Jericho – Why We Fight – CBS – 8/7c

‘Jericho’ leads the way into finale season tonight with its season one send-off.  According to TVGuide, a major character will die tonight…”somebody who had a deal to be here for the next five years.” I really, really feel like it will be Jake (Skeet Ulrich).  If they’re looking to send the show in a completely different direction, what better way than to kill off the show’s main star?  On the other hand, the new storyline “will get past who dropped the bombs and focus on the rebuilding of the country.”  Since Hawkins’ story is focused heavily on that aspect of the show, the news may not bode well for him.

American Idol – Results Show – FOX – 9/8c

Everyone seemed to turn in fairly weak performances last night.  I’m still pulling for a Jordin/Melinda finale, but I think that we might see Blake sneak in there.  I would expect for Lakisha to be at the bottom tonight, for sure.

Lost – The Man Behind the Curtain – ABC – 10/9c

Bad weather is in the forecast for me again, which makes me very nervous…because this is the most anticipated episode of the season.  I mean, it’s a Ben flashback episode…how can questions not be answered?

According to Doc Jensen over at EW, Locke will hear two words tonight that will change his life.  Over the past few weeks, this show has just gotten so good…I can’t wait to see what we’re building toward.

American Idol – FOX – 8/7c

We’re down to the final four finalists.  I’m rooting for a Jordin/Melinda showdown at the finale, but Blake may just sneak up on all of them.  Tonight, the contestants perform the music of Barry Gibb.

Dancing With The Stars – Results Show – ABC – 9/8c

Is there really any question that Billy Ray will go home tonight?  The guy can’t dance, and he’s got a 9 point difference between the next lowest competitor. 

Dancing With The Stars – ABC – 8/7c

I haven’t been into this season as much as seasons past…there just aren’t any stars that really grasp my attention.  With John Ratzenberger gone, the competition should really start heating up, since everyone on the floor is, finally, genuinely talented.

24 – Day 6: 2:00 A.M. – 3:00 A.M. – FOX – 9/8c

Jack Bauer reels from the recent developments involving Audrey Raines and CTU stresses over the international significance of the threatening state of affairs. Meanwhile, unfortunate circumstances place Vice President Noah Daniels and presidential adviser Tom Lennox in a tense situation with presidential aide Lisa Miller.

It was great to see Secretary Heller back last week…and his threat to Jack sent chills down my spine.  I hope that he’ll be back through the rest of the season, but I have a sneaking suspicion that he will be nothing more than another brief cameo like we’ve had all season long.

Heroes – The Hard Part – NBC – 9/8c

We learn more tonight about Sylar’s home life and what drove him to become the psycho killer we know and love today.  If you’re not excited about tonight’s episode, check out this excerpt from this weekend’s Entertainment Weekly:

Zachary Quinto is rehearsing a scene in which Sylar confesses to his mother (Ellen Greene) that he has a nasty habit of murdering others of his freaky new ilk. (He spares her the part where he might be eating their brains, too.) Naturally, Mom is disappointed, so she grabs a knife and tries to gut him. The actors struggle — then they freeze. The physical universe has ground to a halt. It’s Hiro time. Slipping into the scene, Masi Oka withdraws his sword from its sheath and prepares to bring it down on Quinto’s head. Does the noble hero have the stones to decapitate a defenseless, time-paused soul, even one as nasty as Sylar? “I’m sorry,” says Oka. Then, breaking character: “Don’t worry. It’s not sharp.” Quinto, steely brown eyes unflinching, doesn’t laugh. His response: “Bring it.”

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!!!

Jericho – Coalition of the Willing – CBS – 8/7c

CBS says:

When the town of New Bern begins bombing the streets of Jericho with mortars, Mayor Gray Anderson is faced with the decision to fight their formidable opponents or surrender in order to save lives.

I’m loving this civil war aspect of Jericho.  Tonight is the last episode before the big finale next week, so strap in…it’ll be a blast.

American Idol – Results Show – FOX – 9/8c

I would have never, ever, ever expected Jordin to give the weakest performance…but last night she did.  In fact, she was the only real weak performance of the night.  But her votes from last week should prove to be her saving grace.  I’m kind of expecting Lakisha and either Chris or Phil in the bottom two.

Lost – The Brig – ABC – 10/9c

I love Locke episodes.  They always seem to maintain the perfect balance between island intrigue and informative flashbacks.  Tonight is Locke-centric episode number three for this season, which I think is a first for the show…previously they’ve maxed out at two episodes per character in a season, by my count.  Anyway, tonight’s episode deals with the time between John finding Cooper tied up on the island and the present.  And tonight, we’ll have what Ausiello at TVGuide calls the “one of the most, um, twisted Lost deaths ever”.

Regarding the revelation that Naomi gave last week about the finding of the wreckage of Oceanic 815, Ausiello confirms from producer Damon Lindeloff that this is NOT the game-changer like I thought it was.  Lindeloff’s exact words were: “Nope. Not yet. Trust us: YOU. WILL. KNOW.”  Okay, Lindy, just don’t let me down.  Tonight, she is supposed to expand on last week’s revelation a bit more.

As for tonight, ABC says:

A newly focused Locke breaks away from “The Others” in an attempt to persuade Sawyer to help rid them of a great nemesis that has caused nothing but pain in both of their lives. Meanwhile, a new island inhabitant discloses some shocking information about Oceanic Flight 815.

Now, if you know your island history, that should be a clear-cut sign about what to expect tonight.  But, just in case you missed it, [highlight to read]Locke’s father, Anthony Cooper, was the original Sawyer, who conned the Sawyer we know’s parents, causing his father to kill his mother, and himself.  Should be a fun time tonight.

Tuesday is usually the night that I use to catch up on all of the shows that I’ve missed over the past week.  Oh, sure, I catch Idol, and record Boston Legal and House, but I’m not compelled to watch them like I am to other shows on other nights of the week.  That being said, here’s what’s coming up tonight:

American Idol – Top Five – FOX – 8/7c

Bon Jovi comes on tonight to give guidance to the contestants.  We should have an interesting night tonight and tomorrow as not just one, but two contestants are headed home.

House – Family – FOX – 9/8c

Wilson prepares a 14-year-old leukemia patient for a last-resort bone-marrow transplant from his younger brother; a mistake that killed a patient a week earlier haunts Foreman.

Dancing With The Stars – Results Show – ABC – 9/8c

I can’t believe I didn’t mention Billy Ray in my post yesterday.  I keep forgetting that he’s on…I guess that’s some defense mechanism in my brain that just shuts out any memory of him.  Last night was terrible, as he just stood there while Karina did the footwork.

Boston Legal – Tea and Sympathy – ABC – 10/9c

Unfortunately, I’m way behind in my BL-watching.  Here’s what ABC says about tonight’s episode:

Shirley Schmidt takes on the case of a man who naturally cured of HIV and is trying to maintain legal ownership of his blood. Meanwhile, when ex-flame Judge Weldon calls on Alan Shore to defend her in a drug case, Alan finds himself having to fend off Denny Crane who is smitten with the sexy judge. Also, Clarence Bell goes up against Jerry Espenson when a girl is kicked out of a sorority for being socially awkward, and Brad Chase’s desire to have a military wedding doesn’t go over well with Denise Bauer.

Dancing With The Stars – ABC – 8/7c

I’m not sure how Heather Mills went home before Ratzenberger.  I mean, sure, he’s got some charm, but, like Idol is a singing competition, this is a dancing competition, and Cliff can’t dance.  Tonight in a one hour, forty-five minute episode, the stars throw down a ballroom dance and a Latin dance.

24 – Day 6: 1:00 A.M. – 2:00 A.M. – FOX – 9/8c

As the clock ticks closer to the final hours of Day Six, Jack Bauer copes with the consequences of taking matters into his own hands. While Audrey endures what appears to be a post-traumatic reaction to being held captive. Emotions escalate as CTU responds to a setback and the Administration receives an alarming message from Russian President Suvarov.

So, all that Audrey can say is “Help me, Jack…don’t let them do this to me”?  Is she suffering from a post-traumatic reaction, or has she undergone some kind of brainwashing?  Answers tonight, hopefully!  Also, when we last saw the Russian president, I think we were on pretty good terms.  Looks like the next phone call may be a bit different.

Heroes – String Theory – NBC – 9/8c

If you missed last week’s online novel recap, you should probably check it out before tonight.   

I’m probably more excited about this episode than any that have come before.  Tonight, we head five years into the future.  Our heroes are treated like terrorists, Nathan Petrelli is in the White House, Mohinder is some kind of liaison between the heroes and the government, and Peter seems like some kind of super-charged Neo-like fighter.  I’m really intrigued about how Nathan will balance the secret that he is ‘special’ with the fact that his people are being hunted.  Looks like a fantastic episode…check back here tomorrow for our recap of the episode.

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.

Jericho - One if by Land – CBS - 8/7c

Tonight, the escalating civil war between Jericho and New Bern heats up, as citizens of New Bern are shot while trying to steal salt from Jericho’s mine.  If you’re not watching the show, that probably doesn’t sound very compelling, but Jericho does a tremendous job of racketing up the tension every week as we build to a big finale.

American Idol – Results Show – FOX – 8/7c

I talked about Idol at length this morning, so I’ll just say that tonight is bringing some huge names to the show.  Tune into the two hour results show with special appearances by Bono, Celine Dion, Pink, Gwen Stefani, Josh Groban and the African Children’s Choir, Annie Lennox, Il Divo, Hugh Grant, Helen Mirren, Rascal Flatts and Keira Knightley.

Lost – D.O.C. - ABC – 10/9c

After discovering that all of “The Others’” pregnant women died before giving birth on the island, an extremely reticent sun allows Juliet to examine her — and uncovers the identity of the unborn child’s father. Meanwhile, Desmond allows an unlikely nemesis to help save the life of a new, mysterious island inhabitant.

What I imagine will be the big spoiler hit the internets yesterday.  While Spoilerfix said that it would be appearing on next week’s episode, TVGuide’s Ausiello, eOnline’s Kristin, and Entertainment Weekly’s Doc Jensen all hint at it being tonight.  Be sure to check back here tomorrow for our recap and some discussion about what this twist could mean for our Losties.

I wish there was something on Tuesday nights that just got me really excited, but unfortunately there’s not.   With the departure of Sanjaya (who was as awkward on Letterman last night as he was on AI), I seem to have lost a lot of my desire to watch Idol. 

American Idol – Idol Gives Back – FOX – 8/7c

They’re doing “songs of compassion and hope” tonight as they begin their ‘Idol Gives Back’, where a donation will be made for vote cast that will help “young people in need”.  Read more about it here.

Dancing With The Stars – Results Show – ABC – 9/8c

I’m feeling like it’ll be Ratzenberger and Billy Ray in the bottom two tonight, with Cliff going home tonight and Billy Ray next week.