The good news about the new fall television season is that, with a few exceptions, the quality of the programs is exceptionally high, with far less gratuitous sex, violence and language issues than in recent years.

The networks may be reacting, in part, to fears of Federal Communications Commission recrimination in light of some recent cases of local stations being fined for "indecent" programming. Whatever the reasons, early indications are that the standards and intelligence of writing this season, for the most part, have been raised.

Hoping to follow in the success of hits like "24" and "Lost," serialized shows are hot this year, with a crop that includes Fox's "Vanished," ABC's "Day Break" and "Big Day," CBS' "Smith" and "Jericho," and NBC's "Kidnapped" and "Friday Night Lights."

We've noticed a proliferation of ensemble series, many dealing with groups of disparate strangers whose lives become entwined. ABC's "The Nine" and "Six Degrees," NBC's "Heroes" and "The Class" on CBS all fit that bill.

There's also been a welcome trend toward more diverse casting, including many interracial pairings --- a far cry from the 1960s when English pop star Petula Clark caused a firestorm by daring to touch Harry Belafonte's arm during a song.

If the new fall slate has a weakness, it's the situation comedies. Some, like Fox's "Happy Hour" are just poor. Others, like NBC's "20 Good Years" and ABC's "The Knights of Prosperity" and "Notes from the Underbelly" have their virtues, but should have been better.

Things are brighter on the drama front, and two ABC comedy-dramas show real heart: the international hit "Ugly Betty" and the Anne Heche vehicle "Men in Trees" --- both of which would seem to be winners --- as do NBC's two "Saturday Night Live"-themed series, Aaron Sorkin's behind-the-scenes drama "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" and the edgy comedy "30 Rock."

All in all, the new fall season shows a lot of promise. Here's a look at it, alphabetically by network with premiere dates (all times PDT).

ABC
Brothers & Sisters (Sundays, 10-11 p.m., premiering Sept. 24): Ultraconservative political pundit Kitty (Calista Flockhart) relocates from New York to Los Angeles to become a regular on a talk show, and is reunited with her left-leaning family which includes father William (Tom Skerritt), head of the family business; mother Nora (Sally Field), who is unaccountably estranged from Kitty; and siblings Sarah (Rachel Griffiths), the company's corporate VP with a troubled marriage; womanizing Tommy (Balthazar Getty); gay Kevin (Matthew Rhys), a lawyer; and alcoholic Justin (Dave Annable), traumatized after returning from service in Afghanistan.

Score: first-rate cast in fairly routine drama, despite the participation of distinguished playwright Jon Robin Baitz. The exposition-heavy pilot has several all-too-predictable turns, and the jerky camerawork and fast editing create a distancing effect. Lowdown: a couple of premarital situations and some crass language.

"Day Break" (Wednesdays, 9-10 p.m., Nov. 15): Detective Brett Hopper (Taye Diggs) wakes up in his girlfriend Rita's (Moon Bloodgood) bed at the start of what should be a normal day, and after a series of disturbing events, he's arrested and jailed for the murder of a district attorney, then brought to an ominous holding area where he realizes he's being framed. He wakes up in bed as if it's all been a dream, but then events begin to play out precisely the same again. And again.

Score: far-fetched but exciting suspense, with a compelling performance by Diggs. Lowdown: moderate action violence, some intense scenes, acceptance of premarital sex and a gratuitous shower scene without nudity.

Help Me Help You (Tuesdays, 9:30-10 p.m., premiering Sept. 26): Ted Danson stars as group therapy leader and best-selling author Dr. Bill Hoffman, whose in-control demeanor masks a personal life as unstable as those of his patients. He's separated from his wife (Jane Kaczmarek) but longs for a reconciliation, while daughter Sasha (Carla Gallo) is dating a colleague of Bill's as old as he is.

Score: Danson's an ever-personable performer, and some of the situations are amusing, if predictable. Lowdown: some sexual talk and innuendo, some pre- and post-marital sex, and some crass language.

The Knights of Prosperity (Tuesdays, 9-9:30 p.m., premiering Oct. 17): A dead-end job, decides to make his dreams come true and hatches the notion of robbing Mick Jagger's New York apartment, putting together a gang of blue-collar misfits (none of whom have ever committed robbery before) to carry out the scheme.

Score: The offbeat concept doesn't quite work in the charming way intended, and is not terribly funny. Lowdown: questionable premise, though it's couched in Robin-Hood terms, as the gang intends to give much of their booty to charity. There are some crass expressions, sexual innuendo and, at one point, they pray to God that they have stolen the correct key to Jagger's apartment.

Men in Trees (Fridays, 9-10 p.m., Sept. 15): Best-selling relationship coach Marin Frist (Anne Heche), who seems to be in perfect control of her life, learns that her fiance is cheating on her. While on a book tour in Alaska, she's charmed by the unpretentious locals and decides to stay, almost immediately entering into a sparring relationship with handsome environmentalist Jack.

Score: Alaskan locales give a fresh look and feel, the characters are likable and, overall, the series seems to generate an easy charm. Probably of more appeal to women, but shows promise for all. Heche narrates, giving the show something of the feel of "Sex and the City," though without the overt sexual elements. The direction of James Mangold of "Walk the Line" adds to the overall quality. Lowdown: We see Marin briefly in bed with her fiance, and at one point, Marin sleeps chastely with Jack as protection against the cold.

The Nine (Wednesdays, 10-11 p.m., Oct. 4): Nine hostages involved in a 52-hour bank robbery standoff --- including troubled policeman Nick (Tim Daly), bank manager Malcolm (Chi McBride) and doctor Jeremy (Scott Wolf) --- bond and have their lives changed ever after.

Score: well-acted and suspenseful, with an interesting premise. The pilot ends on a surprising cliff-hanging note. Throughout, there is flashy camerawork, along with quick edits. Lowdown: a brief bedroom scene and a drug reference aside, the series seems low on sex, violence and language issues.

Six Degrees (Thursdays, 10-11 p.m., Sept. 21): The lives of several disparate New Yorkers intertwine: Carlos, a young lawyer; Mae, arrested for indecent exposure, now living incognito on the run for some other mysterious reason; Steven, an embittered divorced photographer fresh from rehab; ad agency executive Whitney, who has an unfaithful British boyfriend; distraught widow Laura, haunted by the death of her reporter husband in Iraq and now raising their little girl; and ex-con chauffeur Damian, whose crooked brother would like Damian to work for him.

Score: interesting if somewhat derivative drama, not unlike Oscar winner "Crash" in its depiction of the interconnectedness of mankind. Good performances across the board; on the whole a cut above. Lowdown: an impulsive exhibitionist moment (no actual nudity), some violence, including a shooting, and brief drug reference. But generally "clean" content.

Ugly Betty (Thursdays, 8-9 p.m., Sept. 28): Betty (America Ferrera), a plain-Jane young woman from Queens with braces and zero fashion sense, is hired by publishing magnate Bradford Meade (Alan Dale) to be the assistant to his son, Daniel (Eric Mabius), the editor in chief, to break his son's habit of sleeping with his sexy secretaries. Daniel tries to make her life miserable so she'll quit, but comes to admire her for her decent qualities, and finds her a valuable ally against ambitious editor Wilhelmina Slater (Vanessa Williams), who is determined to undermine him.

Score: Though based on a hit Mexican TV series, there are parallels to "The Devil Wears Prada" in its portrayal of a nebbishy assistant making good in the world of high fashion, but the pilot shows promise. Betty has solid integrity, and it would seem her influence may reform her playboy boss. Lowdown: The pilot features some skimpy costuming courtesy of Daniel's girlfriends, a few crass expressions and mild profanity.

CBS
The Class (Mondays, 8-8:30 p.m., Sept. 18): Comedy about a group of third-grade classmates who are reunited 20 years later at a party, stirring up old --- and new --- feelings as they reassess their mostly unfulfilled lives.

Score: Despite a cute premise and a solid creative team ("Friends," "Mad About You"), mediocre writing and standard sitcom performances disappoint. Lowdown: an adulterous tryst, homosexuality, premarital sex, an intended suicide, some sexual humor and crude language.

Jericho (Wednesdays, 8-9 p.m., Sept. 20): Serial drama about the residents of a fictional small Kansas town, Jericho, overcome by fear when they see a mushroom cloud on the horizon and hear rumors of additional nuclear explosions across the country. Not knowing if they're the only survivors in America, the town unravels, teetering on anarchy.

Score: An intriguing setup and eerie apocalyptic tone make this one of the season's more promising entries. Could it be this year's "Lost"? Lowdown: some bloody and disturbing images.

Shark (Thursdays, 10-11 p.m., Sept. 21): Legal drama about a smug defense lawyer, Sebastian Stark (James Woods), who, after a crisis of conscience, switches to the prosecution when he is appointed head of the Los Angeles district attorney's office, forcing him to try high-profile cases while navigating a knotty personal life, including a fragile relationship with his 16-year-old daughter.

Score: With the pilot directed by Spike Lee, the engaging series separates itself from other courtroom procedurals thanks to Woods' performance, which has enough of a sensitive underbelly to make the otherwise obnoxious Stark genuinely likable. Lowdown: crime-scene bloodiness, brief videotaped sex images and some crude language.

Smith (Tuesdays, 10-11 p.m., Sept. 26): Crime drama about family man Bobby (Ray Liotta), living a double life as ringleader to a crew of professional criminals. Bobby agrees to a few last heists across the country before he calls it quits and retires in style with wife Hope (Virginia Madsen) and their two kids.

Score: Good turns from the topnotch cast and fast-paced action sequences raise the series above usual crime genre fare. Bobby's inner conflict is apparent, but should we be rooting for criminals? These are ruthless thugs not above killing. Lowdown: some bloody violence, sexual situations, fleeting partial nudity and a few crude expressions.

The CW
The Game (Sundays, 8:30-9 p.m., Oct. 1): Comedy about the girlfriend of a recently drafted professional football player on a fictitious San Diego team. New to the scene, she quickly learns that the competition among the other athletes' wives and girlfriends is as fierce as the one on the playing field.

Score: flat writing and forced humor. Lowdown: some sexual and irreverent humor, premarital living arrangements and a few crude expressions.

Runaway (Mondays, 9-10 p.m., Sept. 25): Drama following the plight of the Rader family, whose members are on the run after father Paul (Donnie Wahlberg) is framed for a brutal murder. To remain one step ahead of the law, they repeatedly relocate and assume new identities, while Paul struggles to clear his name and hold things together with his wife and three children who are targeted for threats by the real killer.

Score: With solid performances and writing, taut pacing and an intriguing concept that hooks you early, the series could be a runaway hit. Lowdown: some mildly crude language and humor and minor crime scene gore.

Fox
Happy Hour (Thursdays, 8:30-9 p.m., Sept. 7): Chicago-based comedy about a small-town transplant, who finds himself dumped by his girlfriend and forced out of their shared apartment and in with his neighbor, a Dean Martin wannabe.

Score: The writing is flat, the humor lowbrow and forced, and the performances clumsy. Lowdown: crude jokes and expressions and a drunken sexual encounter.

Justice (Wednesdays, 9-10 p.m., Aug. 30): Legal drama that follows a team of all-star attorneys --- led by media-savvy front man Ron Trott (Victor Garber) --- which each week takes on high-profile cases.

Score: Garber is charismatic and executive producer Jerry Bruckheimer brings his glossy style to the series, with its unique focusing on the media component and spin strategies of trying celebrity cases. Lowdown: some bloody images, a violent re-enactment and some rude language.

Standoff (Tuesdays, 9-10 p.m. (8-9 p.m. beginning in November), premiered Sept. 5): Police drama about a pair of top FBI negotiators (Rosemarie DeWitt and Ron Livingston) whose high-stakes duties are complicated by their secret, and against-the-rules, romantic involvement.

Score: The leads have chemistry, and the basic concept is interesting but the writing is mediocre and the crises could become redundant. The characters' use of persuasion over brute force in defusing volatile situations is a positive. Lowdown: some violence, an implied premarital relationship and a few crude expressions.

Til Death (Thursdays, 8-8:30 p.m., Sept. 7): Domestic comedy that contrasts the lovey-dovey bliss of young newlyweds Steph (Kat Foster) and Jeff (Eddie Kaye Thomas) with the less amorous antics of middle-aged Eddie (Brad Garrett) and Joy (Joely Fisher), the veteran couple next door, with Eddie giving the younger man the lowdown on married life.

Score: Garrett is saddled with far less sharp writing than on "Everybody Loves Raymond," but the script is not completely devoid of wit and some of the observations ring true. Some may feel the show paints a cynical picture of marriage, but Eddie and Joy really do love each other. Lowdown: some unnecessary crude language and sexual humor, including a vulgar running gag involving the younger couple's last name.

Vanished (Mondays, 9-10 p.m., Aug. 21): Political thriller about a nationwide investigation into the mysterious disappearance of the wife of a high-profile senator. As it unfolds, FBI agent Graham Kelton (Gale Harold) and aggressive TV reporter Judy Nash (Rebecca Gayheart) uncover intrigue in the highest corridors of power.

Score: The action drama mimics the taut pacing and serialized structure of "24," with the conspiracy elements of a Dan Brown novel. Despite cliffhanger hooks, Harold's bland lawman is no Jack Bauer, and the writing is lackluster. Lowdown: some violence and sexual content, including a racy encounter with partial nudity, a graphic autopsy scene and a brief shot of a decomposing corpse.

NBC
Friday Night Lights (Tuesdays, 8-9 p.m., Oct. 3): Drama based on the movie about high-school football players in a rural Texas town where life revolves around the team and losing is not an option. With expectations high, new head coach Eric Taylor (Kyle Chandler) must cope with the pressure of having to deliver a state championship.

Score: The performances are solid across the board and the writing has a strong moral center. Writer-director Peter Berg --- who directed the feature film --- does a good job at translating the movie's energy to the small screen, but with such a clearly defined end zone --- the championship game --- it will be interesting to see whether the series can go more than one season. Lowdown: an implied premarital relationship, some football roughness and brief crude language.

Heroes (Mondays, 9-10 p.m., Sept. 25): A group of disparate people around the globe discover, to their amazement, that they possess superpowers and seem to be on earth for a special purpose. They include genetics professor Mohinder, whose father was murdered for a mysterious secret; politician Nathan, whose younger brother believes he can fly; Niki, a Las Vegas stripper with a unique mirror image and a young son; a young man in Tokyo, Hiro, who can transport himself at will to other locations; Texas cheerleader Claire, whose body is apparently indestructible; and ex-druggie artist Isaac, who can illustrate events before they happen.

Score: compelling drama that's quite offbeat and succeeds in sustaining a unique mood better than some of this season's other multi-character dramas. Highly intriguing. Lowdown: fairly low on objectionable content, though we see Niki undulating in front of a video camera; Isaac's drug addiction; and a few crass words.

Kidnapped (Wednesdays, 10-11 p.m., Sept. 20): Private kidnapping investigator Knapp (Jeremy Sisto) locks horns with FBI agents Latimer King and Andy Archer (Delroy Lindo and Linus Roache) as they seek to restore an abducted boy to his wealthy parents, Conrad and Ellie Cain (Timothy Hutton and Dana Delany).

Score: fast-paced, taut thriller with excellent performances, superior writing and good character delineation. Lowdown: minimal graphic violence and no language issues, but possible adultery theme involving Delany's character.

Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (Mondays, 10-11 p.m., Sept. 18): New network president Jordan McDeere (Amanda Peet) must revitalize a "Saturday Night Live"-type comedy show and prove herself to her boss, Jack Rudolph (Steven Weber), which she does by bringing back the creative team of Matt Albie (Matthew Perry) and Danny Tripp (Bradley Whitford), who once worked on the show.

Score: Producers Aaron Sorkin and Thomas Schlamme give "The West Wing" treatment to the world of network television. This reasonably cutting-edge "inside" view of off-camera politics in the fast-moving entertainment world looks promising, and bespeaks "quality." Lowdown: pilot episode revolves partly around an edgy skit called "Crazy Christians"; one character takes some digs for her Christian convictions; some salty language and drug references.

30 Rock (Wednesdays, 8-8:30 p.m., Oct. 11): The writer of a TV variety show (Tina Fey) must contend with an interfering network VP (Alec Baldwin), and an outlandish celebrity (Tracy Morgan), who wants to make her show edgier, in this offbeat, behind-the-scenes comedy set at NBC's New York headquarters.

Score: The series has a quirky original feel and shows potential on the purely entertainment level, registering high on the laugh meter. Lowdown: some intentionally outrageous humor, including innuendo, a nongraphic scene in a topless club, ethnic stereotyping and a brief drug reference.

Twenty Good Years (Wednesdays, 8:30-9 p.m., Oct. 4): New York-based comedy about best buddies (John Lithgow and Jeffrey Tambor) who decide to live each day to the fullest, after John is forced into retirement and Jeffrey is faced with committing to his longtime girlfriend.

Score: Two comedy pros give it their all, but the pilot --- loaded with necessary exposition --- seems forced and just isn't funny enough. Lowdown: some crass humor and innuendo, including at one point, the thrice-divorced John stripping down to his skivvies.

Harry Forbes is director and David DiCerto is on the staff of the Office for Film & Broadcasting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.