At the end of last nights episode they said it would be back on in January. Wonder if this was planned or if its due to the writers strike? Either way, I'm going to miss watching it.

No it wasn't planned. It was supposed to run through early December and then take a break until April. Because of the strike they cut it short so they would still have a few original episodes ready in January.

They've done this before. The main reason I don't watch it anymore. I hate television the way it is now. I miss the olden days when a serial show actually ran from September through May, WITH NO BREAK other than maybe once, during Christmas week.