Friday night, I channel surfed over to ABC, where I sat through an episode of “Men in Trees” while taking a break from answering interview questions. Really, I can’t imagine why I sat through the episode (apparently I needed some mind-numbing from my previous activity), but it took about five minutes before I realized I’d seen the show before (and I still didn’t reach for the remote because I am that lazy.) Except, the last time I saw it, it was called “Northern Exposure” and set in Cicely, Alaska. “Men in Trees” is set in Elmo, Alaska. Aside for various cosmetic differences (that being one of them), “Men in Trees” is a near duplicate of the extraordinarily superior “Northern Exposure.”

1. Both shows feature lead characters who are transplanted from New York to bumfuck Alaska (Northern Exposure’s Rob Morrow, Men in Trees’ Anne Heche.)

2. Both shows feature January/April romances (Northern Exposure’s Holling & Shelley, MiT’s old black guy & crazy Asian chick*.)

3. Both shows feature a bush pilot as a regular member of the cast. And a bartender. And a radio show host (Northern Exposure’s far superior philosopher-disc jockey John Corbett.)

Oh, wait! Men in Trees’ opening sequence doesn’t feature a moose walking through downtown. Also, Northern Exposure doesn’t feature narration (unless you count Chris Stevens’ radio monologues). Both shows are quirky (rather, N.E. is and MiT tries to be.)

I don’t know what the pitch to ABC for this show was. “It’ll be like Northern Exposure … except on ABC!” And, also, unlike Northern Exposure, it’ll be … not good and not original.

*Sorry, couldn’t figure out their characters’ names.