Much like CTV and CBC, Canwest is going into fall with few changes to its schedule, though the whims of its U.S. partners have rearranged Tuesdays and Wednesdays on its main network. And, like its chief commercial competitor, Canwest will in 2008/09 run more upper-shelf shows on its second-chair station group.

The E! stations have gained 24, long a pillar of Global’s schedule, plus the buzzed-about comedy Worst Week from CBS and another new arrival from Fox, the hotel-set sitcom Do Not Disturb. Like the former A-Channels — which CTV earlier this week rebranded as simply the As — the named-for-a-vowel network at Canwest is looking to run more than its usual mix of reality and ratings long shots.

‘Canwest is here in a different way than ever before,’ declared president Kathy Dore in her opening remarks at the Wednesday morning upfront presentation at Toronto’s Elgin Theatre — pointing to the broadcaster’s 22 conventional and specialty outlets, more than half of which it picked up late last year from Alliance Atlantis Communications.

Dore talked up the ability of both schedules to connect with the 18-49 demographic, taking an apparent swipe at frontrunner CTV in the process. ‘Others focus on 2+ [viewers]…we concentrate on the audience that really matters,’ she remarked.

Five new series join Global’s schedule in the fall, including the Christian Slater-starrer My Own Worst Enemy, debuting Mondays at 10 p.m. following reliable hits Prison Break and Heroes. The highly anticipated spin-off 90210, featuring Canuck Shenae Grimes, will premiere in the plum Tuesday 9 p.m. slot, following ratings leader House, airing in simulcast with Fox at 8 p.m.

‘We have given 90210 the best spot on the schedule very purposefully because we believe in it that much,’ Canwest EVP of content Barb Williams told Playback Daily after the presentation, adding that ‘the time is really right for it.’

Also new to Global is comedy Kath and Kim, based on the hit Australian show, airing Thursdays at 9:30 p.m. after The Office, followed by the time-traveling detective series Life on Mars at 10 p.m. Mars is a remake of the popular BBC series which previously aired on Showcase. Hour-long comedy The Ex-List, about a thirtysomething woman searching for her future husband, settles into the Friday 9 p.m. slot.

Parroting a move by CBC, which last week promoted The Border to its fall schedule, Global has moved its action-drama The Guard up from mid-season, and will run the B.C.-produced series on Wednesdays at 10 p.m. following NCIS and Bones, where it will face tough competition from CTV’s CSI: NY. Also back is a new season of Survivor, in the west African country of Gabon, and Brothers and Sisters, which airs Sundays following Global’s comedy block of The Simpsons and Family Guy. Missing from the schedule — though it is due back for a second season — is the Toronto-made ‘da Kink in My Hair, which last fall aired in early prime Sundays.

The female-skewing E! will be the home for action series Knight Rider, airing in simulcast on Wednesdays at 8 p.m., followed by Deal or No Deal. Fox’s Do No Disturb runs Mondays at 8 p.m. followed by Worst Week.

The seventh season of 24, due as usual in mid-season, will be preceded by a two-hour prequel movie in November. The earlier-than-usual start for the real-time thriller led to a scheduling conflict with NBC’s Heroes, which is back on Global for its third run.

‘The reality is we are jammed up on Mondays…we’ve got Heroes in simulcast at 9 p.m., and we really need to air 24 in simulcast,’ hence the move to E!, explains Williams.

The strong E! slate will help make it a definitive network, says Williams. ‘We believe that we have two distinct brands that each stand on their own feet and complement each other.’

Mid-season premieres on Global will include a spin-off of The Office, the sci-fi drama Dollhouse, the murder mystery Harper’s Island and the animated comedy Shut Up, Sit Down, while E! has reality series Secret Millionaire.