Dollhouse, which ends its run on Fox Friday (8 p.m.) after eleven-plus months and two brief seasons, will go into the books as another failure nearly as spectacular as Joss Whedon's previous Fox series Firefly.

See pictures from Dollhouse

But Firefly lives on in cult memory and was even able to spawn a feature film, and Dollhouse has gone one better. Since it was lucky to get a second season at all, it appears that those who worked on the show realized that they needed to use their remaining time to bring their story to a satisfying conclusion. Liberated from the "predicament of the week" plots that weren't working early on, Dollhouse has become increasingly gripping as events move towards an apocalypse.

The finale is entitled "Epitaph Two," following up on the now legendary Season One finale "Epitaph One" that Fox chose not to air. The action is again set in 2020, with the very survival of the human race in the balance after the imprinting technology led to complete chaos. Can Echo (Eliza Dushku) and her followers save the world? And more to the point, can network television figure out how to accommodate Whedon, or will he be moving on to greener, more cable-y pastures now?

Also this week:

Monday: Damages (FX, 10 p.m.): The third season begins, and there is yet another enviable lineup of guest stars to look forward to. Clearly the association with Glenn Close pays off when casting. Lily Tomlin, Martin Short, Len Cariou, and Keith Carradine are among the big names on hand this season, which finds Patty Hewes (Close) working on a civil suit against the mastermind of a Ponzi scheme, who is also being prosecuted by Ellen Parsons (Rose Byrne).

Tuesday: NCIS (CBS, 8 p.m.): Tony and Ziva fly home from Paris with a key witness in a federal case, only to learn from headquarters in mid-flight that an assassin targeting the witness is believed to be on board. Why do they always run these shows right before I'm due to fly?

Wednesday: Launch My Line (Bravo, 10 p.m.): It's unfortunate for Bravo that Project Runway seems to have gotten a new lease on life just as its second attempt to replace its onetime hit is sputtering to a conclusion. In the first half of the season finale, the remaining designers are called upon to create new pieces. I guess Merle will win, if you call no one remembering your show ever existed "winning."

Thursday: The Vampire Diaries (CW, 8 p.m.): Stefan and Damon become aware that there's a new vampire in town. They should just look for any young, pouty guy with a shaved chest -- aren't all of them vampires?. Also, Matt gets a job at the local diner, while Elena gets some supernatural escorts for her school dance.

Saturday: Miss America Pageant (TLC, 8 p.m.): Call me old fashioned, but there's just something wrong with this onetime major TV event appearing on a cable channel and taking place at the Planet Hollywood hotel and casino in Las Vegas. Mario Lopez hosts; judges include Vivica A. Fox, gymnast/Dancing With the Stars champ Shawn Johnson, and noted fashion guru Rush Limbaugh.

Sunday: 52nd Grammy Awards (CBS, 8 p.m.): This represents the end of the music awards season, so you ought to be familiar with the list of major nominees and performers by now. Taylor Swift and Beyonce and up for the largest number of trophies; both will perform along with the equally ubiquitous Black Eyed Peas, Lady Gaga, Pink, and the Dave Matthews Band. Also, expect a tribute to Michael Jackson.

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