Hits and misses on the fall-TV front

We're seven weeks into the television season and at the beginning of November sweeps. So it's as good a time as any to see how things are shaking out thus far.

Here's a rundown of significant broadcast TV developments, including the fall's winners and losers:

Biggest flop: NBC's bold experiment to bring "The Jay Leno Show" to prime time has a been a disaster on three fronts: 1. Leno is getting pummeled in the ratings; 2. Conan O'Brien is sputtering in Leno's old time slot; and 3. The NBC brand has been greatly tarnished. Meanwhile, Leno's former nemesis, David Letterman, is enjoying robust ratings, despite (or because of) his messy blackmail scandal.

Surprise hit: Defying TV convention, Mark Harmon's military-crime procedural, "NCIS," has become prime time's No. 1 show in its seventh season. Ratings are up 22 percent over last fall, according to Nielsen.

Top comedies: Prime time's comedy drought appears to be over. ABC's "Cougar Town" brings back Courteney Cox (after the dreary "Dirt") as a hilarious man-starved mom. And NBC's "Community," starring Joel McHale, is striking comedic gold, if not golden ratings. But the standout so far is ABC's "Modern Family," with its "mockumentary" approach and sharply drawn characters.

Quickest failure: "The Beautiful Life," Ashton Kutcher's drama about the modeling world, earned the shameful distinction of being the first show to go. The CW axed it after only two episodes.

Biggest payoff: For five seasons, we've watched the romance bloom between Jim and Pam on "The Office." Their big Niagara Falls wedding could have been a huge letdown. Instead, it was an incredibly funny, touching and memorable piece of television that left us all soggy-eyed.