As Hollywood writers strike end nears, a status report on TV shows
By Charlie McCollum
Mercury News
Now that the writers' strike is nearing an end, here is the post-writers strike status of network series as of Sunday. The networks have yet to officially announce what shows are coming back and when and how many original episodes they'll have before the season ends in May. So the situation is extremely fluid and the fortunes of individual series could change from one day to the next. We will be updating this list as often as possible over the next few weeks.
ABC
"Big Shots": Fired its last bullets.
"Boston Legal": Has two new episodes left and will produce four to seven more to air before the end of May.
"Brothers & Sisters": Returns late April with four or five new hours.
"Cavemen": Dead in the water.
"Desperate Housewives": Back in April with four to six episodes.
"Dirty Sexy Money": Will be rebooted in the fall.
"Eli Stone": Eleven new episodes left.
"Grey's Anatomy": Four or five new episodes in April and May.
"Lost": Latest word is that the series will produce five episodes to air in April and May, cutting the current season from 16 to 13. But that could change.
"Men In Trees": Will return Feb. 27 with 11 new episodes but it's long-term future isn't bright.
"Private Practice": Might film some new episodes but, most likely, won't be back until the fall.
"Pushing Daisies": Will return in September.
"Samantha Who?": Will be back but whether it will return in the late spring or wait until the fall is still up in the air.
"Ugly Betty": Four or five new episodes in April and May.
"Women's Murder Club": Status to be determined.
CBS
"Cane": Has aired its last episode.
"Cold Case": Four to six new episodes by season's end.
"Criminal Minds": Four to seven new episodes in late April and May.
"CSI": Four to seven new episodes by late May.
"CSI: Miami": Ditto.
"CSI: N.Y.": Ditto.
"Ghost Whisperer": Will return with new episodes but the number is yet to be determined.
"How I Met Your Mother": Returns in March with five to seven episodes.
"Jericho": Returns Tuesday with seven new episodes. If it clicks with viewers, it may be back.
"Moonlight": Won't return this season but may be back in September.
"NCIS": Will probably air only three or four new episodes in May.
"Rules of Engagement": To be announced.
"Shark": Status still being determined.
"The Big Bang Theory": Back in March. Number of episodes still to be determined.
"The New Adventures of Old Christine": Future is much in doubt.
"The Unit": Status still being determined.
"Two And A Half Men": Returns in March with five to seven episodes.
"Without A Trace": Back in April with four to seven new episodes.
CW
"Everybody Loves Chris": Can finish out the season but its future - and the futures of most of the CW's comedies - are still being determined.
"Gossip Girl": Will film as many as eight new episodes to air in the spring.
"Life Is Wild": Dead.
"One Tree Hill": Six episodes in the can but after that is anybody's guess.
"Reaper": Three episodes have yet to air but after that, the show's future is very much up in the air.
"Smallville": Still has four episodes in the can and plans to make four or five more.
"Supernatural": Two new episodes already available and will film three or four more.
Fox
"24": Best bet is that it won't return until January, 2009.
"Back to You": Will be back with new episodes in March.
"Bones": Has only four new episodes left and may not film anymore this season.
"K-Ville": Dead.
"House": Four to six new episodes starting in mid-April.
"Prison Break": On the endangered series list and probably won't return.
"Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles": Fate to be determined.
"Til Death": Back with new episodes in March.
NBC
"30 Rock": Returning in March with as many as 10 new episodes.
"Bionic Woman": Gone.
"Chuck": Won't be back until September.
"ER": Status is a bit iffy but it could be back this season with at least some episodes.
"Friday Night Lights": Appears to be a goner - at least on NBC.
"Heroes": No saving the world until the fall.
"Journeyman": Gone.
"Las Vegas": Has probably rolled the dice for the last time.
"Law & Order": Has a number of episodes left and may not produce any more this season.
"Law & Order: Special Victims Unit": Number of new episodes before May still being determined.
"Life": To be determined but if it returns, it won't be until the fall.
"My Name Is Earl": Six to eight new episodes in April and May.
"Medium": Six new episodes left but probably won't do any more this season.
"Scrubs": Four episodes still unaired and was planning to produce four more in what is its final season. Status is now iffy.
"The Office": Will film as many as eight episodes for April and May.
Cable series
"Army Wives" (Lifetime): Has a number of episodes in the can and will probably return in late April or May.
"Battlestar Galactica" (Sci Fi): Returns April 4 with the first 11 episodes of its final season. Second half will now almost certainly air in 2009.
"Big Love" (HBO): May be held until early next year.
"Burn Notice" (USA): Still to be determined.
"Damages" (FX): The series hadn't begun writing season 2 when the strike started. It'll be back but it may not be until next year.
"Dirt" (FX): Returns March 2 but its season has been cut to seven episodes from 13.
"Entourage" (HBO): Back in the fall instead of the summer.
"Law & Order: Criminal Intent" (USA and, in repeats, NBC): Was in the midst of its first season on USA when it was shifted back to NBC in reruns. Still has some new episodes to go.
"Mad Men" (AMC): Will return mid-summer as scheduled.
"Monk" (USA): Back as scheduled in mid-summer.
"Rescue Me" (FX): Will probably move from the summer to the fall.
"Saving Grace" (TNT): Still to be determined.
"The Closer" (TNT): Will be back close to its scheduled return in June.
"The Riches" (FX): Will return in the spring but for only seven episodes instead of 13.
"The Shield" (FX): Filmed all 16 episodes of its final season but a number still need to be edited. Its return has now been pushed off until mid-summer.
"The Tudors" (Showtime): Returns for season 2 on March 30.
"Weeds" (Showtime): Will return as scheduled in August.
