Bubbles Burst On Some Shows

The fates of a few shows were decided over the weekend, as Fox announced it won't be bringing back "New Amsterdam" or "Back To You," while The CW is dropping the sublime "Aliens In America." Meanwhile, ABC has inexplicably picked up "Boston Legal" for a fifth season.

I'm not sure which is more painful, seeing "Boston Legal" back for another year or "Aliens In America" go away. The former is a ridiculous show that vacillates between comedy and drama (not in a good way) and ends up stealing Emmy votes from more worthy competitors. During its long hiatus this year, no one seemed to miss it.

The latter was the best new sitcom on TV, albeit one of the most ratings-challenged. It's style and sharp writing was reminiscent of "Malcolm In The Middle" at its height, and the show had a lot of charm to go with it. And its central theme of a Muslim student transplanted to Midwestern America offered sharp insight without ever becoming preachy.

As for the Fox shows, "New Amsterdam" never seemed to find any momentum after getting retooled from its original pilot and airing during the strike. There was enough of interest there where I would have liked to have seen a few more episodes, but I won't be losing any sleep over its departure, either.

"Back To You," which included a stellar cast of Kelsey Grammer, Patricia Heaton, Fred Willard and others, and a stellar crew, didn't live up to the hype. It's premise of a TV news crew seemed tired when compared to the TV classics "Mary Tyler Moore" and "Murphy Brown." With all of the talent attached to this project, maybe my expectations were too high, but the laughs just weren't there.

MONDAY'S BEST BETS: She's back! Tabloid diva Britney Spears reprises her role as a dim receptionist on "How I Met Your Mother" (CBS, 8:30 p.m.), along with the sublime Sarah Chalke as Ted's (Josh Radnor) love interest. Spears was perfectly adequate last time, but did bring in much-needed ratings with her appearance, so let's hope it's more of the same. It's part of an all-new lineup that includes "Big Bang Theory," "2 1/2 Men" and "Rules of Engagement," all followed by a new "CSI: Miami" at 10 p.m.

"Bones" (Fox, 8 p.m.) gives a shameless plug for "American Idol" tonight, while "House" (Fox, 9 p.m.) begins a two-part season finale.

"The Bachelor" (ABC, 10 p.m.) makes his final choice tonight. I'm sure the relationship will be long-lasting and produce lots of grandchildren in the future.

"American Gladiators" (NBC, 8 p.m.) returns to the air tonight with a two-hour premiere. Let's hope they cut down on the boring interviews and up the action this time around. It's followed by a new "Medium" at 10 p.m.

Finally, "Gossip Girl" (CW, 8 p.m.) and "One Tree Hill" (CW, 9 p.m.) present new installments.

Them 'Bones,' Them 'Bones,' Them Dry 'Bones'

One of my favorite procedurals, "Bones" (Fox, 8 p.m.) returns tonight with a brand-new episode.

I bring this up because it's hard to think of a drama that has had the success that "Bones" has had considering how much the network yanks it around the schedule. But as star David Boreanaz pointed out in a phone interview Friday, the "Bones" audience is particularly loyal.

"We've proven that whatever day we're on, the fans will follow," he said.

What makes "Bones" so enjoyable for me, and I think for other fans of the series, is the appeal of the characters. Much like "NCIS" on CBS, we've come to care more about the characters than we do about the forensic mystery each week, in large part because the chemistry of the cast is so good. And, much like "NCIS," both shows know how to lighten things up.

Of course, the big question on "Bones" is whether the two leads, Boreanaz's FBI agent Booth and Temperance Brennan (Emily Deschanel) will get together romantically. Boreanaz had an interesting response to that.

"I think they already are," he said. "The two characters drive the plotlines, which brings them closer together or pulls them apart."

Boreanaz pointed to the now-famous kiss between the two during the show's Christmas episode this season. Much like everyting else on "Bones," it was unconventional: they kiss because they are essentially dared to.

But that doesn't mean the two characters will jump into bed any time soon.

"We're not at a place where we're going to go the whole nine (yards)," he said. "We're going to keep teasing."

Boreanaz said the serial killer plot thread the show has revolved around most of the season will be resolved. It had to be altered slightly because of the strike. Initially, when it looked as if the season would be cut short, it was going to be a two-part cliffhanger, but with additional episodes added on after the strike, the producers altered their plans slightly.

Also, expect more of the young shrink Sweets to be in the mix -- and don't expect Booth to stop teasing him any time soon about his age, Boreanaz said.

"Sweets fits in perfectly," he said. "It's a great idea to see (Bones and Booth) going through therapy."

MONDAY'S BEST BETS: Following "Bones" is the season finale of "New Amsterdam" (Fox, 9 p.m.), a series that has become pretty enjoyable and I hope gets renewed.

CBS is all-new with its comedy lineup, followed by a new "CSI: Miami" at 10 p.m.

"Samantha Who?" (ABC, 9:30 p.m.) is all-new, in the plum timeslot between "Dancing With The Stars" and "The Bachelor."

Laying Down The 'Law'

Juliana Margulies marks her return to TV tonight as the lead in "Canterbury's Law." (Fox, 8 p.m.)

The series is being done by Denis Leary and Jim Serpico of "Rescue Me" fame, and not surprisingly, "Law" focuses on a self-destructive anti-heroine who often travels into legal gray areas to free her clients.

Fox disappointed me again by not sending me a DVD screener, so I can't tell you if it is any good or not, but Margulies is always a reliable actress, and with the "Rescue Me" guys behind it, the show is definitely worth checking out.

The series also fits in to Fox's strategy of backloading everything into the second half of the TV year for overall ratings success. While the other networks, for the most part, have struggled during the strike months and post-strike last few weeks, Fox has been able to launch "American Idol," "New Amsterdam" and "Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles" to keep things fresh. "Canterbury's Law" got delayed in the fall when Margulies became pregnant, but with the strike, it turned out to be serendipitous.

MONDAY'S BEST BETS: "Canterbury's Law" will be followed by "New Amsterdam" (Fox, 9 p.m.) as it settles into its regular timeslot. This show has turned out to be a bit better than expected, so do check it out.

If you decide to go against my advice, there's always "The Bachelor: Where Are They Now?" (ABC, 8 p.m.), which traces what has happened to previous contestants. Here's a hint - almost none of the couples have stayed together. It's followed by a doubleshot of "October Road."

Speaking of doubles, CBS gives us a double helping of "Old Christine" at 8:30 and 9:30 p.m. Anything that gives us more Julia Louis-Dreyfus and less "Welcome To The Captain" is a good trend.

NBC has a new "Medium" at 10 p.m. On cable, both "Kyle XY" and "Wildfire" are new on ABC Family, beginning at 8 p.m.

Going To 'Amsterdam'

Fox disappointed a bit by not sending me a screener for "New Amsterdam" (Fox, 9 p.m.), which makes its debut tonight after "American Idol."

The series should be worth a glance, especially if you a fan of old guys who look young and have difficulty dying, as seen in shows like "Highlander"/"Angel"/"Moonlight" etc.

John Amsterdam (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) is the most experienced cop in New York City, due in large part to being 400 years old. Blessed (or cursed) with immortality after saving the life of an Indian girl back during the Dutch settler days, a magic spell will keep him from aging until he finds his true love.

CBS' "Moonlight" has been a minor hit for the network, though it has less to do with the supernatural aspects of the show rather than the huge appeal star Alex O'Laughlin has among female fans. Will "New Amsterdam" strike a similar chord among the public?

As John Amsterdam might say, time will tell, but the series should be worth a look.

RENEWALS: Some good news from the CW, which announced it was renewing several series for next season, including "Smallville," "Supernatural," "Gossip Girl," "One Tree Hill" and "America's Next Top Model."

No word on the various sitcoms from the network, including "Everybody Hates Chris" and "Aliens In America," but "Supernatural" is one of my top 10 series on TV right now, so that's good news at least.

TUESDAY'S BEST BETS: Speaking of renewals, ABC is renewing "According To Jim" (ABC, 9 p.m.) I'll see you in Hell, ABC!

Enjoy "Jericho" (CBS, 10 p.m.) while you can; ratings for the series have been pretty weak, and it doesn't look like a candidate for renewal, no matter how many nuts get sent into the network.

The aforementioned "One Tree Hill" (CW, 9 p.m.) is also new.