David Bianculli

After seven years on TV, NBC's White House drama The West Wing comes to an end next month. Our television critic says he doesn’t want to wait until then to discuss the show, because lately it’s simply been too good to ignore.

The new season of The Sopranos opens on Sunday, bringing the world of Tony and Carmela, Christopher and Paulie Walnuts back to dens around the country. The show's last previous episode aired in the summer of 2004.

A new sitcom premieres on ABC Tuesday that blends scripted stories with improv. Sons and Daughters was created by Fred Goss and Nick Holly; its executive producers include Lorne Michaels, of Saturday Night Live fame.

It's mid-season in the world of television, and that means some are being cancelled -- or simply phased out.

The new TV version of Once Upon a Mattress, which will be broadcast Sunday night on ABC, features the return of Carol Burnett.

A new Showtime cable miniseries tells the story of Muslim terrorists in America. The controversial thriller Sleeper Cell premieres Sunday night.

On the upcoming live episode of NBC's The West Wing, Congressman Matt Santos (Jimmy Smits) and Senator Arnold Vinick (Alan Alda) will meet in a one-hour presidential debate. Sunday evening, their conflict will be aired live.

Henry Winkler plays a doctor on the new CBS sitcom Out of Practice, which premiered last month and can be seen Mondays at 9:30 p.m. Winkler also spent two seasons playing a lawyer on the TV series Arrested Development.

Mitch Hurwitz is the creator and executive producer of the TV series Arrested Development. The FOX show, which has won critical praise for its irreverently dysfunctional family, airs on Monday nights.

The major networks and several cable units are offering up new seasons in September. A new HBO comedy, Extras, stars Ricky Gervais, who remains best known for starring in and helping to create the original British version of The Office.