The best TV episodes often come in the final weeks of the season—and they’re here.  Lots of twists, surprise guests and cliffhangers.  Here are just a few preview highlights, along with some CW news:

• We’ll meet Rufus and Lily’s long-lost son May 4 on Gossip Girl. One week later, a lengthy flashback to the ’80s will serve as the spinoff pilot for a series based on Lily’s wild teen years.
• Drama queens, anyone? We’re only days away from Michelle Trachtenberg (Georgina) and Sara Foster (Naomi’s wild sister, Jen; pictured) wreaking havoc on Gossip Girl and 90210, respectively.
• Singer Nick Lachey comes to One Tree Hill next Tuesday with an offer for Haley. His episode went so well, the producers asked him to stick around for another week.
• Earlier this season, Tess revealed a plan to create her own team of meteor-freaks. Jessica Parker Kennedy (Plastique) returns to Smallville as part of that story on May 7. EW also reports that a veteran star listed in the opening credits will die in the finale.
• The Hollywood Reporter says the renewal prospects for Privileged “have improved, and the show is now considered for a possible midseason order.” The original 18 episodes of Privileged are slated for another look, beginning Friday, June 5 at 8pm on WBNX.
• THR also notes that all six CW dramas in development “are tracking well,” with Melrose Place and the Gossip Girl spinoff current frontrunners. “Competition will be fierce for the remaining couple of slots, with Light Years (renamed LUX), A Beautiful Life, Body Politic and Vampire Diaries all said to be in contention.”

Last night’s season finale of Privileged certainly left us wanting more. The question is, will we get more? Earlier in the day, The CW renewed six series for another year: Smallville, Supernatural, America’s Next Top Model, 90210, Gossip Girl and One Tree Hill. Privileged—a favorite of TV critics—and other current series will learn their fate as fall schedules are finalized over the next two months. To recap Episode 18, the once-inseparable twins are forging their own identities, with sweet Rose heading off solo to a wilderness adventure, and Sage not only showing interest in academics, but dumping Luis for his unwillingness to explore new ideas with her. Will and Megan are textbook feuders, and delivered another riveting scene which ended with a breakup. Their arguments are always interesting because both parties make great points. A collision of two different worlds. Later, Will’s magazine boss (Robert Buckley) confirmed that Megan was right, but Will’s morning-after apology was, um…too late. There are loads of unexplored stories for Season 2, including the parental disaster Megan will confront. And the evolution of Sage, once a mean, tormented heiress—now with so many intriguing facets revealed. As she noted in her school speech: “The choices we make when we’re young don’t define who we are, they simply add to who we’re becoming.” Check out the encore airing tonight!

The CW freshman series that has charmed TV viewers on Tuesday and Wednesday nights is also a big hit on the internet.  Nielsen just released its first-ever rankings for online streaming, and Privileged is the #1 show among all networks, in terms of how much time each person spends watching a program over the course of a month.  During December, for instance, each web viewer spent an average of 214.6 minutes with Privileged, nearly an hour longer than the nearest competitor.  This is a real testament to how engaging the dramedy has become, expanding far beyond the original premise of JoAnna Garcia tutoring two billionaire heiresses.  Romance and family dynamics have captivated fans, who often compare the dramedy to their much-loved Gilmore Girls.  And who can argue with the roster of fascinating guest-stars, a trend which continues in next week’s big Season Finale, when funny girl Kathy Griffin steps in as a wedding planner.  We can’t say enough about the touch of class that Anne Archer (Laurel) brings to the series, her first regular television role since costarring alongside legendary Jane Wyman in Falcon Crest over two decades ago.  Recent storylines have cracked the tough façades of Laurel and granddaughter Sage (Ashley Newbrough), revealing the pain they’ve long kept hidden.  Will this TV treasure be renewed for a second season?  A devoted fanbase is certainly counting on it.

CW fans were treated to perhaps the season’s most compelling hour of drama last night on Privileged, a critical favorite which started strong and has only gotten better. The core love-triangle of Megan, Will and Charlie came to a slugfest climax after Charlie confessed his feelings and sealed it with a kiss. Irate boyfriend Will can’t fathom Megan’s best-bud bond, claiming he’ll “always come in second to Charlie,” which seriously jeopardizes their romance. Both sides make good points, but Megan’s assertion that Charlie is “the most important person in my life” spoke volumes. Kudos to JoAnna Garcia, Brian Hallisay and the now-departed (to college) Michael Cassidy for emotional, spot-on performances. Elsewhere, after Rose and geekboy Zach shared past secrets, a blonde stranger dropped the bomb that Laurel’s old friend, Miles, is actually the twins’ grandfather! And Sage? We finally discover what fuels her often-venomous personality: She revealed that she’s responsible for the death of her parents. Whaaat?! With one line, Sage became the series’ sympathetic poster-child…and it may also explain Laurel’s icy relationship with the girls. There are two episodes left this season—a new show next Tuesday and the finale on Feb. 24. Fallout from yesterday’s electrifying installment will reverberate in a big way. If you missed it, catch the encore tonight at 8pm.

“Oh, this is gonna end very badly.” How many times have you caught yourself saying that while watching a TV show?  Honestly, why do characters sometimes make decisions that we know will come back to bite them?  Here are a few recent head-scratching moments:

90210: Principal Harry—an educated man—accepts a kid on the doorstep, Sean, as his biological son without any proof, and is anxious to fork over $200,000 to cover gambling debts.  Brenda first errs in hooking-up with Ryan, then compounds the lunacy by telling Kelly!  Why?

Privileged: Megan digs deep into her boss’s past and discovers Laurel’s love affair and illegitimate daughter.  Instead of keeping the secret to herself, Megan dredges up the dirt to an angry Laurel.  Mystifying.

One Tree Hill: Where to begin?  Last season, Carrie kidnapped Jamie—but Dan simply threatened and released her to continue terrorizing the family.  Beaten and robbed, Brooke tells her friends she fell down the stairs.  Later, she rushes into the assailant’s house without even summoning police.  Sigh.

Gossip Girl: Vanessa intercepts Nate’s love note to Jenny, destroying their romance, and then confesses to the vengeful little blonde.  Never watched Mean Girls?

Supernatural: Learning that all-powerful foe Lilith is nearby, Dean impulsively wants to race off to kill her… without an inkling of a plan.  Dude really has a deathwish.

The Game: Kelly blurts out to pro QB Jason that yes, she did marry him for the money—at first.  No hubby wants to hear that, especially with a marriage on the rocks.

Everyone makes a poor choice now and then, and TV characters have been jolting us with their gaffes since the early days of Lucy Ricardo and Ralph Kramden.  But if we could wish one thing for our fictional friends this year, it would be to use just a bit more common sense.  Got a favorite TV faux pas memory?

So what are your first impressions of Uncle Jack Bass?  Desmond Harrington began his arc this week on Gossip Girl, and he’s a smooth operator—even sharing a New Year’s Eve “secret” with Blair, apparently.  Like him or not (and we do), he brings a new villain to the drama…and that’s always good.  Desmond is the first of many guest-stars or cast additions on the horizon.  Here are some other scoops:

Do Sam and Dean have a brother they never knew about on Supernatural?  E! Online says it’s likely, and that their deceased dad (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) may deliver the news!  Deep breaths. 

Robert Buckley, the perpetually-shirtless “Kirby” on Lipstick Jungle and alleged Scott Speedman look-alike, makes his debut Feb. 10 on The CW’s Privileged.  He’ll be around at least through the season finale. 

Jennifer Elise Cox, hilarious as “Jan” in the Brady Bunch movies, will soon bring her comedy to Privileged, as well.  And Will’s never-seen billionaire parents?  Stephen Culp (Rex on Desperate Housewives) and Mary Page Keller meet Megan in two weeks. 

Of course, we fully expect Rufus and Lily to quickly track down their long-lost twentysomething son on Gossip Girl.  Prior to that, Laura Breckenridge begins her teaching stint at Constance Billiard.

And on the west coast, fans are buzzing about Matt Lanter’s imminent move into our favorite zip code, 90210.   More good news: Tori Spelling is back in negotiations to join the show her father first produced nearly two decades ago.

Watching The CW dramas this week, you couldn’t help but notice the odd (yet entertaining) behavior of a few parents and its devastating effect on their children.  How would you react if your mother abandoned you at age seven, then returned 16 years later acting like it never happened?  Shock.  Anger.  Rejection.  Begrudging acceptance.  JoAnna Garcia (Megan) expertly covered all the raw emotions with aloof Sharon Lawrence (her mom) on Privileged.  Earlier, the Bart Bass funeral on Gossip Girl illustrated just how bitter and scarred his now-orphaned son, Chuck, really is.  Widow Lily, it turns out, did who-knows-what with her (and Rufus’) secret baby in France two decades ago; and it sure seemed strange allowing high schooler Serena to jet off to Cabo with a shady new boyfriend.  Lest we forget, Nate’s papa is also now in FBI custody for embezzlement.  Over in the 90210, it appears that Kelly and Silver (Jessica Stroup, pictured) have overcome their mom’s violent alcoholism.  But we wonder if Brooke, Peyton, Lucas and Nathan will ever break free from their dysfunctional upbringings on One Tree Hill.  Of positive note, 90210’s Harry and Debbie and OTH’s Nathan and Haley provide fairly solid role models for their kids—so much so, they tend to stand out like beacons among the neighboring adults.

Joanna Garcia gets right to the point when discussing roles on a TV sitcom versus a one-hour drama.  “It’s the difference between a four-hour day and a 16-hour day,” she told TeenTelevision.com.  The 29-year-old actress played ditzy daughter “Cheyenne” on Reba for six seasons prior to landing her current lead on Privileged.  “The training and foundation that Reba gave me is something I will always treasure.  I had the ability to work on a show that just said ‘Throw away everything you think you are and go for the laugh.’”  While she enjoys the challenges of her new CW series, there are certain drawbacks.  “Reba (McEntire) called me recently and said, ‘I’m reading a script for an hour-long show—what do you think?’  And I was like, ‘Don’t do it!  You’ve worked too hard in your life.  You have a family.  You’re successful.  I don’t think it’s the time in your life to be working 70 hours a week.’”  Sound advice from a talented starlet who tonight faces a stunning confrontation on-screen: the mother (Sharon Lawrence) that abandoned her family when “Megan” was only seven years old returns without warning.  Can’t wait!

St. Patrick’s Day 2009…a holiday for shamrocks, green food, leprechauns—and the return of Reaper!  The CW announced that the popular horror/comedy will step into the Tuesday 9pm timeslot once Privileged has completed its first-season run of new episodes.  Aided by his loyal and somewhat goofy friends, amateur “bounty hunter” Sam (Bret Harrison) will once again be capturing escaped souls to fulfill a deal his parents made with the devil (Ray Wise).  These 13 new adventures, however, will delve much further into the mythology of Sam’s questionable family lineage and introduce Armie Hammer as the naughty son of…well, you know who.  Speaking of new actors, did you know that Twilight star Nikki Reed (pictured, left) played the role of “Andi” in the original unaired Reaper pilot?  She was later replaced by doppelganger Missy Peregrym—whose cast chemistry must’ve been a determining factor, ‘cause these two beauties could pass for twins. 

Those who were surprised at how well Rose sang last night on Privileged probably never saw Lucy Hale’s introduction to showbiz.  Five years ago, at age 14, she appeared on the one-time summer series and Idol spinoff American Juniors.  A nationwide audition of thousands of young voices produced twenty finalists to compete for a spot in the new AJ pop group.  Lucy impressed the judges at every turn and wound up anchoring the group, which released two albums before disbanding.  Throughout the weekly competition, the teen starlet performed such hits as Call Me, Breaking Up is Hard to Do and I’m Gonna Make You Love Me. Music has obviously taken a backseat to acting these days, but Lucy’s not opposed to dusting off the vocal chords when it fits the storyline.  She’ll need more than a catchy song to escape her cheating scandal next Tuesday.