Cyberbia has weighed in on the fall television season-- with predictably quixotic results.

Out on the wild and woolly Internet, lots of people have opinions, and they're not afraid to share them. Posted comments about new shows and returning series alike have ranged from the simple--the always popular "It sucked" or "It was great"--to thoughtful analysis and sublime suggestions from viewers eager to play programmer for a day.

Why not cast David Letterman as Phoebe's dad? suggested one "Friends" fan in the newsgroup devoted to that NBC series.

A "Melrose Place" fan cast that show's players in "The Brady Bunch" with beleaguered Allison as Jan. "Amanda, Amanda, Amanda, why is it always Amanda!" he wrote.

All is not stunt casting, however. Plot twists have drawn their share of heated reactions, with cybernauts divided over the Ross-Rachel "Will they or won't they?" story on "Friends" and the addition of Jeremy Piven's character, Spence, on "Ellen."

"Why are they messing with the cool femaleness of the show?" asked one "Ellen" fan on ABC's America Online site. "Isn't that the quality that made it a hit?"

"As I remember correctly, the show is called 'Ellen,' not 'My Cousin Spence,' " another fan pertly responded, though several defended the new character.

Meanwhile, over at the "ER" newsgroup, which is normally dominated by medical chatter, many wagged their fingers at a character's liaison with a married woman. "Dr. Benton, shame on you!" was one posted remark.

All this sound and fury has not escaped Hollywood's attention. Increasingly, network executives and creative staffs are making it their business to monitor cyberspace for viewer feedback. While no one will admit to having changed a story line based on such comments, no one is ruling out the possibility in the future, either.

Already, CBS has used cyber-travelers visiting its World Wide Web site for both focus groups and input in developing some programs.

"It's a good way to hear what people want," explains George Schweitzer, CBS executive vice president for marketing. "Look, people on the Internet are not shy, and that's important. They're for the most part articulate and very passionate."

"We definitely monitor it," says John P. Roberts, Fox's director of online entertainment. "We keep tabs on what people are saying about our shows."