The Alison LaPlaca Open is underway for the 2002-03 season, and here are my picks and why. I have a feeling this will be an unsuccessful title defense; this seems much tougher than last year for some reason. Plus I screwed up my ballot, so that the show I thought was most likely to get canceled, is getting just one bonus point. I don't know if Mike is going to give me a break on that or not. But all my shows are going to go away, so it won’t matter a bit. Right? Right. So, then:



10-Friends (NBC) -- Apparently someone is still watching Friends, thought it’s no one I know or would associate with. Deep down I think that the cast will get moneywhipped into returning for more, which is why this was supposed to be at the bottom of the list.

9-Buffy the Vampire Slayer (UPN) -- Sarah Michelle Gellar reportedly wants out. I don't think UPN ever got the ratings boost it expected from the show. Last season had more low points than highs, and those highs were once again ignored come Emmy time.

8-Hack (CBS) -- I think this will this year’s prestigious-cast show that dies early. Before we had Deadline, with Oliver Platt, Lili Taylor and Hope Davis. Last year there was The Education of Max Bickford, which did manage to last a full season. Now we have this new project with Andre Braugher, who’s really just too good for television.

7-Fastlane (FOX) -- This was apparently the joke of the fall upfronts. It’ll either become this season’s Wind on Water, or will develop a loyal following, but I suspect Tiffani Theissen will get the boot midseason.

6-Firefly (FOX) -- I’m interested in Joss Whedon’s new project -- if Buffy’s going to wither on the vine, then I at least want him to be churning out some good TV in its place -- but the FOX Friday Sci-Fi block is usually a kiss of death, X-Files notwithstanding. This will be the Show I’m Slavishly Devoted To Which Will Last Less Than A Season, so I may as well profit from it, like I didn’t with Undeclared and The Tick last year.

5-Septuplets (FOX) -- The hell? Where did this come from? Septuplet teens? This being FOX, I’m sure they won’t have the host of physical and mental problems that real septuplets have. It’s on Thursdays opposite CSI, more NBC comedies, and the intriguing Push, Nevada, so buh-bye.

4-MDs (ABC) Opposite the venerable Law & Order, as well as CBS’s competing medical drama, Presidio Med. I doubt two medical dramas can survive long in the same slot, and MDs has the less-interesting cast.

3-Without A Trace (CBS) - Too many crime dramas on CBS, and this one’s up against ER. The leadins are strong -- Survivor and CSI -- but in the end the inexplicable slavishness to NBC on Thursday will win out.

2-The Twilight Zone (UPN) - I’d like this to stick around. I think there’s room to showcase new short-fiction talent on television. I think the choice of Forest Whitaker as host is interesting. But it’s in a slot of death -- West Wing will draw the adults, Birds of Prey will take the fanboys, and Fastlane may or may not take the MTV kids. Perhaps USA or Sci-Fi will pick it up and it’ll flourish there, but it’s not gonna last on the network.

1-Bram And Alice (CBS) -- Dear God, this looks awful. Then again, Baby Bob is still kicking around.