With the success of “Lost” and “24,” we learned that viewers will follow good stories for a whole season at a time. The trend toward long-form drama continues with “Vanished” (8 p.m., Fox). It devotes an entire season to a kidnapping drama as seen from the points of view of the victim’s family, the FBI and the press.

Sara Collins (Joanne Kelly), the beautiful younger wife of U.S. Sen. Jeffrey Collins (John Allen Nelson), disappears at a testimonial dinner in her honor. At first it appears that his daughter, Marcy (Margarita Levieva), has been kidnapped, too, but she’s soon found at the home of her slacker boyfriend (Chris Egan).

The senator’s son, Max (John Patrick Amedori), acts like the dutiful son, but we learn that even he has secrets he’d like to keep from Dad and the FBI.

In fact, everyone in the Collins family appears to be hiding something.

Thus far, “Vanished” seems richer in unsolved mysteries than captivating characters. Yearlong dramas require quirky personalities (think Chloe and Hurley) to complement the gung-ho action heroes. If first impressions are any guide, the cast of “Vanished” seems just too darn good-looking to be interesting.

¢ Spike Lee directs “When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts” (8 p.m., HBO). Parts one and two air tonight, and the concluding two hours air Tuesday.

Lee presents interviews with more than 100 New Orleans residents affected by Hurricane Katrina, from Mayor Ray Nagin to jazz musicians and actors to a man who watched his wheelchair-bound mother die in the squalid conditions outside of the city’s convention center. “Broke” combines tales of individual triumph with wails of anger and outrage.

¢ Kevin Costner and Hilary Swank narrate “On Native Soil” (9 p.m., Court TV), a documentary look at how families of victims pressured a reluctant government to form the 9/11 Commission.

Tonight’s other highlights

¢ The action on the second-season debut of “Prison Break” (7 p.m., Fox) picks up eight hours after the escape attempt at the conclusion of last season.

¢ The final three teams compete on two hours of “Treasure Hunter” (8 p.m., NBC).

¢ “Life After Katrina” (8 p.m., HGTV) looks at efforts of Gulf Coast residents to rebuild their homes and resume their lives.

¢ A multiple homicide seems to be linked to illegal-immigrant smuggling on “The Closer” (8 p.m., TNT).

¢ New evidence emerges in a death-row case on “CSI: Miami” (9 p.m., CBS).

¢ Molly Ringwald guest stars as a sightless victim of a faceless man on “Medium” (9 p.m., NBC).