Time for the Final Bow: TV Shows Saying “Farewell” This Season
The Office—Thursdays at 9 p.m. on NBC
Since its premiere in 2005, The Office has never failed to prove itself one of the strongest comedy shows ever aired on television. Although I never became an Office-devotee, it’s hard to believe that this day has come. The show never fully recovered from the departure of Steve Carell (played Michael Scott), and with the imminent departure of writer-actors B.J. Novak (playing Ryan Howard) and Mindy Kaling (playing Kelly Kapoor), it’s best to say goodbye now. This ninth and final season promises to do the other eight seasons justice. With the latest additions of New Jim (played by Jake Lacy) and Dwight Jr. (Clark Duke) comes a nostalgic look back on their namesakes in the beginning of the show’s success. Plus, with word of a spinoff based on Dwight (played by Rainn Wilson) and his bed-and-breakfast and beet farm that’s sure to bring tears and stomach cramps (from laughing, of course), there’s hope that this last season will not truly be the end of The Office and its legacy.
30 Rock—Thursdays at 8 p.m. on NBC
Having just gotten into 30 Rock, I’m really sad to see it leaving after what truly felt like a short six years. However, I’m sure those who’ve followed the series closely, never missing a word, are handling this news even worse than I am. Although it never gained a huge viewership, this is one show that would’ve absolutely deserved it. Tina Fey (playing Liz Lemon) and Alec Baldwin (playing Jack Donaghy) make such a fantastic team, and 30 Rock showed the world that these are two stars whose lights have not been extinguished. Thankfully, most members of the cast have a history of successes in other comedy shows and in films. So, although their presence as a group will be missed, the world of comedy won’t lose the special quirks each of them bring to the table.
Jersey Shore—Thursdays at 10 p.m. on MTV
Let’s all just admit it already: we’re going to miss Jersey Shore. Somehow MTV made repetitious days and nights of drinking, fighting and tangled-up romances (and occasionally working) feel new with each episode. Although this isn’t a quality TV show, it has been the guilty pleasure of many, and I think it will continue to be for at least a few years. Jersey Shore introduced us to a whole dictionary of intelligent phrases (GTL) and words (grenade, meatballs) that have proved useful in the most unexpected of times. And yet, MTV (along with a good portion of the show’s avid watchers) isn’t quite ready to let go of Jersey Shore. Two spinoffs — Snooki & JWoww and The Pauly-D Project — just had their first seasons in the past year, and will extend our seasonal supply of trashy meatballs and beefy guidos for at least a little while longer.
The Ones That Need to Go:
Gossip Girl—Mondays at 9 p.m. on The CW
As a devoted Gossip Girl viewer, this final season is bittersweet. The same old plot lines have been recycled each season, and so far it seems that the sixth season is not breaking trend. If the season premiere is any indication of the rest of these last episodes, then I don’t have hope that this will be particularly memorable. However, like many others, I still love a good dose of the Upper East Side glamor and cattiness, which will keep my attention long enough for this last season. Hopefully some new plot twist is on its way to spice things up that are, for once, new to this screen.
The Secret Life of the American Teenager—ABC Family
All I can say about this show is that I’m incredibly glad I never got caught up in it. I thought the original plotline of a pregnant teen sounded bad enough, and then it continued to get weirder. Through the commercials that I saw of Secret Life, it seemed like the show’s writers couldn’t come up with anything more creative than having everyone either get pregnant or cheat on someone or propose to someone else. I mean, honestly, this is not by any means the actual secret life of any American teenager. Needless to say, I will continue to spend my time on better activities than this. However, for those of you who are trapped in the grasp of the show, be sure to tune in to the mid-season episode on November 19 and the second half of this last season beginning in late March.