WTAE's "Rachael Ray" should be the big new syndicated show this fall, but judging by the many calls and e-mails from confused "Guiding Light" fans, their greatest concern is not about any new series, but the whereabouts of an old favorite.

	"Rachael Ray" will lead WTAE's fall lineup. Click photo for larger image.

KDKA has been running spots promoting its acquisition of "Dr. Phil," which currently airs on WTAE, but "Guiding Light" fans are all wound up because "Phil" is taking the "Light" time slot at 3 p.m. weekdays beginning Sept. 11.

Not to worry. "Guiding Light" is not going away; as we first reported in June, it's just moving to 10 a.m. on KDKA starting Sept. 11. That, in turn, will bump "Pittsburgh Today Live" to 9 a.m., which knocks "Martha" from KDKA to sister-station WPCW at the same time.

KDKA's only other significant acquisition is reruns of "CSI: Miami," which will air at midnight Saturdays starting Sept. 16.

That leads us back to the biggest talk show name this fall: "Rachael Ray" (10 a.m. weekdays, starting Sept. 18). If you're saying, "Who?" then you're not a devotee of Food Network and its chipper, cheerful star who will headline her own New York-based syndicated show.

Ray promises to offer simple solutions to everyday issues (food, travel, family, relationships) using "how-to" instructions, and, if a recent press conference is any indication, always with a smile.

"Everything is all about the accessibility for me," Ray said last month in Pasadena, Calif. "I sat down and tried to make up a list of guidelines that keep the show the way I envision it in my head. ... The No. 1 rule was no crying. I don't like finger-wagging. I don't like a lot of experts."

So far, she's pre-taped a lot of physical challenges, tasks suggested by her fans via the Web.

"On the Food Network, we had an enormous amount of fun," Ray said. "And I did travel shows and 'Inside Dish' with the celebrities and the '30 Minute Meals.' So this show is like all of that smushed together into one show. And then you add in the live audience and the participation of the home viewer, and that's sort of the hybrid that built this."

Celebrities will be featured, but not every day.

"We want the celebrities to come on who like to storytell outside of punching a clip," Ray said. "I really love to play games, so we want somebody to show us the side of them that's more like us and not like Hollywood."

Ray's series will also feature fitness tips from a trainer who she assigned to "give me the better-than-nothing workout, the absolute least I can do to button my jeans."

And never fear, foodies, she will continue to produce Food Network shows on top of her daily chatfest.

"You just reorganize," Ray said, explaining how she'll keep her juggling act going. "I used to tape '30 Minute Meals' three times a year, blocks of four each time. Now I do everything back to back ... and get it done in a couple of weeks. And then that clears the deck for the next thing. ... You get up and you do what you have to do to get your job done. That's all."

WBGN

The low-power station that could, WBGN is adding to its roster of favorite series from the past. Except where noted, all shows begin the week of Sept. 11:

1980s sitcom "Family Ties" will air weeknights at 6:30, '90s comedy "The Nanny" will air weeknights at 8, followed by "Mad About You" reruns at 8:30.

Geraldo Rivera, in his latest syndicated incarnation as the face of "Geraldo at Large," will make appearances at 9 weeknights.

1960s favorite "Mission: Impossible" will air weeknights at 11.

Back-to-back episodes of "The Outer Limits" will air at 10 and 11 p.m. Sunday.

WBGN broadcasts over the air on assorted channels throughout the region, including Channel 59 in Pittsburgh (for other locations and cable channel positions, visit www.wbgn.com).

WPCW

Pittsburgh's new CW affiliate, Channel 19, will add reruns of several hit shows, including "According to Jim" (5:30 and 11:30 weeknights starting Sept. 18), "The Shield" (9 p.m. Saturdays beginning Sept. 23) and "Without a Trace" (11 p.m. Sundays beginning Sept. 24).

During the day, the station adds "Martha" (9 a.m., Sept. 11) and "Judge Maria Lopez" (10 a.m. starting Sept. 18).

WPGH

Fans of NBC's "Scrubs" can tune in for reruns of the sitcom weeknights at 11:30 and midnight beginning Sept. 18.

UPN comedy "One on One" will air weekdays at 4:30 a.m.

Starting Sept. 30, fans can relive past seasons of their Fox favorite with "American Idol Rewind" (5 p.m. Saturdays, repeating at 9 p.m. Sundays on WPMY).

Megan Mullally Click photo for larger image.

WPMY

Channel 22 (formerly WCWB), soon to be an affiliate of My Network TV, offers the most new syndicated series, beginning with "The Megan Mullally Show" Sept. 18 at 9 a.m.

Mullally, who played fall-down drunk sidekick Karen Walker on "Will & Grace," said she didn't expect to become a host, despite her experience as a popular guest on other talk shows.

"I always liked guesting on talk shows because I always considered it an entertainment," Mullally said at an NBC press conference last month in Pasadena. "Much to the chagrin of NBC, I'm sure, I always forgot to promote 'Will & Grace.' But I thought of it as something that I was doing for the viewer to try to entertain them. There's a similar element guesting and hosting because you're creating something that's for the audience."

After Mullally subbed for David Letterman a few years ago, she started to get offers to host her own show. She grew up watching talk and/or variety shows hosted by Carol Burnett, The Smothers Brothers, Merv Griffin and Mike Douglas, and hopes to emulate them.

"There is a strong variety element to the show, so down the road we may have 'The Megan Mullally Dancers' or something like that," she said. Other elements will include a live five-piece band, sketches, comedy and field reports. "We have an extremely interactive Web site that I'm really excited about because I want to get the viewer involved in a more active way."

The Web site won't launch until the show does, and the address was not available at press time.

Mullally said she's still getting used to seeing her name in the show's title.

"It's weird. ... When I'm in the office, I mean, every piece of paper has [my name] slathered all over everything," she said. "When people answer the phone, they say, 'The Megan Mullally Show.' I've already completely de-personalized it to where it's like, 'Heinz Ketchup.' It's not even my name anymore."

Also on WPMY:

	Greg Behrendt Click photo for larger image.

With his electrocuted rooster hair, "He's Just Not That Into You" co-author and observational humorist Greg Behrendt will talk about relationships on "The Greg Behrendt Show," which will air at 4 and 10 p.m. weekdays beginning Sept. 18.

Behrendt, repeatedly described by his executive producer as a "big brother you come to for advice," said his love of people is what drives him.

"All of my comedy's always been directed at the idea of, you have a short ride here on this planet. You should have an awesome life and you should figure out how to get there," Behrendt said.

Behrendt's show is followed by "Dr. Keith Ablow" (5 p.m. weekdays starting Sept. 11), hosted by a real psychiatrist (unlike Dr. Phil) who says he's "about not just the here and now, but the past and unearthing it and creating moments of epiphany" while counseling singles, couples and families on his daily show.

Other new weekday series include reruns of CBS's "Still Standing" (2 and 2:30 p.m. beginning Sept. 11) and a new courtroom show, "Cristina's Court" (3 and 3:30 p.m. starting Sept. 18).

On Sundays starting Sept. 24, Channel 22 will air back-to-back Canadian crime dramas. "Cold Squad" (6 p.m.), a forerunner to CBS's "Cold Case," follows Sgt. Ali McCormick (Julie Stewart) and her team of detectives, pathologists and technicians as they reopen long-dormant criminal cases. "Stone Undercover" (7 p.m.), titled "Tom Stone" in Canada, follows the title character (Chris Martin), an ex-con, ex-cop, who goes undercover and often banters, "Moonlighting"-style, with his boss, Sgt. Marina Di Luzio (Janet Kidder).

WPXI

For the most part, Channel 11 will stand pat this fall, leaving its current daytime lineup intact.

On weekends, "The Jerome Bettis Show" will air at 7 p.m. Saturdays effective Sept. 2, bumping "Jeopardy!" to 7:30 p.m.

"NASCAR Angels," an "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" for families with car troubles, will air at 4:30 a.m. Saturdays starting Sept. 23.

Reruns of "Masterminds," a Court TV series about the world's most daring criminals, will air at 12:35 a.m. Mondays beginning Sept. 25.

Tuned In Journal

This week's Tuned In Journal entries have looked at the 200th episode of "Stargate SG-1" and the Pittsburgh Film Office brouhaha. Next week's entries will include Spike Lee discussing his HBO documentary, "When the Levees Broke." Read it at www.post-gazette.com/tv/tunedin.

Viewer feedback

Have you had your heart broken by a TV show's cancellation? If it was a serialized drama, does that make you gun shy to get hooked on one of the many new serials this fall? E-mail me at the address below for an upcoming article.