Sweeps over recent years have been less and less dependent on the sort of stunting that used to be standard during the month-long periods. But this May sweeps, with three networks in a tight scuffle for No. 1 for the season, the networks are stunting like it’s 1999.

ABC has two big movies scheduled, as well as an Oprah Winfrey special. CBS, which has pooh-poohed stunting since Les Moonves became network president, has a Tom Selleck movie, a “Dynasty” reunion and a country music awards special.

NBC has “10.5: Apocalypse,” a splashy miniseries sequel with stars such as Kim Delaney and Beau Bridges, plus a highly publicized series of “Dateline” specials on child pedophiles.

And that’s not even including all the series and season finales that have been supersized to two hours or, in the case of ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy,” even three hours to gain any possible edge in a sweeps and season that are expected to be decided by a razor-thin margin.

Season to date, through the week ended April 23, the most recent available, ABC and Fox are tied for the lead with 4.0 averages among adults 18-49. CBS is just behind at 3.8, and NBC trails badly at a 3.3.

But depending on how the sweeps stunts go, any of the top three networks could conceivably finish No. 1 for the season or the May sweeps.

Fox and ABC have the strongest lineups for sweeps. ABC’s is particularly stunt-heavy, as the network has seen the lead it built with January’s Super Bowl evaporate over recent weeks.

Should either of its two movies, May 9’s timely “Fatal Contact: Bird Flu in America,” or the May 23 spooker “Stephen King’s Desperation,” perform well, ABC could perhaps regain its lead or at least stay in a tie.

That’s because it also has supersized virtually all of its hit shows this month, with “Grey’s,” “Desperate Housewives,” “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” “Lost” and “Boston Legal” all expanding to two hours at least once.

Fox, which has been surging since the midseason return of “American Idol,” actually has the fewest major stunts planned. It will air a two-day, two-part “House” this week on Tuesday and Wednesday, a week after the medical drama scored its best-ever rating.

And of course it has a two-hour finale planned for “Idol” on May 24, part of which will air against ABC’s two-hour “Lost” finale.

It also has the series finale of “That ‘70s Show,” featuring the rumored returns of Ashton Kutcher and Topher Grace, but it’s unlikely they’ll provide a huge boost for the show. Fox’s regular lineup may well be enough to win with season finales of “Prison Break” and “24” expected to perform well.

CBS had yesterday’s “Jesse Stone: Death in Paradise” movie with Tom Selleck and the “Academy of Country Music” awards May 23. It’s also been heavily promoting shocking developments on the season finales for “Two and a Half Men,” “Without a Trace” and “CSI.”

Though the network would have to make up a lot of ground, 0.2 rating points at least, to finish first, media researchers say that’s not totally out of the question. CBS already is guaranteed yet another first-place finish among households and total viewers for the season.

CBS is the only network without any big series finales planned. Meanwhile, NBC has two (“West Wing” and “Will & Grace”) and ABC has “Alias,” while Fox also has “Malcolm in the Middle.” But all of those shows are so far off their ratings peak, the finale stunting likely won’t make a big difference in who finishes No. 1.

Sweeps began on Thursday and wraps up May 24.