NBC Fall Preview

NBC is overhauling five out of seven nights this fall in an effort to gain some momentum on CBS in 2004.

Bubble shows "Ed," "Scrubs," "Good Morning, Miami," and "Boomtown" will all return, but most will be on different nights. "Crossing Jordan" will return in mid-season, giving star Jill Hennessy time to have her baby, due in the fall. Also on the way mid-season, a Tracy Morgan sitcom, and a Donald Trump reality show. "A.U.S.A.," "Hidden Hills," "In-Laws," "Just Shoot Me," "Mister Sterling," "Providence" and "Watching Ellie" are history.

Here's a breakdown of NBC's new series:

Coupling (Thursdays, 9:30) is a re-inventing of the British hit about six sexually obsessed friends, this time living in Chicago. Rena Sofer ("Ed," "General Hospital"), Jay Harrington ("The Division"), Colin Ferguson, Lindsay Price, Sonya Walger ("The Mind of the Married Man") and Christopher Moynihan ("The Fighting Fitzgeralds") star.

Happy Family (Tuesdays, 8:30) stars John Larroquette ("Night Court") and Christine Baranski ("Cybill") as parents of grown children who refuse to go out on their own.

Whoopi (Tuesdays, 8:00) stars Whoopi Goldberg (I mean, how many Whoopis do you know?) as a former diva who opens up her own hotel lounge. From the producers of "The Cosby Show" and "Roseanne."

Las Vegas (Mondays, 9:00) stars James Caan in an adventure series about a surveillance team charged with maintaining security in a large casino. From the writer of the motion picture "The Fast and the Furious."

Lyon's Den (Sundays, 10:00) is Rob Lowe's new series, featuring the former "West Wing"er as a high-powered lawyer. Matt Craven, Kyle Chandler ("Early Edition"), and Frances Fisher also star.

Miss Match (Fridays, 8:00) features Alicia Silverstone as a divorce lawyer cum matchmaker. Ryan O'Neal and "Relativity"'s David Conrad co-star in a drama series from "Sex and the City" creator Darren Star.

By Bill Wilson