TVSquad

It's coming. The table is set, the players are on the field, the sails are raised, and the pretty maids are all in a row. Of course, I speak of the 2008-09 television schedule. In just a few short weeks viewers will be able to dine on a number of favorite and new dishes that are being served by the networks as well as the increasing number of cable channels who are delving into original programming.

While other fall seasons have come and gone with nary a whimper, this season may be different. Due to the prolonged Writers Strike many shows ended their seasons quite early. Programs like Life, Private Practice, Pushing Daisies, and Heroes haven't aired original episodes since the end of 2007. Heck, there hasn't been a new episode of The Shield since June of last year! So, the beginning of the 2008-09 season will be a second chance for some of these shows, particularly the ones that premiered last season, to show their worth to fans and the networks.

Here come two more lists of the ten actors and actresses that are finalists for Emmy nominations in the supporting comedy categories. As with the other awards, there are some surprises on the list, and some notable omissions. For the ladies, the headline is that last year's winner, Jaime Pressly (My Name Is Earl), didn't make the cut. Surprise finalists include Conchata Ferrell (Two And A Half Men) and Amy Poehler (Saturday Night Live). I don't mind seeing Conchata on the list because she is consistently funny on the show, but I don't know that there is enough to her role for her to actually garner a nomination when you consider the competition.

On the other side of the coin, the defending champ, Jeremy Piven (Entourage), is back. None of the boys over at SNL managed to make the leap from Variety to Comedy that Poehler did.

(S03E21 / S03E22) "Whoa, not on the menu!" - Earl Hickey

In the entire run of this series, I have never been more sympathetic to any of Earl's situations than the one he is in now. What is a man to do when he has a full-on hottie in his bed and everything she does drives him nuts? I see now why Billie and Frank got along so well.

The sad part is that it seems like Earl is destined to be shackled to women who are just plain evil. Karma takes him to Billie, he can't seem to get away from Joy and any time he meets a woman who seems half way sane, his list gets in the way. I can only hope this is all part of karma's master plan.

Gallery: Earl finale

(S03E20) "And Barry Schmo heads home with an empty sack!" - Announcer at Bagging Competition

You would think now that Earl and Billie are married, Earl would expect some changes. Of course, everyone has little annoying habits, but we all know compromise is what makes a marriage work. I have to admit, though, the Van Halen thing would be a deal breaker in my house.

That fact that Earl is already getting irritated by Billie just proves the old adage, "Show me the most beautiful woman in the world and I'll show you a guy who's tired of F-ing her."

Holy frik! We've only just started to embrace the return of our shows after a shortened strike season. Now, they are almost over. In the next few weeks all of our network favorites will say good-bye for the summer to be replaced with reality shows, reality game shows, reality soap operas, and Regis on primetime (again).

Needless to say, I'm a bit depressed. As I am sure you are as well. But, we will do our duty and press on. Thusly, we here at the sprawling lakefront offices of TV Squad (you choose the lakefront) have compiled list of when your favorite, and not so favorite, shows will be saying good-bye for their summer vacation. As usual, taking the fickleness of the networks, these times and days can change at a moment's notices. We will try to update you of those changes as quickly as our little fingers can type it out.

So, with a leaden heart, here are your season and series finales.

(S03E19) "I'm a new lesbian!" - Catalina

In most places, knowing that a family of four is living in your favorite restaurant might make you think twice about eating there. However in that wacky Camden County it just makes the place feel more "homey."

The beginning of this episode was the most exciting two minutes I've experienced since I lost my virginity. Randy's account of what Earl missed made me laugh out loud, seeing Joy's kids actually trying to learn something was refreshing and learning that Catalina is a lesbian was like hearing a chorus of angels singing. Welcome back Earl!

(S03E18) " I got shoulder-humped by a doberman...to completion." - Tiffany Henson

I was wondering when the hospital would get around to giving Earl the boot. It only makes sense that Camden County's health care facilities are run just like everything else in the area. I love the idea of Camden Cash. I think I'll pitch the idea to some of our overcrowded hospitals here in Los Angeles.

Remember a few weeks ago, when I said how much I envied Jason Lee? Well, after seeing him wedged in that shopping cart and bounced around in that wheelchair, I am forced to rescind that statement. It's good to see Mr. Lee is still willing to work for a living.

(S03E17) "Oh God, I don't want to die in shorts." - Carl Hickey

One of the greatest things about Earl is how the show embraces it's own absurdity. The fact that Earl's parents knew nothing about his coma or prison stay was completely ridiculous and yet it made perfect sense in the landscape of the show.

As I've said before, there clearly must be something in the water supplied to Camden County because as normal and pleasant as Carl and Kay seem to be they must be pretty bad parents to be so out of touch with their eldest son.

Interesting piece by Tim Goodman over at The San Francisco Chronicle. Basically he says that many TV viewers who watch the NBC Thursday night comedies (My Name Is Earl, 30 Rock, The Office, and Scrubs) and other shows are snobs when it comes to CBS comedies like Two and a Half Men, Rules of Engagement, and How I Met Your Mother. He says that the people who pride themselves in watching the critically-acclaimed (but lower rated) shows on NBC are "denying themselves a good time by avoiding CBS on Monday nights."

(S03E16) "This is what someone told me reading a book is like." - Randy Hickey

I really can't decide if the writers for Earl are geniuses or drunks. Right when people start to complain that the show is getting stale they take it in a new direction that no one could see coming and yet is perfectly believable.

A big part of why I love this show is seeing the flashbacks where Earl was a complete reprobate. Even better is seeing Randy as the same kind of reprobate and yet just as simple. Joy, of course, remains exactly the same, no matter where or when she is, even if she's only in Earl's imagination.

(S03E14) "I bet you wish you had more than one God now, eh?" - Ravi Kapoor as Earl's doctor

Boy, that Jeff Zucker is one hell of an actor, isn't he?

Generally, I love it when a high-paid executive is willing to make fun of himself for his company. Case in point; when Les Moonves talks to Dave Letterman on the phone I think it's hilarious. The key, however is that the executive in question has to be able to effectively deliver a joke. I think My Name is Earl missed an opportunity for some real nice comedy. Too bad Jerry Seinfeld didn't have another movie to promote.