“Steve Harvey's Big Time,” WB, Thursday at 8 p.m.

Telltale quote: “My son - his name is Winton, and all of his N's are backwards - that's where we are right now.”

Overview: Based on variety shows from the golden age of television, “ Big Time” hopes to spotlight the little-known celebrities in regular American neighborhoods. A cross between David Letterman's Stupid Human Tricks and Bill Cosby's “ Kids Say the Darndest Things,” "Big Time" is a showcase of talent from the adorable to the truly bizarre, all hosted by one of the original “Kings of Comedy,” Steve Harvey.

Verdict: As former host of “Showtime at the Apollo,” Steve Harvey successfully holds his own against a know-it-all 4-year old and an escape artist who takes on a spinning washing machine. The question is whether the series is any match for ratings giants "Friends” on NBC and “Survivor” on CBS . The WB isn't banking on aggressive counter-programming to turn the tides for the network on Thursday, and this show may suffer as a result. “ Big Time” would be better suited for Sunday nights, in the company of programs like ABC's “America's Funniest Home Videos. ”

“Run of the House,” WB, Thursday at 9:30 p.m.

Telltale quote: “Who said law school was going to be fun?”
“Hello – did you see ‘ Legally Blonde?'”

Overview: Joey Lawrence is back. Before you laugh, consider this: Joey is now Joe. And for his return to television comedy, he's managed to lose the clueless grin and the company of his brothers. Instead, he plays the oldest of four children who live together while their parents spend the winter in Arizona (for the sake of the show, we can presume they decide to extend their vacation).

Joe plays Kurt, the responsible older brother left in charge of 15-year old Brooke. The pair is joined by Chris, who lost interest in law school the moment the tuition became nonrefundable, and Sally, whose wandering eye never strays far from a mirror.

Verdict: Created by “My So-Called Life's” Betsy Thomas, “Run of the House” has the potential to fit right in with similar sibling-themed series “What I Like About You ,” the show's 9 p.m. lead-in. The four kids, while slightly exaggerated in their differences, seem to share a comfortable chemistry. The problem may be one of timing: Even if the WB finds an immediate audience for the new series, it's likely to lose ground once Fox moves “ The O.C.” to its regular Thursday timeslot on Oct. 30, after the baseball playoffs.

“The Mullets,” UPN, Thursday at 9:30 p.m.

Telltale quote: “After roofing comes contracting, then construction, casino operation, all-around real estate moguling, sports team ownership, sexy young trophy wives, political power, and bam! An American dynasty is born. All hail the Mullet boys!”

Overview: For anyone who thought California was inaccurately represented in “The O.C.,” take a look at network television's representatives from the San Fernando Valley. UPN didn't flinch when it presented this new series at the upfronts, and although many waited all summer for the network to admit to the big prank, UPN is moving forward with the launch of the show.

Denny and Dwayne are brothers whose big dreams are kept afloat by their hopeful mom (enthusiastically played by Loni Anderson) and a supporting cast of similarly coifed friends. The one awkward kink in this entirely predictable series is the role of the boys' conservative step-dad Roger, played by John O'Hurley (J. Peterman on “Seinfeld” ).

Verdict : UPN would have been better off cutting this from their schedule before anyone realized they were serious about it. Instead, “ The Mullets” proves that while some trends come back into style, others are best left forgotten in dusty yearbooks.

By John Rash

“Steve Harvey's Big Time,” WB, Thursday at 8 p.m.

Steve Harvey is big time. But unfortunately the show will be small time, as the variety show talent and tough time period threaten to reduce one of “The Original Kings of Comedy” (others include fellow sitcom stars Bernie Mac, Cedric the Entertainer and D.L. Hughley) to a mere court jester. But the WB would be wise to keep Steve Harvey in their royal court, as the former host of “Showtime at the Apollo” just doesn't have the proper platform in this cross between “The Ed Sullivan Show” and David Letterman's Stupid Pet/Human Tricks. With the one fun element being Steve Harvey's reaction shots to his guests' acts, “Big Time” may soon be in big trouble, especially against big hits “Survivor” and “Friends.”

“Run of the House,” WB, Thursday at 9:30 p.m.

“Run of the House” is run of the mill, meaning there are a few fun moments within the predictable plot, particularly the lines highlighting some stinging sibling rivalry. (There are also some smiles from some sly slighting of the WB's viewers' ignorance of any historical or cultural events that have taken place before the first Bush administration.) And in a rare case of a former child star making news in front of the camera instead of behind bars, Joseph Lawrence jettisons his Joey persona in “Run of the House,” following his well-received work on NBC's “American Dreams.” But while the "kids running the kingdom" (or inmates running the asylum) story would normally prove irresistible to the WB's teen and young adult audience, most will be watching the teen angst antics on Fox's "The O.C."

“The Mullets,” UPN, Thursday at 9:30 p.m.

UPN's top ratings are from the low-rent “WWE Smackdown.” Nielsen numbers objectively indicate the key constituency is younger males, often with relatively lower levels of education and income. Subjectively, just the guys who might mull a mullet haircut. So UPN risks disenfranchising their franchise audience by mocking them in “The Mulletts.” As, sure enough, the pilot's plot plods around a ridiculous pursuit of pro wrestling tickets for "mother Mullett's" birthday. Like “Beavis and Butthead” making fun of MTV viewers watching shows like “Beavis and Butthead” on MTV, “The Mulletts” laugh at “Smackdown” fans watching UPN. Only unlike “Beavis,” “The Mulletts” isn't played as irony -- it's supposed to be funny on its own. It isn't. Ironic, isn't it?