At the "Upfront" presentations in New York this week by the broadcast networks, several new shows were announced for 2007-08 involving a number of Star Trek: Voyager and other Trek alumni.

Tim Russ co-stars in Sam I Am, the pilot for which was directed by Robert Duncan McNeill. It's a comedy headlined by Christina Applegate in the title character of an amnesia victim putting the pieces of her life back together ... and learning she was not a very nice person before. Russ plays "Frank," the doorman at Sam's building. The show is scheduled for Monday nights at 9:30 ET/PT on ABC. Apparently ABC worked out any legal difficulties with the title "Sam I Am" — McNeill told fans at the Grand Slam convention in Burbank last month that a new title was being sought to avoid any issues with the estate of Dr. Seuss (related story).

Also on ABC's fall schedule is a new show from former Voyager writer/producer Bryan Fuller called Pushing Daisies. It's been described as a "romance-tinged procedural" about a man whose touch can bring the dead back to life, with a colorful "fairy-tale" visual quality. (Fuller knows a thing or two about dead people, having created Showtime's Dead Like Me, along with Wonderfalls.) Fuller wrote the pilot and is producing. Pushing Daisies is scheduled for Wednesday nights at 8:00 ET/PT. Fuller is leaving Heroes — for which he shared a Saturn Award win last week — after this season to concentrate on the new show.

Over at The CW, Ray Wise — "Arturis" in "Hope and Fear" — co-stars in Reaper, about a bounty hunter working for the devil. The "supernatural dramedy" will air Tuesdays at 9:00 ET/PT.

The most anticipated dramatic entry at Fox won't premiere until January. The Sarah Connor Chronicles — a spinoff of the "Terminator" movies — stars Thomas Dekker as the iconic "John Connor." Dekker was the holographic "Henry Burleigh" in two episodes of Voyager, plus he was one of Picard's Nexus sons in "Star Trek Generations." Once it does materialize in midseason, "Connor" is slated for Sunday nights at 9:00 — the slot that worked so well for The X-Files — right after Family Guy, and will air without repeats.

Fox's most anticipated new comedy stars Kelsey Grammer — "Bateson" in TNG's "Cause and Effect" — as a news anchor forced to re-team with his ex-wife (Patricia Heaton) at a Pittsburgh TV station. Back to You — formerly titled "Action News" — premieres in the fall on Wednesday nights at 8:00 (opposite Pushing Daisies).

Bryan Singer — who appeared briefly in "Star Trek Nemesis" — is the producer of Dirty Sexy Money, a black comedy-drama about corrupt wealth which will air in the fall on ABC Wednesday nights at 10:00 — the slot currently occupied by Lost.

Lost — from "Star Trek XI" producers J.J. Abrams, Damon Lindelof and Bryan Burk — won't return for its fourth season until January or February, when 16 episodes will run continuously. It may go back to the 9:00 timeslot, but that isn't definite yet.

At CBS, Shark co-starring Jeri Ryan is moving to Sunday nights at 10:00. Shark is the only new show from last season with a Trek principal to survive into a second season. The Nine with John Billingsley, Raines with Linda Park, and The Black Donnellys with Kate Mulgrew have all been unceremoniously nixed.

One final note from the Upfronts: CBS announced a new reality show for Wednesday nights called "Kid Nation," where 40 children ages 8-15 go to a ghost town to build their own society, presumably with no adult supervision. A real-life "Miri"?

Dallas Symphony Performs "Music of Star Trek"

John de Lancie and Robert Picardo will be the special guest narrators at a concert next month of Star Trek music performed by the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. The compositions of Jerry Goldsmith will be featured, alongside works by Alexander Courage, Cliff Eidelman, Leonard Rosenman, Dennis McCarthy and James Horner.

"The Music of Star Trek" will be performed June 5 and 6 (Tuesday and Wednesday) at the Meyerson Symphony Center in downtown Dallas. Tickets range from $35 to $75. Visit www.DallasSymphony.com for more info. According to the site, costumes are welcome!

Blalock's "Shadow Puppets" in Exclusive Engagement

A new horror/thriller starring Jolene Blalock had its world premiere in Europe last month and is now set for an exclusive one-week engagement at a Beverly Hills theater. "Shadow Puppets" is a scary tale about eight strangers who wake up in an abandoned asylum with no memories, and soon discover they were subjects of an experiment gone haywire. Blalock co-stars with James Marsters of Buffy and Angel fame, along with Tony Todd, who played "Kurn" and other roles in Trek.

"Shadow Puppets" will play June 22-28 at the historic Fine Arts Theater at 8556 Wilshire in Beverly Hills. The movie will be presented digitally and in full surround sound, according to its director, Michael Winnick. You can purchase tickets through the movie's MySpace page, and also see a trailer for the film (featuring Blalock in underwear reminiscent of the decon chamber!).

The movie was the closing entry at the Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival on April 16. No word yet about a full theatrical or DVD release.

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Trumbull, Dykstra, Knoll at VES Festival
Ellison to Read for Charity
Links of Interest: Stewart, Okudas, Begley, Reddick