US networks prepare to unveil their new babies

Mid-May in US TV land is a good time to crawl under that nice cool rock you've had your eye on. Starting today, networks announce their fall line-ups, though "announce" doesn't do this process justice: Hype. Scream. Yell. And spin spin spin (with all their ever-lovin' might.) Ah, that's more like it. But there's something different about this week, and a pervasively dour network pragmatism isn't the only reason. Post-strike ratings are soft. There's the spectre of an actors' strike. And scrambling to get shows back on the air in February, the networks barely had a chance to think about what they needed for fall.

So here comes a (relatively) muted week for a change. "What [new shows] will the networks show us this week?" asks Shari Anne Brill, programming chief for ad giant Carat USA. "I don't know. Maybe we'll see [them do] shadow puppets." But new shows are a-coming, and here are the 10-most-buzzed-about newbies for 2008-09, in ascending order.

1. Fringe (Fox) - From J.J. Abrams (Lost, Alias), a two-hour pilot was shot after the strike for a reported $10 million - big dollars, even by TV standards. An FBI team explores some paranormal activities and opens with a plane crash, just like "Lost!" Cast includes Joshua Jackson (Pacey on Dawson's Creek) Lance Reddick (Lt. Daniels on The Wire, who also popped up again on Lost last week), Mark Valley (Boston Legal); Blair Brown and Charlotte Rampling

2. Dollhouse (Fox) - From Joss Whedon (Buffy, the Vampire Slayer), stars Eliza Dushku (Faith, a Slayer in Buffy and Tru in Tru Calling) as Echo, whose brain is "mind-wiped" to be preprogrammed with any number of characteristics so she can perform various missions. She and others live in the "Dollhouse." Think Bourne Identity here - she starts to get a mind of her own.

3. The updated Beverly Hills 90210 - No official name yet, but it'll be insane not to imagine the ZIP code won't be attached. The trades have recently had a grand time figuring who will be cast in what famous role, without much luck. Only a few major names have been attached, like Jessica Walter and Lori Loughlin. Shenae Grimes (Degrassi: The Next Generation) is on board, too.

4. Eleventh Hour ( CBS) - This latest from Jerry Bruckheimer is another lock and is an adaptation of a British miniseries - about a scientist who explores strange phenomena; yup - sounds a bit like Fringe or the old ABC series Strange World. British actor Rufus Sewell is attached.

5. The Bad Mother's Handbook (ABC) - Based on the bestselling Kate Long book of the same name, it's about Karen ( Alicia Silverstone) struggling to care for her teen daughter and mother (with dementia). Based on the British hit.

6. Courtroom K (Fox) - Milwaukee-set courtroom drama from Paul Attanasio (House) has the flavour of its creator's medical series.

7. Life on Mars (ABC) - Another British adaptation, about a detective who travels to the 1970s to find his missing girlfriend. David E. Kelley was going to produce, but not now. So this one may be a toss-up.

8. Captain Cook's Extraordinary Atlas (ABC) - Based on the Thomas Wheeler novel about an atlas, a girl and a mysterious hidden world.

9. Single White Millionaire (CBS) - Fred Savage as the title character.

10. The Mentalist (CBS) Detective with keen brain (Simon Baker, The Guardian); a little like Psych?

*One small caveat: There's a chance some of these won't make the fall cut, but could arrive mid-season or even beyond.