Critics of network television regularly claim that most programming is aimed at viewers with a fifth-grade mentality.

Maybe that assessment is too high. Fox's newest, unexpected hit is Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?, a quiz show in which adult contestants are asked questions that most fifth-graders can answer.

All too often the adult contestants fail. But the winners are eligible for cash prizes up to $1 million. Based on some on-air results, Fox should be preparing a sequel: Are You Smarter Than a Kindergarten Student?

The series is co-produced by Mark Burnett (of Survivor fame) and Fox's Mike Darnell the guy who wanted to crash an airliner into the California desert to give viewers a "realistic" feel.

Following American Idol in the schedule, the series that debuted in late February produced unexpectedly high audience ratings, helping Fox to a sweeps win in the important 18-to-49 demographic.

Since then, 5th Grader has provided Fox with such a strong audience report card that the network has renewed it for 13 more weeks, meaning it will be a key part of May sweeps programming.

You can see it at 7 p.m. Thursday, opposite Burnett's long-running CBS hit, Survivor. And there is talk at Fox that the series, hosted by Jeff Foxworthy and featuring fifth-graders, might become a regular in the network's fall schedule.

A few TV quiz series actually cater to viewers' intelligence. The contestants on Jeopardy regularly display knowledge far above the average grade-school student. But 5th Grader often features simplistic questions.

For example: If you mix red and blue together what color do you get? Maybe you know that's purple, but some contestants missed that easy answer.

My Fox spies say there's no truth to the rumor about the use of an upcoming question that deals with the results of mixing hydrogen and oxygen (H2O). Of course that's vodka.

Hey, no one's gonna think this broadcasting critic's knowledge isn't above fifth-grade level.

Moving on:

Katie Trexler, co-anchor on 7News weekday early morning and 11 a.m. newscasts for seven years, is departing at the end of April.

Trexler's husband, Josh Kern, currently a local executive with Quiznos, has accepted a top position with a major restaurant operation in Orlando, Fla.

Trexler, the mother of 4-year-old twins, will take some time off in Orlando before deciding if she wants to search for a TV job in that Florida city. Orlando's currently the nation's 19th largest TV market, slightly behind Denver.

Dusty's pick for tonight:

The charm of ABC's Boston Legal (9 p.m., Denver's 7) usually evolves from the bizarre characters the law firm defends. Tonight, Megan Mullally- (Will & Grace) shows up as a woman who formerly dated Alan Shore (James Spader).

Her husband has been killed and she's seen running around dressed in a bloody wedding gown holding a murder weapon. Sounds innocent to me - wonder what Denny Crane (William Shatner) thinks?

Mullally needed this kind of action to keep her failed daytime talk show thriving.

Alumni report:

Vince Gonzales, a CBS 4 investigative reporter in the '90s, has parted company with CBS News in Los Angeles, where he had been a national correspondent for 10 years. His next move has not been announced.

Today's nostalgia:

On March 20, 1985, Public television presented a two-hour special, Rodgers and Hammerstein: The Sound of American Music, a tribute to the famed Broadway composers. A host of Broadway stars performed.

Channel swim:

Ever wonder who turns down opportunities to compete on Dancing with the Stars? Don Johnson told a British radio show he did . . . Regis Philbin's heart bypass surgery will keep him away from Regis and Kelly for at least five more weeks. Numerous guest hosts will team with Kelly Ripa . . . Bill Moyers returns to public television April 26 with a documentary, Buying the War, which examines the role of the nation's press prior to the invasion of Iraq.

Dusty Saunders is the broadcasting critic. saundersd@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5137

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