It would seem that TV producer David E. Kelley subscribes to the theory of — if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

He's announced he's working a reality series for NBC.

This would be the same David E. Kelley who was so incensed by the proliferation of reality shows that, just a few months ago, he said network chiefs should be ashamed of themselves for putting them on the air, telling TV critics that TV's "dirty little secret" is that programmers will do just about anything to get ratings.

"No one's denying TV is a business," he said. "But the people in charge of this business . . . at one time championed the idea that we are in this business . . . because we get to make TV shows, we get to make this fantasy world that we're proud of and bring it to the American public. But today, they celebrate the junk.

"As long as they get high ratings, they will do it. And where they were ashamed of it, now they'll throw a parade for themselves."

Kelley did more than just talk about how he hates reality shows. He did a very pointed episode of "The Practice," in which a woman took a network chief (played by real-life CBS chief Les Moonves) hostage and threatened to kill him while pitching him a reality show based on the entire incident.

This would be the same David E. Kelley who has sold an as-yet-untitled reality show to NBC. A former lawyer himself and the producer of lawyer shows that include "L.A. Law" and "Ally McBeal," he'll produce an eight-episode series that NBC said "will feature competitive legal eagles vying to propel their careers to the next level — but each week, the competition will be narrowed down until only one winner will emerge victorious."

Maybe it has something to do with the fact that the only show Kelley has on the air this fall is "Fleet Street," the spinoff of "The Practice." And whose last couple of series — "girls club" and "The Brotherhood of Poland, New Hampshire" — were canceled almost as soon as they premiered.

This new, untitled show is for "future broadcast," which means they don't really have a clue when they'll put it on the air.

He may have sold out, but at least he's honest. Kelley issued a statement that said, "In success, we should be as enlightening as we are entertaining. In failure, we'll stink."

ALREADY CHANGING: We're still more than three months away from the premiere of CBS's fall schedule, and the network has already changed it a bit.

It's still going to air the same three shows on Saturday nights that it announced last month, just in a different order.

Instead of "48 Hours Investigates" at 7 p.m., "Amazing Race" at 8 p.m. and "Crimetime Saturday" (repeats of the various "CSIs," "Without A Trace" and "Cold Case") at 9 p.m., now it will be "Amazing Race" at 7 p.m., "Crimetime" at 8 p.m. and "48 Hours Investigates" at 9 p.m.

Got that?

Frankly, I'm just so happy that "Amazing Race" will be back, I don't care when they air it. I'll just set the VCR (or the Tivo, if I ever get that hooked up and figure it out) for an hour earlier.

Don't be surprised if other networks shuffle their schedules a bit before fall arrives.

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E-mail: pierce@desnews.com