(Monday, August 16)
Variety

Friday is quickly becoming the new Saturday for the broadcast nets, and none of their fall lineups looks capable of turning that around.

A big hit could still emerge, especially if partnered with the right show, but the webs continue to play it safe on Fridays, where the stakes are relatively low, advertising coin is scarce, and every network --- well, except maybe for Fox --- is about on equal footing.

Similar to Saturday, auds have clearly abandoned the nets for cable or pay-per-view options as the few Friday hits to have emerged in recent years ("CSI," "Law & Order: SVU") have since shifted to higher-profile nights, where they can generate bigger ratings and more revenue.

Over the course of the last two seasons, the six broadcast nets have seen their share of Friday's adults 18-49 pie shrink from 49 to 44 and then to 40, according to Nielsen.

Now, the night is home to no-frills, meat-and-potatoes shows --- typified by skeins like "JAG," "Third Watch," "8 Simple Rules" and "Star Trek: Enterprise," all of which have recently relocated here in an attempt to wring out whatever ratings juice is left.

Overall, CBS will look to remain Friday's most-watched net, a status it claimed last season thanks to new drama "Joan of Arcadia," and it should join NBC and ABC near the top of the night's leaderboard in key demos.

NBC and CBS could boost their fortunes with improvement at 10 o'clock, where both nets have new dramas, and Fox is a question mark with its new boxing reality series.

Here's a look at Friday:

ABC looks pretty solid with its new combo of relocated comedy "8 Simple Rules" and the promising new "Complete Savages," one of the fall's best-looking rookie laffers. With a broad aud, including both genders, net could win the hour in 18-49 and should win in 12-34.

In a matchup of new family comedies at 8:30, the WB's "Commando Nanny" seems overmatched by ABC's "Savages," although the Frog entry should do well among young femmes.

"Joan of Arcadia" could build on its Emmy noms and rookie-season buzz, but the show must lighten up a bit (let Joan smile!) if it's to become something more viewers will want to watch at the end of the workweek. It should be in a close battle most weeks for the lead in adults 25-54 and total viewers with NBC's underrated "Dateline."

UPN won't be much of a factor with "Star Trek: Enterprise," although this is a chance to test a seemingly plausible theory that its core aud of geeks 18-54 is home on Friday nights.

Fox's "The Next Great Champ," which gets an early Sept. 10 rollout, could punch things up in this hour, but the net has had little luck on Fridays since "The X-Files" left and this copycat response to NBC's "The Contender" hardly seems poised for greatness.

Instead, either NBC's "Third Watch" or ABC's comedy combo of "Hope & Faith" and "Less Than Perfect" should win out in 18-49, while CBS' older-skewing "JAG" will lead in total viewers.

The WB has smartly returned "Reba" to the 9 o'clock hour, where it could win in femmes 12-34. (And keep an eye out for midseason Fran Drescher  comedy "Shacking Up," which could be the "Reba" mate the net needs.)

Over at UPN, anything a repeat of "America's Next Top Model" can generate figures to be gravy, as the net was barely visible on Nielsen's Friday radar last season.

NBC's "Medical Investigation" and CBS' "Dr. Vegas" oppose each other in a battle of dramas whose pilots failed to live up to their potential.

Of the two, the NBC entry --- despite its plodding, eight-syllable title --- has the makings of a franchise and the better chance at hitdom. (Keep in mind that a fourth "Law & Order" skein, "Trial by Jury," is a good bet to join NBC's Friday sked at midseason, either in place of "Third Watch" at 9 or "Medical" at 10).

Unfortunately for CBS, the early pilot of its Rob Lowe drama was painful to watch and is unlikely to last until Thanksgiving, following in the footsteps of "The Handler" and "Robbery Homicide Division" the two previous seasons.

"20/20" returns for ABC (sans Barbara Walters) and could benefit if neither new drama clicks. Otherwise, the newsmag is only as good as its "get."

NBC appears best positioned for growth and a return to a comfy No. 1 on the night, but ABC and the WB have potential to make noise with improved comedy lineups, and UPN can only go up.