Finales, specials fill TV May Sweeps
May Sweeps in April? Starting tonight, the annual month-long orgy of originals begins with fresh and, in some cases, final episodes of your favourite series.
You'll notice the difference Sunday when top-rated shows like Desperate Housewives (Susan's ex, Karl, ditches Edie) and Grey's Anatomy (Chris O'Donnell returns as Meredith's pet vet) come roaring back with fresh storylines.
Once upon a time, sweeps was packed with big-budget TV movies. Not any more. Just a few are scheduled, including NBC's over-the-top 10.5: Apocalypse (starring Beau Bridges, Kim Delaney, David Cubitt), hyped as "the earth shakes like never before."
The big news this May is the many series that are ending, including former "Must See" shows The West Wing and Will & Grace. This May sweeps stands for sweeping out the past.
SERIES FINALES
* The West Wing (May 14, 9 p.m., NBC, SUN-TV). Preceded by a one-hour series retrospective on NBC at 8 p.m.
* Malcolm In The Middle (May 14, 8:30 p.m., Fox)
* Godiva's (May 16, 10 p.m., City-TV)
* That '70s Show (May 18, 8 p.m., CH, Fox). One hour.
* Will & Grace (May 18, 8 p.m., Global, NBC). One-hour retro followed by one hour finale.
* 7th Heaven (May 8, 8 p.m., A-Channel, The WB)
* Alias (May 28, 4 p.m., CTV). Two hours.
POSSIBLE SERIES FINALES
* According To Jim (May 2, 8 p.m., ABC)
* Hope & Faith (May 2, 9 p.m., City-TV)
* Crossing Jordan (May 7, 10 p.m., NBC, Global). 100th episode.
* Everwood (June 7, 8 p.m., A-Channel). Two hours.
SEASON FINALES
* The War At Home (April 30, 8:30 p.m., Global, Fox).
* Supernatural (May 4, 8 p.m., City-TV).
* Ghost Whisperer (May 5, 8 p.m., CTV, CBS).
* Gilmore Girls (May 9, 8 p.m., Global)
* Criminal Minds (May 9, 9 p.m., CTV; May 10, 9 p.m., CBS)
* My Name Is Earl (May 11, 8:40 p.m., NBC; Global TBA)
* The Office (May 11, 9:20 p.m., NBC; Global TBA)
* Smallville (May 11, 8 p.m., City-TV)
* Las Vegas (May 12, 9 p.m., NBC, Global)
* Everybody Hates Chris (May 14, 7 p.m., City-TV)
* Law & Order: Criminal Intent (May 14, 7 p.m. CTV; 9 p.m., NBC). Two hours.
* Grey's Anatomy (May 14, 10 p.m., CTV; May 15, 9 p.m., CTV). Three hours.
* Prison Break (May 15, 8 p.m., Global, Fox)
* NCIS (May 16, 8 p.m., CH, CBS).
* The Unit (May 16, 9 p.m., Global, CBS)
* Boston Legal (May 16, 9 p.m., ABC, CH). Two hours.
* Law & Order: SVU (May 16, 10 p.m., CTV, NBC)
* Law & Order (May 17, 10 p.m., NBC; May 19, 10 p.m., CTV)
* CSI: NY (May 17, 10 p.m., CTV, CBS)
* CSI (May 18, 9 p.m., CTV, CBS)
* The O.C. (May 18, 9 p.m., CTV, Fox)
* ER (May 18, 10 p.m., CTV, NBC)
* Without A Trace (May 18, 10 p.m., Global, CBS)
* Cold Case (May 21, 8 p.m., CTV, CBS).
* The Simpsons (May 21, 8 p.m., Global, Fox)
* Family Guy (90 minutes; May 21, 8:30 p.m., Global, Fox)
* Desperate Housewives (May 21, 9 p.m., CTV, ABC). Two hours.
* Two And A Half Men (May 22, 9 p.m., CBS; 9:30, CH)
* Medium (May 22, 9 p.m., CTV, NBC)
* CSI: Miami (May 22, 10 p.m., CTV, CBS)
* 24 (May 22, 8 p.m., Global, Fox). Two hours.
* House (May 23, 9 p.m., Global, Fox)
* Lost (May 24, 9 p.m., ABC; 10 p.m., CTV). Two hours.
REALITY FINALES
* Survivor Panama: Exile Island (May 14, 8 p.m., Global, CBS).
* The Amazing Race (May 17, 8 p.m., CTV, CBS).
* America's Next Top Model (May 17, 8 p.m., City-TV).
* American Idol (May 24, 8 p.m., CTV, Fox)
* The Apprentice (June 5, 8 p.m., Global). Two hours.
SPECIALS
* Billboard Latin Music Awards (tonight at 8 p.m. on TLN). Colombian cutie Shakira is up for eight awards.
* The Daytime Emmy Awards (tomorrow at 8 p.m. on CH and ABC). Tom Bergeron and Kelly Monaco host the annual snub Susan Lucci fest.
* Dynasty Reunion: Catfights & Caviar (May 2, 10 p.m., SUN-TV, CBS)
* David Blaine: Drowned Alive (May 8, 9 p.m., ABC). The crazy magician returns with underwater stunts.
* A Dr. Phil Primetime Special: Escaping (May 19, 8 p.m., CBS)
* The 41st Annual Academy Of Country Music Awards (May 23, 8 p.m., CBS)
TV-MOVIES
* Jesse Stone: Death In Paradise (Sunday, 9 p.m., CBS). Tom Selleck's first movie with a colon in the title!
* Stephen King's Desperation (May 18, 8 p.m., ABC and City-TV). Stars Tom Skerritt, Steven Weber.
* 10.5: Apocalypse (Part I, May 21, Part II, May 23, 9 p.m., NBC)
Mike Myers may take on robots
Canadian funnyman Mike Myers is in talks to star in the big screen adaptation of "How to Survive a Robot Uprising," Variety reports.
Myers would play a technical administrator who's job it is to sound warnings against the growing presence of robots and researching ways to keep those robots from taking over.
The film is based on the manual written by Daniel H. Wilson, a doctoral candidate at the Robotics Institute of Carnegie Mellon U.
As reported last year here, the 42-year-old comedian is playing Keith Moon, drummer of the rock band the Who, in the biopic "See Me Feel Me: Keith Moon Naked For Your Pleasure," and will also lend his voice for "Shrek the Third" due in theatres next May.