It's beginning to look a lot like the end of the year . . .

Medical crisis. Series finale. Character arrival.

The networks have one big last hurrah before they head off for their not-so-long winter's nap. After this week, we won't see new episodes for many of our shows until after the ball has dropped in Time Square.

Let's take a look at some things big and small happening soon at a TV set near you:

ER: Okay if you all could excuse me for one second I need to have a little tete-a-tete with the show runners. Enough already with bad things happening to Sam and Tony. As we head towards the series finale on March 12, I personally would like to see the characters end up in a happy (or at least happier) place. And I'm pretty sure that Sam has endured enough suffering. First she spent seasons with that bad blond hairstyle. Then you had a new actor always playing her son. And need I remind you of when she and Alex were kidnapped by her ex-husband? So Alex better live. Do you understand me? Thank you for your cooperation.

Boston Legal: After five seasons, this show comes to an end tonight (Monday at 9 p.m. on ABC). I've always kind of had a love/hate relationship with all of David Kelley's shows. Either I start off loving them (see The Practice and Picket Fences) only to watch the show come unhinged. Or I always have mixed feelings about them -- loving parts of an episode while despising others (see Boston Public and Ally McBeal). And, in some cases, I have no idea what he was thinking (see The Wedding Bells). But Boston Legal was the one show that always unabashedly embraced Kelley's unconventional story telling. He allowed his characters to wallow on their soap box-- whether it was a topic as serious as the death penalty or as harmless as the state of network TV. Kelley continually permitted his characters to break the fourth wall with increasingly brazen dialogue. We were all in on the joke that this was just a TV show. And the series was always impressively current. I was amazed by the alacrity with which the show was able to talk about the results of the Presidential election. No discussion of Boston Legal would be complete without touching on Denny Crane -- certainly one of TV's most bizarre characters and a character perfectly suited for William Shatner's acting style. Denny was offensive but never boring and never predictable. As the series comes to a close, Alan (James Spader) takes his case to the Supreme Court and Shirley (Candace Bergen) and Carl (John Larroquette) plan their wedding. I have no real expectations about the series finale. I assume it will go out the same crazy way it came in. And I won't necessarily miss the show but I do hope Kelley doesn't stay away from TV for too long. The medium is definitely more interesting with him in the mix.

CSI: You know that I've been slightly concerned with all the cast departures from this crime drama. And this week (Thursday, CBS, 9 p.m.) the ball starts rolling on the biggest cast change yet. Since Gil Grissom (William Petersen) is featured so heavily in this episode it's still hard to know how the series will fare once he investigates his last case. But I did really like this episode which ends on a cliffhanger that won't be resolved until the show returns on January 15. Laurence Fishburne comes on board as Dr. Raymond Langston, a professor who studies the psyche of serial killers. We only get hints of his character this week but my guess is Fishburne's slightly off-kilter Langston will fit in just fine with the team . So I'm cautiously optimistic about the fate of CSI once Grissom leaves and if you'll excuse me again it's time for another tete-a-tete with the show runners. I would prefer for Grissom's final scene to be with Sara. They've both been downtrodden for so long. It would be nice if viewers saw them happy in the final TV moments. Once again, thanks ever so for your cooperation.

What do you think about what's happening on CSI and ER. Do you have thoughts on the series finale of Boston Legal? Talk about it below.

Save Eli Stone

As you know I kind of like the land of TV denial (where it rains dark chocolate, Arrested Development still airs, and Jin is still alive). So I've officially decided that there is still time to save Eli Stone. While ABC hasn't ordered any more new episodes, the show hasn't officially been cancelled. So take my hand and come with me into the land of TV denial.

Thankfully there are others who join me in my denial (good readers, nice readers). TV Gal reader Deborah kindly let me know about the website www.save-elistone.com. Their goal is to increase the ratings for the remaining seven episodes that ABC says it will air. I am so with them. Check out their efforts and tune in to tomorrow night's episode (Tuesday, ABC, 10 p.m.) to see Seal perform and Eli and Keith defend Patty's daughter against drug charges.

Year End Wrap Up

On Wednesday I begin my best of list for 2008 and I need your help! Send me your favorite TV quotes and favorite TV moments for 2008. Email me at amytvgal@zap2it.com with your nominees.

Highlights of the Week Ahead

All times listed are Eastern Standard Time for December 8-14

Don't forget that once again Privileged airs on Monday night at 9 p.m. on the CW. Before that you can watch the gang attend you-know-who's funeral on Gossip Girl (Monday, CW, 8 p.m.).

You know when you are deciding on what color to paint your room and you're debating between eggshell and ecru until suddenly you realize both colors are simply off-white. That's kind of how I feel about the story that came out in Entertainment Weekly last week that while Izzie may not have a brain tumor she may have a brain related illness on Grey's Anatomy. Well, in my opinion, a brain tumor by any other name will still be a bad plot line. Every episode this story line is allowed to continue, the show digs itself into a deeper hole and makes me dislike Izzie and Denny even more. Kevin McKidd remains the one bright spot of this dreary dreary season. Grey's won't be back with new episodes until January. This week ABC repeats the episode when Cristina discovered the wonderful world of dermatology (Thursday, ABC, 9 p.m.).

Elaine Stritch reprises her role as Jack's mom on 30 Rock (Thursday, NBC, 9 p.m.). I've received quite a few emails from you guys saying that you are all set with the parade of guest stars on the comedy. I kind of know what you mean but I haven't found the guest stars too distracting and I'm all for the show doing whatever it takes to attract more viewers (see the Britney Spears on How I Met Your Mother doctrine of 2008). My friend David said he liked the show better when it more of a cult favorite. I patiently explained to David that while I understood where he was coming from, a cult and critical favorite doesn't stay on the air.

You know there's no way I missing A Very Merry Daughter of the Bride starring Luke Perry and Joanna Garcia Saturday at 9 p.m. on Lifetime.

Does it bother anyone else that when Lynette (Felicity Huffman) paid off Ann to leave Fairview, Ann also left her son in the care of an abusive man. It's as if Desperate Housewives forgot that they had given that character a son because it served their plot to have Lynette use the family savings to pay to get Ann out of town. This Sunday at 10 p.m. ABC repeats the season premiere.

That's all for today. I'm back on Wednesday with this week's familiar faces (it turns out we know a lot of people who went to high school with Liz Lemon) and my favorite TV characters on 2008. Have a question? Seen a familiar face? Want to nominate a quote of the week or year? Do you have a favorite TV moment of 2008? Write me at amytvgal@zap2it.com.

Amy Amatangelo, TV Gal ®

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