Interesting, as I see no similarity between LOST and The River. The River I think is wildly entertaining in the way that American Horror Story is: completely derivative and throwing in every genre cliche but the kitchen sink, and it's dramatic aspects became very funny.
Alcatraz. . . I keep checking in on it and wanting to like it but I just keep getting appalled by the senseless killing after senseless killing, the totally ridiculous concept of Sarah Jones as a detective and Jorge Garcia as a cracker jack historian, and there's nothing appealing about the series at all for me.
Looking forward to the return of the Killing; I just got the Blu-ray set of the first season in the mail and am looking forward to spinning it.