Matthew Fox on Possible Number of New Episodes - Source: movieweb

PullMyFinger!

Movieweb:

While out promoting his latest film Vantage Point, Lost actor Mathew Fox gave us an update on his popular ABC show. When asked if he was going back to work, the actor stated, "There are some conversations going on right now. There are conversations about us starting back up."

If the strike is over on Monday, how many episodes will be filmed before the hiatus? Fox says, "I think they're in negotiations about that right now. I think it's possible that we do four or six of the eight that we were supposed to be doing right now. I think we would pick back up and maybe shoot another four this spring. Which would give this season a grand total of twelve episodes."

Thats a bit messy. I think Id rather wait for them to finish the other 8 and give us the the next full 16 next Feb or whatever. Hopefully they wont condense what was a 16 ep season into 12

kevmy

PullMyFinger! wrote: »

Movieweb:


Thats a bit messy. I think Id rather wait for them to finish the other 8 and give us the the next full 16 next Feb or whatever. Hopefully they wont condense what was a 16 ep season into 12

Well apparently episode 8 and 9 are essentially a 2 parter and Cuse and Lindelof don't want to end them there. It probably wouldn't be viable just to shoot one episode ,economically and artistically (you want to wrap it up pretty well for a season and not leave it hanging)

Also doing 4 more now would probably mean a 20 episode season next year which would be more manageable than 24

maximus02

Hi

More definate news here, Looks like 5 more episodes this season broadcasting after a 4 week break. Same storyline squeezed into these 5 episodes.

http://community.tvguide.com/blog-entry/TVGuide-Editors-Blog/Ausiello-Report/Exclusive-Ilosti-Boss/800033076

Vic Vinegar

Surely less episodes is better.... less filler!

Don't get me wrong i like Lost but every season there's always what i can only describe as meh episodes (only a couple mind!)

Sad Professor

I'm more concerned that the episodes will get rushed. I'm assuming the plan is to air the finale on May 31. If they don't get rolling by the end of the month it's going to put the production under a lot of pressure and corners may get cut. But I trust these guys know what they're doing.

PullMyFinger!

maximus02 wrote: »

Hi

More definate news here
http://community.tvguide.com/blog-entry/TVGuide-Editors-Blog/Ausiello-Report/Exclusive-Ilosti-Boss/800033076

Here's the text from that interview, here's hoping they know what they're doing. On one hand I want as many new episodes as possible this year. On the other I dont want what was used to be a 23 episode season, then a 16 episode one turning into a condensed 12 episode one with a 2 hour finale

« Ausiello Report
Exclusive: Lost Boss Outlines Revised Season 4 Plan


Lost by Mario Perez/ABC


Make no mistake, out of all the shows whose fate has been left dangling in the wind by the just-concluded writers' strike, the one we're most concerned about is Lost. Good thing, then, that the sixth fifth fourth third second first call Lost executive producer Carlton Cuse made after meeting with ABC execs this evening to finalize the new plan for Season 4 was to, yep, you guessed it, Variety Hollywood Reporter Entertainment Weekly Golf Digest Mac Addict me!

Welcome back!
Carlton Cuse: It's good to be back. It'll be even better tomorrow when the writers all start rolling in and we start getting to work... pending the vote, of course.

What came out of your meeting with ABC today?
Cuse: Damon [Lindelof] and I are going to try to make five more episodes before the end of May, which is ambitious. But we've found ourselves in a situation where we had eight episodes of story planned, and we're going to try to fit that into five hours of the show. Even though it's going to be very hard to execute, we felt like any less would be doing a disservice to the story we had planned. We really want to give the fans the best possible experience and ending... to Season 4.

Any chance that the first of the five episodes will air the week after that last pre-strike episode — thus eliminating any scheduling gap?
Cuse: No, there's probably going to be four weeks between the airing of the first batch of episodes and our new episodes.

What will happen to the three "lost" episodes? Will they roll over into next season's 16, or will they vanish forever?
Cuse: Damon and I remain committed to producing the 40 additional hours of the show that we promised. We haven't figured out exactly when we'll put those other three on, but we're not eliminating them from the show. You will get those three episodes downstream.

I know it's early, but have you decided what will have to get cut from this season's arc in order to accelerate things? Are we going to lose some flashbacks and/or flash-forwards?
Cuse: All those conversations will take place tomorrow when we actually start talking about story.

Is it possible that some guest actors you were planning to use before the strike may no longer be available now? Like, for example, Andrea Roth?
Cuse: Yeah, there are a lot of issues that have to get sorted out. We're also in the middle of pilot season.... We're kind of figuring out what has happened to all of our actors who have gone on to do other things. Literally, there are cobwebs on the couches in the writers' room. Call me in a couple of days and I should have more answers for you.

OK, last question: Have you come up with a code word for this season's top-secret cliff-hanger?
Cuse: [Laughs] Not yet. That's a very good point. We'll have to get on that. If you have any ideas, Mike, let us know.

(BTW, I was joking in my intro. I'm pretty sure I was Carlton's first. Wait, that came out wrong.... )

Sad Professor

PullMyFinger! wrote:

On one hand I want as many new episodes as possible this year. On the other I dont want what was used to be a 23 episode season, then a 16 episode one turning into a condensed 12 episode one with a 2 hour finale

I don't think there'll be much condensing. They'll just restructure things a little, take out a few character stories and let them play next season instead. And had season 4 been 23 episodes it wouldn't have ended in the same place. The argument that less episodes per season equals more compression and less filler doesn't really hold water since the writers told ABC they would only do 48 more episodes. The 3/16 format was probably suggested by ABC as a compromise.

Also I think it's pretty doubtful that the season finale will be two hours. We're more likely to get one next year due to the extra episodes. We'll have to wait and see what they say. It was never actually established if the 3/16 deal included a 2 hour finale.

EDIT: Word now is (according to TV Guide) that the break will come after episode 7. Episode 8 will air along with the final five after the 1 month hiatus. ABC are also changing it's time-slot to 10.