Oct. 6 update:

The season 2 finale of "Ugly Betty" left viewers hanging on a cliff and our heroine with a big choice to make. Henry proposed, which would mean moving to Arizona. But Gio wants to take her on a Roman holiday and be "the guy." Meanwhile Daniel has a son, but no job. Wow. So many questions. (Savvy fans probably already know how one of those dilemmas turns out, but I'll never tell.)

Are you a fan? Anything you’re curious about? Want to know something about one of the stars? "Betty" showrunner Silvio Horta will answer your questions here. Just hit the comment button below and ask. Silvio's favorite participant will win a season 2 DVD set.

The show's now filming in New York, so Silvio's busy traveling back and forth and will answer via email. Check back here next week for the answers.

And, on Monday I will have the results of the Marc Cherry/"Desperate Housewives" Q&A!

In the meantime, stay up to date with "Ugly Betty" news on  SoapNet.com, which covers 42 shows including "Desperate Housewives," “90210,” “Gossip Girl,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Dirty Sexy Money,” “Weeds” and more.

Visit SOAPnet.com for:

• Show Recaps
• News on the hottest primetime and daytime dramas
• A fall premiere calendar
• Video interviews with your favorite TV stars, clip shows and more

— Kathy Lyford

P.S.
Check back for future Q&A opportunites for "Friday Night Lights" and others.

Hey guys,

Thanks for being so patient. I heard from Silvio Horta today regarding the Q&A and he said he's been so buried in work the last week he's barely had time to breathe. He promises to get to the answers in the next couple of days. Stay tuned. Your patience will be rewarded.

— KL

When last we left Wisteria Lane, the ladies’ lives had been fast-forwarded five years. If you’re a fan of “Desperate Housewives,” I’m sure you have questions.

Well, here’s your chance to ask them. I will be having lunch with “Housewives” boss Marc Cherry on Sept. 20, where I will present him with the best questions submitted. On Monday, Sept. 22 I will post the answers.

Anything you’re curious about? Have a query about one of the stars? Just hit the comment button below and ask. The person who submits the question Marc deems the most interesting will receive season 4 of “DH” on DVD. I’ll even see if I can persuade Marc to sign it for you.

And SoapNet.com has generously offered to award some other lucky participants t-shirts emblazoned with “My Life is So Like TV.”

In the meantime, you can catch up on “Housewives’ gossip or refresh your memory on last season’s episodes at the re-launched SoapNet.com. The site covers 42 shows including “90210,” “Gossip Girl,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Dirty Sexy Money,” “Weeds” and more.

Visit SOAPnet.com for:

• Show Recaps
• News on the hottest primetime and daytime dramas
• A fall premiere calendar
• Video interviews with your favorite TV stars, clip shows and more

— Kathy Lyford

P.S.
Check back for future Q&A opportunites for “Ugly Betty” and “Mad Men.” I’m also working on “Lost” and “Friday Night Lights.”

UPDATE:

Lunch has been rescheduled for Saturday! Answers will be posted Monday. Thanks for your patience and understanding.

Our friends at the Paley Center for Media and TV Guide will co-host fall preview parties at the Paley’s BevHills location. The weeklong series of free public screenings offer a sneak peek at the new and returning shows of the fall season prior to their broadcast premieres.

The Fall Preview Parties begin at 6 p.m. with Q&A sessions beginning at 7 p.m. and screenings to follow. Screenings and parties are free with seats available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Hey, this may be the only way anyone’s going to get to screen the NBC shows before their debut dates!

Here’s the sked:

Friday, Sept. 5 Fox ("Fringe"; "Do Not Disturb")

Saturday, Sept. 6 CW ("Privileged" (pictured, right); "90210")

Monday, Sept. 8 NBC ("My Own Worst Enemy"; "Kath & Kim"; "Crusoe"; "Knight Rider')

Tuesday, Sept. 9 CBS ("Gary Unmarried"; "The Ex List"; "Worst Week"; "The Mentalist")

Wednesday, Sept. 10 ABC ("Pushing Daisies"; "Private Practice"; "Eli Stone"; plus a preview of "Life on Mars")

*Please note the schedule is subject to change*

TiVo, creator of the machine of the gods, has unveiled its top commercial and program rankings for June for both total and timeshifted viewing. (Tivo follows the industry standard for broadcast periods. So in this case it was May 26 to June 29.)

It seems if you’re an advertiser — particularly a studio hyping your upcoming pic — you ought to be lining up to place your spot on ABC’s “Lost” (pictured, right).

NBC’s coverage of the U.S. Open golf tourney, which Tiger Woods (pictured below) won in dramatic fashion, was no slouch either, taking three of the top 10 slots for commercials in total viewing. (Apparently many of those viewers were feeling Woods’ pain, as they stayed tuned in through the Aleve ads.) Unfortunately, with Woods recovering from knee surgery, it’ll be next year sometime before there’s another golf tournament where advertisers could reap these kinds of results.

It’s when the company measured only those ads for timeshifted (delayed) viewing, that “Lost” really dominated. Of course, delayed viewing for major sporting events such as the U.S. Open is much more rare. Rabid fans like to watch sports as they happen, trust me.

“What is particularly impressive is that every commercial in the top 10 for timeshifted viewing aired during the ‘Lost’ season finale — in fact, the top 86 commercials for timeshifted viewing aired during ‘Lost’ (episodes during this period),” said Todd Juenger, VP-g.m. of TiVo audience research and measurement. “The top 5 spots in timeshifted viewing were all for movies.”

Fans of Fox’s “So You Think You Can Dance” really busted a move as well. The reality competition for hoofers landed in slots 3-10 for total viewing and 2-9 for timeshifted viewing in the program rankings.

Other notes of interest:

• Coppertone made the list of least forwarded brands at No. 7, a sure sign of summer.
• The American Petroleum Institute and CITGO Petroleum both made the list — more evidence that the price of gas is top of mind.
• Meineke made the list for the third consecutive month.
• Research data for June also revealed that viewers fast-forwarded through network promos at high rates. Tivo surmises that one reason might be that network promos are perceived by some viewers as program content not paid advertising.

Check out the charts on the next page. And if you’re a real numbers nerd and need to know how Tivo arrives at these numbers, read the small print at the bottom of the post. Just don’t ask me to explain it.

— Kathy Lyford

"Scrubs" bid farewell to NBC on Thursday in appropriate style, with moments alternatively sweet and stupid, silly and senseless. Now what?

Unless the world we've been living in is merely one of J.D.'s fantasy sequences, "Scrubs" will rematerialize next season on ABC. Once a cult favorite (for all the good and bad that implies), "Scrubs" has been surpassed in the buzzmeter by the likes of "The Office" and "30 Rock," which makes one wonder what exactly the Alphabet net hopes to get out of the show.

More than 25 years ago, in a much more forgiving climate for broadcast series and closer to its creative highpoint, "Taxi" made the reverse move, jumping from ABC to NBC at the start of its fifth season. The sharp writing kept right on coming, producing such episodes as the two-part "Scenskees from a Marriage," "Elaine and the Monk," "Arnie and the Kids," "Jim's Marios" and "Simka's Monthlies." I mean, we're talking classic stuff.  Nevertheless, the show's ratings tumbled — NBC initally placed the show in the Thursday 9:30 p.m. timeslot after a little-seen new show called "Cheers," before moving it three times  — and it was canceled at season's end.

"Scrubs," though at its height as joyful, touching and inventive as "Taxi" if not more so (I'll take Vic Ferrari over "Guy Love," but your mileage may vary), has struggled to maintain its creative juice in recent years. For all its craziness, the show is openly formulaic — on Thursday's season finale, J.D. had a line that jokingly called out the typical scenario — and so each episode depends on how funny or touching the show can be in that formula.  It's hit or miss.

Heading into season eight, "Scrubs" ain't likely to have many new viewers discover the show, even if ABC offers a larger base audience for Bill Lawrence & Co. to draw from.  And those newbies figure to be negated by long-term viewers who will take NBC's abandonment of the show as another sign that it's no longer essential television. Certainly, the good people at ABC and "Scrubs" have thought this through and concluded that the enterprise is still worth pursuing, at least on a pocketbook level. But creatively, there's a big challenge ahead.

Suggestions?  This might or might not already be in the works, but "Scrubs" should take a cue from "The Office" and finally put their own Jim and Pam together — for good. J.D. and Elliot have never gotten to play out their relationship on a romantic level for more than a few episodes at a time.  It's time to unshackle those two and let their own particular madness flower inside of a long-term relationship. (That kind of energy was mostly wasted when they were paired with Kim and Keith, respectively.) Beyond that, to counter the inconsistency of its more cartoonish efforts, "Scrubs" needs to either make its characters less shtick-dependent and more likable on a human level or find some new ones who will be. The series leads are stuck in a rut, and as for the Janitor, Ted, the Todd — those guys are played, Jerry, played.

"Scrubs" has reached a point where a number of the characters just don't seem worth caring about.  To make the ABC episodes worth our while, "Scrubs" need to make us fall in love again.

— Jon Weisman

ABC is wasting no time getting back to work, renewing nine series for fall Monday in a post-strike pickup binge.

The renewals were pretty much no-brainers, encompassing some of the Alphabet web’s top-rated scripted performers. Frosh series scoring orders include “Dirty Sexy Money,” “Private Practice,” “Pushing Daisies” and “Samantha Who?”

All four have received 13 episode pickups, as is standard practice among frosh skeins.

ABC staples earning another year include “Brothers & Sisters,” “Desperate Housewives,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Lost” and “Ugly Betty.”

Net is still mulling how to handle the remaining orders for this season on all of those shows. What eventually happens will vary, according to show. In some cases, back nine orders will be shot, but held for next year. In other cases, shows will go back and fulfill back nine orders, shooting as many segs as possible before the season ends.

What actually airs before the end of the season is also still in question. Some shows will be held back until they can be properly relaunched next fall – such as Wednesday newbies “Pushing Daisies” and “Private Practice” (net is doing all right on the night against tough “American Idol” competish” anyway).

"The strength of our schedule this fall was unprecedented and speaks for itself," said ABC Entertainment prexy Steve McPherson. "We're looking forward to building on that success."

-- Michael Schneider

"Lost" stomped all over the competish in its return to ABC's sked on Thursday. "Eli Stone" had a harder time of it in its debut.

The 9 p.m. fourth season premiere seg drew 16.1 million viewers and 6.7 rating/16 share in the adults 18-49 demo, per Nielsen prelims. The 8 p.m. "Lost" clip show did a healthy 13.1 million 4.9/13 in the key demo.

"Lost's" premiere ratings were down from last season's opener (18.8 million, 7.7/19), but we all know last night's numbers will balloon when DVR viewing sources are factored in week after next.

Kind of a mixed bag for the 10 p.m. bow of ABC's dramedy "Eli Stone." The well-reviewed drama about an idealistic lawyer who begins to realize that he's a prophet had a hard time hanging on to "Lost's" coattails. It opened to 11.6 million viewers and 4.2/11 in 18-49. Not great, but not terrible either, and it is an improvement over the perf of "Lost" companion "The Nine" last season.

-- Cynthia Littleton

Sunday night's preem of "American Gladiators" on NBC bowed to big numbers. (Curse you, Ben Silverman!). According to Variety's ratings guru and Season Pass panelist Rick Kissell:

“American Gladiators” averaged a 5.9 rating/14 share in adults 18-49 and 12 million viewers overall, winning its 9-11 p.m. slot in key demos and becoming the highest-rated series preem of the season on any net in 18-49. It’s also the best non-sports result in the time period for NBC in three years.

ABC didn't fare so well with its new scripted series "Cashmere Mafia":

“Cashmere Mafia” garnered a 3.8 rating/9 share in 18-49 and 10.7 million viewers overall for its preview in the 10 o’clock hour, retaining a little more than half its demo lead-in from an original episode of slot-leading “Desperate Housewives” at 9 (prelim 7.2/16, 19.8 million).

And although “Mafia” won its time period among women 18-49, it was beaten out among women 18-34 by “Gladiators.”   

So my question is this: If the networks can get better ratings by shoving crappy reality down our throats than they do with the crappy scripted shows they're offering, what motivation, exactly, do they have to make a deal with the WGA to end the strike and get scripted shows back into production?

Just asking.

— Kathy Lyford

Between wrapping gifts, sending out cards and catching up on some screeners, I cleared out my Tivo Now Showing menu the other day. I watched everything on there — "ER," "Friday Night Lights," "Grey's Anatomy" and an episode of "Inside the Actors Studio" — but when it came to "Dirty Sexy Money," I sat through 10 minutes, hit the delete button and canceled the Season Pass.

I don't cancel Season Passes lightly, not without much inner discussion and debate. And while there were several elements of the show I enjoyed — most anything to do with Peter Krause, and pros Donald Sutherland and Jill Clayburgh — I couldn't get past the annoying twins, Karen (Natalie Zea) and her constant assault on Krause's marriage and most of the Billy Baldwin scenario.

Nothing against the actors, of course, but the characters were so grating at times, I had to ask myself if it was worth the time and energy, when I could — aghast!! — actually do something more productive with limited down time, such as reading a book or spending a few quality moments with my teenage daughter.

As for the rest of the broadcast shows that have launched this fall, they've been mostly duds, except for two. Despite the look of bewilderment among a few of my Variety colleagues, I remained devoted to "Life," where Damian Lewis is the season's breakout star, and "The Big Bang Theory," which continues to make me laugh on a weekly basis, thanks to not only leads Johnny Galecki and Jim Parsons, but the supporting nerds as well.

— Stuart Levine

Break out the celebratory slice of pie: ABC has given "Pushing Daisies" a back-nine order.

The best-reviewed new show of the season, "Pushing Daisies" is also the fourth-highest rated frosh entry (behind only "Private Practice," "Bionic Woman" and "Samantha Who?").

The show was finally given the pickup after once again winning its Wednesday 8 p.m. hour last week among adults 18-49, 18-34 and 25-54. Show is even growing among young men: "Daisies" was up 32% week-to-week with men 18-34.

“Daisies” reps the second frosh series to get a “back nine” pickup by the Alphabet, which has also given the full-year go-ahead to “Private Practice.” Next up, expect announcements also on "Dirty Sexy Money,” “Women’s Murder Club” and “Samantha Who?”

"Daisies," from Warner Bros. TV, has averaged a 3.9 rating and 11 share among adults 18-49 after three airings, according to live-plus-same-day data. Skein has also averaged 11.1 million viewers.

Bryan Fuller created "Daisies" and exec produces, along with Barry Sonnenfeld (who helmed the pilot), Dan Jinks, Bruce Cohen and Brooke Kennedy. In case you haven't checked it out yet, Lee Pace stars as piemaker Ned, who discovers he can bring the deceased back to life by touching them. He winds up one day resurrecting his childhood crush Chuck (Anna Friel), and the two launch a flirtation hampered by the fact that they can never come in physical contact.

Chi McBride, Ellen Greene, Swoosie Kurtz and Kristin Chenoweth star, with narration by Jim Dale.

The road to full-season pickup has been rather bumpy. As Season Pass noted last month, producers have stuggled to keep up with budget and time contraints while trying to maintain its unique, colorful look.

Specifically, Sonnenfeld, who also directed the first regular episode, was asked not to return to helm subsequent segs after Warner Bros. TV grew leery of cost overruns. The studio eventually reversed course, however, and asked Sonnenfeld to direct more episodes this fall.

Sonnenfeld wasn’t available again, however. But now that "Daisies" will continue through the end of the year, Sonnenfeld will likely shoot another episode later sometime in midseason.

-- Michael Schneider

"Women's Murder Club" lured most of its members back in the ABC drama's second outing Friday, while Fox's "The Next Great American Band" played to less than a capacity crowd in its two-hour debut.

ABC's femme gumshoe ensembler (pictured left) averaged 9.7 million viewers and 2.0 rating/6 share in the adults 18-49 demo, per prelim Nielsens. That was down about 1 million viewers and one-half of a demo point from "Murder's" strong (by Friday night standards) preem last week. Perhaps the most important sign of life for "Murder" was that it once again jumped noticeably from its 8 p.m. "20/20" (6.8 million, 1.7/6) lead-in.

"Murder" tied with CBS' 10 p.m. anchor "Numbers" (9.7 million, 2.7/9) for bragging rights as the night's most watched program, though CBS' egghead hour won by a wide margin in the demo. And CBS' frosh 9 p.m. drama "Moonlight" (7.8 million, 2.1/7) topped "Murder" by a razor-thin margin in adults 18-49 for the hour.

Fox's "The Next Great American Band" didn't throw off too many sparks, finishing out its 8-10 p.m. opener with an average of 3.6 million viewers and 1.5/5 in adults 18-49.

Inexplicably, the single-best drama on TV (IMHO, until "Lost" comes back and then it's probably a tie), NBC's "Friday Night Lights" (5.5 million, 1.9/6), continues to pull only modest numbers. But thankfully, on a night when the ratings bar is set pretty low, show's demos are respectable enough, and reviews glowing enough, to keep hope alive.

So far this season, Brad Leland (pictured right), who plays "FNL's" garrulous car dealership owner and self-appointed No. 1 high school football booster Buddy Garrity, is shining particularly bright amid the stellar constellation of thesps on this show as his character is enduring all kinds of emotional torment and mid-life crises. Can't wait for next week's installment.

--Cynthia Littleton

(No kidding folks, it was one of those days around the ol' Variety newsroom and I'm only now getting the time to peek at last night's ratings.)

While "Samantha Who?" ranked low on most Season Pass-ers list of new show picks, America disagreed, or at least there was plenty of curiosity to see whatever became of Kelly Bundy. The ABC comedy starring Christina Applegate premiered very well Monday in the 9:30 p.m. slot behind a 90-minute "Dancing With the Stars."

Laffer made the most of its strong lead-in to finish out with 14.4 million viewers and 4.5 rating/10 share in the adults 18-49 demographic, coming out of 19.4 million and 4.7/12 for "Dancing," per Nielsen.

Interesting to also see in the 8 p.m. competish that NBC's "Chuck" (8.4 million, 3.3/9) and CBS' 8:30 p.m. frosh "The Big Bang Theory" (7.9 million, 3.1/8) seem to have have found a comfortable level of respectable ratings -- even against the wild card factor of Fox's primetime coverage of the American League championship series between the BoSox and Cleveland Indians (go Cleveland!). Gee, maybe there's hope for broadcast TV after all...

--Cynthia Littleton

"Women's Murder Club" drew a crowd for ABC in its Friday premiere. Gumshoe drama starring Angie Harmon, Paula Newsome, Laura Harris and Aubrey Dollar (pictured left) opened to a strong (by Friday night standards) 10.8 million viewers and 2.5 rating/8 share in the adults 18-49 demo in the 9 p.m. hour, per prelim Nielsens.

"Murder Club" didn't get much help from its 8 p.m. lead-in, newsmag "20/20" (5.6 million, 1.6/6) and it appeared to out-perform Fox's coverage of the American League Championship series (reliable national ratings figs for the live sports telecast won't be available until Monday.) It also picked up about 350,000 viewers at the half-hour mark.

CBS' vampire-detective skein "Moonlight" (7.3 million, 2.0/6) felt the competition from ABC's lady sleuths as it dropped by nearly 2 million viewers in its third outing. The debut of "Murder Club" and the baseball post-season action also put a dent in the turnout for NBC's "Friday Night Lights" (5.4 million, 1.7/5) which dropped from last week's solid sophomore season preem. ("FNL's" Zach Gilford pictured right)

The momentum from "Murder Club" didn't help ABC's sophomore drama "Men in Trees" (7.05 million, 1.9/6), which slipped to third place at 10 p.m. behind CBS' "Numbers" (9.1 million, 2.5/8) and NBC's "Las Vegas" (7.13 million, 2.1/6).

--Cynthia Littleton

"Pushing Daisies" held up pretty well in its second outing Wednesday, but it's "Private Practice" that's really looking like a hit for ABC. NBC's "Bionic Woman" dipped in week three, but not precipitously.

Meanwhile, Fox's "Back to You" and CBS' "Kid Nation" had a tough time in the 8 p.m. hour. "Pushing Daisies" (10.1 million, 3.6 rating/11 share) led the hour in the adults 18-49 demo and held the majority, if not vast majority, of its premiere aud last week (13 million, 4.3/13). NBC's "Deal or No Deal" (12.5 million, 3.1/9) regained some of the aud it lost last week to "Daisies" (pictured left). Same could not be said for "Back to You" (6.5 million, 2.2/7) or "Kid Nation" (7 million, 2.0/6).

At 9 p.m., "Bionic Woman" (10.1 million, 3.8/8) improved in the demo on its "Deal" lead-in. CBS' "Criminal Minds" (14.5 million, 3.8/8) led the frame in viewers but "Practice" (12.2 million, 4.8/12) won the demo by a comfortable margin, up slightly from its second outing last week. CW's "Gossip Girl" (2.9 million, 1.7/5 in adults 18-34) got lost in the fray but no matter; the frosh sudser earned a full season pickup from CW on Wednesday. Fox's "Kitchen Nightmares" (6.5 million, 3.0/8) was in its regular zone of the past few weeks.

At 10 p.m., it looks like time is running out on NBC's drama "Life" (8.1 million, 2.8/8). ABC's "Dirty Sexy Money" (8.9 million, 3.4/9) is better off, but it also has a better lead-in. CBS' "CSI: NY" (13.3 million, 4.0/11) easily took the hour.

For the nightly bragging rights overall, it was ABC in 18-49 (3.9/11) and CBS in viewers (11.6 million.)

--Cynthia Littleton

Most of my fellow Season Passers didn't care for the pilot of "Carpoolers." Five of nine SPers panned the show; three of us (including myself) offered guarded praise in the form of one thumbs up. Only Variety ratings guru Rick Kissell granted the show a full, double-thumbed vote of confidence.

After watching tonight's second episode, it must be said: Kissell was right. I really dig the "Carpoolers." So much so, I'm adding it to my Season Pass list (though my lame Time Warner Cable DVR calls it a "series recording".)

What some critics wrongfully dismissed as misogynist and dull-- the New York Times called it "'Bewitched' with tollbooths"-- is actually shaping up as the most unexpected surprise of the season. The four lead characters are all being fleshed out well, and are emerging as more than just cliches. All roles are well played by the cast, particularly the should-be-more-famous Fred Goss and the subtle Jerry Minor.

Most of all, "Carpoolers" has a loopy spirit about it that just makes it fun to watch. There's the adult son named Marmaduke. A woman who only dates married men. The guys belting out "Come On, Eileen" with abandon.

At its best, "Carpoolers" comes close to channeling the spirit of the late, great "Arrested Development" (really). Part of that stems from the fact that the pilots of both shows were directed by Joe and Anthony Russo, who find a way to make even the most mundane shots interesting.

It's been a pretty pathetic season for new comedies. NBC didn't have the guts to try a single new sitcom, while CBS's "Big Bang Theory" and Fox's "Back to You" just haven't gotten me excited, despite their solid pedigrees and winning casts. CW's "Aliens in America" is very good stuff, but it's on the CW, which means I've got to try extra hard to remember it's on....and with "How I Met Your Mother" and "Chuck" airing against it, it's never gonna be my first choice for the night.

But with "Carpoolers," ABC got it right. One more episode like Tuesday's, and I might just be ready to declare it the best new comedy of the year.

--Josef Adalian

What'er the only two new shows to crack TiVo's top 50 Season Pass (no relation) rankings?

Surprise, surprise: "Private Practice" and "Bionic Woman." ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" spinoff "Practice" (pictured left) ranks No. 18 on TiVo's ranking of most its most popular Season Pass settings, in which the whiz-bang DVR grabs all original segs of a designated series."Bionic" (pictured below) ranks No. 43 on the list.

TiVo's Season Pass top 10, not surprisingly, closely corresponds to the Nielsen top 10: "Grey's Anatomy," "Desperate Housewives," "House," "Lost," "CSI," "Heroes," "American Idol," "24," "The Office" and "CSI: Miami." Pretty sad to see only one comedy on the list; god bless "The Office."

A little surprising to see ABC's big buzz show "Pushing Daisies" not make the top 100, particularly after last night's solid preem. NBC's "Journeyman" ranks head-scratchingly high at No. 54, followed by ABC's "Dirty Sexy Money" (No. 55); Fox's "Back to You" (No. 65); CBS' "Cane" (No. 70); NBC's "Chuck" (No. 75); PBS' Ken Burns mini "The War" (No. 76); CBS' "Kid Nation" (No. 89); and ABC's "Big Shots" (No. 95).

Last fall the only newcomer to crack the top 50 was NBC's "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip," and we all know what happened there...

--Cynthia Littleton

ABC's 8 p.m. seedling "Pushing Daisies" got off to a good start, drawing 12.8 million viewers and 4.2 rating/12 share in the adults 18-49 demo.

"Daisies" (pictured left) easily led its time period and built slightly at the half-hour mark, per prelim Nielsens. Show was boffo with femmes, thanks no doubt to the charms of star Lee Pace. It drew 5.3 rating in women 18-49, 4.2 in W18-34 and 6.3 in W25-54.

The presence of "Daisies" hammered Fox's 8 p.m. anchor "Back to You" (6.6 million, 2.4/7) to its lowest score yet in three airings. CBS' "Kid Nation" started out soft in its first half-hour but jumped by more than 1 million viewers in the second half to finish out in third place, behind NBC's "Deal or No Deal" (11.1 million, 2.8/8), with 7.5 million viewers and 2.4/7 in the demo.

ABC got more good news at 9 p.m. as "Private Practice" (pictured right) held up well in its second outing with 12.3 million viewers and 4.5/11 in 18-49. NBC's competing "Bionic Woman" took a tumble from its premiere outing last  week but still delivered a credible 10.9 million viewers and 4.0/10 in the demo.

CBS' "Criminal Minds" was also a factor at 9 p.m., winning the hour in viewers (14.4 million, 3.7/9) and undoubtedly siphoning off a few demo points from the competish. CW's "Gossip Girl" (2.8 million) was pounded by the surprisingly strong young-femme appeal of "Practice," which scored a 6.2 in women 18-34 to "Gossip's" 2.7. "Gossip" nonetheless had the teen aud sewn up with a time slot leading 2.5.

At 10 p.m., week two of ABC's "Dirty Sexy Money" (9.7 million, 3.6.10) was again a little soft coming out of its "Private Practice" lead-in. NBC's "Life" (8.8 million, 3.0/8) had the same problem going up against CBS' incumbent "CSI: NY" (12.7 million, 3.9/10).

Overall, ABC led the night in 18-49 (4.1/11) and narrowly beat CBS for the total viewer crown too (ABC's 11.61 million average to CBS' 11.55 million). Click here for a full rundown of the night from Variety and Season Pass-er Rick Kissell.

-- Cynthia Littleton

Accelerating the end of my journalistic career, I will defend "Cavemen" not once, but twice.

It's a show that has left most critics scratching their heads, and I won't deny that it's a particularly strange program. But in Tuesday's official premiere of the show's alternative pilot, I continued to see redeeming qualities.

It's dry, even droll. It doesn't beg for laughs.  It's much more interested in character than joke, joke, joke — and the characters are interesting in their insider/outsider way.  And, despite its Geico ad roots, as far as sitcoms go, "Cavemen" is wholly original in its situation (which is half of "situation comedy," in case you've forgotten). 

A counterpoint to the show — and this is really going to get me in trouble — is something like NBC's "Chuck," which also has its upside but seems more interested in looking good than being good. Compared to "Cavemen," is "Chuck" really any funnier, any more dramatic, any more insightful or even that much more plausible?

In "Chuck" so far, the characters have been types.  The show is definitely easier on the eyes (although, not to commit the same kind of offense "Cavemen" takes a stand against, you could exchange Yvonne Strzechowski of "Chuck," right, with Kaitlin Doubleday of "Cavemen," left, pretty swiftly), and it's a more obvious good time, but I'm not seeing how "Chuck" isn't a more shallow endeavor.

Let me caution that "Cavemen" is nowhere near as good as the show I'm about to mention — not even close — but thinking about it this morning, the comedy that came to mind was "The Office." When that show premiered in the U.S., it was anything but a laugh riot; it was not at all clear what it was going to be. But there were signs it could be something, if it were given room to breathe. 

"Cavemen" could go either way at this point. As James Poniewozik of Time wrote today, some of the changes made from the original pilot were for the worse, such as the fact that "Nick, the militant postgraduate student, was especially defanged." In any case, it's certainly not going to be everyone's cup of tea, but in this day and age, what is? It will be interesting to see if Tuesday's adequate ratings hold up next week, providing an indication of whether "Cavemen" can be a niche success.

— Jon Weisman

Thursday was a big night of big shows and a not-so-big debut for ABC's "Big Shots." (pictured left)

ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" and CBS' "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" returned to their familiar duel positions at 9 p.m., with "Grey's" leading the night in adults 18-49 while "CSI" had total-viewer tonnage. Both "Grey's" and "CSI" flexed their muscles by spiking from their 8 p.m. lead-ins.

"Grey's" (pictured below left) finished out with 20.5 million viewers and 8.7 rating/21 share in 18-49. "CSI" (pictured below right) brought in 24.9 million viewers and 8.0/19 in the key demo, per prelim Nielsens.

"Survivor: China" was soft, by the show's past standard, but still dominated in the 8 p.m. hour with 14.2 million viewers and 4.6/13 in 18-49. ABC's "Ugly Betty" (11 million, 3.8/11) was a solid No. 2 in the hour, posting its best figures since February.

At 10 p.m., "Big Shots" (inevitably) slid from its "Grey's" lead-in to open with 11.6 million viewers and 4.7/13 in 18-49. The return of CBS' "Without a Trace" (16.7 million, 4.8/13)  to its longtime home adjacent to "CSI" did wonders for that show, allowing it to squeak past the "Big Shots" preem by the slimmest of margins in 18-49.

Click here for the lowdown on the entire night from Variety's Rick Kissell.

--Cynthia Littleton

The big winners of Monday: ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" and NBC's "Heroes."

NBC's "Chuck" and CBS' "Big Bang Theory" (pictured left) qualify for OK starts -- not terrific but not terrible.

On the not-so-hot side, NBC's "Journeyman," which didn't make much of its "Heroes" lead-in. And CBS' "CSI: Miami" was surprisingly sluggish in its premiere, though it did still win its 10 p.m. time slot by a comfortable margin.

The 8-9:30 p.m. "Dancing with the Stars" was the night's most-watched program with 21.2 million hoofers tuning in. "Dancing" was also second for the night in the adults 18-49 demo derby to NBC's "Heroes" ("Heroes" pulled 6.5 rating/15 share and 14.1 million viewers; "Dancing" scored 5.8/15 in the demo.)

"Chuck's" maiden voyage at 8 p.m. averaged 9.3 million viewers and 3.6/9 in 18-49. At 8:30 p.m. "Big Bang Theory" grew from its "How I Met Your Mother" lead-in to finish out with 9.6 million and 3.7/9, coming out of "Mother's" 8.3 million and 3.2/9.

"Journeyman" fell from its "Heroes" lead-in to 9.5 million viewers and 3.7/9. "CSI: Miami" was off its usual game in its sixth season opener with an average of 14.8 million viewers and 4.6/12.

Bragging rights for the night went to ABC in both key measures of viewers (15.4 million average for the night) and adults 18-49 (4.7/12, narrowly beating NBC's 4.6/11).

Click here for a complete rundown of Monday night ratings follies from Variety ratings guru and Season Pass contributor Rick Kissell.

--Cynthia Littleton

This season has many character trends. You'll see nerds (“Big Bang Theory,” “Chuck,” “Aliens in America,” “The IT Crowd”), slackers (“Reaper” and “Chuck,” again — which would make him a slacker-nerd, I guess), wealthy clans (“Dirty Sexy Money,” “Cane”) and hot women kicking ass, literally (“Bionic Woman,” “Sarah Connor Chronicles” and, um, “Chuck” again) and on the job (“Women’s Murder Club” and midseasoners “Lipstick Jungle” and “Cashmere Mafia”).

Perhaps most interesting is the influx of transgender characters this fall. There are three, all on ABC shows — one played by a supermodel and two played by transgender performers.

“Dirty Sexy Money,” which bows Wednesday, has a character named Carmelita, a transgender woman having an affair with Billy Baldwin’s character, a married politician. Carmelita is played by transwoman Candis Cayne (pictured at left with Baldwin), who’s slated to appear in at least five episodes of the soapy drama. In this interview, Cayne explains that her voice was digitally lowered in post-production. Some sites have objected that this character is a homewrecker but there’s no shortage of those on TV, across the spectrum of sexual identity.

The net’s “Big Shots” goes the less subtle route, making its transgender character a prostitute (and using a far less charming phrase that won’t be repeated here). Transgender actress Jazzmun plays a working girl named Dontrelle whose encounter with Dylan McDermott’s character leaves him with some explaining to do. Jazzmun (pictured at right with McDermott) is scheduled to appear in one episode beyond the pilot, which bows Thursday. The actress is a veteran of episodic television having appeared in episodes of “CSI” and “CSI: NY,” “Desperate Housewives,” “NYPD Blue,” “ER,” “Gilmore Girls,” “The Shield,” ”The Closer,” “Nip/Tuck” and others.

And of course Thursday, “Ugly Betty” is back for its second season with model-turned-actress Rebecca Romijn (left) back as as series regular, playing transsexual publishing executive Alexis Meade, who was introduced last season. She’s the most fully fleshed out of the three transgender characters — just a regular gal working in the cutthroat business of a top fashion magazine while she struggles with her new identity and seeks acceptance from her family and the world at large.

I should mention that daytime’s “All My Children” — also on ABC — had a transsexual storyline last year that was dropped rather abruptly. It was a valiant effort, not entirely well executed. Michael Logan of TV Guide wrote: “AMC is risking big viewer turnoff with this landmark story — not because Zarf is a transgender but because she's an annoying, self-obsessed bore.” And he was pretty much spot on with that assessment.

Remember the days, before the reality TV boom, when “Will and Grace” was groundbreaking for having a gay character and Ellen DeGeneres’ show was cancelled not long after her coming-out episode? Now there are so many gays portrayed on TV that it’s practically passe. For a pretty comprehensive list, visit AfterElton.com.

Bravo to ABC for continuing to push boundaries.

(A special thanks to my new friend Christine Daniels for her guidance on this post.)

— Kathy Lyford

TV execs continue to buzz over the departure of Barry Sonnenfeld from directing the first several episodes of "Pushing Daisies" (by far the best-reviewed new show of the fall).

Sonnenfeld directed the pilot -- lauded for its unique, colorful look (a purposeful contrast to some of the show's darker themes) -- and its first regular episode, and was on tap to direct several more.

But after a run-in with producer Warner Bros. TV, which grew leery of cost overruns on the skein's first post-pilot seg (which wound up an extra three days in production -- not unheard of for a new show), Sonnenfeld was asked not to return for the second post-pilot episode.

Insiders said Warner Bros. TV eventually reversed course and asked Sonnenfeld to helm upcoming episodes -- but because time had elapsed (and the show went dark a week in order to get a jump on writing), the director was no longer available.

But Sonnenfeld continues as an executive producer, and he told Variety that he's still spending a "minimum of two hours a day on the show."

"I'm reading scripts, looking at visual effects and emailing the performers at least three times a week on their acting," he said. "I love the show and I wish I were available to direct more episodes... if we stay on long enough, I can't wait to direct more."

For now, Sonnenfeld (pictured right) remains busy expanding his TV resume. He's directing the Fox pilot "Hackett," which goes into production this Friday, and is also in pre-production on a legal thriller with scribe Luke Reiter at NBC (through Universal Media Studios). He's also got an the hour-long fantasy entry "Kingdom" with Chad Hodge in the works CBS (along with Sony), and has at least two other projects percolating as well. As a result, the earliest he can next direct a seg of "Pushing Daisies" is February, Sonnenfeld said.

Meanwhile, creator Bryan Fuller, who dreamt up the fantastical world of a pie maker who can bring people back to life with the touch of a finger -- but can send them six feet under with a second tap -- remains in charge.

"I love Bryan Fuller and ABC, and want to make sure I can do everything possible to make it a success," Sonnenfeld said.

Despite the behind-the-scenes drama, "Pushing Daisies" continues to score high praise -- and the backing of a hefty marketing campaign by ABC. Show bows Wednesday, Oct. 3, at 8 p.m.

-- MICHAEL SCHNEIDER

(Sonnenfeld pic by Jean Baptiste Lacroix/WireImage.com)

Jessica Collins: The name so nice, they cast it twice.

Last year, ABC chose Jessica Collins (left) to play one of the hostages in its ballyhooed drama, "The Nine." WIth all the positive press heaped upon that pilot by this time in 2006, Collins' name figured to grace the Alphabet network for years.

And in a way, that's still a possibility.

"The Nine" failed to last the 2006-07 TV season, but undaunted, ABC has again dipped into the Jessica Collins well -- and pulled out a different Jessica Collins.  This Collins (right), a former recurring guest on such shows as "American Dreams" and "Tru Calling," will appear on ABC's "Big Shots" as Marla, the mistress of Joshua Malina's character.

Normally, the Screen Actors Guild requires a performer with the same name as a predecessor in the union to alter their moniker in some fashion, either by adding an initial or with a wholesale change, but apparently it hasn't come to this yet for the Jessicas.

Don't fret about the fate of ABC's first Jessica, however. She'll appear on the season premiere of NBC's "Heroes" on Sept. 24 -- three days before "Big Shots" bows. Crossover episode, anyone?

— Jon Weisman

I was obsessed with “Desperate Housewives” that first glorious season. I used to get together with a large group of friends and watch every episode. I would sometimes even re-watch scenes I really liked when I got home from the “DH” party.

Then came season two. Some shows have sophomore slumps but this was ridiculous. The episodes ranged from disappointing to unwatchable. And as much as I love Alfre Woodard, the whole slow, homicidal son locked in the basement storyline was just stupid. Still, Marcia Cross’ lovely OCD-afflicted Bree kept me tuning in. I guess I always hoped it would return to form.

Season three was better, but still not up to snuff. It needed more of the mystery and magic long missing since season one. Susan lost in the woods was nearly a jump-the-shark moment for me. And Marcia Cross’ maternity leave really sucked the life out of the show. Why I’m still planning to give season four a chance is the only mystery remaining.

Of our panelists who listed "Desperate Housewives" on our season pass list, 75% of us said we were very close to giving up on it and another gave up last season.

This season the neighborhood will see the addition of a gay couple, played by Tuc Watkins and Kevin Rahm, and a new family (Dana Delany, Nathan Fillion and Lyndsy Fonseca) moving in. According to TV Guide, the family has a dark secret. Please let it not be a relative locked in a dungeon or a deceased person in the basement freezer … again. Also Sarah Polley joins as Lynette’s sister who moves to town to help Lynette as she goes through cancer treatments.

I sincerely hope the additions add some life to Wisteria Lane. Otherwise, my thumb is poised over the “delete this season pass” button.

— Kathy Lyford

I didn't hate "Cavemen."

Earlier this summer, before I watched the original pilot for the controversial ABC sitcom (premiering Oct. 2), I got the impression that I was supposed to hate it.  After I watched it, and after more people offered their reactions, I really got the impression that I was really supposed to hate it.

But I didn't.

I didn't love "Cavemen" either, not by any stretch, but I thought it had a few important things going for it.

First and foremost was caveman Nick (left), played by Nick Kroll. Nick felt to me like a fully formed character, one whose skeptical yet not entirely dismissive view of the world seemed the product of a good deal of thought by the show's creative team. Nick's anger is tempered by bemusement, and even though he has come to believe that society is set up against him, he has not given up the pursuit of joy. (He wouldn't seem entirely out of place as a commentator on "The Daily Show.")

Nick plays well off his best friend on the show, Joel (Bill English, right), who is both less cynical about the world and less secure about himself. Joel is optimistic, yet not naive. You can see him trying to make the best of things yet still aware that life is a struggle. 

Note that both these lead characters stop short of extremism, that neither can be pegged in a single line.  That's something you don't see in every television show, and it shouldn't be taken for granted.

Finally, I admired that a half-hour comedy sought to pursue issues of race in its storyline.  That the cavemen of "Cavemen" were an allegory for real-world minorities in the U.S. emerged this summer as a sin in and of itself, and I never was quite clear why. When exactly did racial allegory become off-limits?  A critique of the effectiveness of the allegory is certainly welcome, but some people seemed offended by the allegory's mere presence. (It certainly wasn't the producers' intention to claim that any minorities are in fact cavemen.) Me, I was pleased to see a show attempt to combine humor and substance, even if it didn't entirely succeed.

"Cavemen" didn't lack for stupid moments. Not every aspect of the plot worked, nor did every character. There was sufficient ammunition for the naysayers, to be sure.

In any case, following notes and criticisms from seemingly everyone in television land, "Cavemen" will premiere next month with a different pilot than ABC screened this summer. Speaking for the minority (word choice just a coincidence) who didn't hate the original pilot, I'd recommend giving it a try. You don't have to worry about it being a thinly disguised infomercial: The show has distanced itself from its Geico roots, with the insurance company mothballing any commercials with cavemen for the time being. And the show clearly has ambition beyond any first impressions you might have. It's anyone's guess how good "Cavemen" will be or whether it will catch on, but there might be a there there.

— Jon Weisman

I am loving the promo for "Ugly Betty." If you haven't seen it, here it is on YouTube.

Betty struts through a park while the other characters show her loads of love, something that doesn't always happen to our little heroine. Then she snaps out of that dream by crashing into a glass door, in a moment reminiscent of the scene from last year's pilot episode that made me giggle no matter how many times I saw it. The promo is bright and breezy and fun with a terrific original song, "Big Girl (You Are Beautiful)" by Mika. And the "Brighter, Bolder, Bettyer" tagline is simple, yet perfect.

I spoke with "Betty" creator/exec producer Silvio Horta who was beyond pleased with the result: "The promo looks fantastic. We all heard the concept but were completely blown away when we saw the finished product."

In my opinion ABC has really left the other nets in the dust when it comes to this year's promos. Up until about a week ago the only billboards and bus signs I saw were for ABC shows. I'm slowing starting to see some NBC and CBS presence but have yet to notice any CW ads beyond "America's Next Top Model." Fox is hamstrung because they need to wait for postseason baseball so I'll give them a break.

And although I have filled my summer TV viewing hours with cable dramas, sports and reality shows, I have tuned into each network on a regular basis and again find ABC way out ahead with their TV spots for not only "Betty" but "Dirty Sexy Money," the brilliant "Pushing Daisies" and their comedies "Samantha Who?," "Carpoolers" and "Cavemen." Way to go Alphabet.

I'm not saying there aren't ads out there for the other nets; I just haven't noticed them — which isn't a good sign. I know some shows are focusing on digital promos but those also are not something I've run across. We'll see if that changes as the premieres get closer.

— Kathy Lyford

Readers in Gotham and L.A. don't have to take our word(s) for it. The Paley Center for Media (aka Museum of Television & Radio) is offering a sneak peak at fall's new shows through its pilot screenings series at its Manhattan and BevHills branches.

The TV party starts tonight at 6:30 p.m. in BevHills with a slate of Fox shows: "K-Ville," "Back to You," "Nashville" and "Kitchen Nightmares."

CW pilots unspool on Saturday starting at 1 p.m. with "Reaper," "Gossip Girl," "Aliens in America" and "Life is Wild." NBC takes over at 6:30 p.m. with "Chuck," "Life," "Bionic Woman" and "Journeyman."

On Monday evening it's ABC's turn: "Pushing Daisies," "Dirty Sexy Money," "Samantha Who?" and "Big Shots."

CBS rounds out the slate on Tuesday evening with "The Big Bang Theory," "Moonlight," "Cane" and "Viva Laughlin."

Screenings have already been underway for a few days at the Gotham facility, but as of this posting TV junkies there can still catch the same slate of CBS pilots on Monday and the CW sked on Tuesday.

For further details click here for the Paley Center website. For clips of some of the above, scroll down to the Variety Video link on this home page, and check out On the Air blog's Clip Madness. 

(Pictured above: CBS' "The Big Bang Theory")

The screener for the first proper seg of "Grey's Anatomy" spinoff "Private Practice" arrived in the mail on Thursday. I'll leave the reviewing to the professionals (Brian Lowry, coming soon). But for my broad-strokes reaction (remember that the Season Pass ratings for this show were based on the two-hour backdoor pilot "Grey's Anatomy" seg that ran in May), I'll say that I can definitely see why creator/exec producer Shonda Rhimes made the call to recast Audra McDonald in the key role of Naomi Bennett (originally played by Merrin Dungey), best friend to Kate Walsh's Addison Montgomery (and her excuse for heading down the Pacific coastline from Seattle to Santa Monica) and recently divorced wife of Taye Diggs' brilliant-internist character, Sam Bennett.

This seg overall is watchable, and beautifully shot, but there's still something that feels a bit amiss here. I can't quite put my finger on it but I keep coming back to the thought: Do we really need this spinoff? But I digress....

Opening moments deal of the seg deal effectively with Addison's resignation from Seattle Grace hospital and set up the new ensemble of doctor characters that she'll work with at the Oceanside Wellness Group, a touchy-feely non-hospital facility with touchy-feely Westide L.A./BevHills/Santa Monica clients. There's a nice inside-TV reference early on in the seg to Addison feeling the need to sally forth and "throw my hat all the way up in the air." (Think classic TV opening sequence for a show with a femme lead and killer theme song.)

Of the supporting ensemble, the most intriguing to me (as an actor and as a character continues to be Amy Brenneman, who plays the mixed-up shrink Violet Turner. (Is there any other kind on TV?) So all in all, I don't love it as much as I did the first batch of "Grey's Anatomy" segs, but it stays on my Season Pass list.

--Cynthia Littleton

Welcome to Season Pass, Variety.com’s blog for dishing about fall’s new scripted TV shows.
We wanted to give readers a wide range of opinions on the fall fare so eight of us spent a good chunk of our summer watching all of it. We like to complain, but it was really kind of fun.

Each of us has rated all the shows using four categories:

Love it, setting a season pass now

Worth another try

OK, but not for me

Won't watch again

"Reaper" (below) was one show that took us all by surprise. I did not expect to like it and it ended up being one of my favorites

The shows that rated the highest (one or two thumbs up) among our group of TV junkies were: ABC’s “Pushing Daisies” (seven season passes), NBC’s “Chuck” (four season passes), the CW’s “Reaper” (six season passes), CBS’ “Big Bang Theory” (three season passes), the CW’s “Gossip Girl,” (one season pass), Fox’s “Back To You” (one season pass) and CBS’ midseason entry “Swingtown” (one season pass).

See the chart for more details.

Our opinions are meant as a guide only. We encourage you to give all the shows a try and see for yourself what shows speak to you.

We’ll be blogging after each episode to track the shows’ progress. And we’ll weigh in on topics related to the season.

Have fun and happy channel surfing!