Los Angeles ? “Lost” will return next month after an absence of eight months, but fans of the TV drama may still feel deprived because of the Hollywood writers strike.

The series, like other dramas and comedies, faces the possibility of a season cut short by the strike, now in its sixth week. Eight episodes of “Lost” have been completed for the series’ return Jan. 31 – half the number originally planned, ABC said Friday.

The network announced this year that the series would end in 2010 after three more years of 16 episodes each.

Whether the entire 16-episode order for 2008 can be filled depends on the duration of the contract dispute between studios and the Writers Guild of America. The strike has sidelined production on dozens of scripted shows, and networks are running out of new episodes.

“Lost” is scheduled to air at 8 p.m. Central time Thursdays, taking over the time slot held by “Grey’s Anatomy” – whose stock of new episodes is down to one.