Heather Graham in ’Emily’s Reasons Why Not’

Kristy Swanson and Lloyd Eisler in ’Skating With Celebrities’

’South Beach’

It’s midseason, and the broadcast networks are gearing up for their second acts - good news for viewers, because it brings relief from the scourge of reruns that can clog the winter months.

The midseason is when networks pull tired series, rest the strong ones for later in the year and try shows to anchor next fall.

Here’s a sample of what’s ahead:

ABC

# "Dancing With the Stars," Jan. 5, 8 p.m. Despite producers’ promises of A-list talent, the contestants for the second cycle of this show are suspiciously similar in pedigree to those of the first season. This time we’ll watch Tatum O’Neal, Jerry Rice, George Hamilton, Tia Carrere, Nick Lachey’s younger brother Drew, Lisa Rinna, Giselle Fernandez, the WWE’s Stacy Keibler, ESPN’s Kenny Mayne and rap star Romeo.

# "Crumbs," Jan. 12, 9:30 p.m. Jane Curtin and William Devane play divorced parents of grown sons (Fred Savage and Eddie McClintock). Did we mention that Mom has recently been released from psychiatric care?

# "Emily’s Reasons Why Not," Jan. 9, 9 p.m. Heather Graham stars as as a quirky single woman whose bad choices in men have given her a major case of commitment-phobia.

# "In Justice," Jan. 1, 10 p.m. Kyle MacLachlan plays an oily lawyer on the righteous side of the system, working to free the wrongly convicted.

CBS

# "Love Monkey," Jan. 17, 10 p.m. Tom Cavanagh plays a a music executive who finds that dating in New York City is not for the faint of heart.

# "The Jenna Elfman Show," Jan. 23, 9:30 p.m. Elfman plays a single workaholic trying to figure out what goes on in the minds of the men in her life, including Dad (Dabney Coleman).

NBC

# "Four Kings," Jan. 5, 8:30. This sitcom stars Seth Green, Shane McRae, Josh Cooke and Todd Grinnell as friends sharing a big house in New York

# "Book of Daniel," Jan. 6, 9 p.m. This limited-run series stars Aidan Quinn as an Episcopalian minister with a ne’er-do-well brother, a gay son and a monkey on his back. He also talks to a guy calling himself Jesus. The show has a two-hour premiere.

UPN

# "South Beach," Jan. 11, 8 p.m. Jennifer Lopez adds TV-series producer to her résumé with this drama. It chronicles the adventures of pals Marcus Coloma and Chris Johnson, who ditch grimy Brooklyn for sizzling Miami.

# "Get This Party Started," Jan. 24, 9 p.m. Kristin Cavallari ("Laguna Beach") is milking her 15 minutes, hosting this reality show with Ethan Erickson ("Extra"). The two shadow an elite team of event planners as they seek out deserving folks in dire need of a party. Call it "Extreme Makeover: Keg-Stand Edition."

FOX

# "Skating With Celebrities," Jan. 23, 8 p.m. The only truly new midseason offering on Fox will be the "Dancing With the Stars" ripoff on ice, which starts on a Monday but moves to Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on Jan. 25.

# "24" and "American Idol" return in January, and "Prison Break" comes back in March.

WB

# "Beauty and the Geek," Jan. 12, 9 p.m. A new crop of pocket-protector-wearing pointyheads gets a chance to rub shoulders with intellectually challenged pretties when this reality show returns to the WB.

The network has yet to announce premiere dates for "Bedford Diaries," about college students in a sexuality class; "Pepper Dennis," starring Rebecca Romijn as a bungling television reporter; the Jerry Bruckheimer comedy "Modern Men," and the Jane Leeves sitcom "Misconceptions."