Submitted by: Cougar (SoSF Staff Reporter)
When ABC’s LOST returns with all new episodes this fall its scheduling format will follow the same lines that has been successfully employed by cable network channels such as FX and The Sci Fi Channel.
Instead of showing a full season of 22 to 26 episodes, as is the usual traditional network format, ABC will show 13 new episodes of LOST followed by a 13-week break with the slot being filled with other new programming during the hiatus. Then LOST will return with the remaining 13-weeks of shows to close out its regular season.
This type of scheduling has been highly successful on the the FX Cable network where top-rated shows like The Shield, Rescue Me and Thief exchange positions throughout the season allowing for first-run programming without reruns all season long.
When LOST goes on its hiatus the timeslot will be filled by a new ABC SF cop drama called “Day Break,” starring Taye Diggs as a L.A. detective that is being framed for murder. The detective must relive the same day “Groundhog Day” style over and over until he can accumulate enough evidence to prove his innocence.
“We really listened to the audience,” stated ABC Entertainment chief Steve McPherson. ABC has been getting a lot of mail over the past two seasons complaining about the constant repeats of the hit series during normal primetime viewing, and this is network execs’ way of appeasing their audience is the highly competitive market of television programming.
In order to help launch another new ABC drama entitled “The Nine,” in the 10 PM ET timeslot on Wednesday night, McPherson decided not to hold LOST off until midseason (to get a full 13 weeks) but to use it as a tie-in draw for the newer show. To facilitate this compromise in scheduling there will be an initial run of six or seven episodes of LOST in the fall with the season premiere set for Oct. 4 and “Day Break” will then take over the LOST slot for 13 weeks beginning Nov. 15, with LOST returning after that. The continued LOST story arc will be tailored to fit the two blocks of episodes, and if successful, look for a full two 13-week cycle to begin in earnest in the 2007-2008 season.
My personal opinion, I think its not a good idea. Frankly with that kind of format there going to loose more ground and have less fans. I know alot of people who will not be paitient enough to come back after that. I know they do it on cable…whoopie…for myself…no thanks
Well, it works great for me. I thoroughly enjoy the FX format. When The Shield is complete I know I have all new episodes of Thief and when that is done I have all new episodes of Rescue ME – all great programs.
Where it will not work is if the programs in between LOST’s allotted timeslot are not any good. Then it would definitely feel like a very long hiatus and that is unacceptable in our “I want it new and I want it now society.” But this Taye Diggs show looks like it might be pretty good, and by the time its done, I’d be ready for more new LOST.
I prefer it because it’s either more of the same old, same old or something new every 13 weeks.
So you’d give up on watching the show because of THAT?
I have to wait from May until January just watch the next new season of 24, so why should a 13-week (3-month) wait be so bad?
Lost is good enough that I’d come back to watch it even if it was off for a year (I hope that never happens, but if it did, I’d be waiting for it).
I don’t have any issue with the format, except that the “down” time is usually when I catch up on the shows on DVD that I’ve purchased. When am I suppose to watch them, now?
It’s only on once a week. What about the other six days?
I think Saturdays are about the only day I don’t have something to watch right now, since Dead Like Me and Eureka have started up. Plus there’s that Netflix account…
Guess I’ll just have to give up sleep.
I wouldn’t mind a month or a half off but 3 months is hard. The Summer is understandable since most shows are off at the time, however during the season, it’s hard. Especially if the network doesn’t have other shows to fill the gap that you want to watch.
*sigh* Oh well at least there’ll be 13 episode runs, instead of last season with like 5 episode runs and then a month break and then repeat.
Oh, I don’t know. I think Day Break sounds interesting enough to watch during Lost’s break. The only bad thing about it is that it’ll only be a 13-episode season, instead of a full 20 or 22-episode season.