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2008 Emmy Awards: Who will win?

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By Dan Snierson

A PC frontier physician, a very timely newspaper, and a butt-whupping law-enforcement officer may not seem like a winning programming formula, but don't tell that to CBS' rivals, all of which are choking on the Eye network's heartland-drama dust. Last season's faithfuls -- Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman (44) and Walker, Texas Ranger (12) -- anchored the eve while Early Edition sold out Touched by an Angel's former time slot at 28, making it this fall's highest-rated new drama. ''We were surprised that the audience went for the whimsicality and magic of a story that's neither sci-fi nor reality,'' says delighted Early Edition executive producer Bob Brush. ''It's an experiment that seems to have caught on.'' Also in the dabbling mood was NBC, which tried bolstering last season's least successful night (JAG, The Home Court, Sisters) with a trio of foreboding dramas: Dark Skies (81), The Pretender (64), and Profiler (61). Viewership jumped 17 percent among 18-to-49-year-old adults. ''Our goal was to move up from fourth to second,'' says NBC Entertainment president Warren Littlefield. ''That's something we've not only accomplished -- now we're giving CBS a run for its money.''

At Fox, they were also running -- but only for cover: Back-to-back airings of Cops produced arrested development (97 and 92); Married...With Children (91) separated from 29 percent of its old audience, forcing a move back to Sundays; and its companion, Love and Marriage (114), had its license revoked after just two weeks. ''It was ill conceived from the start to put those shows together -- a big, broad parody with a reality-based family comedy,'' laments Fox Entertainment president Peter Roth, who ended up replacing the sluggish sitcom block with a revived America's Most Wanted (95).

ABC's schedule, however, was positively criminal, offering a mishmash of underwhelming programming that included ponderous family fare (Second Noah, canceled at 99), silly jock humor (Coach, on hiatus at 94), stilted legal wit (Common Law, sentenced to death at 104), and the bordering on sappy (Relativity, 100). ''If Second Noah had gotten the family audience, Coach would have done fine,'' says ABC scheduling vice president Jeff Bader. ''Coach and Relativity were lead-in challenged.'' Don't throw in the towel yet, Coach potatoes: The show that just won't die may end up rearing its balding head on a new night later this season. -- DS

[BOX]

SATURDAY'S WINNER...

Early Edition

...AND LOSER

Coach