But with the networks preoccupied by strike talks and media people concerned about the increasing numbers of viewers time-shifting shows, this may be one of the quieter sweeps in recent memory.

There are a few stunts scheduled on each network but no absolute must-sees. And none of the networks are expected to see big gains over last year’s sweeps period, with all but Fox down season-to-date among adults 18-49.

Through the first five weeks of the season, according to Nielsen live-plus-same-day DVR playback ratings, ABC leads with an average 3.8 rating and 10 share, off 10 percent from last year.

Fox, buoyed by a strong World Series, is second at 3.6/10, up 20 percent over last year, followed by CBS and NBC tied for third at 3.4/9, CBS down 15 percent and NBC off 8 percent. The CW is a distant fifth at 1.3/3, falling 13 percent from 2006.

With the strongest combination of scripted shows, including still-strong “Desperate Housewives” and “Grey’s Anatomy,” and the season’s top new drama (“Private Practice”) and sitcom (“Samantha Who?”), ABC seems likely to once again win November. It’s the only network that can compete for first on nearly every night, with few major holes in its schedule.

The network has a special on tap, Nov. 7’s “Country Music Awards,” and a number of high-profile, ratings-pumping guest stars, like Posh Spice (Victoria Beckham) on “Ugly Betty” and original Geico commercials caveman Jeff Daniel Phillips on the low-rated “Cavemen.”

It also returns “October Road,” a solid midseason replacement last year, for a one-time showing in the post-“Grey’s” slot Thursday before it moves to its regular Monday spot. “Road” seems likely to draw better ratings than usual timeslot occupant “Big Shots,” which has been losing roughly half its lead-in.

Meanwhile, CBS also has a season premiere, with “The Amazing Race” sliding into the 8 p.m. timeslot of failed drama “Viva Laughlin” this Sunday. The network also has a number of big-name guest stars, such as Heather Locklear on next week’s “Rules of Engagement” and former “Malcolm in the Middle” star Frankie Muniz, playing against type as a suspected serial killer on “Criminal Minds.”

Plus the network has the first-ever “CSI”-“Without a Trace” crossover episode, which should boost the latter’s sagging ratings on Thursdays at 10 p.m. It’s expected to compete for second during sweeps with NBC.

NBC has super-sized episodes of “My Name is Earl” and “Deal or No Deal,” the finale of reality show “Phenomenon” and Al Gore on “30 Rock” as part of the network’s week-long green theme, plus the annual “Christmas in Rockefeller Center” special.

Fox should finish fourth in sweeps, though it could see gains over last year. It has the annual “Simpsons” Treehouse of Horror episode Sunday, followed by the 100th episode of “Family Guy,” which received heavy promotion during the World Series. Three celebrity editions of “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?” are also scheduled.

Finally, the fifth-place CW has mostly big guest stars, including Lil’ Kim and Erykha Badu on “The Game” and “Girlfriends,” "The O.C.'s" Melinda Clarke on "Reaper," and Helen Slater, star of the movie "Supergirl," playing Clark Kent's biological mother on "Smallville."

Meanwhile, in broadcast ratings for the week ended Oct.28:
 
Among adults 18-49, Fox was first with a 4.6 rating and a 13 share, followed by ABC at 3.7/10, CBS at 3.0/8, NBC at 2.6/7, Univision at 1.5/4, CW at 1.2/3, Telemundo at 0.4/1, Telefutura and MyNetworkTV at 0.3/1, and Ion and Azteca at 0.1/0.
 
Among adults 18-34, Fox led with a 3.9 rating and a 12 share, followed by ABC at 2.9/9, NBC at 2.4/7, CBS at 2.0/6, Univision at 1.6/5, CW at 1.3/4, Telemundo at 0.4/1, Telefutura and MyNetworkTV at 0.3/1, and Ion and Azteca at 0.1/0.
 
Among adults 25-54, Fox was first with a 5.2 rating and a 13 share, followed by ABC at 4.3/11, CBS at 3,9/10, NBC at 2.9/7, Univision at 1.5/4, CW at 1.1/3, Telemundo and MyNetworkTV at 0.4/1, Telefutura at 0.3/1, Ion at 0.2/0 and Azteca at 0.1/0.
 
Top five English-language Big Five shows (18-49s): 1. Fox’s “House” 7.6; ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy” 7.4; 3. ABC’s “Desperate Housewives” 7.2; 4. Fox’s “World Series Game 4” 7.1; 5. Fox’s “World Series Game 1” 5.8.
 
Top five English-language Big Five shows (total viewers): 1. ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars - Monday” 21.37 million; 2. Fox’s “World Series Game 4” 20.94 million; 3. ABC’s “Desperate Housewives” 18.28 million; 4. ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy” 18.17 million; 5. Fox’s “House” 18.11 million.
 
Bottom five English-language Big Five shows (18-49s): Tie-92. CW’s “Aliens in America” and NBC’s “Bionic Woman – Sat.” 0.9; 94. CW’s “America’s Next Top Model - Encore” 0.6; Tie-95. CW’s “Aliens in America – Sunday,” “CW Now” and “Life is Wild” 0.3.
 
Bottom five English-language Big Five shows (total viewers): 93. CW’s “Girlfriends” 2.21 million; 94. CW’s “America’s Next Top Model - Encore” 1.44 million; 95. CW’s “Life is Wild” 1.08 million; 96. CW’s “Aliens in America - Sunday” 750,000; 97. CW’s “CW Now” 700,000.
 
Show on the rise: “30 Rock,” NBC, Thursday 8:30 p.m. Despite airing head-to-head against Fox’s coverage of the World Series, NBC’s comedy rose 19 percent week-to-week among viewers 18-49, from a 2.6 to a 3.1.
 
Show on the decline: “Pushing Daisies,” ABC, Wednesday 8 p.m. ABC’s new drama did not fare as well against the Series, falling to a new low, a 3.2 rating among 18-49s last week, off 14 percent from a 3.7 the previous week.