Is 12m good or bad? I live life with Veronica Mars ratings, and if VM ever got 12m, we'd be in CRAZY WACKY LAND.

12M is the lowest Lost has ever gotten. If the ratings stay there (or go down), it's possible that the show could go bye-bye.

According to ABC News: [link]

Also like "The X-Files," "Lost" proved that offbeat tales and characters can mean a limited shelf life.

Y'know? There are an awful lot of shows that didn't run 9 seasons that could've been use as an example here.

However much X-Files sucked by the time it died, NINE seasons is a damn good run for any show.

Not making five seasons (the optimal money-making point for syndication) is actually a bit of a black mark for any show. It will make significantly less money in the long run (though DVD is changing that).

Lost is likely looking at less than five.

Well, I can't find a per episode cost so it's hard to say for me. I do know they're getting almost a million per episode from 'Sky' (UK company owned by Fox Corp), which is a deal for two seasons (up to end of season 4). I'd imagine that deal isn't the only one. Does ABC get the money for syndication abroad, DVD and all that raz? I'd imagine they will get at least a few more years of expensive international distribution rights, and strongish DVD sales, but it depends if the network cares about that.

They need to get in gear and try to get the audience back. And that doesn't mean the marketing department going "The mysteries are finally explained!" every. single. trailer.

Personally, I think if they move any plot arc ideas forward (assuming they actually have plans) and just STOP adding more mystery, they might be okay. To me, it's like they're disappearing up their own fandom arseholes, thinking it'll be okay in the long run.

One factor nobody is considering yet is several of the producers are due to disappear into Star Trek (the movie) when it goes into production. That will either help things (fresh blood?), or derail it totally.

I hope they get to season 5, because I would like most of that season devoted to what happens when they get back to "the real world."

Is 12m good or bad? I live life with Veronica Mars ratings, and if VM ever got 12m, we'd be in CRAZY WACKY LAND.

To put it in perspective, CBS canceled Joan of Arcadia when it was getting 8m on Friday nights. And their cast wasn't as bloated, and they weren't putting everyone up in Hawaii (where everything is more expensive).

Lost is likely looking at less than five.

Somehow I think Lost will make the five seasons. Maybe as their numbers decline to cancellation threat levels, JJ will do one of those things where he throws out all the annoying crap and makes the show fun again. (At least for about 3 episodes or so, and then it gets annoying again.) I think I remember him doing that several times during the Alias run.

I was talking about TV to a friend and she said Lost sounded interesting, but she hasn't been watching all along and so doesn't understand what's going on. I had to break it to her that *I've* been watching all along and have almost no idea what's going on.