The news that '24' is coming to an end with the finale of this season wasn't as big a shock as some might have thought a few years back. After all, the ratings were down and some folks wondered if '24' had jumped the you-know-what. Still, when a great show calls it a day, it's a sad time for television.

At least in the finale, '24' will be bringing on some big names to gussy up the finish. 'ER's' Eriq La Salle will appear in the last two '24' episodes, for instance. Eriq will not be playing a surgeon asked to stitch together the remaining limbs of Jack Bauer before shipping him off to Kim in California. In fact, he won't be in scrubs at all.

(S08E16) The pressure of writing the last episode must be tremendous. Especially for a long-running show like Monk. The writers have to tie up loose ends, satisfy viewers' desire for the characters, and leave fans with a sense of closure. Closure, in fact, is the word Dr. Bell used with Adrian. Monk was looking for it and so were we.

But the ending is tough. There have been some shows that have stumbled badly at the end. Seinfeld, for instance, was a real stinker. But the memory of Newhart, which harkened back to The Bob Newhart Show may be the best-ever. Now, in the broader scheme of things, Seinfeld was a much better series than Newhart; in every way but the ending. Which brings us back to Monk. How did the writers navigate the Monk finale? Follow me after the jump and I'll tell you all about it.

You know, I thought we didn't have Charles Logan to kick around anymore. You know, the Nixonian disgraced President from 24? Well, I was wrong. 24 has cast Gregory Itzin to reprise Charles Logan in the upcoming new season.

Itzin -- who's currently been a semi-regular on The Mentalist -- was Emmy-nominated for President Logan, and he really gave it all the shadings and complexities of a dark, corrupt politician. He was a guy you loved to hate, but he had a soft spot and that was his love for his wife. His unbalanced spouse, Martha. When last seen on the show, Martha had stabbed Charles.

I must confess, I really, really enjoy American Idol. Sure, I could do without the mean-spirited auditions and the tacky group numbers reminiscent of Up With People, but for the most part, it's a satisfying guilty pleasure.

It's not just the talented contestants that keep me watching, though. I like the judges and the way they interact with each other. I had really mixed feelings when I heard the news that American Idol would be bringing on another judge: curious to see how she'd fit in with the others and what her style would be like, but nervous that she'd change the dynamic between the original three too much for my liking.

So imagine how I must be feeling now that this news has broken -- Paula Abdul is looking to leave American Idol to pursue other projects.