Every fall we offer up a prayer to that greatest of too-early-canceled series, Sports Night, so that it may bring our favorite shows protection during the upcoming TV season.

Oh, Sports Night, we acknowledge your great works in your short time: you showed us that comedy could be dramatic, you showed us that laugh tracks sometimes are inappropriate, even for thirty minute shows, you provided valuable exposure to many fine young actors who we have gone on to greatly enjoy, like Felicity Huffman, Peter Krause, Joshua Malina and that girl who played Natalie and then was on one season of Numb3rs. For these and other things we are thankful.

Dear Sports Night, we come in supplication, with open hearts, with understanding that the TV networks are just trying to do their best when they cancel programs, even if those programs are great and underrated. We understand that even should a program be canceled here, in this realm, that all great shows go on to play on the big TV station in the sky.

Though we also understand that sometimes TV networks err in their decision to yank a show, such as when your own life was cut short, or the runs of your close friends Arrested Development, Freaks and Geeks, and the newly ressurected-if-only-in-movie-form Futurama. May we take Futurama and Family Guy as the guiding light you have provided that shows can return, provided we are loyal and loving enough.

But we also understand, Sports Night, that no matter how much we love, sometimes we cannot save a show and that sometimes, a show's time has come too late, like Gilmore Girls, or too soon like with your brother Studio 60. By this token, may you take Scrubs peacefully before it is too late, though it already may be.

We continue to implore you for more new, good comedy, though we are very thankful that you brought us 30 Rock last season, even though I called it wrong to begin with. And we are thankful still that How I Met Your Mother remains on the air as well as the glorious The Office.

We are concerned about some of the choices for new shows this season, oh Sports Night, like Viva Laughlin, a prime time musical (for some reason) and the show Cane, about, you know, sugar cartels and stuff. May you justly terminate any show that does not reach it's potential, like Dirty Sexy Money surely won't, or that does meet it's potential, but that potential is crap, like Cavemen. May Christina Applegate's new show be good, we plead, though her track record is so bad, she remains lovely and likeable.

And finally, if any show need be taken from us, let it be taken with no unaired episodes in the can.

In the name of the the broadcast netword, syndication and the DVD box set, we come to you praying as we have been taught:
Live from New York, I'm Dan Rydel, here along side Casey McCall, those stories plus...