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TV3 is the first out of the blocks to reveal its line-up of 2009 shows. And while all the channel's familiar primetime franchises are returning - with some like Heroes due to screen before the end of 2008 - even some of the new shows have a familiar ring about them.
The network has the American remake of the BBC's Life on Mars - about a contemporary cop sucked back into the seventies - which stars Irish actor Jason O'Mara in the lead role of Sam Tyler and is now set in Los Angeles. The show also stars Michael Imperioli of The Sopranos and Harvey Keitel in the role of Tyler's dinosaur of a new boss, Gene Hunt.
Another remake coming to TV3 is the new version of Knight Rider, the show about the computerised supercar which made a star of David Hasselhoff in the 80s. His role is being taken by newcomer Justin Bruening, while Kitt the car's voice is that of Val Kilmer.
There's more sci-fi espionage afoot in Dollhouse, the latest series by Buffy the Vampire Slayer creator Joss Whedon which has Buffy co-star Eliza Dushku as member of a group of people who have had their personalities wiped clean so they can be imprinted with any number of new personas and hired out to perform all sorts of assignments good or bad.
My Own Worst Enemy stars Christian Slater doing a Jekyll and Hyde between his character's two personalities - suburban drone and deadly spy. The fun begins when the divide between them breaks down.
From Heroes writer Michael Lawrence, Kings is also a modern twist to an old story - that of David and Goliath set in a war-torn modern day metropolis.
Meanwhile, new comedies coming to TV3 include The Ex-List (woman must revisit old flames to find The One she might have missed), Do Not Disturb (hotel staff power struggles) and Worst Week (guy gets into trouble with his in-laws-to-be). And set in 1976, Swingtown is a relationship drama about when the sexual revolution hit the American suburbs with story arcs involving open marriages and key parties.
Mediocre ratings stateside made it a one-season fling, rather than one requiring long-term commitment.