Man, there is nothing like starting off your morning with a good cathartic cry, but it is tears of joy, PopWatchers, TEARS OF JOY: The Office returns tonight (!!!) and I celebrated by re-watching for approximately the 985th time this promo featuring Jim and Pam’s greatest hits, and now sit primed with anticipation for the myriad of ways in which I’m certain they will screw this up and break my heart all over again. Sigh. Here’s your first question for today: Name one television will-they-or-won’t-they couple whose eventual making-out did not go down in flames. The best I can come up with is Buffy and Spike, and I’m not sure that counts. (More on this in a bit…)
Speaking of cathartic TV, also on your Thursday Night Is Crying Night schedule is the premiere of Grey’s Anatomy, where we’ll hopefully find out who Skinny Howser, MD, picks — McDreamy or McVet? — and what Izzie plans to do with herself after that cosmic freak-out over Denny. One fan favorite won’t be back, however, and that’s Doc the Dog, who was put to sleep last season in maybe the saddest scene I’ve ever watched on television; I went searching for an equally maudlin tribute to him on YouTube but the best I could come up with was this overlong disaster set to "Who Let the Dogs Out," which in no way properly honors his legacy, and is a wonderful example of why the ability to rip DVDs onto one’s computer is rarely, if ever, a good thing.
Last but not least, don’t forget to check in over at ER for the season premiere you Can. Not. Miss. Actually, I’m pretty psyched. Me and, like, three other people. Whatevs — we’re loyal.
Luckily, you’re Ugly Betty-free tonight, which means that for the time being there’s a chance you can still watch everything you want to watch; check back in a week from now to watch my YouTube video of the DVR exploding.
UPDATE: About your comments on the will-they-or-won’t-they couples… Big Ern: Syd and Vaughn were happy. For, like, a week, until she lost two years of her life and he turned evil-ish/got killed (or did he?) and it all went to hell. Not my idea of bliss. And Dana: Diane left Sam at the altar, and that was really, really sad. What else you guys got? Ooh, wait! EM gets the big DING DING DING! That’s pretty close, the ER thing.
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Sydney and Vaughn on “Alias” turned out good. Sure, the show declined, but I always felt that that was one tension building relationship that played out ok.
What?!? No mention of CSI?? That’s what I’ll be watching.
Ummm Diane and Sam from cheers?
Whitney, I love ya, but homegirl, you totally dissed on Earl! I’ve been waiting all summer for the return of Earl, which starts up just before the office. The writing on that show is brilliant man!
Pam and my main man won’t work out on the Office. It would mess up the show’s game. Dwight and Angela, on the other hand, I hope remain a couple forever.
As for tense kisses that work out…um….Eric and Donna from 70’s show failed, Starbuck and Apollo failed. Hmmm. What about the cute redhead and the dorky neighbor from “Grounded for Life”? They ended up happy. Oh, and Fry and Leela from Futurama still have the jury pending as do the love triangle in Lost, and I seem to recall things with Laura and Urkell eventually worked out. Ross and Rachel failed, but got back together at the end, and their friends ended up getting married after a “will they/won’t they” first kiss. The ultimate rip off was the X Files, and the fine sister better hook up with the sheriff on Eureka or I’m giving up on the Sci Fi channel altogether.
David and Maddie in MOONLIGHTING.
Joey and Pacey ended up together. But Dawson got the shaft so I don’t know if it was a “win win win” situation. Anyhoo, looking forward to The Office tonight! That Jim and Pam promo really is sappy, but it’s so good. Lets hear it for JAM!
I agree with you Ep Sato, long-term Jim and Pam just can’t work. But I am all for some Dwangela!
What about Doug Ross & Nurse Hathaway on ER?
ross and rachael made it happen in the end, didn’t they? so did monica and chandler.
In all the Ross and Rachel nonsense, people seem to forget about Chandler and Monica. Does that not count because there was no earlier tension leading to the hookup? I also liked Dick and Mary together on 3rd Rock, plus Joe and Helen on Wings.
A few more bad ones: Niles and Daphne, Nate and Brenda, Lois and Clark.
Here are a few potential hookups I’m glad didn’t happen: Steed and Mrs. Peel, Tony and Dr. Melfi, Jerry and Elaine (well it did, but they thankfully kept them apart for the rest of the series)
Too easy…Chandler and Monica…Friends…
No “we were on a break” affairs, no soul-stealing, no leaving at the altar, no amnesia, no one dying…
CAN NOT WAIT FOR THE OFFICE AND GREY TONIGHT. I hope Pam did not marry Roy. I can see the Jim and Pam story lasting a long time.
Fingers crossed my DVR doesnt explode between recording PR, Laguna and Two-a-Days on Wed, followed by Ugly Betty, The Office, My Name is Earl and Greys on Thursday. May be time to upgrade to a bigger box!
Karen & Jack (Will & Grace)
Whitley & Dwayne (A Different World)
But in the end, Syd & Vaughn walked off into the sunset! That’s a happy ending!
YAY! Grey’s is new tonight!
Fran and Mr. Sheffield on The Nanny
Dylan and Kelly on 90210. Ha ha ha.
i’d say monica and chandler, but technically they weren’t a “will they or won’t they?” couple, unlike ross and rachel.
How about the original Jim & Pam (aka Tim & Dawn)?
Laura and Almonzo
Dr. Doug Ross and nurse Carol Hathaway on ER. Twins, house on a lake with a boat. Doesn’t get much better than that. Also Donna and David on 90210. Hated them as a couple but they were together at the end.
* Monica and Chandler were kinda “will they or won’t they” for a while. Will they do it again, will they really stop when they get back to the US, will they be able to hide it from everyone, will they be able to hide it from Ross, etc.
* Fran and Mr. Sheffield on the Nanny… As one of like five people who watched her new show on the WB, it picks up with them being divorced. That may not count though.
Im with you on ER.. for some reason I cant help buy stay loyal to the show.. and let’s remember kids.. Monica and Chandler never had a will they/wont they thing going on.. they got together kind of all of a sudden
overall tonights gonna be a great night of tv
Dave and Maddie? That’s like . . . Will they or shouldn’t they?
Exactly the line up I’m lined up for: Put Kids in Bed, the Office, Grey’s, ER.
I am one of the few ER fans. . .so with a line up of The Office, Grey’s Annatomy and ER, I’m in heaven. So much for a Thursday night social life. . .
Suzanne, do you remember the show and if so, do you remember that particular episode?
Jenna Fischer’s an empowered woman, so Pam will belong to no man – Jim or her blockhead fiance! Go Nerinx Hall Markers!!
If you want sad dog-related episodes watch the Futurama episode Jurassic Bark, #58, where Fry finds his old dog fossilized. Saddest cartoon ending ever.
Sydney and Vaughn turned out good at the very end though – werent they on a beach somewhere with their baby and Dickson was there? Or is my memory fuzzy?
I want to say Veronica and Logan but only if ‘Veronica Mars’ gets cancelled mid-season. Then we can pretend like they’ll end up together forever instead of inevitably breaking up and getting back together multiple times.
I’m starting to think the will-they-wont-they part is better than the actual “yay, they’re a happy couple” part of most shows.
Buffy and spike would’ve counted if season 5 of Angel never happened.