• Assciated Press via Yahoo, Friday, October 19, 2007 11:15 AM

There has, as yet, been no water-cooler like last year's "Heroes," although a pair of new shows -- "Pushing Daisies" and "Private Practice" -- hold out some promise even as network TV viewership is down as much 10% from last fall. "The networks haven't delivered the compelling new shows that viewers get excited about," says Shari Anne Brill of Carat USA, noting talked-about hits like "Desperate Housewives" and "Lost" from recent seasons past.

The top nets deliver a combined 40 million weekly viewers to advertisers, keeping them a big draw for advertisers, but the medium is only as strong as its programming, says Marc Berman, an analyst for Media Week Online. "Did the networks really put on anything that people said, 'Wow, I have to watch this?'" he asks.

So far, that answer is no. Current front runners aren't the heavily promoted new shows but returns, including "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" on CBS and ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" and "Grey's Anatomy." Each drew more than 19 million viewers last week to top the ratings charts. Meanwhile, "Private Practice" and "Pushing Daisies" ranked 18th and 30th in total viewers.

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