Hoping to make its mega-favorite TV show “LOST” less disjointed next season ABC is changing its way of airing the hit program. “LOST” will remain on Wednesday night in its usual 9:00 PM ET/PT timeslot, however, the network has decided to air the show in blocks of time.
This means that new episodes will be featured in separate blocks. A Fall Block and a Spring Block, with a midseason hiatus. For a program as convoluted and plot driven as “LOST” this makes perfect sense. This past season fans of the show were so upset with ABC’s on-again, off-again approach to the airing schedule that it forced the network to present an entire 2-hr episode which allowed viewers to just catch up with all that came before it. While this is a good approach, and one that will also be used by “The 4400” when it returns this summer, it can be costly by not generating the ad revenue that original episodes can bring.
I hail ABC for this move. It will allow for a smooth flow of programming for a show like “LOST” that requires the viewer’s constant attention to minute changes in detail that can alter any future plot or storyline.
This structured programming has been used successfully by The Sci-Fi Channel for several years in its showing of “Stargate: SG1” and all their SciFi Friday programs that have followed. I am glad to see at least one traditional network taking the cue from a proven cable idea and doing the same.
I don’t know if i like the “block” format of showing new episodes, but anything different has to be an improvement. The “catch up” episodes are a WASTE, in fact I felt very cheated when I sat down to watch a new episode, and it was just a synopsis. LOST is a great show, I hope the network doesn’t kill it with poor programming choices.
I am all for the block format for Lost. It works well for 24 and other shows, making it seem like more of an event.
I am also excited we’ll get a solid run of new episodes. Easier to keep track of that way.