NBC There... Be There!

NBC announced in their upfronts, which is the important unveiling of shows to their most important customers - their advertisers. Here's what we know:

Come fall, four new scripted series are slated:

• "My Own Worst Enemy," a drama starring Christian Slater as a humdrum family man plagued by a Mr. Hyde streak. On first read, I swear I read Mr. Hyde steak... that's comedy. A haunted Muppet steak that... oh, streak? Not so much - just kind of playing yourself there, eh Chris? Welcome to television.

• "Kath & Kim," a mother-and-daughter comedy adapted from an Australian hit and starring Molly Shannon and Selma Blair. NBC has a 9/10 fail on adapting shows from other countries. Terrible odds.

• "Knight Rider," an updating of the 1980s action-fantasy about a man and his robotic car (reintroduced earlier this season as a TV film). And it's been re-tooled so many times - they basically greenlit this thing for title alone. Look for an explanation here, a story called "Did NBC actually see Knight Rider?"

• "Crusoe," based on the classic novel. Lost, but funnier and more racist?

The winter-spring 2009 schedule will introduce four more series:

• "The Philanthropist," a drama about a selfish billionaire who, after a spiritual awakening, will do anything to help people in need. Scrooge, the day after Christmas. No one wants to watch this.

• "Merlin," a fantasy drama set in mythic Camelot. Didn't they do this with Sam Niel? Why not put Merlin in present day and have him on a quest to find King Arthur's heir and then the third season he can start looking for Excalibur, and the fourth they can start looking for the Grail...

• "Kings," described as an "exploration of the timeless David vs. Goliath struggle" and starring Ian McShane ("Deadwood"). Unless Ian's cursing a lot - I could give a rip.

• An as-yet-undescribed comedy spinoff from the producers of "The Office." I'm going to take a guess it'll be something like the "Mailroom" or "Help Desk?" The idea probably seems a lot funnier on paper than the execution.

"ER" will come to an end next season — its 15th.

This year's freshman dramas "Journeyman" and "Bionic Woman" have been axed, as has the long-running "Scrubs," which will finish its run in May.