8:00pm

The Players: CIS (CBS), 8 Simple Rules, I'm With Her (ABC), American Juniors (Fox), Whoppi, Happy Family (NBC), Gilmore Girls (WB), One On One, All Of Us (UPN)

With a slew of sticoms in the hour, somebody's gonna suffer. And that "somebody" will be none other than NBC, who couldn't launch a comedy in this hour if its existence depended on it. ABC should ride to the top early on, as "American Juniors" will not be "American Idol," CBS will tow the line with its new drama, and the rest will stay the same.

9:00pm

The Players: The Guardian (CBS), Frasier, Good Morning Miami (NBC), According To Jim, Less Than Perfect (ABC), 24 (Fox), Fearless (WB), Rock Me Baby, The Mullets (UPN)

My fearless prediction? ABC's oddly, but perfectly match "Jim and "Perfect" will overtake NBC in the hour from the get-go, in both demos and viewers. CBS will likely win the hour, and "24" will have to prove itself without "Idol." As for the rest, the UPN could do well, while "The Gilmore Girls" is a damn fine lead-in for "Fearless."

10:00pm

The Players: Law & Order: SVU (NBC), Judging Amy (CBS), NYPD Blue (ABC)

Probably the most cut-throat of all timeslots on network tv this fall, you have to wonder who will blink first. My guess is that it will be ABC.
 

First To Be Cancelled: "Whoppi"
Close Second: "Happy Family"

Ratings Predictions: (by the end of November sweeps)
Law & Order: SVU          13.7mil
Judging Amy               13.4
CIS                       13.3
8 Simple Rules            11.9
The Guardian              11.9
According To Jim          11.7
Frasier                   10.6
24                        10.5
I'm With Her              10.4
NYPD Blue                 10.3
Less Than Perfect         10.2
American Juniors           9.6
Good Morining Miami        8.3
Happy Family               6.6
Whoppi                     6.4
Gilmore Girls              5.8
Fearless                   4.9
One On One                 4.2
All Of Us                  4.0
Rock Me Baby               3.2
The Mullets                2.9