Goodbye, old friends

I've been watching TV a little wistfully these days, with the knowledge that some of my friends are about to go away on a long trip. (For their sake, I hope it isn't a cruise. I like my TV friends.) Even when I'm not crazy about an episode of, say, "30 Rock" -- and this week's installment was no "Greenzo" -- I still know how empty I'll feel when new episodes are gone. Besides, there's always something to cling to. I much prefer the concept of "Ludachristmas" to "Christmukkah" or "Festivus."

I felt the same way about "How I Met Your Mother," which always does a nifty trick with continuity, managing to make me feel like I'm part of an inside joke. I feel closer to these guys than I ever did to anyone on "Friends," and I like them enough that I'm willing to forgive their flaws. This week's triple-flashback formula didn't entirely work for me -- for once, it felt more gimmicky than clever -- but it left us with a sweet little hint about who the mother might be...

So now, what do I have to look foward to? Um, reality shows. Game shows. (I generally hate' em -- I'm watching ABC's "Duel" as I type, and you need a flow chart to get through it -- but my buddy Wesley Morris says he's looking forward to "Moment of Truth." That's the one with the lie detectors, premiering Jan. 23 on Fox.) And then there's "American Idol." People reminds us that the premiere is on 33 days away, and reports that this season will cool it a bit on the celebrity mentors. All I know is, my household is ready. Yesterday, I told Ava that "Idol" was coming, and this conversation ensued:

Ava: Sanjaya!
Me: This time, there will be all new singers. When you were one, you liked Bucky. When you were two, you liked Sanjaya. Now we'll see who you like when you're three.
Ava: When I'm three, I can still like Sanjaya.

Yep. It's hard to say goodbye to old friends.