If the posts here seem a little more sporadic, it's because a) work has been busy, and b) it's quiet time for the TV world right now.

We've pretty much headed into rerun territory and holiday specials for the rest of 2012, so there's not that much to write about.

Assuming the world doesn't end Friday, next week will be my annual Best and Worst of TV lists for 2012? What will be my show of the year? (Hint: It's on cable) What's my worst disappointment of 2012? (Trick question: it's JDate).

Of course, it's entirely subjective, but that's part of the fun of these lists, having the debates about what should and shouldn't be on them.

WEDNESDAY'S BEST BETS: As with every single other music competition series, "X-Factor" has to use two nights to name its winner. So tonight, it's two hours of the two finalists, with nothing settled until tomorrow. That seems an awful long wait for a competition not many people care about.

Katie Couric reviews the biggest news stories of 2012 on ABC at 9:30 p.m., while NBC hosts the Miss Universe Pageant beginning at 8 p.m.

On cable, it's episode 4 of "The Wire" (BBC America, 9 p.m.)