Missing Elements for Real Chemistry? : Television: Viewers for Quality Television resents racy prime-time plots that aren’t given enough development time to make relationships believable.

The organization Viewers for Quality Television has long supported adult shows, but it has sharp words for what it believes is the “shock value” raciness of the season’s fall series.

“This season lacks foreplay, it lacks seduction,” says an editorial in the VQT newsletter commenting on sex in prime time. “The viewer is confronted with characters involved in situations and experiencing a pitch of excitement that the viewer doesn’t identify with nor believe that the characters are feeling.”

The raciness, says the editorial, seems to be used “just for the sake of shock value (ratings value?). . . . We understand the need for the quick ratings fix--but as viewers of quality programs, we resent being used this way.”

VQT, based in Fairfax, Va., cites with admiration the intimate, adult relationship of the characters played by Daniel J. Travanti and Veronica Hamel in “Hill Street Blues.” In addition, VQT notes that “ ‘thirtysomething’ presented adult relationships and situations that came from adult characters.”

“There is warmth and sexiness among the couples on ‘Evening Shade.’ There are funny situations of an adult nature on ‘Cheers’--but we’ve been allowed the time to get to know these characters,” says VQT. “I’ll Fly Away” also earns praise.

Criticizing some new comedies, VQT says: “ ‘Mad About You’ started out unbelievable but has settled down over recent episodes and begun exploring why these two (Helen Hunt and Paul Reiser) are in love.”

As for other shows: “In ‘Hearts Afire,’ John Ritter and Markie Post ended up in the bathtub long before the viewer felt any fire or even warmth between the two. In ‘Love & War,’ the two characters were discussing the need for safe sex long before the viewer felt any urgency or attraction between the two.”

Admirers of these shows undoubtedly feel that the sexual chemistry between the characters was instant and natural.

But VQT, appraising the overall fall television lineups, especially the situation comedies, argues: “What this season is emphasizing is sexual situations between characters who are not emotionally connected to each other and not yet emotionally connected with the audience.”

There’s an ongoing message here: In the continuing series of TV, viewers become a part of any on-screen relationship, and their comfort determines the success or failure of a show.

DREAMS: “Brooklyn Bridge” fans with long memories can only hope that the series, bumped by CBS and all but dead, has an experience similar to that of “Cagney & Lacey” a decade ago. It’s the longest of long shots, but remember what happened?

“Cagney & Lacey,” which eventually made household names of Tyne Daly and Sharon Gless, did poorly in the ratings in its first season, 1982-83, and seemed a goner at CBS. But viewer support and a smart publicity campaign--not to mention an Emmy for Daly--attracted public interest in the situation, and CBS brought the series back in 1984.

It took off immediately, Daly and Gless won six best actress Emmys between them for the show, and the network’s decision to give the series a second shot paid off handsomely.

CBS says it will run out seven remaining episodes of “Brooklyn Bridge” this season and that viewer support--meaning ratings--could bring it back in the fall of 1993.

Networks are in a tougher spot now than a decade ago, but it might behoove CBS to look for any ray of daylight in letters from viewers--and even the slightest ratings improvement if the show gets a decent slot in its apparent last gasp.

It’s rare that shows get the kind of deeply felt viewer loyalty earned by “Cagney & Lacey” and “Brooklyn Bridge.” Such shows are worth their weight in gold if they even just border on success. They bring audiences back to a network many times over.

Otherwise, it’s just the deodorant, beer and auto ad business, right?

MARCH OF TIME: It’s six months since Johnny Carson left “The Tonight Show,” and he just looks better and better in retrospect.

YAKETY-YAK: Well, they’re certainly carving out a distinct and attractive talk-show format over at CNBC--NBC’s cable channel--with such hosts as Dick Cavett, John McLaughlin and the pairing of Phil Donahue and Vladimir Pozner. Toughest thing is for a new cable channel to establish an identity, and CNBC is doing it pretty quickly.

SCOREBOARD: ESPN, the sports network, was the highest-rated cable channel during the November sweeps. HBO was the top pay service by far.

TOP GUN: Caught Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf hawking his new book on C-SPAN, and hearing him describe the writing process--in collaboration with co-author Peter Petre--was as engrossing as his Gulf War briefings. He really belongs in politics. Looks good in a suit too.

BOTTOM LINE: It’s simple, says an ABC spokesman, why the network focuses on the 18-to-49-year-old audience that advertisers want, rather than on total viewers: “Last season, we were No. 3 in total households, No. 1 in demographics and the only network to show a profit.”

IMAGE: There’s not much buzz or pizazz at NBC, but the Monday tandem of “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air” and “Blossom” has evolved into a nice, modest little haven for the network.

LONG AGO AND FAR AWAY: This TV season is so dull that I’m beginning to remember “MacGyver” with fondness. And I’m definitely ready for reruns of “Twin Peaks” and “Cop Rock.”

BEING THERE: “My priorities, as you call them, couldn’t be clearer to me, Christine. Family and work, work and family.”--Mary Beth Lacey (Tyne Daly) to Chris Cagney (Sharon Gless) in “Cagney & Lacey.”

Say good night, Gracie. . . .