Welcome back old friends, welcome back.

Most of the time when networks air re-runs, the move is met with a collective “M’eh”, signifying the fact that we are well and truly O-V-A-H being subjected to a merry-go-round of viewing deja vu – especially when sitting front and centre on that merry-go-round are shows that weren’t particularly good the first time around.

The types of shows that, like Shane and Simone’s dirty linen, really should have been jettisoned to the scrapheap marked “Never to be aired again”.

(Think Farmer Wants A Wife, Antiques Roadshow, MASH, Ready Steady Cook.)

Occasionally, a slightly higher grade of interest is generated by re-runs of shows that were either ripping ratings winners in their day or that strike wonderful waves of nostalgia in the second-time viewer.

In these categories, for me at least, there are many examples: Seinfeld, All Saints, A Country Practice, Wonder Woman, Kingswood Country, Mother & Son, Prisoner, Diffr’nt Strokes, The A-Team, Six Million Dollar Man, The Love Boat, Lost In Space, Knight Rider, Brady Bunch, Gilligan’s Island, The Jetsons, Facts of Life, Full House, Family Ties, Growing Pains, Saved By The Bell, The Wonder Years … gee I watched a lot of TV as a child.

And there have been lots of more recent walks down memory lane with the absolute avalanche of repeats on air at the moment: The Simpsons, MASH, Everybody Loves Raymond, Law & Order, CSI and Friends, which returned with much five-nights-a-week fanfare but has now been replaced with one of my top five shows of all time: Will & Grace (TEN, weekdays, 7pm).

Why is it my favourite? Because it contains in my opinion the funniest line in television, delivered by the funniest actress in television: Megan Mullally says to Sean Hayes’ Jack, “As I once said to Celine Dion, why the long face?”

Kath and Kim also made a welcome return to the small screen this week – no doubt buoyed by the debacle that was the sad attempt made by the Yanks at a copy.

Like others I have spoken to, I was feeling a little M’eh about the whole K&K product – I did think it had run its race and done its time.

But having witnessed the atrocious crime against comedy that was the American version, I was crying tears of both laughter and pride while watching Magda bounce through a Riverdance on Sunday night.

Word is, some fool has resurrected a plot to US-ify Absolutely Fabulous. How very dare they? Let me save them the trouble: it will be crap. Don’t do it. Roseanne Barr had the good sense to leave well alone. You should too.

The ABC are traditionally prolific repeaters, so much so that I question whether such a huge level of take-two programming can be legal in an industry with supposedly strict regulations on content percentages.

Missed an ABC show on a Monday night? Never fear, it’ll be on again in a few days. (Gardening Australia, Australian Story, Landline, The Cook and the Chef, New Inventors, The Einstein Factor, Spicks and Specks.)

Hell, you can even see Sons & Daughters and A Country Practice on Channel Seven right now, but you’ll have to stay up ‘til 12.30pm on Fridays and 1am on Wednesdays respectively for the privilege.

Is it really worth it when memory lane is so damn crowded right now?

It certainly is a repeat bonanza right now. Repeat, it’s a repeat bonanza!

— REBECCA MARSHALL

What old show would you love to see back on TV?