ABC takes a major gamble tonight, hoping that “Lost” fans will sit tight until Feb. 7 waiting for additional original episodes. It also hopes they will migrate to the new mystery series “Day Break” (8 p.m., ABC), debuting tonight with a two-hour helping.

So we’ll just have to wait to see if Ben/Henry survives surgery and if the jungle love/caged heat between Sawyer and Kate was the real thing or just connubial lust between con artists.

Yes, long-form TV drama has its drawbacks. It takes a lot of time and money to produce episodes of “Lost,” “24” and, for that matter, “The Sopranos” and even “Jericho.” That CBS drama will wrap up its first fall season Nov. 29 and not return until Feb. 14. Now there’s a Valentine’s Day treat – a return to “Little House on the Prairie” meets “The Road Warrior.” Mark your calendars.

But not all stories deserve months and months of attention. Indeed, some benefit from the beginning, middle and end structure of the traditional film. The new series “Day Break” comes to mind. It asks us to empathize with handsome, decorated Detective Brett Hopper (Taye Diggs), who discovers that he’s been framed for the murder of an assistant district attorney.

He wakes up in bed with Rita (Moon Bloodgood), the ex-wife of his former partner Chad (Adam Baldwin), who happens to be the internal-affairs officer assigned to prosecuting Hopper. To say it’s personal is an understatement. To make matters worse, Hopper’s sister Jennifer (Meta Golding) appears to have been beaten by her husband, and Hopper’s current partner, Andrea (Victoria Pratt), may or may not be on his side, or even very clean.

Over the course of the day, Hopper is arrested, humiliated, beaten and drugged only to wake up and find the day beginning all over again.

¢ “Medium” (8 p.m., NBC) also returns with a two-hour helping. Allison’s old boyfriend pays a less-than-welcome visit, and the paranormal supermom also discovers that she and her daughter have been having very similar dreams.

Tonight’s other highlights

¢ Visitors prove disturbing on “Jericho” (7 p.m., CBS).

¢ On two episodes of “Bones” (7 p.m., Fox), Brennan and Hodges become buried hostages (7 p.m.), murder in diplomatic circles (8 p.m.).

¢ “Dancing with the Stars” (7 p.m., ABC) comes down to the choice between the emotional favorite, NFL veteran Emmitt Smith, and the younger, “Saved by the Bell” alumnus Mario Lopez.

¢ A hospital homicide on “CSI: NY” (9 p.m., CBS).