In theory at least, the coming fall season ought to be causing the broadcast networks a bit of heartburn, with the strike having cut deeply into the development season, when outlines and scripts are created for shows for the next year.

That certainly did hurt. Just half the normal number of shows have been developed.

But fall should do well for the broadcast networks just the same, and one reason is that their schedules will also carry a number of shows that were slotted for this spring but got pushed off schedules because they didn't have enough episodes because of the writers' strike, such as Fox's "24," which will air a special movie.

Further, some of the new shows appear to be promising, featuring big-name stars like Goldie Hawn and producers like David E. Kelley.

As it turns out, back in December and January, while the strike was in effect, writers were at working from home developing concepts they could pitch to the studios once the strike ended, which came in mid-February.

“For all of this to happen so quickly, I think there were plans or discussions taking place during the strike,” notes John Spiropoulos, vice president and group research director at MediaVest.

What will change this year is how the fall slates are previewed for media buyers. In past years, the networks would host big development meetings in Los Angeles in March, about this time, and invite all the buyers out for the week.

This year, they will be meeting with buyers and agencies individually.

With their new shows, returning shows and their delayed shows, the networks may actually end up in better shape than in past years. They'll have plenty of replacement shows to shove in for those that turn out to be rating clunkers.

The networks may also have enough programs on the air and in development to stretch out the September-to-May season to a 52-week schedule, which Fox initiated a few years ago and NBC is now adopting. The idea is to roll shows out year-round, even in the summer.

“The broadcast networks are moving toward a cable television or broadband video model,” says Brad Adgate, senior vice president and corporate research director at Horizon Media. “We may see more shows debuted anytime, anywhere.”

While it's still early, several programming trends are popping up for the coming year, and one is shows starring big-name actors.

Goldie Hawn is in “Leap,” a drama in development since last summer from “Friends’” creator Marta Kauffman for ABC. VH1 reality star Flavor Flav stars in a comedy that debuts next month on MyNetworkTV, and producer J. J. Abrams from ABC’s “Lost” is developing the drama “Fringe” for Fox.

There are a number of shows taking cues from ABC’s “Lost” and NBC’s “Heroes,” with a bit of science fiction and fantasy. “Mentalist” for CBS is a drama about a mind reader who fights crime. “Lie to Me” for Fox is about a former FBI agent who’s a human lie detector.