TV deals with post-strike hangover

This is a crucial year for TV.

After the writer’s strike ended, fans were uninterested and ratings sunk across the board. The strike hampered new show development, meaning we’ll see shows that rushed into production without regard for quality. It’s going to be dicey, but here are a few issues worth watching out for:

FOX delivers

The former fourth-place bum finds itself as the new powerhouse. FOX won the ratings war last season and could do it again. Ratings monster “American Idol” aside, FOX has a solid stable of shows: “House,” “Bones,” “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles” and “24.”
Even more surprising, the network looks to have the only buzzworthy new shows of the crop: J.J. Abrams’ “Fringe” and Josh Whedon’s “Dollhouse.” Those two easily have the most interesting plots of all the new shows and enough star power to make them solid hits.

Mondays are the new Thursdays

Thursday has long been known as the most competitive night, but that is going to change this season. Monday will host 9 shows that have either big ratings power or sizable cult followings.

Set your TiVos accordingly because we’ll see “Gossip Girl” and “One Tree Hill” on the CW; “Chuck” and “Heroes” on NBC;  “24” and “Terminator” on FOX; “Dancing With the Stars” on ABC; and “Two and a Half Men” and “How I Met Your Mother” on CBS.
Expect “Dancing” to win the night, but it will be compelling to see whether NBC can contend with “Two and a Half Men.” People are down on “Heroes” because it sucks, but “Chuck” deserves to break out.
 
‘90210’ won’t help

Even after a summer of incessant advertising and a big premiere-night, the second episode of “90210” delivered disappointing results. The sinking CW is latching its hopes on the remake of the ’90s teen drama about the California rich, but by the end of the season, “90210” won’t have higher numbers than the much-better “Gossip Girl.”

“90210” might deliver modest ratings, but the CW sealed its fate when it decided not to publicize its shows that get decent numbers (“Smallville” and “One Tree Hill”) or its best ones (“Reaper” and “Supernatural”). The CW is so bad, people actually wish UPN was still around.

Second-year charms

Forgotten because of their strike-shortened runs, second-season shows are in a weird position. Many of them are being marketed as if they’re brand new.

And since most new shows will be colossal busts, networks will be leaning on year-two programs that had modestly successful premiere seasons. Aside from the aforementioned “Chuck,” “Terminator” and “Gossip Girl,” look for “Private Practice,” “Pushing Daisies” and “Dirty Sexy Money” to find fans and ratings alike.

‘Fringe’ will be the best newbie, ‘Crusoe’ the worst

With a cryptic, mythology-tinged story, “Fringe” could become the new “Lost.”

The creative staff knows how to tantalize the audience while keeping them interested, and the cast is top notch. It’s damn time Joshua Jackson had something to do post-“Dawson’s Creek,” and Lance Reddick is one of the best actors around. Although the premiere had disappointing ratings, “Fringe” should grow into a sizable hit and cult show.

NBC’s “Crusoe,” on the other hand, will be dreadful. It is based on the book “Robinson Crusoe,” where an English shipman finds himself stranded on island in the 1600s. NBC thinks it’s “Cast Away” meets “MacGyver,” but we know it’s going to be perioddrama garbage.

Three others that might make it, three that won’t

These shows could be decent: “The Mentalist,” “Eleventh Hour” and “Privileged.”

However, these won’t last: “Do Not Disturb,” “My Own Worst Enemy” and “Life On Mars.”

It’s going to be a crazy year, so power up those DVRs and prepare for the worst.