I am – Hercules!!

TV Guide’s Michael Ausiello just spoke to “Lost” co-showrunner Carlton Cuse about season three. Some highlights:

* The producers are looking at 3.1-3.6 as a mini-series.

* 2.1 didn’t deal with the raft survivors, and now it looks like some of the regulars will not appear in 3.1, which will focus on Jack, Kate and Sawyer.

* The show is casting one new male and two new females. One of the females is intended to serve as a romantic interest for Jack.

* “The inter-relationship between the outside world and the island will be something that will be a part of Season 3.”

* Both the smoke monster and the polar bear will be part of the new season.

* Series co-creator J.J. Abrams “is going to co-write the premiere with [co-creator Damon Lindelof], and ou[r] hope is he will direct Episode 7, which will be the first episode of the new pod.”

* There appear to be no immediate plans to follow up on what becomes of Michael and Walt. But a growth spurts in Michael David Kelly is “something which we've accounted for,” says Cuse. (Perhaps, as with “Alias,” the story will at some point jump ahead a couple years?)

Read all of the Cuse-Ausiello interview here.

Out This Week!!
* The Adventures of Brisco County Jr.: The Complete Series * Amazing Stories: The Complete First Season * Avatar: The Last Airbender Book One Volume 4 * Carnivale: The Complete Second Season * The Incredible Hulk: The Complete First Season * Jack of All Trades: The Complete Series * The New Adventures of Flash Gordon: The Complete Series * The Pee-Wee Herman Show * Ren & Stimpy: The Lost Episodes * Ultraman Vol. 1