TV has the quick and the dead: the new shows descending en masse and the cancellations consigned to obscurity or the ghost world of syndication.

And what about the lucky?

Returning series this fall range from established hits like "Law & Order" to hairbreadth survivors such as "Enterprise." In between are series that did just well enough to buy more time - e.g., the appropriately named "Less Than Perfect."

But degree of success notwithstanding, all programs are subject to change. It’s what network executives get paid to do.

Herewith are selected highlights for the 2004-2005 season. Please note that due to increased competition, networks can and do make last-minute scheduling changes. We’ll do our best to keep you informed.

ABC: Viewers may be surprised by the absence of "Alias," which won’t resurface on Sunday nights until January. The idea is to give producer/writer J.J. Abrams a creative respite; meanwhile, the very promising "Desperate Housewives" will pinch-hit at 9 p.m.

Elsewhere, the network reinforces last year’s "TGIF" revival by moving "8 Simple Rules" and "Less Than Perfect" to Fridays at 8 and 9 p.m., respectively. "My Wife and Kids" and "George Lopez" go to Tuesdays at 8 and 8:30 p.m., consolidating domestic-sitcom night.

The last season of "NYPD Blue" gets a truncated send-off. Episodes will air beginning in September and climax with a shoot-the-moon November sweeps finale. And that’s that.

CBS: The No. 1 network in households brought back nearly everything and tinkered with very little.

"Still Standing" is deemed strong enough to open the Monday comedy block at 8 p.m. Like rival NBC (read below), CBS is eking more mileage from returning shows: "Crimetime Saturday" at 9 p.m. consists of repeats from the "CSI" franchise that now covers Las Vegas, Miami and New York.

It is, of course, the final season of "Everybody Loves Raymond." But the series is slated for only 16 new episodes stretched from September to May. CBS undoubtedly will maximize these as much as possible during sweeps.

Fox: The low-rated, critically acclaimed "Arrested Development" gets a nifty new slot Sundays at 8:30 after "The Simpsons." That’s the good news. "The O.C." also gets moved - to Thursday’s ultra-competitive 8 p.m. time slot. That’s not good news.

But you won’t notice the impact immediately, because the network faces its usual dilemma of a fall season pre-empted by baseball playoffs.

Fox’s solution is to wait until November to premiere "The Simpsons," "Malcolm in the Middle," "The O.C.," etc. - everything but "24," which is debuting in January so it can enjoy a repeat-free run of episodes through May.

Note: In January, the headache-inducing Fox will introduce a whole new schedule.

NBC: The rejiggering commences on Thursdays, where "Will & Grace" moves to 8:30 p.m. after "Joey," having ceded the fab 9 p.m. spot to "The Apprentice." Former 8:30 occupant "Scrubs" goes to Tuesdays at 9:30 p.m. after (alas) "Father of the Pride."

Elsewhere, "Third Watch" leaves Monday for Friday at 9 p.m., presumably to furnish a good lead-in for the freshman "Medical Investigation." Like CBS and "CSI" (see above), NBC will tap "Law & Order" inventory by running a wheel of repeats Saturdays at 10.

And in an ominous sign, "The West Wing" returns to Wednesdays at 9 p.m. only for fall. In January, "WW" will be bumped for a new show called "Revelations," suggesting the Sorkin-less series may have reached the end of its term.

UPN: Having improved new-show development with the anticipated "Veronica Mars" and "Kevin Hill," UPN still wrestles with tri-polar disorder - pleasing three very different audiences.

So the network threw a sop to rampaging fans by bringing back "Enterprise" but moving it to Fridays at 9 p.m. (In a rare treat for sci-fi viewers, the lead-in will be a repeat of "America’s Next Top Model.") "WWE Smackdown!" will stay put Thursdays at 8.

UPN’s Monday lineup of African-American comedies also is intact, with kid-friendly "One on One" moving to 8 and "Half and Half" moving to 8:30 while the romance-skewing "All of Us" and "Eve" go to Tuesdays at 8 and 8:30.

The WB: The WB wisely has done a marginal amount of shuffling with a drama-heavy lineup whose ongoing story arcs depend on viewer loyalty.

That includes "7th Heaven," "Everwood," "The Gilmore Girls," "One Tree Hill," "Smallville" and "Charmed," all of which will stay put.

On the comedy side of the equation where the network struggles more, Friday night sees "Reba" move to 9 and "Grounded for Life" to 9:30.