Exclusive: Best. Lost. News. Ever.

• Apr 9, 2008 06:55 PM ET
• by Michael Ausiello

OK, I've left you hanging long enough, Ausholes. The scintillating piece of Lost prattle I've been holding over your heads since Ask Ausiello went live early this morning (i.e., the better-than-the-coffin-reveal scoop) goes a little something like this....

According to one of my 815 snitches, Team Darlton is in advanced talks with ABC to produce - wait for it, wait for it - an additional hour of Lost this season!

[ The crowd roars]

Now, before you go French-kissing a total stranger out of sheer elation, my source stresses that this is by no means a done deal. In fact, the scheduling hurdles alone are enough to make a grown man cry. But you have to admit, the prospect of a 14th hour is a tantalizing one. And it raises so darn many questions. For instance:

" If the dream becomes a reality, how would it work? As it stands, Lost's Season 4 climax is slated to air on May 22 on a season-finale-themed night that also includes the cappers of Ugly Betty and Grey's Anatomy. So would the additional Lost hour be broadcast the following Thursday? Or would it perhaps run on another night?

" What does this do to the finale that was going to air on May 22? Would elements of it be incorporated into the new finale? Would this 14th hour come before that episode? And since we were originally supposed to get 16 eppies this season before the strike cut that number back to 13, does this mean we would now be getting a season finale that is more in line with what Darlton intended? Or more exposition that they ran out of time to include? The mind boggles.

So what do you think, people? And where does the line for the 14th-hour prayer group form? I'm in.