Lost Returns In February.... Series Ends in 2010 - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Mr. Television · 05-08-2007, 11:07 AM

http://www.usatoday.com/life/televis...t_N.htm?csp=34

One mystery solved: 'Lost' to end in 2010

By Gary Levin, USA TODAY
The end is in sight for ABC's acclaimed island mystery Lost, but fans will have to wait until 2010 for all the answers.
In a highly unusual move, the network announces plans today to end the show after three more shortened seasons of 16 episodes each. The episodes will air consecutively, repeat-free, from February to May.

ABC's bold step marks a response to the show's producers, who have been eager to set a finish line to better plot out their convoluted mystery of plane-crash survivors and to placate fans who are frustrated that the show seemed to be vamping its way to a conclusion.

"Among fans there was an unease that they were making an investment in a show that's complicated without any sense of where that's going to lead them," co-creator Damon Lindelof said in an exclusive interview. "From the very beginning, fans and even critics have been saying, 'Are you making it up as you go along?' " which was "a legitimate question."

Now, with a still far-away ending in sight, Lindelof says he and executive producer Carlton Cuse have "specific designs for ending the next two seasons" and promises that with the answer-filled season finale May 23, viewers "will begin to get an idea of what that design will be, and it will not be at all what they expect."

The finale completed filming in Hawaii on Saturday, a day after Lindelof and Cuse signed new contracts that will keep them working on Lost exclusively for the duration. With 48 more episodes due, the show will have completed 60% of its planned six-season run.

"It's practically unprecedented in network TV to announce the end of a show this far out," Cuse says.

ABC Entertainment president Steve McPherson says the unusual long-term commitment is "a unique situation" he would be unlikely to repeat for other series. "It's one of the best shows that's ever been on," he says. "It's got brilliant storytelling, incredible character work, and takes chances beyond anything that's on the air now."

With Desperate Housewives, Lost re-energized ABC in fall 2004 and became a top 10 series. But after two time-slot switches, interruptions for low-rated repeats and a mystery that tried the patience of some fans, Lost has lost some steam. Ratings are down about 14% this season, though Lost still ranks highly among young adults and is the most heavily recorded show on DVRs.

McPherson concedes that splitting the current third season in two "was not the best for the show" and says the network also is discussing a return to an earlier time slot to draw more family viewership.

Shorter seasons will allow plots to be more tightly constructed and "will make it a real event," Lindelof says. "We won't have to do episodes where people are standing on the beach looking at the water and wondering what's going to happen next."

Will Lost risk losing fans' interest with an eight-month lag? "People wait longer than eight months for the next books and films in the Harry Potter story and they don't seem to lose interest," Cuse says. "We have faith that our audience, knowing exactly how much of the story we have left, is going to be with us for the rest of the ride."

But, Lindelof says, "the last five minutes of (this month's) finale are going to seal our fate."

TJL · 05-08-2007, 11:56 AM

I don't watch Lost, so I really can't comment on how the show is doing, but do any of the fans her on these boards think it has enough steam to last two more seasons?

AB · 05-08-2007, 12:14 PM

I still watch Lost, but its not nearly as good as it was that first season. I'll watch it until the series ends because I want to know what happens to all the characters. But I think alot of people just gave up on it.

Mr. Television · 05-08-2007, 12:22 PM

The first 2 seasons were great. This season has been up and down although last week's episode IMO was one of the best of the series. Hopefully now that they know when they're going to end they will have a direction for the show and spill more answers. I think that's hurt the show too. People are tired of waiting for answers.

Janice · 05-10-2007, 01:07 AM

I think it's a good idea for this type of show. I wouldn't want to watch Lost for 10 years or whatever. I still enjoy the show, but not as much as I used to. I like the idea of the 16 uninterrupted episodes. I'm used to that from years of watching my HBO shows.

TJL · 05-10-2007, 07:47 AM

Actually, this is a great ploy from the producers of Lost to stay on the air for two years. Now it's up to the Network to keep them on the air no matter what the ratings are.

If the show is cancelled before the full "Lost" saga is played out, it's the networks fault.

Also, I think this is probably the first time I have ever heard of a TV program telling a network when they will be going off the air.

That's pretty powerful.

Ian · 05-10-2007, 10:47 PM

I've watched every episode, every week, from the beginning... and I can say, with a great deal of confidence, that this is the best overall season of Lost yet. Season two was kinda up and down I think. Season three simply lost momentum because of the break. The only blight on this season has to be the series' worst episode, "Stranger in a Strange land"

Janice · 05-10-2007, 11:25 PM

I've never missed a single episode, and I think this is the worst season so far. Millions agree, according to the ratings.

Ian · 05-10-2007, 11:44 PM

Ratings don't always tell the whole story... sure season one was more CONSISTENTLY good, but some of the best episodes in the series' history have aired this season, that balances it out... for me anyway.

http://www.tv.com/lost/show/24313/ep...own;dropdown;2

According to the QUALITY (1-10) ratings the majority of fans seem to agree.

Pavan · 05-10-2007, 11:45 PM

I think the quality of episodes since the hiatus have been the best since season one. Some great stuff especially last week.

Ian · 05-10-2007, 11:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pavanbadal

I think the quality of episodes since the hiatus have been the best since season one. Some great stuff especially last week.

Exactly!

Janice · 05-10-2007, 11:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ian

Ratings don't always tell the whole story... sure season one was more CONSISTENTLY good, but some of the best episodes in the series' history have aired this season, that balances it out... for me anyway.

http://www.tv.com/lost/show/24313/ep...own;dropdown;2

According to the QUALITY (1-10) ratings the majority of fans seem to agree.

Whatever you say. The show has lost millions of viewers. Articles upon articles about how the show is in freefall. The show's getting better, but looks like the damage is done. I don't see the show picking up many new viewers either. It's a difficult, if not impossible, show to just climb on board.

Ian · 05-11-2007, 12:11 AM

I don't disagree with you there... the producers should send out the three season set to every household before Four starts. That'll be the only way to gain substantial viewers.

Lost is a BRILLIANT show... for the fans.

Mr. Television · 05-11-2007, 12:22 AM

The season has been getting better and better but the producers blew it early in the season...first by splitting the show in two and then by concentrating on only 3 of the cast members for the first part of the season. People have left the show and I don't think they're coming back. I guess the best thing is that the ratings seemed to have leveled off lately. As for this season as a whole it is vastly inferior to the last two but I do have some hope that the writers can fix it. As I said it has been getting better lately.

Pavan · 05-11-2007, 12:31 AM

Even in the fall, Lost's ratings were on par with the latter part of season two. I think the difference when it came back from hiatus was that it moved to a 10pm slot losing a lot of family viewers or it could be because of the four month wait. Even so, the episodes since the hiatus have been excellent except for one.

Next three seasons everyone will know that the show will run Feb-May with 16 straight weeks of episodes. It'll be like an epic. I think we could see the show Wednesdays at 8 next season.

05-08-2007, 11:07 AM	#1
Mr. Television 23 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,133	Lost Returns In February.... Series Ends in 2010 http://www.usatoday.com/life/televis...t_N.htm?csp=34 One mystery solved: 'Lost' to end in 2010 By Gary Levin, USA TODAY The end is in sight for ABC's acclaimed island mystery Lost, but fans will have to wait until 2010 for all the answers. In a highly unusual move, the network announces plans today to end the show after three more shortened seasons of 16 episodes each. The episodes will air consecutively, repeat-free, from February to May. ABC's bold step marks a response to the show's producers, who have been eager to set a finish line to better plot out their convoluted mystery of plane-crash survivors and to placate fans who are frustrated that the show seemed to be vamping its way to a conclusion. "Among fans there was an unease that they were making an investment in a show that's complicated without any sense of where that's going to lead them," co-creator Damon Lindelof said in an exclusive interview. "From the very beginning, fans and even critics have been saying, 'Are you making it up as you go along?' " which was "a legitimate question." Now, with a still far-away ending in sight, Lindelof says he and executive producer Carlton Cuse have "specific designs for ending the next two seasons" and promises that with the answer-filled season finale May 23, viewers "will begin to get an idea of what that design will be, and it will not be at all what they expect." The finale completed filming in Hawaii on Saturday, a day after Lindelof and Cuse signed new contracts that will keep them working on Lost exclusively for the duration. With 48 more episodes due, the show will have completed 60% of its planned six-season run. "It's practically unprecedented in network TV to announce the end of a show this far out," Cuse says. ABC Entertainment president Steve McPherson says the unusual long-term commitment is "a unique situation" he would be unlikely to repeat for other series. "It's one of the best shows that's ever been on," he says. "It's got brilliant storytelling, incredible character work, and takes chances beyond anything that's on the air now." With Desperate Housewives, Lost re-energized ABC in fall 2004 and became a top 10 series. But after two time-slot switches, interruptions for low-rated repeats and a mystery that tried the patience of some fans, Lost has lost some steam. Ratings are down about 14% this season, though Lost still ranks highly among young adults and is the most heavily recorded show on DVRs. McPherson concedes that splitting the current third season in two "was not the best for the show" and says the network also is discussing a return to an earlier time slot to draw more family viewership. Shorter seasons will allow plots to be more tightly constructed and "will make it a real event," Lindelof says. "We won't have to do episodes where people are standing on the beach looking at the water and wondering what's going to happen next." Will Lost risk losing fans' interest with an eight-month lag? "People wait longer than eight months for the next books and films in the Harry Potter story and they don't seem to lose interest," Cuse says. "We have faith that our audience, knowing exactly how much of the story we have left, is going to be with us for the rest of the ride." But, Lindelof says, "the last five minutes of (this month's) finale are going to seal our fate."
	__________________ Sonny

05-08-2007, 11:56 AM	#2
TJL Suburbanite Extrordinaire Forum Star Join Date: Dec 29, 2001 Location: New Jersey - the cradle of civilization Posts: 16,591	I don't watch Lost, so I really can't comment on how the show is doing, but do any of the fans her on these boards think it has enough steam to last two more seasons?
	__________________ "I think I'll stroll up to the front to see how the shooting's going..." - Capt. Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce Read my blogs! http://centralparkamisguide.com/ http://dvdcriticscorner.com Visit me on Facebook!http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=641138880 Hey, I do the tweet thing too! http://twitter.com/TomLevier My shop of handmade items! http://www.etsy.com/shop/ColdGarageCreations

05-10-2007, 11:45 PM	#10
Pavan SO News/Reviews Director Administrator Forum Superstar Join Date: Feb 17, 2000 Location: Linden, NJ (Where Hal Linden got his last name from!) Posts: 26,821	I think the quality of episodes since the hiatus have been the best since season one. Some great stuff especially last week.
	__________________ SitcomsOnline.com News Blog -- The best news out there! SitcomsOnline.com DVD Reviews -- We are #1 in reviews!

05-11-2007, 12:22 AM	#14
Mr. Television 23 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,133	Lost Blew It The season has been getting better and better but the producers blew it early in the season...first by splitting the show in two and then by concentrating on only 3 of the cast members for the first part of the season. People have left the show and I don't think they're coming back. I guess the best thing is that the ratings seemed to have leveled off lately. As for this season as a whole it is vastly inferior to the last two but I do have some hope that the writers can fix it. As I said it has been getting better lately.

05-08-2007, 12:14 PM	#3
AB Member Eternal Member Forum Icon Join Date: Dec 26, 2006 Location: The South Posts: 59,429	I still watch Lost, but its not nearly as good as it was that first season. I'll watch it until the series ends because I want to know what happens to all the characters. But I think alot of people just gave up on it.

05-08-2007, 12:22 PM	#4
Mr. Television 23 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,133	The first 2 seasons were great. This season has been up and down although last week's episode IMO was one of the best of the series. Hopefully now that they know when they're going to end they will have a direction for the show and spill more answers. I think that's hurt the show too. People are tired of waiting for answers.

05-10-2007, 01:07 AM	#5
Janice Retired Admin - Hollywood Swingin' Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 03, 2001 Location: Beantown Posts: 36,388	I think it's a good idea for this type of show. I wouldn't want to watch Lost for 10 years or whatever. I still enjoy the show, but not as much as I used to. I like the idea of the 16 uninterrupted episodes. I'm used to that from years of watching my HBO shows.

05-10-2007, 07:47 AM	#6
TJL Suburbanite Extrordinaire Forum Star Join Date: Dec 29, 2001 Location: New Jersey - the cradle of civilization Posts: 16,591	Actually, this is a great ploy from the producers of Lost to stay on the air for two years. Now it's up to the Network to keep them on the air no matter what the ratings are. If the show is cancelled before the full "Lost" saga is played out, it's the networks fault. Also, I think this is probably the first time I have ever heard of a TV program telling a network when they will be going off the air. That's pretty powerful.

05-10-2007, 10:47 PM	#7
Ian Member Senior Member Join Date: Nov 03, 2000 Posts: 1,235	I've watched every episode, every week, from the beginning... and I can say, with a great deal of confidence, that this is the best overall season of Lost yet. Season two was kinda up and down I think. Season three simply lost momentum because of the break. The only blight on this season has to be the series' worst episode, "Stranger in a Strange land"

05-10-2007, 11:25 PM	#8
Janice Retired Admin - Hollywood Swingin' Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 03, 2001 Location: Beantown Posts: 36,388	I've never missed a single episode, and I think this is the worst season so far. Millions agree, according to the ratings.

05-10-2007, 11:44 PM	#9
Ian Member Senior Member Join Date: Nov 03, 2000 Posts: 1,235	Ratings don't always tell the whole story... sure season one was more CONSISTENTLY good, but some of the best episodes in the series' history have aired this season, that balances it out... for me anyway. http://www.tv.com/lost/show/24313/ep...own;dropdown;2 According to the QUALITY (1-10) ratings the majority of fans seem to agree.

05-11-2007, 12:11 AM	#13
Ian Member Senior Member Join Date: Nov 03, 2000 Posts: 1,235	I don't disagree with you there... the producers should send out the three season set to every household before Four starts. That'll be the only way to gain substantial viewers. Lost is a BRILLIANT show... for the fans.

05-11-2007, 12:31 AM	#15
Pavan SO News/Reviews Director Administrator Forum Superstar Join Date: Feb 17, 2000 Location: Linden, NJ (Where Hal Linden got his last name from!) Posts: 26,821	Even in the fall, Lost's ratings were on par with the latter part of season two. I think the difference when it came back from hiatus was that it moved to a 10pm slot losing a lot of family viewers or it could be because of the four month wait. Even so, the episodes since the hiatus have been excellent except for one. Next three seasons everyone will know that the show will run Feb-May with 16 straight weeks of episodes. It'll be like an epic. I think we could see the show Wednesdays at 8 next season.