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ABC To Announce??
LOST Going Away In 2009??

Nooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! by Shaw	May 4th, 2007 03:00:27 PM
What spoiler?
7-month break=mistake by OfficiousG	May 4th, 2007 03:02:30 PM
Fans love to whine about 2-and-3-week gaps between episodes, but it's when there's a long hiatus that people actually stop watching.
So it has a planned ending then? by Drath	May 4th, 2007 03:05:49 PM
I'd get behind that. Although I find it very...intriguing that like Alias its run is only going to be 5 seasons. Did any show involving JJ Abrams go longer? I didn't watch Felicity, but I seem to remember it burned off after just a few years too.
????Lose Lost? by Baron Karza	May 4th, 2007 03:07:07 PM
????Lose Lost?
Listening to the podcast this morning... by Zarles	May 4th, 2007 03:07:18 PM
...it seems that nothing has really changed. Damon and Carleton want to set a date for the show to end, and 2009 looks like it's going to be that date. Two more seasons. They also talked about not having a new season premiere until January '08, which would be REALLY tough to endure. I'd love to see them back in November at the earliest, but ultimately, whatever's best for the show itself is most important.
no ones is gonna care after 7 months by wcoop893	May 4th, 2007 03:10:04 PM
and honestly i still dont buy that they know where they are going with this show. its all over the place, a complete mess, and its not getting anywhere
abc=the suck by ilikemovies	May 4th, 2007 03:10:09 PM
Why is abc ruining everything it had going for them? Lost is the best show on tv, hands down. What's more, its a story that could go on FOREVER..so why not milk it for a few more years while I still care? Grey's has sucked for a while now too, whats up abc??
wcoop893...to quote "Galaxy Quest" by zacdilone	May 4th, 2007 03:12:02 PM
"Don't you ever WATCH the show?" Obviously you don't, because it has been on a well-focused, very creative high in recent weeks.
I stopped watching this show by s0nicdeathmonkey	May 4th, 2007 03:12:57 PM
about 5 episodes ago. Has it gotten any better, or worse?
Cancel it now by Heckles	May 4th, 2007 03:13:36 PM
Show sucks. How long can you run from Fart Clouds and live with fat people who don't get skinny even though there is lack of food.
wcoop893 by Zarles	May 4th, 2007 03:14:02 PM
You couldn't be more wrong. Watch the show sometime, and hopefully you'll see why.
Seriously? by smellmycheese	May 4th, 2007 03:14:11 PM
You know, I don't think that sounds too bad. I'm thinking all killer, no filler for the next season or two. If it said "Lost to end in 2012" we'd all be bitching. I will sorely miss this brilliant show when it ends but rather it end on a high than be dragged out 'til the bitter end.
Good. by Mezzanine	May 4th, 2007 03:15:02 PM
Im glad that ABC isnt going to milk the Lost cash cow for as long as it could. It sounds like some principled decisions have been made, and instead of getting a wandering, meandering show that goes on forever, we will have two more tight, story driven seasons. Good call ABC.
It's partially ABC's fault for that 10PM timeslot by GimpInMyPants	May 4th, 2007 03:18:29 PM
A show like Lost works perfectly at 8 or 9PM. At 10 o' clock people are getting ready for bed, watching the nightly news or some movie or tv show on cable.
Wasn't that always the case? by abulafia24	May 4th, 2007 03:19:38 PM
I mean, they always said Lost would only go on for 5 seasons. Wouldn't 2009 be the fifth?
How is anyone taking this... by mraig	May 4th, 2007 03:21:23 PM
...as anything other than good news? The 2009 end date means that there is a point all this is moving towards, and, when all is said and done and left behind for the DVD collectors, Lost will be one complete story with five acts, not season after season of meandering that sputters to an end when it's no longer profitable. As for the seven-month hiatus, doesn't anyone remember season 2, when the show's momentum got killed by two or three week breaks between episodes? What this means is that season 4 will be 22-24 weeks of uninterrupted new episodes. I don't think 7 months is so long that audiences will forget the show--isn't this how 24, South Park, every HBO show, etc. does it? And if Lost Season 4 premieres in January of 2008, the Season 3 DVD set will be out right in time for Christmas 2007 to get everyone caught up on the story. I think all of this is nothing but good news for Lost.
Great news! by PwnedByStallone	May 4th, 2007 03:23:50 PM
5 seasons is perfect. And the hiatus is necessary to keep key cast members on board. Seven months allows them to do a movie or any other side project they want to do and still be ready for the next season. This is the best news I've heard all year if it's true. Seeing this thing go the way of ER with no original cast members left after 5 seasons too many would make me puke.
I LOVE LOST... by david19	May 4th, 2007 03:24:05 PM
And I totally agree with this. If they end this show on all cylindars, sooner rather then later, then I would rewatch the entire series every now and again. Unless the finale sucks.
Closure by skitch	May 4th, 2007 03:24:21 PM
I'm actually glad that they have an end in sight. I don't want another X-Files fiasco. And in response to whomever said that fat people don't get skinny on the island with nothing to eat...remember that they have only been on the island some 60 odd days...if you watched, you'd know. Finally, the show has picked up it's pace and creativity with several great episodes in the past few weeks. I've never given up on it and I'm anxious to see where it goes.
Put me in the "They have an ending" camp... by Billyeveryteen	May 4th, 2007 03:24:38 PM
Been great, gonna' end great.
Game changing... by skitch	May 4th, 2007 03:27:37 PM
Could it be that "he who walks among us but is not one of us" will be revealed to be a villain? I hope not. That would be too predictable. Better Locke decide to change sides.
This all sounds like good news. by tonagan	May 4th, 2007 03:27:52 PM
And for Sopranos fans, a 7-month wait is a walk in the park.
Very welcome news by Judge Dredds Dirty Undies	May 4th, 2007 03:28:31 PM
I'm so glad they are seeing sense and not dragging lost out any further. Its already been stretched out and that has damaged the show but its still a good show so im glad they are going to cap it at 5 series.
So lost is going to be 5 seasons ? by kingoflight	May 4th, 2007 03:28:47 PM
what happened to there being 7? Anyway i don't mind the wait to behonest it just better not have any mid season break !
HAHAHAHAHAHA! by erichaislar	May 4th, 2007 03:30:15 PM
So does this mean we will be confused for 2 more seasons.
i'm okay with that by Charlie Murphy	May 4th, 2007 03:35:19 PM
the lost producers said way back in year one that if they had their way the show would end after five years.
good by lionbiu	May 4th, 2007 03:38:46 PM
The show is running out of steam already so it's good they have a finally set.......I still think Lost would have been much better on HBO as a season of 13 episodes each. There are far too many filler episodes...so I am sure it could all be narrowed down into 13 episodes per season ala life on Mars
This isn't really news by GregoryHarbin	May 4th, 2007 03:39:41 PM
I've always figured Lost to be a five-season show. And with the huge backlash against the 'mini-season' (which I personally didn't mind), it makes sense to bring the show back in January and run straight through. Lost is on 22 weeks per year. Does it really matter if you have to wait a few extra months to see new episodes? For me, the way they're doing it now makes it a lot easier to plan. Everyone knows to come over every Wednesday. If there were two week breaks often, it would get terribly confusing.
LOST's Mistake by isildur29	May 4th, 2007 03:42:38 PM
the mistake LOST made this season is that contrary to popular belief alot more action has happened ON THE ISLAND therefore making it much harder for people to keep up with if they miss an episode. --The first 2 seasons would usually deal with one small event on the island a character was facing and that character had flashbacks--this season the events on the island are on a much larger scale and there is alot more continuity from episode-episode between characters...so when you go off the air for 3 months then come back at a different time slot only to go on another break before returning to finish it out casual viewers are left behind. THIS SEASON HOWEVER IS EXTREMELY GOOD and very addicting I promise when we DVD this season and can watch it in one sitting it will flow much nicer and we'll realize it was ABC's marketing and schedule that made us feel less about it
knowthyself by GOB Adama	May 4th, 2007 03:43:13 PM
I hope I don't sound like a jerk, but how is not being able to cram a good thing into a simple statement a BAD thing? Complex for complexity's sake isn't good either, but if something is good AND multifaceted, why scold it for not fitting nicely on a bumpersticker?
So we all agree. by PwnedByStallone	May 4th, 2007 03:44:01 PM
This is great news. For the record I think this is good only for 5 seasons, not 4. But since we all agree this probably means Herc thinks it's awful. He probably rated this news two and a half stars, just below his rating of this week's best episode of the season.
Jack by Phimseto	May 4th, 2007 03:45:02 PM
I am going to say this right now: for all of you who hate Jack and wish he were gone, I can promise you that you will regret it if it happens. You'll all be complaining next year that "boo hoo, this show sucks without Jack".
And yes by Phimseto	May 4th, 2007 03:45:38 PM
I agree that the show ending after five seasons is good.
A lot of agreement on the 'Lost' TBs these days... by GOB Adama	May 4th, 2007 03:46:20 PM
...Shit. The world is gonna end before the finale, isn't it?
Got some sour news fer ya, Jack. by biggles2_22	May 4th, 2007 03:46:38 PM
Lost will be Lost forever by the end of 2008. You heard it here first. (actually I've been predicting this for months)
Good news, everyone! by Christopher3	May 4th, 2007 03:48:32 PM
Amazing - a U.S. show that doesn't outstay its welcome. ABC needs to keep its promise, and prod the writers to come up with a compelling (and sensible) ending. None of that rushed "Alias" shit.
i think sawyer is a goner by isildur29	May 4th, 2007 03:48:54 PM
it seems to me they have wrapped up his flashback point -revenge on the real sawyer- what is left for him to do....???
Can't wait... by GOB Adama	May 4th, 2007 03:53:56 PM
...For the 25 year cast revival in 2034. Highlights to include... In memoriam clip reel for Terry O'Quinn In memoriam clip reel for Dominic Monahan (killed by mobbing hobbit fans) The akward absence of Senetor Holloway. The akward absence of Harold Perrineau (still dickering over $) Still no explanation for 90% of the shows mysteries
I don't watch this but.. by mrfan	May 4th, 2007 03:55:08 PM
it is nice when a series can end on a high note. From what it sounds Lost is doing just that. Plenty of time to wrap things up and still keep the audience in suspense. I am a late bloomer to the show. Plan on starting to watch the dvd sets this summer.
Felicity lasted... by obiwayne	May 4th, 2007 03:56:57 PM
for four seasons. Long enough for her to make it through college. What's left for Sawyer to do? There's a lot of women in the camp that'll be needing some loving. Sawyer can start up a male escort service for coconuts. "James Ford...male prostitute."
Oh! 'Lost' is about... by GOB Adama	May 4th, 2007 03:57:57 PM
Plane crash surviors confronting their pasts and inner demons on a mysterious, possibly supernatural island. Am I wrong?
GOOD FOR THEM!!! by wackybantha	May 4th, 2007 03:59:01 PM
Now they can write their episodes and the ending without having to worry about renewals or too many filler episodes. I LOVE LOST!!! This move will hopefully increase its chances on the road to becoming one of the best shows in TV history.
It had to end sometime by The Bunglermoose	May 4th, 2007 03:59:23 PM
I love this how. I haven't loved a television show this much since "Twin Peaks" -- it's also the first television show I've made time to watch since then. That said, hell, I thought it'd be over way before this. The storyline has a clear beginning and an ending -- they land on the island, and they either get off or stay on. Or something else happens. Either way, it can't go on forever. Still, two seasons is ALOT of Lost left. I am totally stoked about this "game changing" episode.
...as far as summarizing the show in one sentence... by The Bunglermoose	May 4th, 2007 04:02:36 PM
...since when is that a good thing? Most shows I can summarize in one sentence (and actually contain the essence of the show in the sentence) aren't all that great.
GOB Adama by wackybantha	May 4th, 2007 04:08:05 PM
YOU ARE CORRECT!!! WELL SAID!!!
Thank God by Robur Limax	May 4th, 2007 04:11:12 PM
I love the show to death but if they would've stretched it out as long as they could I could see it being really bad. Quality over quantity, I say. As for airing all the new episodes back to back in 2009; I don't really mind although I didn't mind the layout of this season.
What about the zombie season!? by all your base	May 4th, 2007 04:11:23 PM
???
heh? by AllieJamison	May 4th, 2007 04:14:11 PM
i thought that this was already a quasi official thing? however i think it's a pretty healthy thing to know when to quit. everything ends.
This is not a surprise... by Sidius	May 4th, 2007 04:16:16 PM
From the beginning the writers said that they had a specific show arc that would take 4-5 years tops to do. It's only the idiots that say stuff like - the writers don;t know what is on the island. Do you think ABC would have allowed them to make the show if it was a show no one could explain. I am sure ABC also asked them to stretch it out to 5 seasons as well and that's why there have been a couple episodes that didn't seem to further the story at all. Filler episodes to make up full seasons. Oh and well said GOB Adama. How could anyone not get what this show is about into one sentence?
Amen! Let Lost go!! by evilmasterfoo	May 4th, 2007 04:16:39 PM
Let it go out in style, like The Shield... in fact, maybe they could hire the The Shield writers and make Lost something actually worth my time.
Good news: End date set. Bad News: by Ravetin	May 4th, 2007 04:20:52 PM
Seven/Eight month break? That is shit. All the fucking fans had to bitch about the way they set up the season this year, I thought they had the right idea. They just to divide it up better. Run like 7-8 episodes, starting around late October or so, then take the usual break in December, and come back with your episodes in the spring. Also, I can totally see them ending this thing at 108 episodes...
the 24 style run is the only way to go by NoPIX	May 4th, 2007 04:29:02 PM
they can't just break it up so easily because of sweeps seasons. So they either have to do what they did this year (bad) or go the 24 route. It's just the way it is.
Good Riddance by Stuntcock Mike	May 4th, 2007 04:30:58 PM
I agree with nopix. The staggered season is part of what killed it for me.
For me it ended by Chiziola79	May 4th, 2007 04:33:32 PM
Halfway thru season 2 as completely lost its edge and I could not be arse with any more mysterys and enigmas, I read somewhere that they wanted to finish it after season 2, like life on mars did, went out with a bang and answered all the questions, I hope it gets cancelled during season 4 and none of the questions are answered, hope it ends like angel and says thanks for 4 great years, that would be fucking hilarious
P.s My friend has said the last few episodes have been by Chiziola79	May 4th, 2007 04:35:09 PM
Great, that does not make up for the last 2 years, its like watching a family member die of terminal cancer, you just want them put out of their mysery
Still the best show on TV by godzillasushi	May 4th, 2007 04:36:27 PM
Even a bad episode is better then most of the "good" TV shows out there.
Here's the problem with Lost by Sonic Reducer	May 4th, 2007 04:41:50 PM
It's like living next to a super hot chick and everyday she says tonight we're going to do it!! Onlylater you only get to hold her hand or she says she's saving it or some crap like that. Sooner or later even the most desperate and deprived are going to say I'm out. They just went way too long without showing you anything but a two minute tease and then the next week we're watching some dude needing to take a dump and then they don't get back around to it. Spare me the it's good writing and all that crap, they don't know where they are going, and half of it they make up after coming to talkbacks. Hell at least X-files gave you some meat every so often. With this show it's all VEGATABLE MEDLEY!!!
Awesome news by Jack Burton	May 4th, 2007 04:42:10 PM
I've been with Lost from the beginning and agree with some of the other posters that Lost at it's worst is still pretty damn good. Now that it has an ending date I think they'll see the ratings go up when the casual viewers realize they won't be lead along indefinitely. I just wish Fox and Chris Carter had done this with X-Files before it limped off the air.
quality shows often jump the shark around season 5 or 6 by Demosthenes2	May 4th, 2007 04:43:54 PM
So I'm good with this. The show couldn't have them stuck on the island forever, and some of the actors might look slightly aged by year 5 anyway, which wouldn't work with this being set over several months. This is definitely a show I would want the plot points to be planned and set ahead of time, so this is good from a storytelling perspective. I think the 24 writing's flying-by-the-seat-of-their-pa nts episode to episode is starting to lose its luster and seem way too unfocused during its weak s6. For once the life of a show isn't being determined by the network simply for business reasons. I don't understand the Lost hate this season. Yeah s2 was boring in parts but s3 has been a great improvement in my book. Lots more interesting developments, especially with The Others, and loads more reveals than s1 and 2 combined. I actually think breaking the characters up and focusing on them in different storylines has helped because at times in s1 and 2 that they were too focused on giving everyone some screentime every week that they didn't have enough time to move the story forward. I still prefer Lost over Heroes; Heroes has great twists and the story moves forward wonderfully, but the characters aren't written and portrayed nearly as well as the Lost cast. The dialogue is usually cheesy and the actors often fall flat for some reason. It's the price you pay for fast-paced storytelling; less time for character development, and subsequently I don't care about anyone on the show really, except for Hiro.
I thought this was old news? by Mooly	May 4th, 2007 04:44:17 PM
Wasn't it all over the internet that two months ago the creators of lost met with ABC to discuss the future of the show? Didn't it come out that the creators told ABC they wanted the story to end and that they would have told their story by the end of season 5? I believe it was also revealed that Season 4 would be run like 24, without breaks, which would be amazing since there is no show on TV that is worse for taking long breaks, playing one episode then taking another long break. There is no excuse for that crap and causes viewers to lose interest. I will gladly wait 7 months for season 4 if it means I don'thave to worry about when the show will be on.
If this doesn't shut up those of you who say they by Novaman5000	May 4th, 2007 04:59:14 PM
don't know where they're going and they're just stretching it out to fuck with us, then nothing will. I love this show and I love that the end is always in sight and everything we see will be moving towards it (I believe it was already but now it's DEFINITE). This will be a fucking solid 5 season story when all is said and done.
They announced they were "in talks" about it... by Ravetin	May 4th, 2007 04:59:26 PM
But they never revealed (or settled) what the decision was until now. Anything else you heard was the writers speaking their minds.
What is the big shocker? by Jinxo	May 4th, 2007 05:04:27 PM
I could swear from almost day one they said the show was planned for 5 seasons. Why is it a stunner that they are now saying it will only go, gasp, 5 seasons? Hey, hold onto your seat... the sky is blue!!! Women have babies! Puppies are cute! I have tons more of these shocking revelations.
I just hope they fix the Scheduling on Heroes. by glodene	May 4th, 2007 05:05:50 PM
According to the latest EW Mag. article re Heroes, it lost a 3 million viewers due to that seven week hiatus. They should take a cue from 24 and run it straight through during its second season.
that's like someone telling you by BadMrWonka	May 4th, 2007 05:11:49 PM
you're horrible painful cramp-inducing diarrhea will go away eventually. it's still horrible RIGHT NOW!
Perfect by CorpseRide	May 4th, 2007 05:15:01 PM
Five Seasons is the exact right length of time to tell this story, just like one season is the right length of time to tell the "Heroes" story, with its "oops, blew our load all at once" plot arc.
Can't go away too soon by Rupee88	May 4th, 2007 05:23:21 PM
I haven't watched this since the fifth or sixth episode of the first season when all the plot holes began to be too much to take. They saw that big monster on the island and then they just started walking around the jungle, not even worried about it at all. That was too much for me and I bailed. From what people say, it's gotten even worse since then, so I hope they do cancel it. Although if the ratings rebound, I bet they extend it indefinitely. It's all about the $.
Thank god! by Coenbro	May 4th, 2007 05:26:38 PM
A certain ending is a GREAT thing. Look, they knew how this series was supposed it end from the begining (more or less), so adding extra seasons just means we are going to get usless episodes, which season 3 has been rife with. Plus, this will stave off the huge losses they are having in the ratings. People will watch if they know it will end soon. Look, this show has been pretty crappy this seaon, with some good episodes. If they know they can end, we might just get two seasons that are great. Unlike, say, BSG, where we get crappy stand alones week after week. Amen.
Perfect Timing by phaedrus007	May 4th, 2007 05:27:13 PM
Juliet says that Sun has two months to live. At that point, the 815ers had been on the island about 90 days. So about 90 days = about 3 seasons, or 1 season = 1 month. So Sun has 2 months to live, or two seasons to live... that is, she's due to die at the end of the 2009 season.
Interesting note: by CorpseRide	May 4th, 2007 05:29:13 PM
All the haters make a point of saying they haven't watched it recently. Just a heads up: we can tell. If you had, you wouldn't be a hater. The last three eps have been incredible.
bittersweet by exie	May 4th, 2007 05:34:33 PM
As much as I'll miss this show that I've been with since the Pilot of season one, this is good news. My other favorite show of all time was Six Feet Under and rather than milk the shit out of that for another 2 seasons, they went with one of the best series finale's ever in TV. I have a hunch the series finale for Lost in 2009 will trump that somehow. There's nothing on TV like this. I'm not afraid to call it the best show ever made. I'm glad the show is guaranteed 2 more seasons (because w/ABC you never know) and as for the 7 month break, it's no biggie. I'd rather see the show w/no repeats or pre-empts. ABC has it right. Fox figured it out first and it's smart of ABC to follow suit with mid-season start points.
Good on the 5 seasons plan by MrFloppy	May 4th, 2007 05:35:07 PM
Good on the january start (even is it will be a HARD wait), but if an earlier timeslot means less sex, dark and death... NOOOO!
Shows that went on too long: by CorpseRide	May 4th, 2007 05:43:39 PM
X-Files, Twin Peaks, Heroes. Thank goodness Lost has now has it's long-demanded five-season gameplan set in writing! :-)
Lost is still my favorite show. by Frank Black	May 4th, 2007 05:45:50 PM
Week after week it gets more interesting to me and I welcome this news. 2 more seasons is just right. Tell the story, move along. More shows should do this. (Though if they are to leave the island I wouldn't mind at least a movie that shows us what happens to them.)
I love all the Heroes love... by Sidius	May 4th, 2007 05:57:58 PM
(it's one of my faves as well)...but we'll see how great the writers really are when everyone starts turning on the show in it's 3rd season when the novelty wears off and the answers aren't coming fast enough. Of course Heroes has the unique option of just introducing new characters everytime the show starts dragging so fanboys can geek out for an episode or two - genius planning really. No one gives Lost any credit for re-opening the networks to accepting actual complex dramas that aren't just individual episodes with no through arc. I love House and Friday Night Lights as much as the next guy but it's great to have a show like Lost on the air. If not just to confirm that there are still unique, talented writers out there that don't just write the same drivel year in and year out and are trying to bring something unique to network TV.
Shows that went on too long: by CorpseRide	May 4th, 2007 05:58:47 PM
X-files: Obviously. Twin Peaks: Great show, lost its way in Season 2 because the producers wanted to resolve the central mystery, but have the show go on and on. You can't have both. I'm in the wrap-it-up and end the show crowd. Everyone bailed once they knew it was her dad, which is why the show got cancelled Heroes: this show's arc is DONE. I don't know why they wrote such a strong one-season arc and then booked a second season, but they have. It's with that second season in mind that I say: too long. Seriously, watch those viewers faaaaaaall away.
Here's the problem with Lost: by newc0253	May 4th, 2007 06:00:09 PM
Nothing. It's a fantastic show, period. Yeah, some episodes involve treading water and, yeah, some folk have painfully short attention spans. But it's still the best show on TV (with BSG at No 2). I think the 5 season plan is a great idea, because it frees up the show's writers to tell the story they want to tell without interference from the network. p.s. fuck Lost haterz. fuck them in their stupid asses.
Lost "went away" half way through last season by Pdorwick	May 4th, 2007 06:00:12 PM
...end it in October with a 2 hour movie so we don't have to swear at our TV's for another full season.
It's good to have a pull out date set by I Dunno	May 4th, 2007 06:00:49 PM
And an exit strategy.
Also re: Heroes. by Sidius	May 4th, 2007 06:01:40 PM
I am all for the consecutive episodes no breaks approach but everyone has to realize that that means the show won't be back till January. It's the only way to fit in 2 sweeps weeks.
Why fewer episodes per season? by telepathos	May 4th, 2007 06:11:36 PM
Why is it that Hollywood used to work harder than they do now? Wasn't it standard practice a generation ago to produce 26 or 27 episodes per season? Lost is at 22 this season isnt it? And in the 80s, hour-long shows took up about 47 minutes out of the hour, compared to 42 today. I feel ripped off. Lazy, money-grubbing networks (grumble grumble).
Sounds good by CherryValance	May 4th, 2007 06:12:59 PM
Although I am afraid of the gamechanger episode we've been waiting for. They better not be clones or anything dumb like that. And Twin Peaks would have been great with a 3rd season with bad Dale on the loose.
Good news all around by jimmy_009	May 4th, 2007 06:20:08 PM
The last few episodes have restored my faith in the show. This adds to that.
The sheer amouint of talent they have on by emeraldboy	May 4th, 2007 06:25:26 PM
Lost contiually blows me away. They really have the best production team on tv. They in which they are able to make parts of the islands look like the outisde world is astonishing. I think they are geniuses.
The only thing I like about the Jan-May run... by Ravetin	May 4th, 2007 06:27:46 PM
Is that it means we'll probably get multiple episodes in one week. Doesn't 24 always have a bunch of "two hour events" so they can cram it all into five months? Although, Lost been chipping off an episode every season. If they keep that up and knock it down to 21 eps for S4, then they'll be able to finish it off by the end of May. Jerks.
another show that went on too long by emeraldboy	May 4th, 2007 06:31:27 PM
friends. The makers should never have given into the demands of the cast. Another series that went on too long was that awful sitcom with paul Reiser and Helen Hunt and one more Ugly Betty. That show should have been yanked after its fourth ep. pint of piss.
Speaking of the terrible Sham of a show Ugly Betty by emeraldboy	May 4th, 2007 06:33:56 PM
ASheley jensen needs to be kidnapped immediatley and brought back to the UK. What are you doing in that awful pile of crap.
Ashok0 by CorpseRide	May 4th, 2007 06:34:41 PM
TP is my favorite show of all time. It even beats The Prisoner. But I'll tell you how long it takes in season 2 before it comes apart: 5 eps. They pull it back together for the finale, but that's it. They ended it well, but shoulda chopped a big chunk out of the middle of that season. A third season would have sullied the memory. I think a show's ideal length is pretty much dictated by its setup and basic premise. Look at Heroes. Heroes plot is all about stopping the explosion and (to a much lesser extent) finding out how comes they all have superpowers. Once they wrap up the first point, the second point won't be interesting enough to cover a second season. Now look at the character's arcs: will Peter reconcile with his family? Will the stripper resolve her personality and get back with her man? All interesting enough for about one season. After that people will stop caring, so you gotta resolve the arcs by then. After that, you can invent new things, but the randomness will shine through - Claire and oh let's say Ando fall in love? Peter gets a mysterious disease? You can toss these things out, but they don't flow naturally. It just becomes a superpower soap, and people will bail. Twin Peaks, X-files, Heroes and Lost are all fundamentally MYSTERY shows, and once you resolve the mystery, SHOW'S OVER. That's why the fixed end for Lost is so great. Audiences can be assured there is a set answer they are making their way towards - a journey they can understand, with an end point. In Twin Peaks - who killed Laura Palmer? In X-Files - what is the Secret Service/Alien conspiracy, and can it be stopped? In Heroes - how does NYC get vaporised, and can it be stopped? In Lost - What is the secret of the Island and its inhabitants, and can (or should) the 815ers escape? Looks like Heroes is gonna resolve its arc in one season. Strange choice, but there you go. Few people will hang around for whatever 'further adventures' the writers pull out of their butts, even though they will doubtless but some cliffhangers for them in the finale (those cliffhangers will be only just invented, though, since they heard it was renewed - they won't flow organically from the premise).
Fewere eps. by emeraldboy	May 4th, 2007 06:37:52 PM
Will make the show tighter and now that they have end, this will make the cast raise their game. We can expect more jolts that way.
Stargate weny on for too long by Mr_X	May 4th, 2007 06:47:24 PM
this is actually good news for lost, and finally getting some answers in these last epsiodes and being better qualtiy scripts has given me hope. Im just hoping that some of the main characters that i have heard will die wont. god almighty, by the time the series ends there'll be no survivors left.
Five Seasons=Brilliance. Six & Beyond=Ass by Read and Shut Up	May 4th, 2007 06:52:27 PM
Not they'll ever answer all the questions, but this is a good move by ABC. Also - like one of the Talkbackers said above - a seven-month wait is nothing if you're a Sopranos fan.
GOOD by Darth Melkor	May 4th, 2007 06:58:37 PM
I'm glad they know the ending, and know when it's time to quit. This thing couldn't go on forever. It's a confined location, only so much can happen. Let it end with honor, on top. Don't drag it out like X-Files or Sopranos.
Why not air 7 then 8 then 7? by performingmonkey	May 4th, 2007 07:04:08 PM
7 months is too long to wait. It works for 24 because each season is pretty much STANDALONE. Lost has been a continuing story since the pilot (which is probably the main reason viewers turned off, it's not one of those shows where you can miss a week or two, you need to see EVERY episode, even the Jack tattoo episode or Take-A-Shit special). 5 seasons seems right though. You simply can't carry a show like this beyond that point, you can't just press a big reset button like on a Trek series just to get more seasons. As for the 'answers', there have been PLENTY this season and a boatload to come in the final episodes.
don't know where else to post this by BadMrWonka	May 4th, 2007 07:19:45 PM
but I think America Ferrera is hot. I admit, losing like 30 pounds made the difference. but bless her, she's adorable! http://tinyurl.com/2m7cju
re: "Cancel it now" by Ribbons	May 4th, 2007 07:24:58 PM
Fuck you. Seriously. There are so many worse shows you could be wasting your time hating, you elitist prick. Not watching the show everybody talks about doesn't make you special.
I just hope they dont pull a Day Break by Phategod2	May 4th, 2007 07:25:00 PM
and cancel the show with only 7 episodes left.
Good news all around by The Selecter	May 4th, 2007 07:29:48 PM
First, there is confirmation that there will be a finite end (see 24 for the latest example of a show running on fumes), and second, an uninterrupted run. The longer spans between runs is hard to stomach, but much more palatable when the show is good. It's no problem for the FX or HBO series, and they only produce runs half as long as the networks' series. And for those who are certain Heroes is going to run out of steam, how about actually watching the 2nd season before you pass judgement? Hold off on the myopia for now. It could very well blow its entire load, but it may not. It's silly to think they they should somehow hold back on the A-material and gradually build up to it; that gets you no audience and no show; it means cancellation. Enough people already complain about "nothing's happening" on the show. If NYC's fate wasn't revealed until S2 or beyond, there would be no end to the bitching.
knowthyself by InLightEnd	May 4th, 2007 07:32:34 PM
I can can tell you what the show is about in one sentence. It's about what it means to be Lost.
hmm so does this mean... by quadrupletree	May 4th, 2007 07:36:40 PM
that it will end with season 4 or season 5. I know there was a possiblity that the show runners might abandon ship after season 4 so if they get to end the show on their terms then good for them.
GOB Adama by InLightEnd	May 4th, 2007 07:37:07 PM
You're right! It's about people reliving their past experiences in an attempt do do things right this time or Redeem themselves. I remember an interview with Dominc Monaghan a while back and he said, don't worry if Charile goes back on drugs. That will just mean he'll have the chance to redeem himself again. He said something like that, and that's the point of the show, their all LOST! After last weeks ep. where Cooper/Saywer says that their in Hell, it kinda makes sense that they all have to relive the mistakes they've made in their lives, over and over. I've rambled on way to much for a first-time talkbacker! And of course there's been an ending in sight from the beginning. Whoever says other wise is just dumb.
The reason 24 can go on and on... by CorpseRide	May 4th, 2007 07:39:02 PM
...gradual drop in quality notwithstanding, is because 24 is NOT A MYSTERY SHOW. It's a thriller/action adventure show, crossed with a straightup 'police procedural'. It's Die Hard meets Dragnet. Sure, there are things the hero & audience have to 'find out' together, but only in order to stretch things out for 24 episodes. Otherwise it'd be "where are the terrorists... oh, here they are, BANG, then end" in one episode. There is no big 'mystery' that guides the show. The may make a vague gesture towards one with the bluetooth guy stuff, but no-one cares, it's tacked on, and the fact they brought it in was symptomatic of the show's disintergration. All the shows I mentioned above are primarily mystery shows, and they all have one primary mystery guiding the WHOLE SERIES, with maybe a secondary one intertwined with it, no more. There's no mystery in 24. We know what's going on - terrorists. We know whether Jack will stop them - of course. It's just fun watching people shouting and running, then after 24 hours he pops a cap in the bad guy and looks sad :-D So that show can go on and on, cos it's all about the journey, not the destination, like it is with a mystery.
"Heroes plot is all about stopping the explosion" by newc0253	May 4th, 2007 07:41:41 PM
Why should stopping NYC from blowing up be the (effective) end for Heroes? Buffy didn't stop after the Master was stopped at the end of S1. Veronica Mars didn't stop after Lily Kane's murder was solved at the end of S1. Sure, Heroes is an incredibly tightly plotted show, but plenty of genre shows have managed to move beyond their original S1 premise. I'm certain some people will stop watching Heroes after season 1. Truth is, some folk always do, no matter how brilliant a show is. There's always gonna be a few talkbackers who pop up to complain that Show P lost steam/jumped the shark after event Q. And, yeah, sometimes a show really does lose direction (c.f. Alias after season 2). But i find it hard to believe that the writers of Heroes are just gonna suddenly run out of ideas.
the end of heroes by CorpseRide	May 4th, 2007 07:59:56 PM
The explosion (or prevention of) is the effective end of Heroes because the show has been written that way. Every episode hammers that point home - it's all about the big central mystery. Once it's resolved, few will care. You compare it to Buffy - in Buffy, each ep had its own plot, it's own thing going on. There was an episode baddy, and maybe a 'big bad' to be defeated at the end of each season. Buffy was primarily an action adventure show with soapy/romance elements. As such, it is much more like 24. Who are the bad guys? Vampires/Terrorists. Will Jack/Buffy stop them? Yes, but at a loss, and she'll be sad. Mix and re-serve. Heroes on the other hand is primarily a mystery, and it is structured as such. Every ep is about the big mystery. Every episode cliffhanger hints as progress towards resolving the big mystery. And when the mystery is solved, the show will implode. Oddly, they've chosen to have the mystery solved in the first season finale. It's like having season one of the X-files end with an alien invasion, but Fox and Scully stop them and save the world. After that, there'd be no-where to go.
I love the people who call to "cancel it now" by Novaman5000	May 4th, 2007 08:02:38 PM
even when they don't watch a show. If you're that HUGE of a douche that you take pleasure in the idea of a well liked show being canceled just to spite its fans, you need serious fucking help.
To add to the above.. by CorpseRide	May 4th, 2007 08:04:09 PM
.. if you say "they won't run out of ideas", you're missing the point. They only need one overarching idea. They have it - find the cause of and stop the explosion. Once that's done, I'm sure they can come up with any number of 'new adventures'. But the show will deflate, cos it'll all feel tacked-on and inorganic.
Game-changer by ElPaw	May 4th, 2007 08:07:06 PM
Hasn't this phrase been bandied about the whole season? First the game-changer was meant to be in eps 1-6, then they said it would be in February, then March, they just keep on putting it back. Hopefully this news will allow for a 108-episode long series. (if there are 22 episodes next season, it would finish on the 13th/14th episodes of S5). That's a nice round number.
this is brilliant by stvnhthr	May 4th, 2007 08:21:17 PM
Longer than 5 seasons and the stars would start to walk. This will be awesome if they can make it work. Do not milk it or you'll end up with a show like ER or Seaven Heaven which both far out stayed their welcome. Lost is too good to let it peter out and die. End it with a bang and then give us a feature film.
Gamechanger by CorpseRide	May 4th, 2007 08:22:56 PM
You know, I thought it was Desmond's ability to travel in time. Turns out I was wrong - word now is that the real game changer is the season finale. A kind of "re-think what you thought you knew" episode, with SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER five (?) deaths, including 3 major characters - two major 815ers and one major 'Other'. Don't know how accurate that is, but the gossip really picked up a notch in the last 24 hours, so it could be for real.
..also... by CorpseRide	May 4th, 2007 08:25:04 PM
you can find the names of the people who are supposedly gonna die on most of the 'Lost' gossip sites. I'm not gonna post them here, cos I'm not a dick. I'm sure "Capt'n Jack" will cutting and pasting their names as soon as he notices them, though. :-P
Ashok0 by InLightEnd	May 4th, 2007 08:25:44 PM
That article that accompanied this TB says the game-changer is in the May 23rd Season Finale. So that would be Jack-Centric. Obviously there's more to Jack than we know. This weeks ep. where Juliet said to him that 'we should tell her' referring to Kate's pregnancy revealed that Jack knows about that. His response was, not yet, almost like he's in league with the others or something. I wonder what else he knows that we don't know that he knows...you know?
I also by Mockingbuddha	May 4th, 2007 08:26:55 PM
think that a planned ending is a good thing. Those episodes of X-Files that were hours of different FBI Agents talking in hushed tones to each other sucked.
Planned Ending by InLightEnd	May 4th, 2007 08:39:55 PM
The writers have said repeatedly that they have an ending in mind! You can't pitch a show like this to a network without having an ending. It's not like a sitcom like friends where you can just take it on until viewers get sick of it. Shows like LOST are more like a long movie or a mini-series. A friend of mine has pitched a few pilots to NBC and he says they won't take any ideas unless a five-year story arc is already outlined. The fact that they're going to end it in a couple of years is great. Others have already said this, but it will make the final two seasons more potent because they won't just be filling time. Instead they can focus on wrapping up the story and revealing all the mysteries. Hopefully they don't miss any! I for one am completely stoked!
I prefer the 10:00 pm time slot by Napoleon Park	May 4th, 2007 08:40:33 PM
because I hate shows that run 62, 63, 65 minutes. People have been making Tv shoes for decades, now, they ought to know how to do an episode that fits into its time slot by now. *** I do prefer a 22 episode straight through season to an interrupted by reruns and postponents and preemptions long season (where they deliberately stretch the season in order to cover all the major sweeps months.) The two-part season with a hiatus seemed like a good idea but apparently didn't quite work out - the post-hiatus return 'lost' some viewers until word got out that the quality was atually up. also, the six episode season 3, part 1 arc lacked the depths they've been achieving recently.
The Gamechanger is by CorpseRide	May 4th, 2007 08:51:26 PM
The Others build a plane and fly over to the beach to attack the Losties. But on the way they're knocked off course and crash in smalltown USA. Can they escape their surroundings and get home? And who is the mysterious leader "George", and why does he have a creepy cult following with an interest in female reproduction? Tune in to next week's LOST!
Lost Rules by Fing Fang Foom	May 4th, 2007 09:06:54 PM
Standout scene' o the year. Rousseau and Locke's scene in Black Rock. Loved the ending with Locke and the bodybag too. Great show. Excited that they've put a cap on it. I mean what a cool fun show!
The gamechanger is... by kingoflight	May 4th, 2007 09:16:11 PM
That everyone realises that they can take huge amounts of damage to thier bodies and as long as they don't die they will be perfectly fine. THUNDERDOME Two men enters ONE MAN LEAVES EXCEPT CHARLIE.. because des predicted he'll die. last ever epidose of lost Charlie : hey des, i guess you was bloody wrong about me getting killed in one of your prediction flashy things eh ? Des: Aye charile i guess i was good thing were saved now. Here charlie can you hold this for me i forgot to get something for penny. des hands charlie a rucksack Charlie: sure........BANG Des: Got YA, you fucking hobbit bastard, saved you so many times just so i could do it myself. Des clearly hiding a remote detenator
IF i was the writer of lost by kingoflight	May 4th, 2007 09:23:32 PM
I would kill jack off this season i fucking hate him now. He's a cunt Sawyer is the new and better jack. jack just a two timing lostie bitch
HEROES = 1-trick pony by Sir Loin	May 4th, 2007 09:23:53 PM
CorpseRide is right, after the explosion mystery is solved, it's over. Besides that, it's really substandard entertainment, I think NBC's hype machine has gotten the best of some of you. They've done it before, with V and CLIFFHANGERS in the late 70's. V at least was tense (the first miniseries, anyway) but HEROES is quite shallow and made for the YouTube folks who require a payoff every single episode. The LOST writers at least understand this trap, and take risks with episodes that don't move the big storyline forward but provide some backstory. HEROES is for the ADD generation, who don't have the patience to watch an epic story unfold over a few seasons. Flame on!
OK, I'm back on board with "Lost"... by HappyHamster	May 4th, 2007 09:39:23 PM
I've always maintained that the only problem with this show is that the writers have an open timeline - there's a good story here, but they've got some unknown amount of eps to tell the story. Thus we got stuck with the crappy filler that killed the ratings. If you're a fan of Lost this is the best thing that could have happened. Now we have a definite end-game coming and only so many shows in which to tell the story; but we still plenty of episodes to give us a nice good helping of great "Lost".
Yeah, but William Petersen does own on CSI by NoPIX	May 4th, 2007 09:59:22 PM
and he deserves the success seeing as how he could have had a really strong movie career
Love the show, but glad it's ending. by Gorrister	May 4th, 2007 10:04:40 PM
I seem to be an endangered species in the world of television. I prefer to see shows I love run for only a few seasons before ending. This is mainly due to the fact that so many good shows burn out just because the studio keeps cranking out season after season. The quality eventually nose-dives. Three to four seasons seems to be the limit before shows begin to tank. I had thought LOST was going downhill this season until the story finally moved back to the beach. Focusing the story on Jack, Kate and James was rather dull and often annoying. They could have told that entire storyline in 2 episodes instead. But things are getting great now that we're back with Locke, Desmond, etc.
Killing Jack by Gorrister	May 4th, 2007 10:08:27 PM
I totally agree with those of you who want to see Jack dead. I never really cared much for him and thought he made a bad leader for the group, but he's become a very different character this season. I never thought I'd see the day when I would think of James Ford as being the better man.
I don't have time to read the rest of this right now by Strabo	May 4th, 2007 10:15:01 PM
But I want to respond to Novaman up-thread. You want to know what will shut us up? If the writers actually answer some goddamn questions. And by the way, Lost is NOT the best show on TV. That honor is reserved for The Shield. Lindelof, Cuse, and Abrams aren't qualified to hold Shawn Ryan's jock strap. Fuck Lost.
Ashok0 by Sir Loin	May 4th, 2007 10:18:02 PM
Agreed about CSI: Denver. LOL. It'd be great if the HEROES writers came up with another unique plot thread for next season like 24 usually does, I'll give you that. It's an enjoyable show, just doesn't seem suited for the long-term based on the first season so far. But I'm liable to be WAY off.
Sawyer took jacks place by kingoflight	May 4th, 2007 10:19:45 PM
The second he pulled that bullet out of his shoulders with his bare hands. I watched that episode with my mates and at that point we all went mental from complete silence ! HE BECAME GOD !
GREAT NEWS. by kyle051554	May 4th, 2007 10:30:14 PM
I love LOST, but it's good that they're going to end it on a schedule rather than drag it out and turn it into crap.
5 Seasons = GOOD; 7-Month Hiatus = BAD by SpyGuy	May 4th, 2007 10:57:20 PM
If LOST doesn't return until January 2008, expect the same audience exodus that's going to hit BATTLESTAR GALACTICA. On the upside, though, it should bring HEROES some new viewers looking for a serial storyline that they can talk about at the water cooler the next day.
sick by slkboxrman	May 4th, 2007 10:57:22 PM
im kinda plastered so dont mind me.....there is no such thing as "filler" episodes...every episode drives the main plot along, so if u skipped an episode because u thought it was filler, u missed alot....there is no problem with LOST, it reveals what it needs to reveal, not before..im sure the show was PLANNED to run for 5 seasons..im sure they have an ending...so all u haters that insanely believe the shield is better need to check ur brain in for therapy...SHIELD dont hold a candle to LOST..sorry to tell u this..goodnight
Dragging it out is a good thing by cooper2000	May 4th, 2007 11:10:51 PM
I remember reading an interview with David Fury after he quite during the full season saying they Producers were told to make everything more vague and to drag things out longer. They were told to do this by ABC since they knew they had a hit on their hands. This in my opinion backfired. People got tired of being dicked around and questions being unanswered by characters not talking the way they usually would if trapped on a weird island with weird things going on. No conversations like, did you just see that big smoke monster? So, knowing an end day may prevent them continuing to do this but, as others have said, since ratings have been dropping weekly, the long hiatus till next January could be very bad.
HEROES' bomb will kill .07% of planet population, so.. by wackybantha	May 4th, 2007 11:24:43 PM
...I think that if season 2 can offer up something that threatens a tad more people then maybe, just maybe, some pessimists out there will be convinced. heeheehoohoo...
You dumb douches by slone13	May 4th, 2007 11:42:36 PM
If you want 24 consecutive new episodes of a show per year you gotta deal with 7 months of nothing. It's simple math.
Scheduling change by PwnedByStallone	May 4th, 2007 11:53:09 PM
If Lost and Heroes end up going up against each other next season all fucking hell is going to break loose. I'm sickened by the thought. Personally i think Heroes sucks a fat cock but I know alot of you like both shows.
I just had a thought by LeviDTinker	May 5th, 2007 12:25:03 AM
hmmm i wonder with the show ending in 2009,and the 11th star Trek movie in theatres christmas 2008. will we be seeing a J.J. Abrams Star trek Spinoff television series for the 2009-2010 television season?
I think star trek needs like a 10 year break by RokurGepta	May 5th, 2007 12:40:08 AM
and then maybe if they have a good story idea, to go for it, otherwise, let a dead horse rest. I thought Star Trek: Quantum Leap sucked. I think 5 years is a good run for a television series. It would be cool if they made a Lost Movie though. It would allow for some steamier scenes... so the dynamite is to rescue alex right? what do you guys think? I wonder if they are gonna bring back Hugo's VW Bus, or Kate's Pony. What do you guys know about that show hidden palms on the CW? it looks prettty lame IMHO. Also, I just saw some kindo of commercial for some pirate show that CBS is gonna start airing...What's that all about?
Happy Hamster by Jor-El23	May 5th, 2007 12:58:35 AM
If the creators are to believed, they always envisioned Lost as a 6 season show. I've always thought they had things mapped out from beginning to end but they went in knowing you can't depend on today's fickle viewing audience. When the show was hot early on, ABC saw $$$ and probably asked them to start dragging things out a little bit...a little back story here, a red herring there. The decline in Lost's audience is finally catching up and now ABC is moving on to the next big thing which is either a crap Grey's spinoff or National Bingo Night (?). With an end in sight I'm really excited for where Lost is going.
National Bingo Night, LOL by RokurGepta	May 5th, 2007 01:03:39 AM
Anyway I hear Matthew Fox is gonna be on the Tonight Show, this coming tuesday.
Star Trek does not need a 10 year break. by Gorrister	May 5th, 2007 01:08:36 AM
It needs something more like a 60 year break.
Audience Exodus for BSG by Gorrister	May 5th, 2007 01:13:14 AM
I think the audience exodus for BSG has already happened. It's been spiraling out of control since the end of Season One. But SciFi keeps putting their 'spin' on the numbers for some reason. I suppose it's probably for the sake of the critical acclaim. Anyhow, BSG ended Season One with a pretty nice 2.5 rating. This helf for the premire of Season Two, but quickly dropped and ended the season with a 1.9. Again, Season Three began with roughly the same figures (1.8 rating), but quickly started to plummet. The Season Finale only managed to barely score above the series all-time low of 1.1 by bringing in a rating of 1.2. If the trend holds, the Season Four premire will score roughly a 1.2 rating before beginning the plummet once again.
rokrgepta, the thing is jj is directing trek xi by LeviDTinker	May 5th, 2007 01:33:52 AM
but think about it lost ends right around the time that the new trek movie which is being produced and directed by jj is comming out, and its been reported that the studio is wanting to use trek xi to launch a new tv series if the movie is well recieved.
The producers announced this months ago by SquirrelPhister	May 5th, 2007 01:37:30 AM
Why is this surprising? Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse said months ago that they had gotten ABC to agree to set the end of the series at 5 seasons (around the 108th episode, maybe?). Lindelof wanted it to be 4 seasons, now they've stretched the story arc into 5. Good. Why is anyone upset about this?
I hope it doesn't pass 100 episodes... by supergary452	May 5th, 2007 02:14:30 AM
'Cause then they could do syndication, and that would suck. This show has lasted far too long as it is.
Toomazooma? (a few replies and observations.) by Napoleon Park	May 5th, 2007 03:20:00 AM
"No one gives Lost any credit for re-opening the networks to accepting actual complex dramas that aren't just individual episodes with no through arc". Yeah, everyone seems to give NYPD Blue and Hill Street Blues credit for doing that just because they did it first! ********** "Well * those ing s for not pinching time and finding a way to air all 24 episodes consecutively across 12 months." Here's How: get all 24 episodes filmed and in the can, then air them weekly while the creative team works on the next 24. Take off two weeks, then rerun the same 24 episodes in the same order. Take off a Holiday two week hiatus for Christmas/New Years, then start season two. See, by airing each of 24 episodes twice, that covers the time slot for 48 weeks out of a 52 week year - airing some Holiday specials and recap/clip shows in the other four weeks covers an entire year. This, of course, would require a network to commit to airing a series for one full year, not just pulling the plug after five episodes unless it breaks the top ten its debut week. ******** "I hope it doesn't pass 100 episodes... 'Cause then they could do syndication," Don't worry about that, soap operas and serialized dramas - even continuity heavy comedies - do notoriously badly in syndication. It might wind up airing at 3:00 am on some niche cable channel like Sci-Fi but it will probably flop in syndication. "Alias" is all over the late night schedule, but who watches it? ****** "Looks like Heroes is gonna resolve its arc in one season. Strange choice." The idea that Heroes is a one idea show confuses me. It's a superhero series stretching it's origin story out over an entire year long arc. Saying it should end once the characters are introduced... Look, at the end of Fantastic Four #1 (the comic book, not the abomination) they defeated The Mole Man. If ALL FF was about was stopping the Mole Man, then they could have ended the series there. Instead Jack Kirby and Stan Lee produced 102 issues. And they kept it fresh by introducing a few new characters (Alicia Masters, Wyatt Wingfoot, Black Panther, Silver Surfer, Agatha Harkness, The Inhumans, Him, etc.) along with a variety of villains and guest stars. And, yes, they padded it out with a few less than stellar episodes (Toomazooma? Le Infant Terrible?) But they still created a lasting monument to comic book creativity. And made a few bucks doing it. You're saying hooray, Superman caught the space plane, cancel the series. That's short sighted. Canceling a hit is not a good business plan. ******** Networks should let creative talent produce a show for as long as it remains fresh - and not ask them to pad or stretch it. Heck, "The Prisoner" is great, but it was originally intended as a 12 episode series - the network wanted 17 and some of the weaker installments were cranked out to fill the quota. And networks ordered Lynch to resolve the laura palmer murder plot on "Twin Peaks'. Five years or 108 episodes is nice to shoot for. But maybe Lost would have been even tighter all along if they'd planned for FOUR from the start. Fewer slow paced episodes, more answers, earlier, no Jack's tattoos episodes. He got tattooed with a "5" because he was on a show called "Party of Five". End of story.
Five seasons by Jim Jam Bongs	May 5th, 2007 03:29:14 AM
The ratings for LOST aren't bad, though they have obviously declined. But the problem is, it's an expensive show to produce. Costs are always a factor in TV series production -- it's just business, after all. What I'm guessing will happen is that we'll be seeing more of the regular cast of characters getting killed off next season and into the fifth. The greatest "purge" will occur in the fifth and final season; I bet it will be like a horror film where most of the characters get killed off, and only a few remain standing.
if the Cylons saw LOST, would they like it? by Boomers_Lips	May 5th, 2007 04:00:56 AM
if the Cylons from BSG saw the show LOST, would they like it?
if the Cylons saw LOST, would they like it? by Boomers_Lips	May 5th, 2007 04:00:57 AM
if the Cylons from BSG saw the show LOST, would they like it?
wackybantha misses the point by CorpseRide	May 5th, 2007 04:28:05 AM
I'm sure they can come up with something to do with a second season. It will just have no connection to what people regard as the central question of what is a mystery show, cos they'll have wrapped that up. It'll be a 'new adventure'. And as such the program will flounder, cos it's not structured to take that kind of episodic format. Their season one and series arcs are the same thing, which is a design flaw. It's like having Mulder and Scully crack the conspiracy at the end of X-Files season 1, or the Losties find out what the island is all about and find a way home at the end of LOST season one. Could the writers of those shows have followed those Season One endings with "more ideas"? Sure, but they would have killed the show. And so it is with Heroes. They put all the weight on the season arc, and forgot to set up a longer series arc. Other formats can cope, but in a mystery show, game's over.
I hope they don't kill too many people. by Freakemovie	May 5th, 2007 04:29:51 AM
For their own sake. I've never really bought into the whole "we kill people because the audience needs to know the stakes are real" thing. For example: killing off Sawyer in the Season 3 finale, followed by a seven month wait, will drive so many people away, it won't be whatsoever funny. Otherwise, this sounds like good news, if only that it will finally shut a lot of the internet whiners up about not having a planned ending.
108 episodes by LOST_FAN	May 5th, 2007 04:41:24 AM
There's going to be 108 episodes. the number 108 is all over the show. the numbers 4,8,15,16,23,42 equal 108. The hatchclock was set for 108 minutes. Theres gonna be 108 episodes. That was their plan from the start and in 2009 on the (I think) 5 season episode 20 would be the 108th episode. They also could do 22 eps in the 4th season and 22 eps in the fifth and hit 108 as well.
another 108 note by LOST_FAN	May 5th, 2007 04:43:04 AM
January 2008 is the next start date...that would be 1-08 ? 108 again.
Movie? by supertoyslast	May 5th, 2007 06:06:08 AM
I heard rumours a while ago that the producers wanted to wrap it up in 5 seasons and then do a movie. I hope this isn't true because a movie would need to explain so much backstory to a general audience as to be ridiculous. I say follow the lead of Six Feet Under and The Sopranos. Wrap things up before it drags on too long and no TV/cinema/DVD spin-offs whatsoever.
CorpseRide, you're missing the point by The Selecter	May 5th, 2007 06:11:25 AM
or not paying attention. There are plenty of questions and hurdles that the cast can face. They've only just discovered their powers, how to handle them, the existence of others like them, and an organization that already knew of their existence. NYC is just the first hurdle they must jump. If you think it's the be all and end all of the series and their universe, it's a good thing you're not a writer, cause you have no imagination. You could substitute any number of things for NYC, and it wouldn't matter. We JUST saw an episode that shows how one fork would have gone. We're going to see the other, and where that leads. The road does not end at NYC. Just like Lost didn't end once we found out what was inside the hatch.
The hatch is a good comparison by CorpseRide	May 5th, 2007 06:47:43 AM
From episode ONE of Lost, there were two main questions raised - what is the secret of the island, and can they get off it? How did they end season one? They opened the hatch, and Walt got kidnapped. How did they end season two? They blew up the hatch, and Jack, Kate and James got kidnapped. Now look at Heroes, which like Lost is a mystery show. What's the major question they've been pushing since episode one? Why will NYC explode, and can they stop it. How will they end Season One? By answering both those questions. In Lost, the hatch is an excellent example of a sub-goal being reached, and the kidnappings are an excellent example of a complicating development. In Heroes, that won't happen. They'll have to invent an entirely new plot arc for subsequent seasons, though I'm sure there'll be some perfunctory attempt to bolt it onto what happened before. In Lost, the very first epsidode of the series asked two questions, and it seems the very last episode will answer them. That's the right way to write a mystery show. The new season - new adventure format they've ended up with in Heroes will kill the show, just like wrapping up who killed Laura Palmer killed Twin Peaks. Lynch was talked into revealing that answer by the network, but even so, he still thought that show could run and run afterwards. He was wrong.
Heroes will be like Prison Break by ElPaw	May 5th, 2007 07:21:23 AM
They'll escape from prison in S1, and in S2 it will be all over the place with no real story progression or coherency.
Lost interest... by BillyTheFish	May 5th, 2007 07:21:54 AM
...about halfway through Season Two. The whole 'let's write it as we go along' approach really got on my tits, as did having three 'filler' episodes for every decent one. Dull, dull, dull. Go away now, please.
god the talkbacks... by RokurGepta	May 5th, 2007 07:38:52 AM
are dead tonight/this morning
Ghostbusters 3 Dreamcast by RokurGepta	May 5th, 2007 07:55:24 AM
Nathan Fillion, Bruce Campbell, Kevin Weissman, Chris Rock.
Glad they're respecting... by DanielKurland	May 5th, 2007 09:15:09 AM
Glad they're respecting Lindelof and Cuse's 5-year plan.
5 seasons is not surprising new information... by turketron	May 5th, 2007 10:05:41 AM
I could swear that I've heard for a while that they have been planning to do only 4 or 5 seasons. Lindelof/Cuse don't WANT to draw it out anymore than that. They said in the beginning that it would be horrible if they had their story to tell and ABC wanted to keep dragging it out after that story was over. I don't want Lost to go away either, but this is not really surprising information. I have to laugh at those who don't think Heroes can go for more seasons once the explosion arc is resolved. Next season could be even better rhan the first. Topping Sylar as a villain will be tough though...
telepathos by BankyFan	May 5th, 2007 10:12:14 AM
It's not that Hollywood's lazy, it's that the shows on TV now take more time to produce. Shooting an episode of 'Quincy' for example, used to take roughly an hour and a half, and that's WITH Jack Klugman's smoke breaks. Today, with hatches and explosions and Battlestar Galacticas, things just take a bit more time to get done. That extra five minutes of advertising, though? That's just bullshit.
To the guy who asked by Purgatori	May 5th, 2007 10:49:54 AM
where my link was to knowing this already...well here it is. The series makers wanted to finish it off. They figured out a way to write themselves out of the hole but they wanted ABC to promise them the next season would be it. Personally I think that's a good thing. End it now before even more BS has to be made up to keep it going.
108 Total Episodes? by Mr. N	May 5th, 2007 10:53:39 AM
Who wants to bet? What are they up to now in the count? about 60 or so?
One more year PLEASE! by xeeds	May 5th, 2007 11:12:21 AM
OK, JJ dragged Alias out to 5 seasons and it got progressively worse. Season 4 was OK, but season 5 was just bad, especially the last 5-6 episodes. After last week's Lost they played the "Only 3 episodes left" promo and my wife asked if that was the end of the show. She was upset that it wasn't ending this season. Week after week of little teases is just getting annoying. It's great that the season finale is "game changing," but even if its some amazingly cool thing and they change it enough to make it interesting again, it won't matter if they go back to the same pattern of almost pointless episodes full of nothing but tidbits. I think with two years they'll feel like they need to drag it out and not give us much each week, but if they only have a year and a plan, they'd have to give out enough each week to keep it interesting. So one year please, not two.
BankyFan by telepathos	May 5th, 2007 11:13:48 AM
Even a show like Star Trek: TNG? They were effects-heavy and still produced 26 a season. But with lost, I'm not sure why they've chopped one episode off of each season so far. First was 24, then 23, and now 22 in season three.
Ok CorpseRide But Season 2 of Heroes...... by Real Deal	May 5th, 2007 11:18:34 AM
Will be another story about different characters and a different problem to be solved. Some of the same characters from season one will survive into season 2 but I believe this is how they will keep the storyline fresh. Unlike the other shows mentioned here it's a different set of problems and arc. And who knows maybe there's a larger over all arc that will run through the series that we can't see yet.
Network Scheduling by xeeds	May 5th, 2007 11:34:20 AM
Leave it where its at and don't wait until January to start it. So the Networks figured out that if they start a show later they can run it straight without repeats and they needed to do this because people were sick of the repeats. I don't mind the occasional repeat though. When you'd watch one new episode and then get two weeks before another new episode only to get another repeat the week after that, that was frustrating. In the old days, granted the seasons were a few episodes longer, but you'd you'd get 5 episodes in a row and then one repeat before another 4-5 new episodes. They'd take 2-3 weeks off for a holiday break and not 6 or 7. Having a 7 week break where they put on another show is just stupid, outside of the diehards, people get used to not watching it and forget when it's coming back on. It's OK to take the summer off because people expect that, but 6-8 weeks in the winter or spring is just too much. Timeslots aren't much different, if you take a show off for weeks and then move it to a new time when it comes back, of course people will miss that its back, duh. The more you move it, the more people get annoyed and start to give up. With Lost they moved it to 9:00P/10:00E because they didn't want to compete with American Idol, but they stuck it against Medium, I'd rather be a supernatural genre show against some idiot talent show thats only on part of the year vs. going up against another supernatural genre show. After some of the crappier weeks, I've been ready to give up on Lost and just start watching Medium instead. Idol doesm't even start until February or something right, is it even on duing the fall? How about they start Lost in September and have it finish before idol comes on. I still say they they should start in mid October, only take a few weeks off for the holidays, and only have one repeat at a time and only having 4-5 new episodes in a row before a repeat.
I hope that they show RERUNS... by ccchhhrrriiisssm	May 5th, 2007 11:42:16 AM
...during the hiatus between Season 3 and Season 4. There was a lot to "soak in" during this season. If they do show the reruns, then they can recruit quite a few new fans (and the return of some old ones). Season 3 is turning into a GREAT SEASON OF TELEVISION. If others would take the time to watch, they could "convert" back to the show -- and raise the ratings tremendously for Season 4!
Oh fuck it all by David Lazarus Long	May 5th, 2007 11:46:03 AM
I just had a huge long ranting post about Lost and how we haven't even gotten out of the parking lot and Heroes is Harry Potter if Lost is LotR and they're at episode 72 so it'll go well past 108 and it all got fuck DELETED! BAH!!!!!!
You are right, RealDeal... by CorpseRide	May 5th, 2007 11:50:54 AM
...that season two of Heroes will be about a different problem to be solved. That's what will kill the show, the switch in problems. Just like in Twin Peaks. In fact, ElPaw made the best comparison - Prison Break. I didn't make the connection cos I happen not to watch the show, but he's right - for a whole season the show was about the breakout - the concept was built into the show's NAME! - and at the end of the first season, they, uh, escaped. And most people immediately stopped caring. Every single friend I have who watches that says the second season sucked balls. And PB wasn't even a mystery show, primarily. Fact is, casual Lost viewers just wanna know if they'll get off the island or not. Casual Heroes viewers just wanna know if they'll stop the explosion. So I predict season two of Heroes will shed most of its casual viewers. As for a longer arc that we can't see yet - that's cos it ain't there. They'll try and think one up, but it'll be an afterthought. I predict a bunch of unexpected stuff in the last ep, new characters suddenly turning up and some sort of half-assed mystery character appearing and saying "there's so much you don't know", and then the writers can spend the summer desperately brainstorming what that might be. But no-one's gonna care much, cos they'll sense that after the explosion is explained/prevented it'll all be made up on the fly.
Truth be told... by ccchhhrrriiisssm	May 5th, 2007 12:10:43 PM
...I would rather watch the next three episodes of LOST than most of the supposed "blockbusters" coming out this summer!
like ive been saying all along... by PotSmokinAlien	May 5th, 2007 01:17:15 PM
season 4: evil widmore invasion, others and losties must unite, we learn what the fuck is up with the island. season 5: doing whatever the hell they are "destined" to actually do there, and finishing it off with some mind blowing shit (i hope). and whoever up there said s3 has been a great season, i absolutely agree: watching this shit on dvd is gonna be a real treat for whoever hasnt seen it yet, a fucking slow burn. too bad slow burns dont work too well an hour a week, but at least we have gotten to the duraflame instalog part of the season
Managing Up by CalamityJay	May 5th, 2007 01:22:42 PM
I'm really gonna miss Lost when it wraps up cause I love it that much. Maybe JJ, Damen and Carleton have some great new show idea and used it to convince the network to allow them to wrap up Lost on their own timetable, rather than dragging it out. I won't complain if those creative minds give us something new.
7 month long break... by The Dum Guy	May 5th, 2007 01:22:49 PM
This most likely has to do with the DVD release of the 3rd season.
WTF? by turketron	May 5th, 2007 01:38:25 PM
Why would the 7 month long break have anything to do with the DVD release of the 3rd season? The dvd releases come out regardless of how much time between seasons (see season 2 and subsequent seasons of any current TV show).
CorpseRide: why you're wrong... by Executor	May 5th, 2007 01:48:18 PM
...among many other reasons, but here's the biggest: you're basing your argument on the assumption that Heroes is a "mystery" show. WHAT?!??! It's superheroes for christsake...it's x-men. Is X-men a "mystery"? No. It's ADVENTURE. And season 1 (or Volume 1 as they say, since it's a friggin COMIC BOOK!!!) is their first ADVENTURE. It's not a "mystery"...will they stop the bomb or won't they? That's just the premise. (Like, will Superman stop Lex Luthor.) So, since your assumption in your argument is wrong, you are wrong. The End.
Geez Corpse, you could use a little imagination.. by Billyeveryteen	May 5th, 2007 02:04:25 PM
While I agree that once you solve the mystery of Lost, game over. It's just not true for Heroes. Ever read a comic book? Sure they may lose YOU after the explosion, but comic book law demands another peril. Did you see the 5 years later ep? Were you bored? I'd love to see a fight between current Heroes, and Alt-Heroes. Maybe a more interesting villain than Sylar? The mind reels.
This is soooo excellent by FirstPostersSuck	May 5th, 2007 02:42:20 PM
Now we can start to see some real answers.
re: CorpseRide's argument by Ribbons	May 5th, 2007 02:49:16 PM
The thing that people aren't getting, I think, is that "Heroes" isn't Fantastic Four. It's Watchmen. Somebody up-thread said "I mean, New York is only the beginning!" or something to that extent. Could you imagine saying that to justify making a sequel to Watchmen? "Maybe Ozymandias could threaten to blow up NEW cities, or maybe even a country!" I am a little on the fence. I think a second season could actually work, and I do think the universe in "Heroes" is expansive enough to survive a change in format. I mean... if Season 2 becomes like "Buffy," and Sylar is the big bad, I think that could work. Maybe not, but I guess we'll see.
telepathos, con't. by BankyFan	May 5th, 2007 03:18:46 PM
I'd probably argue yes, just because TNG is Effects-Driven in a totally different way than LOST is. LOST is also an amazing case when you think of 20-something principles along how many units of shooting...and they manage to produce 23 episodes a year. PS: It's worth nothing that Season 1 of LOST was technically 25 episodes.
At least lost aint prison break by kingoflight	May 5th, 2007 03:27:29 PM
God that show was a let down, i mean if it was one season it would have been amazing. Yet they could have made it really good and left it at 2 seasons, now it looks like its gonna be 3 season and i don't want to watch it anymore. Lost at least has things to wrap up even if it goes on to 5 seasons, prison break draged shit out for the first season!
Spin-Off by MarkoOhNo	May 5th, 2007 03:40:30 PM
Yep, Lost will have a spin-off miniseries called Found, which will be kinda like the Gilligan's Island movie in which the castaways are rescued. In the final installment, they'll all return to the island because they find they preferred living there.
moving the show's locale by Blood T Cat	May 5th, 2007 03:46:11 PM
they're escaping to Ireland or maybe Prague
wow, defensive.... by Lt. Kaffee	May 5th, 2007 03:56:19 PM
some folks are super defensive of their favorite tv shows. i, for one, enjoy most all the shows discussed in the same talkbacks. (hell, i even like the wire AND the shield... go figure) however, there was an argument above saying that heroes is about superheroes and not a "mystery" based show. and that is wrong. the show wouldn't work if it were a flat out super hero team fighting a "monster of the season". the mystery surrounding the plot is what keeps the maintstream audience along.
emeraldboy: grab a clue by Pdorwick	May 5th, 2007 03:59:32 PM
You prefer Lost over Ugly Betty? Jesus, that's embarrassing. Ugly Betty beats Lost in absolutely every category; from production design thru writing and acting. It's also about 10 times smarter than Lost which is probably why you dont' get it.
Pdorwick by Ribbons	May 5th, 2007 04:11:46 PM
It's also cuter than "Lost," and it smells better too! *** I figured a couple more superfluous, unqualified adjectives were okay since you were talking out of your ass anyway. But please, tell us more about how we don't 'get' "Ugly Betty."
Executor by CorpseRide	May 5th, 2007 04:55:40 PM
It is totally a mystery show. The two questions they bash you over the head with in every single episode are "what causes the explosion?" and "can they stop it?". What, you watch it for the action? 24, dumb as it, does it better. You watch it for the comic banter? The emo emoting and high-school philosophising? All just set-dressing. The hook is the mystery, and they're going to throw it away in the season one finale. You think Heroes is worth watching cos emo X-redux superheroes are just inherently watchable? I can see how a geek-core could think that. Well, TP fans thought Twin Peaks was worth watching cos of David Lynch's scenarios and style. Turns out, most viewers disagreed. They wanted to find out who the killer was, and once they did they moved on. So it will be with Heroes. Blame the writers man, they shoulda worked up a mystery arc, starting in episode one, that could sustain more than one season. Suxxx to be a big Heroes fan next year I guess.
Heroes is not a "One Trick Pony", Sir Loin..... by supergary452	May 5th, 2007 06:08:44 PM
Heroes DOES do episodes that don't always further the plot. Company Man (focusing mostly on HRG/Mr. Bennet and his past), Six Months Ago (About the beginning of Sylar and the past of the other characters), and of course 5 Years Gone/String Theory (about the possible future if they don't stop the explosion). And they say next season will feature more episodes that burrow deeply into a single character, like the popular "Company Man" episode, and that next season will have some cool twists in the way the story is told, but season 3 will be more like organized like "24".
About the 5 years. by DreadPirateRoberts	May 5th, 2007 06:17:42 PM
As a few others have also touched on, The 5 year limit thing just means the producers finally got their way. They have said since season 2 that they wanted to go a max of 4 or maybe 5 seasons. That is all the story they had to tell. They did say that ABC might want to go further, but that it would have to go on without their involvement. Thankfully some common sense has prevailed this time.
CorpseRide... by supergary452	May 5th, 2007 06:18:06 PM
You're totally wrong. Just because the mystery will change from season to season, ie. the SEASON ARC will change each season, doesn't mean there isn't enough mythology and cryptic half and mis-information to explain. Besides, just because one (of many to come) epic arc is over, doesn't mean there will be no viewers for it.
As for Heroes by DreadPirateRoberts	May 5th, 2007 06:24:10 PM
Heroes is NOT trying to give away too much each episode to cater to fans. The producers in that case have long said that they want more of a 24 format, as opposed to a Lost format. Each season with a complete story. They originally even intended to keep things fresh by clearing out most of the cast each season. They have changed their minds on that, but they are staying with the 'complete volume' format and they are not afraid to toss characters at a whim if they feel they have nowhere else they want to go with them. This is not desperate attempts to cater to fans, it is the intended path. And so far it has been a funner ride than most.
Corpsy will just have to deal... by Billyeveryteen	May 5th, 2007 06:24:24 PM
Heroes season 2 will still be very popular. Hopefully there will be a new show he can cry about.
You guys... by CorpseRide	May 5th, 2007 07:21:02 PM
...have completely misjudged how the casual viewers view Heroes. It's not like how a lot of you see it. You are not representative viewers. For most folk, it's ALL about answering the question set in Episode One. The writers are making EXACTLY the mistake the networks made with Twin Peaks. They think people are hooked on the general scenario. No, only the fanboys are. The wider public wants the mystery solved and then that'll release them to switch to the new flavour of the month. They think they've got a 24-style show on their hands, but they've got a Twin Peaks, and they're about to go spectacularly off the rails.
Season 5: Who LIVES? by Prof. Pop-Cult	May 5th, 2007 08:40:24 PM
I agree with the prediction that Season 5 will be a great purging of characters. We always speculate who is going to die on LOST. But the question I think we should really be asking (and most fans haven't considered): Who is going to LIVE? The "life betting pool" is more interesting than the "death pool". Besides the fact that such a mass killing would fit in with the wind-down of the entire series, I think it fits with the show's themes: Season 1 was about the survivors of Flight 815. Season 2 was about the DHARMA Initiative. Season 3 is about The Others. As for Season 4, there are strong indictions that it will be about the Island itself and its original native inhabitants -- the major set pieces for Season 4 will supposedly be underground temples, ancient ruins, and it is to such a location where I predict Ben and the Others are heading right now. Finally, Season 5 could be "Final Judgement" for all the characters. They will be struggling to survive, and holding out for as long as possible until Penelope can reach them. One character I do feel who will bite it is Jack. He will be killed off a couple of episodes towards the end of the fifth and final season. His death will probably be sudden and unexpected, and a total shock which will dismay the survivors and audience. However, Matthew Fox will continue to appear in flashback scenes, in dream sequences and maybe as a weird apparition to other characters (perhaps to someone like Kate or Desmond). This is what happened with the character Nate Fisher in Six Feet Under, and I see many analogies between Nate and Jack.
I like your prediction, Professor by Jim Jam Bongs	May 5th, 2007 08:57:52 PM
And yes the dominant set pieces for next season are "ruins" which will connect with the four-toed statue. My guess is that the Others and maybe the 815ers will accidentally unleash some kind of dark power, a metaphorical Cthulhu entity or something, which will smite most of them in Season 5. I don't think the smoke monster is this thing, but smokey could be an instrument or "hand of God." "Jacob"/"He" may be this entity, or tied directly to it, and the Others are seeking His/Its/Whatever's grace. And I think the Professor has it right -- it's not going to be about who dies, but who lives, as the series comes to a close. (So the question further could be not to consider who deserves to live, but who deserves a chance to live again out in the world, off the island. Redeeming themselves on the island itself isn't enough. Sawyer may have redeemed himself while on the island, but does he deserve to return to the outside world? I would say no. In this case, redemption is not about getting a second chance. It's about atoning for your sins -- before you die. Pretty heavy stuff, if this is what Lindoff and Cuse are going for.) In the Hindu faith, the number 108, by the way, represents the highest/supreme being -- God, essentially. So Episode 108 could indeed be the final episode the producers have in mind, and it could be the episode when final judgement is passed on any still-standing characters.
Final episode script leaked on the web! by ArcadianDS	May 5th, 2007 09:00:19 PM
As they are rescued, Locke stays behind because leaving would mean he'd return to being a helpless cripple. After he assured Jack that this doesn't mean goodbye, Jack boards the helicopter to go home. As the chopper rises and Locke speeds off on his motorcycle, the stones on the ground are lined up to spell out the word GOOD BYE.
"spectacularly off the rails." by Billyeveryteen	May 5th, 2007 09:23:47 PM
Boo hoo, I hate this show.
I do you really? I myself quite like it. by CorpseRide	May 5th, 2007 09:52:27 PM
I confidently predict I will stop liking it after the season finale though, when it loses all its direction and purpose.
The middle stretch of TP season 2... by CorpseRide	May 5th, 2007 09:57:45 PM
...was NOT amazing by Twin Peaks standards. For example, all that stuff about Nadine losing her memory and thinking she was back at high school. Ick. The first five eps and the last 3 or 4 were excellent. That leaves at least a dozen eps of substandard 'Peaks fun. I enjoyed the Lynchiness of it, but you're doing the pre-revelation run of the the show a disservice to say that the post-revelation stuff was in the same league. In fact, once they revealed the killer, only the sheer wacked-out creepiness of the final ep truly matched the former glories.
Ashok0 by CorpseRide	May 5th, 2007 10:00:17 PM
Don't know what you mean. I stated in the post above I quite liked it. I'm just pointing out the obvious dead end up ahead. I'll be bailing then, along with quite a few other people. Check out the viewing figures for season two next year, and raise a glass to ol' Corpsey. :-D
CorpseRide's logic... by Executor	May 5th, 2007 10:14:38 PM
...is impeccable. I agree now, that if they raise a question in a show or have a goal (such as "can they stop the bomb?) then it must be a mystery! Likewise, Friends wasn't a sitcom it was a mystery (Will Ross and Rachel get together?) as is 24 (will Jack stop the bad guy?) Desparate Housewives (why did Mary Alice kill herself?) and America's Funniest Home Videos (What video will win the grand prize?) Your logic is genius, I'm on your side now.
finish it on 5 by imageburn13	May 5th, 2007 11:03:22 PM
Lost is the textbook example on how to make a perfect serial tv show. I like to think that even on an off day, lost still is completely enjoyable because it just pads out the big story. Same with the Sopranos.
How does it end? (Lost is porn) by Napoleon Park	May 5th, 2007 11:30:21 PM
How does Heroes end? "I'd love to see a fight between current Heroes, and Future-Heroes. The mind reels." The future-Heroes come back in time, slaughter their past selves and therefore cease to exist. Since they never existed, they neer came back in time to kill their past selves, but by not coming back, their past selves live on, bringing their future selves into existence so they can go back and... oh-oh. *** How does "Lost" end? They get off. How does porn end? They get off. Actually in porn usually just the mrn get off, so in the final "Lost" look for lots of hot Kate/Claire/Sun/Juliet/Cindy action after the men leave the island of frustrated women.
"I'll be bailing then" by Billyeveryteen	May 5th, 2007 11:46:00 PM
Then you will be missed, Corpsy. Kinda... Well... No.
Corpseride, the reason I think you're wrong is... by supergary452	May 5th, 2007 11:56:48 PM
that you say the "casual" viewer will loose intrest after the "big questions" are all answered by the time they stop or don't stop the bomb. To this assumption, I have several reasons why it is wrong. 1. The show leads itself to creating a dedicated and fanatic fanbase, making "fanboys" and "fangirls" out of people who started off as a casual viewer thinking "Meh, I'll watch this". Personally, I am a comic/superhero fanboy, but I still didn't think I'd like the show; there was simply nothing else on. However, as many people (fanboys/girls and not) have said to me, you just get hooked to the program. 2. They won't, and in fact I don't think they could if they wanted to, answer ALL of the questions people have by the end of this season. Granted, they will find out if they stop the bomb or not, but I'm sure they're not just going to say "Oh, well, it did/didn't happen, so now let's go on about our lives until some other huge cataclysmic event rears it's head". No, they're going to find some way to leave us hanging, a big cliffhanger, like 99% of the other shows out there. 3. Beyond even other shows, "Heroes" has that online comic book and extra websites and stuff with interactive functions; they have said they will continue that throughout the summer, so that there will be a steady flow of "Heroes" action every week. 4. Finally, by your logic, the "Casual" viewer just wants to find out about the "exploding man"; does that mean the casual viewer just waits to see Clark Kent become Superman in "Smallville"? No, they watch to see the development of their favorite character(s), or to see the mythos of the show become explained. Same thing with "Heroes". As I said, it lends itself to creating huge fans out of it's viewers, due to the superpowers, mythos/history, and character developments. I'm telling you, the numbers might dip a bit, or they might rise a bit, but most of the viewers will be back. -gary
Not pulling an 'X-Files' by a rolling stone	May 6th, 2007 12:01:44 AM
This actually makes me feel better. This means it won't drag off into left field with no real direction. It's a story with a beginning, a middle, and an ending. Seinfeld left before we were ready. Granted, that last episode was anti-climatic, but he went out on top. I hope Lost will, too. I don't want to lose my respect for the show. Don't let Lost become the next X-Files.
Rousseau's Dynamite??? by Cheif Brody	May 6th, 2007 03:52:38 AM
I think a lot of us were wondering what Danielle needed that dynamite for...to free Alex? A lot of us were also wondering why Sayid was so intently digging that hole. Knowing that Sayid has a special bond with Rousseau, I have a feeling they are in cahoots in sabotaging Ben & Co's pregnant Losties kidnapping plan. Buried Dynamite Traps anyone? Just as Locke returned to tell Sawyer about Ben's big plan...I think Rousseau, after secretly keeping tabs on Alex, came back to tell Sayid the same thing...and they are forming a defense strategy. Something Sayid might normally have consulted Jack about...but perhaps now he doesn't TRUST Jack, considering his cozy connection with Juliette...one of them. Hopefully it'll work and finally give the Losties an upper hand on the Others for once. We won't get ANY answers until then. As for the new scheduling...Bravo, ABC. Not forcing Lindeloff & Cuse to prolong this thing past its welcome...and after watching the last few new episodes back to back each week, I'm ok with waiting a few extra months to have Season 4 run continuously thru next May. Lost is undoubtedly one of the most rigorous weekly TV shows to produce ever produced. Between shooting with a huge ensemble in Hawaii...in dozens of locations (considering all the flashback locations needed)....assembling the thing back in LA...adding its great scoring and special effects...it's no wonder why this show takes so long to put together. TPTB have won my patience....and now that the endgame date has been solidified...I'm confident Lost will wrap up with a very satisfying conclusion. We wait years in between blockbuster movie sequels and not have any trouble remembering what has already transpired in the character's storyline and plot arcs. 7 months is nothing.
It is not that 'Heroes' poses a question... by CorpseRide	May 6th, 2007 09:09:28 AM
...that makes it a mystery show, it is that it centres itself around that question. As for not being able to prove me right or wrong without 'going into the future'... guess what, there's a magic way to do just that! It's called 'waiting'. Let's give a little while for the Season 2 peel-off to occur... say, 8 eps. I predict Heroes will lose between a quarter and a third of its viewers if you compare S01E07 to S02E07, like with like, and that will prove a permanant loss despite some "very special guest stars" and a couple of nervous timeslot shifts.
Desperate Housewives... by CorpseRide	May 6th, 2007 09:26:05 AM
...actually, maybe that was a good comparison, thanks Executor. Don't watch it myself, but I did hear it was a mystery show. Didn't it experience a big Season 2 drop off? I predict Heroes S2 dropoff will be bigger than Desperate Housewives'. These are firm, falsifiable predictions, folks. Catch you in 9 months for the proof. ;-)
Ribbons: was I talkin' to you? by Pdorwick	May 6th, 2007 09:32:07 AM
It always amazes me how ornery the Lost apologists get when you dare to speak the truth. The show's pathetic, get out of your basement and get over it already.
lol ^^^ by CorpseRide	May 6th, 2007 09:43:44 AM
"Get our of your basement"... new rule, anyone posting on AICN who says "get out of your basement" is SEVERELY projecting. This is basement-dweller central dude. If you hang around here, it doesn't matter if you've gone to college or got an apartment or whatever. You are still down in the basement where it matters... in your heart. Truth hurts.
Ashok0 / *Possible Twin Peaks Spoilers* by Mr. Nice Gaius	May 6th, 2007 09:47:26 AM
RE: Twin Peaks and "Good vs. Bad Cooper" - I'm not sure what Lynch & Co. had instore for Season 3 of TP. Much like how the mystery of Laura Palmer's death was never meant to be solved, it's hard to say whether or not a Good vs. Bad Coop would have been the next big mystery/focus. The good Cooper was trapped in the Black Lodge. Annie told Laura this and asked her to put it in her diary...that page would ultimately go missing. Also, Cooper was told that he would be seen again in 25 years. The impression I always got was that either Cooper would be dead in 25 years or he would be released from the Lodge. Somehow.
Twin Peaks resolution by CorpseRide	May 6th, 2007 12:27:00 PM
The resolution for Twin Peaks is in the movie 'Fire Walk With Me'. Even though it's a prequel, they manage to indicate how the series ends. But you have to be paying attention...
Pdorwick: was emeraldluxury talkin' to you? by Ribbons	May 6th, 2007 01:35:28 PM
Now [stock geek cliche] and try harder next time, tough guy.
didn't we already know this? by v1cious	May 6th, 2007 06:05:48 PM
Lindelof said a few months ago that he plans to end the series in 2009.
Great, Great News by Itchy	May 6th, 2007 06:31:08 PM
(A) the episodes are much better with no breaks in a row. If I can wait 1 1/2 years between Sopranos episodes, I can wait 7 months between Lost seasons. (B) the definite stop date is great news, because it locks fans in and, in essence, forces ABC to commit for 2 more years. (C) Earlier start time is obviously better - fuck American Idol and just run the damn show. I'm sick of showing up to work exhausted every morning because douchebag LA programming execs push everything decent back to 9 and 10 pm EST.
I don't get the bash before I know what's up angle... by stoptalking	May 6th, 2007 08:57:02 PM
So, did I miss the pre-screener of the Heroes finale? Cause it seems to me that a lot of people have tagged the sophmore season as dead without really knowing what's up. Basic rule in television is don't start something if you're not prepared for it to be a success. I highly doubt the creative team behind Heroes doesn't have a distinct idea of what to do once the first season is over. It's tough to pitch a major network on: "Oh, it's 22-episodes max, and then mostly it'll just meander."
Lost DVD s3 should be out by Lone_Gunman	May 6th, 2007 09:18:48 PM
Lost DVD s3 should be out around september 1st, at least in the uk, so presumably it'll be out around that time.
GOOD! by Dokkalvar	May 7th, 2007 07:04:29 AM
It was a mini-series concept at best that fell apart in the middle of season two. --The X-files should be proof enough to never string these kind of shows out.
What Will Really Happen by oogabooga	May 7th, 2007 10:48:37 AM
The writers will plot out the last 2 years and because they won't need to keep writing filler episodes with the last 2 minutes reserved for actual plot the ratings will shoot wayy up as people actually start getting what they want. Then the retards at ABC will say "We can't let this cash cow end make a deal to go till season 9." Then JJ and Carlton will cash the check and say we need 58 filler episodes with Charlie, Jack and Kate flashbacks! Then the ratings will plummet and it will be cancelled without anything being resolved

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