Well, it's official: 'Lost' will end in 2010. According to the article from USA Today, there will be three more seasons of the show... kind of. The truth is, they will be 16-episode "mini-seasons" beginning in February and running through May. I guess that means we wait almost ten months after this season's finale to get any more of the story.
But I pretty much like the idea.
First of all, giving the show a set endpoint is absolutely necessary. As we all learned in middle school, the best writing is done with an outline, so that one has a good framework for the material and one knows how long it will be. The dramatic style of Lost requires this, otherwise there are no chances of mysteries being solved, or any kind of plot advancement. You have to know where you’re going before you know how much gas you’ll need.
Also, I love the format. I feel the show works best when it’s in a full run. The “mini-season” is advantageous because it means (hopefully) higher production values, more solid writing with less fat or filler, and a good show-to-show momentum. It does kind of suck having to wait almost a full year after a season finale, but that just means I’ll have Wednesday nights available for a while.
This also means less toll on the cast and crew. I’m sure the cast would like to work on other roles for a change, without having to be tethered to an arbitrary year-round Lost shoot.
Finally, this bodes well for the future. The show may save some viewers, for one, as the quality should theoretically go way up. Even if ratings do fall, each season will be cheaper, so a loss of viewers could be less of a threat. Hopefully this is another weapon in the arsenal against premature cancellation.
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