I'm very positive for Season 4 (obviously, I tend to be positive about new seasons usually) but I think the shorter season will avoid multi-flashbacks in the same year and allow the story to move a little faster.

16 episodes would just be enough for each character(s) to have one.

Jack
Sawyer
Kate
Hurley
Claire
Sayid
Locke
Sun/Jin
Desmond
Ben
Juliet
Rousseau
Rose/Bernard
(new character)
(new character)
Jack #2 (you know it's inevitable)

I heard rumors that Rousseau will likely not get a slachback episode before the fifth season.

I think everyone will get one, including one new character with only Desmond (or Locke), Jack and Kate getting two.

With all the casting news, I wouldn't be surprised with more than one on a new character but I also think those new character flashback/forwards will have something to with the other characters as well.

I thought they said we'd for sure get a Rousseau episode by season 4. that really sucks if we have to wait another year!!

Oh actually, scratch one of the new character episodes. We forgot about Michael/Walt. they will definitely get one if they're returning.

Well the first episode is all the characters and I believe they are all flash forwards. So scratch one off.

I'm sure Jack will get at least 2. He's the "hero"!

Rousseau's flashback will probably end up being the most revealing and omg! episode ever, they wouldn't hold back on it till S5 if it wasn't HUGE. Though I don't know why they wouldn't do one pre-island for her, no harm there.

I could see Rousseau's being a finale one, much like Desmond's revealed the history of the hatch. Hers could reveal the history of the island.

If they do a Rousseau flashback I could see it being one that shows who she conceived Alex with and how she lost her. It seems like pretty obvious fodder for the type of backstory they like to do.

Seems like a Rousseau flashback would make a great season closer. Maybe her episode was in Season 4 before Season 4 and 5 were split into Season 4-6

I thought the first episode was Sawyer.

Since Jack had the finale, I would not expect him to have an episode in the first 6-8 and so, if he has one half the way, I doubt they will give him another one.

I thought first one was Sawyer's.

I guess this means Jin is going to die.

Wow. I guess there's a lot of booze at the Lost wrap-up parties....

Hahah wow. Wasn't there a 4th one too besides Rodriguez and Watros?

What's funny is Jin is seriously the most expendable character at this point from the main cast. I can't see them killing off anyone else if they pursue this need to kill off cast members every season.

Maybe the cast members that find out they're being killed off drink a lot to drown their sorrows, and thus get caught with DUIs. Would explain things.

I was just about to mention that.

There was a report that they were doing a Sawyer "flash" (instead of using flashback or forward at this point) and they were... only it was just 1 segment of the whole episode. Apparently ...

Has anyone here picked up the latest "Lost" magazine? I've never looked in one, just assumed it was bland filler publicity stuff. But the cover of the latest one says it has news for season 4.

Comingsoon.net reports that Death Proof's Zoe Bell will be filming several episodes for Season 4 of Lost:

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/tvnews.php?id=38808

The Dominion Post reports that stuntwoman Zoe Bell (Grindhouse's "Death Proof," "Kill Bill" Vol 1 & 2, "Xena: Warrior Princess") has landed a role in "Lost."

Bell said from Los Angeles yesterday that her next project was in Hawaii filming episodes of Lost, starting next week.

The series, now in its fourth season, follows a group of passengers marooned on a mysterious island after their plane crashes.

Bell described it as "a little acting role" that would involve some stunt work. She also has two upcoming action movie projects in which she has the lead role.

"Lost" returns to ABC in February 2008.

Updated main page with episode information gleened from Spoilers Lost Blog:

01. 02/06/2007 - The Beginning of the End (multi-character: Hurley/Sawyer)
02. 02/13/2007 - (rumor: Jack)
03. 02/20/2007 - (rumor: Sayid)
04. 02/27/2007 - (Kate)
05. 03/03/2007 - (Desmond)
06. ???
07. (Sun/Jin)

- Apparently in the Kate episode, she's on trial for murder.
- Desmond episode is potentially about why he got kicked out of the military.
- Sayid flash partially takes place in Germany

You have GOT to be kidding me!!!!!!! That's virtually 2 Jack episodes back to back. 3 hours of Jack!!!!

jacks the best character

I think it's probably a flash-forward, as I read that Jack appears during these scenes.

The Sayid episode is called "The Economist".