If you’re a fan of TBS sitcom My Boys, I sure hope you enjoyed the last four seasons as much as I did because the end has officially arrived. This week, the network announced its decision to ax the Chicago-set comedy after four good-natured seasons, the fourth of which just closed last Sunday, September 12. Bummer.

What’s even worse at this point, if you were hoping to catch series regulars Jordana Spiro and Kyle Howard in the upcoming NBC series Love Bites (Spiro) and Perfect Couples (Howard), stop hoping now. Both shows let the actors go due to their obligations on now-defunct My Boys. *sigh* Sometimes TV Land just isn’t fair.

Well, at least fans can catch Reid Scott on the hit rookie Showtime comedy The Big C. He plays the character Dr. Todd Miller on the Monday-night series, which has become an instant hit. No doubt his former colleagues will turn up in new projects soon, too.

…Except for PJ’s older brother, that is. One of the first things viewers learn during the double-episode July 25 Season Four premiere of enjoyable TBS sitcom My Boys is that the Jim Gaffigan character Andy Franklin is no longer around due to a family move abroad for work purposes.

Equally distressing for Brendan and Mike is the fact that both PJ and Bobby as well as Stephanie and Kenny are officially and openly coupled up. That reality makes them the only two single dudes left in the group, which is a difficult situation to endure at their age.

“Addition by Subtraction,” the 10pm ET season premiere proper, focuses on the Andy development, while the 10:30pm second episode, “Gourmets and Confused,” elaborates on the Brendan and Mike issue. Both installments make it clear that Kellee Stewart, who plays PJ’s no-nonsense best friend Stephanie to perfection, will be much more prominent during the new season, which is definitely something to be happy about if you ask me.

So, now that Andy’s (temporarily?) no longer in the picture, PJ and her boys must find a replacement to fill his seat during their regular poker games. “Addition by Subtraction” gives us insight into the lengthy selection process as the gang “audtions” various potential new members. Needless to say, choosing the ideal person isn’t an easy task, especially since the newcomer has to fit in well with the longtime group members, who we all know can be a tad judgmental when it comes to outsiders.

The hourlong season opener ends with a date night of sorts during “Gourmets and Confused.” While PJ, Booby, Stephanie, and Kenny deal with the aftermath of a disappointing “adult” double date at a swank restaurant, left-out Brendan and Mike head to an upscale bar, where they manage to meet two surprisingly classy women.

But how will the evening end when they bump into their coupled friends later at their usual hangout, Crowley’s Tavern? Actually, not as bad as you might think, which is just one reason why it’s great to be back in Chicago with Team PJ for the summer. Fans can expect nine great episodes during the fourth season, and if we’re lucky, perhaps a fifth-season renewal.

Preview My Boys‘ fourth-season premiere “Addition by Subtraction” in the sneak peek below. A quick video recap of the show’s third season also follows for those who need a refresher.

Both My Boys and Sons of Anarchy received the highest form of approval possible from their respective networks this week when each series was rewarded with an additional season.

As a result of the renewals, fans of My Boys can look forward to a third season of nine episodes during the first quarter of 2009, and those who enjoy Sons of Anarchy will get a second season with thirteen episodes next year, too.

Since the latter show hasn’t even aired its sixth episode yet — that happens tonight with “AK-51” — there’s no telling where the story will resume when the sophomore run begins. But, as viewers know, My Boys closed its last season with a huge cliffhanger that saw Bobby (Kyle Howard) finally realizing he has feelings for PJ (Jordana Spiro) just as PJ struck up a relationship with his brother during preparations for his wedding. Thank goodness we’ll get to see how that twisted predicament ends!