TV Jots

Spring Finale Fever Continues

Monday | May 18

24: Season 7 ends with an eighth on the burner and a two-hour episode for Jack Bauer to save the world and himself yet again.
[Day 7: 6:00 A.M.-7:00 A.M./7:00 A.M.-8:00 A.M., Fox, 8pm]

Gossip Girl: Season 2 ends with a third season a done deal and a Lily-centric retro 1980s spinoff not so much.
[The Goodbye Gossip Girl, The CW, 8pm]

How I Met Your Mother: Season 4 ends with a fifth surely in the works and Ted turning 31 with a goat (!).
[The Leap, CBS, 8:30pm]

One Tree Hill: Season 6 ends with a seventh season already picked up and lead actor Chad Michael Murray reportedly leaving the show.
[Remember Me as a Time of Day, The CW, 9pm]

Two and Half Men: Season 6 ends with not one, not two, but three more seasons coming up and Charlie contracting a case of the doubts after his ex-girlfriend reappears just as he finally seems ready to settle down with his current significant other.
[Baseball with Better Steroids, CBS, 9pm]

Rules of Engagement: Season 3 ends with another (mid)season likely and Jeff coping with sex toys on his brain.
[Sexy Toy Story, CBS, 9:30pm]

CSI: Miami: Season 7 ends with an eighth run virtually a sure bet as Horatio turns all superhero to save Yelina and Calleigh ignores Delko to help out his dangerous daddy.
[Seeing Red, CBS, 10pm]

Tuesday | May 19

NCIS: Season 6 ends with a seventh season a lock, a spinoff just scooped up, and The Mummy movies’ Arnold Vosloo guest starring as a Mossad officer.
[Aliyah, CBS, 8pm]

90210: Season 1 ends with boatloads of people wondering why the show is returning for a second season, even if Shannen Doherty‘s finale appearance is guaranteed to make the hokey drama sizzle during her scenes.
[One Party Can Ruin Your Whole Summer, The CW, 9pm]

The Mentalist: Season 1 ends with a very much deserved second season not far off and Patrick Jane possibly getting entangled in a Red John trap. I smell cliffhanger all over that plot.
[Red John's Footsteps, CBS, 9pm]

Glee: Take a break from all the goodbyes and say hello to TV’s next big hit, a glitzy high-school musical dramedy from Nip/Tuck creative mastermind Ryan Murphy. Yummy!
[Pilot, Fox, 9:01pm]

Without a Trace: Season 7 ends with another season not looking so good as Martin Landau drops by to reprise his role as Jack’s daddy Frank. I could have sworn the elder Malone died back during the first or second season, but maybe that’s just time playing with my memory.
[Undertow, CBS, 10pm]

Wednesday | May 20

American Idol: Season 8 ends with no end to the series in sight (honestly — it’s going to be on, like, forever) and the next lucky winner made official. Note the bizarre end time of 10:07pm ET. (That enough “ends” for ya?)
[Winner Announced, Fox, 8pm]

The New Adventures of Old Christine: Season 4 ends with a fifth season guaranteed, whether on CBS or ABC, and Old Christine hooking up with New Christine’s father … again.
[Love: A Cautionary Tale, CBS, 8pm]

Gary Unmarried: Season 1 ends with a second season up in the air and Gary and his ex-wife Allison poised to knock boots again.
[Gary Fixes Allison's Garbage Disposal, CBS, 8:30pm]

Criminal Minds: Season 4 ends with a fifth season assumed and the life of a BAU agent in danger, as usual, at some point during the two-hour finale.
[To Hell...And Back, Parts 1 and 2, CBS, 9pm]

Smith: The final produced episode of the series gets its television premiere after more than two years.
[Seven, DirecTV, 10pm]

Thursday | May 21

So You Think You Can Dance: I know I can dance, but I’m still gonna check out the two-hour fifth-season premiere of one of TV’s most entertaining summer series.
[Fox, 8pm]

Ugly Betty: Season 3 ends with a fourth season announced weeks ago and another one of those two-hour send-offs. Oh, yeah — and welcome back Henry!
[Curveball/The Fall Issue, ABC, 8pm]

Southland: Season 1 ends with a second season picked up, dwindling ratings, and a dead gangbanger. Nice mix.
[Derailed, NBC, 10pm]

Friday | May 22

Head Case: Season 3 ends with a fourth season still a question mark.
[The Big Book, Starz, 10pm]

Party Down: Season 1 ends with a second season on the way.
[Stennheiser-Pong Wedding, Starz, 10:30pm]

Sunday | May 24

The Tudors: Season 3 with the fourth season slated to be the last.
[Epsiode 108, Showtime, 9pm]

State of the Union: Season 2 ends with fans waiting for word on a third. Either way, Tracey Ullman will be back, somehow, someway, somewhere.
[Episode 207, Showtime, 10pm]