30 Rock: New episodes as early as April or May

Big Shots: Canceled

Bionic Woman: Canceled

Bones: Four pre-strike episodes will air beginning 4/14

Boston Legal: New episodes as early as April or May

Brothers & Sisters: Last pre-strike episode airs this Sunday; shooting additional episodes this Spring

Chuck: No new episodes until Fall

The Closer: New season will air this summer

Cold Case: New episodes as early as April or May
 
Criminal Minds: New episodes as early as April or May

CSI (all versions): New episodes as early as March or April

Desperate Housewives: New episodes as early as April or May

Dirty Sexy Money: No new episodes until Fall; 3 remaining pre-strike episodes being retooled

ER: No word

Friday Night Lights: No new episodes to air; future TBD

Gossip Girl: New episodes as early as April or May

Grey’s Anatomy: New episodes as early as April or May

Heroes: No new episodes until Fall

House: New episodes as early as April or May

How I Met Your Mother: New episodes as early as April or May

Journeyman: Canceled

Law & Order (all versions): New episodes to air this Spring

Life: No new episodes until Fall

Medium: Six pre-strike episodes will air; new episodes expected later this year

Men in Trees: Eleven pre-strike episodes will air

My Name is Earl: New episodes as early as April or May

Nip/Tuck: Last new episode airs next week; new season to film this summer

October Road: Five pre-strike episodes will air; future TBD

The Office: New episodes as early as April or May

Private Practice: New episodes unlikely until Fall

Pushing Daisies: No new episodes until Fall

The Riches: New season premieres next month

Samantha Who: Three pre-strike episodes to air; new episodes this Spring

Saturday Night Live: May air as soon as this weekend

Scrubs: Four pre-strike episodes to air; future TBD

I have been neglecting to write about both new and beloved series, so here are some updates.

FRINGE

This is a brand new FOX series that sounds suspiciously and deliciously like a cross between The X-Files and The Twilight Zone. Did I mention that it is being produced and written by Lost creator J.J. Abrams? So hell yes, I’m there. Casting thus far includes Joshua Jackson (Pacey from Dawson’s Creek), Lance Reddick (formerly of The Wire and currently freaking us out as the mysterious Matthew Abbadon on Lost), Kirk Acevedo (Miguel Alvarez from Oz), British import Charlotte Rampling (Swimming Pool), and Blair Brown (The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd). It is currently filming (because the pilot script was completed before the strike began), so I hope to see a release date for later this year.

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS

BONES

Bones will return on April 14.  Adjust your TiVO season pass – it will now air on Monday nights.

DIRT and THE RICHES

Both of their sophomore seasons on FX have been reduced to only 7 episodes each, which means that even when the Writers Strike is resolved, no additional episodes will be written or produced. And fans of both series might be disappointed to find that there won’t be any cliffhangers or even closure to the seasons of either show.

CASHMERE MAFIA v. LIPSTICK JUNGLE

I couldn’t get through the Lipstick Jungle premiere. Even if it had debuted before Cashmere Mafia, I wouldn’t have liked it; the characters are empty and the pace was ridiculous. Some might say that very thing about Cashmere Mafia, but I enjoy Lucy Liu and Bonnie Somerville in LJ ten times more than any of the women on CM.

KNIGHT RIDER

I had no intention of watching this rehash, because the original version wasn’t enticing either. However, I was more intrigued when I found out that the voice of the new KITT car was none other than Will Arnett (a.k.a. GOB Bluth from Arrested Development). And then it wasn’t. For some reason, Val Kilmer took over that responsibility. What, they wanted a cranky monotone delivery instead of a sarcastic one? Just who are they attempting to market this show to? This is strike 2 for NBC, in my book (see FNL above for strike 1).

SCRUBS

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you strike 3 for NBC. It is up in the air whether or not the show will even go back into production following resolution of the Writers Strike, but show runner Bill Lawrence is aiming to at least film the last 4 episodes ever of Scrubs for DVD distribution.

ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT

Great news for one of the most underrated (at least among viewers, not critics) comedies of all time…there are rumblings about an Arrested Development movie, with full cast and crew involvement!

For more information, visit UnitedHollywood or Deadline Hollywood Daily.

When this happens, not only will the Oscars go on as planned, but production on new episodes of our favorite shows will commence once again.

I support them because of Jim, Pam and Dwight Schrute, three people we’ve all either fallen in love or worked with at some point in our lives.

I support them because of Coach Taylor and Tami, the most realistic television couple in recent memory.

I support them because two men spent a summer together in the mountains of Wyoming, fell in love, and forever changed the social landscape of modern film.

I support them because of the Fisher clan, and their delightfully dysfunctional family squabbles at the funeral home. And because that series finale was beautifully written, one of my favorites of all time.

I support them because of Mulder and Scully, without whom my entire pop culture world and outlook would be vastly different, and far less exciting. And, truth be told, without whom I may never have met the love of my life.

I support them because Ray Kinsella built a baseball field on his farm, and because Crash Davis believed in long, slow, deep, soft wet kisses that last three days.

I support them because of Tobias Funke and his never-nude syndrome.

I support them because of Jenny Schecter, the only character on television that I have disliked for 5 consecutive seasons yet continue to watch. I support them because they haven’t caved from years of fan pressure and given up on her.

I support them because a 29-year old woman just received a Best Original Screenplay nomination for her very first film, which she wrote while sitting in a suburban Target.

I support them because of Al Swearengen, who makes Tony Soprano seem like a sweetheart.

I support them because once a week, I crash land on a mysterious island for an hour, and continue to talk about the other survivors for the next six days like they are personal friends.

I support the writers because they are the ones who have created this amazing melange of characters, some of whom I relate to, and some of whom I escape through.