TVSquad

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(S02E13) "Any idea where we're headed?" /"No." - Chief Unser to Gemma

If you're looking for someone to yak to at the office tomorrow about the second season closer of Sons of Anarchy but don't want to open your meathole to someone who has no idea what you're talking about, there's one sure-fire way to tell without having to say a word: check their fingernails. They will be bitten right down to the bone.

The 90-minute episode was a real tension builder from beginning to end and it not only managed to solve some of the protagonists' problems in very creative and interesting ways, but it also created new ones that just made me hungrier for season three. It couldn't come soon enough if I had a time machine.

Do the American people really like watching their favorite shows this way? Assuming you have more than one or two shows you enjoy following, this week is daunting to say the least and beyond exhausting. Just last night I had a three-hour finale of The Biggest Loser and that awesome Fringe finale. In the past few days we've said goodbye to The Amazing Race, The Apprentice, Cold Case, The Unit, Brothers & Sisters, The Big Bang Theory, House and Castle. And that's just on the major networks.

Over the next two days we have America's Next Top Model, Lie to Me, Lost, Bones, My Name Is Earl, Smallville, Parks & Recreation, CSI, Grey's Anatomy, Hell's Kitchen, The Office, Supernatural and even CSI: NY on a special night. And it goes on through the weekend. In an era where ratings are slipping, how can it make good business sense to put all of these finales on against one another all within a few days of each other. I know they've always done that, but I just don't think it makes sense anymore.

Holy frik! We've only just started to embrace the return of our shows after a shortened strike season. Now, they are almost over. In the next few weeks all of our network favorites will say good-bye for the summer to be replaced with reality shows, reality game shows, reality soap operas, and Regis on primetime (again).

Needless to say, I'm a bit depressed. As I am sure you are as well. But, we will do our duty and press on. Thusly, we here at the sprawling lakefront offices of TV Squad (you choose the lakefront) have compiled list of when your favorite, and not so favorite, shows will be saying good-bye for their summer vacation. As usual, taking the fickleness of the networks, these times and days can change at a moment's notices. We will try to update you of those changes as quickly as our little fingers can type it out.

So, with a leaden heart, here are your season and series finales.

• At 8, FOX has a new On The Lot, then the season finale of House.
• At 10, ABC has the season finale of Boston Legal.
• At 9, PBS has a new Independent Lens.
• Discovery has a new Deadliest Catch at 9, followed by a new After The Catch.
• Food Network has a new Challenge at 9.
• Also at 9: Travel Channel has a new John Ratzenberger's Made In America.
• At 9:30, Bravo has a new Real Housewives of Orange County special.
• CBS has the Kimberly Dozier news special Flashpoint at 10.
• FX has a new episode of The Shield at 10.
• There's a new ECW on Sci-Fi at 10.
• HBO has a First Look at Ocean's 13 at 10.

Check your local TV listings for more.

Wow, time sure does fly, doesn't it? It seems like only a few short months ago that we were talking about a new television season that was full of promise and good fortune. Yeah, right! And now, we look towards May, a mere three or so weeks away, and the end of the official television season.

That being said, we've gone ahead and updated our current list of season/series premieres and finales with the latest information on when your favorite shows will be coming to an end for the summer, or forever. Most of the shows will be ending between May 14th and May 20th. Also, mark your calendars for May 21st thru May 23rd because this is when the latest winners will be announced for both Dancing With the Stars and American Idol.

Also updated is the return of One Tree Hill to The CW schedule (May 2nd) as well as some changes that were made to other premieres/finales over the last few weeks. So, review at your leisure and remember that dates are subject to change at a moment's notice.

We slacked off for a couple of weeks there, but we're back! We'll make it up to you. Honest. Stuff Joel and I cover this week:

• What are your favorite season finales? And what makes a good season finale?
  
• CBS and ABC are streaming shows online, though how do they look?
  
• Futurama -- is it coming back, or what?
• Some things we're planning for the Upfronts next week, and what cool stuff we're planning after all the finales are over.
• Lots of TV Squad specific items, like the Star system (again!), the idea of forums, what we may do for voicemail, etc.
• A few tidbits about spoilers.

Grab the file directly (link), subscribe to our podcast RSS feed (link), or visit the iTunes music store (link). (Running time: 53:43)

Be sure to leave us a message at tvsquad@gmail.com or call us and leave a voicemail at 917-421-9477 (NY).

Ah, spring! Warm days and cool nights, the sounds of children playing. Short pants and short dresses as the first wisps of summer arrive. It is a time of renewal; except, of course, for the television networks. For them, spring, and particularly the month of May, represents one thing only: season and series finales.

Yep, after a long, hard year it's time to say good-bye to some of your favorite characters and shows as they leave for the summer, or perhaps for good if they are not renewed or are ending their series runs. In place of them will be endless reruns, summer replacements, and Big Brother. May the Lord help us all!

Being the networks, who want to maximize the most viewership and advertising dollars, these finales are not just during one week in May, but are staggered throughout the whole month. Some even leak into the first week of June. This can be very confusing to keep track of and may cause your DVR to have a meltdown. However, fear not true TV Squad readers, because we are here to list the finales of the shows you watch the most. I mean, gosh, we would be remiss if we didn't provide information on the last episode of Lost for the year (May 24th) or the series finale of Alias (May 22nd). It would be just scandalous.

Oh, one more thing before you make the jump . . . if you don't see your favorite show on this list, or want to see when some of the famous May special events are being broadcast (such as The 41st Annual Academy of Country Music Awards) click on this link for a full listing from AOL Television. Okay, all ready? Then, let's get this show on the road.

• You can answer a series of questions on how you would improve American Idol for its upcoming fifth season. Who knows if anyone from the show will listen to you, but you can give them your two cents.
• In the print edition there's an interesting list of some A-list stars who do voice work in commercials. I knew Sean Connery was the voice Level 3 Communications and Gene Hackman did Oppenheimer Funds, but did you know that George Clooney does Budweiser, Julia Roberts does AOL, and Jeff Bridges does Duracell?
• Mark Harris likes the American version of The Office but doesn't like Eyes. Huh? If it was online I still wouldn't link to the piece. 
• Jennifer Armstrong and Whitney Pastorek tell why they love this season of Alias (me too).
• A rundown on what's happening on the season finales of some struggling shows: Jack and Bobby (a good, unfairly neglected show), Charmed, Joan of Arcadia, Kevin Hill, and Smallville. Smallville is struggling?

• This week's issue of TV Guide has all the inside scoop (without being too spoilerish) of many of the top season finales: 24, Lost, Desperate Housewives (and some of the not so top ones - is the season finale of Law and Order anything special in a season-ender sort of way?). A question: why does the TV Guide web site already have next week's issue up and not this week's issue? I know it goes on sale earlier than next week, but still.
• A short interview with David Duchovny, where he reveals the title of the next movie he's writing, Bucky ****ing Dent, which I'm sure isn't going to make us Red Sox fans too happy.
• American Idol's Anwar Robinson: What's his secret? (No, he didn't sleep with Abdul.)
• An interview with CBS Evening News exec produer Jim Murphy, on how Bob Schiffer is doing and what plans they have for the future.
• Matt Roush gives his quick take on Family Guy and American Dad, and gives a preview of the 350th episode of The Simpsons.
• I took the Which Desperate Housewife Are You? quiz. Apparently, I'm Teri Hatcher.