Last year was the season of serials -- dark, moody serials; what will fall 2007 bring? We're starting to get a good idea.

Not long after the broadcast networks announced their fall schedules in May, pilot episodes began landing on the desks of TV critics nationwide. Next week these critics will gather in Beverly Hills, Calif., for the Television Critics Association summer press tour. We'll attend press conferences with the stars/producers of new cable and network shows and attempt to ascertain why TV shows with narrators are all the rage, how nerds suddenly became hip and why ABC's comedy "Sam I Am" became "Samantha Be Good" and then "Samantha Who?"

There will also be much discussion of a looming writers' strike -- their contract expires in October -- that could have the effect of creating more reality shows that don't rely as heavily on traditional writers.

Wrapped up in the issues in renegotiating a new writers' contract is the future of television: Who pays for it in a universe where viewers have control, recording shows on a DVR to watch later, skipping past the commercials that have paid the production cost of TV programming for decades?

Expect NBC to come under special scrutiny because of changes in the executive ranks with the rise of 36-year-old new programming exec Ben Silverman, formerly a producer adept at repackaging foreign TV shows for American networks ("The Office," "Ugly Betty").

Through it all, I'll be on the lookout for actors/producers with Pittsburgh ties, including the Kelsey Grammer-Patricia Heaton newsroom sitcom "Back to You," which is set in the 'Burgh. Let the so-called "death march with cocktails" begin!

New KDKA meteorologist

KDKA has found a replacement for morning/noon meteorologist Rebecca Hower, who left in May after her husband took a job in Erie. General manager Chris Pike reports that Valerie Abati, currently of Cincinnati's Fox affiliate WXIX, will join KDKA in late summer or early fall.

Abati (no relation to morning news anchor Sonni Abatta) grew up in Conneaut Lake and has a degree in meteorology from Penn State. She previously worked for TV stations in Clarksburg, W.Va., and Chattanooga, Tenn.

Special on WQED

Although it's not a WQED production, Pittsburgh's PBS outlet will serve as the presenting station for the locally produced documentary "Kenya: One Woman's Hope, One Country's Dream," debuting at 10 p.m. Thursday.

Husband and wife filmmakers Clay and Gwen Kisker of Mt. Lebanon profile the work of Ruth Dietz, a grandmother and legal secretary from Wexford, on a mission trip to Africa with Rainbow Christian Missions last summer.

R.I.P. 'Birdman'

Adult Swim's "Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law" ends its run this month with two last episodes airing at 11:45 p.m. July 15 and 22.

The half-hour series-ender finds a depressed Harvey having to re-try all his cases. Funny, bizarre and not always coherent, the series ends at just about the right time before becoming too obtuse. Now it's time for Cartoon Network's Adult Swim to bring back new episodes of "Frisky Dingo."

Channel surfing

HBO's "Curb Your Enthusiasm" returns for its sixth season Sept. 9. ... "Jaws" fans, mark your calendars: The 20th anniversary of Discovery Channel's "Shark Week" kicks off July 29. ... Audra McDonald will replace Merrin Dungey as Addison Montgomery's best friend in the "Grey's Anatomy" spin-off "Private Practice." ... Although Rene Auberjonois and Mark Valley have been dropped as "Boston Legal" series regulars, both will make guest appearances in the show's new season this fall. ... Fox has re-scheduled the final two episodes of "Drive," originally set to air Wednesday, for next Friday. ... ABC's "Good Morning America" will air a tribute to its longtime film critic, the late Joel Siegel, Monday, with former "GMA" stars Charles Gibson, David Hartman, Joan Lunden, Spencer Christian and Dr. Timothy Johnson returning for the occasion. ... So far there have been four "Gunsmoke" DVD releases, but none has included all the season-one episodes. That changes July 17 with the debut of "Gunsmoke: The First Season" ($42.99, CBS DVD), which arrives sans extras. ... Przyborski Productions has produced a high-definition Eat'n Park TV commercial, possibly the first local HD spot, that's currently airing on WPXI. ... KDKA-TV will host an open casting call for the 16th edition of "Survivor" at The Mall at Robinson, noon to 6 p.m., Thursday. Details at KDKA.com.

TV Q&A

This week's TV Q&A responds to questions about "Studio 60," "Eureka" and "My Boys." Read it online at post-gazette.com/tv.