It's been a rough couple of years for the CW. While execs tout victories in certain small and obscure demos, the fact remains that the network regularly gets outdrawn by more than one basic cable network. Despite that, there was a sense of optimism as the network unveiled its 2008-2009 schedule yesterday.

Like with ABC, there were few surprises on the CW schedule. Most of the established shows will be returning, and those that were canceled will not be missed (with the exception of dear departed "Aliens in America"). Even "Reaper," which has been on the bubble for nearly the entire...

Monday, May 12

Bones (FOX, 8 p.m.) - In real life, the sisters Deschanel are lovely singers, but Brennan doesn't do so well at an open-mic night featuring American Idol guest stars Ace Young and Brandon Rogers.

Gossip Girl (The CW, 8 p.m.) - The twisted love triangle - aka Blair, Chuck and Nate - come together to help Serena, who is back to her old ways.

How I Met Your Mother (CBS, 8:30 p.m.) - Britney Spears returns as Abby, and she's teaming with Barney to make Ted jealous.

House (FOX, 9 p.m.) - How you know it's sweeps: House suffers from weird visions after waking fr...

Monday, May 5

Gossip Girl (The CW, 8 p.m.) - Someone's coming out of the closet. And on this show, he or she will probably do it wearing a fabulous outfit.

How I Met Your Mother (CBS, 8:30 p.m.) - Barney auditions SNL's Will Forte for the position of his rebound bro.

Two and a Half Men (CBS, 9 p.m.) - The writers of CSI take a stab at "Two and a Half Men." Literally. No need to worry. George Eads is on the case.

House (FOX, 9 p.m.) - House becomes convinced that a soap actor (Sex and the City's Jason Lewis) is sick and takes to diagnosing him for fear that his fave chara...

Monday, April 28

Gossip Girl (The CW, 8 p.m.) - Michelle Trachtenberg (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) begins her stint as Serena's ex-pal Georgina Sparks, and she's determined to ignite some sparks about Serena's past indiscretions.

Bones (FOX, 8 p.m.) - Booth and Brennan play Mom and Pops to a motherless infant. Let the cooing and awkward spit-up begin!

House (FOX, 9 p.m.) - The grumpy doc is back with new episodes, but not much has changed. Tonight, House is convinced that a patient's niceness must be the result of an illness.

Samantha Who? (ABC, 9:32 p.m.) - Samantha inv...

Monday, March 17

Dancing With the Stars (ABC, 8 p.m.) - The men take center stage tonight as the sixth season kicks off. Another episode, featuring the female contestants, airs Tuesday at 9 p.m.

How I Met Your Mother (CBS, 8:30 p.m.) - Not the episode with Britney, but this being the first original episode in months is an even better reason to tune in. We also hear Barney will be St. Patty's Day suiting up.

Canterbury's Law (FOX, 8 p.m.) - Watch out, Allison Dubois. Elizabeth's new client claims he can talk to the dead and she's buying it up after he shares information about ...

Monday, March 10

Canterbury's Law (FOX, 8 p.m.) - Julianna Margulies (ER), she of the perfectly sculpted eyebrows and keeper of Doug Ross' heart, stars as a hard-edged lawyer in this show from producer Denis Leary.

New Amsterdam (FOX, 9 p.m.) - Okay, this is the immortal detective's regular timeslot. Thanks for making it as confusing as possible, FOX.

Medium (NBC, 10 p.m.) - Don't you hate it when your in-laws show up? At least they're not showing up as visions from the beyond like Allison's mother-in-law (Kathy Baker).

High School Confidential (WE, 10 p.m.) - Filmmaker ...

Monday, March 3

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (FOX, 8 p.m.) - It feel like only yesterday that the series premiered, but hopefully tonight's two-hour finale won't be the series finale. The show is a keeper for supporting players Summer Glau and Brian Austin Green (who would have thunk it?) alone.

Medium (NBC, 10 p.m.) - Gregory Itzin is downgraded from playing 24's president in this guest spot as a senator.

My Name Is Earl (TBS, 10 p.m.) - The NBC sitcom makes its syndication debut with an encore of its karmic pilot, complete with wise words of wisdom from Carson D...

The Game

March 23

9 (expected # of new episodes)

One Tree Hill

April 14

6

Smallville

April 17

5

Gossip Girl

April 21

5

Reaper

April 22

5

Supernatural

April 24

4

Everybody Hates Chris completed 22 episodes. The 12 remaining originals will begin airing March 3.

Aliens In America completed 18 episodes. The 8 remaining originals will air March 2-March 23 and April 27-May 18.

It's hard to imagine that it's been 20 years since we were first introduced to the Tanner family, Winnie Cooper and Kevin Arnold. What happened to some of our favorite prime time stars two decades after they charmed us on the small screen?

Full House (1987-1995)

"Full House" was a show about talk show host Danny Tanner (Bob Saget) who was raising his three girls with his brother-in-law Jesse Katsopolis (John Stamos) and his best friend Joey Gladstone (Dave Coulier) after his wife Pam is killed by a drunk driver. You laughed, you cried and you learned a lesson all in one episode.

...

What's Airing, Re-Airing & Entertaining On TV This Week:

Monday, Dec. 31

Lack of New Year's Eve plans leaving you stranded at home? Never fear, there's actually some shows to watch before the ball starts dropping on ABC.

How I Met Your Mother (CBS, 8 p.m.), Aliens In America (The CW, 8:30 p.m.) - The CW and CBS offer up a pair of stand-out episode reruns. The awkwardness and misguided thinking of being a teenager is perfectly captured in “The Metamorphosis” episode of "Aliens in America." Meanwhile, on "How I Met Your Mother," Barney offers Lily money to paint him nude. Need...

Two musicians from very different backgrounds -- PJ Olsson, CBS Records artist, and Salman Ahmad, musician, poet and founder of Pakistan's most popular band, Junoon, united to record a new version of the Nick Lowe song "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding." The song will be featured as the main theme title song and as part of a promotional campaign for The CW's new critically acclaimed comedy series Aliens In America. The series, which premiered Monday, October 1 (8:30-9:00 p.m. ET), is the story of the Tolchuck family, whose lives are turned upside down by the arrival o...

Five new prime-time TV series premiere the week of Monday, Oct. 1 (all times Eastern):

''Aliens in America''

What: A sitcom that mines humor from the miseries of adolescence as well as America's post-9/11 anxiety.

Where: The CW

When: Mondays at 8:30 p.m.

Who: Dan Byrd, Adhir Kalyan, Amy Pietz, Lindsey Shaw, Scott Patterson.

Why: As a reminder that everyone is alienated from some group - until they connect.

How: Justin Tolchuck (Byrd) is a sweet, bright kid who happens to be a social pariah at his Wisconsin high school. So his mom (Pietz) and dad (Patterson...

Even though summer TV was unusually entertaining this year with shows such as Dancing With The Stars, The Closer and Damages, viewers everywhere are gearing up for the new season. See the following list to find out when your favorite returning and new series makes their fall debuts:

Sunday, Sept. 9

9 pm Tell Me You Love Me (series premiere) (HBO)

10 pm Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO)

Tuesday, Sept. 11

8 pm The Biggest Loser (NBC)

Thursday, Sept. 13

10 pm It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia (FX)

Friday, Sept. 14

9 pm Nashville (series premiere) (FOX)

Monday, Sept....