Preview ’93 : Syndicate Rites : FROM CANADA’S TOP TALK-SHOW HOST TO HOME VIDEOS OF THE STARS, LOCAL STATIONS GO FOR VARIETY

This year, syndicators are offering a grab-bag of talk shows--including new entries from Canadian Shirley Solomon and actress Ricki Lake--an investigative news magazine and two action-adventure series. Gone are Bill Cosby’s “You Bet Your Life” and “The Whoopi Goldberg Show,” two highly touted series from last season that failed to attract viewers.

Here are the highlights of what’s coming to Southland stations along with their time slots and premiere dates.

KCBS

“Sports Snapshot”: Weekly sports trivia game show that also includes a home shopping component for viewers via an 800 number. Weekends, depending on sports broadcasts. Already premiered. (Also weekends on San Diego’s KNSD.)

KNBC

“The Crusaders”: Mark Hyman, William La Jeunesse, Howard Thompson and Carla Wohl are the hosts of an investigative-advocacy program. Each episode will feature three major stories in addition to short segments. Saturdays at 7 p.m. and Mondays at 1 a.m. Already premiered. (Also Saturdays at 8 p.m. on San Diego’s KGTV.)

“It’s Showtime at the Apollo”: Variety series leaps from KCBS to KNBC for its seventh season, Sundays at 2 a.m. Already premiered.

“On the Money With Brian Banmiller”: Informational series offers coverage in money matters, career concerns and business issues. TBA.

“Uptown Comedy”: The comedy revue series moves from KCAL to KNBC. Mondays at 12:25 a.m. Oct. 3.

KABC

“Home Videos of the Stars”: Robin Leach is the host of this weekly series that features “private, unrehearsed and unscripted” home movie footage of celebrities. Saturdays at 5:30 p.m. Already premiered.

KCAL

“American Journal”: Emmy Award-winner Nancy Glass is the host of a half-hour magazine series featuring news stories from the cities where they originate. Each episode covers at least three different stories from consumer-useful investigations to entertainment news. Weeknights at 7:30 p.m. Already premiered . (Also weeknights at 11:30 p.m. on San Diego’s KGTV).

“Shirley”: Journalist Shirley Solomon brings her hit Canadian talk show to America, featuring social, personal and political issues. Weeknights at midnight. Monday.

KCOP

“Cobra”: Michael Dudikoff stars in this action drama as Robert (Scandal) Jackson, a former military officer and martial arts experts who joins forces with an undercover agency to seek justice for crime victims abandoned by the system. Sundays at 9 p.m. Sunday. (Also Saturdays at 4 p.m. on San Diego’s KGTV.)

“Ricki”: Ricki Lake, the star of John Waters’ “Hairspray,” is the host of a new talk show geared to younger viewers. Weeknights at 5 p.m. Monday. (Also weeknights at 8 p.m. on San Diego’s KUSI.)

“Acapulco H.E.A.T.”: Catherine Oxenberg, the fab Fabio and John Vernon star in a new syndicated action-adventure about a top secret team of operatives--Hemisphere Emergency Action Team--who work out of a luxury hotel on the Mexican Riviera, where they tackle the world of counterterrorism and multinational crime. Two-hour premiere Tuesday at 8 p.m., then moves to regular time slot Sundays at 11 p.m. Oct. 3. (Also, beginning Oct. 2, Saturdays at 11 a.m. and midnight on San Diego’s KUSI.)

“Babylon 5”: Michael O’Hare and Claudia Christian star in a futuristic science-fiction thriller set in the year 2257 aboard a five-mile long United Nations-style space station. January.