Given the enormity of what occurred on Sept. 11, 2001, it was natural that many television writers would spend the next decade working out what it meant in the stories they told. But the shows that grappled most directly with what it meant to live in a post-9/11 world (and I examine those shows in a bit more depth below) sometimes had a difficult time wrestling with the moral and political complexities of the age while still telling a gripping story. Who knew that a show about killer robots would be one of the most successful shows to combine concerns about terrorism with satisfying character drama?

Of course, in the relatively immediate aftermath of the tragedy, many scripted television shows had episodes or moments that paid tribute to what occurred on Sept. 11, including 'NYPD Blue,' 'Third Watch' and 'The West Wing,' among many others (and almost a decade later, 'Fringe' depicted still-standing twin towers in one of its most memorable moments).

Others programs dwelled on our longing for reassurance in a chaotic world in more oblique ways. 'Lost,' after all, depicted a plane crash, a struggle for survival and the difficulty of sustaining relationships in extreme circumstances, and 'Jericho' took our fears about the state of our union and amplified them in a variety of ways.

Much as we may detest war, it remains a part of American life. And TV, from its earliest days, has been right on top of dramatizing it, satirizing it, explaining it, railing about it, even celebrating it -- or at least celebrating the brave men and women who proudly wear the uniform. To honor those who have served our country this Veterans Day, here are 13 of the greatest war-themed TV shows of all time. What are yours?

When I first started exploring this project, there were a few shows that I knew were going to be important to hit. This is the first of those. Firefly was Joss Whedon's sci-fi western series. The show mustered disappointing ratings in its short eleven-episode run on FOX.

Since then it's gone on to near mythic cult status. There was such an outcry of support from its loyalists, the Browncoats, over its cancellation that the producers made a feature film sequel. That movie, Serenity, answered a lot of questions about the future fate of the cast. Unfortunately, like the television series, it couldn't find quite enough people to show up and tune in to warrant a sequel. Nevertheless, the few morsels of Firefly we did get are enough to prove that this is one of the most innovative and enjoyable series ever to hit the airwaves.

Earlier this week, I told you about the real reason Without A Trace was cancelled. Now, executive producer Shawn Ryan reveals the real reason The Unit was cancelled. "Listen, if the show had been owned by Paramount and Medium had been owned by 20th Century Fox, we'd be making the fifth season of The Unit now." You see, TV fans, it's comes down to money. CBS owns Paramount so it would earn more in the long run if The Unit made more episodes, went into syndication and reaped revenues for years to come. However, Fox owns The Unit. Get it?

Do the American people really like watching their favorite shows this way? Assuming you have more than one or two shows you enjoy following, this week is daunting to say the least and beyond exhausting. Just last night I had a three-hour finale of The Biggest Loser and that awesome Fringe finale. In the past few days we've said goodbye to The Amazing Race, The Apprentice, Cold Case, The Unit, Brothers & Sisters, The Big Bang Theory, House and Castle. And that's just on the major networks.

Over the next two days we have America's Next Top Model, Lie to Me, Lost, Bones, My Name Is Earl, Smallville, Parks & Recreation, CSI, Grey's Anatomy, Hell's Kitchen, The Office, Supernatural and even CSI: NY on a special night. And it goes on through the weekend. In an era where ratings are slipping, how can it make good business sense to put all of these finales on against one another all within a few days of each other. I know they've always done that, but I just don't think it makes sense anymore.

10 - Survivor, CBS

9 - Ghost Whisperer, CBS

8 - The Bachelor, ABC

7 - The Unit, CBS

6 - At least one CSI, CBS

5 - At least one Law & Order, NBC/USA Network

4 - Brothers & Sisters, ABC

3 - Private Practice, ABC

2 - American Idol, FOX

1 - Grey's Anatomy, ABC

Want to see the pictures or leave a comment? Click here.

Earlier this week, I let you know of the ten shows I thought should be renewed. Now it's time to reverse the question and think about the shows that shouldn't be renewed. Yes, there are some shows that should end now, either because they have annoying characters (*cough* Meredith Grey *cough*), are not treated properly by their network (insert here pretty much all shows on FOX), have been on TV for too long and have a hard time being original (I'm talking about you Survivor), etc. ER would have been a prime candidate for this list, but NBC finally made the right decision and ended the show a few weeks ago. Note that my list includes some shows that have received early renewals. Still, I think they should be canceled asap. So what other shows, besides ER, I think should bite the dust? Let's find out!

If you just want the list, click here.

'Nickelodeon's 22nd Annual Kids' Choice Awards'
(Sat., 8PM, Nickelodeon)
The Rock hosts and the Jonas Brothers perform at this 22nd annual kudosfest honoring viewers' fave movies, music, TV shows, books, athletes and video games.

Among other celebs scheduled to grace the stage (and risk getting covered with a glob of the network's trademark slime): Zac Efron, 'Twilight' star Robert Pattinson, Reese Witherspoon, Amy Poehler, Miranda Cosgrove and Hannah Montana herself, Miley Cyrus.

Meanwhile, one celeb who'll be noticeably absent from the festivities: Chris Brown, who withdrew his name from the ballot for Favorite Male Singer and Favorite Song after his February arrest for allegedly assaulting girlfriend Rihanna.

This is Spoilers Anonymous, a weekly column here at TV Squad where we'll supply you with the dirt on some of the more popular shows on the air. We'll never put spoilers up here on the main page in order to help the reformed stay unspoiled. If you have anything to add to the group, feel free to step up and let yourself be heard, either with our tips form or by emailing us at tvsquad at gmail dot com or calling and leaving a message at (775) 640-8479 - your anonymity is guaranteed, if you wish to remain as such.

This week we have: 24, Heroes, Privileged, Scrubs, Supernatural and The Unit (SPOILERS FOLLOW!)

It's November sweeps time. When thinking of that time of year, TV fans know that this also means huge cliffhangers, major twists and a lot of guest stars. A good number of fans don't like the stress this time of year brings, especially since they know some of their favorite series will go on hiatus for December and the first weeks of January.

To help you prepare for November sweeps 2008, we compiled spoilers for the November episodes of some of the best shows on TV. We give you spoilers for series such as: Bones, Brothers & Sisters, Criminal Minds, CSI, Desperate Housewives, Fringe. Ghost Whisperer, Gossip Girl, Grey's Anatomy, Heroes, House, How I Met Your Mother, NCIS, Prison Break, Smallville, The Simpsons, The Unit, Without a Trace and Ugly Betty.

SPOILERS FOLLOW!

On this Monday afternoon, we've got three copies of The Unit - Season Three on DVD for three lucky, random commenters. The DVD was released on October 14th.

To enter, leave a comment below before 5:00PM Eastern, Friday, October 24 simply telling us why you'd like to own this DVD set. As always, we'll randomly choose three winners amongst the eligible entries. Some other details:
Click here for complete Official Rules.

'Desperate Housewives'
(Sun., 9PM, ABC) 5th season premiere
The women of Wisteria Lane have leapt five years into the future, and what a difference a day -- or five years' worth -- makes.

Susan and Mike: kaput, and Susan is now hooked up with that hot season four finale guy who looked a lot like 'Queer as Folk's' Gale Harold. Because he is. Meanwhile, Lynette's twin 'tween terrors have become twin teen terrors, Bree's lost custody of her grandson and Gaby's lost control of her kids and her model figure.

And then there's Edie, who makes a surprising return to the 'hood, with a surprising partner in tow: Dave, her new hubby, who's bringing the latest 'DH' mystery with him.

Would America be ready for an African-American president, which is now a 50-50 proposition with Senator Barack Obama the presumptive Democratic candidate, if actor Dennis Haysbert hadn't done it first on 24?

A lot of people have wondered if Haysbert's brave, commanding President David Palmer influenced the way people are thinking about Obama. Dennis Haysbert has now weighed in, and he believes that his role on 24 made a difference.

"My portrayal of David Palmer may have helped open the eyes of the American people," he told the AP.

"I mean the American people across the board - from the poorest to the richest, every color and creed, every religious base - to prove the possibility there could be an African-American president, a female president, any type of president that puts the people first," he goes on to say.

CBS doesn't announce its new schedule till tomorrow, but the news is spilling out everywhere about what's in and what's out. The New Adventures of Old Christine has been given a 22-episode commitment for a third season; Shark has been sunk. For fans of the James Woods legal drama -- and I know there are lots of you out there because you've posted here -- my heart goes out to you. It was a good show, but it seems that CBS has four new dramas on deck for next season (that we have heard they're announcing tomorrow), so something had to give. It's likely that the choice came down between The Unit and Shark, with The Unit getting the renewal.

As for Christine, I say "Yeah!" I love Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Hamish Linklater (Matthew, her brother on the show) and would have been really upset if CBS let the show get away. If the network had passed on the sitcom, ABC was reportedly very, very interested in taking it on. They had visions of pairing Samantha Who? with Christine for an all-girl sitcom hour. That's not going to happen now because Julia is staying put on CBS.

Whether the show remains on Monday nights, however, is still to be determined. For the past year, it has mostly shared the 9:30 slot with Rules of Engagement, which has also been renewed. Some reporters are suggesting that CBS could be launching a second sitcom night.