It’s been rumored for a few weeks now, but ABC officially confirmed today that Lost will have a definite end date in 2010.  In an interesting twist, though, rather than feature three 24-episode seasons, the ABC will bring shortened, 16-episode, uninterrupted seasons.  The Hollywood Reporter says:

“Lost” executive producers/showrunners Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse, who have been vocal about setting up an endgame for the show, have signed on to stay for the remainder of the series’ run. Their separate new eight-figure deals with “Lost” producer ABC TV Studio include their services on the show as well as multiyear development pacts set to kick in when “Lost” bows out during the 2009-10 season.

Some other great news for Lost fans in there, with exec producers Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof inked to stay through the end of the show.

I’ve got kind of mixed feelings about the end date.  On one side, we know for sure now that the creators have a definite point that they are building to…there’s little chance now of an ‘X-Files scenario’, where the show is drug on and on before it’s finally just cancelled out of frustration.  On the other hand, they’ve done what drives Lost fans craziest…drug two years worth of episodes into three years.  Granted, we get 48 episodes either way, but this way, rather than having to wait 28 weeks between seasons 4 and 5, we have to wait 36 weeks between seasons 4, 5 and 6.

What do you guys think?  Good move, or does this frustrate you even more?  Cause I don’t even know what I think at this point.