Remote Destinations

Veronica Mars: Season Finale

UPN

Tues., May 9, 9 p.m.

After waiting since the first episode of the season (can you even remember way back to the beginning of first semester?), we'll finally find out who was behind that bus crash. But Veronica Mars isn't one of those shows that solves the mystery and sends you on your merry way. If this year's finale is even half as surprising as last year's, it will be a very long, long summer hiatus-but at least it looks like its hiatus will come to an end, which is more than can be said for a lot of UPN and WB shows. Veronica Mars' future on the CW is still technically undecided, but it seem like the odds are in her favor.

West Wing: Series Finale

NBC

Sun., May 14, 8 p.m.

It's rare for a show's plot to provide it with such a natural ending point, but that's the case for The West Wing. President Santos' (Jimmy Smits) inauguration is an appropriate place to stop, and the final season has been winding down nicely. We've been waiting for Josh (Bradley Whitford) and Donna (Janel Moloney) to pair off since the series started, and that's finally happening. Also, it's good to see familiar faces like Sam Seaborn (Rob Lowe) and Amy Gardner (Mary-Louise Parker) back in the White House. In case all this saying goodbye isn't sad enough for you, check out a one-hour clip show of especially emotional West Wing moments.

Scrubs: Season Finale

NBC

Tues., May 16, 9 p.m.

The thing I love about Scrubs is that even though it's hilarious when it wants to be, it can also deal with more meaningful subject matters without leaving its comfort zone. As we near the season finale, Scrubs has entered some pretty serious territory. After one of Dr. Cox's (John C. McGinley) patients died, he broke his own rule and blamed himself. Then he walked out of the hospital, despite JD's (Zach Braff) protests, and this week he'll start drinking-a lot. Even though this plotline is more serious than usual for Scrubs, it's a nice change to see such talented actors doing something more emotional than hiding from The Janitor (Neil Flynn).

Gilmore Girls: Season Finale

WB

Tues., May 9, 8 p.m.

Although Gilmore Girls will make the shift to the CW and continue for at least one more season, this year's season finale will mark the end of an era. Amy Sherman-Palladino, the show's creator and its most prolific script writer, and Daniel Palladino, her husband and fellow writer, will leave the show after its finale. The official announcement that the Palladinos had failed to reach an agreement for a two-year contract extension was made last week, and the couple isn't too happy about leaving-Sherman-Palladino told TV Guide's Michael Ausiello that it's "like a freaking nightmare." Fans feel the same way about the thought of the Gilmores without their Palladinos.

Grey's Anatomy: Season Finale

ABC

Sun., May 14, 10 p.m. and Mon., May 15, 9 p.m.

This Sunday, Grey's Anatomy is finally back from a break that was way too long for the 20 million people who watch this drama/soap opera every week. This will be the first of two episodes leading up to the three-hour, two-night season-finale extravaganza. Last season ended when McDreamy's (Patrick Dempsey) wife-whom we'd never heard of before that moment-showed up at the hospital and proved that the oh-so perfect McDreamy (a.k.a. Dr. Shephard) was, well, not so perfect. The whole saga has been pretty traumatic for fans of the Meredith/McDreamy pairing, but hopefully the Grey's Anatomy season finale will include some happier plot turns to balance out last season's crushing blow.