Aiello Fever

MOESHA
UPN, 8:30-9 p.m.

Perhaps to be more compatible with its new Clueless lead-in, Brandy Norwood's sitcom will add more Caucasian characters as Moesha transfers from Crenshaw to a mostly white private school. She'll still hang out with Kim (Countess Vaughn), Hakeem (Lamont Bentley), and ex-boyfriend Q (Fredro Starr), but she'll also make a new friend, Haley (Dru Mouser). "Haley has some interest in rap," says exec producer Vida Spears, "but she's not one of these white kids who thinks anything anyone black does is interesting." Which means she probably doesn't watch most of UPN's other sitcoms.

HOME IMPROVEMENT
ABC, 9-9:30 p.m.

Are you ready for Taran Smith in a dog collar? In the seventh season, little Mark Taylor "goes into a dark phase," says executive producer Bruce Ferber. "He wears black all the time, and he's into heavy metal, like Marilyn Manson, which alarms his parents." We should hope so. Dad Tim goes into his own funk — a midlife crisis. He contemplates quitting his job as host of Tool Time and tries breaking the world record for lighting barbecue coals. Meanwhile, wife Jill (Patricia Richardson) gets a new job counseling families. Sounds like she should start with her own. (Sept. 23)

FRASIER
NBC, 9-9:30 p.m.

Star Kelsey Grammer has a new wife, and his sitcom love life is also picking up. "We got a lot of mileage out of Frasier being sexually frustrated, but we decided to give him a break this year," says exec producer Christopher Lloyd. The shrink will score with Sisters' Sela Ward in the season premiere and later starts a more serious relationship with a defense attorney (not yet cast). No such luck for brother Niles (David Hyde Pierce) and Daphne (Jane Leeves). "I don't think that'll ever happen," says Grammer. "They obviously aren't right for each other." Still, Leeves says, "I'd like to see a little more of Daphne's feelings for Niles surfacing, because I think she has a bit of a thing for him, too." (Sept. 23)

JUST SHOOT ME
NBC, 9:30-10 p.m.

"My character is going to have millions of viewers riveted to the set saying, 'Is that guy gay?'" quips Saturday Night Live alum David Spade. That question should be resolved, says exec producer Steven Levitan, when Spade's diminutive assistant Dennis Finch "falls in love with a very kinky, manipulative, fairly crazy, gorgeous supermodel." And will the "Buh-Bye" Guy be launching any new catchphrases? "My catchphrase will be 'Sit on it,'" says Spade. "Kids won't remember it was big on Happy Days. It's a proven hit." The same can't yet be said for Just Shoot Me, which aired only six times last season, but its new after-Frasier time slot won't hurt. (Sept. 23)

NYPD BLUE
ABC, 10-11 p.m.

Coexecutive producer Bill Clark is tight-lipped about details — what do you expect from a former New York City cop? But here's what we got out of him: We'll see a lot more of Martinez's love life (could this mean a long-overdue nude scene for Emmy nominee Nicholas Turturro?). Simone (Jimmy Smits) and Russell (Kim Delaney) will continue their tangled engagement. Det. Jill Kirkendall will be on full-time duty now that Andrea Thompson is a regular. And what of stammering sperm donor Medavoy (Gordon Clapp)? "The relationship he has with the lesbian couple — there's going to be a large bump in that road," says Clark. As long as we don't have to see him on a toilet again... (Sept. 30)