'Freddie' When: 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 12, on ABC. Starring: Freddie Prinze Jr. 'Related' When: 9 p.m. Wednesday on The WB. Starring: Jennifer Esposito. 'Hot Properties' When: 9:30 Friday on ABC. Starring: Gail O'Grady.

Against all odds -- recasting and re-shooting, no review tape sent to critics before press tour (a bad sign), a terrible press conference at press tour -- The WB's "Related" (9 p.m. Wednesday) turns out to be a strong, winning comedy-drama.

Call it "Sisters: The Next Generation," but with much better writing thanks to Marta Kauffman, executive producer of "Friends," who came aboard after the first busted pilot.

"Related" revolves around the Sorelli sisters, a quartet of young New York women at various life stages. Youngest Rose (Laura Breckenridge) has switched her college major from pre-med to experimental theater without telling her widower father, who's about to get remarried, information Rose hasn't shared with her sisters.

First-born Ginnie (Jennifer Esposito) is a lawyer who gets pregnant unexpectedly, shocking her and her husband, Bob (Callum Blue, "Dead Like Me").

Therapist Ann (Kiele Sanchez) faces her own crisis when her long-time boyfriend (Dan Futterman, "Judging Amy") suggests their relationship is over.

Event coordinator Marjee (Lizzy Caplan), the funniest sister and biggest drama queen, stresses out over her capricious celebrity clients (Jillian Barberie plays herself in the series premiere).

What's most rewarding about "Related" is that, in the pilot at least, the sisters face relatable trials and tribulations, not the TV-sized problems that plagued the "Sisters" back in the day. Even better, the actresses interact in a naturalistic way that makes them feel like a real family. And the humor in the script isn't sitcom schticky, it's more like real life.

"Related" won't be for everyone, especially viewers lacking estrogen, but it is a quality weekly "chick flick" for TV.

'Freddie'

To prepare for his ABC sitcom debut (8:30 p.m. Oct. 12), it appears Freddie Prinze Jr. studied at the Matt LeBlanc School of Acting given his mumbling performance and nice-guy-cum-neanderthal portrayal of Freddie Moreno, a Chicago chef who lives with his Puerto Rican grandmother (she only speaks Spanish and has her dialogue subtitled, although, strangely, she seems to understand English), sister, niece and sister-in-law. Predictable I'm-a-guy-whose-space-has-been-invaded-by-women jokes ensue.

The show's one saving grace is Freddie's best friend and slightly more neanderthal-like neighbor, Chris, played by former "Beverly Hills, 90210" star Brian Green. He manages to make Chris, an oblivious player, appealing, particularly in this week's first episode, a much funnier half-hour than the series pilot, which will air at a later date.

(Editor's note: "Fredie" was scheduled to premiere Wednesday, but ABC moved its debut to Oct. 12.)

'Hot Properties'

Like "Related," the pilot for ABC's "Hot Properties" (9:30 p.m. Friday) was reshot when producers replaced Ben Avon native Audra Blaser in a lead role with actress Christina Moore ("Bad Girls Guide"), saying they wanted someone older to better complement stars Gail O'Grady and Nicole Sullivan.

Unlike "Related," the re-shot "Hot Properties" premiere has not been vastly improved. It is better, but the show remains a disappointingly sex-obsessed sitcom. And when it's not about sex, the jokes tend to be groaners: "The only time I hear from my ex-boyfriends is when they Star 69 me," Sullivan says.

O'Grady stars as Ava Summerlin, confident owner of a Manhattan real estate office. Her employees include insecure Chloe (Sullivan), recently divorced Lola (Sofia Vergara) and client-turned-employee Emerson (Moore).

The talented cast does its best with the show's substandard scripts, but that's not enough to make this a best bet or even, ahem, a hot property.