ABC has put in development a spinoff of the landmark series Lost, which ended some 4 years ago. The spinoff, tentatively titled "Lost: Dr. Linus", is written/executive produced by Elizabeth Sarnoff and directed by veteran Lost director Jack Bender.The series, which will focus on the adventures of Dr. Linus in the flash-sideways timeline of the final season, is eyeing 8 series regulars. Michael Emerson will lead the ensemble cast, with Tania Raymonde (Alex Rousseau) Daniel Roebuck (Dr. Leslie Artz) and William Atherton (Principal Don Reynolds) also returning. Four new characters have yet to be cast, while former Lost actors Terry O'Quinn, Henry Ian Cusick and Mira Furlan could potentially recur.I hear the series, which is being eyed for the 2016-17 TV season, will have 15 or 16 episodes per season. That number is in line with that of the latter seasons of Lost, which was a demand from the show's developers. It comes as no surprise since both worked on the series' third season, which had 23 episodes and which many fans and critics considered to be the worst season of the show. Therefore, it is only logical that the spinoff will have shorter seasons. All episodes are rumored to have the standard 42-minute length, but supersized finales, which Lost frequently used, are considered likely.With Emerson currently starring in the CBS series Person of Interest, the project had to be pushed back even though the producers came up with the idea several years ago. But with Person of Interest's ratings waning, sources close to the series say its all-but guaranteed fifth season is considered to be the last. Should the series continue to run after that, Emerson's character might be written off the show but it's far too early to speculate on that.