TV Jots

It’s a Finale for The Middleman

And the Fall 2008 season gets underway, thanks to early starters Fox and The CW…

Monday | September 1

Gossip Girl: Season Two begins in the Hamptons. [8pm EST/The CW]

Prison Break: Season Four begins with a two-hour, double-episode premiere. I thought two seasons was enough, so maybe I missed something when I stopped watching near the beginning of Season Three. [8pm EST/Fox]

One Tree Hill: Season Six begins for yet another show I can’t believe is still on the tube. [9pm EST/The CW]

The Middleman: The freshman run of ABC Family’s latest winning series ends. If we’re lucky, a second season will be announced soon. [10pm EST/ABC Family]

Raising the Bar: Basic cable’s latest original series, a legal drama from ten-time Emmy winner Steven Bochco (NYPD Blue, L.A. Law, Hill Street Blues, Doogie Howser, M.D.), premieres with a top-notch cast that includes Jane Kaczmarek (Malcolm in the Middle), Mark-Paul Gosselaar (NYPD Blue), Gloria Reuben (ER), and J. August Richards (Angel). [10pm EST/TNT]

Republican National Convention: Last week it was the Democrats, now it’s the Republicans. Politics gets four more nights of primetime screen time, starting tonight. [10pm EST/ABC, CBS, NBC]

Tuesday | September 2

90210: The much-hyped Beverly Hills, 90210 spinoff premieres with a two-hour double episode. [8pm EST/The CW]

The Shield: The seventh and final season, sure to stun and amaze, opens. [10pm EST/FX]

Wednesday | September 3

America’s Next Top Model: Season Eleven begins with the week’s gazillionth two-hour premiere. [8pm EST/The CW]

Bones: Ditto, but this time it’s Season Four, set in lovely London. [8pm EST/Fox]

Ghost Hunters: Season Four opens. [9pm EST/Sci Fi Channel]

Sons of Anarchy: FX’s latest original drama, about a tough motorcycle club based in California, premieres. [10pm EST/FX]

Top Design: Season Two starts with a 75-minute episode. [10pm EST/Bravo]

Thursday | September 4

Sunday Night Football: The 22nd season opens on a Thursday with a matchup between the New York Giants and the Washington Redskins. [7pm EST/NBC]

Kitchen Nightmares: Season Two begins, and, yes, the premiere is two hours. What else? [8pm EST/Fox]

The Gong Show with Dave Attell: The first season ends. [10pm EST/Comedy Central]

Friday | September 5

Stand Up to Cancer: An NBC special featuring an army of celebrities who support cancer research, including recent cancer survivor Christina Applegate. [8pm EST/NBC]

Samurai Girl: The six-part mini-series begins and will continue over three consecutive nights at the same time. [8pm EST/ABC Family]

CBS Fall Preview: Here’s what’s coming up this season on the Eye Network. [9pm EST/CBS]

Monk: Tony Shalhoub & Company air their 100th episode. The hallmark couldn’t happen for a more deserving show. [9pm EST/USA]

Swingtown: The first — and only? — season ends. [10pm EST/CBS]

Saturday | September 6

Cops: Season 21 opens. [8pm EST/Fox]

U.S. Open 2008 Tennis: The last two women remaining play for the title. [8pm EST/CBS]

America’s Most Wanted: Season 22 begins. [9pm EST/Fox]

Sunday | September 7

U.S. Open 2008 Tennis: The last two men remaining play for the title. [4pm EST/CBS]

Football Night in America: Season Three starts. [8pm EST/NBC]

America United: In Support of Our Troops: A two-hour special featuring celebrities performing to honor U.S. troops. [9pm EST/ABC]

2008 MTV Video Music Awards: The title says it all. [9pm EST/MTV]

True Blood: HBO’s new Southern-fried vampire drama premieres with Oscar winner Anna Paquin starring as the interestingly named Sookie Stackhouse. [9pm EST/HBO]

Entourage: The boys are back for Season Five. [10pm EST/HBO]