhanger.

2. Adventure series?

No. An adventure series is where the protagonist(s) have to overcome a series of challenges, events, villains in order to reach a specific goal. The Indiana Jones films are clear adventure series where the lead is setting forth on a quest to find something. Even Michael Palin's travel shows are his adventures in strange lands and cultures which leads him to his final conclusions on the people and places he encountered along his journey. LOST had a series of "missions" that the main characters went on, but very few had a clear focus (except "rescue" missions). Some people considered the mission creep in the series as filler to keep the characters moving and exploring the island but the characters rarely used any of the knowledge gained to better their situation. A bunch of disconnected adventures does not make an adventure series.

3. Romantic show?

Yes but more no. Characters liked and disliked each other. Some had passionate affairs, some had personal regrets. When Sayid spent years pining over his life's love, Nadia, but winds up with his very short hook up partner in Shannon in the sideways ending, viewers were both confused and angry.  Likewise, when Jack wound up back with Kate, it seemed more like she was the last one standing than the passionate love of his life. Only Rose and Bernard seemed to have a lasting, true love which was sealed prior to their island life.

4. Mystery series?

No. Mystery shows construct complex story lines filled with clues so the viewers have a chance to figure out the mystery before it is revealed in the ending. In LOST, the writers-producers set out to intentionally raise mysteries and questions without the intellectual bargain to give viewers their solution in the end. It cannot be a mystery series if the mysteries are not solved.

5. Science fiction series?

Yes and no. It did have many sci-fi elements like the smoke monster, and scientific references to unique electromagnetic properties, but extrapolated science principles into credible sci-fi canon was diluted when supernatural elements without explanation overwhelmed the plot lines. The immortal beings of Jacob and MIB was so different than the Widmore-Dharma-Others scientific questions and quests to control the island that it clouded the stories and facts of the first five seasons.  A true sci-fi series like Star Trek or Star Wars sets forth a clear vision of the story's universe and keeps true to it. LOST had so many continuity issues within the overlapping story lines to have no clear vision of its own universal structure.