Off-Season of Our Discontent

With the finales of 24 and American Idol, the TV season has pretty much come to an end. And with the new seasons of 24 and Alias not starting until 2005, this loss of new episodes is more significant than the normal season's passing.

True, the networks, particularly Fox, seem to be experimenting with running new series over the summer. Unfortunately, I have not a whit of interest in any of them. (Is it just me, or are Method & Red and The Simple Life 2 just different sides of the same coin?) And since Fox traditionally waits to premiere its Sunday-night block until after the World Series concludes, it looks like I'm only getting new episodes of Scrubs and Smallville between now and November.

There is one bright spot among this, however. Due to its efforts to end their regular seasons earlier, Fox has leftover episodes of Arrested Development and The Bernie Mac Show that it's airing next month. The season finale of AD is scheduled for June 6, and a new episode of Bernie Mac is due on June 15. Don't miss 'em.