TVSquad

Last week, it was Men in Trees. Now the end has officially come for another ABC drama series. ABC has confirmed that October Road is over. The long and winding road is no more, so to speak. ABC has no room in the fall lineup, apparently, and a plan to move October Road and Men in Trees to Lifetime never panned out. So all the die-hard fans who've been writing the network and crafting petitions can give it up. No amount of peanuts or blood drives -- oh, wait, that was Jericho and Moonlight. The Roadies had a different tack; buy the DVD, donate it to a library to get more people watching and writing to ABC. Despite the sincere efforts, the network still chose to end the road and move on to a newer, different show.

The reverberations caused by the writers' strike continue to affect how the networks are doing business. Case in point: according to The Hollywood Reporter's James Hibberd, the networks may be more generous with renewals than they have in the past, due to the fact that even hit shows have been returning to diminished ratings. My guess is that, after a three-month break, most people realized they didn't give two craps about things like Meredith and McDreamy's latest breakup. But it may just be that the weather's nice outside.

Anyway, Hibberd goes on to mention the current status of some of the most prominent "bubble" shows. The good news: Reaper, Old Christine, and HIMYM and Moonlight have shifted over towards the "likely to certain" end of the spectrum, and Boston Legal will likely survive for another year. The bad news: Shark, Men In Trees (which is already gone, according to reports), Cashmere Mafia, and October Road are likely gone. And there's still no real feel for what's going to happen with Eli Stone or Women's Murder Club.

This is disheartening. ABC has been looking to Lifetime as a new home for Men in Trees and October Road. Both dramatic series have not as yet been picked up for next year, and now this report makes it clear they are both skating on thin ice. The powers that be at Lifetime were given copies of both shows to review and chose not to pick up either of them. They basically threw the ball back to ABC, forcing the network to decide the fate of these two shows.

• At 8, FOX has the premiere of Canterbury's Law, then a new New Amsterdam.
• ABC has a new "Where are they now?" episode of The Bachelor, then the two hour season finale of October Road.
• NBC has new episodes of My Dad Is Better Than Your Dad, Deal Or No Deal, and Medium.
• TLC has two new episodes of Little People, Big World at 8.
• ABC Family has a new Kyle XY at 8, then a new Wildfire.
• Also at 8 (special time this week): USA has a new Monday Night RAW.
• At 8:30, CBS has a new Old Christine.
• At 9, The CW has a new Pussycat Dolls.
• At 9:30, CBS has another new Old Christine.
• Also at 9:30, HBO has a new episode of In Treatment.

Check your local TV listings for more.

• At 8, FOX has the season finale of The Sarah Connor Chronicles.
• ABC has The Royal Family at 8, followed by a new October Road.
• NBC has new episodes of My Dad Is Better Than Your Dad, Deal Or No Deal, and Medium.
• TLC has two new episodes of Little People, Big World at 8.
• ABC Family has a new Kyle XY at 8, then a new Wildfire.
• At 8:30, CBS has a new Welcome to the Captain.
• At 9, The CW has a new Pussycat Dolls.
• At 9:30, CBS has a new Old Christine.
• Also at 9:30, HBO has a new In Treatment.

Check your local TV listings for more.

• At 7, Food Network has a new Emeril Live, followed by a new Good Eats.
• At 8, ABC has a new, two hour Dance War, then a new October Road.
• NBC has a new Deal Or No Deal at 8, followed by the series premiere of My Dad Is Better Than Your Dad and a new Medium.
• FOX has new episodes of Prison Break (season finale) and The Sarah Connor Chronicles.
• PBS has a new Antiques Roadshow at 8, then a new American Experience.
• There's a new Kyle XY at 8, then a new Wildfire.
• TCM has Gone with the Wind at 8.
• At 8:30, CBS has a new Welcome to the Captain.
• At 9, The CW has the series premiere of Pussycat Dolls: Girlicious.
• USA has a new Monday Night RAW at 9.
• At 9:30, CBS has a new New Adventures of Old Christine.
• Food Network has a new Unwrapped at 9:30.
• HBO has a new In Treatment at 9:30.

Check your local TV listings for more.

• At 8, ABC has a new Dance War, followed by a new episode of 20/20.
• FOX has a new Prison Break at 8, then a new Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.
• NBC has new episodes of American Gladiators and Deal or No Deal.
• PBS has a new Antiques Roadshow at 8, followed by a new American Experience.
• There's a new Kyle XY on ABC Family at 8, then a new Wildfire.
• Food Network has a new Good Eats at 8.
• Also at 8: History Channel has a new Modern Marvels, followed by new episodes of Cities of the Underworld and Ancient Discoveries.
• At 8:30, CBS has the premiere of Welcome to the Captain.
• At 9, The CW has a new episode of Girlfriends, then a new episode of The Game.
• USA has a new Monday Night RAW at 9.
• Larry King Live has Bill Maher, at 9 on CNN.
• At 9:30, CBS has the season premiere of The New Adventures of Old Christine.
• Food Network has a new Unwrapped at 9:30.
• At 10, Travel Channel has a new Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations.

Check your local TV listings for more.

• At 8, FOX has a new Prison Break, then a new Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.
• ABC has a new Dance War at 8, followed by new episodes of Notes from the Underbelly and October Road.
• NBC has new episodes of American Gladiators, Deal or No Deal and Medium.
• PBS has a new Antiques Roadshow at 8, then a new American Experience.
• ABC Family has a new Kyle XY at 8, followed by a new Wildfire.
• Also at 8: CNN has a Democratic Debate from SC.
• At 9, USA has a new Monday Night RAW.
• History Channel has the special Life After People at 9.
• At 10, Travel Channel has a new Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations.
• AMC repeats the series premiere of Breaking Bad, if you missed it last night.

Check your local TV listings for more.

• At 8, ABC has a new Dance War: Attack of the Clones, or whatever it's called, followed by new episodes of Notes from the Underbelly and October Road.
• FOX has a new Prison Break at 8, then a new Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.
• NBC has new episodes of American Gladiators, Deal Or No Deal, and Medium.
• There's a new Antiques Roadshow at 8 on PBS, then a new American Experience.
• TruTV has a new Ocean Force at 8.
• TCM has Martin Scorcese Presents: Val Lewton: The Man in the Shadows at 8.
• Also at 8: G4 has a new X-Play.
• At 8:30, Food Network has a new The Secret Life Of...
• At 9, USA has a new Monday Night RAW.
• ESPN2 has coverage of The Australian Open starting at 9.
• At 9:30, Food Network has a new Unwrapped, followed by a new Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.
• At 10, CBS has a new CSI: Miami.
• Travel Channel has a new Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations at 10.

Check your local TV listings for more.

This is Spoilers Anonymous, a weekly column here at TV Squad where we'll supply you with the dirt on some of the more popular shows on the air. We'll never put spoilers up here on the main page in order to help the reformed stay unspoiled. If you have anything to add to the group, feel free to step up and let yourself be heard, either with our tips form or by emailing us at tvsquad at gmail dot com or call and leave a message at (775) 640-8479 - your anonymity is guaranteed, if you wish to remain as such.

This week we have: Aliens in America, Brothers & Sisters, Gossip Girl, Grey's Anatomy, Lost, October Road, and Pushing Daisies. (SPOILERS FOLLOW!)

• ESPN2 has a marathon of the 2007 World Series of Poker all night.
• At 8, FOX has the Allstate BCS Championship Game.
• ABC has Dance War: Bruno vs. Carrie Anne at 8, then a new October Road.
• There's a new American Gladiators on NBC at 8, followed by new episodes of Deal Or No Deal and Medium.
• Food Network has a new Good Eats at 8, then a new The Secret Life Of...
• Also at 8: PBS has a new Antiques Roadshow, then a new Great Performances.
• At 9, USA has a new Monday Night RAW.
• At 9:30, Food Network has a new Unwrapped, followed by a new Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.

Check your local TV listings for more.

(S04E10) "He can build homes and decorate them. Sometimes God gives with both hands." - Lee McDermott

So Ida didn't survive the twister. Was anyone really surprised? If everyone in the basement had survived it would've strained credibility a little too much. However, seeing the Scavo clan crawl out of the rubble was really cool. It was the kind of moment that hearkened back to the first season and reminded my why I started watching Desperate Housewives in the first place.

Another bright spot in this episode was Kathryn Joosten. Actresses like her are the backbone of a decent drama. I wouldn't be surprised if she eventually wins an Emmy for DH like she did for The West Wing.

• At 8, ABC has the premiere of the game show Duel, followed by new episodes of Notes from the Underbelly and October Road.
• NBC has the premiere of the new game show Clash of the Choirs at 8, then a new Journeyman.
• TCM has Frank Sinatra in Come Blow Your Horn at 8.
• At 9, PBS has a new Great Performances.
• There's a new K-Ville on FOX at 9.
• USA has a new Monday Night RAW at 9.
• GSN has a new High Stakes Poker at 9.
• Lifetime has the movie Lost Holiday: The Jim and Suzanne Shemwell Story at 9.
• Hallmark has the movie Angel in the Family at 9.
• Also at 9: Food Network has Winning Holiday Cookies.
• At 10, TNT has a new Saving Grace.

Check your local TV listings for more.

... Three Subtle Subtitles.

I skipped last week's SS post because I knew we'd be doing three this week. Caption one, two or all three. Friday I'll pick what I think is the best entry for each image. Good luck and happy Festivus!

First up, a shot from the latest episode of Boston Legal:


Next, a scene from last night's The Simpsons ...

It was finally ABC's turn to unveil its winter schedule yesterday. There aren't many surprises in it except that Lost, as rumored, will now air on a new night and that Big Shots, who was benched last week, will get a fifth another chance. ABC's winter programming will also include the premieres of Cashmere Mafia, Dance War: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann, Eli Stone and Oprah's Big Give and the return of a few reality series, such as Supernanny and Wife Swap, to fill the void left when scripted series will have aired all their new episodes.