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Get a sneak peek at fall's hottest TV pilots
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WIFE OF CRIME Madsen plays the spouse of a thief (Ray Liotta) in the ''24''-inspired ''Smith''

Virginia Madsen: JC Matsuura/CORBIS OUTLINE

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS
Yes, it's inspired by the movie. In fact, one of the lone bright spots in NBC's abysmal fall was their announcement that Peter Berg was bringing the 2004 film to the small screen. If the series is ordered, the Peacock plans to take advantage of the NFL's move to NBC later this year by using the games to promote the series, which will take place in a modern-day small town and feature a high school football team. (Early Edition's Kyle Chandler steps in as the coach.) ''It's a family drama,'' says Angela Bromstad, president of NBC Universal TV. ''It can play at 8 p.m., but it's definitely edgier.''

THE BLACK DONNELLYS
Life is funny, huh? One century you're writing for The Facts of Life. The next you're up for three Oscars. Longtime TV vet Paul Haggis (Crash) is returning to his roots with The Black Donnellys — a dark NBC drama about four brothers in an NYC organized-crime syndicate. ''It'll feature actors we've never seen before,'' says Bromstad, whose company is also producing Donnellys . ''Paul Haggis brings a level of talent you just don't see in TV.''

SMITH, SIXTY MINUTE MAN, VANISHED
Meet the spawn of 24. Producer John Wells is just one of several execs finding inspiration in the adrenaline-drenched serial. His contribution: Smith for CBS, a drama about a career criminal (Ray Liotta) and his wife (Virginia Madsen). And that's only the beginning. There's also Sixty Minute Man at ABC (David James Elliott becomes embroiled in a government conspiracy) and Vanished at Fox (about the kidnapping of a senator's wife). ''[Serials are] like movies,'' says agent Richard Weitz. ''These shows work internationally, on DVD, and, most importantly, for viewers.''

Should all this fail — and remember, around this time last year we were all talking about Kitchen Confidential — there's always David Hasselhoff. He's in a project billed as a Texan All in the Family called Upper Middle Class. We're not kidding. And frankly, we're a little frightened.