On Thursday night, a slew of popular shows are calling it quits for 2013 with their midseason finales.
They’ll be back with fresh episodes in the New Year, but will they leave viewers waiting with breathless anticipation for their returns?
Let’s find out.
“Once Upon a Time in Wonderland” (8 p.m., ABC).
After what seems like forever since Cyrus (Peter Gadiot) was first imprisoned in a cage, Alice (Sophie Lowe) and her genie may finally be reunited. But the reason to watch Thursday is for the showdown between the Red Queen (Emma Rigby) and Jafar (Naveen Andrews, the best part of this series), whom we can only hope will lose that ridiculous CGI monstrosity of a flying carpet.
“Vampire Diaries” (8 p.m., The CW).
In a surprise to no one but Elena (Nina Dobrev), it turns out that Whitmore College isn’t a normal old university, but one whose founders use vampires as lab rats in tortuous experiments. She’s next up on the cutting board, but, let’s face it, she will inevitably be saved. The good news is that Damon’s (Ian Somerhalder) cute cell mate, Enzo (Michael Malarkey), did not burn alive back in the 1950s — but is undead and probably peeved that Damon ditched him. We’ll see.
“Big Bang Theory” (8 p.m., CBS).
When Sheldon (Jim Parsons) heads home to Texas for Christmas in Thursday’s fall finale, the gang goes all “It’s a Wonderful Life” and wonders what their lives would be like without their favorite mad scientist. Answer: A lot less funny.
“The Crazy Ones” (9 p.m., CBS).
If this improving comedy is going to bring on a guest star, why not skip this week’s bratty intern Ashley Tisdale and just bring back Brad Garrett’s Gordon, whose straight man to Robin Williams’ Simon has been the best pairing of this series.
“Grey’s Anatomy” (9 p.m., ABC).
After nine-and-a-half seasons of angst-filled romances, you’d think the fans of Seattle Grace could have witnessed some great weddings. But wouldn’t you know it, a medical emergency always seems to stand in the way of these doctors waltzing down the aisle. So will annoying April (Sarah Drew) marry Matthew (Justin Bruning) in the fall finale without a hitch?
“Two and a Half Men” (9:30 p.m., CBS).
For this (dirty) old man of the group we hope to see Alan (Jon Cryer) develop some kind of mature, sustainable romance and move out of his suspended adolescence with Ashton Kutcher’s Walden and his mostly MIA son Jake (the angry Angus T. Jones).
“Elementary” (10 p.m., CBS).
An interesting slow-burn relationship between Sherlock (Jonny Lee Miller) and Watson (Lucy Liu) — which the creator says absolutely, positively will not happen — is happening. Will the embers be further sparked?
“Reign” (9 p.m., The CW).
Teen angst in the 1500s is alive and well on this series, which helpfully teaches a generation of kids that the young Mary, Queen of Scots (Adelaide Kane), was essentially the Sookie from “True Blood” of her day: prone to stupidly dangerous entanglements. This week her relationship with the well-coifed Francis (Toby Regbo) is threatened by prophecy from Nostradamus (Rossif Sutherland). Uh oh.
“NCIS” (8 p.m. Dec. 17 on CBS).
Nothing like the holidays to inspire the team to go all sappy, racing to solve the case of a mysterious illness that strikes kids from military families.
“White Collar” (9 p.m. Dec. 19 on USA).
Next week’s mid-season finale could open up the possibility for FBI agent Peter (Tim DeKay) to explore all kinds of feelings, as he investigates an unsolved larceny committed by best frenemy Neal (Matt Bomer), who is still covering his tracks from his debt to evil Curtis Hagen (Mark Sheppard).