Laurel’s TV Picks

Best Bets

New Ugly Betty (ABC, 7pm)
Season finale of My Name Is Earl (NBC, 7pm - 8pm)
New Grey’s Anatomy (ABC, 8pm - 9:02pm)
Season finale of CSI (CBS, 8pm)
Season finale of The Office (NBC, 8pm - 9:01pm)
New Lost (ABC, 9:02pm)
Season finale of Without A Trace (CBS, 9pm)
Denis Leary on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (Comedy Central, 10pm and midnight)

News & Notes

Data from FOX will be added to the Fall 2008 Schedule Grid Preview page today to complete the schedule. I’ll be adding some cable shows to the grid eventually and of course will update with premiere dates once they’re announced this summer. Will update as any changes are made to the schedule.

If you were confused by Kelso appearing to still be Chief in last week’s season finale of Scrubs, it was because that episode was not originally intended to be the season finale and was filmed/scheduled to air earlier in the season. For some inexplicable reason, NBC thought it made a good finale. Scrubs fans should check out this interview where Scrubs creator Bill Lawrance talks to TV Guide about the “finale” and how the show ended up moving from NBC to ABC for next season. Plus some details on plans for the final season of the show.

Daytime

“The Best of America’s Funniest Home Videos, Plus Hilarious Tina Fey and Amy Poehler” on Oprah (syndicated, check our local listings).

Primetime Grid

Primetime

Gene Simmons and Larry King appear as themselves on a new Ugly Betty (ABC, 7pm). And Eddie Cibrian continues his arc as a coach on the show. Betty ends up chaperoning a dance that Justin attends. The season finale for this show airs next week, Ugly Betty will be back next season on the same night and time (Thursdays at 7pm on ABC).

Special hour-long season finale of My Name is Earl (NBC, 7pm). Earl is questioning karma as to why it brought Billie (Alyssa Milano) into his life. Will he end up choosing between the list and her? I’m thinking yes. This series will be back next season on the same night at time (Thursdays at 7pm on NBC).

Clark and Lex have a rather big faceoff and it sounds like a ton of major things happen in the season finale of Smallville (CW, 7pm). This show will be back next season on the same night at time (Thursdays at 7pm on the CW).

Cristina is still behaving strangely because of the news about Burke, Alex may learn the truth about Rebecca, the Chief asks Erica Hahn to perform risky surgery on his mentor on a new Grey’s Anatomy (ABC, 8pm - 9:02pm). Runs a couple minutes long. If I read things right, there are two more episodes after this one yet this season. Grey’s Anatomy will be back next season on the same night and time (Thursdays at 8pm on ABC).

Warrick is accused of murder in the season finale of CSI(CBS, 8pm). CSI will, of course, be back next season on the same night and time (Thursdays at 8pm on CBS). I’m highly amused that Jay Karnes is listed in the press release as guest starring in this episode as “IA Officer Wagenbach” given he plays “Det. Dutch Wagenbach” on The Shield.

There’s a farewell party for Toby in the special hour-long season finale of The Office (NBC, 8pm - 9:01pm). Runs one minute long. Amy Ryan guest stars as a new HR person at Dunder Mifflin; Ryan was nominated for an Oscar for her performance in Gone Baby Gone and she played “Beadie” on The Wire. Amy Madigan, who also was in Gone Baby Gone, continues her guest stint on Grey’s Anatomy tonight. The Office will be back next year on the same night and time (Thursdays at 8pm on NBC), an untitled spin-off of The Office is also supposed to air on NBC next season.

There are thirty hours to go before Dean’s deal with the demon is up and the guys are searching for Lilith on the season finale of Supernatural (CW, 8pm). Will they be able to save Dean? I’m guessing the answer is “yes” given the show is scheduled to return next season (on the same night and time: Thursdays at 8pm on the CW).

Part One of the Three-Part season finale of Lost (ABC, 9:02pm). I think maybe we get to see the Oceanic Six travel off the island in this episode and it’s pretty emotional and amazing. Unless that’s in one of the other parts. Michelle Forbes guest stars as an Oceanic Airlines representative. Episode title is “There’s No Place Like Home, Part 1″.

The team searches for not just one person, but five, who have been abducted from a coffee shop on the season finale of Without A Trace (CBS, 9pm). Linda Hunt guest stars again this episode as an FBI psychiatrist. Without A Trace will be back next season, but CBS plans to move it to Tuesday nights at 9pm where it will face off against Eli Stone on ABC and Law & Order: SVU on NBC. Yikes! Of course sometimes the schedule will shift a bit before the season starts; if it doesn’t, I’m gonna have three shows to watch/record at once.

Steve Buscemi and Stanley Tucci guest star in the “explosive” season finale of ER (NBC, 9:01pm). ER returns next season on the same night and time (Thursdays at 9pm on NBC) for a final season (assuming minds aren’t changed). Hardcore Homicide fans like me may be amused to see Steve Buscemi and Mekhi Phifer in the same episode of a TV show given Buscemi played “Gordon Pratt” and Phifer played “Junior Bunk” on the show– both were rather important characters.

Rock the Cradle (MTV, 9pm; also on Saturday at 8pm on MTV2 and Sunday at 10:30am on VH1 Classic).

Season finale of Lil’ Bush (Comedy Central, 9:30pm and 11:30pm).

Late Night

Denis Leary (of Rescue Me, The Job) on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (Comedy Central, 10pm and midnight).

Andrei Cherny on The Colbert Report (Comedy Central, 10:30pm and 12:30am).

America Ferrera (of Ugly Betty), Russell Brand, Terry Fator on The Late Show with David Letterman (CBS, 10:35pm).

Dana Delany (of Desperate Housewives, China Beach), Hulk Hogan, Dwight Yoakam on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (NBC, 10:35pm).

Seth McFarlane, Carlos Mencia, MGMT on Late Night with Conan O’Brien (NBC, 11:37pm). Wow, this looks like one for me to avoid given I can’t stand Family Guy (which was created by McFarlane) or Carlos Mencia.

David Boreanaz (of Bones, Angel), Carrot Top on the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (CBS, 11:37pm).

Josh Holloway (of Lost), Brad Williams, Dierks Bentley on Jimmy Kimmel (ABC, check your local listings).

Christina Ricci, Steve Byrne, Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin on Last Call with Carson Daly (NBC, check your local listings).