Netflix Takes the Wraps Off its Mysterious Sci-Fi Thriller The I-Land

Netflix appears to be angling for several fanbases with its latest original series. At first glance, The I-Land looks like a combination of Lost, Cabin in the Woods, and most surprisingly, the streamer's own hit documentary about the doomed Fyre Festival. But as our own Jessica Liese  writes, the show's cryptic trailers raise far more questions than they answer. 

SERIES PREMIERE: The first in a slate of new sci-fi shows coming to Netflix, The I-Land opens with ten people waking on an island with no idea how they got there. But while the series initially looks a clone of Lost, it quickly introduces elements that let viewers (and the characters) know they're maneuvering a world where is nothing is as it seems. The series stars Kate Bosworth, Natalie Martinez, Alex Pettyfer, Kyle Schmid, Gilles Geary, and a very sinister (and uncredited) Bruce McGill. Streaming on Netflix

DEMOCRATIC DEBATE: ABC takes its turn hosting the vast (yet greatly reduced) roster of Democratic candidates in the ABC News Democratic Candidates Debate. Watch and see if you can pick the moments that everyone will be talking about tomorrow. 8:00 PM ET on ABC

SPORTS: The weekend is almost here, which means it's time for some football! Thursday Night Football pits the Tampa Bay Buccaneers against the Carolina Panthers. 8:20 PM ET ON NFL NETWORK

SEASON PREMIERE: FX's black comedy Mr. Inbetween returns for a second season of friends, family, romance, and assassinations. In the season premiere, Ray learns that sometimes it's best to take the scenic route. 10:00 PM ET on FX

NEW EPISODE: In the latest episode of Two Sentence Horror Stories, a monster that's invisible to grown-ups stalks the children of a local housing development. 9:00 PM ET on The CW

ALSO TONIGHT

• Big Brother checks in with the housemates as they decide the fates of Cliff and Tommy. 9:00 PM ET on CBS
• This Close returns for Season 2. The show follows two Deaf friends in their twenties as the live their lives in L.A. This is the first television show with Deaf creators, writers, and stars. Here's a preview of this one of a kind series. Streaming on Sundance Now
• The Mind, Explained helps viewers understand what's happening in their brains. From anxiety to dreams, host Emma Stone takes us on a one of a kind tour of the human mind. Watch the preview. Streaming on Netflix

Mike Attebery is Senior Editor at Primetimer and the author of seven mystery thrillers. Follow him on Twitter at @mikeattebery.