Can you feel it coming over the air tonight? Many TV shows are closing up shop for the summer.

30 Rock literally set off a gay bomb as its parting shot, leaving Jack (Alec Baldwin) and guest star Matthew Broderick to work out the resulting sexual tension. Last night, Desperate Housewives tidied things up with a bang and a stunner—a flash-forward five years (a la Lost). Speaking of desperate, Lindsay Lohan arrives just in time for the Ugly Betty finale this Thursday (good or bad, she’ll be back for five episodes next season).

So what’s a TV devotee to do? Well, breathe, for starters. I thought the Writers’ Strike was gonna do me a solid a few months ago, but the ink had barely dried on the new contract before my dual-tuner TiVo was filled to near capacity once again. So I’m looking forward to a bit of a respite, though I’m not making a complete break.

Top Chef is still cooking along for a few more weeks, and I’ve got backlogged episodes of Samantha Who? and The Office to provide cool comfort during the hot months ahead. Best to stock up if you still can. The networks are trying to move to year-round schedules, but their summer offerings seem lukewarm at best. Two examples: I Survived A Japanese Game Show and Celebrity Circus.

In fact, just one first-run show remains in my schedule-clearing sights, and the feet start flying Thursday night. Yep, it’s time for the return of Fox’s mega-fantastic So You Think You Can Dance.

If you’re a naysayer—a fan of Dancing With The Stars, I’d bet—give this dance show a chance. These kids are all right. Unbelievably talented, in fact. And if you stay tuned for at least one Mia Michaels’ routine this season, you too will become a Contemporary Dance convert. Another secret strength of SYTYCD? Host Cat Deeley, who’s beautiful, charming and insightful (take that, Ryan Seacrest).

Here’s one of the major highlights from last year, a jazz routine featuring two of my favorites, Neil and Sabra (who went on to win the title of “America’s Favorite Dancer”):

I bet this season is full of even sweeter surprises. Catch the two-hour premiere of So You Think You Can Dance this Thursday at 8/7 Central on Fox.

Oh, and if you’re in search of Reaper‘s season sign-off here in Chicago, it’ll air at 11:30 pm here on WGN. Though the Cubs can’t quite kick the Curse of the Billy Goat, apparently the team is fine with tempting the wrath of a TV Lucifer.