Enter the May "sweeps" -- do you know when your season finales are?
04/23/09 11:46 AM
By ED BARK
We're not done with April just yet, but the season-concluding May "sweeps" start Thursday.
For many series, that means a season-ender. For others it's a dead-ender. For down-and-out NBC it's mostly a big bag of nothin'.
In alphabetical order, here's a collection of some print-and-save sweeps highlights from the Big Four broadcast networks.
ABC
April 30 -- Private Practice checks out for this season, will be back for another.
May 6 -- Scrubs ends with a one-hour finale. There's still talk of returning this terminally under-appreciated comedy in some form, but star Zach Braff wouldn't be a part of it, save for maybe a guest shot or two.
May 7 -- Michael J. Fox returns to ABC in a one-hour special titled Michael J. Fox: Adventures of an Incurable Optimist.
May 10 -- Brothers & Sisters ends its season, and will return for another.
May 11 -- Castle concludes its first season. Of all ABC's spring replacement series, this one has the best chance of returning next fall.
May 13 -- It's the two-hour season finale of Lost, which will answer all questions (yeah, sure) with next year's final chapters.
May 14 -- Grey's Anatomy wraps up another melodramatic season.
May 17 -- Desperate Housewives signs off until next fall.
May 19 -- Another mirror ball trophy is bestowed on Dancing with the Stars to the celebrity with the most amazing feet.
May 21 -- Ugly Betty closes its latest season with a two-hour episode. ABC has just announced it'll be back for more.
CBS
April 25 Barbra Streisand: Live In Concert was filmed during her most recent tour.
May 10 -- The Amazing Race 14 concludes its global jaunt. More are likely to follow.
May 10 -- Cold Case, which might be endangered, wraps up its latest season with the conclusion of a two-parter. Pearl Jam provides the soundtrack.
May 10 -- The Unit has its season -- and quite possibly series -- finale.
May 11 -- The Big Bang Theory ends its sophomore season. It's already been picked up for two more.
May 13 -- Goodbye for now to The New Adventures of Old Christine, which is iffy for next season.
May 13 -- Gary Unmarried ends its first season. There might not be another one.
May 14 -- CSI: Crime Scene Investigation ends another season as the network's most popular drama series.
May 15 -- It's another wrap for Ghost Whisperer, which should be back to see more dead people.
May 15 -- Numb3rs is up, but it'll return.
May 17 -- Survivor: Toncantins concludes. Two more editions have already been ordered.
May 18 -- How I Met Your Mother ends its season. It shall return.
May 18 -- Prime-time's most-watched comedy, Two and a Half Men, ends this season knowing that its network already has ordered not one, not two, but three more.
May 18 -- Rules of Engagement wraps up with a fighting chance to return.
May 18 -- Goodbye for now to CSI: Miami, which obviously will be back.
May 19 -- TV's most over-achieving drama, NCIS, concludes with no questions at all about its return.
May 19 -- The season's most-watched new series, The Mentalist, winds up a very successful year.
May 19 -- There are rumblings that this could be it for Without A Trace, but that would be a mistake. For now, this is the season-ender.
May 20 -- Criminal Minds concludes its latest season knowing it'll be back.
May 20 -- CSI: NY ends for now. It's the lowest-rated of the three CSIs, but count on its return.
FOX
May 8 -- Dollhouse ends its first and almost assuredly last season.
May 11 -- House wraps up another successful season. The not-so-good doctor will be back.
May 12 -- Its the first-season finale of Fringe, which is likely to return.
May 13 -- Lie to Me, a strong bet to return, ends its inaugural season.
May 14 -- Bones calls it a wrap. It'll be back.
May 14 -- Bombastic chef Gordon Ramsay stops yelling for a while after the season-ender.
May 15 -- Prison Break ends for good after pretty much chasing its tail this season.
May 16 -- MADtv ends after 14 seasons.
May 17 -- Fox's "Animation Domination" lineup of The Simpsons, Family Guy, American Dad and Sit Down, Shut Up all have their season finales. So does King of the Hill, which hasn't been renewed but doesn't have an official series finale date set yet. There's a slim chance that another network might rescue the Arlen, TX Hills from cancellation. If not, it's been 13 seasons of fine entertainment.
May 18 -- 24 ends Jack Bauer's latest walk in the park with a two-hour season finale.
May 19 -- Glee, already slotted for a fall berth, has its sneak preview after a heavy-duty promotional campaign.
May 20 -- American Idol crowns another champ in a two-hour season finale.
NBC
April 27 -- It's likely the last episode of Chuck.
April 27 -- Heroes, a shadow of its former self, has its season finale. NBC likely will bite one more time.
May 4 -- Deal Or No Deal returns with the first of several "event" episodes.
May 10 -- Celebrity Apprentice has a live, two-hour season finale. Wouldn't put it past NBC to bring it back.
May 12 -- The Biggest Loser: Couples has a live, three-hour season finale. It'll be back in some form.
May 14 -- The 100th episode of The Office also will be its season-ender. It's already been renewed.
May 14 -- 30 Rock, also renewed, calls it a wrap for this season with a guest appearance by Alan Alda.
May 14 -- Parks and Recreation concludes its first season. It's still too early to tell if this will also be its last.
May 14 -- Southland ends Season 1 with the jury still out regarding another one.
Three NBC series will have their season finales outside of the May sweeps.
Medium wraps on June 1, and likely will return at some point.
Law & Order: SVU, with a June 2 season finale, will be back.
Law & Order (June 3) has to be considered iffy at this point.
We're not done with April just yet, but the season-concluding May "sweeps" start Thursday.
For many series, that means a season-ender. For others it's a dead-ender. For down-and-out NBC it's mostly a big bag of nothin'.
In alphabetical order, here's a collection of some print-and-save sweeps highlights from the Big Four broadcast networks.
ABC
April 30 -- Private Practice checks out for this season, will be back for another.
May 6 -- Scrubs ends with a one-hour finale. There's still talk of returning this terminally under-appreciated comedy in some form, but star Zach Braff wouldn't be a part of it, save for maybe a guest shot or two.
May 7 -- Michael J. Fox returns to ABC in a one-hour special titled Michael J. Fox: Adventures of an Incurable Optimist.
May 10 -- Brothers & Sisters ends its season, and will return for another.
May 11 -- Castle concludes its first season. Of all ABC's spring replacement series, this one has the best chance of returning next fall.
May 13 -- It's the two-hour season finale of Lost, which will answer all questions (yeah, sure) with next year's final chapters.
May 14 -- Grey's Anatomy wraps up another melodramatic season.
May 17 -- Desperate Housewives signs off until next fall.
May 19 -- Another mirror ball trophy is bestowed on Dancing with the Stars to the celebrity with the most amazing feet.
May 21 -- Ugly Betty closes its latest season with a two-hour episode. ABC has just announced it'll be back for more.
CBS
April 25 Barbra Streisand: Live In Concert was filmed during her most recent tour.
May 10 -- The Amazing Race 14 concludes its global jaunt. More are likely to follow.
May 10 -- Cold Case, which might be endangered, wraps up its latest season with the conclusion of a two-parter. Pearl Jam provides the soundtrack.
May 10 -- The Unit has its season -- and quite possibly series -- finale.
May 11 -- The Big Bang Theory ends its sophomore season. It's already been picked up for two more.
May 13 -- Goodbye for now to The New Adventures of Old Christine, which is iffy for next season.
May 13 -- Gary Unmarried ends its first season. There might not be another one.
May 14 -- CSI: Crime Scene Investigation ends another season as the network's most popular drama series.
May 15 -- It's another wrap for Ghost Whisperer, which should be back to see more dead people.
May 15 -- Numb3rs is up, but it'll return.
May 17 -- Survivor: Toncantins concludes. Two more editions have already been ordered.
May 18 -- How I Met Your Mother ends its season. It shall return.
May 18 -- Prime-time's most-watched comedy, Two and a Half Men, ends this season knowing that its network already has ordered not one, not two, but three more.
May 18 -- Rules of Engagement wraps up with a fighting chance to return.
May 18 -- Goodbye for now to CSI: Miami, which obviously will be back.
May 19 -- TV's most over-achieving drama, NCIS, concludes with no questions at all about its return.
May 19 -- The season's most-watched new series, The Mentalist, winds up a very successful year.
May 19 -- There are rumblings that this could be it for Without A Trace, but that would be a mistake. For now, this is the season-ender.
May 20 -- Criminal Minds concludes its latest season knowing it'll be back.
May 20 -- CSI: NY ends for now. It's the lowest-rated of the three CSIs, but count on its return.
FOX
May 8 -- Dollhouse ends its first and almost assuredly last season.
May 11 -- House wraps up another successful season. The not-so-good doctor will be back.
May 12 -- Its the first-season finale of Fringe, which is likely to return.
May 13 -- Lie to Me, a strong bet to return, ends its inaugural season.
May 14 -- Bones calls it a wrap. It'll be back.
May 14 -- Bombastic chef Gordon Ramsay stops yelling for a while after the season-ender.
May 15 -- Prison Break ends for good after pretty much chasing its tail this season.
May 16 -- MADtv ends after 14 seasons.
May 17 -- Fox's "Animation Domination" lineup of The Simpsons, Family Guy, American Dad and Sit Down, Shut Up all have their season finales. So does King of the Hill, which hasn't been renewed but doesn't have an official series finale date set yet. There's a slim chance that another network might rescue the Arlen, TX Hills from cancellation. If not, it's been 13 seasons of fine entertainment.
May 18 -- 24 ends Jack Bauer's latest walk in the park with a two-hour season finale.
May 19 -- Glee, already slotted for a fall berth, has its sneak preview after a heavy-duty promotional campaign.
May 20 -- American Idol crowns another champ in a two-hour season finale.
NBC
April 27 -- It's likely the last episode of Chuck.
April 27 -- Heroes, a shadow of its former self, has its season finale. NBC likely will bite one more time.
May 4 -- Deal Or No Deal returns with the first of several "event" episodes.
May 10 -- Celebrity Apprentice has a live, two-hour season finale. Wouldn't put it past NBC to bring it back.
May 12 -- The Biggest Loser: Couples has a live, three-hour season finale. It'll be back in some form.
May 14 -- The 100th episode of The Office also will be its season-ender. It's already been renewed.
May 14 -- 30 Rock, also renewed, calls it a wrap for this season with a guest appearance by Alan Alda.
May 14 -- Parks and Recreation concludes its first season. It's still too early to tell if this will also be its last.
May 14 -- Southland ends Season 1 with the jury still out regarding another one.
Three NBC series will have their season finales outside of the May sweeps.
Medium wraps on June 1, and likely will return at some point.
Law & Order: SVU, with a June 2 season finale, will be back.
Law & Order (June 3) has to be considered iffy at this point.
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