It's That Time of Year Again...

The leaves are going to be changing color soon, the air is getting cooler, furnaces are beginning to turn on, and Halloween is only a month away. In a few weeks, I'll be taking the kids to visit a local orchard (the same one my parents took me to when I was growing up). Another week or so, and we'll be buying pumpkins, spending an evening carving faces into them, and then baking the pumpkin seeds for kid snacks. And beginning this week, I'll start hoarding up on candy for all the trick-or-treaters that will be hitting my door at the end of October.

Following Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas will arrive in mega-speed and before I can blink, we'll be in the middle of winter. But all of those are different posts, because what happens first--what's already started happening--is the start of the TV season. While there are a bunch of new shows scheduled to start, I'm more interested in the return of my favorites...and many of those left off with a cliffhanger.

The first huge cliffhanger I remember hearing about was from the show Dallas. "Who Shot J.R.?" made it on t-shirts, hats, and bumper stickers. People talked about it--a lot. So much so, that even though I was too young to really have watched much of Dallas, I'd heard enough about it that I wanted to know who shot J.R.!

Other television cliffhangers that I remember include (in no particular order):

• Friends: When Ross says Rachel's name in place of Emily's--in the middle of his marriage ceremony.
• Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Buffy sacrifices herself to close a portal to hell. Buffy dead?
• Alias: When Michael Vaughn confesses his name is NOT Michael Vaughn to Sydney while they're driving--and then, another car crashes into them.
• Grey's Anatomy: McDreamy is married! And his wife is a hot redhead? Oh, no! Poor Meredith!
• Soap: Who shot Peter Campbell? Again, kind of before my time, but I remember my parents talking about this cliffhanger.
• Lost: Every freaking year since this show has started has left us with huge cliffhangers. Season One: Walt is kidnapped and OOOH what's in that hatch? Season Two: Jack and Kate are abducted by the Others, the hatch went into meltdown mode, and who the heck are those guys in the arctic? Season Three: Is Charlie really dead? Apparently a rescue takes place, but Jack wants to return to the island?

I vaguely remember something about Dynasty having a huge cliffhanger one year, but don't remember the specifics. Same goes for Cheers--pretty sure there was one there, maybe with a proposal from Sam? But I can't remember the details.

What I do remember are the cliffhangers from MY favorite shows this past year. Some have already had their premiers, and others I'm still waiting on. In no particular order, here they are:

• Supernatural: They left Dean in hell at the end of last season. This is totally unacceptable! Luckily, the season began almost two weeks ago, and Dean was pulled from hell--by an ANGEL. YES! I love Dean. I love Sam. I love Bobby. And I love my Thursdays!
• Ghost Whisperer: Okay, this one doesn't start until this week--on Friday--but I'm already annoyed. Because last season ended with Payne making a comment about six people but only five shadows. So, someone's dead. The rumor mill is saying Jim (Melinda's husband) is dead--but I soooo hope they didn't go there. Besides, if JIM'S dead, how does Payne even know he's there? As far as I know, Payne can't see ghosts. So does that mean Payne is dead? Argh. No clue. Can't wait for Friday to find out!
• Ugly Betty: Does Betty accept a marriage proposal from one man or go to Rome with another man? Well, this show began it's new season last week, and Betty turns BOTH men down. Nice play, Betty! I love this show for it's stupid humor and pushing the limits characterization.
• Lost: Locke is dead? How? What about Jin...is he REALLY dead? And what the heck happened to Claire and why does Kate have Aaron? SO MANY QUESTIONS!!! Unfortunately, this isn't a fall starting show this year, so I'll have to wait until FEBRUARY to get the answers. So. Unfair.

There are other shows I love that I watch, but they didn't leave me hungering for answers at the end of last season. But I still love them! Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice, Chuck, Desperate Housewives are all on my watch list. Oh, and last year, we didn't even get 24, so I'm anxiously awaiting the return of Jack Bauer. Mmm. Jack.

The thing is, I'm so thankful for DVR...because I don't always have time to watch my faves when they're on. So I record everything, and watch them when I can. Well, except for Supernatural. I watch that when it's on, and normally several times over in the next week. I know--kind of sad, but I love those boys!

The only show that didn't make it from last year that I completely fell in love with was Journeyman. I really wish they'd given that show a second chance. I have questions! And they'll never be answered.

What about YOU? What season ending cliffhangers do you remember over the years? Which shows are you dying to watch this year? What are your favorites? I'd love to hear!