The fifth season will commence on January 21, 2009 with a three-hour premiere consisting of a
clip-show and two back-to-back new episodes. The remainder of the season will air on Wednesdays at 9:00PM Eastern/8:00PM Central
. According to Lindelof, the season "is about why [the people who have left the island] need to get back". Also, season five will feature significantly fewer flashbacks and flashforwards.