Joshua Jackson, who most of you will remember as Pacey from Dawson’s Creek, will be joining the cast of Grey’s Anatomy.

His multi-episode run as a doctor at Seattle Grace will begin on episode 11.  There’s not much more info on it now, but as more comes in, you’ll find it here!

This is getting ridiculous.

After his firing from ‘Grey’s Anatomy’, Isaiah Washington has been fighting a war of words with the show.  It all started with his “mad as hell and not going to take it anymore” comment, which many thought was just a little bitter humor.  It then progressed when he made a statement saying that he really was upset, and was even considering legal action.

Today, TVGuide reports that Washington is turning this back around on T.R. Knight, saying that he has used the controversy surrounding his outing as an excuse to beef up his character.  It’s undeniable that George has definitely transformed this season…from the affable, somewhat goofy guy to the smooth charmer that he is now.  In the statement Washington said, “I can freely say this now, because I am no longer a Disney employee and I am no longer gagged…Everyone [from] the producers all the way up to [the studio] is very disappointed in the behavior of T.R. Knight.”  He even pulls costar Patrick Dempsey into it, quoting Dempsey as saying that if anyone should be fired because of this, it’s Knight.

Now at first, I felt bad for the guy.  I mean, sure, what he said was inexcusable, and, even if he was going through the motions of rehabilitation for the wrong reasons, he did what he was asked to do, and he still got fired.  I could somewhat sympathize with him.  But now he has the jilted lover complex…the “if I can’t have you, no one will” attitude toward Grey’s.  Not content to merely go his own way, he seems to be trying to drag the whole show down with him by throwing names around and seemingly trying to cause a lot of infighting around the set.  So whatever sympathy I had for Washington is effectively gone now.

It was announced late yesterday that Isaiah Washington would not be returning to ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ next season.  Today, it seems that he’s none too pleased with what happened.  In his press release, his spokesman, Howard Bragman said, “If they wanted to fire him, why didn’t they fire him when [the incident] happened?”

While his comments about costar T.R. Knight’s sexuality are unjustifiable, Washington’s anger is totally justified.  He did the meetings, he did the counseling, he did the PSA…he worked hard to make it right.  If ABC really wanted to make a statement, he should have been fired when the incident occurred, or fired if he was unwilling to set things straight.   But to string him along all season long, only to drop him now…that’s just not right.  Honestly, it sounds like something that ABC wanted to keep in their back pocket when contract negotiations came up, but that’s all just speculation.

Now I’m looking forward to see how the show deals with Dr. Burke’s sudden departure.

Some big news from Grey’s Anatomy tonight. ABC News is reporting that star Isaiah Washington’s contract will not be renewed for next season.

Surely by now, everyone heard about the derogatory comments that Washington made about costar T. R. Knight. Then, his role on the show was called into serious question when his character, Burke, left Christina at the altar in the finale.

We’ll have more on this as it develops.

I don’t normally do a lot of talking about ‘Grey’s’, but last night’s season finale compelled me to.

I’ve been a ‘Grey’s’ apologist all along…even through the “Meredith dies” fiasco, I was there.  I believed in the show.  I’ve held that it is one of the greatest programs on television today.  But, the finale…man, what a horrible, horrible, HORRIBLE episode.  I mean seriously, this episode, it’s terrible. 

Last season’s finale was probably the best finale of any show that I’ve ever seen.  The whole deal with Burke getting shot, Denny dying, Izzie’s tremendous performance…it was an excellent show, and the definition of a finale:  getting the viewer to anticipate the next season. 

This finale didn’t do that at all.  All it managed to do was depress the heck out of me.  I’m depressed about where the characters are left off, but I’m also depressed because a show that has been so focused and dead-on with those characters up until now suddenly forces them to do things that are so out of character.  Burke leaves Christina at the altar, just hours after saying that he was “sure” about them as a couple.  Alex flip-flops so much with this Eva chick it made me dizzy.  And now Derek is the one being the yuppie to Meredith.

There are really only two things that I can say positive about last night.  First was the interaction between Richard and Adelle.  Everything about their scenes together just clicked.  That’s honestly the only thing I’m really interested to see resolved next season.  Second, Sandra Oh.  She played every scene she was in to perfection…from the eyebrow comedy, to her essentially begging Preston to stay at the wedding, to the gut-wrenching sobs when he leaves her at the end.

So, yeah.  Bad episode, for the most part. 

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.

Last night was the pilot episode of what is commonly called ‘Private Practice’, mixed in with its parent show, Grey’s Anatomy.  I really like this idea for marketing a spinoff…using an episode of an existing show to catapult the new show into the public eye.  It’s a smart move, considering the huge audience that Grey’s pulls in.

Let’s start with what I didn’t like about last night.  From a purely technical standpoint, I felt like the show was weighted way too much to the spinoff side.  There were some pretty significant things going on on Grey’s, but it felt like they only spent about a third of the time in Seattle, with the large bulk of the show set in Practice’s LA.

My knee-jerk reaction was that I just didn’t care for Addison.  In Grey’s, she played somewhat of a cool, collected doctor.  But in ‘Practice’, especially at the beginning, she seemed perpetually flustered and clumsy.  Take, for example, the deal with her hair getting all in her face in the car, and her rambling to Tim Daly’s Pete in the elevator.  That’s just not Addison. 

All that being said, I really did enjoy the ‘Private Practice’ side of the show.  It appears that they really spent some time developing the characters and giving them some really interesting quirks and flaws.  I’m also thrilled to see Tim Daly and Taye Diggs back on screen.  They both had some fatal run-ins with ABC lately, with Diggs’ recent “Day Break” and Daly’s tragically cancelled “Eyes” and “The Nine”.  They both shined in their roles, and can’t wait to see them back next year.

The feel of the show was significantly different from what we’ve come to expect from Grey’s, too.  Where we’ve gotten used to the sterile whites and grays of the Seattle Grace environment, ‘Practice’ has a much warmer feel, with the nice earth tones of a more relaxed medical environment.

All in all, I think it’s a show that I think I could really come to enjoy.  We’ll find out officially at the ABC upfront on May 15 if it will stick around for next season.

It’s an extended night tonight, with the running times of Earl, Office, Scrubs, ER and Grey’s Anatomy slightly extended.

My Name Is Earl - Get A Real Job - NBC - 8/7c - 8:36/7:36c

If you don’t subscribe to TV Guide, be sure to pick one up on the way home tonight.  It contains the scratch card for tonight’s “Laugh and Sniff” episode.

The Office - Women’s Appreciation - NBC - 8:36/7:36c - 9:19/8:19c

Outrage breaks out in the office after Phyllis gets an unexpected eyeful from a flasher. Michael makes some important personal decisions when he takes the women on a special outing. Meanwhile, Dwight and Andy work on catching the predator.

If Dwight vs. Andy == comedy gold and Dwight on patrol == comedy gold…tonight could just rip the very fabric of existence.

Scrubs - My Cold Shower - NBC - 9:19/8:19c - 9:53/8:53c

Man, these times are getting confusing to type.

When Elliot’s engagement ring does not fit, Keith agrees to a “redo” in which the particular Doctor plans her own engagement. Carla, Jordan and Elliot’s sorority sister Melody gather to help plan the “surprise.” Meanwhile, the men of Sacred Heart are suffering from too much talk and not enough action as J.D. continually gets shot down by Melody, Turk and Carla have not been intimate since their baby was born and Dr. Kelso’s internet is down — resulting in a lot of cold showers. In the end, J.D. realizes that he might still have feelings for Elliot.

Dr. Kelso…internet…cold showers…*shudder*

ER - I Don’t - NBC - 9:53/8:53c - 11:00/10:00c

The entire ER is surprised when they arrive for the department dinner and find out that surprise nuptials are about to happen. Ray can’t seem to handle seeing Neela and Gates together. The romantic atmosphere seems to bring everyone together.

I’m going out on a limb and saying, considering the title, something will come along and almost throw a wrench in Abby and Kovac’s plans…but they’ll overcome it.  You just watch.

Grey’s Anatomy - The Other Side of This Life (Part 1) - ABC - 9/8c - 11/10c

Addison takes temporary leave from Seattle Grace and makes a road trip to Los Angeles in order to visit some old friends from medical school. As Meredith continues to bond with her stepmother, Susan, Cristina reluctantly plans her wedding with the assistance of her mother, Helen, and Burke’s mother, Mama Jane. Meanwhile, Derek must perform emergency surgery on Ava/Jane Doe, as Alex continues his unfailing bedside manner with her.

Tonight we have the two-hour semi-pilot for the Grey’s spinoff, said to be called ‘Private Practice’.  Tonight, Meredith loses someone close to her, and she and Derek are on pretty shaky ground by the end of the episode.

Happy watching!!!

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.