It was a month of reality-show winners. After months of auditions and performances, viewers elected Lee DeWyze as their ninth American Idol.
Despite a series of life-threatening medical concerns, rocker Bret Michaels won season three of The Celebrity Apprentice.
Dancing With the Stars also ended a season, with the pair of Derek Hough and former Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger taking home the mirrored trophy.
May was also a popular month for season finales. These were some of the biggest: CBS’ CSI, The Mentalist, The Big Bang Theory, and The Good Wife, ABC’s Private Practice, Desperate Housewives, Modern Family, and Grey’s Anatomy, FOX’s House, Fringe, Bones, and The Simpsons, NBC’s 30 Rock, The Office, Parenthood, and Law & Order: SVU, and The CW’s Gossip Girl, The Vampire Diaries, Smallville, and Supernatural.
Some shows didn’t just leave for the summer, airing their series finales. Among them was NBC’s Mercy and Law & Order, CBS’ The New Adventures of Old Christine and Ghost Whisper, ABC’s FlashForward and Romantically Challenged, FOX’s King of the Hill and 24, and syndicated shows like The Bonnie Hunt Show, Legend of the Seeker, and The Tyra Banks Show.
However, one of the most anticipated series finales was that of ABC’s Lost. After six seasons of a complicated plot involving hidden secrets, big questions, conspiracy theories, supernatural elements, and a parallel universe involving many characters, viewers finally got their answers. (Or did they?)
Another much-discussed TV event was Conan O’ Brien’s oddly depressive interview on 60 Minutes.
The Fine Living Network turned into the Cooking Channel this month.
Among the classic TV stars we lost in May include soap-opera actress Helen Wagner, sportscaster Ernie Harwell, child star Gary Coleman, E-Ring actor Dennis Hopper, and TV personality Art Linkletter.