The evidence is irrefutable: CSI: New York is the most eagerly anticipated new show of the Fall 2004 season.

The Futon Critic released the results of a Phillips Electronics poll about which new show viewers were anticipating. Out of 1000 people polled, a whopping 47% were looking forward to CSI: New York. The Friends spinoff Joey was in second place with 31% of the polled reporting that they were looking forward to the show. Viewers were allowed to vote for all of the shows they were looking forward to. Survivor 9: Vanuatu and Dr. Vegas also garnered interest, with 23% and 19% of the 1000 looking forward to the shows, respectively.

Even though CSI: New York is considered the surest bet of the upcoming season, CBS hasn't been taking any chances. The Eye network launched a heavy marketing campaign for the show, including trailers running all summer during airings of repeats of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CSI: Miami and other shows.

According to Variety (via Yahoo!News), CBS CEO Les Moonves is anticipating success in the timeslot that has seen many a CBS drama perish, including Wolf Lake and Presidio Med. "We finally have a weapon that can go in there and do some business, which is a time period we haven't done business in for many, many years," he said.

CBS Entertainment President Nancy Tellem is equally optimistic. "We believe we're well-positioned to introduce another strong freshman class," she said. "All of our new shows will benefit from an established show as a lead-in, except, of course, CSI: NY, which already has a built-in identity."

Variety's Rick Kissell analyzed the upcoming showdown between CSI: New York and Law & Order, which both premiere on Wednesday, September 22nd. Law & Order which is entering its fifteenth season, has long been the timeslot winner at 10pm Eastern time on Wednesdays, but CSI: New York, a spinoff of televisions top-rated crime drama, CSI: Crime Scene Investgation, is considered a guaranteed hit, which could break NBC's stranglehold on the timeslot.

Kissell believes the decline of The West Wing has increased pressure on Law & Order, and the loss of regular Jerry Orbach (who will be headlining the fouth Law & Order show, Trial by Jury) doesn't help matters. "The loss of veteran actor Jerry Orbach probably couldn't have come at a worse time for the show," Kissell notes.

But Kissell also mentions CBS's string of failed drama shows in the past few years, as well as CSI: New York's rather weak lead-in, the comedy Center of the Universe. Still, Kissell knows not to underestimate a CSI show: "CBS is playing down expectations for it, but CSI: NY is capable of winning this battle," he writes.

Ultimately, though, Kissell is betting on Law & Order, by a hair: "New York is Law & Order's domain, so give a slight edge to the incumbent. There is room for both to do well in the same hour, although their ratings will suffer as fans of the popular franchises are forced to pick between them for the first time," Kissell posits.

The results of the viewer interest poll can be found at The Futon Critic, and the CBS executives' comments can be found at Variety (subscription required) or Yahoo!News, while the showdown analysis can be found at Variety (subscription required) or Yahoo!News.

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