Exclusive: Lost Fans Will Get an Uninterrupted Season

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Lost fans will find themselves watching the upcoming Season 5 without interruption, sources tell TVGuide.com.

This news echoes that which original cast member Jorge Garcia shared with us in a Friday interview. "This season, I think, is going to run straight through," said Hurley's portrayer. "Last season, they skipped a week before the finale and had a clip show, so we might do that. But for the most part, it should run straight through."

An ABC spokesperson could not confirm its scheduling plans for Lost.

In May 2007, when Lost producers revealed their plan to wrap up the supernatural saga with three more seasons totaling 48 episodes, the plan was always for Seasons 4, 5 and 6 to air without interruption, à la Fox's 24.

That idyllic aspiration, however, was waylaid veritably out of the gate when the winter 2007-08 WGA strike forced the show to take a five-week midseason break. And even with that, the episode total came up two hours shorter than hoped. Similarly, a strike by the Screen Actors Guild (to be voted on in early January) could send up in smoke the dream of an intact Season 5.

To make up for last season's shortfall, the next two runs will each contain 17 episodes, with Season 5 kicking off Wednesday, Jan. 21. The three-hour return event will feature a one-hour catch-up special followed by the season's first two new episodes — "Because You Left" and "The Lie."

What else did Jorge Garcia have to share? Watch for the next scoopy bit from our conversation to surface in Tuesday's Mitovich Mega Minute. The complete Q&A will go up closer to Lost's premiere date