LOST the "Maxi-Series"

I don't watch many TV shows, but when it comes to ABC's Lost, I'm hooked. Now I don't get as worked up like other people seem to when it comes to the plot twists, open agendas, and mystery of the series, but I would ultimately like to learn the secrets of the island. There was an article on Variety.com recently that discussed this very topic. The author, Brian Lowry, discussed an interesting alternative for TV shows such as Lost, Prison Break and others that are obviously not meant to run forever. Rather than treating these as your average TV show, he suggests what he calls a "maxi-series" in which a the date when the show will end is known by the audience. In theory, this would help to eliminate that anxiety and disgust that many people feel when watching these shows and not knowing if they will ever get any real answers. In this era of TV shows on DVD, iTunes and On Demand, this may be a step in the right direction toward retaining more viewers for an entire series.