Two great tastes

I just finished the first season of Lost. While I don't want to pick a winner, I say it is close, if not equal, in greatness to 24. Here's the quick reasons I like both:

Story arc: Both have an overarching story, some terrorist event or the crash landing, but these stories have interconnected subplots. On Lost we get the back stories, told in flashback, of the major characters. On 24, many of the major characters have their own side plot. What is nice is that the subplots end up driving the overarching plot. And they keep you interested in the short term.

Willing suspension of disbelief: Much of what happens on the shows is ridiculous. It's hard to imagine a real Jack Bauer existing as it is hard to imagine the island on Lost existing. The stories are exciting enough to overwhelm this problem. Lost presents its oddities in an X-files sort of way, as things that could have many explanations.

Characters: Great acting and characters abound in the shows. And interesting things happen to them. Lost is probably the only show with a former member of the Republican Guard on the show. Both shows have people who chose to ride the white horse, instead of the white pony. And both shows feature this guy.

So if you like one, I bet you will like the other.