Confirmed Returning Shows & Episode Counts

Now that the dust has settled, the writers have been appeased, and producers have stopped nervously biting their nails, the important people--us, the viewers--can soon return to our regular programming. Finally!

Here's a list of confirmed shows returning on the top networks & the number of episodes expected to air:

Fox
Back To You- Back Feb. 26 - 11 episodes
Bones - Back April 14 - 4+ episodes
House - TBD - 4-5 episodes
24 - early '09 - 24 episodes

CBS
The Big Bang Theory - Back March 17 - 9 episodes
Criminal Minds - April 2 - 7 episodes
CSI - April 3 - 6 episodes
CSI: Miami - March 24 - 8 episodes
CSI: NY - April 2 - 7 episodes
How I Met Your Mother - March 17 - 9 episodes
NCIS - April 8 - 7 episodes
Numb3rs - April 4 - 6 episodes
Two and Half Men - March 17 - 9 episodes
Without A Trace - April 3 - 6 episodes

ABC
Brothers and Sisters - Back late April - 4-5 episodes
Desperate Housewives - late April - 4-5 episodes
Grey's Anatomy - late April - 4-5 episodes
Lost - On Now - 10 episodes --> (16-episode season arc will be told in 13)
Private Practice - fall - 13+episodes
Samantha Who? - late March - 6+episodes
Ugly Betty - late April - 4-5 episodes
*Pushing Daisies & Dirty Sexy Money are expected to relaunch in the fall.

NBC
ER - Back April 10 - 6 episodes
Friday Night Lights - possibly fall - TBD
Heroes - fall - 22+ episodes
Law & Order: SVU - April 15 - 5-6 episodes
My Name is Earl - April 3 - 8+ episodes
The Office - April 10 - 5-6 episodes
30 Rock - April 10 - 5 episodes
*Chuck likely to relaunch in the fall.

The CW
Gossip Girl - Back early April - 5-6 episodes
Smallville - On Now - 8 episodes

Those are the updates for now. Until your favorite shows return, feel free to tune into the recent abundance in reality television. Your safest bets are veteran shows like Survivor, Big Brother (CBS), American Idol (Fox), and America's Next Top Model (The CW). Most of the new reality shows were produced in desperation after the strike first began, so they're beyond ridiculous.

Or if you fancy something different and intriguing, watch an episode of the ABC Family darling Kyle XY. It's like Lost, Heroes, or Smallville, but you actually get answers in a timely fashion. Imagine that!?