TV critics can’t help getting choked up at the end of another television season. There are so many new shows, and so few make it to graduation. I imagine it’s a little like the feeling a grammar-school teacher has at the end of a competitive school year. Oh, “Heroes,” I knew you could make it! You too, “Ugly Betty”! “Jericho,” you showed so much promise. What happened? Too bad about “Vanished”; it just didn’t make the grade. Ditto “Happy Hour” and “The Nine.” Who can forget “Smith”? OK, everybody did.

While intoxicated with the spirit of pomp and circumstance, I have a confession to make. It seems I’ve gone a whole season without watching a minute of “Dancing with the Stars” (8 p.m., ABC), the hit contest that concludes tonight with a two-hour results show.

I have nothing against “Dancing” and certainly don’t feel above the show or its legion of faithful fans. It’s just that in a world with so much television and so little time, I’ve decided to save that time by not watching “Dancing.” I’ve seen the show during previous seasons and written about it. I’m the first to admit that nobody will watch or not watch it on my say-so.

So why do I feel so guilty and yet so happy about skipping it? Maybe it was the inclusion of Heather Mills. But to be honest, it could have just as well have been the notion of watching John Ratzenberger dance, or enduring yet another show with Billy Ray Cyrus. Watching him on “Hannah Montana” more than fulfills my achy-breaky quota.

But it’s that and oh so much more. Confronted with the daily onslaught of television, the choice to not watch one of the most popular series just feels so right! At least for me. “Dancing with the Stars” ends tonight, and I just don’t care who wins!

I had to get that off my chest.

Besides, tomorrow it will be over, and nobody will care about it anymore. I feel so ahead of the curve.

And by the way, who won “Survivor”?

¢ Speaking of things that critics watch or don’t watch, “Veronica Mars” (7 p.m., CW) ends its run with the two-hour series finale. How does a show with so few viewers receive so much media attention? But eventually even the coolest show has to find an audience apart from critics and magazine writers.

¢ In a decision that will surely infuriate “House” fans, Fox has bumped the season finale of that show to next week. Instead, it will use the ratings boost from the penultimate episode of “American Idol” to promote the summer series “On the Lot” (8 p.m., Fox).

The brainchild of director Steven Spielberg and producer Mark Burnett, “The Lot” aims to be an “Idol” for filmmakers. A dozen would-be directors will compete every week, creating short movies in different genres. They have to write, cast, rehearse, shoot and edit a horror film, a love story or an adventure flick, etc. And every week the home audience gets to vote for their favorite movie. As on “Idol,” the weakest vote-getter is sent home.

Tonight’s other highlights

¢ It comes down to Blake and Jordin on “American Idol” (7 p.m., Fox).

¢ The lucky couple canoodle on “The Bachelor: After the Final Rose” (7 p.m., ABC).