We now return to our regularly scheduled summer

cliff-hang-er: (noun) A suspenseful situation occurring at the end of a chapter, scene, or episode.

My TV shows are done.

This does come as a bit of a relief, as I now have no excuse not to read and knit and write and do all those bazillion of things I keep say I'm going to do...after I watch CSI or CSI:NY or Criminal Minds or House or Dexter or Law and Order: SVU or Shark. But they are all done now, their respective seasons wrapped up for another summer (or, in the case of Shark, forever, which is something I will never forgive CBS for doing).

I must say, though, all my shows went out with style. WARNING: what will follow could be considered "spoilers" by some and "uninteresting, superficial drivel" by others. Proceed at your own risk.

On CSI, Warrick was shot and presumably left for dead, as Gary Dourdan will not be returning next season. On CSI:NY, Mac was being driven away by some psycho who faked out the cops by pretending some bad guys had his family. Someone blew up at the end of Criminal Minds!!! A significant character died on House, throwing everyone else into turmoil. Detective Lake went to jail and Tutuola put in for a transfer on Law & Order:SVU. Dexter wrapped up nicely, as I knew it would, having read the book. And Shark ended with class.

The roundabout point I am trying to make here is that all the returning shows ended with some pretty good cliffhangers. I find that all too often, many shows take the safe route and no one dies (at least no one important) and no one is really in THAT much trouble and even when bad things happen, the ending is fairly predictable. Which is why I'm rather pleased that those shows I do enjoy are going to keep me wondering all summer. (Yes, I am that much of a nerd that I will dwell on who might've died on Criminal Minds. Stop judging me.) While I am able to understand that they are just television shows and I've gotten much better at not planning my life around them, I like that I'm kinda pumped about them and that stuff is happening to make it interesting. And nothing keeps 'em coming back for more like a good old-fashioned, will-he-or-won't-he, whodunnt? cliffhanger.

P.S. I still have hockey, but that's only for a little bit longer and only a couple nights a week, so it's okay.