24 episodes a season. They're up to 55 episodes. The HBO shows get a big break having 12 episode seasons. These hour long dramas on network tv have an awful lot of material they have to come up with. No wonder they had to take a long hiatus with Lost.

You're right. ABC and the LOST makers have said exactly that as the reason for the long haitus. They need it to keep up with all the filming they must do.

... Time to head down to the midtown BestBuy, Maggers.

I hear you, my friend. I'll be getting one of them soon, and LOST is one of the big reasons I want one.

When I watch the LOST DVD's on my laptop, the definition is awesome. I use the VCR because it's there and handy and it works. Eventually I'll buy the DVD set of the complete third season, as I did with the first two.

So, we're getting the flashbacks from the "others'" point of view now, eh?

Have to fill up those hours of television programming with SOMETHING.

Did everyone watch the summary episode with the producers prior to the new episode. It was more for regular watchers than for new viewers who wish to catch-up with the storyline. I was particularly curious when the producers mentioned that they like to have cameos of other characters appear in the flashback scenes. That would mean to me that these appearances have no plot significance, just more pepper on the eggs, so to speak. Maybe many of the scenes where we seek significance are just pepper. Nah. That would mean that our legs are being pulled. Just hope they don't cry wolf once too often.

Pepper. Exactly. We have THIS much time to fill, so let's write something COOL and IMAGINATIVE. Then we can make the pieces fit later if we have time, if we can remember them all, and if we don't start stinking up the place so bad that we GET CANCELLED!

P.S. Anyone who is watching Prison Break is probably going through the same "Lost" routine: Three new questions for every one answered. But as long as the questions are interesting and worth answering, I'll stick around.

The first several episodes of Prison Break were entertaining, but then it became another "we need to make up something to fill the time" episodic adventure.

I understand having continuing plot lines in a television series, BUT they don't necessarily have to be episodic (like an old-time movie serial. Television dramas or adventures are BEST when beginning and an end to each installment of the show. Otherwise, it just seems "made up"...(which all TV shows are, of course).

Have to fill up those hours of television programming with SOMETHING.



Pepper. Exactly. We have THIS much time to fill, so let's write something COOL and IMAGINATIVE. Then we can make the pieces fit later if we have time, if we can remember them all, and if we don't start stinking up the place so bad that we GET CANCELLED!


The first several episodes of Prison Break were entertaining, but then it became another "we need to make up something to fill the time" episodic adventure.

I understand having continuing plot lines in a television series, BUT they don't necessarily have to be episodic (like an old-time movie serial. Television dramas or adventures are BEST when beginning and an end to each installment of the show. Otherwise, it just seems "made up"...(which all TV shows are, of course).

Re: Prison Break. Wasn't that the fastest arrest, trial, sentencing, sent to prison for that guard hunting on his own for the escaped prisoners? And all that rushing just so the FBI bad-guy can get him out in the blink of an eye. Must have been a Texas trial 'cause in Californee-I-A, we's likes our trials years and years long.

AC

Have to fill up those hours of television programming with SOMETHING.



Pepper. Exactly. We have THIS much time to fill, so let's write something COOL and IMAGINATIVE. Then we can make the pieces fit later if we have time, if we can remember them all, and if we don't start stinking up the place so bad that we GET CANCELLED!


The first several episodes of Prison Break were entertaining, but then it became another "we need to make up something to fill the time" episodic adventure.

I understand having continuing plot lines in a television series, BUT they don't necessarily have to be episodic (like an old-time movie serial. Television dramas or adventures are BEST when beginning and an end to each installment of the show. Otherwise, it just seems "made up"...(which all TV shows are, of course).

That does seem to be the trend and I think it is troublesome. Shows like The X-Files and Babylon 5 had long term story arcs that may or may not have been satisfying, depending on the viewer, but they also had many fine stand alone episodes. I like that approach better. These non-mythology episodes expand the universe of the show and deepens our understanding of the characters. Stories can be told that do not fit into the long term story arc, for example allowing humor into a series that wouldn't otherwise permit it. Stand alones also take the pressure off the writers to come up with ideas that move the story arc forward in a sensible manner. Sooner or later all the good ideas for a story-arc are used up and there is still time to fill. I am afraid that one solution has been to fill an episode up with all kinds of things that do not really move the story forward - long flashbacks, multiple characters that must have screen time, a lot of activity without much light. Again I think even the best writers have only so many good ideas for one story and stretching them over a season is difficult and over many seasons impossible without breaks. A show like 24 is fun to watch but I admit to losing interest. After six seasons I see a sameness - the danger we see in the beginning is only the tip of a larger conspiracy that will include high governement officials and even employees of CTU, Jack Bauer will not grow much as a character because the pace of tracking down the bad guys doesn't allow for it, there will be another crisis that will endanger everyone and the writers will be expected to make sure it tops the ones that came before. I am sticking with Lost, am wondering about Heroes, and can't get into Prison Break (half of the time there were characters on the screen I didn't give a damn about - ie. the prison guard and the nut - not to mention one more conspiracy to unravel). After watching all these serious, intense shows I do enjoy watching an old fashioned crime drama like NCIS.

I saw an article in the paper that the writers were planning a definitive timeline and way to wrap things up. As opposed to just letting the series flounder and develop more and more subplots. The idea reminded me of B5, actually. X_Files may have done that, but then they kept going afterwords and .... it didn't end well.

After watching all these serious, intense shows I do enjoy watching an old fashioned crime drama like NCIS.

I like NCIS. They have a regular story that entirely plays out each week, with some ongoing subplots that tie things together. Jethro's boat in the basement, Tony's mystery woman, McGee's book, Abby's tattoos, an occasional assassin out to get the team, and so on. An hour show, fun but serious.

Sure, there was recent news that the LOST writers want a definite timeline so they know how to tie up all the loose ends and subplots, but my opinion is that the writers must have already been frustrated by the same things expressed here -- otherwise we wouldn't have heard about it.

And I agree with Don about Prison Break. I didn't care about ANY of those characters, to tell you the truth. As for the wrongly convicted brother, it just irritated me because I kept wishing that they had finished up John Doe before the guy got another series.

I saw an article in the paper that the writers were planning a definitive timeline and way to wrap things up. As opposed to just letting the series flounder and develop more and more subplots. The idea reminded me of B5, actually. X_Files may have done that, but then they kept going afterwords and .... it didn't end well.

Right. X-Files should have ended with season 7 and it seemed the writers had already begun to conclude the various plot threads. With David Duchovny leaving the show it seemed like a good time to end. But there was the push to keep the show going and bring in new characters and create new plot lines but it seemed to dilute the show. When The X-Files ended two years later, the energy was already gone and the ending disppointing. Babylon 5 did have a five year story arc in place and a talented writer/producer to make sure it stayed true but that show had a different problem. The network was screwing around with the show to the point that it might only run four seasons, ideas from the planned fifth season had to be pushed forward so the series could end instead of just stop. When there was a fifth season, the writers had to come up with ideas and new characters to fill out that season. They did a pretty good job but it was noticable. It seems when a show brings in a new lead character (or characters) to replace a departing long time favorite it is the kiss of death, no matter how good the new character is. Has any TV show been able to continue for more than a rocky season or two when this happens?

It seems when a show brings in a new lead character (or characters) to replace a departing long time favorite it is the kiss of death, no matter how good the new character is. Has any TV show been able to continue for more than a rocky season or two when this happens?

Dukes of Hazard?

Joking aside, in the world of comedy Cheers did pretty well after Shelley Long left.

Dave

Right. X-Files should have ended with season 7 and it seemed the writers had already begun to conclude the various plot threads. With David Duchovny leaving the show it seemed like a good time to end. But there was the push to keep the show going and bring in new characters and create new plot lines but it seemed to dilute the show. When The X-Files ended two years later, the energy was already gone and the ending disppointing. Babylon 5 did have a five year story arc in place and a talented writer/producer to make sure it stayed true but that show had a different problem. The network was screwing around with the show to the point that it might only run four seasons, ideas from the planned fifth season had to be pushed forward so the series could end instead of just stop. When there was a fifth season, the writers had to come up with ideas and new characters to fill out that season. They did a pretty good job but it was noticable. It seems when a show brings in a new lead character (or characters) to replace a departing long time favorite it is the kiss of death, no matter how good the new character is. Has any TV show been able to continue for more than a rocky season or two when this happens?

I would say that M*A*S*H probably survived the longest after major character changes. I'm pretty sure Trapper John left fairly early and was replaced by BJ. Soon after Winchester replaced Frank and Colonel Potter took over command from Henry Blake. I'm not sure exactly how long the show ran after the changes, but I'd guess at least 6 or 7 seasons. But you're right, generally shows lose their audience when the line-up gets altered.