Can't we all just get along?

Apparently not in prime time, where conflict is considered crucial for keeping long-running dramas alive and lively.

To that end, "NYPD Blue" started its final season with yet another new lieutenant (Currie Graham), a by-the-book type who may finally force Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) into retirement. "Law & Order" replaced Jerry Orbach's laconic Lenny Briscoe with a suspiciously slick detective played by Dennis Farina. And, most alarmingly, "Gilmore Girls" split up that seemingly inseparable pair, Lorelai and Rory Gilmore (Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel).

From a viewer's point of view, conflict may seem overrated. If we want constant squabbling and back-stabbing, after all, we can just watch reality TV.

Nobody tunes into "CSI" to see the characters butt heads; part of the show's charm is the way they work smoothly as a team. That was also the charm of "The West Wing" before everyone got so inexplicably cranky. The effortless partnership of Briscoe and Green (and all Lenny's previous partners) added a subtle but satisfying dimension to "Law & Order" that is missing in the early going this season.

Nobody wants their favorite shows to change, either. But in fact, without change or conflict, even the best drama would be a dead shark. (See: Woody Allen, "Annie Hall.")

Executive producer John Wells believes a failure to change is part of the problem with "The West Wing" (8 p.m. Wednesdays on NBC beginning Oct. 20), where characters have lingered much longer than their real-life White House counterparts would have. Look, then, for dramatic changes this season as Wells attempts to bring this shark back to life.

Here's a look at other changes either in place or afoot in returning TV favorites this fall:

- Wow, talk about great conflict - on "Without a Trace" (9 p.m. Thursdays on NBC), Jack (Anthony LaPaglia) lost both his job and his family after his wife informed him in the season finale that he wouldn't be moving to Chicago with her. He'd already quit his job with the FBI's missing-persons unit, and to return would mean bumping his friend Vivian (Marianne Jean-Baptiste), who replaced him. Now that Jack's free, he could potentially hook up with Samantha (Poppy Montgomery), with whom he previously had an affair - but now she's started something with colleague Martin (Eric Close). Whew.

- On "Gilmore Girls" (7 p.m. Tuesdays on the WB), Rory headed off to Europe after clashing with her mother and getting mixed signals from married Dean (Jared Padalecki) about their relationship. What fans really want to know, though, is how soon Lorelai and Luke (Scott Patterson), who finally shared a big kiss in last May's season finale, will get together for real. Don't hold your breath for a November sweeps wedding; creator Amy Sherman-Palladino plans to reintroduce Rory's dad, Christopher, as a roadblock for the lovebirds. Meanwhile, back at Yale, Rory will date a rich guy.

- Speaking of "Gilmore Girls," Milo Ventimiglia, who previously stirred up Star's Hollow as bad-boy Jess, will now be stirring up Philly as a bad-boy love interest for Meg (Brittany Snow) on "American Dreams" (7 p.m. Sundays on NBC).

- Now that "CSI: Miami" (9 p.m. Mondays on CBS) has cruelly killed off Speed (whose gun jammed in a shootout after actor Rory Cochrane didn't re-up his contract, apparently by choice), Jonathan Togo joins the cast as a cop.

- "Crossing Jordan" (9 p.m. Sundays on NBC) cleared up last season's confusion (caused by star Jill Hennessey's maternity leave and episodes airing out of order) in the May finale, which saw Jordan's murderous brother kill himself. This year, Ivan Sergei is out (he moved to "Hawaii") but Jerry O'Connell is in as cop Woody Hoyt, who could be getting more serious with Jordan.

- "Everwood" (8 p.m. Mondays on the WB) has forced adversaries Abbott (Tom Amandes) and Brown (Treat Williams) into the same medical practice, sharing patients and an espresso machine and teaming up against the new doctor in town, played by Scott Wolf ("Party of Five").

- On "Las Vegas" (8 p.m. Mondays on NBC), Danny (Josh Duhamel) returned from war with post-traumatic stress, annoying fans who want the old, lighthearted Danny back.

- "Judging Amy" (9 p.m. Mondays on CBS) let the ceiling fall in on Judge Amy Gray (Amy Brenneman) in this week's season premiere. Dan Futterman is back as brother Vincent, and both he and mom Maxine (Tyne Daly) are reeling from disastrous relationships.

- "NYPD Blue" (9 p.m. Tuesdays on ABC) is all about conflict this season. Clark (Mark-Paul Gosselaar) has hit bottom (we know because he fails to shave) after his girlfriend's suicide, rejecting father-figure Andy's attempts to help. As for Andy, he doesn't even have the relief of a home life; with Charlotte Ross (Connie) opting out of her contract, she'll be unseen this season.

- The addition of Farina as Det. Joe Fontana is just the first change on "Law & Order" (9 p.m. Wednesdays on NBC) this season. Midway through, Elisabeth Rohm will exit as Assistant DA Serena Southerlyn. Creator Dick Wolf asked Rohm to stay on temporarily to ease the transition, rather than hitting viewers with two cast changes early on. He probably didn't need to: Rohm has never been a fan favorite.

- Looking down the road, "24" (returning to Fox in January) is adding Kim Raver ("Third Watch") as a love interest for Kiefer Sutherland's Jack Bauer. (TV Guide reports seriously steamy chemistry between the two.) And in really good news, Fox announced this week that Carlos Bernard had re-signed as Tony Almeda, last seen heading for the slammer after failing to sacrifice wife Michelle in the heat of a crisis. The network had previously said only Sutherland would be back for the new season, starting in January. Meanwhile, Reiko Aylesworth, who played Michelle, turned up briefly on "CSI" as the new DNA specialist, who fled after one episode.

- "Law & Order: Trial By Jury," featuring Orbach, won't arrive until January but continues to add cast members. Candace Bergen will play a judge, and Bebe Neuwirth (Lilith on "Frasier") will also star.