# Lost has a planned lifetime **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 7, 2007, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-has-a-planned-lifetime/403088 "2007-05-07T13:05:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-has-a-planned-lifetime/403088/1 "2007-05-07T13:05:12Z")
Summary thanks to AICN: - “Lost” will run three more seasons after the one that concludes this month. - Each of the final three seasons will only contain 16 episodes, instead of the 23 or 24 produced for the first three seasons. - The 16-episode seasons will run without repeats. details: [http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117964371.html?categoryid=14&cs=1&p=0](http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117964371.html?categoryid=14&cs=1&p=0) Brian ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-has-a-planned-lifetime/403088/2 "2007-05-07T13:26:33Z")
Here’s another take on the subject: [http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/TV/05/07/television.lost.reut/index.html](http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/TV/05/07/television.lost.reut/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-has-a-planned-lifetime/403088/3 "2007-05-07T13:29:26Z")
THREE? I really think that’s too many. I was excited about all the recent developments in the end of this current season here, like we’re coming to some good conclusions, and now I’m like “well there’s three more years to ACTUALLY come to conclusions” I was really hoping next year would be it. Oh well. I’m sure I’ll keep watching but maybe one season at a time (meaning on week 17 I’ll start). ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-has-a-planned-lifetime/403088/4 "2007-05-07T14:20:58Z")
But that is 3 short (16 ep) seasons, so its more like 2 regular seasons. Which makes 5 total seasons. Babylon 5 was also planned to be 5 seasons (though they crammed it into 4) Brian ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-has-a-planned-lifetime/403088/5 "2007-05-07T14:24:06Z")
I like that. One complaint I have with such series is that they usually run until they are canceled, and then there is no closure - a very frustrating thing. Had I known that they would do this, I might have watched. ---
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-has-a-planned-lifetime/403088/6 "2007-05-07T16:05:12Z")
I think the actual knowledge of how long they have to go will make the show better. It allows the writers to plot excatly what they want to reveal, when they want to reveal it. No more filler is required. I’m excited. ---
**Author:** ![Scoundrel\_Swanswater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dfb087/32.png) [@Scoundrel\_Swanswater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scoundrel_Swanswater)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2007, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-has-a-planned-lifetime/403088/7 "2007-05-08T10:23:57Z")
My prediction : next year more viewers will stop watching the show. The following year the show will get cancelled mid-season with no resolution whatsoever. I don’t understand why networkpeople don’t understand that if a show is losing its audience you don’t add more seasons, you finish the show. There is no way that viewers will pick it up after not having seen the previous seasons, so there simply is no way that the number of viewers will increase. They should have just picked season 4 as the final one. ---
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2007, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-has-a-planned-lifetime/403088/8 "2007-05-08T13:09:32Z")
[QUOTE=Scoundrel Swanswater] My prediction : next year more viewers will stop watching the show. The following year the show will get cancelled mid-season with no resolution whatsoever. I don’t understand why networkpeople don’t understand that if a show is losing its audience you don’t add more seasons, you finish the show. There is no way that viewers will pick it up after not having seen the previous seasons, so there simply is no way that the number of viewers will increase. They should have just picked season 4 as the final one. [/QUOTE] Lost is still topping the valued 18-34 category. When you factor that in with itunes downloads and DVD sales, Lost is still a pretty profitable enterprise. ---
**Author:** ![some\_white\_dude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b487fb/32.png) [@some\_white\_dude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/some_white_dude)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2007, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-has-a-planned-lifetime/403088/9 "2007-05-08T17:26:43Z")
Plus, they may be losing viewers, but they remain one of the highest rated shows in television. If American Idol started losing viewers this year, I bet they’d still squeeze another 5 seasons out of it. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2007, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-has-a-planned-lifetime/403088/10 "2007-05-08T17:40:58Z")
I’m surprised that this is so rare. I think almost everybody would agree that a planned end date would have helped _The X Files_, for one. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2007, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-has-a-planned-lifetime/403088/11 "2007-05-08T17:42:58Z")
[QUOTE=Scoundrel Swanswater] My prediction : next year more viewers will stop watching the show. The following year the show will get cancelled mid-season with no resolution whatsoever. I don’t understand why networkpeople don’t understand that if a show is losing its audience you don’t add more seasons, you finish the show. There is no way that viewers will pick it up after not having seen the previous seasons, so there simply is no way that the number of viewers will increase. They should have just picked season 4 as the final one. [/QUOTE] Everything I read had the network pushing for more seasons and the producers pushing for fewer. This was there compromise. It will go the full run. It is still a very profitable show and will continue to be.