Starting on the first day of September, all the way through to the 30th of October we have new shows debuting on all the major networks. Below you’ll find a complete list of all the new and returning shows and their premiere dates!

Be sure and check back here at TV Jab for reviews of these new programs as they premiere…we’ll be covering almost all of them this year!
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Season 3, Episode 21

100 Word Review: Earl continues to be a show filled with people and characters that I love – that, for some reason, I just don’t care about. In this episode Earl discovered that marriage, no matter how hot the chick, has problems when you don’t know the other person very well before getting hitched. He and the wife disagreed on who the list should be handled. She thought returning what she stole was enough. Earl didn’t. So earl helped the guest star John Hedder win a bagging competition while she finished up her entire list in a week or so. Season Finale’s next week.

Season 3, Episode 19, Love Octagon

100 Word Review: Earl’s roller-coaster ride of a season continues down its increasingly strange path. Now that Earl is out of the coma, he’s on a quest to find Billie, because he’s convinced Karma wants them to be together. Several loose ends are tied up in this episode (which I won’t spoil here), and it honestly felt like a great season finale – even though it wasn’t the show’s season ender for this season. I’m not sure where they’re going with this season, but I am interested to see where they take us from here. One thing this show definitely is – is unpredictable.

Tonight is a special night. It marks the return of the first show that I actually care about which was stalled by the strike.

My Name is Earl is finally new again tonight with a special one-hour episode, entitled “I Won’t Die With a Little Help From My Friends”. Here’s the official description…

In the wake of being hit by a car, Earl slips into a coma and spirals into a bizarro sitcom world that includes an appearance by none other than Paris Hilton (appearing as herself). Meanwhile, the Camden County gang goes to extreme efforts to save Earl’s life. NBC Universal CEO Jeff Zucker provides a season recap.

I know that Scrubs did something very similar to the switching to sitcom format a while back. Hopefully this will be a fresh approach.

Earl is followed by four Office repeats: “Local Ad”, “Branch Wars”, “Survivor Man” and “The Deposition”.

Next week, NBC’s Thursday lineup is all new, with fresh episodes of Earl, 30 Rock, Office, Scrubs and ER.

Starting tonight at 10/9c, you have the opportunity to get caught back up on one of the funniest shows on television.

My Name is Earl begins it’s syndication run on TBS. The network already holds the rights to some of the greatest comedies…Office, Family Guy, Friends, Raymond. If you, or someone you love, has not been watching this show, tonight is the perfect time to get on board.

Hollywood Reporter has the scoop that “Very Funny” cable network TBS has scooped up the right for reruns of NBC’s ‘The Office’ and ‘My Name is Earl’.

TBS probably gets some of the most “background noise” play at our house, since there’s almost always a rerun of ‘Friends’ or ‘Everybody Loves Raymond’ on there.  It’s great to see the funniest comedies on TV already becoming immortalized in syndication, just a couple of seasons into their runs.

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.

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.

Funniest…episode…ever.

Lately, I’ve found that Earl has kind of been the ‘low’ point of the Thursday night NBC lineup.  Don’t get me wrong, it’s always entertaining, but it’s usually outshone by the consistently hilarious Office and 30 Rock.

Last night, it absolutely dominated.  I laughed out loud throughout the whole episode.  Yesterday, I said that I thought that Norm MacDonald would be a great fit in the Earl-verse, but I had no idea how right I would be.  It wasn’t until he made his first appearance last night that I remembered his impersonation of Burt Reynolds on SNL’s Celebrity Jeopardy.  He carried it over to play Chubby Jr. (Chubby Sr. was played by Reynolds earlier), and it worked fantastically.  From the rattail to the ‘blorange’, I think last night was the best episode I’ve seen of Earl. 

I just wish there had been a reference to Turd Ferguson.

Oh, and on the subject of Earl, TVSquad reports that the May 3 episode “Get a Real Job” will feature ‘Laugh and Sniff’.  Copies of that week’s TV Guide will come with scratch ‘n sniff cards that will coincide with the show.