In new US import Samantha Who, however, the list of things to forget is as long and distinguished as Slider’s Johnson, featuring a lead character who just can’t remember a damned thing.

As it turns out, that’s a definite plus for Samantha Newly (Christina Applegate), the victim of a hit and run who awakes from an eight-day coma only to discover she has retrograde amnesia.

Family and friends are strangers, but the one thing that our Sam can discern is that until right now, she has spent her life as a full time megabitch who could give lessons in how to lose friends and alienate people.

The premise of the show is that Sam now has to go about discovering the extent of her old ‘Bad Sam’ persona, torn between Andrea – her old partner in putdowns – and Dena, a rejected high school friend who has taken advantage of Sam’s amnesia to announce herself new BFF number one.

If that all sounds slightly familiar, that’s because, er, it is. My Name Is Earl has already trod similar ground, albeit with more invention and humour, and as Sandra Bullock’s remaining fans will remember, While You Were Sleeping also rings a few bells here.

Lack of originality may not be a surprise from co-creator and producer Cecilia Ahern though; the daughter of former Irish Taoiseach Bertie Ahern was responsible for the novel of Hilary Swank vehicle PS I Love You, a rom-com so sickly sweet it could remove your stomach lining.

Not that that has held Samantha Who back, and after a successful first run in the states with Emmy nominations for both Applegate and Jean Smart as her fame-hungry mother Regina, the second season is starting soon on ABC.

How they’re going to keep the plot going will be interesting to see, but this pilot episode does have plenty to enjoy. Applegate does her ‘yes I’m really pretty, but ooh, I’m so sarcastic’ brand of humour that worked so well in Anchorman, and when she reverts to ‘Bad Sam’ she’s a lot of fun to watch.

Jean Smart is also sharp as her laughably bad mother, throwing some great barbs at Jennifer Esposito’s Andrea and stealing most of the scenes she’s in.

So it’s passable, if very girly, fun – but then what is Sunday night E4 for? It could definitely be a grower, but it seems that Samantha Who, like her own past, may be all too easily forgotten.