Canada's private broadcasters made surprisingly short work of the Los Angeles screenings when, on May 25, they ended a week of previewing new U.S. pilots and started bargaining for potential primetime hits.

In contrast to past years when the annual shopping expedition frequently dragged on past midnight, this time the sun had yet to set before the buyers were toasting their latest purchases at the Polo Lounge in Beverly Hills.

For the second year running, back-to-the-wall CanWest MediaWorks looked to grab as many potential hits as it could, locking up, in all, 14 dramas and eight comedies - including buzz-worthies such as the conspiracy drama Vanished, the James Woods-starring Shark and NBC Universal's The Black Donnellys co-created by Crash's Paul Haggis.

Rival CTV bought a trio of Warner Bros. dramas, including the hyped Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, executive produced by Aaron Sorkin; Jerry Bruckheimer's Justice; and Smith, the crime drama from John Wells who previously scored with ER and The West Wing. CHUM bought CBS and ABC dramas including 3 Lbs. and the Lost sound-alike Jericho, as well as the telenovela-inspired comedy Betty the Ugly.

Traditionally, CTV buys ABC and CBS shows, while CanWest relies on NBC and Fox.

But much depends on luck at the L.A. screenings. Canadian buys are constrained by whether new U.S. shows can be simulcast and whether they can be had via output deals.

"It's one big Rubik's Cube and you have to keep up," says CHUM VP of programming Ellen Baine - to screen and buy shows based on the schedules of the major U.S. networks, and by those of one's rivals.

Buyers bid for around 40 new series all at once, using e-mail and cell phones, depending on the complexity of deals.

There were surprises this year, including NBC's revision of its schedule after rival networks unveiled their own. Buyers were also mindful of online components to new series pitched by the U.S. networks this year, "which is my cup of tea," said CTV president of programming Susanne Boyce after wrapping her deal-making in Los Angeles.

Also buying at the screenings was Don Gaudet, GM of programming at Sun TV in Toronto, who picked up CBS Paramount's The Game, a comedy spinoff of UPN's Girlfriends, and investigative news show 48 Hours Mystery.

"Everything we saw was good, compelling TV, which is nice to see. The studios are challenging each other and themselves to pick it up a notch," says Gaudet.