Toronto: Ving Rhames will be back in Toronto in January for more Kojak – having been re-upped by USA Network for a series version of the recent MOW, which shot here in August. The two-hour MOW will be repackaged as the pilot for the nine-week series – with Rhames reprising the role of the tough, titular New York cop played by Telly Savalas on CBS in the ’70s.

Things are also looking up for the Toronto-shot Kevin Hill, which recently got a full season order from UPN despite its sluggish start in the ratings.

Critics have been good to the just-wrapped first season – which stars Taye Diggs as a lawyer caring for a young girl – but viewers have been slow to catch on. Diggs appears with costars Jon Seda, Patrick Breen, Michael Michele and Christina Hendricks. Writer Jorge Reyes (Resurrection Blvd.) co-exec produces with Bruce Davey (Braveheart), Alex Taub (Judging Amy) and Nancy Cotton (Savages) for Touchstone Television and Mel Gibson’s Icon Productions.