True TV | Cop, Out: It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, The Sarah Silverman Program, 24: Redemption, True Blood, Entourage, The Shield 

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Thursday, Nov. 20 (FX)
nSeason Finale: It’s gone completely over the top and damned near off the rails lately, but Season 4 of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia has also produced some of the series’ funniest moments: Charlie’s “Wildcard,” Mac’s Project Badass, Dee’s Sex and the City jag, Dennis’ erotic memoir, Frank’s cannibalism hoax—even The Waitress (no, she still doesn’t have a name) has scored some laughs. And Sinbad and Matchbox Twenty’s Rob Thomas as their tweaked selves in a rehab clinic? How to top that? With tonight’s rock opera based on … “Nightman”! Ah-aa-ha!

The Sarah Silverman Program Thursday, Nov. 20 (Comedy Central)
nSeason Finale: Unlike Sunny, The Sarah Silverman Program has stayed the steady and wistfully un-P.C. course this season; even her “patriotic” 9/11 play (with stoner gaybors Brian and Steve as the Twin Towers) wasn’t so much outrageous as just sweetly twisted. Is Silverman’s self-absorbed and willfully ignorant charactern

24: Redemption Sunday, Nov. 23 (Fox)
nTV Movie: No, it’s not Kiefer Sutherland saving the world in two hours; he was vacationing in South Africa and got caught up in a military coup—who could have seen that coming? Since the writers’ strike drove a production wedge of nearly two years between Seasons 6 and 7 of 24, Redemption was slapped together over the summer to keep Jack Bauer at least somewhat fresh in viewers’ minds. Thing is, without the tick-tock suspense building over 24 weekly hours of the “day,” Jack just seems like an action-hero remnant from the Michael Bay Outlet Store. Wait it out till January.

True Blood Sunday, Nov. 23 (HBO)
nSeason Finale: The Only TV Column That Matters™ wasn’t blown away by HBO’s new sexy southern vampire yarn at first, but True Blood has gotten really good—and that’s not just a reaction to the big-screen Twilight being really sucktastic. The series has managed to introduce supernatural creatures other than vampires without degenerating in Underworld idiocy, comment on racism and addiction without a moral sledgehammer, and capture stars Anna Paquin and Lizzy Caplan without tops—finally, HBO takes the nekkid power back from Showtime! Whereas Twilight is just a One Vamp Hill for the CW set, True Blood has all the pathos, gore and sex that makes adults feel less silly/guilty for cheering on a fantastical human/vampire romance. And, since the show has been picked up for Season 2 in ’09, expect one of Alan Ball’s Six Feet Under-style cliffhangers tonight … only above ground (sorry, had to).

Entourage Sunday, Nov. 23 (HBO)
nSeason Finale: Between True Blood and Entourage, HBO has reclaimed some of its mojo; too bad Big Love and Flight of the Conchords won’t capitalize on it until they return in January, and don’t even ask about Curb Your Enthusiasm. OK: It’ll be back next summer. Maybe. Fine, let me get Larry David on the phone …

The Shield Tuesday, Nov. 25 (FX)
nSeries Finale: Is Vic Mackey going to get out of The Shield alive? Is anyone? The final showdown between Vic, his wife, Shane, Claudette and, oh, every other cop, thug and drycleaner in Los Angeles is going to be the epic bloodbath most of us not-so-secretly hoped The Sopranos’ finale would be; after seven seasons of escalating heat and anticipation, it has to happen. And it will if I hear any fuckin’ Journey …

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 More New DVD Releases (Nov. 25)
nAnother Life, Beautiful Ohio, Beverly Hills 90210: Season 6, Conjurer, Crimson Force, Dead of Winter, George Carlin: It’s Bad for Ya, Half Broken Things, Meet Dave, The Mod Squad: Season 2, Peach Paradise, Schoolgirls in Chains, Two Tigers

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