There was a time when shows could get at least a 22-week (1 television season) contract, but any more, that doesn't seem to happen. It looks like the producers are trying to get the network to sign them on for at least 2 more years and commit to it now. That's an eternity in this day and age where shows are number 1 one month and number 43 five months later (not that Lost has made that kind of drop).

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