TVSquad

Well it's about time. According to Ausiello over at TV Guide, FX plans to air the final 13 episodes of The Shield starting in September. Originally set to air starting in April, the final season was completed before the writer's strike hit. However, it still affected the show.

The strike cut short the most recent seasons of Nip/Tuck, Dirt, and The Riches. Nip/Tuck's finale aired a few weeks ago, Dirt just premiered this past Sunday, and The Riches returns next Tuesday, March 18th. Because of the truncated seasons for Dirt and The Riches (each finished only seven installments), they moved up in the schedule to March/April, displacing The Shield.

After much speculation following the end of Rescue Me's well intentioned, but flaky fourth season, FX has given the green-light for a fifth season renewal of 22 episodes. This marks the second FX drama to receive a network length renewal versus the standard cable renewal of 13 episodes. The fifth season of Nip/Tuck first received the nod for 22 last year.

I'm not so sure how I feel about this. TV Guide's Ausiello is reporting that Rescue Me's Andrea Roth has been cast in a recurring role on ABC's Lost. She'll play a therapist that's being described as tough, no-nonsense, and obsessive. Kind of sounds like Janet Gavin.

Ausiello is optimistic that should Rescue Me get picked up for a fifth season, that Roth will be able to pull double duty. I hope so. It worries me that FX has been mum on a renewal and if it stalls much longer, who knows what Roth will do.

(S04E13) "OK, so jet skis and neck vaginas? This is your idea of a great Kevin Costner movie?" - Tommy

Is this the end? I've only just started hearing about it. Unsubstantiated rumors, chit-chat on message boards... but we may have just seen the final episode of Rescue Me. Period. The argument? Every other season has had news of a renewal around the fifth or sixth episode. John Landgraf has kept quiet during this season of Rescue Me, a season that's seen some of its lowest ratings since the first. Coupled with what many considered to be lackluster plots and I can't say that I blame the FX brass for weighing their options. That being said, nothing is official. This episode (it saved the season if you ask me) was clearly written with a fifth season in mind. Here's to hoping that FX lets Leary finish out his vision.

• At 8, CBS has a new Power of 10.
• At 8:30, the Travel Channel has a new Samantha Brown.
• At 9, PBS has a new American Masters, with Clint Eastwood interviewing Tony Bennett.
• NBC has a new Last Comic Standing at 9, then a new Dateline.
• TBS has two new episodes of House of Payne at 9.
• There's a new Lost Worlds at 9 on History Channel.
• G4 has a new Code Monkeys at 9.
• At 10, ABC has the season finale of NASCAR in Primetime.
• FX has the season finale of Rescue Me at 10.
• Bravo has a new Top Chef at 10.
• MTV has a new Real World at 10.
• Also at 10: HBO has a new Inside the NFL.

Check your local TV listings for more.

(S04E12) "Where's Mark David Chapman when you need him?" - Tommy

One down and one to go. This season has gone by fast, huh? The horrible thing about it is that other than Jerry's suicide, I don't feel like all that much has happened. The stuff that has developed sort of just sputters along, offering no real resolution. Some of it is damn funny, but often that's not enough to salvage it. Here's to hoping that next week's finale puts a good spin on what has officially become my least favorite season of Rescue Me.

It's not that I don't like the show anymore. I still love it but I think it needs a fresh direction. That and it needs to be wrapped up in two more seasons at the most. Any longer and it definitely has the potential to become pretty stale. Look at this episode though. Natalie coming back to ask Franco for a favor. A new feud between Black Sean and Mike. Garrity putting on the beer goggles and hopping in bed with some ugly chick. Lou is sleeping with Latrina. I could go on but my point is this: do you really care? That's the problem. I don't. I just want to see what stupid crap Tommy is going to pull next.

• At 7, USA has coverage of The U.S. Open.
• At 8, CBS has a new Power of 10.
• NBC has a new Most Outrageous Moments at 8, then new episodes of Last Comic Standing and Dateline.
• At 9, Fox News has a Republican debate from New Hampshire.
• TBS has two new episodes of House of Payne at 9.
• There's a new Mythbusters on Discovery at 9.
• The History Channel has a new Lost Worlds at 9.
• HBO has a new Costas NOW at 9.
• At 9:30, HGTV has a new Design on a Dime.
• At 10, FX has a new Rescue Me.
• Food Network has a new Dinner: Impossible at 10.
• Fox Movie Channel has Revenge of the Nerds at 10.
• Also at 10: Bravo has a new Top Chef.

Check your local TV listings for more.

(S04E11) "I've got eight Frescas in me Lou. I'm on a massive NutraSweet high. Don't get me started." - Tommy

Did I miss where the title of this episode was referenced? I've racked my brain, but for the life of me, I can't figure out how the word "cycle" played into this episode. Doesn't matter. I've finally figured out what this whole season has been about. Maybe I'm slow (because it's been hinted at right along) but this time around it was thrown right in our face. Tommy's search for faith. The mysterious black figures. The prayer books. The only thing missing is Tommy's personal Jesus from season two. I know I've said before that maybe Tommy has a death wish. Maybe he doesn't, but he's definitely trying to defy something. The funny thing is that I don't think he knows what it is.

• At 8, CBS has a new Power of 10.
• NBC has a new hour-long Most Outrageous Moments at 8, then a new Last Comic Standing.
• At 9, TBS has two new episodes of House of Payne.
• Discovery has a new Mythbusters at 9, followed by a new Cash Cab.
• There's a new Lost Worlds on History Channel at 9.
• At 9:30, HGTV has a new Design on a Dime.
• At 10, FX has a new Rescue Me.
• Food Network has a new Dinner: Impossible at 10.
• TCM has The Maltese Falcon at 10.
• Sci-Fi has the season finale of Mind Control with Derren Brown at 10.
• Also at 10: MTV has a new Real World.

Check your local TV listings for more.

(S04E09) "I mean... shit. We got enough drunks in this room to start our own meetings." - Maggie

Well I hope everyone else enjoyed that as much as I did because this was by far the best episode of the season. At this point, it doesn't seem like we're going to get a huge story, other than Elvis... Wyatt... whatever his name is. Character development seems to be the name of the game and even though plenty of us have complained about the quality of this season, it's about par for the course if you think about it. Three seasons down. It'd almost be weird if we weren't getting some new perspectives.

Take the Gavin family intervention. It still bugs me that the "forgotten siblings" (Timo and Rosemary) are never mentioned at things like this, but we still got some great stuff. Maggie is sick of being addicted, Eddie is in denial about his addiction ("I nip!"), and Teddy loves being addicted. This clan covers all the bases. Mr. Gavin finally made an appearance too... and he was drinking the whole time! Maggie's suggestion to have their own A.A. meetings was perfect though. I can't wait to see one of these things go down. They'll all be drunk.