TV Guide Online: How will you resolve those cliffhangers? We know Ryan can't really stay in Chino with Teresa....
Josh Schwartz: Teresa's gonna be in the show when we come back. Ryan's still trying to do the responsible thing [where she's concerned], but it hasn't been easy. It's been a long summer between them. He's trying to make the best of it, but it's kind of grim. Seth has not returned. His parents know where he is, but he's decided he ain't coming back. Sandy and Kirsten have not had a good summer living in this empty house without the kids. It's put a lot of strain on their marriage. And Marissa comes back in a really dark place. She spent most of the summer hating her mom, living as a prisoner in [Julie] and Caleb's house and drinking. And there's someone named DJ that she may have kept herself occupied with all summer.

TVGO: What about Seth's dream girl, Summer?
Schwartz: Summer's not too happy with Seth. She's spent the summer in therapy. And she's met a new guy. We've cast newcomer Michael Cassidy, and we'll first see him in Episode 2. He's pretty perfect. He's dependable, trustworthy and selfless — everything Seth, in Summer's eyes, is not.

TVGO: Marissa and Ryan, Seth and Summer.... The young core couples are broken up.
Schwartz: Yes, the Breakfast Club has been scattered to the four corners of the earth. It's a new era in Orange County. How we left last year is not at all how we're coming back this year. And everybody's gonna have to get used to that.

TVGO: Seth has to come back eventually. When he does, what will he be up to?
Schwartz: He gets a new job at a place called the Bait Shop, which is like an all-ages club off the pier. So we have lots of good, live music coming on the show, like the Walkmen perform in Episode 3 and Modest Mouse in Episode 7. And there's a very pretty bad girl who works there named Alex, played by Skin's Olivia Wilde.

TVGO: Is Caleb going to jail?
Schwartz: Caleb's in a paranoid state. The DA kind of rattled his cage right before the wedding and since then, all has been silent. So he's started going a little batty waiting for the other shoe to drop. He's worried about losing his money and going to jail. And Julie, of course, is worried about Cardiobar and making sure Caitlyn gets to her pony lessons on time.

TVGO: Any truth to rumors that Luke might return this season?
Schwartz: He may be coming back. I'd love to get him back at some point this season.

TVGO: Most importantly, how many fistfights will there be in the first episode?
Schwartz: Zero. I think we had our fair share last year. We might have a couple punches this year, but certainly no melées are planned. It's a whole new show!

"We're not going to be maudlin about it," concedes series creator Bill Lawrence, who says it's unlikely he'll flash back to Ritter's two previous appearances. "[We're doing this] more for us — partly because we wanted to dedicate an episode to John."

Lawrence will also use the opportunity to reintroduce J.D.'s brother, played by Ed's Tom Cavanagh. "Elliot (Sarah Chalke) ends up having a fling with him," he previews. "He'll stick around for a couple of episodes."

Other Scrubs All-Stars on Lawrence's most-wanted list include Scott Foley, Tara Reid, Michael J. Fox and... Brendan Fraser??? Didn't his character die? "A friend of mine talks to her [deceased mother]," Lawrence says. "So, we've got a story where Molly (Heather Graham) convinces Dr. Cox (John C. McGinley) that there's nothing wrong with talking to your best friend if you need to work through something."

Speaking of Graham, Lawrence is hoping the Austin Powers babe will stick around beyond her eight-episode commitment. If she does, "we're going to see [Molly's] personal life — just to see how messed up it is." And if that doesn't persuade Graham to re-sign, maybe this will: "Assuming she stays longer," Lawrence says, "there'll be some kind of love/hate thing with her and J.D."

Picking hit television shows is like choosing lottery numbers. From network executives to critics to the guy serving bagels at the craft-services table, everybody likes to think they have the right formula for picking winners. And, ultimately, hardly anyone is right. Since it's all guesswork anyway, TV Guide Online turned to an equally knowledgeable group — professional psychics — to divine which new series will be the big hits and misses this fall. (And just to keep the survey "scientific," our ethereal experts haven't actually seen the pilot episodes of any of these shows.)

The Amazing Kreskin, Mentalist

Biggest Hit
Medical Investigation (NBC)
"This is going to be one of the season's biggest surprises. There's a real excitement around it. It's not a reality show but it will seem very real to people."

Biggest Flop
Rodney (ABC)
"This is supposed to be a comedy but when I'm seeing it, I am in tears. I don't see it connecting with people."

James Van Praagh, Medium and Author

Biggest Hit
The Contender (NBC)
"This is really going to be a knockout because of the host, Sylvester Stallone. I see him having a career revival, and this is the start of his comeback."

Biggest Flop
Dr. Vegas (CBS)
"This will go away in maybe two weeks. Its star, Rob Lowe, is in a very bad downswing right now. He will be out of luck with this show."

Fran Baskerville, The Singing Psychic

Biggest Hit
Lost (ABC)
"This one will be really good. What I see is the letter A, like people are rating it as an A. They will love the action scenes."

Biggest Flop
Complete Savages (ABC)
"I don't see it as holding your interest. I'd say it won't last a whole year."

Nikki, Psychic to the Stars

Biggest Hit
CSI: New York (CBS)
"People are into that crime-solving thing. And I see the star, Gary Sinise, on stage getting an Emmy for his work in this one."

Biggest Flop
Listen Up (CBS)
"People like [star Jason Alexander] but I'm getting this vibe they will associate him too much with Seinfeld, so they won't tune in."

Averi Torres, Malibu's Resident Psychic

Biggest Hit
The Benefactor (ABC)
"Just hearing about this gives me an excited feeling. A [positive] energy comes to me."

Biggest Flop
Complete Savages (ABC)
"The energy around this one feels flat. It seems kind of sad."

Terri Kite, Soul Psychic

Biggest Hit
Lost (ABC)
"It will take half a season for it to really catch on. The premise [survivors of a plane crash are stranded on an island] is something people never want to go through, but they'll be fascinated by it."

Biggest Flop
Listen Up (CBS); House (Fox)
"Audiences will feel these shows are superficial and won't be grabbed by them. I'm not sure how long they'll run, but I see them going away by the end of the season."

Kenny Kingston, Legendary Celebrity Psychic

Biggest Hit
Hawaii (NBC)
"[The late Hawaii Five-O star] Jack Lord says that if they stay in focus, he predicts big success for it."

Biggest Flop
Joey (NBC)
"Milton Berle tells me that this one will be short-lived, depending on the guest stars they get."