ABC took its sweet time finalizing its midseason schedule. Now that we've taken a gander, we see why.

The network has big changes in store to get through a strike-afflicted January and Febuary, significantly the move of "Lost" from Wednesday nights to Thursdays at 9.

Its Jan. 31 return may be something of a relief for the faithful, or at least those who remember there's still a show out there about a weird island full of hot plane crash survivors. But it comes at a price: Only the first eight episodes of this season are ready to go, and fate only knows when the second eight will hit the air.

ABC also found timeslots for two new scripted series, "Cashmere Mafia" and "Eli Stone." "Cashmere Mafia" has a special premiere Thursday, Jan. 3, before assuming its regular timeslot Wednesday, Jan. 9, at 10 p.m. "Eli Stone" airs 10 p.m. Thursdays, premiering the same night "Lost" comes back. Before that, "Big Shots" will lie in the 10 o'clock Thursday slot, slowly being nibbled by flies until it croaks.

"Samantha Who?" is set to return with original episodes Mondays in February at 9 p.m., making room for 90-minute episodes of "Dance War: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann" Mondays at 8 in January. The "Dancing with the Stars" spinoff premieres with a special two-hour episode on Monday, Jan. 7.

Looking farther into the distance, "Men in Trees" will air Wednesdays at 10 p.m. starting Feb. 27. "Oprah's Big Give" will premiere on Sunday, March 2, at 9 p.m. and "Dancing with the Stars" and "The Bachelor" kick off new seasons on Monday, March 17.

Sadly, ABC appears to be giving up on Tuesday, pre-10 p.m. (when "Boston Legal" comes on), and Friday nights, although Tuesday looks particularly pathetic in January and February. Granted, some people are getting behind "Carpoolers," but with "Just for Laughs" and "According to Jim" as its lead-in, I wouldn't grow too attached.

Friday nights will be filled with drama repeats until "20/20" at 10 p.m.

Keep reading for ABC's schedule.

ABC's midseason primetime schedule is as follows (all times Eastern; new shows in bold):

MONDAY (JAN)

8:00 p.m. "Dance War: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann"
9:30 p.m. "Notes from the Underbelly"
10:00 p.m. "October Road"

MONDAY (FEB)

8:00 p.m. "Dance War: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann"
9:00 p.m. "Samantha Who?"
9:30 p.m. "Notes from the Underbelly"
10:00 p.m. "October Road"

MONDAY (MAR)

8:00 p.m. "Dancing with the Stars"
9:30 p.m. "Samantha Who?"
10:00 p.m. "The Bachelor"

TUESDAY

8:00 p.m. "Just for Laughs"
8:30 p.m. "Just for Laughs"
9:00 p.m. "According to Jim"
9:30 p.m. "Carpoolers"
10:00 p.m. "Boston Legal"

TUESDAY (MAR)

8:00 p.m. "Just for Laughs"
8:30 p.m. "Just for Laughs"
9:00 p.m. "Dancing with the Stars the Results Show"
10:00 p.m. "Boston Legal"

WEDNESDAY

8:00 p.m. "Wife Swap"
9:00 p.m. "Supernanny"
10:00 p.m. "Cashmere Mafia" ("MEN IN TREES" beginning Feb 27)

THURSDAY (JAN)

8:00 p.m. "Ugly Betty"
9:00 p.m. "Grey's Anatomy"
10:00 p.m. "Big Shots" (after special premiere of "Cashmere Mafia" on Jan 3)

THURSDAY (FEB)

8:00 p.m. "Ugly Betty"
9:00 p.m. "Lost"
10:00 p.m. "Eli Stone"

FRIDAY

8:00 p.m. Drama encores
9:00 p.m. Drama encores
10:00 p.m. "20/20"

SUNDAY (MAR)

7:00 p.m. "America's Funniest Home Videos"
8:00 p.m. "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition"
9:00 p.m. "Oprah's Big Give"
10:00 p.m. "Desperate Housewives"