(S05E12) I really like the fact that ABC actually told J.J. Abrams that the show was not going to be renewed earlier instead of later. It really does, as Abrams has said, give the show a chance to end things correctly, to bring old characters back, and explain what all this Rambaldi/Prophet 5 plot is all about. How good was it to see Will tonight? I also like the fact that even if you don't know what's going on with the mythology, this was a pretty entertaining standalone spy mission as well, and you could enjoy it as a casual viewer.

But Will, when people come knocking on your door and just say, yeah, I'm with the CIA, here's a quick look at my badge, just don't invite them in for coffee and danish.

With Rob Lowe returning to The West Wing next week (a truly great development I never thought would happen), it got me thinking: what characters from the past would I like to see come back on other shows? Here are my five:

• Will Tippin (Alias): Yeah, I know, he actually is coming back, but that doesn't mean I can't list him. It would have been good to see him more than a couple of times the past three years.
• Stephen Colbert (The Daily Show): Sure I enjoy The Colbert Report, but I miss his segments on The Daily Show. Nobody does This Week In God like he did.
  
• Any of the old ER cast: Carol, Doug, Benton, Jeanie, Susan. Hell, do a real soap opera thing and have Dr. Greene come back from the dead. Wouldn't that be wild? (And if Noah Wyle is going to do guest spots, can you at least bring him to the hospital?)
• Elliott (Will and Grace): What, did Jack forget about the fact that he had a kid? If he's not back for the finale, that would be lame.
• Andy Richter (Late Night With Conan O'Brien): There's just so much O'Brien mugging I can take, and it wasn't half as annoying when he had Richter to play off of.