There’s at least one advantage to being the fourth-ranked broadcast network. There’s lots less to lose taking chances on innovative new shows, as ABC did in 2004 with “Lost” and “Desperate Housewives.”

Now it’s NBC turn. And it's following that lead with what looks to be the strongest lineup of new shows of any of the broadcast networks, this a year after rolling out the offbeat hit “My Name is Earl.” 

There are six shows in all, four dramas and two comedies. While some are stronger than others, there’s only one stinker. And it’s the one show that takes the fewest chances.

What follows is a critical look at each of those shows:
 
“Heroes”

After Aaron Sorkin’s “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip,” “Heroes,” which debuts Sept. 25 in the Monday 9 p.m. timeslot, this is probably the most-hyped new show of the season.

“Heroes” largely lives up to that hype. Like ABC’s “Lost,” which it’s clearly meant to emulate, the series has an expansive, multi-cultural cast and offers a serious take on an old genre chestnut, the superhero. It follows the lives of everyday people who are blessed with extraordinary abilities.

“Heroes” has it flaws. At times it takes itself too seriously. Its ambition can border on pretension. But in its best moments it resembles the M. Night Shyamalan film “Unbreakable,” about a man who discovers a great secret about himself after a tragedy. It’s smart, serious and well-acted.

“Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip”

“Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip,” debuting Sept. 18 in the Monday 10 p.m. timeslot, is a very effective distillation of what creator Aaron Sorkin does best: catch the intensity of a moment. Like his short-lived ABC series “Sports Night” and his long-running “West Wing,” “Studio 60” is characterized by rapid-fire dialogue and witty banter. Conversations typically take place as characters walk swiftly through hallways, trailed by a roving camera.

Set behind the scenes at a “Saturday Night Live”-style variety show, “Studio 60,” like “Sports Night,” makes every little decision in running a TV show seem like it could change the world. The show succeeds by creating characters rich enough to make their little world matter as deeply as if it were that larger world. Matthew Perry and Amanda Peet deliver especially strong performances.

 
“Friday Night Lights”

Debuting Oct. 3 in the Tuesday 8 p.m. timeslot, “Friday Night Lights” is a surprisingly effective adaptation of the 2004 film of the same name, following the lives of high school football players and their many supporters (coaches, girlfriends, family) in a small Texas town. It has a gritty, realistic feel to it that sets it apart from the typical teen drama.

The pilot comes from Peter Berg, co-writer and director of the film, and like the film it fully captures what makes football more than just a sport for small-town America. The challenge will be to maintain the film’s tension over a season in which every episode presents another game that must be won.

 
“30 Rock”

“30 Rock,” which debuts on Oct. 11 in the Wednesday 8 p.m. timeslot, shares its premise with “Studio 60,” taking place as it does behind the scenes on the set of a TV variety show. But there the similarities end. “30 Rock” is much lighter, a workplace sitcom, and really a platform for co-star Tracy Morgan to do stupidly funny stuff. Morgan amply obliges.

“30 Rock” creator Tina Fey, herself formerly of “Saturday Night Live,” puts her dry wit and goofy sense of humor in her role as the show’s head writer. Alec Baldwin also stars. Some retooling has been done since the original pilot, including bringing in Jane Krakowski (“Ally McBeal”) as a female lead and reducing Rachel Dratch’s role, but Fey’s tone looks to be intact.
 
 
“Kidnapped”

Debuting on Sept. 20 in the Wednesday 10 p.m. slot, “Kidnapped” is far superior to Fox’s similarly themed “Vanished.” This drama about a search for the missing son of a wealthy executive offers feature film-level production values and an impressive cast that includes Dana Delany, Timothy Hutton and Delroy Lindo.

Yet “Kidnapped” is a bit disappointing, especially in light of the strengths of NBC’s other new dramas. The plotting seems a little haphazard, and it could well be the result of its ”24”-like plotline, with the tale unfolding over the entire season. Already in the first episode the writers have tossed in devices whose only purpose appears to be to drag out the kidnapping.

“20 Good Years”

NBC’s one true weak spot on its fall schedule is “20 Good Years,” which debuts on Oct. 11 in the Wednesday 8:30 p.m. timeslot, as a traditional laugh-tracked comedy with John Lithgow and Jeffrey Tambor as two lifelong friends determined to live their golden years to the fullest. As with any buddy sitcom going back to “The Odd Couple,” one friend is loud and daring (Lithgow), the other quiet and timid (Tambor).

Their interaction is everything, but the pair can’t seem to pull it off, and the shtick gets old quickly. Lithgow persists in the overacting he took to annoying new heights in the latter years of “3rd Rock From the Sun.” Tambor does his best, but he’s held back by Lithgow and material that’s as musty as an old barn.