Despite all the doom and gloom that is bouncing around out there due to this writers strike, some shows may actually benefit.

Kristin at eOnline is saying that ER’s producers are concerned that they will not have time to wrap up all the storylines in this final chapter of the medical drama if the walkout lasts too long. If that is the case, NBC may be forced to bring them back for a 15th season, albeit a shortened one, possible, to tie up all the loose ends.

See? It’s not all bad.

It’s season finale night! 

The Office - The Job - NBC - 8/7c

Michael, Jim and Karen go to New York to be interviewed for a job opening; in Scranton, the new regime institutes sweeping reforms; Jan comes in with exciting news.

Scrubs - My Rabbit; My Point of No Return - NBC - 9/8c

We finally can watch ‘Scrubs’ without wondering if it will be around next year.  Hooray!

J.D. invites Kim to move in with him so they can raise their child together; Carla helps Elliot plan for her upcoming wedding; the janitor vows to make Keith the perfect husband.

ER - The Honeymoon is Over - NBC - 10/9c

Much to the chagrin of the county general staff, the new chief is ready to make some major changes in the E.R. Meanwhile, Kovac puts his honeymoon on hold while he travels back to Croatia to be with his ailing father. Gates is urgently called home when Sarah panics that she might be taken away. And a patient convinces Neela to attend an anti-war rally and consequently finds her life in peril.

Grey’s Anatomy - Didn’t We Almost Have It All? - ABC - 9/8c

Cristina and Burke’s wedding day arrives along with the interns’ first exam results. A successor to the Chief is named and Callie and George make a big decision about their relationship.

I don’t know if ‘Grey’s’ can live up to last season’s finale…that was likely the best finale I think I’ve ever seen.  And hopefully the Gallie/Gizzie debate will finally close (fingers crossed for Gallie).

Lost - The Answers - ABC - 10/9c

Executive producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse explore the mysteries of the island and recap some of the revelations made this season as well as those yet to come.

I typically don’t bother with “clip shows”, even if it’s ‘Lost’.  But I love the chemistry that Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof have on the podcast, so I’m hoping some of it will carry over tonight.

My Name Is Earl - The Trial - NBC - 8/7c - Season Finale!

Earl has it all - a GED, a job, a new apartment - and now with his new, unlikely love interest, Earl is finally an adult. Nothing can stop Earl on his road to maturity…except, of course, Earl himself. Joy, on the other hand, puts her future in the hands of the law as the trial finally arrives. Earl commits the ultimate good deed to help Joy, but ends up sacrificing everything. It all comes down to this trial and Earl’s shocking testimony.

The Office - Beach Games - NBC - 8:40/7:40c - 9:20/8:20c

If you haven’t noticed, NBC has been extending the past few episodes of The Office to 40 minutes.  Kristin at eOnline reports that the best comedy on TV may very well extend to one hour next season.  Specifically:

I’ve just heard from multiple insiders that it’s looking very likely that NBC will double the amount of The Office we’ll get next season. I’m told it’s looking like each episode will expand to be an hourlong; however, if that plan falls through for some reason, I’m hearing that, at the very least, NBC wants to pick up something like 37 episodes of the show in its current half-hour format.

Regarding tonight’s episode, NBC says:

Michael is being considered for a position in Corporate and has to recommend his replacement. While the group expects a fun outing at Lake Scranton, Michael has planned a day of Survivor-like competitions to find his successor. Meanwhile, Pam is not asked to join in any of the activities and is forced to watch Jim and Karen have fun together.

Scrubs - My Conventional Wisdom - NBC - 9:20/8:20c - 10/9c

As Eliot begins to plan her wedding with Keith, J.D. continues to question his true feelings for her. In an attempt to ease his best friend’s mind, Turk takes him to a surgeon’s convention in Phoenix, but the plan backfires when J.D. runs into his ex-girlfriend Kim and comes face to face with the unexpected. Meanwhile, Kelso and his cronies party it up at the convention while unbeknownst to him, the Janitor takes on the role of Chief of Medicine back at Sacred Heart.

ER - Sea Change - NBC - 10/9c

Stanley Tucci alert!  Stanley Tucci alert!  He’s in a guest starring role tonight, but there are rumblings that he’ll be around for good.

Kovac and Abby get used to their new roles as husband and wife while Hope and Morris enjoy the honeymoon suite. Pratt hopes to change his womanizing ways as he tries to win over a new woman. Meanwhile, there’s a new doctor in the E.R. — and he means business.

Grey’s Anatomy - Testing 1-2-3 - ABC - 9/8c

We’re back to Grey’s as usual tonight after last week’s ‘Private Practice’ spinoff pilot. 

Exam day has arrived for the interns - and not everyone is ready. Callie’s suspicions of George and Izzie grow, and Cristina struggles to write her wedding vows.

Traveler - Pilot - ABC - 10/9c

While it hasn’t been getting stellar reviews, it hasn’t been killed by critics, either.  I’m extremely interested in what they can do with this series.

Jay, Tyler and Will are friends who have spent the last two years in grad school. They are about to depart on a summer trip when a simple prank to rollerblade through one of New York City’s most famous museums makes Jay and Tyler prime suspects in a terrorist bombing that destroys the museum seconds later. Hopeful that Will can help clear up this misunderstanding, they learn he’s been missing since the explosion and think he may be dead. They’re unable to turn to authorities when they realize they can’t prove Will even exists. In every photo from the past two years, he has managed to block his face.

Who will believe them? Friends, family, lovers? The boys are pawns in a conspiracy that will take years to unravel, and the government may not have their best interests at heart. Their friendship will be tested like never before as they try to uncover the truth, while avoiding detection of not only the FBI, but everyone in America who has seen their faces on TV as suspects in the bombing.

Busy night tonight, so let’s get into it…

My Name Is Earl - GED - NBC - 8/7c

After Earl is rejected to apply for a credit card for not having a high school diploma, a job, or a real place to live, he decides he needs to take some big steps towards finally growing up. When Earl returns to school to re-learn everything he needs to know to take his GED, he finds out how hard it is for teachers when they have to deal with students like the one he used to be when he was a kid.

The Office - Product Recall - NBC - 8:30/7:30c

The office is in crisis mode after a large shipment of Dunder Mifflin paper is accidentally sent out with an obscene watermark — and Michael tries to manage the media with an impromptu press conference. Jim and Andy also attempt to calm the high school principal who has sent out prom invites on the affected stationery.

I think this premise has the makings of the funniest episode of Office we’ve seen.  I’m loving the new Andy, and can’t wait to see how he and Jim play off of each other.   

30 Rock - Hiatus - NBC - 9/8c

As TGS’ summer hiatus approaches, Liz deals with the difficulties of her long-distance relationship with Floyd while she enlists Kenneth’s help in locating on-the-lam Tracy. Meanwhile, Jack’s impending marriage to Phoebe brings his mother, Colleen Donaghy, to town.

Scrubs - My Turf War - NBC - 9:30/8:30c

J.D. feels a little left out when Elliot’s wild sorority sister, Melody comes to town. Not able to deal with being the third wheel he turns the girls against each other in the hopes that he will once again be Elliot’s priority friend and, if he is lucky, that he might get to “mash” it with Melody. Meanwhile, Turk and Dr. Cox go head to head when they disagree over whether or not a patient requested surgery is necessary. Elsewhere, Carla discovers an unlikely ghost haunting pediatrics in an attempt to keep it clean.

A ghost?  Really?  Come on…I know that Scrubs has never been what you’d call realistic, but a ghost?

ER - Lights Out - NBC - 10/9c

A busy ER is putting the pressure on Kovac to take care of the overflow of cases prior to being shut down for renovations. A lonely Sam befriends a terminally ill photojournalist with a negative outlook. Pratt gets a scare when his brother unexpectedly shows up in the ER. Meanwhile, the tension between Gates and his father hits an ultimate boiling point.

Grey’s Anatomy - Desire - ABC - 9/8c

The attendings are extra-attentive to a patient, who is the chairman of the hospital board; Cristina helps Burke plan the wedding.

I’ve noticed that I have several shows that I watch that I really don’t have much to say about, so, rather than search my brain to find something creative to say, I’ll just give a little bit of what the network preview says.  So, here’s what’s on tonight:

My Name is Earl - Harassed a Reporter - NBC - 8/7c

Earl’s back after a seven week hiatus (these long breaks suck…man, the 24-formula has me spoiled).   

Tonight, via Spoilerfix, centers around how, back in his pre-karma days, Earl’s gang made up false news stories and would call up reporters to get the fake stories on the news.  Tonight Earl has to make up with a reporter whose career he destroyed with those fake stories.

The Office - Safety Training - NBC - 8:30/7:30c

Having “I’m gonna lose my freaking mind” Andy return during the closing credits last week only to have Dwight pepper spray him immediately was absolutely classic.  Tonight, Andy’s ready to make a fresh start with his coworkers after undergoing anger management.  Also, the Dwight/Michael chemistry, which has been sorely absent over the past few weeks, should be back in full swing tonight as they show the hazards that can come from the dangerous work environment of Dunder Mifflin.

30 Rock - Corporate Crush - NBC - 9/8c

NBC says:

Liz is happy in her new relationship with Floyd (Jason Sudeikis); a company executive (Rip Torn) warns Jack that he is keeping an eye on his performance.

Scrubs - My Words of Wisdom - NBC - 9:30/8:30c

With last weeks departure of Nurse Roberts, we had a great example of  what I love about Scrubs.  This show manages to be ridiculously hilarious one moment, then completely hits the brakes and can be soberingly serious the next. 

NBC says:

After saying goodbye to Nurse Roberts, members of the staff incorporate some of her lessons into their lives.

ER - Photographs and Memories - NBC - 10/9c

It’s also been a long time since we visited ER.  So long, in fact, I’ve kind of competely forgotten everything that’s happened.  Let’s let NBC remind us:

A photographer (Annabella Sciorra) comes into the ER with a terminally ill patient; a new surgical intern, who appears to be Dr. Dubenko’s new favorite, upstages Neela.

Notes From The Underbelly - Pilot; Animal Style - ABC - 10/9c

My wife’s super-pumped (pump…heh…that was not intentional) about this one, so it’s added to my watch list for Thursday nights.  Entertainment Weekly gives it a B, saying:

Overall, however, Underbelly eschews cliché and makes pregnancy surprisingly laughable — including a very funny gag with a breast pump. A phrase I never thought I’d say.