Are the networks congenitally incapable of telling the truth?

We're nearing the homestretch now: The Fall TV season will begin on Monday, and the trickle of new shows that have been coming out in recent weeks, while not exactly hitting geyser proportions, will certainly accelerate. NBC, however, has still seemed to be reticent to provide critics with screeners of their new shows.

As we've noted in the past, traditionally, we see pilots in late May/early June, after the fall schedules are announced. The writers strike prevented that, we were told (though CBS managed to come through, and Fox provided their new shows in a timely fashion). Even given that, we're still generally provided screeners a month or so ahead of the premiere date.

"Knight Rider" debuts on NBC in a week. I still hadn't seen anything or heard when I might be seeing anything on Monday, so I sent the network an Email asking if they were going to be sending out a screener of the first episode. The reply:

"It is still being finished up. There are a ton of special effects, but that is the plan. Don't have a date at the moment though."

(The new KITT is so technologically advanced that it breaks all product-placement records established in the '80s and it piddled on that fire hydrant in the background.)

Well, those special effects got finished up right quick, it seems, as today NBC announced that they'll be offering sneak peaks of new and returning shows online. "Knight Rider" went live today at a variety of sites, including, of course, NBC.com.

Two things:

1) Would it have killed them to just 'fess up and say, "It'll be available online in time for you to review - we'll provide you with a link when it's ready?"

2) NBC (as well as CBS and Fox) have been pretty aggressive in getting screeners of returning shows in my hands. So far, NBC has provided half of the "Heroes"' two-hour season premiere, three episodes of "Chuck," two of "Life" and "My Name Is Earl's" hourlong season premiere (basically two episodes, the second entitled "If You Vote For This I Will Do Something Crazy At The Emmys" - nothing like baldly trying to curry favor). Apparently, NBC wants to make sure we see their returning shows under optimal conditions on our Big-Screen Critic TeeVees, but we can just watch their new shows - the ones they're banking their season's success upon - on our tiny computer screens, at the mercy of our broadband speeds (mine can be pretty dodgy). Not exactly the way to lay those Ben-Silverman's-on-his-way-out rumors to rest.

By the way, anyone who wants to click on the link above and watch the "Knight Rider" pilot and write a pithy review, we'll post it here. Maybe I'll even plagiarize yours as my own.