Networks are unabashedly promoting their new shows in every station break, which can only mean one thing: The new fall season is upon us.
    Before we immerse ourselves in hopeful new series and special guest stars, let's take a moment to mourn some of the programs that didn't make it out of last season's battlefield:

•  ABC – “ MDs,” “Push, Nevada,” “That Was Then”

•  CBS - “Bram and Alice,” “My Big Fat Greek Life,” “RHD,” “Presidio Med”

•  Fox – “Keen Eddie,” “girls club,” “Fastlane,” “John Doe,” “Firefly”

•  NBC – “Hidden Hills,” “In-Laws”

•  WB – “Family Affair,” “Birds of Prey,” “Greeting from Tucson,” “Do Over”

•  UPN – “Haunted,” “The Twilight Zone,” “Abby”

    Now, after a summer loaded with reality, networks are refocusing on new scripted programming. And after spending a record-breaking $8.5 billion, advertisers are anxious to see if they'll get their money's worth.

     Here are some of the themes most popular in the 2003-'04 season.

Families – From gay parents (“It's All Relative” ) to single parents (“One Tree Hill,” “All About the Andersons,” “Like Family” ), adult children at home (“ Run of the House,” “Arrested Development,” “Happy Family” ) to new kids in the home (“ Rock Me Baby,” “Two and a Half Men,” “The O.C.” ), the nuclear family has gone the way of the fallout shelter on this season's primetime schedule.

Minorities – Who would have thought that Fox would prove that a show about upper-class white kids would be a hit?
    Aside from “The O.C. , ” networks are bringing typically underrepresented minorities to the small screen. “ Like Family” merges a white woman and her son with the black family of her best friend. Fox's “Luis” and “The Ortegas” portray two different perspectives of Hispanic culture in America – one is set in the urban melting pot of Spanish Harlem, the other in suburban Van Nuys, Calif.
   And UPN's “ The Mullets” will try to give the blue-collar family a voice it hasn't had since “ Married … With Children” left the air.

Reality – The summer of reality is wrapping up but it's still present on every network.
    While established franchises “Fear Factor” (NBC), “Survivor” (CBS) and “The Bachelor” (ABC) continue to be ratings winners from season to season, newer programs are also making a return.
    UPN has ordered a second season of “America's Next Top Model ,” ABC is bringing back “Extreme Makeover ,” Fox is promising a twice-weekly edition of “Joe Millionaire” and WB returns with another season of “The Jamie Kennedy Experiment.”

Name changes - Changing the name of a series does little to hide the flaws of a new show (changing “AmericanWreck” to “Danny” didn't stop that head-on collision).
    This year, several titles of already questionable new programs have been altered:

•  “Married to the Kellys,” formerly “ Back to Kansas” – Turns out nobody wanted to go back.

•  “Tarzan,” formerly “ Tarzan & Jane” – Executives didn't want viewers to think the show was about anything but a shirtless Tarzan.

•  “The Mullets,” formerly “ The Mullet Boys” – Not just boys, but painters with a dream.

•  “Eve,” formerly “ The Opposite Sex” (UPN) – If you manage to sign a Grammy-winning castmember, it's considerate to name the show after her.

•  "It's All Relative," formerly "Anything Goes" – The original title sounded too much like a musical, so they made it sound more like a physics equation to draw viewers.

Weakest Night/Strongest Night

Biggest Hits

•  “The O.C.” (Fox)

•  “Coupling” (NBC)

•  “Two and a Half Men” (CBS)

•  “Hope & Faith” (ABC)

•  “The Lyon's Den” (NBC)

Biggest Misses

•  “Whoopi” (NBC)

•  “Happy Family” (NBC)

•  “The Brotherhood of Poland, NH” (CBS)

•  “Tarzan” (WB)

•  “The Mullets” (UPN )

Most Overhyped

 "Skin" (Fox) – This schizophrenic show is a modern-day Romeo and Juliet meets “The Practice,” LA-style. The good news is it gives young new talent an outlet for their craft. The bad news is they won't ever want to put it on their resume.

Most Underrated

 "Arrested Development" (Fox) – The subtle humor and star-filled cast is worth a second look, but with a November sweeps start, it will probably be canceled before audiences get the joke.