TV Junkie: NEW New New Episodes of: "Ugly Betty"/"The Office"/"30 Rock"/Etc.; Don't Forget to Watch the Swan Song Episodes of "The O.C." Starting Tonight

A Word or 82:
The long drought is over my friends -- regular programming is back, we have new shows and new series coming on every day. My life has some purpose again. My thumb was blistered from almost 2 weeks of endlessly scrolling through channel after channel of repeats and other unwatchable TV - I had almost depleted my tin of Bag Balm. Thank you TV, thank you networks, I may have said some harsh things last week but it was the blackberry brandy talkin', I swear.

Tonight - Thursday - January 4th, 2007

Lakers @ Kings (KCAL, 7:30 p.m.)

"My Name Is Earl"/"The Office"/"Scrubs"/"30 Rock"/"ER" (NBC, 8:00-11:00 p.m.) All back with new episodes!

"Ugly Betty" (ABC, 8:00 p.m.) is back!

"CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (CBS, 9:00 p.m.) Back!

"The O.C." (FOX, 9:00 p.m.) The beginning of the end - soak up these episodes folks before the show goes away in Feb.

"Final 24" (Biography Channel, 10:00 p.m.) Series premiere! About the last 24 hours of movie stars' and celebrities' lives.

"Afro Samurai" (Spike TV, 11:00 p.m.) (Mini)Series premiere! Animated series with Samuel L. Jackson voicing the main character.

"The Late Show with David Letterman" (CBS, 11:30 p.m.) Cedric the Entertainer still can't find his last name, Switchfoot performs

"The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" (NBC, 11:35 p.m.) Hilary Swank pushing 'Freedom Writers', comedian Tom Papa, Akon performs

"Jimmy Kimmel LIVE" (ABC, 12:05 a.m.) Indie babe Maggie Gyllenhaal, Motel 6 guy Tom O'Dell, Lindsey Buckingham performs

"Late Night Conan O'Brien (NBC, 12:35 a.m.) Animal doofus Jarod Miller, Louis C.K. performs

Maggie G. and her bro at the 2005 Academy Awards via AP