Youth-targeted shows and cloned programs rule the prime-time airwaves this fall as never before. The two trends even collide in a pair of WB shows: "Angel" -- a "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" spinoff designed to tap a rich vein of teen and twentysomething viewers -- and "Roswell," which places aliens in high school a la "Third Rock From the Sun." On Fox, Jennifer Love Hewitt reprises her "Party of Five" character in "Time of Your Life." And although NBC's "Freaks and Geeks" thematically resembles "Square Pegs," few in the target demographic will recall the sitcom that made Sarah Jessica Parker a geek-chic star, so we'll give it an exemption.

Other network sops to youth include UPN's destined-for-the-trashbin "Shasta McNasty," about a group of wannabe white hip-hoppers; WB's "Popular," which follows a suddenly, well, popular teen; and Fox's "Cruel Intentions" rip, "Manchester Prep."

The cloned-show trend falls into three basic types. First we have old-fashioned spinoffs, such as the highly anticipated "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit." Next come time-honored ripoffs of successful concepts, such as the "Providence"-in-black-robes saga "Judging Amy," and the let's-expand-our-"E.R."-franchise that is "Third Watch." Finally, there's the Man with the Midas Touch formula that has anointed David E. Kelley the new Bochco -- allowing him to add the high-tech-babe-investigators romp "Snoops" to such current Kelley heroes as "The Practice," "Ally McBeal" and the revamped "Chicago Hope." Not to mention Fox's half-hour "McBeal" rehash experiment "Ally." In other words, the nets' new fall shows bear a strong resemblance to the first wave of World War I soldiers sent over the trenches: few will be strong or lucky enough to survive.

Possible winners include NBC's "Special Victims Unit," with an assist from Richard Belzer's ex-"Homicide" cop John Munch; Fox's witty "Action," in which Jay Mohr reincarnates his sleazy sports agent from "Jerry Maguire" as ball-busting, box-office busted movie producer Peter Dragon; NBC's "The West Wing," a promising inside-politics drama starring Martin Sheen as prez; the aforementioned "Freaks and Geeks"; and probable cult fave "Now and Again," which updates and twists the "Six Million Dollar Man" concept on CBS. Cult fave and CBS in the same sentence? Let's face it -- this is going to be an odd TV season.



For the fall season's other picks to click, surf through these stories from Newcity.com affiliates:

HOLLYWOOD GOMORRAH
For all its barbed wit, bleeped profanities and gratuitous attempts to shock, "Action" is rather tame

KELLEY GIRLS
Hot producer David E. Kelley goes whoops with "Snoops"

THEY FEEL YOUR PAIN
Five new shows that co-opt your Wonder Years

DEATH WATCH '99
Which new series will live past Xmas? Get in on the TV dead pool.

OLD, BUT SPICED
Lawyers, vixens & college grads in search of a life: Fall TV looks, well, familiar

FALL BACK
New shows offer little hope for the artform of television

READJUST YOUR SCHEDULES
The fall TV season is actually going to be good--so good it might stress you out

ON THE DRAWING BOARD
Preview a dozen new TV toons scheduled for fall--including an animated "Clerks" unlikely to feature any "snowball" discussions

THE PLAYERS
Solid writing, quick wit and spot-on acting from Jay Mohr and Illeana Douglas help "Action" bust out as a top new show

TRENDY TOON
MTV's addictively entertaining "Downtown" walks the line between the tragically hip and the tragically unhip

BEEN AND DONE
MTV's "Downtown" looks like a post-apocalyptic "Scooby-Doo"

COMIC ASIDES
A dysfunctional family is on ultimate display in Fox's "Get Real"

SMASH TV
Going to the mat for TNN's "Extreme Championship Wrestling"

SKIN DEEP
Why should black sitcoms be any better than their white counterparts?

GOD SQUAD
The Big Guy's cops bust Satan's minions in USA's edgy, fun "GvsE"

NO FLIPPING
Showtime skewers the TV networks with "Beggars and Choosers"