Just goes to show that it's business as usual with NBC(Nothing But Crap). New execs being as weak and non-committal to their creators as the outgoing regime. Pathetic.

Either way I think the show's gonna rock... we shall see !

Actually this is very common in Asia, most shows have a fairly concrete end point (though some do drag on and on, and there are always sequels to popular mini-series).

I actually used to think it was weird that shows were expected to continue on and on every year in the US. It's like a never-ending book, at some point they start dragging things out and the quality of the plot and storytelling will degrade. It takes a lot of skill to map out multi-season story arcs and keep things tight and well-paced when you don't know your end-point.

Stars also get to do many more projects and showcase their versatility across roles, which is also a great thing to see.

If NBC can assure us that the show will last the length of the first season, this won't neccessarily hurt the show. Doesn't sound like that is happening, however.

The British use that type of model all the time with their shows. The extended mini-series approach works really well. Especially if you have the guarantee that it will last it's allotted amount. Plus it's nice to know the end is coming sometimes...no fear of X-Files fatigue.

I'd love to see networks try this with more shows. Write a strong first season with a self contained conclusion. If it's a success and there is a logical next step give it a 2nd season, but the ability to have a 2nd season shouldn't be a requirement for making the 1st.

Actually, when Prison Break first came out, I thought it was only a one season show. I loved the first season, and actually stopped watching it soon after that... kind of lost its charm for me when they left the prison.

I think that model can work... like an extended mini-series. It just has to be a very strong and engaging storyline.