FOX (presents on Thursday, May 20)

On the flip side, good news for fans of "Tru Calling" and "Arrested Development" as both series have begun staffing for the 2004-05 season, a sure sign renewals are around the corner for each. No news yet on the rest of the network’s plans.

LOS ANGELES (thefutoncritic.com) — On the eve of tomorrow’s start of upfront week, during which the broadcast networks present their 2004-05 season plans to the advertising community, news has leaked from five of the six major networks.

Here’s the latest rumblings from each network:

Please note: All information contained in this article is based on various sources and contacts in the TV industry. Nevertheless, all news should be treated as "unofficial" until the networks make their formal announcements.

NBC (presents on Monday, May 17)

In keeping with previous reports (read the story), NBC is expected to announce seven new series at its presentation tomorrow - "Hawaii," "Father of the Pride," "Crazy for You" (was "Hooked"), "The Men’s Room," "LAX" (was "HUB"), "Joey" and "Medical Investigation" (was "The Cure"). The final schedule is believed to be exactly what was noted earlier this week, with "Hawaii" and "Vegas’" time slot swap the only change:

Mondays 8:00/7:00c - "Fear Factor" 9:00/8:00c - "Hawaii" (New Series) 10:00/9:00c - "Las Vegas" (New Time Slot)

Tuesdays 8:00/7:00c - "Father of the Pride" (New Series) 8:30/7:30c - "Crazy for You" (New Series) 9:00/8:00c - "Scrubs" (New Time Slot) 9:30/8:30c - "The Men’s Room" (New Series) 10:00/9:00c - "Law & Order: S.V.U."

Wednesdays 8:00/7:00c - "LAX" (New Series) 9:00/8:00c - "The West Wing" 10:00/9:00c - "Law & Order"

Thursdays 8:00/7:00c - "Joey" (New Series) 8:30/7:30c - "Will & Grace" 9:00/8:00c - "The Apprentice" 10:00/9:00c - "ER"

Fridays 8:00/7:00c - "Dateline NBC" 9:00/8:00c - "Medical Investigation" (New Series) 10:00/9:00c - "Third Watch"

Saturdays 8:00/7:00c - "Law & Order" repeats/Various Movies & Specials

Sundays 7:00/6:00c - "Dateline NBC" 8:00/7:00c - "American Dreams" 9:00/8:00c - "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" 10:00/9:00c - "Crossing Jordan"

Nevertheless, despite the believed firmness of NBC’s lineup, there’s an outside chance the Peacock could shelve "The Men’s Room" and "Crazy for You" until midseason with a reality wheel taking over the Tuesday, 8:00/7:00c hour. "Pride" would then likely move to 9:30/8:30c behind "Scrubs."

At midseason, "Law & Order: Trial by Jury" is understood to replace "Third Watch" on Friday nights while orders are also said to be out to "The Office" and "Medium." The trio joins previous pick-ups "Revelations," The Contender," "The High Life," the "Average Joe" franchise. "My 11:30" and "Nevermind Nirvana" are also said to be under consideration for midseason and will undergo some retooling. The news spells the end of freshman entries "Happy Family," "Miss Match," "Whoopi," "The Tracy Morgan Show," as well as returning series "Ed" and "Good Morning, Miami."

The WB (presents on Tuesday, May 18)

Surprisingly, the Frog is set to cancel "The Jamie Kennedy Experiment" when it reveals its fall 2004 schedule on Tuesday. Also gone is the network’s entire freshman comedy lineup ("Run of the House," "Like Family," "All About the Andersons" and "The Help"), save for "Steve Harvey’s Big Time," which moves to Sundays at 7:00/6:00c and expands to a full hour. And as long rumored, the WB will go with comedies on Wednesday nights, leading out of "Smallville," while new dramas "The Mountain" and "Jack & Bobby" are set to run on Thursday and Sunday nights respectively:

Mondays 8:00/7:00c - "7th Heaven" 9:00/8:00c - "Everwood"

Tuesdays 8:00/7:00c - "Gilmore Girls" 9:00/8:00c - "One Tree Hill"

Wednesdays 8:00/7:00c - "Smallville" 9:00/8:00c - "Blue Collar TV" (New Series) 9:30/9:30c - "The Green Screen" (New Series)

Thursdays 8:00/7:00c - "The Mountain" (New Series) 9:00/8:00c - "Studio 7" (New Series)

Fridays 8:00/7:00c - "What I Like About You" (New Time Slot) 8:30/7:30c - "Commando Nanny" (New Series) 9:00/8:00c - "Reba" (New Time Slot) 9:30/8:30c - "Grounded for Life" (New Time Slot)

Sundays 5:00/4:00c - "One Tree Hill" (Encores) 6:00/5:00c - "The Mountain" (Encores) 7:00/6:00c - "Steve Harvey’s Big Time" (New Time Slot, One-Hour Episodes) 8:00/7:00c - "Charmed" 9:00/8:00c - "Jack & Bobby" (New Series)

"Studio 7," which was previously unreported, is a reality/game show from "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire’s" Michael Davies, about a group of twentysomethings who live together for a week and then go on to compete for a $100,000 prize. As for midseason, the WB will go with the comedy "Shacking Up" as well as reality projects from Mike Fleiss ("Big Man on Campus") and Jamie Kennedy ("Wannabes") not to mention the third season of "High School Reunion."

ABC (presents on Tuesday, May 18)

While its exact schedule remains up in the air, ABC is moving forward with at least nine new series - comedies "The Savages" and "That’s Just Rodney" (was "That’s My Rodney") as well as dramas "Desperate Housewives," "Life as We Know It," "Gray’s Anatomy," "Lost," "Eyes," "Blind Justice" and "Fleet Street" (the spin-off of "The Practice").

"Fleet" is set to inherit "The Practice’s" Sunday, 10:00/9:00c slot while "Justice" will take over Tuesdays at 10:00/9:00c once "N.Y.P.D. Blue" wraps in March. The placement of the rest of the new drama projects is still undertermined. As for its comedies, the only somewhat firm news is that "Eight Simple Rules" is said to be on the move to Friday nights.

CBS (presents on Wednesday, May 19)

Bad news for fans of "The District" and "The Guardian" as neither series appears on any of the Eye’s circulating schedules. As for newcomers, both John Goodman and Jason Alexander’s comedies are locks with likely orders also out to dramas "Dr. Vegas" and "The Clubhouse." Still no word on where "C.S.I.: New York" will land.