By Conor Casey, Chris Prine, Tom Silvestro, and Jon Wellington

Ah, fall... a time when yuppies go apple picking, school children purchase their Fat Albert Trapper Keepers, and flannel shirts change color and drop from the trees. It also signals the start of a new television season. However most of these new shows won’t be around very long (we’re looking at you "Whoopi"), so here are some fantastic mid season replacements in the works.

"Really Tough Cops" (ABC)

These cops are tough, REAL tough! This new show from Steven Bochco, creator of "NYPD Blue," promises to have twice as much toughness than most cop shows. Jack Palance stars as Detective Brock Lannaman, a street-smart (and tough!) policeman who’s had over 30 years experience in the gritty and sticky streets of Chicago. At the dismay of Lannaman, an equally tough hotshot rookie named Tony (played by the other guy from "21 Jump Street" – not Johnny Depp) is assigned as his partner and their toughness collides. Expect plenty of pistol whipping and bullet chewing in this exciting and TOUGH drama. Did I mention that these guys are tough?

"Law and Order: Special Olympics Unit" (NBC)

In its 32nd spin-off, NBC presents a drama about a group of police officers and public defendants that handle crimes perpetrated by special Olympians. Most of the episodes involve petty crimes such as stolen animal crackers or jay walking and the "special" felons are all reminded that even though they were convicted, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re "losers." Chris Burke heads the cast.

"Good Eats!" (UPN)

Something smells funny on UPN! In this dark sitcom, funny man Louie Anderson plays television chef Harry Eats, a morbidly obese man with one little secret: he’s a cannibal! Whether he’s munching on his children, roasting his in-laws, or gutting his wacky neighbor (guest star Mark Linn-Baker), Chef Eats is serving up a main course of comedy…with a side order of chuckles!

"Witty Gay Man in the City" (NBC)

For fans of witty gay characters and cities, this is the show for you! Kirk Cameron stars as Lank Hooper, a witty gay urbanite that is an architect or a lawyer or something. Hooper lives in New York (the city section) and shares an apartment with a straight no-nonsense broadly written Italian stereotype, played by Mario Lopez. As you can imagine with such witty and non-witty opposites, hilarity often ensues!

"Ling Su and Vortog" (NBC)

What happens when a street tough, central Asian, gym teacher lesbian rooms with a genetically altered, pot smoking, cyborg alien? Funny stuff will go on! Your sides will be splitting when inner Mongolia meets outer space!

"Filmed Before a Live Studio Audience" (CBS)

In this edgy mind-bender of a sitcom, the action takes place not on the screen, but in the audience! The wacky misunderstandings and zany antics of a ragtag group of studio audience members are followed as they enjoy a sitcom within a sitcom. Need more meta? Well, the whole thing is shot before a live studio audience that’s laughing at the "fake audience" that’s laughing at the "fake sitcom." It stars Jason Alexander as "The Guy in the Audience that Coughs a Lot."